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

[PatW]

1/4 Dreamer :star: :star: :star: :star:
A wonderful family movie. I always did have a soft spot for movies about horses. That Dakota Fanning seems to be in everything but she is an amazing little actress. I wonder how she'll fare as an adult actress?

 

[Joe Karlosi]

The Unholy Three (1925) :star::star::star:1/2

The Unholy Three (1930) :star::star::star::star:

I had an afternoon free today so I decided to watch the two versions of this Lon Chaney classic back to back, beginning with Tod Browning's silent original. I thought this was a wildly entertaining story either way, though it's difficult to fairly judge one film or the other when they're viewed so close together like this.

There are pros and cons to both movies for me. The strength of Browning's silent version was that in many ways it felt more stylish and better crafted, possibly with better production values... but I found I preferred Lila Lee as Rosie O'Grady (from the sound version) to the silent actress, Mae Busch. I also thought the 1930 film had a better courtroom sequence, as well as a more satisfying wrap-up at the end. The sound film moved more briskly, while the silent felt slightly overlong.

It was an amzing treat to get to hear Chaney in his only talking film, and he actually sounded very much as I'd always imagined he would from his gruff exterior. It's essential to hear him doing the voice of the old woman, which was lacking in the original. On the other hand, it was sometimes difficult to always understand the dialogue spoken by Harry Earles (as Tweedledee) and Ivan Linow as Hercules, the strong man. Jack Conway didn't do a bad job at all with the remake, but I wouldn't be a bit surprised if most fans feel partial to the silent original just because it was directed by the legendary Tod Browning.

These are my first impressions of the two takes on the story. I think we desperately need a proper DVD to be released which will feature both versions.

 

[Michael Elliott]

Not for me. You answered my reasons for liking the original more in your post. It was a lot more stylish and I think it featured a lot more suspense. The scene with the elephant is classic (silent) Browning all the way and makes this the reason I prefer the original.

Either way, I'm glad you enjoyed both.

 

[Michael Elliott]

01/03/07

Blood of Jesus, The (1941) :star:

Spencer Williams, future star of TV's Amos and Andy, wrote, produced, directed and stars in this historically important, all-black feature film. This low budget feature suffers from various problems but, due to the historical importance, it was selected to the National Film Registry in 1991. A young woman (Cathryn Caviness) is baptized and later that evening accidentally shot by her husband (Williams). Before dying, an angel takes the woman to the Crossroads where she can select Heaven or Hell. However, before she can choose the Devil shows up with his assistant (named Judas) to try and steer her the wrong way. This film was made on a budget lower than $5,000 and you can really tell because the film features some of the worst acting I've ever seen. We're talking an Ed Wood level here as there are several moments where the actors flub their lines, struggle to remember them and then finally deliver them. The film tells an interesting story but the actual "story" only lasts for about ten minutes and the rest of the time we just watch people standing around the woman praying. The religious overtones will beat you nearly to death but the Gospel music is terrific and is the only highlight of the film.

Go Down, Death! (1944) :star::star:

Spencer Williams' fourth feature as producer and director is a step up from The Blood of Jesus. In this film, a new preacher (Samuel H. James) moves to a small Southern town where he tries to teach the black folks about God. By doing this, people stop going to a local bar, which doesn't sit well with the owner (Williams). The bar owner then sets the preacher up by taking a picture of his with three women hoping this will ruin his reputation. The story here, like the above film, is pretty interesting and makes for a good drama, although the film is still hampered by some poor acting. Williams gives a good performance and is certainly the highlight of the film.

Selen: The Girl from Treasure Island (1998) :star:

Yet another Joe D'Amato "adult" film, this time with a sexy blonde trying to sleep her way to a treasure. Again, enough said.

01/04/07

Gow the Killer (1931) :star::star:

Fairly interesting documentary from Edward A. Salisbury about various expeditions to South Pacific islands where we're introduced to cannibals, savages and other humans. Basically this is an early version of the "Mondo" genre, which would become even more popular in the 1960's. The footage here is pretty interesting, although most of it was shot silent with narration added. The narrator isn't too interesting and brings the film down some so releasing this as a silent might have been a better idea. There's some pretty funny moments including one scene where a cannibal explains why white and black men taste differently. Another funny segment is a group of cannibal men who are afraid of a rival gang so they always send their women out to do the meetings.

Gang War (1940) :star::star:1/2

Another early film from the black cinema, this one directed by Leo C. Popkin. This is a gangster picture about two rival gangs fighting over a profitable juke joint. Once again this film features a very small budget since it would only be shown in black cinemas but the director and screenwriter hold back no punches and make a pretty good movie. The opening bar fight is terrific and there's some nice police chases and shootouts as well. The acting is quite poor and brings the film down a few notches but this one here is certainly worth checking out. The director went on to produce D.O.A. and star Ralph Cooper was billed as "The Dark Gable" or "Bronze Bogart".

01/05/07

Snow White & 7 Dwarfs (1995) :star::star:1/2

A rather amusing Italian rip off of the Disney film. This was directed by Joe D'Amato so you should know what to expect. The horny stepmother throws the virgin Snow White out of her house but soon the seven dwarfs show up to teach her things so that she'll be able to impress the King. This film actually has a lot more story than sex and it's rather cute and disturbing all at the same time. There's some funny dialogue and I'm a bit shocked to say this but the woman who plays Snow White (I couldn't find her name) is actually very good in the role. The only downside is that the film runs over 110-minutes.

Broken Strings (1940) :star::star::star:

This is without a doubt the best of the early black cinema films I've seen. Clarence Muse plays a classical violinist who loses movement in his hand after suffering an accident. Unable to perform, he picks up teaching students as well as his son but soon he begins to have a mental breakdown. Things aren't getting any better when he realizes his son doesn't want to play classical music but instead the son finds a liking to swing/jazz. Unlike some of of the other black cinema films I've watched this year, this one here features a wonderful group of talented folks so there's none of the bad acting that I've seen in previous films. Some will recognize Muse from films such as White Zombie, The Lost Weekend, Double Indemnity and Car Wash but none of them really gave him the chance to act. He does a very good job in his role here, although there are a few times where he goes a bit too over the top. Our Gang member Matthew "Stymie" Beard also appears as one of the students. The film tacks on an incredibly silly ending but the 60-minutes fly by with some nice laughs and some nice drama.

We Faw Down (1928) :star::star:1/2

Routine Laurel and Hardy short has the boys lying to their wives and sneaking out for a poker game but they're picked up by two flirts. This here has a couple good laughs including a wonderful site gag at the end but there's really nothing here that separates it from better shorts dealing with the same subject matter.

Their Purple Moment (1928) :star::star::star:

Laurel and Hardy hold out some of their pay so that they can go out on the town but their wives find their hiding spot. When the boys are out they run up a tab and must find a way out. There are plenty of laughs here including a wonderfully funny food fight at the end as well as a nice sequence with the two trying to sneak out of a restaurant.

On the Wrong Trek (1936) :star::star::star:

Charley Chase comedy has him telling of his vacation to California, which turned into a disaster. This was my first sound film with Chase and I enjoyed it quite a bit. I've always enjoyed Chase as a comedian and thought his comic timing here matched what we saw in some of his better silent shorts. There's really nothing too original but the actor pulls everything off nicely. There's a wonderful cameo with Laurel and Hardy as well.

Trouble of a Grasswidower (1908) :star::star:

A wife gets tired of her husband (Max Linder) not paying any attention to her so she moves back in with her mother. The husband thinks this is a blessing until he has to do the cooking, cleaning and shopping. This is a pretty bland short and even at 10 minutes this thing seems to drag on way too long. There are a lot of site gags but none of them made me laugh.

Max Takes a Picture (1913) :star::star:

Max Linder takes his wife to the beach hoping to get a picture of her swimming but she plays a prank and him and pretends to drown. Once again, I really didn't laugh at anything here, although the story involving the drowning was a nice touch.

 

[george kaplan]

Tanks a Million

Pepi from Shop Around the Corner stars as a soldier in boot camp with a photographic memory (which immediately gets him promoted to Master Sergeant and placed in charge of training his platoon), until he impersonates a colonel with stage fright and gets more accolades. Makes Stripes look realistic. If you're looking for a good pre-Pearl Harbor army boot camp comedy, skip this and watch Buck Privates instead.

 

[Joe Karlosi]

Terror From the Year 5000 (1958) :star:
Really boring and draggy fifties sci-fi that could very well have rated a BOMB, except that the last 15-20 minutes finally came alive with a cackling female monster from the future that actually seemed scary. Scientists manage to bring this squawking mutation from the future back to 1958, and the creature is nearly worth staying awake for.

 

[Michael Elliott]

Re: TERROR

From my Horror Challenge review:

The monster here is certainly the best thing with its rather ugly appearance but for some strange reason she doesn't show up until nearly the one hour mark. The film has a nice ending but things start off way too slow for its own good. There's a nice sequence where the film promotes and spoofs I Was a Teenage Frankenstein. :star::star:

 

[Joe Karlosi]

Oh yeah - I forgot to mention that TEEN FRANK promotion, which was also cool.

 

[PatW]

Failure to Launch :star: :star:
I'm a sucker for romantic comedies but this one was just plain annoying at times. I just didn't buy the premise of the movie. This one could have been much better.
much better.

 

[Jason_V]

Children of Men
Enthusiastic thumbs WAY up. The world Cauron creates here is nothing short of depressing, bleak, dark and monochromatic. This is a "road" movie, but not in the conventional sense. There is graphic violence, death, blood and unsettling ideas of where our world could be heading. Clive Owen is the star, carrying the action, the story and the emotion of the entire film. Dystopian fiction can't get any better.

Mars Attacks!
Tongue in cheek, campy, over the top, bright, corny, hammy...and tons of fun. While the ending does get a little bogged down with all the characters the movie uses, it's "turn your bain off" entertainment featuring a veritable who's who of Hollywood A-listers: Fox, Nicholson, Close, Parker, Brosnan, Grier, Tom Jones, Portman, Benning. Not high class or a message movie, but great fun.

 

[Tim Glover]

2007 Films Screened
02-13-07--Freedom Writers...9/10
02-17-07--Breach...9/10
02-21-07--Bridge To Terabithia...9/10.
03-03-07--Zodiac...7.5/10
03-08-07--The Number 23...5/10
03-15-07--Bridge To Terabithia...9.75/10
03-17-07--300...8.5/10
05-10-07--Spiderman 3...3/10


2006 Films Screened
01-04-07--Rocky Balboa...10/10
01-05-07--Children of Men...9.5/10
01-07-07--The Pursuit Of Happiness...8.5/10
01-18-07--Children of Men...10+/10
01-28-07--The Queen...9.5/10
03-09-07--Pan's Labyrinth...9.5/10


Films Watched At Home In 2007
January
01-01-07--Superman Returns HD DVD (2006)...10+/10
01-02-07--Just Friends (2005)...8/10
01-06-07--Black Rain (1989)...7/10
01-09-07--The Illusionist (2006)...8.5/10
01-10-07--Good Will Hunting (1997)...9/10
01-11-07--The Black Dahlia (2006)...7/10
01-14-07--Harry Potter & The Prisoner Of Azkaban (2004)...10/10
01-15-07--Superman Returns HD DVD (2006)...10+/10
01-16-07--The Descent (2006)...7.5/10
01-17-07--The Illusionist (2006)...9/10
01-17-07--Scoop (2006)...8.5/10
01-18-07--Invincible (2006)...7/10
01-19-07--Accepted HD DVD (2006)...8.5/10
01-20-07--John Tucker Must Die (2006)...8.5/10
01-21-07--Lucky # Slevin (2006)...9/10
01-22-07--Phone Booth (2003)...9/10
01-24-07--Snakes On A Plane (2006)...2/10
01-24-07--Jet Li's Fearless HD DVD (2006)...8/10
01-25-07--Derailed HD DVD (2005)...6/10
01-26-07--Men In Black II (2002)...7/10
01-27-07--Rabbit-Proof Fence (2002)...9/10
01-27-07--A Walk In The Clouds (1995)...9.5/10
01-29-07--Rabbit-Proof Fence (2002)...9.5/10
01-29-07--The Devil Wears Prada (2006)...7/10
01-30-07--Flyboys (2006)...8/10
01-31-07--In Cold Blood (1967)...9.5/10

February
02-01-07--Capote (2005)...9/10
02-02-07--8 Mile (2002)...8/10
02-03-07--The Girl Next Door (2004 )...8/10
02-04-07--Lethal Weapon 2 (1989)...9/10
02-07-07--Flags Of Our Fathers (2006)...9.5/10
02-08-07--Facing The Giants (2006)...8/10
02-08-07--The Quiet American (2002)...8/10
02-09-07--Maria, Full of Grace (2004)...7.5/10
02-10-07--Dogville (2003)...9.5/10
02-11-07--House Of Flying Daggers (2004)...9/10
02-12-07--Hollywoodland HD DVD (2006)...6/10
02-14-07--House Of Sand & Fog (2003)...9.5/10
02-15-07--Dead Again (1991)...8.5/10
02-16-07--The Departed HD DVD (2006)...9.5/10
02-18-07--Gosford Park (2001)...7/10
02-19-07--Hero (2002)...9/10
02-20-07--Babel (2006)...8.5/10
02-22-07--For Your Consideration (2006)...7.5/10
02-22-07--Requiem For A Dream (2000)...10/10
02-24-07--Flags Of Our Fathers (2006)...9.5/10
02-27-07--The Prestige (2006)...8/10
02-28-07--American Splendor (2003)...7/10
02-28-07--World's Fastest Indian (2005)...7/10

March
03-01-07--Man Of The Year (2006)...7/10
03-02-07--A Good Year (2006)...8/10
03-03-07--Stranger Than Fiction (2006)...10/10
03-04-07--Little Miss Sunshine (2006)...9/10
03-06-07--Borat: Cultural Learnings Of America (2006)...7/10
03-06-07--Bullitt (1968) HD DVD...8.5/10
03-07-07--Charlotte Gray (2001)...7/10
03-10-07--The Machinist (2003)...7.5/10
03-11-07--School For Scoundrels (2006)...4/10
03-13-07--The Holiday (2006)...8.5/10
03-16-07--Casino Royale (2006)...9.5/10
03-20-07--Rocky Balboa (2006)...10/10
03-23-07--Thank You For Smoking (2006)...9.75/10
03-25-07--The Nativity Story (2006)...7.5
03-28-07--Clerks (1994)...7/10
03-29-07--Happy Feet HD DVD (2006)...5/10
03-30-07--Clerks II (2006)...7.5/10
03-30-07--Along Came Polly (2003)...7.5/10
03-31-07--Lady In The Water HD DVD (2006)...8/10

April
04-01-07--Open Season (2006)...8/10
04-01-07--Tootsie (1982)...9.5/10
04-02-07--Four Brothers HD DVD (2005)...7/10
04-04-07--The Good Shepherd (2006)...8/10
04-07-07--Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006)....8.5/10
04-18-07--Notes On A Scandel (2006)...7/10
04-19-07--Insomnia (2002)...8/10
04-25-07--Deja Vu (2006)...9/10
04-28-07--Deja Vu (2006)...9.5/10
04-29-07--The Queen (2006)...9.5/10
04-30-07--Payback: Straight Up-The Director's Cut HD DVD (1999)...9/10

May
05-02-07--Dreamgirls HD DVD (2006)....8/10
05-03-07--Freedom Writers (2007)...9/10
05-04-07--The History Boys (2006)...7/10
05-04-07--Little Children (2006) 8/10
05-06-07--Smokin' Aces (2007)...6/10
05-07-07--The 40 Year Old Virgin (2005)...7/10
05-07-07--Sneakers (1992)...8/10
05-09-11--American History X (1998)....8.5/10
05-12-07--The Fountain HD DVD (2006)....8.5/10
05-13-07--Night At The Museum (2006)....7/10
05-14-07--Scent Of A Woman (1992)...9/10
05-16-07--Pan's Labyrinth (2006)...10/10
05-17-07--In Good Company (2004)....7.5/10
05-19-07--Coming To America (1988)....6/10

 

[Holadem]

2007

January

001) 01/10 -- Children of Men (2006) - :star::star::star:1/2
002) 01/11 -- Blood Diamond (2006) - :star::star::star:1/2
003) 01/15 -- Volver (2006) - :star::star::star:
004) 01/15 -- Babel (2006) - :star::star::star:1/2
005) 01/17 -- Flags of our Fathers (2006) - :star::star::star:
006) 01/20 -- Apocalypto (2006) - :star::star::star:1/2
007) 01/21 -- The Queen (2006) - :star::star::star:1/2


--
H

 

[Ted Lee]

title: brick
rating: b
comments: heathers meets sam spade meets modern day teen angst ... or something like that. in any case, i can definitely say it's a refreshing take on high scool life, with a credible modern day "vibe" thrown in. a bit over the top and stylized for it's own good ... but i enjoyed it quite a bit.

title: the andromeda strain
rating: b
comments: for a 35 year old movie, this one definitely held up. i was duly impressed by the production value and the techno-babble-science stuff.

 

[Ted Lee]

(emphasis mine)

 

[george kaplan]

Police Story

Jackie Chan film has the expected top notch stunts, but not much else to recommend it. I know this will be heresy to some, but I've thought much more highly of the American films he's done than I have of his Hong Kong ones I've seen (though I haven't seen all of those).

It's a Gift

I've seen most, if not all, of Field's critically acclaimed comedies, and this is by far the best.

The President's Last Bang

Excellent recent Korean film. A little hard to follow in places, but I'm not sure how much of that is the films fault and how much is due to an unfamiliarity with certain details of Korean history and culture.

The Bachelor Father

Marion Davies isn't as bad in this as Susan Alexander is in her opera, but she's untalented enough. This film is interesting for it's pre-code story (rich old guy keeps a book of the women he's slept with and paid off after he knocked them up - now years later he wants to see his grown children), but it's basically an unfunny comedy.

 

[PatW]

Walk the Line :star: :star: :star: :star:
Even though it is well made and well acted, just not my kind of movie. I normally don't like movie musical biopics and this one is no exception.

Little Miss Sunshine :star: :star: :star:
I had trouble deciding whether I liked this one or not. The acting is top-notch and I do like quirky. I'll have to watch this one again.

Corinna, Corinna :star: :star:
The only thing good about this movie is the little girl. Predictable from beginning to end.

 

[Bob Turnbull]

Azumi

Terrifically fun and entertaining film by Ryuhei Kitamura director of the cult fave Versus. It's bloody and silly in spots, but the storyline is straightforward (young assassins are tasked to terminate 3 warlords who wish to disturb a time of peace), the fights are energetic and there are some great characters.

Notorious

I'll comment in the S&S thread at some point about this, but I thought it was truly terrific and one of Hitchcock's best (that I've seen).

Samurai Spy

I'm 3 for 3 with Masahiro Shinoda's films so far, but I don't know how many other films of his have been released. I'd love it if Criterion's new Eclipse line took him on. His Double Suicide was a remarkable visual story told mimicking a bunraku puppet play (no, I did not have bunraku knowledge before seeing this... ) and this slots in just below it due to fewer visual flourishes and a slightly more confusing story. But he has a great eye for images and the use of light is superb.

Spellbound

Another fine 40's era Hitchcock. The suspense isn't quite as intense or pervasive as with Notorious and the story is a bit wonky at times, but it's highly enjoyable. I'm starting to get a better handle on some of Hitchcock's "mastery". I always looked for the money shots in his later films, but these earlier ones really bring out what appears to be an effortless ability to create suspense and tell a story.

 

[SteveGon]

Day of the Dead 2: Contagium (2005)

Viewed 1/1/2007 (first viewing)

In name only sequel finds a group of psychiatric patients infected
with a substance that alters their genetic structures, turning them
into flesh-eating ghouls. The zombies here are fast and retain some
intelligence, making them especially deadly. A little sloppy, but not
as bad as I'd feared.

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


All Souls Day (2005)

Viewed 1/1/2007 (first viewing)

South of the border zombies this time. The residents of a small
Mexican village are betrayed and murdered by a greedy landowner after the
discovery of a rich Aztec tomb. Years later a quartet of Americans
discover that the undead and very hungry villagers return every All
Souls Day. Interesting premise foiled by routine execution.

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


In the Realm of the Senses (1976)

Viewed 1/1/2007 (first viewing)

Nagisa Oshima's explicit tale of an obsessive love affair gone to
extremes.

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


I Stand Alone (1999)

Viewed 1/1/2007 (first viewing)

Gaspar Noe's unsettling film chronicles a jobless butcher's descent
into despair and raging madness. Definitely not for everyone.

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


The Young One (1960)

Viewed 1/1/2007 (first viewing)

A racist game warden living on an isolated island lusts after the
orphaned granddaughter of his recently deceased handyman. Then a
black jazz musician, on the run after being accused of rape, shows up
to stir the pot. Luis Bunuel directed this lurid and obvious, yet
still compelling drama.

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


Rancho Deluxe (1974)

Viewed 1/2/2007 (first viewing)

Seriocomic modern day western stars Jeff Bridges and Sam Waterston as
cattle rustlers scheming a big heist. A little gem with colorful
characters and offbeat dialogue.

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


Madame de... (1953)

Viewed 1/2/2007 (first viewing)

Max Ophuls' lush classic about a countess who sells her prized
earrings, exposing the affairs of both her and her husband with tragic
results.

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


Burial Ground: The Nights of Terror (1986)

Viewed 1/3/2007

Revisited Andrea Bianchi's undead shocker. An archaeologist breaks into an
ancient tomb and releases pizza-faced zombies who like to munch on upperclass twits.
Not bad, not great, not much plot. Bizarre casting: the little boy is played by Peter Bark,
who was most definitely not a little boy at the time! (Guess they couldn't find a child
actor who was into nipple-biting?)

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


Nudist Colony of the Dead (1991)

Viewed 1/3/2007 (first viewing)

Bible-thumpers close down a nudist colony forcing the nudists into
commiting mass suicide. Years later the colony is turned into a
religious retreat and the naked dead come back for revenge. High
concept meets low budget and the result is a genuine cheeseball
classic. Jesus Christ but I haven't laughed this hard in a long time.

"How can the children praise the Lord when they have genitals in
their mouths?"

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


House of Sand (2005)

Viewed 1/3/2007 (first viewing)

A man moves with his wife and mother-in-law to the isolated shores of
northern Brazil and promptly dies, leaving them stranded. Solid drama
with some staggering visual moments.

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


Under the Bridges (1945)

Viewed 1/3/2007 (first viewing)

Jules and Jim meets L'Atalante in this forgotten classic of German cinema. Two best friends,
both bargemen on the river Havel, set their sights on the same woman. This gentle, humorous,
neorealistic film was, incredibly, shot in 1945 Berlin during Allied bombing raids!

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


Samaritan Girl (2004)

Viewed 1/4/2007 (first viewing)

Original film from Kim Ki-duk about two girls who turn to prostitution
to finance an overseas trip. When one is killed during a police raid,
the other tries to atone for her sins by returning all their earned
money. Meanwhile her cop father has discovered her activities and
takes revenge on her clients...

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


Medea (1988)

Viewed 1/4/2007 (first viewing)

Lars Von Trier's visually stunning version of the story of Medea, she
who was betrayed by Jason (of Argonauts fame).

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


Hard Times (2005)

Viewed 1/5/2007 (first viewing)

Solid multiple-character drama from Spain. A young boy refuses to
leave his room, much to the consternation of his social worker mother,
an ex-con wants to reunite with his cellmate/lover who has returned to
his family, a smuggler is having an affair with the wife of a wealthy
client. Engrossing and well done.

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


Thirst (2005)

Viewed 1/6/2007 (first viewing)

Spare drama has a stern patriarch dragging his family to an isolated
Palestinian outpost where they produce charcoal by burning stolen
trees. No one in the family wishes to be there, especially the son
who would like to remain in school. Aloof, but fairly
engrossing.

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


Diary of a Male Whore (2001)

Viewed 1/6/2007 (first viewing)

A male prostitute ponders the events that led him to adopt his current
lifestyle in this grim short film from the director of Thirst.

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


Repast (1951)

Viewed 1/6/2007 (first viewing)

The tenuous relationship between a married couple comes to a head when
the husband's niece comes to stay. When the husband starts paying
more attention to the girl, his frustrated, jealous wife decides to
leave him. Can he win her back? Another tale of elegant simplicity from Mikio
Naruse.

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


Final Take (1986)

Viewed 1/7/2007 (first viewing)

A fledgling actress discovers the flicker buisness isn't so easy in this
delightful ode to 1930s Japanese cinema from Yoji Yamada.

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

 

[Jeff Reis]

01/08 The Descent (2005) (Unrated Version) :star: :star:1/2 (of 5)
Widely acclaimed horror film has some strong scenes and well-done claustrophobic atmosphere, but ultimately comes up short for me. The attempted scares come in obvious places, most of the action is too dark and quick-cut to be effective, and most of the characters fail to make a big impression even though a lot of time is spent trying to develop them.

 

[Adam_S]

The Commitments - 7 of 10

It's so hard not to rank this higher because the music is so damned good.

Commitments is about an Irish band that gets together to cover the classics of soul, like "Mustang Sally" and "Midnight Hour" They've quite the eclectic bunch, from the 16 year old lead singer (with a Joe Cocker kinda voice) they recruit to their Manager, Jimmy. What makes this really unique is that it focuses on the manager and the group dynamic rather than any single talent. Jimmy is the driving force of the group with his knowledge of music and determination to rise above Dublin. THe group puts on a couple community shows and starts to get big ideas. Jimmy trusts a little too much and hopes much more and that's what makes the movie so damned good. there's an idealism to the rough hardscrabble members of the commitments that is hard to shake--and has you grinning for most of the film.