Back to the 2020 Holiday Gift Guide
Brought to you by Colin (with an assist from Genni).
Great stories from Barry Sonnenfeld, who directed the The Addams Family movies, Get Shorty, and Men in Black and also was cinematographer on Coen brothers classics like Raising Arizona and Miller's Crossing. Barry Sonnenfeld has seen a lot, and you've got a front row seat as he runs through what led him to work on such classic films. --Colin
A wonderful collection of essays and television criticism that celebrates the form and reexamines how we interact and talk about TV, although to so rigidly define the writing of Emily Nussbaum is to sell it short. More a collection of our current society and how we tell stories, Nussbaum's writing shines brightly here. --Colin
A detailed and thoughtful history of a truly great film. Sam Wasson, who wrote 2018's wonderful Improv Nation, is back with a thorough examination of Hollywood in the late 60's and early 70's and all the infighting and ambition that went into making a masterpiece. --Colin
Released in 1968, George Romero's zombie film reinvented the horror genre and changed filmmaking forever. An illuminating analysis of an artistically and culturally important movie that will thrill any film fan. The whole BFI Film Classics catalog is fantastic, covering classics like The Manchurian Candidate, The Empire Strikes Back, and The Big Lebowski, to name a few. --Colin
Chronicling both her feats and stumbles as a women in the public eye, She Come By It Natural is an engrossing and short read that cements Dolly as a star that continues to shine brightly. --Genni
I love books of film criticism because they remind me why I love movies. Peter Bradshaw has been the chief film reviewer for The Guardian since 1999 and the passion with which he writes is charming and captivating. Broken down into chapters like "Films That Made Me Sad" and "Films That Made Me Scared," this book will leave you on the couch with a bowl of popcorn ready to dive into a good movie. --Colin
Irwin Winkler produced Rocky, Raging Bull, Goodfellas, The Wolf of Wall Street, and plenty more classics and has been working in Hollywood since the 60's. Full of behind-the-scenes anecdotes and plenty of filmmaking advice, this book is a must-have for film fans and aspiring filmmakers. --Colin
A great and in-depth biography of one of the funniest people to ever live. Mel Brooks is responsible for some of my favorite films of all time - Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, High Anxiety...believe me, I could go on - and although Funny Man focuses more on the man than the movies, there's plenty of stories for even casual fans. --Colin
A guided tour through the history of WWE from its beginnings to its current state, filled with some of the wackiest characters and the most engaging performers you're likely to read about, this book is a true delight for babyfaces and heels alike. --Colin
