Track the Films You Watch (2009) (1 Viewer)

[Michael Elliott]

I never understood all the heat THE HAPPENING took and I'm still not sure why it was hated so much. I understand people not liking it but there seems to be a lot of "D", "F" or one-star ratings. I thought it was a mildly entertaining "B" movie. I'm not sure if people wanted something "bigger" in terms of what was causing everything but I thought the film worked by keeping it simple. Someone like a middle class episode of The Twilight Zone.

I hated the previous two films from the director though.


Party Wire (1935) :star::star: Erle C. Kenton

Most people today might not remember a party wire but that's what a lot of middle or lower class people used back in the day. Instead of having their own phone, they used a party wire, which meant three or more people could use that given line. This film deals with the romance between a woman and man (Jean Arthur, Victor Jory), which causes controversy throughout the town when people are listening on the party wire and mistake a certain conversation. This is a fairly well made film and a fairly well acted one but I can't help but think a lot of its charm is now missing and not that relevant. The film runs a very short 66-minutes, which allows the story to fly by but there never really seemed to be much of anything going on. The whole idea of these people listening in on a conversation and then taking it the wrong way could have led to plenty of laughs or even some nice drama but both emotions seem to be watered down here. I'm curious as to how this came out after the pre-code era since pregnancy between an unmarried couple, the gossip in the film, wasn't allowed. Arthur turns in another fine performance but at the same time I couldn't help but think she was making this just to get out of a contract. Jory wasn't strong enough for the lead in my opinion but Clara Blandick was fine as the town bully.

Unforgiven (1992) :star::star::star::star: Clint Eastwood

A gunslinger (Clint Eastwood) reluctantly takes on a new job with an old buddy (Morgan Freeman) and a younger kid in order to pay off some debts. What he thinks will be a simple job turns out to be much more when he must battle a ruthless sheriff (Gene Hackman) as well as his own soul. Since the original release there's been a lot of debate on whether or not this is the greatest Western ever made. I'm not sure I'd call it that but I do think it's the greatest anti-Western ever made as well as one of the greatest films to look at death and the evils behind it. The anti-violence range has been discussed to death but I think the nature to which this works the best is through the ugly images of evil it paints. There are a couple scenes where Eastwood's character mentions seeing death and these are quite haunting as is the brilliantly executed ending where Eastwood himself takes the figure of death himself. This is certainly a psychological film that makes the viewer think as we ride along with these men each expecting something different out of the killings. The effect that murdering someone and taking everything they have, a part of the dialogue during one scene, is brilliant pointed out by Eastwood and the notion of this is what separates this film from any other of its type. The film asks a lot of questions about the reasons behind killing but I don't believe it gives any simple answers. To me the film isn't really saying you should never kill but instead it talks about the evil people that can kill without any remorse. To say this is Eastwood's greatest film would be an understatement even if it future years he'd come back with countless other great movies. I think this is the one film that he should be remembered for as it's grittiness and meanness is something we haven't seen before and that includes countless Italian films. To me this is a flawless film that works on many levels with one being the terrific performances throughout. Eastwood, Freeman, Richard Harris and Jaimz Woolvett all deliver very strong work but the film belongs to Gene Hackman who won an Oscar for his work. The way Hackman tells a story or turns his charm into pure cold-blooded evil is downright chilling to watch and it even though he is one of the greatest character actors in the history of cinema it still amazes me to see him work here. The screenplay, music score and cinematography are all top-notch as well and everything is held perfectly together with Eastwood's tight direction. I won't spoil anything but I think the ending to this movie is one of the greatest ever created and any film student or lover would benefit from watching and studying how Eastwood puts it together.

Gauntlet, The (1977) :star::star:1/2 Clint Eastwood

A hard but drunken cop (Clint Eastwood) is put on the case of bringing a prostitute (Sondra Locke) from Las Vegas to Phoenix so that she can testify in a case. What he doesn't know is that the case is against the mob and they're laying odds that they don't make it back alive. This is a rather strange film that contains some of the best action of the day but at the same time the story is so incredibly stupid that the two really play against each other and in the end we're left with an entertaining if shallow movie. I really enjoy this movie but at the same time I can't help but have it get under my skin a little. Yes, I know you have to take some B.S. in an action film but to me this film just grows dumber and dumber to the point where I couldn't really take any of it serious. I'm sure many would say that you shouldn't take the film serious and that's true to a point. I won't spoil the ending but when we finally go through the gauntlet, what happens after that is just so far fetched and silly that it nearly ruins everything that came before it. I think the film runs a tad bit too long for its one note story but there's still plenty to enjoy here including the outrageous action scenes, which range from your typical car bombs to a helicopter/motorcycle chase to the final gauntlet, which has to contain the most gunshots for any movie. I enjoyed all the action stuff because it's simply fast, non-stop and out of control, which is never a bad thing for a movie like this. I also liked Eastwood and Locke's characters who are quite different but the two actors deliver good enough performances to make us care for them. I thought the two showed some nice chemistry together, although the love story seemed a bit tacked on and rather corny. If it's mindless action you want then you're certainly going to get it here and you're going to get a lot of it. That level works but the term leaving your brain at the door doesn't quite fit this picture.

Heartbreak Ridge (1986) :star::star::star: Clint Eastwood

Clint Eastwood stars as a hot-tempered, hard drinking Marine gunnery sergeant who clashes with any type of authority. Before retirement he is given a group of misfits to transform into solders, which isn't going to be easy as they all resent him at the start. This is a pretty cliche and predictable movie but Eastwood is so good here you can pretty much forget all the stuff you've seen before and just sit back and enjoy the movie. There's certainly nothing Oscar-worthy here but fans of Clint should enjoy seeing him play one of his toughest, no nonsense characters. While the story is pretty standard and something we've seen countless times, Eastwood keeps the pace moving fast and makes sure the viewer never grows tired during the rather long 130-minute running time. It seems like we get a fight or some type of action every fifteen-minutes and if that's not happening then we've got the grumpy Eastwood chewing someone out. What really makes the film work are all of the colorful characters and of course this starts with Eastwood. Everyone loves seeing him play the grumpy part and he does it very well here. As soon as he walks on the screen you forget your watching Eastwood and instead it seems like you're watching a life long military guy because he's that convincing. The stern grunts and hard body Eastwood contains just makes the character all the more believable. The supporting players are nice as well and that includes Mario Van Peebles as a wannabe rock star who clashes with Eastwood. Another standout is Everett McGill (the preacher in Silver Bullet) as the Annapolis guard. Of course the film is going to end with Eastwood leading his men into battle and yes it's all pretty cliched stuff but it's still fun to watch because by this time we've come to like all the characters and care about them getting out alive. This here certainly doesn't rank among Eastwood's best work but it's a fun film nonetheless.

 

[Michael Elliott]

I've seen dozens are Arbuckle shorts but this one here is certainly my favorite. Arbuckle is really hit and miss with me but CONEY ISLAND was hilarious. As you said, I love watching these older films just to see various things like the rides back then. A film from today can always take place in 1910 but it can never look as real as actually seeing a film from that era.

 

[Joe Karlosi]

Yes, I've been wanting to do a couple of Woody Allen movies this week that I haven't seen and which he doesn't star in. I only rented two from my local video store, and the rest will probably be regular familiar Allen comedies I've already seen.

I watched MELINDA AND MELINDA twice. The first time was last night, but it was not under the best conditions, as I was tired and disinterested, and the damn thing struck me as pretty dull and poor. BIG MISTAKE ... I have a rule never to judge a film without seeing the entire thing straight through and as fully alert as possible to give it the full attention it deserves. So I originally came online here this morning to rate the movie poorly...

...but I wasn't happy with myself and so this afternoon I re-watched MELINDA AND MELINDA properly, and the film as well as my rating improved quite a bit. I have since gone and revised my review. I don't know how many others ever feel they've seen enough of a "weak" film in the first 30 minutes to think they can make a final judgment on it, or when they're not in the proper frame of mind, but it's not proper and it's something I've always prided myself in NOT doing... so I'm glad I rectified it and did the right thing.

 

[Pete York]

Michael, you might be interested in the silent short, Manhatta, that TCM is showing Sunday night.

01/13/09

The Wonderful Country (1959) Dir: Robert Parrish
Production: D.R.M. Productions/United Artists

As a boy, Martin Brady (Robert Mitchum) killed the man who murdered his father. Wrongly thinking he was wanted by the law, he fled to Mexico where he eventually became a ‘hired hand’ for the Castro family, rulers of a large swath of land along the border (by virtue of one brother being the governor (Pedro Armendáriz) of the territory and the other brother being the general of the army). While running an ‘errand’ across the Rio Grande, Martin is hurt on the U.S. side and is forced to convalesce over several months. Soon, everyone from the Captain of the Texas Rangers (Albert Dekker) to the Major of the nearest army battalion (Gary Merrill) is after Martin for his access to the Castros (they want to form a joint Tex-Mex operation to wipe out the Apaches). Even the Major’s wife (Julie London) shows interest. Martin’s violent past and proficiency with a gun (one of the better scenes, with a nice touch from Parrish) will soon have both sides of the border after him, a man forever in search of the place where he belongs.

The story’s a bit complicated--there’s a lot of it, even though it’s essentially this one man’s narrative--and a number of things happen without reason (several characters go really out of their way to help Martin, but why?). Mitchum plays Martin with a Mexican accent. It was odd at first, but it makes sense for the character, who has lived in Mexico most of his life. London is good as the unfulfilled army wife. But again, she’s introduced and explored and made the front-and-center plot, only to go away for a large part of the film (before coming back again!). Possibly she could have had a bigger role, and been more effective, if one of Martin’s other tribulations had been pruned. Also in the cast is Charles McGraw as an exceedingly helpful doctor and, of all people, Satchel Paige as a cavalryman. He acquits himself nicely. Further in the picture’s favor is the Technicolor location photography of Mexico. Finally, reflecting the late age it was released in, there is a more conspicuous brutality and grittiness (Doc to Martin: “Your leg ain’t broke half as bad as you smell,” which is surely one of the earlier references in film to the reality of being a cowpoke). Enough to recommend it, but I was a little let down by its execution.

:star: :star: 1/2 out of 4
-------------------------------------------------------
ROBERT PARRISH – “Oddities, One-Shots and Newcomers”
The Wonderful Country (1959) :star: :star: 1/2


01/13/09

Bombshell (1933) Dir: Victor Fleming
Production: MGM

Deft, witty parody of the Hollywood sex symbol and the entourage and deadbeat family members that depend on her. Lola Burns (Jean Harlow) is the star at Monarch Pictures, the famous 'If' Girl. That's just one of the many inside jokes. The film is part autobiographical of Harlow, partly based on Clara Bow (director Fleming's one-time fiance), who had a famously degenerate father she supported in Hollywood. In one scene Lola is getting the new script pages from her film, Red Dust, which Fleming and Harlow actually completed in real life a year earlier. All the typical Hollywood burs and irritants, like the fanatical autograph hounds, the lunatic stalkers, the low-life publicists, the fan magazines, are acidly sent up in Jules Furthman and John Lee Mahin's script. As a pre-code, there's some good innuendo as well as something so filthy I'm not even going to mention it in case I'm imagining it.

All credit to Jean Harlow who is very funny, whether she's flighty or flirty or even affecting when called for. She was a real revelation to me. Lee Tracy, as the amoral studio publicist, could hardly be better. One of the more cynical characters you'll ever find. Frank Morgan, as Lola's lush father/business manager, and Ted Healy (without his Stooges), as Lola's reprobate loaf of a brother, lend good support. Pat O'Brien plays a director (Fleming?) who is Lola's on-again, off-again. In one of the best bits, Franchot Tone plays a blue-blooded heir who sweeps Lola off her feet. Terrific Hollywood satire and genuine Harlow classic.

:star: :star: :star: 1/2 out of 4
------------------------------
VICTOR FLEMING - "Miscellany"
Bombshell (1933) :star: :star: :star: 1/2

 

[Mario Gauci]

Western Day #1:


01/12/09: SILVER LODE (Allan Dwan, 1954) :star::star::star:1/2

What could easily have been just another low-budget Western oater or, worse still, the poor man's HIGH NOON (1952), is turned by excellent scripting (atypically the work of a woman!) and direction into a true gem of the genre during its golden age. In fact, the film wears its anti-Red Scare intentions proudly on its sleeve by actually naming its chief villain (Dan Duryea in formidable form) McCarthy and making him an outlaw posing as a fake U.S. Marshal! Reformed gunfighter hero John Payne (in his first of four movies for veteran director Dwan) has his 4th of July wedding (to local belle Lizabeth Scott) disrupted by the arrival in town of Duryea and his men (including Stuart Whitman and Harry Carey Jr.) claiming to have a warrant for his arrest for killing Duryea's brother and absconding with the sum of $20,000. So far so conventional plot-wise but what is remarkable here is the way that the film-makers chose to employ the townspeople who are constantly following the protagonists around the streets of Silver Lode, at first forcibly siding with Payne (to the point of holding Duryea et al at gunpoint) but, with time, being swayed by the latter's lies and an unfortunate series of events that lead them to believe Payne guilty of murdering their sheriff (Emile Meyer) and one of the marshals, as well as wounding Scott's hot-headed brother. Aiding Payne, apart from the unwavering Scott (of course), is his ex-flame, sultry saloon gal (Dolores Moran, the wife of producer Benedict Bogeaus and whose last film this proved to be) who spits one-liner put-downs to hero, villain and everyone in between; I really liked her character and, apparently, so did Dwan because he opted to close the film on the image of her running frantically clenching the all-important telegraphic confirmation (Duryea's men had intuitively cut the lines beforehand) of Payne's claims of innocence. However, in view of the film being a thinly-veiled allegory on the ongoing witch-hunts, it is a telling comment on the relative nature of truth that the girls had already won the day by forcing the gullible telegraph official to write down a false reply. The expected climactic confrontation between Payne and Duryea, then, takes place inside a bell tower – with the latter's bullet ultimately ricocheting on himself in God-like retribution – making for a doubly ironic ending to a film (beautifully shot in color by the great John Alton) that had held its audience entranced for all of 77 breathless minutes.


01/12/09: RUN OF THE ARROW (Samuel Fuller, 1957) :star::star::star:

Interesting, unusual Western to emerge during the genre’s heyday given writer/director Fuller’s typically uncompromising viewpoint. Starting off on the last day of the American Civil War, it deals with Southerner-of-Irish-descent Rod Steiger’s inability to cope with defeat which sends him the way of the Sioux (the renowned Method actor, making a surprising third genre appearance in as many years, brings his customary intensity to the traditional Western canvas). After meeting up with renegade Indian Jay C. Flippen(!) and surviving the titular challenge, he’s accepted by the Redskins and even lands himself a squaw (Sarita Montiel aka Mrs. Anthony Mann) and a mute foster-son; the latter is then involved in a startling sequence as, about to drown in quicksand, he’s saved by a passing American horse soldier…except that he’s rewarded for his good deed by falling headfirst into the slime himself! Steiger’s past also comes back to haunt him at this point, with the arrival of the Cavalry (led by sympathetic Brian Keith and nasty Ralph Meeker – the latter was the last man to be shot during the war, by Steiger himself!) who want to build a fort in Sioux territory. Though the Indians (with Charles Bronson as Chief) desire peace, one of their number is a rebel and wages a one-man war against the whites…but Steiger has him do the ‘Run Of The Arrow’, which is then callously interrupted by Meeker. With Keith murdered by a Sioux arrow, the younger officer takes over command and, obstinately but unwisely, takes the unit further into Indian territory in search of a more strategic point for constructing. As Steiger’s entreaty for surrender is rejected, the Cavalry are massacred (quite a violent scene for the time) – but Meeker is kept alive, since awaiting him is the fate allotted to those who willfully obstruct the ‘run’. It’s here, though, that Steiger draws the line for, whatever his feelings for Meeker personally, he can’t bear to see his fellow man tortured: ironically, he uses the bullet he had shot him with originally, kept all along as a token, to end his ordeal. Looking on, Bronson – and, even more so, Montiel (voiced here by Angie Dickinson!) – realize that his place is with the white man after all; a wonderful scene has her throw the U.S. flag at Steiger and bringing him to admit that his home state of Virginia is equally represented on it. The concluding scene, then, has the surviving unit starting off to rejoin its ranks with Steiger (accompanied by his ‘family’) at the head.


01/12/09: RIDE BEYOND VENGEANCE (Bernard McEveety, 1966) :star::star:1/2

Rugged Chuck Connors (in one of his best roles as a vengeful buffalo hunter) heads an impressive parade of Hollywood veterans and current TV stars that people this modestly pleasing and occasionally bloodthirsty Western saga: Claude Akins, Buddy Baer, Bill Bixby, Joan Blondell, Jamie Farr, Paul Fix, Frank Gorshin, Gloria Grahame, James MacArthur, Gary Merrill, Arthur O’Connell, Michael Rennie and Ruth Warrick. Connors marries wealthy beauty Kathryn Hays (the then-Mrs. Glenn Ford) but seeks to make a fortune for himself in buffalo skins, a quest which takes him 11 years and earns him $17,000. However, no sooner has he arrived back in town that he falls foul of the drunken sadism of boorish Akins, suave gambler Bixby and would-be respectable banker Rennie. Regaining his strength after being cared for by Fix, Connors soon comes face to face with Hays (who mistakes him for a saddle tramp) and, subsequently, his assailants whereupon he starts the slow process of reprisal. Bixby gets his in gruesome fashion to the torments they had themselves inflicted on Connors (with a branding iron), Akins is trashed and killed in the climactic bar-room brawl and Rennie (who is engaged to Hays) is unmasked as the thief of Connors’ money. Not badly done of its kind, actually, and undeniably given a boost by that cast and its flashback structure – starting out as it does in a contemporary setting with barman O’Connell narrating of the legendary events that occurred on “The Night Of The Tiger” to visiting government official MacArthur.

 

[John Stell]

019) 01/13/2009 West Side Story (1961) :star::star::star::star: (out of four)

In 1950s’ New York City a gang war is starting. The Caucasian Jets feel the Hispanic Sharks are muscling in on their territory. At a dance that both the Jets and Sharks are attending, Tony (Richard Beymer), the estranged co-founder of the Jets, spots Maria (Natalie Wood) and instantly falls in love, a feeling she reciprocates. Tony does not realize she is sister to the Sharks’ leader Bernardo (George Chakiris). Bernardo forbids the relationship, so the lovers must keep their courting secret, as Bernardo and Jets leader Riff (Russ Tamblyn) plan a rumble that will determine which gang will rule the neighborhood.

West Side Story was adapted from the hit Broadway play, a variation on Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. The film opens with a lengthy overhead tracking shot that flies over New York and then drops us off at a basketball court where the Jet members are gathering. There is no dialogue, but rather a whistle that signals a gang meeting. They snap their fingers and gracefully make their way to the street, where they come in contact with members of the Sharks. Soon the gangs are at fisticuffs, at least to the extent they can be since this is all played out to co-director Jerome Robbins’ dazzling choreography. Little is said, but the situation is made clear and the audience knows they are not in for a typical gang war film. Later, when the Tony and Maria meet at the dance, everything around them goes out of focus. It’s a clever visualization of what happens when lovers first meet.

But it’s the song and dance numbers that bring West Side Story to life. Rita Moreno’s character’s number “America” is a highlight, where she spars with her brother Bernardo in a snappily-written back-and-forth about her love for her new home, a love Bernardo does not share. Tony croons the lovely “Maria” after he meets the girl of his dreams, and the two join together for the classic “Tonight” on Maria’s tenement stairs. There’s also the humorous and delightful "Gee, Officer Krupke" where the Jets have fun mocking a police officer who nags the group of juvenile delinquents. The hypnotic “Cool” is a rather intense number where the Jets try to compose themselves after a killing stirs them to even more violence. In spite of the atmosphere of death, West Side Story feels so alive thanks to the unwavering energy of its musical numbers.

Romantic leads Beymer and Wood are attractive, but they lack chemistry when they are engaged in dialogue. Luckily most of their moments together are spent in song. The rest of the cast is excellent, especially Russ Tamblyn as the agile and playful Riff. Ned Glass brings real heart to his role as the candy store owner who pleads for the youths to end their violent ways. And Rita Moreno makes a strong impression in her role as Anita, especially in the scene in the coffee shop where she must deliver a message to Tony.

But it’s the vitality of the musical set pieces of West Side Story which gives the film its passion. And West Side Story emerges as a dramatically powerful update of Shakespeare’s tragedy.



My DVD Collection
My Film Blog

 

[Joe Karlosi]

Hollywood Ending (2002) :star::star::star:

I liked when Woody Allen went back to comedy and starred in his own films again during this period. He started showing his age in the 00's, but in this film he's still a lot of fun and capable of being a physical comic. It's a story about a real down on his luck has-been of a director (Allen) who's so desperate that he's reduced to filming commercials in Canada. So he has no choice but to accept an offer to direct a big movie that could put him back on top - the problem is, the two producers are his ex-wife (Tea Leoni) and her new fiance who stole her from Allen (Treat Williams). Right before production all the stress gets to Woody and he sufers psychosomatic blindness and has to direct the whole movie without being able to see. He can't blow this important opportunity and has to fake his way through without letting anyone but his trustworthy agent and his Asian cameraman's interpreter know what's happening.

This is a sure-fire recipe for laughs, and it mostly delivers. Tea Leoni is perfect for the role of Woody's long-suffering ex who's stuck working with him again under such touchy circumstances. I also enjoy Mark Rydell as his dedicated agent and mentor. Debra Messing plays another in a long line of ditzy young girlfriends who can't seem to resist shacking up with the 66-year-old Allen. The one flaw is that the movie goes on a tad long, and maybe the gag wears thin by the home stretch.

 

[Michael Elliott]

Romantic Nevada (1943) :star::star:1/2 No Director Credited

Another entry in MGM's TravelTalk series has James FitzPatrick telling us about the state of Nevada. We start off learning about the minerals in their land, the gold rush in the mid-1850s and of course a look at Reno where one in five marriages end in divorce. The short goes onto tell people not to worry because the majority of the marriages do work out. As with others in the series, this one has been surpassed by better documentaries of today but there's still some mild charm here. There's certainly nothing ground breaking being told but it is interesting seeing how the cities looked back in the day.

Mighty Niagara (1943) :star::star:1/2 No Director Credited

Niagara Falls is the setting for this entry in MGM's TravelTalk series with James FitzPatrick. Here we learn how New York and Ontario share the famous site and how hotels have been put up on both sides so that people can come and stay. We also hear how newlyweds are the most common guests and usually take a trip on the boat Maids of the Mist. This is yet another decent entry in the series, which really benefits from some beautiful shots of the falls. The stuff dealing with the War of 1812 was pretty interesting as well. Countless other and better documentaries have been done on the falls but it's nice seeing how it looked so many years ago.

Fine Feathers (1933) :star::star: Jules White

The man best known for directing various Three Stooges shorts is behind the camera for this MGM one-reeler. The documentary takes a look at various birds ranging from a hummingbird to a crane and even a stork. That might not sound too exciting and it really isn't, although I'm sure a bird lover would get more of a kick out of this thing. With that said I'm sure this was a popular short back in the day as it is in color. The Technicolor really shows off a lot of colors on the birds and this here is the main reason to watch this thing. Pete Smith's narration is rather dry and unfunny this time out.

Duck and Cover (1953) :star::star: No Director Credited

Atomic scare film is part animation and part live action. The animated part has Bert the Turtle walking when a monkey lights a firecracker behind him. The turtle then teachers the kids how to duck and cover. We then get a narrator telling us what we should look for an expect in case of an atomic attack. Looking at these films today you can't help but roll you eyes but at the same time it's somewhat scary because of what we're told in this film. Had an atomic explosion really went off you can't help but this about how unhelpful films like this would have been. Informing people to put a newspaper on your head to prevent burns? Cover your necks with your hands to avoid burns? On a technical level this thing is pretty poorly done because if you pay close attention you'll notice then telling you how to "duck" during one scene at yet others showing us how to duck are wrong or at least don't match up with what was told earlier.

Virgo, the Taurus and the Capricon, The (1977) :star::star: Luciano Martino

Italian sex-comedy has Edwige Fenech playing a housewife who learns that her husband (Alberto Lionello) is cheating on her. At first she just makes him made by flashing her breasts to men but after he does it again she sets her eyes on a good looking gigilo. The latest DVD release features this film uncut with the option of an English or Italian track but those details might not be too important nor is the comedy because the main draw of this film is the body of Fenech. If you're wanting to see the beauty naked then you've come to the right picture because there's plenty of that. As far as the film itself goes, it's really nothing too special. With the idea of a husband cheating on Fenech you have to use your imagination but this does lead to some nice funny moments with the husband running around town trying to catch up with her before she can sleep with someone else. Other funny sequences includes the one where Fenech decides to show her breasts to other men in front of the husband. Lionello does a pretty good job in the role of the husband even though he wildly overacts but this is something that seems to be the case in terms of all male performances from the films I've seen from this genre. As for Fenech, she's as charming as ever and she looks as great as ever. She isn't shy when it comes to showing off her wonderful body and that happens throughout the majority of the running time. A lesser actress would have made this film pretty much worthless but fans of hers will certainly want to check this out.

Shampoo (1975) :star::star: Hal Ashby

Election Day, 1968; a L.A. hairdresser (Warren Beatty) finds his life falling apart when the bank turns him down on a loan to start his own shop but things get even worse when the four women in his life start to cause trouble. This is a film I've been wanting to see for a very long time but boy did it turn out to be a major disappointment. I knew I was going to be in trouble after the first thirty-minutes because I really didn't care for any of the characters. Not Beatty's womanizer or any of his women. If I couldn't care for these people I just didn't care what was going to happen throughout the rest of the film. I think the biggest problem is the screenplay written by Beatty and Robert Towne. The screenplay goes after a lot of things from politics to sexuality to the showbiz but I don't think it does any of the subjects justice. I think the film is all over the place without any clear direction of what it's trying to say or do. I have no idea if Beatty and Ashby clashed during the making of the film but nothing seemed to come off too well. What does work are the performances, which are all rather good. Beatty is especially good and gets most of the laughs with his laid back approach to his character. I loved the scene in the shop where Goldie Hawn is trying to tell him something important but he isn't paying any attention to her. The way Beatty keeps overlooking what she's saying is priceless. Hawn herself does a good job with her role but unfortunately it's a thankless one that doesn't allow her too much. Julie Christie steals the film during one drunken scene where she says something to Beatty, which is another highlight for the film. Lee Grant won an Oscar for her role here but I didn't find her overly good. Jack Warden is also wasted in his role. Carrie Fisher does a very good job in her small role. I'm pretty sure Beatty was wanting to comment on the Nixon election as well as people in general but I think he forgot to add any drama or emotions. The ending, which seems like a weak version of the one in The Last Detail doesn't have the impact it was going for. The soundtrack featuring The Beatles, The Monkees, The Beach Boys, Jefferson Airplane and Jimi Hendrix is a good one.

Doubt (2008) :star::star::star::star: John Patrick Shanley

Terrific drama/mystery set in 1964 and centers on a nun (Meryl Streep) who confronts a priest (Philip Seymour Hoffman) about his possible abuse of a young black boy. The nun is dead set on the priest's guilt even though another one, played by Amy Adams, has her doubt about what really happened. If you're a fan a straight mysteries that works drama through great acting then this is certainly a film for you as it's certainly one of the best of 2008. I think what makes this film so terrific is that it's not about Catholic beliefs, sexual abuse or anything like that but instead it's simply about the title, doubt. The doubt that the priest has about himself, the doubt of the strict nun who doesn't believe in the modern world and the doubt of the younger nun who is still very innocent in her views of the world. When one person has doubt there's only damage to that one person but when it gets out of involves more people then things start to get tricky and that basic notion is what this film centers on and it's nearly flawless in its execution. For starters you have some terrific performances that really make the dialogue and situations jump off the screen. Streep is known for being one of the greatest actors in history and she adds another terrific character to her resume. What really amazed me is the power she not only had on the characters in the film but the power she had over me while watching it. You'll notice in the movie that everyone, kids and other nuns, are scared of her and they sit and stand straight up whenever she's around. It's funny but I often slump in my seat while watching movies but Streep's stern performance had me even sitting up whenever she spoke. The amount of emotions and concerns she expresses through her face is fascinating to watch and she doesn't have a false step anywhere. Hoffman is another who is really turning in a great career playing these strange characters. He plays the part perfectly because sometimes we believe his innocence while at other times we think he's guilty. He never really gives a hint or clue to which direction we should be looking at him and I think this is where his work is the strongest. Adam was another surprise but she perfectly captures the spirit of an innocent woman getting to learn the ugly side of life. There are three brilliant scenes of the drama in the film and one centers on Streep, Hoffman and Adams meeting to discuss the suspicions of abuse. The second is towards the end when Streep and Hoffman go at it. The third and perhaps the most unsettling moment happens when Streep approaches the young boys mother brilliantly played by Viola Davis. Davis pretty much steals the film from two Oscar-winning actors and that there says a whole lot. I'm sure some people are going to be turned off by the subject matter but that would be a real shame because the film is about so much more than sexual abuse. The terrific performances and direction makes this a must see.

 

[Tarkin The Ewok]

1/13 The Sting (1973): :star::star::star::star:

Everything in The Sting is extremely well executed, from the sets and music to the costumes and cinematography. After one viewing, I find the movie entertaining, pardon the pun, but it lacks that extra bit of punch that would merit the fifth star. The highlight is easily the poker game. I wish the movie had more scenes like that or just featured Newman more heavily in general.

 

[Mario Gauci]

Animation Day #2:


01/13/09: THE ARISTOCATS (Wolfgang Reitherman, 1970) :star::star::star:

Walt Disney’s 20th animated feature was the last one to be greenlighted by the great man himself (he died in late 1966) and is not generally considered to be among their very best output. The main problem is that, on the surface, the film seems merely to be the feline version of either LADY AND THE TRAMP (1955) or 101 DALMATIONS (1961) both of which are certainly more beloved by fans Even so, being both an animation and cat lover, I dug this reasonably bouncy concoction in which a pampered female cat (voiced by Eva Gabor) and her three little kittens are thrown out onto the streets of Paris by a wealthy lady (Hermione Baddeley)’s greedy butler. Luckily, they meet a streetwise alley cat (Phil Harris) who guides them on the journey back and are further aided along the way by a feline jazz band (led by Scatman Crothers) and two helpful and amiably dopey dogs; meanwhile at home, Edgar the butler celebrates his supposed inheritance and the mouse and the horse do their bit to help their fellow feline pets. Legendary entertainer Maurice Chevalier was whisked back from retirement to sing the title song (which includes a verse in French) and Scatman’s band indulge in a breezy number “Ev’rybody Wants To Be A Cat”.


01/13/09: THE MUPPET MOVIE (James Frawley, 1979) :star::star::star:

The first feature-length adventure of Jim Henson’s beloved muppet characters is a very competent musical comedy vehicle as Kermit The Frog leaves his carefree, swampy surroundings for the bright lights (egged on by stranded Hollywood agent Dom DeLuise who overheard him singing); on the way, he meets Fozzie Bear (a pitiful stand-up comedian at James Coburn’s El Sleazo Café who has Telly Savalas for a bouncer and Madeline Kahn a patron!), the piano-playing dog Rowlf, bestial drummer Animal and his laid-back, funky band, egomaniacal beauty queen Miss Piggy (in a ceremony presided over by Elliott Gould and Edgar Bergen), etc. All the while, Kermit et al are pursued by frogleg burger magnate Charles Durning and reluctant acolyte Austin Pendleton, sold cars, ice cream and balloons to by, respectively, Milton Berle, Bob Hope and Richard Pryor, served food by insolent waiter Steve Martin, nearly brainwashed by mad German scientist Mel Brooks and, finally, land an audition in the offices of movie mogul Orson Welles (who has Cloris Leachman for a secretary)! The pleasant song score comes courtesy of Paul Williams who also makes an appearance as the resident pianist at El Sleazo’s. For the record, I have recently acquired four of the subsequent Muppet movies and should be watching them in the weeks to come when their turn falls due.

 

[Mario Gauci]

Comedy Day #2:


01/14/09: COME SEPTEMBER (Robert Mulligan, 1961) :star::star:1/2

I can’t tell you how many TV screenings of this one I’ve missed out on in the past – so I got to it now that its director has passed away (though the copy I acquired displayed the occasional glitch!); being a glossy romantic comedy, it seems Mulligan – who would come to specialize in meaningful dramas – had yet to find his niche by this time. On the other hand, ever since PILLOW TALK (1959), leading man Rock Hudson had flourished in the genre and would continue to do so for the next few years; however, this isn’t among his best-regarded efforts – and neither, incidentally, is his follow-up teaming with co-star Gina Lollobrigida, STRANGE BEDFELLOWS (1965), which I’ve yet to watch. Even so, COME SEPTEMBER proved surprisingly engaging (if distinctly overlong) and, if anything, the idea of having a couple rekindling their affair for one month every year and the complications which arise when the hero turns up unexpectedly at the rendez-vous is nice enough. Though the stars have to share screen-time with a bunch of teenagers – virtually a pre-requisite during this era – led by Sandra Dee and Bobby Darin (who would hitch up in real-life after this, and the latter gets to sing too!), they’re all given sufficient space…as is, for that matter, chief supporting player Walter Slezak (wonderful as Hudson’s amiably shrewd butler – and who knew he was so fluent in Italian?). Being set in Europe, the film-makers can’t resist making this, at least partly, a travelogue; that said, a number of the situations – especially the initial mix-up at the villa-cum-hotel, the resilience shown by middle-aged Hudson when he’s chaperoning the kids, and Slezak’s wiles at the end to get hero and heroine back together – provide more than enough felicities along the way…even if the only really laugh-out-loud moment is reserved to a drunken parrot keeling over while clutching to its stern (and obviously perplexed) mistress’ finger!


01/14/09: THE BIG BUS (James Frawley, 1976) :star::star:1/2

Preceding the far more popular AIRPLANE! (1980) in its spoof of blockbuster disaster movies by four years, this is a patchy but reasonably amusing ride in its own right The titular nuclear-powered vehicle was designed by Stockard Channing, constructed by her father Harold Gould (who, in his turn, is cared for by reluctant doctor Larry Hagman), driven by disgraced ‘cannibal’ Joseph Bologna, steered from the controls center by Ned Beatty and sought for destruction by “Ironman” Jose` Ferrer! As befits its pedigree, the passengers are an equally colorful, starry lot: an on-again/off-again couple (Richard Mulligan and Sally Kellerman), a dotty old lady (Ruth Gordon), a bitchy nymphomaniac of a celebrity (Lynn Redgrave), a doubting priest (Rene Auberjonois), etc. The film loses steam in the latter half because its biggest laughs occur before the actual journey starts, in particular during a bar-room brawl at a drivers’ hang-out where Bologna is picked on by everybody except for one called Shoulders (John Beck) who, after earning a co-driver’s seat on The Big Bus, soon reveals the meaning behind his nickname – he’s narcoleptic!

 

[John Stell]

020) 01/14/2009 Lawrence of Arabia (1962) :star::star::star::star: (out of four)

My initial reaction to seeing Lawrence of Arabia for the first time was twofold: I was emotionally overwhelmed by the experience, and I wanted to immediately start the movie over and watch it again. Here is a complex epic that explores the many aspects of war – the physical, the political, the strategical, the psychological, concepts of loyalty - and its effects on the enigmatic T.E. Lawrence, a British soldier whose wartime exploits became world known thanks to an American war correspondent. What T.E. Lawrence experiences during his tenure makes for an all-consuming film experience.

During World War I, the British army recruits Lieutenant T.E. Lawrence (Peter O’Toole), known to be well educated if a bit eccentric, to assess the prospects of a British alliance with Prince Feisal (Alec Guinness) against the Turks. Lawrence meets Feisal and suggests an attack on Aqaba, a town near the ocean that could be used by Great Britain to ship wartime supplies. By traveling across the treacherous Nefud Desert, Aqaba could be taken by surprise. But Lawrence is not totally prepared emotionally for the atrocities he will witness and the measures he will have to take to persevere in this volatile part of the world.

The images in Lawrence of Arabia are frequently stunning, as director David Lean pans over picturesque desert landscapes or guides us through the architecturally rich housing for the army. There are several actions set pieces such as the attack on Aqaba and the assault of a Turkish caravan. And there is much scheming as the British leaders plan their double crosses (they never have the intention of letting the Arabs rule their own land) of which Lawrence is not aware. The cumulative impact on Lawrence of the events dramatized in Lawrence of Arabia is what gives the film its ultimate power.

When we first meet Lawrence he is a pleasant sort with a twinkle in his eye, although his attitude does not sit well with his superior officers. But when Lawrence witnesses his desert guide being shot and killed for drinking from another man’s well, he realizes he is amongst people he does not fully understand. Later he will be forced to kill people to avoid a tribal war and prevent an injured man from being captured. He will be attacked and (by implication) raped. And he will ultimately learn how impossible it is to remain loyal to both his commanders and the Arab people he hoped to help. While his rank continually increases as he achieves the military’s goals, Lawrence is actually on a downward spiral emotionally. He tries to leave several times but is lured back not just by flattering remarks from his superiors, but also by his own seemingly contradictory love of war. Lawrence is such a rich, intriguing character that the final shot of him in the film packs a wallop.

Peter O’Toole delivers one the great screen performances. He shows us Lawrence tortured and exhilarated, confused and self confident, frustrated and determined. Several times these conflicting emotions can be occurring at the same time. We feel Lawrence’s desperation to return to a more normal way of life after being molested by a Turkish leader. And O’Toole perfectly plays the devastation when Lawrence realizes what his commanders’ intentions for Arabia really were.

O’Toole is supported by a first rate cast including Alec Guinness, Claude Rains, Omar Sharif, Anthony Quinn, Jack Hawkins, Anthony Quayle, and José Ferrer. It’s hard to imagine how the casting could have been improved upon. The scene between O’Toole and Quinn, as Lawrence tries to persuade Quinn’s tribal leader to join the revolt, is just one example of how these actors bring out the best in each other. Robert Bolt and Michael Wilson’s screenplay (based on T.E. Lawrence various publications) balances incident and exposition in such a way that the film never loses its grip on us during the three and half hour running time. And the technical aspects are so well handled there are times we feel like we’re in the desert right along with the cast.

The best films invite the audience to be participants, not mere observers. Lawrence of Arabia pulls us into its time and place and never lets us go.



My DVD Collection
My Film Blog

 

[Martin Teller]

Cowards Bend the Knee - Another twisted melodrama pieced together from semi-autobiographical fragments of Guy Maddin's life. It's sort of a surrealist version of The Hands of Orlac. I have to resist the urge to label Maddin's work as "random", because when you describe it, it sounds like gibberish. But it all makes perfect sense at the time. Okay, maybe not PERFECT sense, but some kind of sense. I didn't find this one quite as captivating as Brand Upon the Brain, but at least with Maddin you know you're gonna see stuff you've never seen before. Done in his trademark visual style, once again I was a bit put off by the rapid editing. Rating: 7


Ball of Fire - This movie has a terrific pedigree: directed by Howard Hawks, written by Billy Wilder, shot by Gregg Toland, and starring Barbara Stanwyck, Gary Cooper, and a horde of classic character actors. But it doesn't add up to much. A very predictable and formulaic comedy. The gags are mostly okay, but nothing here will make you fall off your chair with laughter. Surprisingly, the best parts are the boogie numbers with Gene Krupa's band, especially the "Match Boogie", where Krupa provides the percussion by scratching matches on a matchbox, while Stanwyck's singing face is reflected in the table. I've never cared much for Cooper, but Stanwyck sizzles. Other than that, there's just not much here that's noteworthy. Not a bad way to kill some time, but not a great one either. It's just not that funny, and it drags on for far too long. Rating: 5


How to Become Myself - The Japanese are terrific at teen films. They're not just about getting laid or LOL ADULTS R DUMB (in fact, they're never about those things) but instead explore the emotional challenges of coming of age. However, this is one of the weaker ones that I've seen. It's pleasant and the characters are fairly well fleshed-out, but too often it goes for easy sentimentality rather than a more complex examination of the issues of finding your own identity. The music is a big drawback, lots of tinkly, faux-poignant melodies that belong in an RPG cutscene. There is some interesting use of split-screen and inserts, but nothing you haven't done before and done better. Again, it's a pleasant film without any glaring flaws, but it's mostly of value to pre-teen/teenage girls. Rating: 6


There Was a Father - If you like Ozu, you'll probably like this. The only thing unusual about it is that it contains some pretty massive time jumps, but I wouldn't say that's anything special. A fine tale of a father-son relationship. It's odd to see Chishu Ryu looking so young. Welp, that's about all I have to say. Rating: 7

 

[Mario Gauci]

Drama Day #2:


01/15/09: BOOM (Joseph Losey, 1968) :star::star:1/2

Joseph Losey would have turned 100 on 14 January 2009 had he lived and it seems appropriate that I should commemorate that anniversary a day late and with this very movie because: a) it deals with a much-married dying woman looking back on her life and b) it misses the mark of being a good movie. Actually, for most people, it does much more than the latter and is an unmitigated disaster, a serious blot on the careers of a handful of talented people: director Losey, playwright-screenwriter Tennessee Williams (who boldly claimed this was the best film ever to be made out of his own plays!) and lead actors Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. On the other hand, the ones who generally escaped the critical trashing with their dignity intact were cinematographer Douglas Slocombe (shooting in the lovely Mediterranean island of Sardinia), composer John Barry (who provides a terrific and playfully eclectic score) and supporting players Noel Coward (making a droll appearance as the Witch of Capri) and Joanna Shimkus (as Taylor’s long-suffering secretary). For one thing, the Burtons were both miscast, with her being far too young – she was just 36 at the time – and him too old for their roles (Tallulah Bankhead and Tab Hunter, respectively, had originally played those parts in the equally catastrophic stage version)! The fact that BOOM is one of eccentric film-maker John Waters’ all-time favorites is a clear sign that the movie’s reputation (bad or cult, depending which side of the fence one happens to be on) rests squarely on its high camp quotient: Taylor’s constantly shrill, foul-mouthed delivery (including the occasional line in massacred Italian) – which, again, can be downright annoying or mildly amusing – and her parading in an incredible Kabuki costume to the strains of live sitars; “Angel of Death” Burton’s walking around (hair blowing in the wind) in a samurai warrior’s attire and brandishing the proverbial sword on the ledge of Taylor’s clifftop villa; diminutive bodyguard Michael Dunn unleashing his pack of wild dogs on intruder Burton, etc. In the long run, however, what really saves the film for me – apart from those assets already mentioned at the top – is Losey’s mise-en-scene which, from the very first shot to the last, is remarkably cinematic and inventive – in spite of his allegedly hitting the bottle quite hard during production (which did not prevent either of the Burtons from working for him once more, albeit separately)!


01/15/09: SUMMER OF ’42 (Robert Mulligan, 1971) :star::star::star:

The relaxation of Hollywood censorship from the mid-1960s onwards enabled film-makers to start treating taboo subjects like adolescent sexual awakening with increased frankness. 1971 brought to the silver screen two acclaimed studies of this theme – Peter Bogdanovich’s masterpiece THE LAST PICTURE SHOW and this more populist film from the late Robert Mulligan. Even if the latter was overshadowed by the former in both awards ceremonies and, more importantly, its explicit depiction of youthful sexual encounters, SUMMER OF ’42 is still a fondly-remembered look at the eternal issue that, badly handled, can create both controversy and embarrassment. That the film succeeds as well as it does is a tribute to its sensitive direction (Mulligan was both a DGA and Golden Globe nominee), Herman Rauch’s perceptive autobiographical screenplay, its appealing cast of relative newcomers, veteran Robert Surtees’ sunny cinematography and composer Michel Legrand’s lovely theme (which earned the film its only Oscar). 15-year old Gary Grimes falls hard for 23-year old war widow Jennifer O’Neill during his summer island vacation even if all she requires of him at first is to carry her heavy loads around but, overcoming his initial shyness and awkward woodenness, he eventually consummates his love at her moment of greatest need for consolation (after which she summarily leaves the island for good). As I said earlier, the film implies much more than it shows and its two sex scenes – the first raucous and funny (on the beach, between Grimes’ equally starved best friend and a seemingly insatiable teenage acquaintance) and the second tender and emotional – may seem much too tame for the jaded filmgoers of today but, for me, that does not detract from the amusement of the former and the power of the latter. Other humorous situations that have since became clichés (thanks to the surfeit of teenage sex comedies we have all suffered from in the interim) are the misplaced anatomical fondling at the cinema, the drooling over an illustrated biology textbook, the long-drawn out subterfuge required to order a pack of contraceptives from a suspicious pharmacist, the hero’s own potentially raunchy but ultimately uneventful beach rendezvous at night, etc. The “terrible” trio of teenagers (including the proverbial bespectacled nerd with no gleam of interest in the opposite sex) were reunited two years later to continue their adventures in college, CLASS OF ’44 (1973) – a local TV screening of which I missed out on in the mid-1980s.

 

[Michael Elliott]

Another Romance of Celluloid (1938) :star::star::star: No Director Credited

MGM short is pretty interesting as the first part discusses how the celluloid gets to the studio and eventually how the film goes to the lab. The second part of the film is pretty much a promo for MGM as we get to see some footage from upcoming movies as well as some behind the scenes stuff from Marie Antoinette. Film buffs will also get a kick out of the 1937 Oscar ceremony where Frank Capra announces Spencer Tracy is too ill to be there to get his award so it's handed to Louie B. Mayer who then gives it to Tracy's wife. It's worth noting that a few of the films mentioned as "coming soon" ended up not being released for over a decade and a few of the films are announced with certain cast members but the final movies feature someone else.

You, John Jones! (1943) :star::star::star::star: Mervyn LeRoy

A WW2 Civil Engineer (James Cagney) is called away from his home by an air raid alarm just as his daughter (Margaret O'Brien) is saying the Gettysburg Address for a school project. While the man is watching his post he begins to imagine what it would be like living in another country that is constantly under air raids and what impact this might have on his young daughter. Countless WW2 shorts were produced while the war was going on but I have no problem saying this here is the best of the bunch and in its own way a real masterpiece. The message of the film is quite clear but, given this was a WW2 film, the producer's went pretty far in passing that message off. We see countless scenes with Cagney's young daughter suffering in other countries and this scenes are very realistic and I'm sure hit a very strong nerve with people back in 1943. Cagney is excellent in his role as you can tell he's giving it all his got. The real star here is the young O'Brien who really steals the film with her powerful performance saying the famous speech.

My Bloody Valentine 3-D (2009) :star::star::star: Patrick Lussier

Remake of the 1981 slasher has a maniac minor killing twenty-two people but ten years later more bodies start to pile up. Is it a copycat killer or has the original come back for more revenge? I'll start off by saying that I'm not a big fan of the original and I'll go even further by saying this one here, story wise, isn't that good. It's more like a two-and-a-half star movie thanks to its throwback to the 80's slashers but the 3-D effects are what really makes it worth seeing. The story has some logical issues to say the least and this includes the identity of the killer, which is pretty impossible considering what you've seen throughout the film. With that said, the movie certainly goes all out in terms of violence and gore. I was pleasantly shocked at how gory this thing was as we get all sorts of graphic killings ranging from picks through the eyes, necks, heads, decapitations and much much more. The red stuff is constantly flowing so I'm sure gore hands are going to be very happy. The film also goes back a few decades in terms of nudity because there's some full frontal female nudity, which we haven't seen in a horror film in a very long time. It seems a lot of slashers today play it safe but that's certainly not the case here. The film goes all out and that includes the 3-D effects. The "Real3D" process is certainly the greatest I've seen and I'm sure others will be very impressed. There are a couple classic scenes with various objects floating at you with one of the best early on when the killer throws his weapon towards the camera. Thankfully the director knew these effects would be the main draw here and he constantly keeps the stuff coming at the screen. Unlike many 3-D movies there's nothing here done for comic relief as the film uses the effects to show off the gore and violence. We get some smaller stuff like one character spitting at the camera but for the most part it's murder and mayhem. The performances are what you'd expect from a film like this but it was great fun seeing Tom Atkins in the cast. Many horror buffs will know him from films like Halloween 3 but it's nice to see him here. In the end, the film certainly doesn't stand out as a classic but you know what to expect when you walk into this. The movie isn't a total success but there are certain things horror and 3-D fans want and this film delivers them.

 

[Joe Karlosi]

Match Point (2005) :star::star::star:1/2

A young Irish tennis instructor marries a woman he's not very much in love with to gain prominence through her family, but begins to have a fling with an American girl (Scarlett Johansson) and then a real dilemma he has to contend with. This glorified Woody Allen film really lived up to its hype. All I figured going in was that it was going to be a love story with a boring tennis backdrop, but I got a lot more than I bargained for, especially with the wild direction things took later in the story ... I never expected it.

I loved the camera work here, a lot of really beautiful cinematic touches. It helped a lot that the story takes place in England, which is a much-welcome break from Allen's typical Manhattan scenarios and affords an opportunity for some very nice scenic touches. The sex scenes are hot and steamy, and it's a credit to Allen that he manages to make them so exciting even without resorting to showing blatant nudity.

Scarlett Johansson is physcially beautiful, but she leaves something to be desired for me in the acting department, at least during the first half (she got better later). The real star of the piece is Jonathan Rhys Meyers as the tennis pro whose life is in turmoil. He's just superb and runs the gamut with a varying degree of emotions in a multi-layered character.

And I'm glad there wasn't too much tennis in this! I had feared the worst on that score from the start. This is a great achievement for Woody Allen, one of the best films he's ever done, and a triumph he needed in recent years. It's so different from most of his other movies.

 

[Pete Battista]

24: Redemption :star::star::star::star:

I wanted to watch this movie because I just finished watching season 6 before starting this marathon... and I wanted to watch this movie next so I could start on the season 7 episodes I have recorded. I really enjoyed watching this movie. It was a little weird to see 24 in a movie format but I think they did a good job doing it. I am glad this one had Tony Todd (Candyman) in it... as I have become a fan of his over the past several years. The storyline involving the child soldiers in Africa was heartbreaking to say the least. Now I am ready to start the new season!

 

[Joe Karlosi]

Small Time Crooks (2000) :star::star::star:

Here we have Woody Allen as a former thief who once botched up a robbery and did jail time for it, and now has a new scheme to make more money. He convinces his skeptical wife (Tracey Ullman) to let him have all their savings and go in with a bunch of other guys to buy out an old pizza parlor so they can dig a tunnel through the shop and come up inside the neighboring bank and take in millions, split between them. The wife will sell her homemade cookies in the front of the store as a distraction while the men drill in the back ... but what happens is a turn of events nobody was prepared for.

I think this particular title was important at the time of its release because it was the first in awhile where Woody Allen went from being deep and introspective to just being plain silly and fun once again. I've come to enjoy this one more now than I did upon its initial release, but it's really the first half that is stronger than the second. Still a pleasant time waster at any rate. I particularly enjoy the opening sequence where tough-talking Woody is trying to intimidate his even tougher wife into investing in his brainstorm, as it smacks of vintage Honeymooners trappings, which I'd bet was on Allen's mind when he made this.


Mighty Aphrodite (1995) :star::star:1/2

Woody Allen and his latest younger wife (this time played by Helena Bonham Carter) decide to adopt a newborn baby boy. As the child grows Woody becomes curious to find out who the real mother is and eventually tracks her down as a scatterbrained hooker and porn star (Mira Sorvino).

I've tried watching this several times now and its got some laughs and charm, but it's still not amongst Allen's better comedies for me. I think Sorvino's prostitute character is initially ingratiating when she appears on the scene, but her schtick wears thin quickly. This obviously put-on performance was unworthy of the Oscar she received. And once Woody discovers her there's not much else of interest that can be done with the story. But the biggest turn-off of all is that damn greek chorus which pops up every so often to chant the details of what's transpiring in the movie, with F. Murray Abraham as the painted leader who visits Allen from time to time to counsel him, a la Bogart in PLAY IT AGAIN, SAM.

 

[Mario Gauci]

Epic Day #2:


01/16/09: MARY, QUEEN OF SCOTS (Charles Jarrott, 1971) :star::star::star:

A follow-up to the prestigious historical epic ANNE OF THE THOUSAND DAYS (1969) which reunites several crew members (producer Hal Wallis, director Jarrott, screenwriter John Hale, costume designer Margaret Furse, etc.) and resumes the bloody Tudor saga. The same events had been previously filmed in Hollywood by John Ford as MARY OF Scotland (1936) with Katharine Hepburn (as Mary Stuart), Fredric March (as Bothwell) and his real-life actress wife Florence Eldridge (as Queen Elizabeth I); here these same roles are played by Vanessa Redgrave – who had already appeared (as Elizabeth's mother, Anne Boleyn) in the magnificent A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS (1966), Nigel Davenport (ditto) and Glenda Jackson (who was currently starring as the same English monarch on British TV) and, like its above-mentioned predecessor (albeit to a lesser extent), the film found favor at awards ceremonies of the day with both Redgrave and Jackson being up for Oscar (the former) and Golden Globes (both). Also singled out was composer John Barry for his beautiful score, the somewhat disjointed script and, inevitably, the lavish costumes and sets. Still, where the film impresses most is in the performances of the ensemble cast: apart from those already pointed out, we also have Patrick McGoohan (who just died at 80 as Mary's devious half-brother James), Trevor Howard (as the English Queen's wily chief adviser), Timothy Dalton (as Mary's second and tyrannical husband), Daniel Massey (as Elizabeth's ambitious lover), Ian Holm (as Mary's link to the Vatican) and Andrew Keir (as a Scottish lord). As befits the time in which it was made, I suppose, side by side with the classiness on display, we have to contend with tastelessly 'accurate' portrayals of everybody's bed-hopping and histrionic antics – from a red-headed Dalton's seduction of minstrel man-spy Holm to Redgrave's elopement with newly-married lord Davenport to Jackson's long-term and tempestuous relationship with the equally married Massey. For the record, I have a handful of other films dealing with the Tudors on my "To Watch" list but I decided to get to this sooner rather than later in view of McGoohan's passing.


01/16/09: THE PRODIGAL (Richard Thorpe, 1955) :star::star:

When I attended religious doctrine classes as a kid, the parable of The Prodigal Son was always my favorite; however, I never visualized it quite like it is depicted in this film – but that's Hollywood for you! Actually, I hadn't intended to watch it just now (being ideal Good Friday fare) but it was the only handy vehicle I owned featuring star Edmund Purdom, who passed away on New Year's Day. Anyway, considering the maligned reputation of THE SILVER CHALICE (1954) – which I caught recently, coincidentally in tribute to its own leading man, Paul Newman – I must admit that I found this an even lesser (and duller) Biblical outing! True, Christ's parable does not provide much detail of the hero's experiences after he leaves his Hebrew hometown for another (Pagan) city…but what we have here is among the lamest and most stodgily presented trips along the wayward path this side of Cecil B. De Mille (being closest in theme to his SAMSON AND DELILAH [1949])! Though the supporting cast looks mighty impressive on paper (including two from THE SILVER CHALICE itself, namely Joseph Wiseman and Walter Hampden) – Neville Brand, Louis Calhern, Paul Cavanaugh, Henry Daniell, John Dehner, Cecil Kellaway and Francis L. Sullivan – the participants are either given little to do or embarrassed by their unwieldy costumes and unflattering make-up (especially Brand's, making him look like a 20th century wrestler!). Of course, while the film purports to tell Purdom's tale, MGM saw fit to give top billing to their resident alluring star Lana Turner but, needless to say, this type of role did nothing to her career and she was probably happy to throw herself into "women's pictures" thereafter. However, perhaps the film's biggest fault is the fact that the film-makers thought it imperative to include such incongruous scenes as Purdom hilariously grappling with a fake voracious buzzard and the spectacular action-packed finale which totally subverts Christ's message, in that the hero is seen returning home humbled (so as to conform with the original text) when truly he should have flaunted the victory of his God over the rampant Paganism in Damascus!

 

[Pete Battista]

The Crow :star::star::star::star:1/2

This is a movie I have not seen in years. Not since I first bought the DVD a good a good 4 or 5 years ago. To be honest I went into this one not remembering much about the movie itself. Sure I remembered the basics of the story... but not the movie. I must admit... I forgot just how much I enjoyed this movie. This movie could very well be the ultimate supernatural revenge movie. After watching this movie... it makes me wish I had some of the sequels to check out (which I have never seen any of).