A fictionalized biopic of serial queen Pearl White, starring Betty Hutton as the actress who became a popular action hero in the 1910’s. It’s definitely not accurate to film history, which is a shame, as it would’ve been great to see how pioneering Pearl White was. But, as is to be expected with a 1947 film, the focus is more on a love story between Pearl and a fellow actor, with some musical songs thrown in for good measure. Not factual but still fun.

I never would have guessed that this is one of Martin Scorsese’s favorite guilty pleasures. Directed by Howard Hawks, this is a 50s sword and sandal epic with thousands of extras, giant sets and shiny costumes... all in CinemaScope! The story follows a Pharaoh (try saying that fast) who enlists slaves to build him a grand pyramid as his tomb. Most of the film is about planning a tricky-enough labyrinth to hide his gold (he loves gold!) I had no idea where it was going until... in comes a browned-up Joan Collins to give the plot a real nasty twist. Cheesy good fun.

Feels right to kick off 2019 (and my resolution to use letterboxd) with a modern movie that looks to the past. My classic film loving heart was full of joy as Laurel & Hardy were brought back to life by the wonderful Coogan & Reilly. This film is both a celebration of the comedic duo’s friendship, and an honest look at the ups and downs of creative collaboration.

Dan Gilroy’s funnier (than I expected) satire of the art world, with plenty of messages about what you give to art, and how people who profit from it should be punished. (Funny that this is a Netflix movie) I enjoyed the bizarre mix of tones - comedy, thriller, horror - and the ensemble cast. Once again future husband Jake Gyllenhaal proves that he excels at portraying “unhinged” characters. This will be fun to watch at home on Netflix, out Feb 1.