Classic Film Reviews

A review of an old film has a different job from a new-release review. The question is not whether to buy a ticket this weekend, but why a film from decades ago still works, or no longer does, and what is worth noticing on a first or fifth viewing. This section revisits single films at length and builds watchlists.

Classic movies to watch is a 40-film list for building a classic-film habit, and old movies worth watching is written for people who think they don't like old movies. Longer reviews include Casablanca (1942) and Sunset Boulevard (1950).

Reviews are the personal opinions of the writer named on each one, with production facts checked against published sources. Where a film can be seen, the review says only that it may be found through public-domain archives or licensed services.