Track the Films You Watch (2007) (2 Viewers)

[Mario Gauci]

Can somebody please explain to me WHY THE F*** do I keep losing half the info on my list on page 1 EVERY F****** time I update it????

 

[Michael Elliott]

You might have too much information in your post.

 

[Adam_S]

3:10 to Yuma - excellent classy old fashioned style western

Airplane - rewatched this great and funny film, I was reminded again just how many of the jokes went over my head when I was twelve.

 

[george kaplan]

Double Harness

Interesting for some of the pre-code innuendo, but another film that almost, but doesn't quite succeed.

 

[SteveGon]

Miracle in Milan (1951)

Viewed 4/9/2007 (first viewing)

Vittorio De Sica's luminous fantasy about a young man, recently
released from an orphanage, who becomes one of the leaders of a
squatter's camp. But when oil is discovered there the rich landowner
wants the camp residents evicted and only a miracle can save them!
Hopeful, ingratiating drama that only a Scrooge would pan.

:star: :star: :star: :star: out of :star: :star: :star: :star:


The Man on the Flying Trapeze (1935)

Viewed 4/9/2007 (first viewing)

Mildly amusing W.C. Fields vehicle has the comedian contending with an
ornery mother-in-law, lazy brother-in-law, drunken burglars, flying wrestlers
and a string of traffic tickets. Didn't see any trapezes though.

:star: :star: 1/2 out of :star: :star: :star: :star:


May 6th (2004)

Viewed 4/10/2007 (first viewing)

Solid political thriller from Theo Van Gogh about a photographer
investigating the assassination of a controversial politician.

:star: :star: :star: out of :star: :star: :star: :star:


Zulo (2005)

Viewed 4/10/2007 (first viewing)

Tense account of a man who for no apparent reason is kidnapped and
held captive in a well - where he quickly descends into madness.

:star: :star: :star: out of :star: :star: :star: :star:


When Zombies Attack!! (2001)

Viewed 4/11/2007 (first viewing)

Humorous zombie short about a puppet show put on for a kindergarten
class that demonstrates the dangers of "wakers."

"If it stinks, don't trust it!"

:star: :star: :star: out of :star: :star: :star: :star:


Zombie Movie (2005)

Viewed 4/11/2007 (first viewing)

New Zealand zombie short about three guys in a broken-down car
surrounded by the living dead. Not bad, but the ending is a bit silly.

:star: :star: 1/2 out of :star: :star: :star: :star:


Neither the Sea Nor the Sand (1972)[/b]

Viewed 4/11/2007 (first viewing)

Dreamy horror film about a woman whose lover dies and then returns
from the dead, urging her to join him in death. One of the better
entries in the return of the loving dead subgenre, sort of a thinking
man's Hammer flick.

:star: :star: :star: 1/2 out of :star: :star: :star: :star:


Dead and Deader (2006)

Viewed 4/11/2007 (first viewing)

An army squad is killed in action and infected with zombiefying, parasitic beetles.
Their corpses then reanimate, beginning a night of zombie horror. But one of the
dead soldiers carries a partial immunity and retains his higher functions, allowing him to
lead an assault on the undead hordes. Average telefilm is entertaining if forgettable, but
you do get to see Susan Ward in her undies so it's not a complete waste of time.

:star: :star: out of :star: :star: :star: :star:


Shivers (1975)

Viewed 4/11/2007 (first viewing)

Early David Cronenberg effort has a doctor battling the crazed,
parasite-infected residents of an elite high rise apartment building.
Not really an undead flick, but it does owe a great debt to George
Romero (and in regard to certain scenes, perhaps Romero is indebted to
Cronenberg). Lynn Lowry, the nubile starlet featured in Romero's
The Crazies, fares little better here. I hate parasites.

:star: :star: :star: out of :star: :star: :star: :star:


Planet Terror (2007)

Viewed 4/11/2007 (first viewing)

Robert Rodriguez's half of Grindhouse is a splatastic zombie epic featuring
go go dancers with machine gun legs, gun-handy runts, secret BBQ recipes, jars
of testicles and best of all, lots and lots of over the top gore. The movie that
Dead and Deader wanted to be.

:star: :star: :star: 1/2 out of :star: :star: :star: :star:


Death Proof (2007)

Viewed 4/11/2007 (first viewing)

Quentin Tarantino's half of Grindhouse stars Kurt Russell as a
psychotic stuntman who's turned vehicular homicide into an art form.
Tarantino's trademark dialogues slow down the pace (though I think
that's more a matter of delivery by actors who are nice to look at,
but not that interesting) but the climatic car duel kicks ass.

:star: :star: :star: out of :star: :star: :star: :star:


Supercroc (2007)

Viewed 4/12/2007 (first viewing)

You know something's wrong when you keep nodding off during a movie
about a giant, man-eating crocodile.

:star: out of :star: :star: :star: :star:


Pro-Life (2007)

Viewed 4/12/2007 (first viewing)

John Carpenter's second entry in the Masters of Horror series. A
religious fanatic storms an abortion clinic with the intent of saving
his daughter who's trying desperately to get rid of her hell-spawned
baby. Starts off well but soon descends into demonic silliness with
two many unanswered questions.

:star: :star: 1/2 out of :star: :star: :star: :star:


Goya's Ghosts (2006)

Viewed 4/12/2007 (first viewing)

Entertaining if imperfect historical drama centering on Spanish painter
Francisco Goya as he witnesses the invasion of Spain by France after
the French revolution and tries to help out a woman unjustly imprisoned
by the church.

:star: :star: :star: out of :star: :star: :star: :star:


Hinokio (2005)

Viewed 4/13/2007

Japanese sci-fi drama about a crippled little boy who uses a robot
proxy to attend school. Injured in the car accident that killed his
mother, the boy has withdrawn from the world, but through the robot
(nicknamed Hinokio) he learns once again the joys of love and
friendship. Pretty good, though the plot thread involving an
addictive video game that links to reality is a bit odd.

:star: :star: :star: out of :star: :star: :star: :star:


The Man Who Sued God (2001)

Viewed 4/13/2007 (first viewing)

Pleasing comedy with an irresistible premise: a fisherman loses his
boat to a lightning strike and despite comprehensive coverage, his
insurance company refuses to pay up, claiming the loss of the boat to
be an act of God. So what does he do? He sues God!

:star: :star: :star: out of :star: :star: :star: :star:


Color Me Kubrick (2005)

Viewed 4/13/2007 (first viewing)

Middling account of a man who impersonated Stanley Kubrick in the
1990s. Was he really a con man or just a troubled soul looking to
escape himself?

:star: :star: 1/2 out of :star: :star: :star: :star:


Woman is the Future of Man (2004)

Viewed 4/14/2007 (first viewing)

Korean drama has two friends reuniting after years apart. They then
decide to look up a woman they'd both been involved with. Elliptical
drama from Hong Sangsoo is nonetheless engrossing.

:star: :star: :star: out of :star: :star: :star: :star:


Red Road (2006)

Viewed 4/14/2007 (first viewing)

A Glasgow woman whose job is to monitor the crime-ridden streets via
closed circuit tv cameras recognizes a man she'd hoped never to see
again, the man responsible for destroying her life. Tense, contemplative
little revenge thriller.

:star: :star: :star: out of :star: :star: :star: :star:


Flannel Pajamas (2006)

Viewed 4/15/2007 (first viewing)

Fairly engaging indie talkfest follows the romantic arc of a man a
woman from first meeting to marriage to their eventually separation.

:star: :star: :star: out of :star: :star: :star: :star:


Copying Beethoven (2006)

Viewed 4/15/2007 (first viewing)

Ed Harris trades in his Jackson Pollock paintbrush for Beethoven's
baton in this enjoyable biopic that has the great composer engaging
the services of a beautiful female copyist in his final years.

:star: :star: :star: out of :star: :star: :star: :star:

 

[SteveGon]

Double down!

 

[PatW]

I couldn't agree more. I can remember the first time I saw this, I thought I was watching a good crime movie plus Harvey Keitel in a different role from anything I'd seen him do in the past. When Salma Hayek gets up on the table and the film becomes a horror movie, well I didn't see it coming. I can remember my bf saying to me at that time " What the f*** is this." He was not impressed with the turnaround like I was. Even though I'm not a lover of what I call extreme horror, I sure loved this movie. I can't wait to see Grindhouse.

 

[PatW]

Rhapsody (1954) :star: :star: :star:

Well, Elizabeth Taylor was certainly lovely to look at in her youth and the music was heavenly especially the Rach Piano Concerto #2 but I found it dull at times. The acting overall was good. Maybe there was just one too many shots of Taylor's rapturous face during the performances but still a thumbs up.

 

[Ted Lee]

title: doom
rating: b
comments: this one surprised me. i didn't go in expecting much, but was thoroughly entertained. some nice action, good effects and production value ... and the rock! how can ya go wrong?

 

[PatW]

The Far Country (1955) :star: :star:

What started out promising becomes laughable and ridicious at least as far as events are protrayed in the Yukon and Dawson in particular. The scenery is stunning to look at though and the acting is good especially Jimmy Stewart and Walter Brennan.

 

[george kaplan]

Heavenly Creatures

Irritating and unpleasant movie about unpleasant and irritating people. By the time they got to the murder I was praying for someone to bash my head in so I wouldn't have to watch anymore of this crap.

What's sad is that Peter Jackson was able to be more faithful to this story, then he was to Lord of the Rings. :frowning:

 

[Ted Lee]

title: reservoir dogs
rating: a
comments: watched the anniversary edition dvd. much better video and audio. as for the movie, not much to say except it's been a while, and i enjoyed revisiting it. as usual, quentin's dialog is just so fresh ... i absolutely love "the commode story" sequence.

 

[PatW]

Last King of Scotland (2006) :star: :star: :star:

Forest Whitaker certainly gave an amazing powerful performance in this movie. Too bad the rest of the movie wasn't as great as that performance but still a thumbs up. James MacAvoy was also extremely good as Amin's personal physician who is enamoured of his employer but gradually has his eyes opened.

Notes on a Scandal (2006) :star::star::star::star:

A mediocre movie with two outstanding performances from two of the best actresses working today. What can I say about Cate Blanchett that hasn't been stated many times.
She is without doubt the best actress working nowadays and my favourite. She gave a heartbreaking performance as a trusting woman who is ultimately betrayed by a friend.
The confrontation between her character and Barbara when she learns of her betrayal was just chilling. It would be hard to top it if you were anyone but Dame Judi Dench who I believe gave the best performance in the movie. I had brief moments of sympathy for her character but mostly horror at the type of women that she was. Sheba said it best when she called her a vampire. Bill Nighty gave a great performance but it was certainly outshined by the two female leads.

 

[Sandro]

Out of :star: :star: :star: :star:

Keoma :star: :star: :star: Mystical and mysterious spaghetti Western is one of the better ones I've seen. A typical "clean up the home town" storyline is enhanced by many offbeat touches. The editing is particularly noteworthy as certain scenes portray both past and present in a clever way. Need to rewatch this one.

A Bullet for the General :star: :star: :star: A top-notch political spaghetti Western that is a little too long but has the benefit of putting over its message quite subtly. Stylistically it's not as showy as most in the genre. Klaus Kinski seems a little wasted in this one (his character isn't evil or crazy enough!) but Gian Maria Volonte shines as usual.

Thanks to the HBO free preview last weekend I got to watch a lot of movies I would not usually bother with and that were ultimately not that good.....

Separate Lies :star: :star: 1/2 British drama offers nothing new
Transporter 2 :star: :star: 1/2 Enjoyable rubbish
The Island (2005) :star: :star: My first Michael Bay movie. Potentially interesting but way too noisy
Syriana :star: :star: 1/2 Talk, talk, talk. Would have been better if there had been more explanation of characters and their motivations
Final Destination 3 :star: :star: 1/2 A step down from the first two installments. I really can't explain why I like this series.

Pit and the Pendulum (1961) :star: :star: :star: Excellent Corman movie with the added benefit of Barbara Steele.

Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid (reconstructed version) :star: :star:
Peckinpah is hit and miss with me. This is just too long and boring and almost becomes a self-parody.

Memories of Murder :star: :star: :star: Solid Korean crime yarn.

 

[SteveGon]

Ahem. Best stay away from the other steaming piles of shit he's directed then.

 

[Mario Gauci]

04/10/07: THE CAT (Luigi Comencini, 1977) :star::star::star:

This delightful black comedy was one of three films I watched in tribute to Italian director Comencini who died recently aged 90. It is often hilarious and boasts several exquisite characterizations, led by two incomparable stars – Ugo Tognazzi and Mariangela Melato – in top form (the latter was in fact awarded the David di Donatello, Italy’s equivalent of the Oscar, as Best Actress).

Like Comencini’s earlier THE SUNDAY WOMAN (1975), the film takes several swipes at a particular strata of Italian society – in this case, the petite bourgeoisie. Tognazzi and Melato own a dilapidated condominium and the plot follows their various attempts to evict the tenants, so that an ultra-modern one can be erected in its place thus making themselves rich in the process; still, the two of them hate each other’s guts and don’t think twice about cheating one another! Events come to a head when the titular feline, owned by the two and which causes no end of mischief to the rest of the inhabitants, turns up dead: they hassle the police to find the killer of their pet, but he repeatedly shuns them – little knowing that the investigation they eventually conduct on their own leads to multiple criminal cases (prostitution and drug rackets) and even political scandals (a high state official is a homosexual who’s being blackmailed by the Mafia)!

The complex plot – taking several surprising turns along the way, including Tognazzi’s involvement with the sluttish Dalila di Lazzaro and Melato’s awkward seduction of priest Philippe Leroy! – renders the film somewhat overlong, but it’s buoyed by an infectious score from the one and only Ennio Morricone (which is itself utilized for comic counterpoint during the climactic trial sequence). Incidentally, the film’s executive producer was one Sergio Leone!


04/12/07: EVERYBODY GO HOME! (Luigi Comencini, 1960) :star::star::star:1/2

This is possibly Comencini’s finest work (which I watched in tribute to his recent passing), one of several contemporaneous Italian war-themed films – Mario Monicelli’s LA GRANDE GUERRA (1959), Gillo Pontecorvo’s KAPO` (1959), Roberto Rossellini’s IL GENERALE DELLA ROVERE (1959) and ERA NOTTE A ROMA (1960), Florestano Vancini’s LA LUNGA NOTTE DEL ’43 (1960), Vittorio De Sica’s LA CIOCIARA (1961), Luciano Salce’s IL FEDERALE (1961), Nanni Loy’s LE QUATTRO GIORNATE DI NAPOLI (1962), etc. Still, despite being awarded the David Di Donatello for best film (and other international prizes), it’s not very well-known outside Italy!

The international cast assembled for the film is comprised of Italians (Alberto Sordi, Nino Castelnuovo, Edoardo De Filippo, Carla Gravina), French (Serge Reggiani) and Americans (Martin Balsam, Alex Nicol); Nino Manfredi was originally intended for the role eventually played by Reggiani – but Sordi apparently objected to the idea of having two comic stars in the film! Still, in spite of Sordi’s reputation, it’s not an out-and-out comedy but rather a tragi-comedy about the chaos which pervaded Italy in the final days of WWII – with most of the soldiers eager to go back home by every possible means, regardless of the risk of their being arrested for desertion!

The scene in which Sordi’s father (celebrated playwright De Filippo) contrives to have his war-weary son join the resurging Fascist Army as soon as he arrives home is a moving depiction of the elders’ illusion of their country’s glory and, at the same time, the children’s disenchantment with their own parents. Despite their inherent self-preservation and egotism (exemplified by Sordi’s escapade with a lusty merchant), the soldiers are bound together by solidarity – and, eventually joining the partisans, he gets to indulge in some machine-gun action at the very end.

A wonderful dramatic sequence involves Jewish Gravina being hounded by the Germans: with the help of Sordi and his company, she flees their pursuit on various means of transportation – but this actually leads to Castelnuovo’s demise. Similarly poignant is the night-time conversation between U.S. refugee Nicol and Sordi at Balsam’s house – which is interrupted by the arrival of the Fascists, who promptly arrest the two American actors (though Balsam is actually playing an Italian, as is Reggiani).

The film’s comic highlight, then, sees the boys pilfering Reggiani’s precious food parcel while he’s asleep and substituting it with rocks (an incident which has a tragic outcome later on). Another episode which mixes farce with suspense is the one where Sordi and other escaping prisoners take refuge inside a church (the star hides in a confessional and, mistaken for the parish priest by an old lady, she starts relating her sins to him!).

Unfortunately, the print I watched of this gem was rather soft and hazy – and I’m wondering what the quality of the bare-bones Italian DVD is like…


04/15/07: HOOPER (Hal Needham, 1978) :star::star:1/2

A lightweight look at ‘the life of a Hollywood stuntman’ (as the song featured on the soundtrack would have it) directed by a former stunt co-ordinator. Likeable and fun – it comes up with plenty of amusing situations (and, naturally, dangerous stunts) throughout – but, ultimately, it’s pretty forgettable; certainly not up to the level of the more significant (and relatively more serious) THE STUNT MAN (1980). Still, it takes care to deal with the bodily harm long exposure to this kind of work puts on an individual, as well as the strain on personal relationships; the film also pays sentimental tribute to ageing exponents of this short-term field (in the persona of Brian Keith).

Lead Burt Reynolds is his usual mischievous, if limited, self; at one point, he shows hotshot newcomer Jan-Michael Vincent highlights from his past work – including scenes from John Boorman’s DELIVERANCE (1972), an earlier Warner Bros. production which had co-starred Reynolds! The supporting cast includes Sally Fields as Reynolds’ current girlfriend (and Keith’s daughter), John Marley as a sympathetic film producer, James Best as Reynolds’ sidekick, Adam West as the film star whom Reynolds’ character usually doubles for – and, best of all, Robert Klein as Roger Deal, an egomaniacal film director who will stop at nothing for the sake of putting his “artistic” vision on the screen (a character reportedly based on Peter Bogdanovich, with whom Reynolds had worked on NICKELODEON [1976]!).


04/17/07: GRAND THEFT AUTO (Ron Howard, 1977) :star::star:1/2

I’ve never considered Howard much of a director – and I only rented this, his debut feature, because I’ve been on a ‘grindhouse’ kick ever since I watched the recent Robert Rodriguez/Quentin Tarantino homage! Made for Roger Corman’s low-budget outfit (he explains how it all came about in the accompanying interview), this road movie on the lines of VANISHING POINT (1971) and THE SUGARLAND EXPRESS (1974) evolves into one uninterrupted chase along the American midwest. It’s undeniably enjoyable on a non-think level, relying on an endless stream of energetic stunts (mostly gratuitous car crashes and explosions) to carry its thin plot as far as it can go. Howard also took the lead role and co-wrote the script with his father Rance; fellow cast members from Howard’s popular HAPPY DAYS TV series also put in appearances…and there’s even a cameo by director Paul Bartel! The technical crew holds some surprise: Allan Arkush (who later helmed the Corman-produced ROCK 'N’ ROLL HIGH SCHOOL [1979]) served as second-unit director, Gary Graver (best-known for his collaborations with Orson Welles) was the cinematographer, and Joe Dante (even after having started his own directorial career) edited the film!

 

[Martin Teller]

Ooh, ooh, I volunteer! Give me a ring next time you want someone to bash your head in.

 

[Michael Elliott]

If you enjoyed FROM DUSK TILL DAWN then you should love GRINDHOUSE since that film is pretty much 90 minutes worth of the ending of DUSK. I watched FROM DUSK at a midnight screening before its official release date and loved it. I went back the following day to see it with a crowd and it seemed the majority of the jokes went over their head. They were shocked when the twist came at the end but the press release I had at the time gave the twist away so I was expecting it.


04/14/07

Star Witness, The (1931) :star::star::star:

Warner gangster film has several flaws but remains highly entertaining throughout the 67-minute running time. An American family sees gangsters kill two undercover cops and they plan on testifying but soon the gangsters are threatening their lives. Things take a turn for the worse when their young son is kidnapped by the gangsters but the D.A. (Walter Huston) must find a way to get their testimony. As I said, there's all sorts of flaws with this film and like many early talkies it does too much talking but there's still plenty to enjoy here including the frankness of the pre-code drama. There's some rather strong violence including a beating, the shootout and some more abuse towards the kidnapped child. These pre-code elements certainly set it apart plus you've got Huston chewing more scenery than ten other actors could combined. Frances Starr, Grant Mitchell, Ralph Ince, Dickie Moore and Charles Sale co-star for director William Wellman. Received an Oscar nomination for Best Story.

Ann Vickers (1933) :star::star:

Static version of Sinclair Lewis' play has Irene Dunne in the title role of a social worker who gets dumped by an American soldier (Bruce Cabot) and then puts all her attention on her work. She eventually falls for a controversial judge (Walter Huston) but this here might cost her everything she's worked for. This RKO film was produced by Merian C. Cooper the same year he made King Kong but that's the only thing the two films have in common. Dunne is good in her role but the film is all over the place and it's easy to see that the film is trying to cover several parts of the book but can't take everything in within the short running time. Huston stays under control and gives a winning performance as does Cabot and Conrad Nagel in his supporting role. Edna May Oliver and J. Carrol Naish also have small roles.

Calaboose (1943) :star::star:

Hal Roach comedy was directed by the famous producer's son, Hal Roach, Jr.. Jimmy Rogers and Noah Beery, Jr. play two cowboys who ride into a small town where Beery falls in love with a girl (Mary Brian). Beery learns that the only way to get close to her is by getting arrested because the girl loves going to jail and trying to change criminals. This film runs 45-minutes and it makes good for the most part, although it's never as funny as it thinks it is. Rogers and Beery and pretty good in their roles but the screenplay doesn't allow them much. There's a subplot about gangsters who come into town but this here doesn't add anything or go anywhere. This was the second of three films in the "Streamliners" series.

04/15/07

Departed, The (2006) :star::star::star::star:

My third time viewing Martin Scorsese's Oscar winner but the first time since seeing the original film that it's based on. This third viewing just confirms my previous thoughts that this is clearly the best film I've seen from this decade and I'm sure after a couple more viewings I'll put it right alongside Raging Bull and Goodfellas. I think every single frame of this film is full of excitement, suspense, comedy or whatever else Scorsese is going for. DiCaprio proves once again why he's the best actor working and Damon and Walberg are both terrific. Martin Sheen seems to be the one who was most overlooked because he's excellent as well. My previous two viewings had me thinking Nicholson was great but not "wham bam great". This third viewing changed that as I felt Nicholson also hit all the right marks in his performance. I should also mention Thelma Schoonmaker and her editing work since I didn't bring her up in the other two reviews. This is also among her best work and I'd say it might be her best work overall. The way she edits together the big microchip deal was brilliantly put together as was the ending in the elevator.

Welcome to Spring Break (1988) :star:

Notorious Italian director Umberto Lenzi traveled to America to make this slasher film, which is one of the worst out there. A biker gets sent to the electric chair but he swears he was framed by a local cop (John Saxon). The biker screams he will return for vengeance and after his death it just happens to be spring break. Soon a maniac on a motorcycle starts electrocuting kids to death. Has the biker returned from the dead? Who gives a shit? Lenzi wasn't the only Italian director to travel to America to try and cash in on the slasher craze. Both this and Ruggero Deodato's Body Count are among the worst of the slasher period because it seems neither director knew what made this films so special. Both directors, known for their violence and gore, took all of that out of their films and we're left with boring movies without anything going for them. The murders here are all poorly done and the characters are obnoxious and it's impossible to care for them. The mystery surrounding the killer isn't of any interests either. Both Saxon and Michael Parks are wasted in their worthless roles.

Rest Stop (2006) BOMB

Teenager lovers Nicole (Jaimie Alexander) and Jess (Joey Mendicino) runaway from home and plan to head to california but Nicole asks to stop off at a rest stop. When she gets out of the bathroom her boyfriend and his car are gone and a psychopath starts stalking her. Jesus I just love these original films. This film clearly tries to borrow from films like The Hitcher and even Breakdown but the end results are an incredibly horrid film that doesn't work on any level. The first fifteen minutes are nothing but the two lovers fighting so you've gotta wonder why either wanted to run away from home. The girl comes off as a bitch and the guy comes off as an asshole so with this in mind it's really hard to care what happens to either of them. In fact, I wish both had been killed off within five minutes. The rest of the film deals with Nicole trying to figure out what's going on (duh!). Director/writer John Shiban thinks he's trying something new but he throws every cliche at us and the film is so self indulgent that there were a couple times I wanted to puke. This film was released by Warner as part of their new horror label, which sends stuff direct to DVD. The company has said this was a huge seller so it seems a sequel is on the way.

04/16/07

Felix Saves the Day (1922) :star::star:1/2

Felix the cat cartoon has him having to step into a baseball game to try and win it for a friend who has been thrown in jail. There's some live action mixed in with the animation, which doesn't look too good but on its own, the animation is pretty impressive especially one scene with tons of people getting off a train and entering the ballpark. There's some strong racial stuff where the opposing team, black people, are being played by monkeys so some might want to stay away from that. From Kino's Reel Baseball set.

04/17/07

Casey at the Bat (1922) :star::star:

Five years before The Jazz Singer there was this experimental sound film with De Wolf Hopper reading the title poem. Hopper was famous all around the world for reading this poem and while his performance is very energetic, I can't say I was overly entertained. From Kino's Reel Baseball set.

Butter Fingers (1925) :star::star::star:

Billy Bevan plays a baseball pitcher who adds a little something to the pitches so that they are unhitable. He then gets caught up in a scheme to throw the game but he has other ideas. If you're a fan of baseball then you'll really get a kick out of this short, which features all sorts of nice gags on the ball field. The pitches are wonderfully funny but so is a nice segment with Bevan playing in the field. There's a couple chase scenes but another highlight is a scene where a dog jumps on the back of a horse and takes off for a ride. From Kino's Reel Baseball set.

04/18/07

Happy Days (1926) :star::star:

Our Gang rip off has a group of kids playing a baseball game. Here's another film from Kino's Reel Baseball set but this one here never takes off. There are a few cute gags but nothing that's really funny. The kids are mostly annoying with the black kid taking most of the abuse.

 

[george kaplan]

Point of No Return

Film about a woman who enjoys doing violence to others (at least for most of the movie) with a near Martin Telleresque fervor. I haven't seen the Besson original, so I can't make comparisons, but I hope that is a better film than this remake. This film is actually decent in the second half, but the first part is so badly done, that the film can never recover.

 

[Ted Lee]

i *love* this remake ... one of my all-time guilty pleasures. i wouldn't say she enjoys violence ... she proves that later in the movie.

-----

title: ice age: the meltdown
rating: c
comments: definitely not as good as the first one. while the voice acting was uniformly good, the story felt "disjointed", with musical scenes that seemed superflous. it was a smart move to disperse that acorn-seeking guy throughout the movie instead of just at the beginning.

title: marathon man
rating: b
comments: having seen "the kid stays in the picture", it was neat to see another evans produced flick. i'm also not very familiar with hoffman's earlier works, so that was good to see too. as for story, i was thoroughly engaged. and now, i get what people are talking about when they mention the dentist chair scene. ouch ....