It seems like every day the President blames someone new for the country's troubles... and all the back and forth makes me want to watch some classic who-dun-it's!
#1 Clue, 1985
Directed by Jonathan Lynn
Starring Eilleen Brennan, Tim Curry, Madeline Kahn, Christopher Lloyd, Michael McKean
In a spoof of McCarthy-era paranoia, Tim Curry leads an incredible cast through a wacky story based on nothing more than... a board game. AND I LOVE IT.
Clue is an absolute highlight of 1980's comedy. Any mediocre reviews I've read are written by people who just don't understand its style of humor, or were expecting to watch a true murder mystery. But after 35 years, this movie is a cult classic. Just look at the cast list! When Madeline Kahn (star of Young Frankenstein and Blazing Saddles) was cast as Mrs. White, the writers expanded her role... Thank goodness.
For the original release of Clue, the film's three endings were screened separately in different theatres, depending on where you saw the movie, which probably caused some arguments among friends... Thankfully, all three are now all in delightful succession, and I can't imagine it any other way. Rumors of a Clue reboot have been flying around for over a year, with names like Ryan Reynolds and Jason Bateman being attached. But why does Hollywood always insist on messing with perfection? No one could ever replace Tim Curry.
If you're as big a fan as I am, you'll love the art work featured at a 2015 exhibit in Los Angeles-based Gallery 1988.
And to make a long story short (TOO LATE!), you should totally check it out.
Available to Stream on Amazon Prime and Crackle
#2 Murder on the Orient Express, 1974
Directed by Sidney Lumet
Starring Albert Finney, Lauren Bacall, Ingrid Bergman, Sean Connery, Michael York
While some people might be surprised by the screwball antics of Clue, I was pleasantly caught off guard by the humor in Murder on the Orient Express. The film follows the plot of the 1934 novel by Agatha Christie fairly accurately, but adds an incredibly strong ensemble cast and impressive production design.
Albert Finney plays Poirot, an over-the-top, slightly manic and flamboyant Belgian detective who gets roped into solving a murder mystery on board a train. The film manages to be visually engaging from start to finish, with well-placed touches of stylized cinematography, Hollywood glamour, and playful overacting... a formula that won't fail to entertain.
Available to Stream on Amazon Prime and The Criterion Channel
Ad-supported Streaming Available on Pluto TV
#3 Knives Out, 2019
Directed by Rian Johnson
Starring Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Ana de Armas, Jamie Lee Curis, Michael Shannon, Don Johnson, Toni Colllette, LaKieth Stanfield, Christopher Plummer
Who's ready to see some rich white assholes get what's coming to them? 🙋
You're in luck, because the most entertaining film of 2019 is about to be available to stream! Knives Out is another star-studded ensemble murder mystery where everyone is a suspect. When novelist Harlan Thrombey (Plummer) is found dead after his 85th birthday party, world-famous Detective Benoit Blanc (Craig) is put on the case to determine what happened. Blanc sifts through piles of red herrings and self-serving lies with a thick chicken-fried-chicken southern drawl and an irresistible gift of gab that sets him apart from the rest of the fantastic ensemble.
The satirical humor, characters oozing with priviledge, and colorful production design seem lifted directly from a Wes Anderson film, but this film is definitely in a class of its own. To the end, Knives Out remains laugh-out-loud funny and filled with shenanigans and stabs of social satire. Personally, I can't wait to re-watch it to appreciate the foreshadowing I missed the first time.
Available to Stream on Amazon Prime June 12