Track the Films You Watch (2007) (1 Viewer)

[Armin Jager]

Glad you liked it, essential classic in Germany, completely unknown elsewhere. available on amazon.de WITH English subs http://www.amazon.de/exec/obidos/ASI...RJ6K/dvdpalace

 

[Haggai]

Hotel Berlin (1945) 7/10
Grand Hotel-style drama and intrigue in Berlin, also based on a book by the same author (Vicki Baum), as the war draws to a close. Some parts of the episodic narrative are more interesting than others, highlighted by a strong ending and a pretty suspenseful subplot about a stage actress playing both sides of the conflict--she's involved with an Army officer while trying to cover for an underground resistance leader.

Dreamgirls (2006) 8/10
A terrific cast and a lot of good performance numbers make this one a fun and successful musical, although the story rushes through a long period of time without much room to develop any of the relationships at more than a surface level. The handful of songs that are supposed to be integrated into the story, as opposed to being performance pieces, are somewhat awkwardly placed within the narrative. Still, with all the glamorous retro stuff and a lot of entertaining scenes, it works very well overall.

High Anxiety (1977) 8/10
Re-visit of Mel Brooks' Hitchcock spoof, easier for me to follow this time because I've now seen all the movies being satirized, which wasn't yet the case when I first saw it (must have been a long time ago, maybe almost a decade or so). Some of the jokes don't work all that well, but most of it is funny enough to sustain plenty of laughs all the way through. A lot of the best stuff is the original Brooks zaniness, with Cloris Leachman and Madeline Kahn being especially hilarious, more so than some of the Hitchcock-specific jokes. Though plenty of those are good as well--reimagining the key scene in Dial M For Murder as a seemingly obscene phone call is pretty classic!

My Man Godfrey (1936) 9/10
Re-visit of one of the great classic screwball comedies. The whole cast is top-notch, led by one of Carole Lombard's funniest roles, and though the story's themes about the silliness and vapidity of the idle rich in comparison with the hale-and-hardy poor might have gone too far into preachiness in a less successful movie, the balance between humor and character development never strays too far in one direction or the other. Another delicate balancing act that succeeds greatly is how Lombard portrays a flaky screwball dame without coming across as an airhead/dumb-blonde type.

Our Man in Havana (1959) 7/10
The last of three collaborations between Carol Reed and Grahame Greene, about a decade after The Fallen Idol and The Third Man, this one is a sort-of-spy-spoof about a British ex-patriate vacuum cleaner salesman (Alec Guinness) who's recruited to become the chief British intelligence agent in Cuba. Needing some extra money to support his daughter, he concocts a web of stories about fake military plans and non-existent agents, only to end up trapped in a real-life deadly spy game as his reports prove to be more convincing than he bargained for. The more serious espionage stuff didn't work very well for me, and the comedy/spoof business is uneven at times, but enough of it succeeds to make it worthwhile in the end. The highlight is definitely Noel Coward's hilarious performance as the unflappably prim and proper spy chief who recruits Guinness into the job.

 

[Michael Elliott]

01/06/07

Neanderthal Man, The (1953) :star:1/2

Poor horror film about a mad scientist (Robert Shayne) trying to bring man back to the stone age. He turns his pet kitten into a saber-toothed tiger, he then injects himself with his magical serum and turns into the title character. This film only runs 78-minutes but it felt like three hours considering not too much ever happens. The neanderthal man looks silly but the makeup is certainly memorable. The only problem is that he's not on screen enough. Some of the close ups of the tiger gets a few laughs since you can tell it's just a toy. It's also interesting that most horror films from this period try to play the scientist in a sympathetic view point but that's not the case here. The scientist here has got to be the biggest jerk ever to grace a horror film.

Elixir (1998) :star:

Yet another Joe D'Amato "adult" film, this time a magic potion makes older women feel young again. Yawn.

Dynamite Dan (1924) :star::star:

Dan (Kenneth MacDonald) knocks out the foreman (Boris Karloff) at his workplace so the foreman accuses him of stealing money from the company safe. Dan takes off to visit his girlfriend when they're attacked by a man who Dan eventually knocks out with a single punch. A boxing manager see this and signs him up. This is an extremely dull silent that seems to run way too long even at 61-minutes. MacDonald is rather bland as the hero and Diana Alden isn't any more interesting as his lover. Karloff is only in a few scenes but it was rather funny seeing him look so young.

01/07/07

Once Upon a Girl... (1976) :star::star::star:

Outrageous, over the top and often hilarious X-rated animation that spoofs three classic fairy tales. Mother Goose (Hal Smith; Otis in The Andy Griffith Show) has charges filed against her that deep down she's really nothing but an old pervert. Once on trial, Mother Goose must admit she is and tell the true stories behind Little Red Ridding Hood, Cinderella and Jack and the Beanstalk. Directed by Don Jurwich, the man who also worked with classic cartoons like Tom and Jerry, The Flintstones and Scooby Doo, this is one nutty little film that at times had me in tears with laughter. This is certainly an X-rated cartoon so kids should stay far away but I'm sure most adult, with a twisted sense of humor, will find this entertaining. The best segment is Jack and the Beanstalk, which is full of imaginative ideas. The other two are good but the writing is a tad bit lazy. It was also funny seeing Otis in drag during the live action sequences.

Moving (1988) :star::star::star:

All hell breaks loose after Richard Pryor loses his job and must move his family from NJ to Boise, ID. I remember seeing this in the theater back when it was released and since then it's always been a personal favorite, although I probably haven't seen it in at least seven or eight years. I personally feel that Pryor was the funniest man I've ever seen do stand up but the majority of his features never captured the magic that he could bring to stand up. However stupid this movie is, I still find it quite funny. I'm not sure what it is about this movie but it makes me laugh and keeps a smile on my face throughout. Randy Quaid, Rodney Dangerfield and Dana Carvey are very funny in their small roles as well.

Hendrix: Band of Gypsys (1999) :star::star::star:

Pretty good and interesting documentary about Jimi Hendrix and his experimental band, Band of Gypsys. This documentary, much like the band itself, is pretty much a racial debate as to why Henrdrix took this step in his career. Many felt it was due to him wanting to try and capture a black audience, who, at the time didn't even know who he was. There are plenty of interviews with band members, current stars and even some great concert footage. I personally feel Hendrix was the greatest guitarist in history but I prefer his before and after Gypsy period.

01/08/07

Passion in Venice (1995) :star:
Last Fight, The (1992) :star:1/2
Love and Psyche (1996) :star:

More D'Amato. The Last Fight got a little higher rating since it tried to tell somewhat of a story intermixed with all the sex. If it weren't for my dumbass adding D'Amato to that Director's Challenge then I wouldn't be putting myself through this.

 

[Joe Karlosi]

The Dancing Masters (1943) :star::star::star:

The Bullfighters (1945) :star::star::star:

Two more of Laurel and Hardy's oft-bashed Fox films, and now that I've seen all six of these on DVD at last I can confirm that I've enjoyed 5 of them quite a bit, but 1 was only kind of so-so (that one being A-HAUNTING WE WILL GO). I just can't see for the life of me why these enjoyable latter Fox movies have gotten such a bad rap all these years, as they actually hold up well now and I think they've suddenly become appreciated in a new light with the advent of these superior looking discs. While it's true that L&H are older here and that these features aren't quite the gold we had in the Hal Roach era, I had a good time.

THE DANCING MASTERS has a bunch of things going on all over the place and the plot is not very focused. They're dance instructors for the first 5 minutes, and then that's that as they get involved with a young man, his girl, and an invisible ray invention. Meandering plotlines don't matter in the least because we're here to laugh at Stan and Ollie, and everything they do in this one is pretty funny. They're onscreen a lot and this is a joy.

THE BULLFIGHTERS was their last film for the Fox studio but they really manage to inject a lot of old tried and true gags into the proceedings, thanks in part to the fact that Stan Laurel co-directed, and so the team had more input. Here, the "boys" are in Mexico where Stan is mistaken for a famous bullfighter. Many laughs ensue, and this one's a winner.

 

[Sandro]

My Little Chickadee :star: :star: 1/2 out of :star: :star: :star: :star: WCFields and Mae West star in this comedy set in the Wild West. Fields is as hilarious as ever but Mae West's humor did not really work for me and the plot is just a distraction.

Graveyard of Honor (1975) :star: :star: :star: out of :star: :star: :star: :star: Kinji Fukasaku's study of a psychotic yakuza whose life spins out of control has some similarities with his Yakuza Papers. The film is set in the immediate post WW2 era, uses narration and stills to move the story forward and give it a documentary feel and employs the crazy hand-held camerawork for the action scenes. This time the focus is narrower as we wonder what motivates the main character's rage. It feels a little incomplete at times but there are some powerful moments along the way.

Bubba Ho-Tep :star: :star: :star: 1/2 out of :star: :star: :star: :star: If you're going to make a movie about (a still alive) Elvis and a black guy who thinks he's JFK battling an Egyptian mummy, this is the way to do it. There's a perfect balance of humor, chills and pathos in this movie that has a surprising amount of respect for its elderly protagonists. One of the best comedy-horror movies.

 

[george kaplan]

Local Hero

After I watch a film, it either goes into my rewatch list, or my never watch again list. I'm often castigated for not giving films on this latter list a second chance. But life is too short for me to watch something I know I don't like. My opinions about films have very, very rarely changed (Earthquake is an example of a film I liked as a kid, but do not now), and only on those rare occasions in the negative direction. Never have I rewatched a film I didn't like, and then like it.

There are however, a few films that I saw so long ago, that my memory is very vague, and my opinion wasn't strong dislike, but simply "Ok, but nothing I want to rewatch". I have yet to change my mind on watching such a film, but accept that perhaps my taste will have changed.

And hence, having seen Local Hero when it came out 27 years ago, and remembering very little about it, and only that I didn't hate it, but didn't love it either, I rewatched it. And...my feelings haven't changed. It's a fine film to watch once, but nothing special, and it only confirms to me the stability in my taste in films.

 

[SteveGon]

Thanks! I have the German disc and it is nice. Still need to watch that doc, though.

 

[Ted Lee]

title: the natural
rating: b
comments: entertaining movie. unfortunately, it didn't quite blow me away like i thought it would but that's probably due to me not being a huge sports fan. i didn't realize levinson directed this ... just makes me like his stuff even more.

 

[Joe Karlosi]

Could it possibly be that you have your mind so firm on your theory that you don't really give films a fair second chance?

 

[george kaplan]

Honestly, I don't think so. I had my mind firmly set on the idea that I would never find a Bunuel film that I liked, but lo and behold, then came along The Exterminating Angel, which I love.

I would never have given Local Hero a second chance if I wasn't hoping that it would connect with me this time. I picked a film like Local Hero (as opposed to something like Do the Right Thing), cause my lukewarm as opposed to hated opinion of it, and the long period of time which left my memories fuzzy, made it a strong candidate for being a turnaround. If all I wanted to do was "verify" my theory, then I'd watch Cries & Whispers, Do the Right Thing and The Mirror. If I hadn't have thought there was a least a reasonable chance that I'd have really like Local Hero, I would never have rewatched it.

It's not that my opinions about film and tv haven't changed at all over the years, it's just that all of the changes (which are very few) are things I liked as a child that I don't now (e.g., Earthquake and my favorite show as a 4 year old - Lost in Space). I've certainly expanded my knowledge of film and music since I was a teenager, but my basic tastes haven't changed (e.g., in music I still love the Beatles the best, and hate disco, which has morphed into rap and hip-hop).

 

[PatW]

1/8 Flightplan :star: :star: :star: 1/2
A pretty good thriller. I was glued to my seat the very first time I saw this.
You can feel Jodie Foster's building frenzy for her missing child. This movie lost
something with repeat viewings but still a good movie.

 

[george kaplan]

Bugsy

Pretty to look at, and some of the supporting acting is quite good, but the leads are just not up to this. Beatty's Seigel is just bad.

 

[Ted Lee]

title: close encounters of the third kind (director's cut?)
rating: a
comments: i think this was a remastered or recut version. the pic quality was way above what i remember (even for a film based hd signal) and i think it had a couple of scenes i don't remember. in any case, this movie never fails to make me smile. the effects were standout for the time and the story leads to a very satisfying finale.

 

[Joe Karlosi]

Air Raid Wardens (1943) :star::star:1/2
Fans of Laurel and Hardy always get down on the later Fox movies, but they're better than the two films the comedy duo made for MGM. This here is one of them. Stan and Ollie want to help the war effort but everything they try to accomplish is met with disastrous results. Edgar Kennedy is present this time as a foil for L&H, and there are some funny spots, but you can tell that this feature has more of a wholesome whitewash to it.

Magical Mystery Tour (1967) :star::star:1/2
This has always been a tough film for me to rate because it's not at all a "good" movie, but for what it is - a crazy psychedelic romp made by The Beatles as they go on a mystery bus trip - it's got its moments and is some fun. The music, right off the bat, is excellent of course - if nothing else, this film is an innovator for all the "MTV music videos" that would come later and is worth watching just for this. John Lennon performing I AM THE WALRUS and the end dance sequence for Paul's YOUR MOTHER SHOULD KNOW all by themselves are worth the price of admission. I also love seeing Ringo arguing endlessly with his fat aunt, and Lennon's bizarre dream sequence with the spaghetti and the fat lady is wonderfully surreal. Too bad this project is so haphazardly made and has some lulls. That said, I think it's better appreciated now than it was at the time.

 

[Jeff Reis]

01/10 Jackass Number Two (2006) :star: :star: :star: (of 5)
A more vile and cruel concoction than its predecessor, with some truly excruciating scenes, obliterating whatever lines they opted not to cross in the first one. As always, some of the disgusting and scatological stuff is too much for me, but the goofy stunts and slapstick still provoke enough laughs and stunned gasps to make it a worthwhile plunge into depravity for those who can handle it.

 

[Haggai]

Children of Men (2006) 8/10
Reviewed here.

The Painted Veil (2006) 8/10
Naomi Watts and Edward Norton are an unhappily married couple in 1920s China. An infidelity scandal severely damages their relationship as they go into a rural disease-ridden area where he (a bacteriologist) tries to help stem a deadly cholera epidemic. The leads are both great, as is the supporting cast, and the locations are utilized very well. It's more episodic than it might have been with a more tightly constructed script, but it's nice to look at and a good showcase for the actors.

Theodora Goes Wild (1936) 7/10
Irene Dunne starred in one of her first screwball comedy-type roles as the daughter of a proper small-town family who secretly writes romantic novels under a pseudonym. A big-city painter (Melvyn Douglas) falls for her, her true identity is revealed in her hometown, and hijinks ensue. The first half is pretty uneven, although the cast is good. The last third or so picks up as Dunne really goes into screwball mode, wearing some insane outfits and acting crazy in public. This one falls well short of The Awful Truth, but a decent enough effort in the end.

The Ace of Hearts (1921) 7/10
Started in on the TCM Lon Chaney archives with this early leading role for him. I didn't quite get what the deal was with this group who were trying to kill "he who has lived too long," though I guess audiences of the time might have gotten the picture more easily; the little bit of the commentary I listened to said that they were supposed to be a group of Bolshevik revolutionaries. The story is fairly thin, but there are some effectively ominous visuals in the most suspenseful scenes, and Chaney is very effective in the big dramatic moments.

Laugh, Clown, Laugh (1928) 8/10
An impressively wide-ranging role for Chaney, swinging convincingly between the extremes of a happy clown and a sad one. I knew that Loretta Young couldn't have been more than a teenager at this time, but I didn't realize until afterwards that she was only 14! In comparison to He Who Gets Slapped, I think Sjostrom's terrific direction is what elevates that one to a higher level than this one reaches, but this is arguably an even better role for Chaney. His struggle is more internal in this one, torn between his love for the girl and the growing realization that he's too much of a father figure to be able to make her happy, as opposed to the external force of the lecherous patron who nearly destroyed him, and now threatens the young girl he loves, in the earlier film.

 

[george kaplan]

Theodora Goes Wild

I recorded this off TCM, as I suspect Haggai did, and basically agree with his assessment. More a romantic comedy, I think, than a proper screwball comedy (though it has some elements), but, while very good, not top of the line. Still, worth checking out.

 

[Tarkin The Ewok]

I will be continuing the Bond-a-month program in 2007.

1/10: Octopussy (1983) :star::star::star: out of :star::star::star::star::star:

This is another Bond where the parts are more interesting than the whole. The set pieces are superb, the actors are appealing, and the locations are suitably exotic. However, the film feels long in the middle, and the nature of his mission is kept mysterious for too long. Its "goofiness quotient" is also a bit high for my tastes. This is hardly the worst of the Moore entries, but it does not rise to the heights that some of the other films did.

 

[Jason_V]

The Longing
I still don't know what the point of this German movie is. An impossibly blonde boy named Erik is nearly raped on a Brazilian beach and, in a moment of struggle, the would-be attacker is killed. Turns out the attacker is the brother of an in the closet TV star...whom Erik falls in love with. The DVD case says this movie is in the vein of telenovelas (Bad acting? Yup.) and is "sexy" (Um, nope.). I'm actually embarassed to have seen this one; stilted dialogue, bad acting, a plot that takes entirely too long to get going and wholly unlikeable characters.

The Family Stone
Yuppie's meet Free Thinkers for Christmas. With an all-star cast, how can you go wrong? Oh, let me count the ways. Meredith (Sarah Jessica Parker) never seems to quite get the idea she is a GUEST and, as such, needs to conform to the rules of the house. First she causes a big stink about sleeping in the same bed as her boyfriend. Then she doesn't bring any appropriate clothing (high heels are the norm). She has a feud with one of the sisters. At dinner, she opens her mouth about two gay men bringing a baby up. The other characters don't fare much better: Mom Diane Keaton is overly concerned with making sure her kids are happy after she dies of cancer; Dad Craig T. Nelson doesn't stand up until its too late...forget this one. Complete miss.

 

[Bob Turnbull]

Talledega Nights: The Ballad Of Ricky Bobby

What I like about both this film and the similar Anchorman: The Legend Of Ron Jeremy is not just the silly sense of humour, but the fact that they are really just templates for improvisation. Many of the scenes are setup for allowing riffs on a topic (saying grace to Baby Jesus) or as a response to another character. This is borne out in the deleted scenes of both movies. It may not be as cleverly scripted and classically built as other comedies, but I find them highly enjoyable and, though I know it's not a common word associated with it, smart.

The Hot Rock

Disappointingly bland...A group of thieves end up stealing a diamond and then via circumstance need to steal it 3 more times from different locations. It's set up to be less than serious, but never achieves a fun or comic tone and though there are some good heist moments, the tension is never built adequately for those either. There was one "Wow" moment in the film though. As a helicopter ride takes us over New York City, you can see the World Trade Center Towers under construction.

Intermezzo

I'm going through a bit of an Ingrid Bergman phase...So sue me. This was her first English language role I believe and though she's perfectly fine in it (her co-stars as well), I never really bought into the romance with her violinist idol. Perhaps it's because I found him weak and essentially unlikeable. It's not bad, certainly well made, but in the end not very compelling.

The Man In The White Suit

Probably the best Ealing Studios comedy I've seen so far. Not necessarily a laugh riot from start to finish, but well plotted with no slow moments and a continuous smile across my face the whole time. Alec Guinness is superb as the common-sense impaired scientist who invents an indestructible and stain resistant fabric. He's then caught in the middle between management and the textile plant workers who both want to suppress it.

Pillow Talk

Terribly boring comedy that believes itself to be far more clever than it is. There were indeed some decent throw away lines throughout the script and Tony Randall is always good, but it never picked up any steam or developed a flow that I expected for a film that supposedly had sharp snappy writing. It ends up being far too cutesy and has a constant need to underscore every single movement, reaction or joke with "fitting" music (ie. man walks into an Obstetrics office to the tune of "Rock A Bye Baby"). And I just couldn't stand Doris Day in this role. I've heard Lover Come Back is better - given the above comments, should I bother?