First Recommendation for 2008: Something From 1944

If you're a fan of film noir and haven't seen Laura, get your hands on a copy. Released in 1944, it stars the gorgeous Gene Tierney as the title character, whose murder draws the attention of a detective played by Dana Andrews. It also stars Clifton Webb, Judith Anderson, and a 33-year-old Vincent Price. (If, like me, you grew up thinking that Price was born a 70-year-old cackling in a dungeon, you're in for a surprise/treat. Turns out, he wasn't! Prior to this, the only thing I thought I'd seen him "young" in was The Fly. He was almost 50 in that.)

Laura's an easy movie to like, not least because of dialogue like this:

"Have you ever been in love?"

"A doll in Washington Heights once got a fox fur out of me."

Kind of makes you lose sympathy for the striking screenwriters. They were giving us lines like those in the '40s; now, they're making Speed Racer.