What's on your Daily Viewing List? (3 Viewers)

[Mike Frezon]

I was very anxious to see this...and, ultimately, disappointed.

It held my attention but. to me, wasn't all that exceptional. I was much more entertained by Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Not a surprise after all the praise and fanfare this film received and combined that with the subjectivity of film appreciation.

 

[JohnRice]

...and yet, I thought Once Upon a Time in Hollywood was sort of a dud.

 

[Dave Moritz]

February 22nd, 2020 Saturday

Star Wars (1977 Theatrical Cut)
480p Non Anamorphic DVD upconverted to 4K
Dolby Pro Logic

 

[Toronto Argonauts]

 

[Jeff Flugel]

Been watching way too much TV and not enough films. I did watch one movie this past week, though: Edge of Eternity (1959). It's a terrific little mystery thriller from director Don Siegel, featuring the dual natural wonders of the Grand Canyon and stunning redhead Victoria Shaw. The Twilight Time Blu-Ray looks very nice. Enjoyed this film so much that I plan on listening to the commentary track (by C. Courtney Joyner and Nick Redman) ASAP.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Been watching way too much TV and not enough films. I did watch one movie this past week, though: Edge of Eternity (1959). It's a terrific little mystery thriller from director Don Siegel, featuring the dual natural wonders of the Grand Canyon and stunning redhead Victoria Shaw. The Twilight Time Blu-Ray looks very nice. Enjoyed this film so much that I plan on listening to the commentary track (by C. Courtney Joyner and Nick Redman) ASAP.

I also watched that Blu-ray of "Edge of Eternity" twice and the audio commentary was pretty good by the late Nick Redman and associate. God, I missed that man! Like you, I haven't watch many movies this past week as I got distracted with some other things. With that said, I did watch the following movie on iTunes in HD digital. My thoughts on the movie and its video presentation can be found here.

 

[Robin9]

Last night I watched Strangers When We Meet, a romantic melodrama that one critic dryly described as a "study of the role of the motor car in suburban infidelity." That's an unfair judgement because the film is pretty good and some important scenes are written with real precision. Director Richard Quine and the cast - Kirk Douglas, Kim Novak, Barbara Rush, Walter Matthau, Ernie Kovacs plus a young Nancy Kovack - are all on top form. (I'm always amused by the fact that in this film we have Novak, Kovacs and Kovack!) Kim Novak looks especially gorgeous in this film, even by her high standards.

The DVD has no scratches or tears but all the images seem a bit smudged and unclean. As Sony is now releasing their back catalog on Blu-ray discs themselves, including films previously released by Twilight Time, I'd love to see Strangers When We Meet on Blu-ray.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Last night I watched Strangers When We Meet, a romantic melodrama that one critic dryly described as a "study of the role of the motor car in suburban infidelity." That's an unfair judgement because the film is pretty good and some important scenes are written with real precision. Director Richard Quine and the cast - Kirk Douglas, Kim Novak, Barbara Rush, Walter Matthau, Ernie Kovacs plus a young Nancy Kovack - are all on top form. (I'm always amused by the fact that in this film we have Novak, Kovacs and Kovack!) Kim Novak looks especially gorgeous in this film, even by her high standards.

The DVD has no scratches or tears but all the images seem a bit smudged and unclean. As Sony is now releasing their back catalog on Blu-ray discs themselves, including films previously released by Twilight Time, I'd love to see Strangers When We Meet on Blu-ray.

You got me in the mood to revisit this movie as I always liked it even when I was in high school watching it on TV with the female members of my family. Hell, it has some of my favorite actresses in it and your description of Kim Novak got me wanting to see this movie again. I'll pull out my DVD of this melodrama again this week.

 

[Robert Crawford]

On DVD "Two of a Kind" (1951) quasi-film noir. My thoughts and Eddie Muller's can be found here.

 

[bujaki]

When You Read This Letter (Criterion Channel) 1953. An early film directed by the great Jean-Pierre Melville. Fluid B&W cinematography, ambiguous motivations, rape, assassination, blackmail, death by train. So recommended! Restored in 2017.
Miracle of Morgan's Creek (Criterion Channel) 1943. Excellent transfer of this jewel written and directed by Preston Sturges, who obviously drugged the Breen office when he screened the film for them. An evergreen and the beautiful, talented Diana Lynn is just the icing on the cake.
The Green Years (TCM app) 1946. Charles Coburn is listed first in the cast list but was nominated as a Supporting Actor (?). Anyway, his performance is excellent, and so is the rest of the cast. The cinematography was also nominated; too bad that this transfer doesn't do justice to it. This is a very good film. There is a death by train.
Nora Prentiss (TCM app) 1947. A most horrible transfer of a film beautifully shot by James Wong Howe. Ann Sheridan is very good as a very nice femme fatale. Some twists, some unbelievable plot developments. I really like Ann.
Written on the Wind (TCM app) 1956. A Sirk masterpiece and this transfer does it justice. Shown in 2.0 AR; shot by Russell Metty in Technicolor that just pops out and attacks your eyes; filled with so many mirror shots and sexual symbols to fill a Freudian textbook; a sweeping musical score; everything adding up to a delirious sweeping melodrama the likes of which had seldom been seen. Malone's performance is so brazen that one wonders how it passed. It justly won the Oscar. I just love this film.

 

[Matt Hough]

After watching today's episode of Hunters at Amazon Prime, I happened to notice they also had John Grisham's The Rainmaker free for viewing, so I watched it. It's been a long, long time since I watched my DVD of the movie, and even though I remembered the trial verdict, I had forgotten the movie's rather bittersweet ending. I remembered enjoying all of the colorful Southern characters on display throughout the film, and they were definitely as entertaining as I remembered on rewatching it.

 

[Matt Hough]

Tonight, I watched Kind Lady from the TCM app. I thought I had seen all of Angela Lansbury's MGM films, but this is one I had missed, made right at the tail end of her contract. A sort of genteel thriller, less psychotic than Night Must Fall but rather ingeniously duplicitous. Maurice Evans was a clever villain. Nice to see Angela's real-life mother Moyna in a small role, too.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Got caught up on another BP nominee tonight. This time:

This one was much more fun than Parasite. Lots of very nice performances. I enjoyed it.

 

[Toronto Argonauts]

 

[Mysto]

Couldn't help it. The whole time I kept comparing it to North by Northwest.Especially with the exotic cinematography. Not Hitch but fun to watch Peck and Loren (always fun to watch Loren). I hadn't seen it since it came out so an enjoyable eve.

 

[bujaki]

Tonight, I watched Kind Lady from the TCM app. I thought I had seen all of Angela Lansbury's MGM films, but this is one I had missed, made right at the tail end of her contract. A sort of genteel thriller, less psychotic than Night Must Fall but rather ingeniously duplicitous. Maurice Evans was a clever villain. Nice to see Angela's real-life mother Moyna in a small role, too.

Have you seen the original 1935 with Aline MacMahon and Basil Rathbone? It's very good.
The remake has the great Ethel Barrymore. I also enjoyed Ethel and Angela last night in The Red Danube.

 

[bujaki]

The Red Danube (TCM app). 1949. Post WW2 drama about displaced persons being repatriated to Russia against their will.Very good performances. It's always good to see Ethel Barrymore (aged 70) performing so subtly and so effectively, and then one thinks of her hammy brother Lionel chewing up the scenery.
Always in My Heart (TCM app) 1942. Melodrama buoyed by the warm, expert performances of Walter Huston (who gets to warble the beautiful Lecuona title tune) and the still glamorous Kay Francis. Una O'Connor provides needed comedy relief.

 

[Matt Hough]

Have you seen the original 1935 with Aline MacMahon and Basil Rathbone? It's very good.
The remake has the great Ethel Barrymore. I also enjoyed Ethel and Angela last night in The Red Danube.

No, I haven't, but I'll be on the lookout for it now. Love Basil Rathbone.

 

[bujaki]

No, I haven't, but I'll be on the lookout for it now. Love Basil Rathbone.

Warner Archive released both versions in one or two (can't remember) DVDs. I love MacMahon. I remember seeing her at MoMA where she attended to watch her films. She was a stout, grandmotherly-type lady who kept to herself and gently refused autographs. I never asked for one. Her features, however, remained intact and instantly recognizable.