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

[Mario Gauci]

Although I belong squarely to the "I MARRIED A WITCH (1942) is a classic/Rene` Clair is a genius" school of thought, I didn't know about the Preston Sturges connection with the film or Fredric March's dislike of it and his leading lady. It made for an interesting read, thanks...especially given that I've recently gotten hold of the movie on DivX but have yet to revisit it!

 

[Joe Karlosi]

Mario, thanks for getting around to posting your thoughts on the Monkees' movie HEAD. I haven't seen it in a long time but mainly recall it being wildly psychedelic, as you've mentioned. I'd like to re-watch it some day to see where I stand on it; your generous :star::star::star: rating has me intrigued.

 

[PatW]

The Shop Around the Corner (1940) :star: :star: :star: :star: 1/2

I was looking at the rating that I had given You've Got Mail on dvd Profiler and I was shocked to see I gave it a four. I would not be so generous today. I'm a sucker though for romantic comedies, hey I'm female, and this movie looked like it would fit the bill.

What a wonderful, delightful little movie. I thought I had seen it but I must have seen one brief little scene because the rest of the movie was new to me. Jimmy Stewart stars as Mr. Kralik a man who has been a clerk at a gift shop owned by Mr. Matuschek's for several years. They take on a new female clerk who just happens to be Mr. Kralik's secret "romantic" pen pal. Neither of them are aware of the identities of their respective penpals. From there the story develops and is so much more satisfying than You've Got Mail.

The more I see of Jimmy Stewart the more respect I have of him as an actor. He was absolutely perfect in this movie. In fact everyone in this movie did an outstanding acting job. If I had any reservations about anyone it was with Margaret Sullavan. She somehow seemed to laided back and reserved for the part. Perhaps I'm judging her by Meg Ryans protrayal of a similar part who I found too over-bearing and frankly annoying at times. I hate to compare movie because each should be valued for its ownself. Well if available, The Shop Around the Corner will be my next purchase. A perfect Christmas type movie to curl up on the couch with your honey when it's 96 F. out.

 

[george kaplan]

I agree that The Shop Around the Corner is the best version of this story, but I think the other two (In the Good Old Summertime and You've Got Mail) are also very good movies in their own right.

 

[Adam_S]

while I find Shop Around the Corner a perfect movie, You've got mail is pretty good too and is unfairly maligned, it doesn't live up to Lubitisch but it's an adequete flick.

 

[Joe Karlosi]

I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry (2007) :star::star:1/2

I had to see this for myself. First because I love Kevin James' television series THE KING OF QUEENS, second because sometimes Adam Sandler's comedy hits me right, and also because I was curious from hearing all the objections to the stereotypes in this movie. Turns out that this was a moderately humorous comedy and, just as I suspected all along, it's done in good fun as it pokes fun at the gay lifestyle yet also manages to show the level of intolerance and prejudices that homosexuals face regularly. Sandler himself plays the more "anti-gay" member of the duo who learns the hard way where he went wrong and gains a new lesson from his bigotry. It was nothing like the horrendous and "mean spirited" comedy I'd heard so much about. It's not at all "correct" for these times, but it's no worse than WHITE CHICKS (stereotyping blonde girls), SHALLOW HAL (fat women), THE 40-YEAR-OLD VIRGIN (middle aged "geeks"), or any other such types of movies.

 

[Michael Elliott]

Joe, I'd prefer some of those Popeye reviews since I'm still debating on buying the set. I know there's some rare silent shorts on there I want but I'm curious to know your thoughts on the theatrical Popeye's.

 

[Joe Karlosi]

Well, I am loving those Popeye cartoons, Michael. I've pretty much decided to put them down on my list in bold as "new views", but just from watching them I know I've seen at least 75% of them on TV when I was a kid.. but with something like this it's impossible to be completely accurate as to which ones. I haven't bothered reviewing each episode individually; they're all similar and a lot of fun.

Do you like Popeye? Are you familiar with them? This is a no-brainer for purchase for fans of the cartoon... this is a DVD that is getting rave reviews just about everywhere... the quality of the cartoons is great, and the extras are wonderful. I'd say you can't go wrong with this.

 

[Michael Elliott]

I'm just debating if I should rent or buy. I didn't care too much for the 60's cartoon and I'm not certain I've seen any of the early shorts on this set. I do enjoy cartoons from the early, B&W days though so I was just curious to how much you liked them.

Since you went to the theater today: It's a damn shame cartoons aren't showed before films like they use to be (and other shorts). I'd much rather spend twenty-minutes on a Popeye, Stooges or Mickey Mouse short plus another short rather than sitting through 20-minutes of McDonald ads.

 

[Joe Karlosi]

Oh, I like them quite a bit. Each cartoon is only 5 minutes or thereabouts. So far, the cartoons on Disc 2 are even better than those on Disc 1 (IMO). Which reminds me -- I gotta list 'em on my page!

So why not rent first? If you like them you can buy later. IMO, even though they're out of sequence if you watch Disc 2 first, it's got better cartoons than Disc 1. Of course, these were not meant to be seen 8 or 9 in a row, and to view them like that gets repetitious.

 

[Michael Elliott]

I'm still in Redneckville, KY so there's no place to rent them around here. Wal-Mart has them so that what I'm debating. I guess if I'm good then I can try and get the girlfriend to buy them for me.

Oh well, back to getting the Tivo/DVR number down (at 44% right now).

 

[PatW]

Fair enough. You've got Mail is just not as perfect enough as it once was for me. Remember this is just my opinion. I find my personal tastes for movies are changing and Shop Around the Corner is perfect in every way.

 

[Michael Elliott]

08/04/07

Millerson Case, The (1947) :star::star:1/2

The eighth of ten films in the Crime Doctor series has Warner Baxter back, this time on vacation in Virginia when a murder happens. This entry actually benefits from moving the action away from the city and into the country but once again we're left with just a so-so mystery that never really takes off too high. The supporting players are a step up from the previous few films but the direction just makes the film pretty standard overall but right on the level as other films in the series.

Law of the Underworld (1938) :star::star:1/2

RKO gangster picture runs just 58-minutes and isn't anything too serious but it features some good performances from its cast. A gangster (Chester Morris) with the heart of gold tries to pull every heist without guns but things backfire when one of his partners kill a man. What's really bothering the gangster is that two innocent kids (Anne Shirley, Richard Bond) are going to take the wrap unless he confesses. This film has enough plot holes for a dozen films and the story is pretty stupid but Morris, Shirley and Bond keep things interesting up to the predictable ending. I've watched Morris in several flicks this year, including several Boston Blackie films, and he's really becoming a favorite of mine with his charm and stone face look. Directed by Lew Landers (The Raven).

Vinyl (1965) BOMB

Andy Warhol's interpretation of Anthony Burgess' A Clockwork Orange is yet another horribly boring film from the pop icon. At 70-minutes there were several times where I was thinking to myself that it might be easier to just pull out a gun and end it but I kept hoping something would happen in the film but it never does. As usual, Warhol's "actors" are all horribly bad and God knows what was going through Warhol's head while directing.

08/05/07

Ocean of Fear (2007) :star::star::star:1/2

I've often said the most haunting part of Jaws was Robert Shaw's speech about the sinking of the U.S.S. Indianapolis. This Discover Channel documentary takes a look at the ordeal and puts a lot of rumors to rest. The biggest rumor is how many shark attacks actually happened and as it turns out the most interesting thing about this documentary is hearing how a majority of the deaths actually happened. It was also interesting hearing how a lot died from drinking salt water, which turned some crazy and they then killed their own men. I wish the film had given more talk to the mens lives after being rescued.

Flying Fleet, The (1929) :star::star:1/2

While Columbia and Frank Capra were releasing the sound Flight, MGM and director George Hill were releasing this silent feature, which pretty much covers the same story. Five friends join the Navy to "get their wings" but as the steps keep getting harder some don't make it. Two of the friends (Ramon Novarro, Ralph Graves) eventually make it through but they end up falling in love with the same woman (Anita Page). Just like the Capra film, the love triangle is pretty boring and predictable but at least this film delivers a lot of goods with the flight stuff. There are countless scenes with terrific airplane footage including some pretty wild stunts. All of this stuff is highly entertaining and keeps the film going strong but things go on a bit too long and lead to an incredibly stupid ending. It's interesting to note that Anita Page made a couple films with Lon Chaney and made a MGM film with Buster Keaton but gave up acting before making a small comeback with a few films the past few decades. She's still alive so good for her.

Grand Exit (1935) :star::star:

Columbia crime yarn directed by Erle C. Kenton has Edmond Lowe investigating a series of fires directed towards one insurance company. Kenton would go on to direct several Abbott and Costello films as well as the two Universal House of monster mashes but he can't bring any life to this mystery. Lowe's performance is hit and miss for me because I never really bought him as the sweet talking ladies man. The supporting cast is pretty bland and the reasons behind the fires is also kinda boring. Edward Van Sloan of Dracula fame once again appear unbilled in a fairly important role here. This is the second Columbia film I've watched him in from this period where he gets unbilled.

Here Comes Trouble (1948) :star::star:1/2

Hal Roach comedy is the sixth of eight in the series of Doubleday (William Tracy) and Ames (Joe Sawyer). In this entry, both are out of the Army with Doubleday working as a reporter and Ames a cop. The two, after making idiots out of themselves, must try and bust up a gang ring. As with the other films in the series that I've seen, the comedy is pretty hit and miss and there's no real story to speak of. In the place of any story is just countless gags, which make for a pleasant 55-minutes. Tracy and Sawyer certainly work well together.

Rafter Romance (1933) :star::star:1/2

One of the six films shown in TCM's "Lost and Found" series, all six RKO films by Merian C. Cooper who was running RKO at the time. A man (Norman Foster) and woman (Ginger Rogers) can't pay their rent so the landlord (George Sidney) comes up with a plan. The two will share an apartment but the man will stay there during the day and the woman will stay there at night. The two will never meet but they still end up hating one another but what they don't know is that on the outside they have began dating. This is a remake of a German film made the year prior but this story here also had several remakes in America as well as being a major influence on countless films like The Shop Around the Corner, which I've yet to watch. This film here is pretty cute but needless to say it's also quite light, which keeps it from being anything really good. Rogers is terrific as the young woman and the Pre-Code elements of her constantly showing her legs and getting undressed add to the fun. However, it's Sidney who really steals the show as the landlord who has to keep the two people from meeting. He adds a lot of great charm and brings several laughs to the film. There is one weird and controversial scene where the landlord's son, a Jewish boy, is drawing Nazi swastikas and says that they are "good luck". Since Hitler was just taking charge when this film was in production there are several who says that German was still giving money to support American features. The controversy starts that the "good luck" comment was meant to have a positive image on the real horror that were to come but it depends on which side you take on the debate.

Living on Love (1937) :star::star:

Bland remake of Rafter Romance was shown as part of TCM's "Lost and Found" series of RKO films produced by Merian C. Cooper. The film follows the exact storyline of the original but this time out James Dunn plays the man, Whitney Bourne the woman and Solly Ward plays the landlord. This is certainly a very routine film that works just so-so on its own and is pretty far behind the original. What really kills this film is the fact that Bourne just isn't very likeable. Dunn is very energetic keeping the film moving well but director Lew Landers doesn't add too much.

Fugitives for a Night (1938) :star::star::star:

RKO "B" flick has a movie stooge (Frank Albertson) and his female friend (Eleanor Lynn) hitting the road after he's accused of killing a big-shot movie producer. The mystery surrounding the murder is pretty easy to follow but that doesn't keep this film from being entertaining if you have a little over an hour to kill. What really stands out about this movie is how incredibly harsh it is on Hollywood and the actors and producers making films. There are several speeches about how low actors are and, the point of the film, they'd kill just to get their way. Albertson and Lynn are good in their roles and make for a fun team.

 

[PatW]

War Hunt (1962) :star: :star: 1/2

Low budget movie set during the end of the Korean war. This movie has the distinction of being Robert Redford's break-out role and he acquits himself quite well here. John Saxon is also good as the troops 'psycho killer'. It was interesting seeing Sidney Pollock in an actor role though I know he's acted in other movies since. I understand he and Redford formed a lasting friendship on the set of this movie. Not a great movie but some good acting.

 

[SteveGon]

Flickering Lights (2001)

Viewed 8/1/2007 (first viewing)

Enjoyable Danish crime flick has a tired, aging hoodlum ripping off a
fellow mobster and opening up a restaurant with the loot. But his
underlings aren't too thrilled with the idea of working for a living
and the woodsy locale he's chosen is rife with oddball locals!

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


No Rest for the Brave (2003)

Viewed 8/1/2007 (first viewing)

A young man convinces himself that he'll die if he goes to sleep and
embarks on a surreal odyssey across France, a journey that includes
mass murder and endless talk. Sort of a cross between Bunuel and
Camus; insrutable but fairly engrossing.

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


Facing Windows (2003)

Viewed 8/2/2007 (first viewing)

Superior drama about a woman who is angered when her husband brings
home an elderly amnesiac from the streets. But the more she gets to
know the old man, the more she realizes he may be the key to her
happiness.

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


6ixtynin9 (1999)

Viewed 8/3/2007 (first viewing)

Superior thriller cum black comedy from Thailand. A young woman who's
just lost her job finds a box of cash outside her apartment door.
Deciding to keep it, she soon finds herself dodging both gangsters and
the cops!

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


The Depot of the Dead (1959)

Viewed 8/3/2007 (first viewing)

A new boss and his wife stir up trouble at a remote timber company
outpost in this stark classic of Polish cinema. Sort of a cross
between La Bete Humaine and The Wages of Fear.

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


L'Eclisse (1963)

Viewed 8/4/2007 (first viewing)

Decided to screen an Antonioni in honor of his passing. The third in
his trilogy on alienation, L'Eclisse follows a woman as she
breaks up with her boyfriend and begins an affair with a stockbroker.
But neither one can summon up enough courage to make any sort of
commitment. Thin story bolstered by Antonioni's masterful eye.

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


Un Deux Trois Soleil (1993)

Viewed 8/4/2007 (first viewing)

Bertrand Blier's surreal and sometimes outrageous tale of a young
Marseilles girl's coming of age and the conflicts she has with her
troublesome parents. Great score by Cheb Khaled.

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


Shower (2000)

Viewed 8/4/2007 (first viewing)

Enjoyable Chinese drama of a big city buisnessman who returns home to
visit his ailing father and mentally handicapped brother.

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


Real Fiction (2000)

Viewed 8/5/2007 (first viewing)

Early film from Ki-duk Kim, shot in real time. A mentally disturbed
artist is encouraged to go on a murderous vendetta by a mysterious man
and his camera-wielding companion.

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


Bicycle Thieves (1948)

Viewed 8/5/2007

Revisited Vittorio De Sica's neorealist classic courtesy of the new
Criterion edition.

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

 

[Joe Karlosi]

Premonition (2002) :star:

Sandra Bullock isn't too bad here, but even that can't save this monotonous and nonsensical movie about a woman who seems to be losing her grip on reality. Her husband dies in a car accident, and the next day she awakens to find him still alive, then the next day he's dead again, then the next he's once more up and about, etc...
It also seems like different days are occuring and then recurring in random sequence, like Bill Murray suffering through Groundhog Day over and over. I was hoping there would be some sort of sensible payoff in the end to justify all my time invested in this craziness, but no such luck.

 

[Pete York]

Murder! (1930) Dir: Alfred Hitchcock

Odd, mixed-bag early talkie from Hitchcock starring Herbert Marshall. Marshall plays a famous theater actor, Sir John Menier, and the story begins (well, sort of, he doesn't come on the screen until about 1/2 hour in) with him serving as a juror on a murder case. A mini Twelve Angry Men plays out, with Sir John as the last holdout against a finding of guilty. He eventually gives in, but a nagging feeling has him spending the rest of the film trying to prove our female lead is not guilty.

The bad: The acting is creaky (even Marshall is still developing his eventual screen persona) and the humor is hit-and-miss. Some of the scenes are a few minutes too long, especially a couple early that are going for laughs. There is a ludicrous plot device concerning the reason why the heroine doesn't know who committed the murder, even though she was in the room as it happened. Throw in that the murderer is saddled with transvestitism, possible homosexuality and is "mixed caste"
and the story becomes a bit bizarre. There are some obvious sound problems with lines of dialogue garbled beyond recognition.

The good: Although plagued by the technical limitations of the time, Hitch gamely tries to get the camera on the move (there's a rather long uninterrupted take of two characters having a conversation while going back and forth between two rooms) and does some neat things with the soundtrack (a scene with Marshall shaving in a mirror, his thoughts are playing on the soundtrack while simultaneously music is playing on a nearby radio; Hitchcock had a live orchestra on set playing with Marshall's pre-recorded dialogue). The UFA influence is obvious on the production design (right out of Lang and Mabuse). There is also a very nice expressionistic shot, from an extreme high angle, of the heroine pacing in her jail cell cut with a shot of a silhouetted noose rising on a wall. Finally, a scene near the end, the denouement, is really quite shocking and effective, presumably even more so for the audience of the time.

Interesting for the completist but offers only a brief glimpse of the work to come.

:star: :star: out of 4

 

[Pete York]

So Mario, regarding Clair, as an admirer of his would you say that his Hollywood output is compromised or not as strong as his other work (for example, I frequently hear this as a complaint with Renoir)? In other words, is something like I Married a Witch representative of his absolute best work?

 

[PatW]

Irma La Douce (1963) :star: :star: :star: :star: 1/2

I was totally captivated by this charming Billy Wilder comedy. Jack Lemmon plays an honest ex-policeman who happens to fall in love with a Parisian streetwalker played by Shirley MacLaine. To keep Irma off the streets Lemmon impersonates a British lord who is rich enough to be Irma's only client.

I had my doubts going in if I would enjoy this having really loved the Apartment. I shouldn't have worried. Both MacLaine and Lemmon were delightful in their respective parts. I especially liked the actor who played Moustache. As I understand it, Billy Wilder originally want Charles Laughton in the part and he would have been great too. It was great seeing Bill Bixby in a cameo role. The score by Andre Previn was fun and bright a perfect match for this colourful fun movie. Had a really good time about watching this one.

Well only one more movie to go in my Billy Wilder marathon and I've completed the boxed set. Only two less than satisfactory movies so that's pretty good. I realize I've probably rated this one higher than I should especially when I go back and look at some of the ratings I've given previously. I guess you could constantly be adjusting your scores up and down and there lies madness.

 

[Sandro]

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

Day of the Dead :star: :star: 1/2
The third movie of Romero's zombie series is not as impressive as the first two. There is just not enough of interest going on although there are some excellent effects.

The Body Snatcher :star: :star: :star: :star:
As much as I love Tourneur's work I am starting to believe that this is the best of the Lewtons. The film is slightly different from the others in the series. It's more conventional in terms of horror movie subject matter - graveyard robbing for medical experimentation - the style is less dreamlike and more realistic. The focus is on the parasitic and antagonistic relationship between doctor and graverobber with each trying to get the upper hand. The ending is chilling and just perfect.

Ratatouille :star: :star: :star: 1/2
Charming Pixar animation which overcomes its very strange premise with wit and heart. It's also nice to see a children's animated film that avoids the normal setting and animation style.

Land of the Dead :star: :star: :star:
Finally got around to seeing Romero's fourth installment which borrows some ideas and themes from post-apocalyptic sci-fi to tell its tale. Some plot points seem fudged but the seriousness and excitement are still present even if the film as a whole seemed slightly old-fashioned.

Berserk :star: :star:
Given the potential in the story and setting (murders at a circus) this film comes off as drab and lifeless with some especially limp direction.

Trog BOMB
In contrast to Joe, I believe this film is as bad as its reputation. In fact it's awful! Every plot point is ridiculous and laughable and there is no excitement until Trog goes on his rampage. The jaw-dropping dinosaur flashback is the lowlight. I'm not one to enjoy watching bad movies but my kids and I had a great time laughing at this turkey.