TheArchive: Reviewing the Rare, Retro, and Restored

There’s a freedom that arrives with the end of the school year. The last bell rings, lockers slam shut, graduation caps fly and suddenly the world is your oyster. Summer vacation gives you a few months to escape routine, hit the road with some friends, and chase romance.  Recent graduates are entering a world that feels more uncertain than ever. The Guardian reported that students booed some 2026 commencement speeches about AI and the job market. These students feel they are stepping into a new world where a powerful technology could forever change all our lives and the workforce. ( The Guardian ) Meanwhile, AFAR is highlighting concerts, festivals, and cultural events across the country as reasons to get out, explore, and make the most of the season. ( AFAR Media ) Whether you’re fresh out of school, stuck between life stages, or simply craving a break from the mundane, summer has a way of pushing people into motion. This week on TheArchive, we’re celebrating the season with stori...

Memorial Day often gets grouped in with the unofficial start of summer. It is the long weekend that brings backyard barbecues, beach trips, road trips , and the first real feeling that the season has finally shifted. But at its heart, Memorial Day is about remembrance. It is a day to honor the people of the armed forces who lost their lives in service, and to reflect on the cost of the freedom we often take for granted.  There are many ways to observe Memorial Day, from visiting memorials and cemeteries to participating in the National Moment of Remembrance. Another way we continue to engage with history is through the stories we tell and return to. Film has always had a unique way of preserving memory, not only by showing the battles themselves, but by exploring courage, grief, justice, and the lasting impact of violence long after the fighting ends on individuals and society. This Memorial Day , we’re highlighting The Great Escape II: The Untold Story and The Quick and the Dead...

If you’ve ever spent more time scrolling for something to watch than actually watching it, you’ve probably experienced streaming fatigue. With thousands of movies and TV shows spread across multiple platforms, choosing what to stream can start to feel less like entertainment and more like a chore. The average household now subscribes to several streaming services at once, giving viewers unprecedented access to films, series, documentaries, and hidden gems that may have slipped through the cracks during their original release. On the surface, that sounds like a good problem to have. More platforms should mean more movies, more exposure for underseen titles, and more chances to discover something outside your usual taste. But endless access does not always lead to better discovery. Sometimes, it just leads to more scrolling. Some of us are lucky enough to have experienced shopping for movie rentals at Blockbuster, which now has one remaining functioning location in Bend, Oregon. You walk...