Plot Summary - Judge Hardy (Lewis Stone) is busy in court with a case of this bitter and bickering divorced couple who are parents of a high school aged daughter Melodie (Donna Reed), caught in the middle. Andy Hardy (Mickey Rooney) is out of school now and working at a local garage where he is trying to start up his own towing business. His tow-truck isn't in the greatest of shape and Andy ends up in a mix-up while towing a sedan - now accused of stealing it! Judge and son make an exchange - the judge will help Andy with his latest legal trouble if Andy will ask poor, troubled, unsociable Melodie out on a date to help brighten her so-called drab life. Andy considers her "droopy" and a bore - a bit of a "sad apple" as he calls her - but asks her to the school alumni dance. Unfortunately for her, she's considered too out-of-style for Andy or the male stag line (Andy has to bribe all but one of these guys to "break" in). Melodie hasn't been out much and falls for Andy, invites Andy to the upcoming "Spinster's Skip", gives herself a makeover, and arrives at the dance looking like a gorgeous and stylish glamour girl, making the guys now want to pay Andy to dance with her! Side story involves sis Marian, just back home from living in NYC, now sophisticated in short skirt - with plans to wear her new nightgown as an evening dress, causing the family some grief.
Review - Well this is yet another entertaining and fun film in the Andy Hardy series. One thought - okay, Melodie is played by a very young and beautiful Donna Reed (not much is done to hide her beauty either) and it struck me as extremely unrealistic that the fellows all refuse to dance with her just 'cause she's not wearing the latest dress and hairstyle (and unless you know a lot about fashions of 1942, even that's sort of hard to detect watching this now)! This film includes a lot of the latest 40s slang and, as usual, parents and kids clashing over new ideas and the old-fashioned way. Line from Andy to Marian "It's not your fault God made women's brains lighter than men's". Okey Dokey, Andy. Rating - 7.5/10 stars
Monday, December 29, 2008
Andy Hardy Meets Debutante (1940) Film Review - Mickey Rooney, Judy Garland
Plot Summary - In this one seventeen year-old Andy Hardy (Mickey Rooney) has a big crush on New York society's Number 1 Deb, glamour girl Daphne Fowler (Diana Lewis). Andy keeps a secret scrapbook of magazine clippings featuring Miss Fowler, and he goes so far as to brag to his schoolmates Beezy and sometime steady girlfriend Polly Benedict (Ann Rutherford) that he knows Daphne Fowler and she's crazy about him. Well, dad Judge Hardy (Lewis Stone) has to go to NYC on a case and decides to bring the whole family - as local small town paper headlines "Hardy Family Goes to New York" (wow - that is a small town!). Now Andy's pals want a photo of Andy with Daphne as proof (they even plan to use it on the school newspaper's cover). While in New York, Andy enlists the aid of old friend Betsy Booth (Judy Garland), now fifteen and still considered "just a kid" by Andy - Betsy still has that crush she had on him a couple years earlier (seen on film in "Love finds Andy Hardy"). Betsy loans him use of her parents car and chauffeur in his pursuit to meet Miss Fowler. He ends up getting the brush by the girl's mother, then spending a fortune - $37.25 - in the over-priced Club Sirocco where he dines on caviar served in an ice sculpture and hopes to see Miss Fowler at a benefit being held there later that evening. Nothing but troubles come to Andy, until helpful Betsy manages to save the day again.
Review - This is quite an entertaining film, with a cute plot - lots of fun. Judy Garland charms yet again and sings two songs in this, "Alone" and "I'm Nobody's Baby". With Judy's presence in this film (she certainly is the golden girl - her star quality just shines here, as usual), it's certainly one of the better ones of the series. And I love Mickey and Judy together - all their films are favorites for me! Line from Andy "Gosh how one's women do mount up!". Gotta love that guy. Rating - 8.5/10 stars
Review - This is quite an entertaining film, with a cute plot - lots of fun. Judy Garland charms yet again and sings two songs in this, "Alone" and "I'm Nobody's Baby". With Judy's presence in this film (she certainly is the golden girl - her star quality just shines here, as usual), it's certainly one of the better ones of the series. And I love Mickey and Judy together - all their films are favorites for me! Line from Andy "Gosh how one's women do mount up!". Gotta love that guy. Rating - 8.5/10 stars
The Hardys Ride High (1939) Film Review - Mickey Rooney
Plot Summary - Another adventure following sixteen year-old Andy Hardy (Mickey Rooney) and his family. In this one, Judge Hardy (Lewis Stone) falls heir to two million dollars and the family heads for Detroit to claim the inheritance and take residence in their new 12-bathroom mansion, butler Dobbs included. They do have to wait for the proof that the Judge is a true descendant before they actually get the money, but nobody seems too worried. Meanwhile, the ladies are all living it up, ordering breakfast in bed, opening charge accounts, buying expensive new dresses. Andy - formerly used to living on his one and a half buck a week allowance - turns into self-dubbed "millionaire-playboy", goes to the Paradise nightclub in tuxedo and opera hat, where he's about to be tricked by a cousin who will inherit the estate if the Hardy's do not. A bad and beautiful chorus girl uses her wiles to try to help trick Andy. Side story involves aunt Milly (Sara Haden) "cutting loose" and meeting a man.
Review - This film is cute, but quite predictable as the good Hardy family sort of realizes that perhaps loads of money is not what they really want. It's not one of the better films in the series, but is still quite entertaining. While I have seen the majority of the films in the Andy Hardy series before (some a number of times), I'm not sure if I had seen this particular one before, in any case I did not recall the plot. Rating - 7/10 stars
Review - This film is cute, but quite predictable as the good Hardy family sort of realizes that perhaps loads of money is not what they really want. It's not one of the better films in the series, but is still quite entertaining. While I have seen the majority of the films in the Andy Hardy series before (some a number of times), I'm not sure if I had seen this particular one before, in any case I did not recall the plot. Rating - 7/10 stars
Andy Hardy Film Series - Mickey Rooney - MGM
A series of sixteen feature films produced by MGM from 1937 to 1958, based around the Family Hardy - - Judge Hardy, teenage son Andrew aka Andy, older sister Marian, devoted but somewhat daffy mom Emily, along with a spinster aunt named Milly - live together in a nice suburban house in the small town of Carvel. Andy is a bit cocky, completely girl crazy, and constantly getting into various scrapes - but he's actually quite a nice kid, Andy and Marian are usually involved in sibling bickers, the Judge calls his wife "Mother" and is forever honest, wise, and fair - he usually helps Andy out of some sort of trouble and Andy learns some sort of lesson. Andy has a sometimes steady girlfriend named Polly Benedict and a pal named "Beezy". All of these films are cute, light entertainment - sort of early versions of 50s/60s TV sitcoms like "Father Knows Best" or "Leave It To Beaver". Mickey Rooney brings a freshness and energy to the role of Andy Hardy that makes the character extremely likable, the family comes across as a real one - it's fun to spend a few hours (or more) with the Hardy's!
Turner Classic Movies featured a marathon of some of these films on December 26th - being the day after Christmas what with a dinner party at my house that lasted until midnight and too much food and drink, I could only manage to get up in time to see the last three they showed - I could easily sit through all sixteen films in a row, I find them that entertaining! Following is my reviews for the three films I watched, two of them I have seen a number of times before. By the way, I mentioned on Christmas that I was going to watch Andy Hardy films on TCM the next day and there were about seven people all over forty (some approaching sixty) at the table, not one had ever heard of Andy Hardy or these films!! (obviously this was not a movie buff crowd!)
Turner Classic Movies featured a marathon of some of these films on December 26th - being the day after Christmas what with a dinner party at my house that lasted until midnight and too much food and drink, I could only manage to get up in time to see the last three they showed - I could easily sit through all sixteen films in a row, I find them that entertaining! Following is my reviews for the three films I watched, two of them I have seen a number of times before. By the way, I mentioned on Christmas that I was going to watch Andy Hardy films on TCM the next day and there were about seven people all over forty (some approaching sixty) at the table, not one had ever heard of Andy Hardy or these films!! (obviously this was not a movie buff crowd!)
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Mamma Mia! (2008) Film Review - Meryl Streep
Plot Summary - Film version of the Broadway musical, based around the songs of ABBA - the story is about beautiful twenty-year old Sophie, on the eve of her wedding day, who wants to find out who her real father is. Taking a peak into former flower-child mama's diary from the 70s, Sophie has determined that her father is one of three possible men - so, she invites all three (Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Stellan Skarsgard) to the wedding under the guise that mom, Donna (Meryl Streep), has invited them. Now - which one is her father? Who will walk Sophie down the aisle? And does it really matter, with all these great Abba songs strung together into a loose-plot featuring stag and hen party night evening, followed by the next day's wedding in a breath-taking setting loaded with tons of color and music?! Ah, how nice! Sophie's two gal pals, in a small way (they're not given much to do) and Donna's two gal pals, in a big way, add to the comedy/musical mix.
Review - Lively, colorful, full of energy, and a little bit campy - I love movie musicals, I love musical theater, and I'm a big fan of ABBA, so I knew I would enjoy this one. The story is simple and song-filled, the on-location scenery on a Greek island, with turquoise-green water and gorgeous villa, adds to the atmosphere. I have one little tiny complaint and that is that since the movie is mainly wrapped around lots and lots of great songs, having great singers would have been better, I think - Meryl Streep's singing was okay (for the most part), Pierce Brosnan and Colin Firth (as much as I love that guy) didn't have much in the way of good singing voices. The actress, Amanda Seyfried, who plays the daughter has a very pretty voice, but only sang a couple of numbers - the "deleted scene" on the DVD was actually one of her musical numbers too, don't know why it was eliminated from the film. The two actresses who play the mom's pals - Julie Walters and Christine Baranski - were a good choice and added to the fun of the film. I like the extra feature "sing-a-long" that is on the DVD! I did really enjoy this film a lot though - made for a fun b-day morning for me. Rating - 9/10 stars
Review - Lively, colorful, full of energy, and a little bit campy - I love movie musicals, I love musical theater, and I'm a big fan of ABBA, so I knew I would enjoy this one. The story is simple and song-filled, the on-location scenery on a Greek island, with turquoise-green water and gorgeous villa, adds to the atmosphere. I have one little tiny complaint and that is that since the movie is mainly wrapped around lots and lots of great songs, having great singers would have been better, I think - Meryl Streep's singing was okay (for the most part), Pierce Brosnan and Colin Firth (as much as I love that guy) didn't have much in the way of good singing voices. The actress, Amanda Seyfried, who plays the daughter has a very pretty voice, but only sang a couple of numbers - the "deleted scene" on the DVD was actually one of her musical numbers too, don't know why it was eliminated from the film. The two actresses who play the mom's pals - Julie Walters and Christine Baranski - were a good choice and added to the fun of the film. I like the extra feature "sing-a-long" that is on the DVD! I did really enjoy this film a lot though - made for a fun b-day morning for me. Rating - 9/10 stars
Monday, December 22, 2008
Liliom (1934) Fim Review - Fritz Lang Charles Boyer
Plot Summary - French film, directed by Fritz Lang and starring Charles Boyer as Liliom, a carnival barker who runs the carousel - he's cocky, he sings, he's a confident ladies man, he's got the "gift of gab", and he always wears the same dirty-looking, tight striped t-shirt. One day on a rollicking, song-filled carousel ride full of happy patrons, Liliom flirts with a young blonde house maid named Julie, sparking jealousy in the heart of the female carnival boss. She accuses Julie of "solicitation", Liliom comes to her defense and is fired. He doesn't seem to mind much as he attempts to seduce innocent Julie on a park bench, she's in love and the next thing you know they are married, he doesn't work, she does, they're fighting, and he's slapping her around. Thought by some to be a "brute, a hooligan, a lazy bum", Liliom plays cards and runs con games with a low-life pal. Meanwhile, a middle-class carpenter wants to marry Julie - but she loves Liliom, beatings and all. POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD: Liliom is considering an offer to leave Julie and go back to the carousel, his only real success, but Julie reveals she is going to have a baby. Liliom, amazingly, is over the moon about the coming new arrival - so to get some big money to help support his growing family, he agrees to his pal's scheme to steal a payroll and knife the carrier to death in the bargain, a task assigned to Liliom. Liliom is reluctant to kill as he's worried about what will happen when he gets to the "other world". When the robbery doesn't go as planned, Liliom sees that other world sooner than expected. God's policemen escort him up through the clouds, straight through the stars, and into God's police station - a place in-between heaven and hell where Liliom must defend himself and await justice.
Review - This is a very entertaining film, it went by real fast. The scene in the afterworld is really interesting and quite surreal, I love stuff like that in films - an amusing comparison is shown between an earlier scene in the film where Liliom is at police headquarters and his experience at the police station in the other world. Charles Boyer seems to be made for playing someone so cocky, the actress who plays Julie, Madeleine Ozeray, is appropriately big-eyed and innocent - I do have to wonder though how her character puts up with a guy beating her around like that, the last scene in the film is also questionable. This film is a rare treat, it was later remade into the musical "Carousel". I saw this on a Kino DVD and the print looked reasonably good, the English subtitles very easy to read. Real good. Rating - 9 to 10/10 stars
Review - This is a very entertaining film, it went by real fast. The scene in the afterworld is really interesting and quite surreal, I love stuff like that in films - an amusing comparison is shown between an earlier scene in the film where Liliom is at police headquarters and his experience at the police station in the other world. Charles Boyer seems to be made for playing someone so cocky, the actress who plays Julie, Madeleine Ozeray, is appropriately big-eyed and innocent - I do have to wonder though how her character puts up with a guy beating her around like that, the last scene in the film is also questionable. This film is a rare treat, it was later remade into the musical "Carousel". I saw this on a Kino DVD and the print looked reasonably good, the English subtitles very easy to read. Real good. Rating - 9 to 10/10 stars
The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (2008) Film Review
Plot Summary - Action adventure tale, set in post-WW2 times, following a couple of adventurers, the O'Connells (Brendan Fraser and Maria Bello) on their latest Mummy caper. Acting as couriers, they carry the "Eye of Shangri-La" (this huge diamond thing) to Shanghai, China, and encounter their twentyish son Alex there, a young explorer who has skipped out on college and following in mum and dad's footsteps, has discovered the tomb and sarcophagus of an emperor of ancient China. This emperor (Jet Li) was originally cursed by a beautiful "witch" who he sought to give him the secret to immortality, and now some bad guys want to awaken the emperor and put him back in power, 2,000 years later. Well, soon enough the emperor's mummy is on the loose, wreaking havoc on the streets of Shanghai. And he's not exactly a normal guy - the curse left him basically melting and burning over and over again, he has super powers, and he can also morph into various creatures, such as a three-headed dragon. Our group heads to the Himalayas to find Shangri-La, and the emperor is heading there too, with the "Eye of Shangri-La" to make himself immortal (the thing he always dreamed of, ya know). A big battle between the emperor's "terracotta" army and an army of skeletons rounds things out.
Review - Okay, here's some of the stuff you'll see here - abominable snowman creatures, a rip-roaring avalanche, a fire ball throwing emperor, a sea of flying arrows, all sorts of battles with our heroes facing ridiculous amounts of danger and death at every turn, yet coming out with nary a scrape (well, almost), you even see the famous Shangri-La itself. Far-fetched? Definitely, but it could have been fun - yet I found myself somewhat bored watching this film - too much non-stop action, too little story. This film struck me as a sort of b-list version of the Indiana Jones films - similar in style, but not as good. The special effects, are, as usual in films made lately, extremely well done - perhaps more effort on the plotline, less on the effects would have helped?! Father and son look more like brothers, by the way - young looking Brendan Fraser, as dad. Rating - 6/10 stars
Review - Okay, here's some of the stuff you'll see here - abominable snowman creatures, a rip-roaring avalanche, a fire ball throwing emperor, a sea of flying arrows, all sorts of battles with our heroes facing ridiculous amounts of danger and death at every turn, yet coming out with nary a scrape (well, almost), you even see the famous Shangri-La itself. Far-fetched? Definitely, but it could have been fun - yet I found myself somewhat bored watching this film - too much non-stop action, too little story. This film struck me as a sort of b-list version of the Indiana Jones films - similar in style, but not as good. The special effects, are, as usual in films made lately, extremely well done - perhaps more effort on the plotline, less on the effects would have helped?! Father and son look more like brothers, by the way - young looking Brendan Fraser, as dad. Rating - 6/10 stars
Monday Notes
Well, I've been busy, busy, busy the last week - I did fit in three movies but haven't had a chance until now to post reviews. Last Thursday, December 18th, I watched "The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor", hmm - not so great, and a thirties French film, "Liliom", which I really enjoyed. December 19th - my birthday. Earlier in the day I watched "Mamma Mia!", fun musical. Went out in the evening - to the Tam O'Shanter for dinner for those interested, a neat place that was once frequented by silent stars, like fave Mary Pickford - - http://www.lawrysonline.com/tamoshanter_gen_info.asp
It's been mighty cold and rainy lately - I love winter!
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It's been mighty cold and rainy lately - I love winter!
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Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Gidget (1959) Film Review - Sandra Dee
Watched this yesterday afternoon on Turner Classic Movies.
Plot Summary - "Although she's not king-size, her finger is ring-size". Meet Francie (Sandra Dee) - she's petite, she's blonde, she's a tomboy, she's ultra cute, and as her gal pal tells us "let's face it, like most of us, she's pushing seventeen" (hehe) - but Francie finds she no longer fits in with her trio of curvaceous friends when they all go on a beach "man hunt" (well, that hideous baggy swimsuit she's wearing doesn't exactly help). After being left at the beach by the girls (who are off to another beach after being declared "jail bait"), she goes snorkeling and gets rescued via surfboard. Francie's hooked and begs Daddy that night to give her the needed cash to buy herself her own board, a "guarantee for a summer of sheer happiness" says she. Soon on her own water-logged used board and learning to surf, she's dubbed "Gidget" (girl/midget - well, not exactly politically correct) by the boys at the beach, and finds herself falling for handsome college guy/surfer Moondoggie (James Darren) who keeps acting (sort of) like he doesn't want to "get involved". After getting tangled in some kelp underwater during her beach "initiation" into the gang of guys, Gidget gets herself pampered and sung to by Moondoggie in leader Kahuna's beach shack. "The Big Kahuna" (Cliff Robertson) is a thirty-something surf bum who lives on the beach and surfs wearing tattered Hawaiian straw hat while smoking a cigar (yeah, you heard right). Gidget comes up with a plan of attack to get herself invited to a big beach Luau (aka "orgy"), hook hard-to-read Moondoggie, and hopefully get herself "the absolute ultimate", that is, Moondoggie's fraternity pin.
Review - Okay, this film is loads of fun fifties-style and one of my all-time favorites (love those old 60s beach movies, this one is pretty much the original). Sandra Dee is absolutely charming, bubbly and adorable in this, I just love her. The film includes several good songs including the Gidget theme song, plus "Cinderella" performed by a blond boy beach band, and in my one of my favorite scenes in the film, Moondoggie romantically sings "The Next Best Thing to Love" to Gidget. I have seen this film many, many times over the years and I never tire of it. Filmed in Cinemascope - man, do I dig this movie! Rating - 10/10 stars
Plot Summary - "Although she's not king-size, her finger is ring-size". Meet Francie (Sandra Dee) - she's petite, she's blonde, she's a tomboy, she's ultra cute, and as her gal pal tells us "let's face it, like most of us, she's pushing seventeen" (hehe) - but Francie finds she no longer fits in with her trio of curvaceous friends when they all go on a beach "man hunt" (well, that hideous baggy swimsuit she's wearing doesn't exactly help). After being left at the beach by the girls (who are off to another beach after being declared "jail bait"), she goes snorkeling and gets rescued via surfboard. Francie's hooked and begs Daddy that night to give her the needed cash to buy herself her own board, a "guarantee for a summer of sheer happiness" says she. Soon on her own water-logged used board and learning to surf, she's dubbed "Gidget" (girl/midget - well, not exactly politically correct) by the boys at the beach, and finds herself falling for handsome college guy/surfer Moondoggie (James Darren) who keeps acting (sort of) like he doesn't want to "get involved". After getting tangled in some kelp underwater during her beach "initiation" into the gang of guys, Gidget gets herself pampered and sung to by Moondoggie in leader Kahuna's beach shack. "The Big Kahuna" (Cliff Robertson) is a thirty-something surf bum who lives on the beach and surfs wearing tattered Hawaiian straw hat while smoking a cigar (yeah, you heard right). Gidget comes up with a plan of attack to get herself invited to a big beach Luau (aka "orgy"), hook hard-to-read Moondoggie, and hopefully get herself "the absolute ultimate", that is, Moondoggie's fraternity pin.
Review - Okay, this film is loads of fun fifties-style and one of my all-time favorites (love those old 60s beach movies, this one is pretty much the original). Sandra Dee is absolutely charming, bubbly and adorable in this, I just love her. The film includes several good songs including the Gidget theme song, plus "Cinderella" performed by a blond boy beach band, and in my one of my favorite scenes in the film, Moondoggie romantically sings "The Next Best Thing to Love" to Gidget. I have seen this film many, many times over the years and I never tire of it. Filmed in Cinemascope - man, do I dig this movie! Rating - 10/10 stars
Friday, December 12, 2008
Traffic in Souls (1913) Film Review
Plot Summary - "Den of Iniquity". Early silent melodrama about two sisters who each get mixed up with a gang of infamous white slave traffickers. Mary's the head of the family while her wheelchair-bound father, "the invalid inventor", is busy tinkering with stuff. Reliable Mary (Jane Gail) works at a local candy store along with her little sister (Ethel Grandin), a young beauty. Successful businessman William Trubus has been recently appointed to head a citizen's league to help clear the city of the infamous "traffic in souls", and meanwhile he's busy listening in on a dictagraph to an adjoining office during a meeting of these infamous outlaws, a rather large group that includes look-outs, go-betweens, even women. Hmmm, well it seems Trubus is actually in league with them, "the money handler" - wonder how this will affect his daughter's approaching engagement to the "greatest society catch of the season"?! So this group of bad guys are busy doing their stuff - you know, luring poor, naive young women into their hideout and forcing them into prostitution including Swedish emigrants right off the boat, a newly arrived and lost "country girl", they even drug and kidnap Mary's little sister. Mary and her fiance, a good-looking cop, come up with a plan to save little sis and get the evidence to convict these people - and the father's latest invention comes in handy to help them get the goods. Luckily Mary is a recent hire in Trubus' office, so that makes things a bit easier!
Review - I enjoyed this film as I always do for films made in the early teens - I just love that time period (all sorts of ladies hats and men's straw hats to look at in this one). This film has a lot of glimpses of the real-life world of 1913 as it has many on-location scenes shot in NYC streets and trolley cars, with lots of nearby bystanders gawking at the camera. Like many films from this time, it is full of lots and lots and lots of highly melodramatic scenes. I thought this film was actually quite well done considering it's early year; nice tracking shot near the end panning across each criminal's face behind bars. The DVD from Flicker Alley features a nice quality black and white print and well done piano score by Philip Carli. It includes the Edison short "The Call of the City (1915)" in which a young woman struggling to find work and a young novelist who is writing a story on slum life meet over a crime and make some snap decisions in regards to marrying a person you actually *barely* know. Cute. Rating - 8/10 stars for film; 8/10 for short
Review - I enjoyed this film as I always do for films made in the early teens - I just love that time period (all sorts of ladies hats and men's straw hats to look at in this one). This film has a lot of glimpses of the real-life world of 1913 as it has many on-location scenes shot in NYC streets and trolley cars, with lots of nearby bystanders gawking at the camera. Like many films from this time, it is full of lots and lots and lots of highly melodramatic scenes. I thought this film was actually quite well done considering it's early year; nice tracking shot near the end panning across each criminal's face behind bars. The DVD from Flicker Alley features a nice quality black and white print and well done piano score by Philip Carli. It includes the Edison short "The Call of the City (1915)" in which a young woman struggling to find work and a young novelist who is writing a story on slum life meet over a crime and make some snap decisions in regards to marrying a person you actually *barely* know. Cute. Rating - 8/10 stars for film; 8/10 for short
Thursday, December 11, 2008
The Dark Knight (2008) - Heath Ledger
Watched this yesterday and I'm still thinking about it - or Heath, more likely - just can't forget him!
Plot Summary - Action-packed thriller in which wealthy businessman Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) turns into Gotham City's main vigilante, his identity kept secret by bat suit as he battles criminals, speeds around in specialty vehicles (I don't recall seeing a Batmobile in this, but dug his lightning fast "Batpod" motorcycle he rides on), and drops off buildings as he morphs into his flying bat suit. Batman is out to get demented psychopath/serial killer "the Joker" (Heath Ledger) who covers his scarred face, mouth slit into a smile like the main character of the silent "The Man Who Laughs", with clown makeup, coming across as the most hideous clown ever seen on film. The Joker is out to get "the Batman", as he relates to TV cameras that "Batman must take off his mask and turn himself in, or people will die". Each day the Joker reveals another target who will be the next days killing, as Batman's identity continues to remain hidden. Evil Joker seems to have a fondness for knives and explosives, with lots of dark stuff to come. Other characters help in the pursuit including a D.A. (Aaron Eckhart) and his girlfriend (Maggie Gyllenhaal), who form a sort of love triangle with Bruce Wayne.
Review - Well, I have never seen a Batman film before (other than the Batman TV series which I used to watch sometimes when I was a kid) as I haven't normally seen many action films based around comic books, but because I love Heath Ledger *SO much* I have been looking forward to seeing this. When the film first started I was thinking, I don't know about this - it doesn't seem very good. But once it got going I really started enjoying it - Heath as the Joker is just so mesmerizing, even though he's only seen in segments here and there throughout the film, his presence always seems to be there - he completely dominates the film, a real force to be reckoned with! I found the film very exciting, it's quite dark and a bit frightening too - the last hour is pretty much edge of your seat sort of stuff, my blood's still rushing since I just finished watching this about fifteen minutes ago. The film is very fast-paced, the special effects are pretty stunning, the set design sometimes gives you a sort of claustrophobic feeling with all the huge, low-ceilinged rooms going all the way across the screen. There are many night scenes amidst city streets and tall skyscrapers - all those falls and drops off of buildings makes my palms sweat - nerve-wracking stuff! The well done orchestral score enhanced the atmosphere, adding to the dark overtone of the film. I thought this was one of Heath's best roles - he's just great, absolutely riveting. I would love to see him nominated for an Oscar for this (after seeing him again I feel a bit sad too, I am feeling a bit teary-eyed again over his loss - I miss him!). A thriller should be exciting and leave you "all shook up", so - mission accomplished. This film is really good. Rating - 10/10 stars
Plot Summary - Action-packed thriller in which wealthy businessman Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) turns into Gotham City's main vigilante, his identity kept secret by bat suit as he battles criminals, speeds around in specialty vehicles (I don't recall seeing a Batmobile in this, but dug his lightning fast "Batpod" motorcycle he rides on), and drops off buildings as he morphs into his flying bat suit. Batman is out to get demented psychopath/serial killer "the Joker" (Heath Ledger) who covers his scarred face, mouth slit into a smile like the main character of the silent "The Man Who Laughs", with clown makeup, coming across as the most hideous clown ever seen on film. The Joker is out to get "the Batman", as he relates to TV cameras that "Batman must take off his mask and turn himself in, or people will die". Each day the Joker reveals another target who will be the next days killing, as Batman's identity continues to remain hidden. Evil Joker seems to have a fondness for knives and explosives, with lots of dark stuff to come. Other characters help in the pursuit including a D.A. (Aaron Eckhart) and his girlfriend (Maggie Gyllenhaal), who form a sort of love triangle with Bruce Wayne.
Review - Well, I have never seen a Batman film before (other than the Batman TV series which I used to watch sometimes when I was a kid) as I haven't normally seen many action films based around comic books, but because I love Heath Ledger *SO much* I have been looking forward to seeing this. When the film first started I was thinking, I don't know about this - it doesn't seem very good. But once it got going I really started enjoying it - Heath as the Joker is just so mesmerizing, even though he's only seen in segments here and there throughout the film, his presence always seems to be there - he completely dominates the film, a real force to be reckoned with! I found the film very exciting, it's quite dark and a bit frightening too - the last hour is pretty much edge of your seat sort of stuff, my blood's still rushing since I just finished watching this about fifteen minutes ago. The film is very fast-paced, the special effects are pretty stunning, the set design sometimes gives you a sort of claustrophobic feeling with all the huge, low-ceilinged rooms going all the way across the screen. There are many night scenes amidst city streets and tall skyscrapers - all those falls and drops off of buildings makes my palms sweat - nerve-wracking stuff! The well done orchestral score enhanced the atmosphere, adding to the dark overtone of the film. I thought this was one of Heath's best roles - he's just great, absolutely riveting. I would love to see him nominated for an Oscar for this (after seeing him again I feel a bit sad too, I am feeling a bit teary-eyed again over his loss - I miss him!). A thriller should be exciting and leave you "all shook up", so - mission accomplished. This film is really good. Rating - 10/10 stars
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Butch Jamie (2007) Film Review
Watched this one Friday afternoon.
Plot Summary - Romantic comedy about Butch Jamie, a Hollywood lesbian and wannabee actress who is having no luck auditioning for parts dressed as Femme Jamie, in mini skirt, wig, and high heels. Deciding to try just being herself, she goes on an audition as Butch Jamie for this seriously low-budget film and gets hired - for the man's part! The people who hire her know she's a woman, but her job's on the line if anyone else on the film finds out the truth. But things are looking up - or are they - for Jamie's love life when Jill, an attractive blonde she is working with, gets a crush on her. Jill loves short men and thinks Jamie is really sensitive - unfortunately she believes that Jamie is a man (in spite of the seriously fake looking side burns and goatee Jamie's been wearing to pass herself as male). They go out on a date, but Jamie must try to keep the truth covered - literally. And meanwhile, Jamie's cute and seemingly straight roommate Lola, who spends her time taking her cat Howard on auditions, shows a new side to Jamie when her *female* date arrives at the door.
Review - This film comes across as pretty low budget, some of the footage seems like sort of a home movie video - but I found the film really entertaining. There are some nice touches of humor throughout the film and the acting for the most part is well done - especially the main character Jamie, played by Michelle Ehlen, who comes across as very engaging and likable. The film includes a nice soundtrack of songs. The cat gets more screen time than usual for a cat part - and he's adorable, black with a little white on his belly - I once had a cat (who I miss) who looked a lot like him. Rating - 8/10 stars
Plot Summary - Romantic comedy about Butch Jamie, a Hollywood lesbian and wannabee actress who is having no luck auditioning for parts dressed as Femme Jamie, in mini skirt, wig, and high heels. Deciding to try just being herself, she goes on an audition as Butch Jamie for this seriously low-budget film and gets hired - for the man's part! The people who hire her know she's a woman, but her job's on the line if anyone else on the film finds out the truth. But things are looking up - or are they - for Jamie's love life when Jill, an attractive blonde she is working with, gets a crush on her. Jill loves short men and thinks Jamie is really sensitive - unfortunately she believes that Jamie is a man (in spite of the seriously fake looking side burns and goatee Jamie's been wearing to pass herself as male). They go out on a date, but Jamie must try to keep the truth covered - literally. And meanwhile, Jamie's cute and seemingly straight roommate Lola, who spends her time taking her cat Howard on auditions, shows a new side to Jamie when her *female* date arrives at the door.
Review - This film comes across as pretty low budget, some of the footage seems like sort of a home movie video - but I found the film really entertaining. There are some nice touches of humor throughout the film and the acting for the most part is well done - especially the main character Jamie, played by Michelle Ehlen, who comes across as very engaging and likable. The film includes a nice soundtrack of songs. The cat gets more screen time than usual for a cat part - and he's adorable, black with a little white on his belly - I once had a cat (who I miss) who looked a lot like him. Rating - 8/10 stars
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Wanted (2008) Film Review - James McAvoy
Plot Summary - Extremely violent action-thriller starring James McAvoy as Wesley Gibson, an ordinary, mild-mannered account manager who hates his boring job, his bitchy boss, and is not too thrilled with his home life either, what with his rundown apartment next to the El tracks and live-in girlfriend who's shagging his best "friend". But the dad he's never met turns out to be a famed member of a "fraternity of assassins", just killed by a member who has defected. Wesley is pulled into this group of assassins, trained to be a super-power killer, and set to kill the man who killed his dad. But first he has to murder other targets, strangers "fate" has marked for death. He's usually accompanied by girl power assassin "Fox" (Angelina Jolie), and of course, lots and lots of guns all over the place.
Review - I saw this film only to see heartthrob James McAvoy - I certainly wasn't expecting such an amount of violence as contained in this film. I can accept violence in a film that is very good, especially when it fits into the plotline, but this struck me as a film with minimal story to account for all sorts of slow-motion bullets going through victims heads and tons of splattering blood all over the place - I feel sort of sick and that's not how I like to feel after seeing a movie! The visual effects and computer animation made parts of this film seem like a video game rather than the real world - I guess that helped me watch, in a way, because some of the violence actually looked pretty darn fake. I love James McAvoy and he's a doll here, but this is his worst film by a large margin. Please oh please James M. - make your next film a lovely period Dickens or Jane Austen, something like that. Rating - 4 to 5/10 stars
Review - I saw this film only to see heartthrob James McAvoy - I certainly wasn't expecting such an amount of violence as contained in this film. I can accept violence in a film that is very good, especially when it fits into the plotline, but this struck me as a film with minimal story to account for all sorts of slow-motion bullets going through victims heads and tons of splattering blood all over the place - I feel sort of sick and that's not how I like to feel after seeing a movie! The visual effects and computer animation made parts of this film seem like a video game rather than the real world - I guess that helped me watch, in a way, because some of the violence actually looked pretty darn fake. I love James McAvoy and he's a doll here, but this is his worst film by a large margin. Please oh please James M. - make your next film a lovely period Dickens or Jane Austen, something like that. Rating - 4 to 5/10 stars
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2008) Film Review
Plot Summary - Fantasy adventure tale in which handsome young Prince Caspian (handsome is putting it mildly!) must quickly escape his kingdom and into the woods where the Narnians live, after his evil Uncle is out to kill him and take over the throne. Caspian is given a magic horn on his escape which he blows and ends up calling back to Narnia the four old kings and queens - that being the four London kids, Peter, Edmund, Susan, and Lucy, from the first Narnia tale (ya know, where they go through the back of the wardrobe and into the magical land of Narnia). The kids find Narnia beautiful, but in ruins - they are back over a thousand years later than before, when they once ruled. Soon they have hooked up with the Prince and join forces in battling the evil Uncle (now the king) and his men to restore the kingdom to the Narnians.
Review - This is a really entertaining watch, such a wonderful escape into that land of dwarfs and talking animals (mainly here a badger and a mouse) and centaurs and the White Witch and all sorts of other beings, not to mention the Lion King, Aslan, himself. Okay, the film is more than half battles and sword fights - just a bit much for my taste, but I did really enjoy the experience as a whole. A cast of thousands, it seemed like, and well done special effects - dug that giant water Neptune creature! I am a sucker for fantasy, this film wasn't as great as the first Narnia film, "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe", but it certainly was a pleasure to spend some time in Narnia again. Great fun. Note: the young actress who plays Lucy is very special, she gets such a look of wonderment when she's obviously really looking at, like, a green screen to be done up with visual effects later. Rating - 9/10 stars
Review - This is a really entertaining watch, such a wonderful escape into that land of dwarfs and talking animals (mainly here a badger and a mouse) and centaurs and the White Witch and all sorts of other beings, not to mention the Lion King, Aslan, himself. Okay, the film is more than half battles and sword fights - just a bit much for my taste, but I did really enjoy the experience as a whole. A cast of thousands, it seemed like, and well done special effects - dug that giant water Neptune creature! I am a sucker for fantasy, this film wasn't as great as the first Narnia film, "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe", but it certainly was a pleasure to spend some time in Narnia again. Great fun. Note: the young actress who plays Lucy is very special, she gets such a look of wonderment when she's obviously really looking at, like, a green screen to be done up with visual effects later. Rating - 9/10 stars
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Skyscraper Souls (1932) Film Review - Warren William
Plot Summary - Precode starring Warren William as unscrupulous banker David Dwight, builder of a hundred-story NYC skyscraper that now houses his bank, Seacoast National, and all sorts of other businesses. The building is sort of a little world all it's own - crowded with people all bumping into each other, busy elevators, a drug store, newsstand, restaurant, sauna and pool. Dwight even keeps an apartment in the building where he can lure young women from office to bedroom with nary a walk. He hopes to "own" the building outright, and while he's into shady mergers and big business deals, all in the name of a 30 million loan he can't pay, the story focuses around several characters who have jobs in the building. Pretty young secretary Lynn (Maureen O'Sullivan) is aggressively being pursued by brash, clumsy (running gag is him knocking stuff down) bank teller Tom Shepherd (Norman Foster) who won't take no for an answer. Yeah, another of those filmland romances that start with a woman who hates the guy who chases and chases 'til he gets her. Dwight, though married, is currently in a long-time affair with his female assistant/Lynn's boss - but that doesn't stop him from chasing Lynn, making her stay late to type up some report, then sending her to a party at his apartment upstairs where he doses her with oodles of champagne and she ends up (much to his delight) passed out cold in his bed. Lynn is torn between $50 a week Tom who offers to "marry" her and the older, much wealthier Dwight who offers to "keep" her.
Review - The movie is very entertaining and loads of fun to watch. It includes lots of pre-code elements like wisecracking career girls, and young women stripping down to their lace undergarments. Anita Page appears in a small part as a loose woman/"model" ("clothes get you further than brains", she advises pal Lynn). Warren William is magnificent as usual - one of my favorite classic film actors these days. I'm pretty sure that most people I know (except for big film buff types) have never heard of him, but I try not to miss one of his films when it shows up. I enjoyed the champagne scene - Maureen O'Sullivan makes a cute drunk. Rating - 9/10 stars
Review - The movie is very entertaining and loads of fun to watch. It includes lots of pre-code elements like wisecracking career girls, and young women stripping down to their lace undergarments. Anita Page appears in a small part as a loose woman/"model" ("clothes get you further than brains", she advises pal Lynn). Warren William is magnificent as usual - one of my favorite classic film actors these days. I'm pretty sure that most people I know (except for big film buff types) have never heard of him, but I try not to miss one of his films when it shows up. I enjoyed the champagne scene - Maureen O'Sullivan makes a cute drunk. Rating - 9/10 stars
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Gentleman's Fate (1931) Film Review - John Gilbert
Plot Summary - Pre-code melodrama starring John Gilbert as Jack Thomas, rich, penthouse-dwelling playboy with a brand new fiancee named Marjorie (Leila Hyams) and his own English "gentleman's gentleman" (just given orders to burn his gallery of photos and phone numbers). Called to meet his guardian "Papa Mario", Jack is informed he has a brother named Frank and a father who has been shot and is calling for his long-lost son from his deathbed. This is all news to Jack who didn't know about this family at all (he thought he was an orphan). Arriving at the rundown Hotel Ritzi, Jack finds out the whole truth - that his father and brother are bootleggers/gangsters, that he is actually an Italian, and his real name's not Jack, it's Giacomo! Okey dokey. Frank (Louis Wolheim) is a (very) rough-faced, tough talker who forces Jack to take the rap for some stolen emeralds given to Jack by the dying dad. Unfortunately Jack had already gifted the emeralds to Marjorie, who finding out he's a "thief", writes him a "Dear John" letter and leaves town. So - Jack decides to join the racket with his brother, then ends up saving his brother's life from a rival gang. Now the rivals are out to get the man who shot one of their own, and it all comes to brew at a "Peace Banquet" at the hotel.
Review - This is an entertaining watch. The film is basically stage-play like, there's no background music - it's all about the acting. Silent star John Gilbert is rather dashing and handsome here, he does quite an excellent job in this "talkie" role, I thought. Louis Wolheim, however, steals the film as usual - he's so great in every single role I have seen him in. In addition to Leila Hyams (who isn't really given a huge amount to do here), the film includes two other actresses from the silent era - Anita Page, who is fine as a rival gang moll who comes to the hotel to find out where Giacomo/Jack is, then is rather taken with him. And Marie Prevost also steals some scenes, she's pretty funny as this sort of moll gal who works the desk of the Hotel Ritzi. Rating - 8/10 stars
Review - This is an entertaining watch. The film is basically stage-play like, there's no background music - it's all about the acting. Silent star John Gilbert is rather dashing and handsome here, he does quite an excellent job in this "talkie" role, I thought. Louis Wolheim, however, steals the film as usual - he's so great in every single role I have seen him in. In addition to Leila Hyams (who isn't really given a huge amount to do here), the film includes two other actresses from the silent era - Anita Page, who is fine as a rival gang moll who comes to the hotel to find out where Giacomo/Jack is, then is rather taken with him. And Marie Prevost also steals some scenes, she's pretty funny as this sort of moll gal who works the desk of the Hotel Ritzi. Rating - 8/10 stars
Free and Easy (1930) Film Review - Buster Keaton
Plot Summary - Buster Keaton talkie about Elvira Plunkett (Anita Page), a small town beauty contest winner, "Miss Gopher City", Kansas heading for Hollywood and travelling with her goofball manager Elmer J. Butts (Keaton) and her very overbearing Mama. On the train she meets handsome movie star "Larry Mitchell" (Robert Montgomery) who brings her to a premiere of his new film, MGM's "The Love Call", at the Chinese Theatre in Hollywood. Soon Elvira and mom are at the studio, watching Larry filming a musical. Elmer has all sorts of trouble getting into MGM and gets himself chased around the lot by a guard, managing to wreak havoc on several films being shot. Larry tries to help Elmer by getting him a small part - but Elmer can't hack his one line "the Queen has swooned". After a Hollywood party, Larry invites Elvira to his place, but turns out to be just a wolf in innocent Elvira's eyes. And Elmer ends up getting a screen test in Larry's film, for the comedy part - soon just about everyone has gotten a part in this film but Elvira! A love triangle with Larry and Elmer both in love with Elvira is in the works too, but gee, that "Larry" sure is a good-looking one.
Review - Okay, here's the good - the film shows a nice glimpse of Hollywood circa 1930, including behind-the-scenes at the MGM studio, outside of the Chinese Theatre, not to mention some neat to see cameo parts by such silent era stars as Jackie Coogan, William Haines, Lionel Barrymore, director Fred Niblo, and more. Robert Montgomery is oh so young and handsome (he's one of my personal faves), Anita Page is charming and beautiful, Buster Keaton made me laugh several times (I thought his dance moves were pretty good too!), even the actress, Trixie Friganza, who plays the Mama is very funny. The bad - the sort of "film within a film" stuff just goes on too long. And by that I mean the movie that everyone is starring in which looks like a complete dud, and they show way too much of scenes being filmed from this - I was getting quite bored with it. Okay movie, not up to Keaton' silents though. Rating - 7/10 stars
Review - Okay, here's the good - the film shows a nice glimpse of Hollywood circa 1930, including behind-the-scenes at the MGM studio, outside of the Chinese Theatre, not to mention some neat to see cameo parts by such silent era stars as Jackie Coogan, William Haines, Lionel Barrymore, director Fred Niblo, and more. Robert Montgomery is oh so young and handsome (he's one of my personal faves), Anita Page is charming and beautiful, Buster Keaton made me laugh several times (I thought his dance moves were pretty good too!), even the actress, Trixie Friganza, who plays the Mama is very funny. The bad - the sort of "film within a film" stuff just goes on too long. And by that I mean the movie that everyone is starring in which looks like a complete dud, and they show way too much of scenes being filmed from this - I was getting quite bored with it. Okay movie, not up to Keaton' silents though. Rating - 7/10 stars
Monday, December 1, 2008
Another Life (2001) Film Review - Ioan Gruffudd
Plot Summary - Crime and adultery in early 1920s England, based on a true story. Beginning in 1913, we meet a British family the main focus being twentyish daughter Edith aka Edie and her slightly younger sis Avis. Edie, the star here, is a modern girl with a career as a bookkeeper in a millinery shop and a boring boyfriend named Percy, just about to head off for War. Edie is a free spirit who lives in a sort of fairy tale world and loves to use her imagination - she sees Percy as some sort of great male Knight-in-Shining-Armor in the making, a character from some book. They get married, the War ends, and their dull life in a completely lovely and charming house in Ilford (see, told ya I was an anglophile) begins. Enter Avis' new boyfriend, a devilishly handsome playboy sailor/younger man named Freddy (played by the oh so handsome Ioan Gruffudd). Edie and Freddy fall in love/passionate lust and so begins an affair. When hubby won't let her out of their now horrible marriage, she begins to fantasize with Freddy about ways to murder the husband.
Review - This film really recreates a time and place with art direction, period set design, and costuming that is, well, rather glorious. What lovely outfits - and oh all those hats! I particularly enjoyed the earlier 1913 setting, the clothes, the girl's room with all the Victorian scrap on the walls, the kitchen, how cool (oh time machine - where are you, I love 1913)! Two silent film posters shown on the walls during a train station scene, set in 1921/22 - Charlie Chaplin's "The Kid" and Valentino's "Blood and Sand". The acting in this is excellent by the way - the actress who plays Edie, Natasha Little, is quite memorable. And one reason I did want to see this was to see heartthrob Ioan Gruffudd, gorgeous as usual here - very swoon-worthy. I really liked this, especially interesting since it was a true story that I was unfamiliar with (and kudos for them telling us it's a true story at the beginning - I hate it when I'm not sure, or they don't tell you until the end - since I go into a film cold, without knowing anything about what the plot is, I sometimes don't know). Good one. Rating - 9/10 stars
Review - This film really recreates a time and place with art direction, period set design, and costuming that is, well, rather glorious. What lovely outfits - and oh all those hats! I particularly enjoyed the earlier 1913 setting, the clothes, the girl's room with all the Victorian scrap on the walls, the kitchen, how cool (oh time machine - where are you, I love 1913)! Two silent film posters shown on the walls during a train station scene, set in 1921/22 - Charlie Chaplin's "The Kid" and Valentino's "Blood and Sand". The acting in this is excellent by the way - the actress who plays Edie, Natasha Little, is quite memorable. And one reason I did want to see this was to see heartthrob Ioan Gruffudd, gorgeous as usual here - very swoon-worthy. I really liked this, especially interesting since it was a true story that I was unfamiliar with (and kudos for them telling us it's a true story at the beginning - I hate it when I'm not sure, or they don't tell you until the end - since I go into a film cold, without knowing anything about what the plot is, I sometimes don't know). Good one. Rating - 9/10 stars
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Hancock (2008) Film Review - Will Smith, Charlize Theron
Plot Summary - Action-packed film starring Will Smith as Hancock, L.A. based superhero/immortal with a bad rep. He's surly, drunken, and does a lot of damage when he saves people and stops criminals. One day he saves a PR guy (Jason Bateman) about to get hit by a train - the guy decides to help Hancock improve his image and turn him into the beloved superhero he should be. Hancock goes to prison, and gets mixed up with the PR guy's wife (Charlize Theron) who has a secret of her own.
Review - This was fun, *extremely* light entertainment, a bit predictable - loaded up with some really well done special effects, I must say. It included a bit of humor, which helped - I am liking Jason Bateman more and more these days, I've seen him in several films over the last couple years, he's got a kind of real subtle comedic style I like. Nothing great as far as the film as a whole - but was good enough to hold my interest for it's hour and a half length. Rating - 7/10 stars
Review - This was fun, *extremely* light entertainment, a bit predictable - loaded up with some really well done special effects, I must say. It included a bit of humor, which helped - I am liking Jason Bateman more and more these days, I've seen him in several films over the last couple years, he's got a kind of real subtle comedic style I like. Nothing great as far as the film as a whole - but was good enough to hold my interest for it's hour and a half length. Rating - 7/10 stars
Beautiful Ohio (2006) Film Review - William Hurt
Plot Summary - Indie film set in Cleveland, Ohio circa 1973. A coming-of-age story focusing on a family - mom, dad, and two teenage brothers who are dubbed "geniuses" - the main character is the youngest brother William, sensitive pianist and sculptor. The main genius is the older brother, Clive, currently competing in the rounds of the Ohio math championships, which takes place over the course of the film. Clive is long-haired and broody, he speaks a secret language only known to him and his pal Elliot. Clive has a girlfriend, Sandra, escaped from a bad home life and secretly living in the basement of their house. William finds out about Sandra, crushes on her (reciprocated) and keeps the secret from his parents. The dad (William Hurt) sells insurance and seems to be having a fling with the attractive neighbor lady - mom likes to cook and host dinners for the neighbor lady and husband. Mom (Rita Wilson) is into poetry and Chopin, Dad is experimental, plays rock records to mom's displeasure, and joins his son and friend smoking a bong. Just your typical family, honest!
Review - This is a touching, sensitively done film - very entertaining and well done, the family seemed like a real one. Nice vintage 70s music used in some background scenes, though the film is quiet as a whole. The character of William, the centerpiece of the film, is well played by the actor Brett Davern, his first film? Nice on-location photography in, mostly cold, Ohio (the family has their own mini hockey ice rink made in the yard). I really liked this. Rating - 9/10 stars
Review - This is a touching, sensitively done film - very entertaining and well done, the family seemed like a real one. Nice vintage 70s music used in some background scenes, though the film is quiet as a whole. The character of William, the centerpiece of the film, is well played by the actor Brett Davern, his first film? Nice on-location photography in, mostly cold, Ohio (the family has their own mini hockey ice rink made in the yard). I really liked this. Rating - 9/10 stars
Sunday Notes
After a busy week preparing for and hosting a large Thanksgiving dinner/party - it's back to the movies for me again. I managed to watch two DVDs on Friday that I needed to send back to Netflix to get two more that are coming out this Tuesday, but had another party on Saturday to go to - so my reviews from Friday are coming today!
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Le Plaisir (1952) Film Review - Max Ophuls
Watched this one Friday afternoon.
Plot Summary - French-language film, directed by Max Ophuls - three short tales of pleasure, set in 19th century France. The first, the story of a ball where all of Paris from Can-Can girl to Baron have come for an evening of fun and debauchery. A strange, large-nosed, small mustached dandy arrives, pursues women, and dances up a storm - until he faints on the dance floor. POSSIBLE SPOILER : ends up he's an elderly man, doped up on absinthe and wearing a mask to disguise his old face; he's taken home where his wife relates the story of his lost youth. END SPOILER. Second - the story of a popular brothel in Normandy, the Madame and her "girls" one day off on an adventure in the country to attend a first communion, and the sad men in town who find the house "closed" and are left alone and lonely on a Saturday night (wives aren't enough, apparently). Third - the story of a painter, his love for a beautiful model, and his loss of lust for her after a very short time.
Review - Nothing complex here, these are simple tales brought visually to life via interesting camerawork and sets, outdoor locations, lush costumes, and descriptive voice-over narration done in a fairy tale/storyteller-like fashion. It's almost like the extraordinary happening in the ordinary world (or should that be the other way?!), the film is unusual, sort of dream-like almost - it kind of sticks with you. It includes lots of moving shots through windows and groups of people. I enjoyed the first of these three stories the best - it was odd, short, and interesting with it's lively party atmosphere and most odd masked man. The second story was a bit too long, though visually appealing. This DVD was from the Criterion Collection, the black and white print looked pretty nice. Rating - 8/10 stars
Plot Summary - French-language film, directed by Max Ophuls - three short tales of pleasure, set in 19th century France. The first, the story of a ball where all of Paris from Can-Can girl to Baron have come for an evening of fun and debauchery. A strange, large-nosed, small mustached dandy arrives, pursues women, and dances up a storm - until he faints on the dance floor. POSSIBLE SPOILER : ends up he's an elderly man, doped up on absinthe and wearing a mask to disguise his old face; he's taken home where his wife relates the story of his lost youth. END SPOILER. Second - the story of a popular brothel in Normandy, the Madame and her "girls" one day off on an adventure in the country to attend a first communion, and the sad men in town who find the house "closed" and are left alone and lonely on a Saturday night (wives aren't enough, apparently). Third - the story of a painter, his love for a beautiful model, and his loss of lust for her after a very short time.
Review - Nothing complex here, these are simple tales brought visually to life via interesting camerawork and sets, outdoor locations, lush costumes, and descriptive voice-over narration done in a fairy tale/storyteller-like fashion. It's almost like the extraordinary happening in the ordinary world (or should that be the other way?!), the film is unusual, sort of dream-like almost - it kind of sticks with you. It includes lots of moving shots through windows and groups of people. I enjoyed the first of these three stories the best - it was odd, short, and interesting with it's lively party atmosphere and most odd masked man. The second story was a bit too long, though visually appealing. This DVD was from the Criterion Collection, the black and white print looked pretty nice. Rating - 8/10 stars
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
The Clique (2008) Film Review
Plot Summary - Teen mean girl movie. Claire is the new girl in town, her family just arrived from Florida to live in the guest house of Westchester rich family, the Blocks, who have a stuck-up daughter named Massie just Claire's age. Massie (Elizabeth McLaughlin) is leader of a quartet of shallow seventh grade mean girls, popular fashionistas known as the "Pretty Committee" who strut four in a row down the halls of their exclusive girl's school in expensive mini skirts, designer handbags, heavy makeup (for 7th graders), and lots of attitude. Claire is blonde, pretty, and nice - but her first mistake was arriving to live in the guest house wearing overalls and a hideous puffy pink jacket. Second - she calls Massie a "bitch" the first day of school after Massie decides that her group doesn't "like" Claire. Claire is officially declared "OUT" and they proceed to pick on her, make fun of her, play cruel tricks on her, and ignore her as she sits alone in the back of their chauffeur-driven ride to school. For some reason, these four girls inspire all to want to be part of their "special" clique (hmmm, seems strange to me) including Claire who tries her hardest to be welcome but fails at every turn. So she decides to sabotage Massie by sneaking into her room and onto her computer, pretending she's Massie as she sends insulting instant messages to the other three girls! The Pretty Committee decides to dethrone Massie and take Claire as new BFF in their clique, they give Claire a makeover, and she starts to act just like them (surprise). But - complications, complications!
Review - I thought this was quite an entertaining film - of course, very similar in style and story to other teen films of this sort like "Mean Girls (2004)" and others. The actresses (all unknowns to me) are pretty good - I love that typical teen girl disgusted look that Massie gets on her face ("gross, oh my gawd!" - or am I old and that's 80s teen talk?!). Of course, there's a shaggy-haired teen heartthrob in this who causes some complications for the girls, but he's given less to do here than you would expect. The young actress who plays Claire (Ellen Marlow) is almost a dead ringer both in looks and acting style for child actress Katy Kurtzman when she played a sort of similar character, a girl who wants to fit in, but stutters and is picked on viciously by TV's ultimate, original mean girl, the beyond cruel Nellie Oleson on a certain episode I remember from "Little House on the Prairie" (okay, yes I know my LHOTP episodes well). Apparently "The Clique" was direct-to-video, I didn't know that while watching - it's not super, super original, but I did think the film was quite enjoyable and fun to watch. The film soundtrack is mainly music of the current girl group variety, typical of the music featured in teen girl movies these days. Rating - 8/10 stars
Review - I thought this was quite an entertaining film - of course, very similar in style and story to other teen films of this sort like "Mean Girls (2004)" and others. The actresses (all unknowns to me) are pretty good - I love that typical teen girl disgusted look that Massie gets on her face ("gross, oh my gawd!" - or am I old and that's 80s teen talk?!). Of course, there's a shaggy-haired teen heartthrob in this who causes some complications for the girls, but he's given less to do here than you would expect. The young actress who plays Claire (Ellen Marlow) is almost a dead ringer both in looks and acting style for child actress Katy Kurtzman when she played a sort of similar character, a girl who wants to fit in, but stutters and is picked on viciously by TV's ultimate, original mean girl, the beyond cruel Nellie Oleson on a certain episode I remember from "Little House on the Prairie" (okay, yes I know my LHOTP episodes well). Apparently "The Clique" was direct-to-video, I didn't know that while watching - it's not super, super original, but I did think the film was quite enjoyable and fun to watch. The film soundtrack is mainly music of the current girl group variety, typical of the music featured in teen girl movies these days. Rating - 8/10 stars
Something for the Boys (1944) Film Review - Carmen Miranda
Watched this one yesterday afternoon.
Plot Summary - Colorful WWII musical comedy about three cousins - Blossom, Chiquita, and Harry Hart - who are announced heirs to their uncle's million dollar Kentucky plantation. Harry Hart (Phil Silvers) is a shyster lately taking advantage of wartime shortages selling "sheer hosiery" by the bottle, Blossom (Vivian Blaine) is a singer/showgirl currently starring on stage in the "Khaki and Blue Revue", and Chiquita (um, their Brazilian cousin - played by Carmen Miranda) works in a munitions factory and, oddly, receives radio broadcasts through the fillings in her teeth. The cousins meet for the first time (for some reason) as they arrive to claim the inheritance - unfortunately the million dollar fortune has been completely wiped out by taxes, mortgages, debts, and (mostly) legal fees: all that's left is a rundown, dusty, falling apart mansion called "Magnolia Manor". Some local G.I. Joes want to turn the house into a "home for army wives" and the cousins go for the idea - "You've Got the Wives! (They gotta be Legal) We Need Cash! (It's gotta be Real)". Blossom romances bandleader turned Sergeant, Rocky Fulton (known by those in the know as "the face on the jukebox door"). The two come up with a great idea - put on a show, $2.00 a ticket, to help pay the bills. Fortunately for them, all the "army wives" now living there look like gorgeous showgirls and can dance to boot.
Review - Fun wartime musical brought to life in Technicolor splendor, and some really entertaining musical numbers with lots of sequins and bright colors including "Something for the Boys" title song by Cole Porter, and the great Carmen Miranda, decked out in her usual uniform of bare midriff dress, neck and arms covered in bangles, high platform shoes, and basically a fruit bowl for a hat, as she does two fun numbers "Batuca Nega", and the show-stopping finale number "Samba-Boogie". The film also includes some smooth vocal numbers done by a young Perry Como. I found the film quite entertaining as a whole, though the last part dragged quite a bit with some very silly stuff involving war games and Chiquita's mouth being used as a radio receiver. The print used on the DVD of this looks terrific, the colors totally pop. Rating - 7/10 stars
Plot Summary - Colorful WWII musical comedy about three cousins - Blossom, Chiquita, and Harry Hart - who are announced heirs to their uncle's million dollar Kentucky plantation. Harry Hart (Phil Silvers) is a shyster lately taking advantage of wartime shortages selling "sheer hosiery" by the bottle, Blossom (Vivian Blaine) is a singer/showgirl currently starring on stage in the "Khaki and Blue Revue", and Chiquita (um, their Brazilian cousin - played by Carmen Miranda) works in a munitions factory and, oddly, receives radio broadcasts through the fillings in her teeth. The cousins meet for the first time (for some reason) as they arrive to claim the inheritance - unfortunately the million dollar fortune has been completely wiped out by taxes, mortgages, debts, and (mostly) legal fees: all that's left is a rundown, dusty, falling apart mansion called "Magnolia Manor". Some local G.I. Joes want to turn the house into a "home for army wives" and the cousins go for the idea - "You've Got the Wives! (They gotta be Legal) We Need Cash! (It's gotta be Real)". Blossom romances bandleader turned Sergeant, Rocky Fulton (known by those in the know as "the face on the jukebox door"). The two come up with a great idea - put on a show, $2.00 a ticket, to help pay the bills. Fortunately for them, all the "army wives" now living there look like gorgeous showgirls and can dance to boot.
Review - Fun wartime musical brought to life in Technicolor splendor, and some really entertaining musical numbers with lots of sequins and bright colors including "Something for the Boys" title song by Cole Porter, and the great Carmen Miranda, decked out in her usual uniform of bare midriff dress, neck and arms covered in bangles, high platform shoes, and basically a fruit bowl for a hat, as she does two fun numbers "Batuca Nega", and the show-stopping finale number "Samba-Boogie". The film also includes some smooth vocal numbers done by a young Perry Como. I found the film quite entertaining as a whole, though the last part dragged quite a bit with some very silly stuff involving war games and Chiquita's mouth being used as a radio receiver. The print used on the DVD of this looks terrific, the colors totally pop. Rating - 7/10 stars
Monday, November 17, 2008
Sailing Along (1938) Film Review - Jessie Matthews
Plot Summary - "Barge girl finds success on the London stage" - - British musical comedy starring Jessie Matthews as Kay, living on a river barge with the skipper who adopted her after her father's barge went down four years earlier, and his son Steve (Barry MacKay), a handsome fellow who Kay fights and bickers with like real brother and sister - of course, it's obvious they're secretly in love. She wears pants and handles the wheel while he makes fun of her "dirty face, scrubby clothes, and loud mouth", she acts like a bratty little sister who will do anything to get his attention and she does stuff like giving him a head butt in his stomach and sticking out her tongue at him - sometimes they're even rolling about on the floor in their fighting. Kay loves to sing and tap dance and dreams of being a "film star" or performing on the stage. Steve has ideas of investing in the stock market and believes he could turn a loan of 5,000 into a million. One day Kay is discovered by Anthony Gulliver (Roland Young), rich heir of Gulliver's Soups ("The Breath's on every mouth. The Broth's in every stomach!") who has an eye for "genius" and wants to show her to the world. Gulliver introduces Kay to famous theatrical producer/musical star, American Dicky Randall - Kay thinks he's "very beautiful", but botches her audition. But Gulliver's spinster sister, grumpy but with a real soft side it seems, takes Kay under her wing, buys her a new wardrobe, and gives her lessons to become a lady. Soon Kay has the lead in a new London musical "Barging In", with Dicky, naturally, as co-star. Steve gets funding from Gulliver to help him make his million and get his dream "schooner" - and Steve's not too happy about Kay's new fur and satin look or the new-found male attention she's getting. Will our Kay and Steve ever really hook up?!
Review - Fun, snappy musical with a light, easy to watch story. Songs are not super memorable, but are catchy and enjoyable to listen to - the musical numbers are mostly of the Fred and Ginger variety, including one number done on a polished floor in art deco kitchen with "Kay" in flowing gown, "Dicky" in top hat, white tie, and tails. The charming Jessie Matthews is seriously cute and delightful as always here, I really like her - the love/hate relationship between her and Barry MacKay's character of Steve is fun to watch. Comedy is provided by Alistair Sim (I love that guy) as a very eccentric painter, one of Gulliver's genius discoveries. More comedy in the form of Dicky Randall's bitch of a wife who comes on to Steve, plus a fast-talking American press agent, and then there's the butler (there's always a butler!). Quite entertaining. Rating - 8/10 stars
Review - Fun, snappy musical with a light, easy to watch story. Songs are not super memorable, but are catchy and enjoyable to listen to - the musical numbers are mostly of the Fred and Ginger variety, including one number done on a polished floor in art deco kitchen with "Kay" in flowing gown, "Dicky" in top hat, white tie, and tails. The charming Jessie Matthews is seriously cute and delightful as always here, I really like her - the love/hate relationship between her and Barry MacKay's character of Steve is fun to watch. Comedy is provided by Alistair Sim (I love that guy) as a very eccentric painter, one of Gulliver's genius discoveries. More comedy in the form of Dicky Randall's bitch of a wife who comes on to Steve, plus a fast-talking American press agent, and then there's the butler (there's always a butler!). Quite entertaining. Rating - 8/10 stars
Thursday, November 13, 2008
A Throw of Dice (1929) Film Review
Plot Summary - "A Romance of India", epic silent film from India about a love triangle between two kings and a beautiful young woman. King Sohat and cousin King Ranjit are on a tiger hunt - but they enjoy gambling more than hunting, so stop to play a game of dice. Evil King Sohat has meanwhile plotted to have the other king murdered so that, quote, "his kingdom will be mine". So while back on the hunt, King Ranjit is hit with a poisoned arrow, but is then taken to be saved by a nearby healer (who, coincidentally, was once Ranjit's teacher, but sought solitude in the jungle because of the king's addiction to gambling). The healer has a very beautiful daughter named Sunita, and King Sohat longs to have her. The healing ends up a success and Ranjit is soon back on his feet (much to the other king's distress) and in love with Sunita himself (what did you expect?!). A romance develops between Ranjit and the girl, but her father refuses to allow his daughter to marry him as he knows he is a "gambler". The two lovers run off together anyway, but meanwhile King Sohat continues his wicked ways by setting Ranjit up for a murder and later getting Ranjit to join him in the ultimate dice game, in which Sohat attempts to use a pair of trick dice to win all.
Review - A melodramatic and gorgeously atmospheric silent film, full of exotic locales and the lavish costumes of India, plus palaces, snake charmers, fire eaters, rides on the backs of elephants and camels, and alluring Indian dancing girls. The story is entertaining and moves fast. The Kino DVD of this features a terrific looking black and white print, so clear parts seemed like they were filmed yesterday. The orchestral score, composed by Nitin Sawhney, is rather magnificent for the most part, I must say. I thought the majority of the music enhanced the film quite well, and is nice enough to listen to that I think I could enjoy it even when not watching the film! A touch of Bollywood, silent film style. Rating - 8/10 stars
Review - A melodramatic and gorgeously atmospheric silent film, full of exotic locales and the lavish costumes of India, plus palaces, snake charmers, fire eaters, rides on the backs of elephants and camels, and alluring Indian dancing girls. The story is entertaining and moves fast. The Kino DVD of this features a terrific looking black and white print, so clear parts seemed like they were filmed yesterday. The orchestral score, composed by Nitin Sawhney, is rather magnificent for the most part, I must say. I thought the majority of the music enhanced the film quite well, and is nice enough to listen to that I think I could enjoy it even when not watching the film! A touch of Bollywood, silent film style. Rating - 8/10 stars
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Eyes Without a Face (1960) Film Review
Plot Summary - French language horror film about a young woman, Christiane, who has "no face", after being disfigured in a car accident caused by her father, a professor/doctor, who will go to any lengths to see that her face is restored - even if illegal, evil, and totally gruesome. The professor and his secretary/assistant "nurse" (Valli) lure young, blue-eyed, pretty women who resemble the daughter to their villa in the French countryside outside Paris - and - um, chloroform the girls, then remove their face while still alive to graft onto Christiane's face - ugh (the Doc is seen at the beginning of the film giving a lecture on transplanting living tissue from one human to another). Dad has actually gone to the morgue and identified one of these young women, found in a river dead and without a face, as his "missing" daughter. The still living Christiane meanwhile, hides out in the villa, wears a white mask that looks like her to cover the disfigurement - only her eyes show through - and awaits dad's next surgical attempt, as each one so far has been a failure.
Review - Well, this film is pretty creepy - it would be a good one to watch on Halloween. It is quite atmospheric and surreal, with it's foggy, cold days, people in coats, their breath showing in the air, barren trees, wet streets, and waif-like masked Christiane roaming the villa like a gliding ghost figure, her eyes as big as saucers. The doctor's operation room where he performs his work looks like a mad scientist's laboratory, dogs bark loudly in the background as he keeps them in cages in a room connected to the lab and uses the poor animals to test his grafting procedures (ssssss - creep). One thing I wonder about: Christiane seems like a nice girl, why does she allow the dad to do something like this for so long, simply for her sake?! Really nice music score by Maurice Jarre enhances the film, by the way. The Criterion Collection DVD of this looks very good, the subtitles easy to read. Quite a good film, with memorable, haunting black and white imagery. Rating - 9/10 stars
Review - Well, this film is pretty creepy - it would be a good one to watch on Halloween. It is quite atmospheric and surreal, with it's foggy, cold days, people in coats, their breath showing in the air, barren trees, wet streets, and waif-like masked Christiane roaming the villa like a gliding ghost figure, her eyes as big as saucers. The doctor's operation room where he performs his work looks like a mad scientist's laboratory, dogs bark loudly in the background as he keeps them in cages in a room connected to the lab and uses the poor animals to test his grafting procedures (ssssss - creep). One thing I wonder about: Christiane seems like a nice girl, why does she allow the dad to do something like this for so long, simply for her sake?! Really nice music score by Maurice Jarre enhances the film, by the way. The Criterion Collection DVD of this looks very good, the subtitles easy to read. Quite a good film, with memorable, haunting black and white imagery. Rating - 9/10 stars
Mutiny on the Bounty (1935) Film Review
Watched this last night on Turner Classic Movies channel.
Plot Summary - Classic tale, based on a true story, of the HMS Bounty, helmed by perhaps the cruelest, hard-hearted captain ever to sail the sea, Captain Bligh (Charles Laughton), on a late 18th century voyage from England to Tahiti to pick up breadfruit trees. Men are shanghaied from taverns for the two-year voyage, others choose sailing over jail, then there's the handsome first mate, Fletcher Christian (Clark Gable), and midshipman Byam (Franchot Tone), a young officer and gentleman on his first voyage. Watch out for Bligh - the slightest wrong word or look and a man will be keelhauled, or made to go up top of the ship to the crow's nest in a huge storm - or given a hundred lashes even after death. Bligh accuses men of stealing bananas even after it's noted they were brought to his house, he later accuses Mr. Christian of stealing coconuts. The men are under-fed and brutalized and finally Mr. Christian and most of the other men (or "rabble" as Bligh calls them) finally get fed up and start a mutiny, taking over the ship and putting Bligh out on an open boat along with his few loyal men to find their way on the sea, or die trying.
Review - This one is amongst my favorite films from the thirties, I've seen it many times. Charles Laughton gives a mesmerizing performance in this, one of the great character portrayals in the history of film - every time he's on screen it's hard to look at anything else, he owns every scene. But, I was noticing how great Clark Gable is in this too, very powerful as Mr. Christian. Of course, my personal favorite thirties heartthrob, Franchot Tone, is wonderful and cute to boot here. Okay, I do seem to enjoy a good tale at sea, especially when there's a wicked captain you love to hate. And this film includes plenty of eye candy of the male variety, for those interested - Clark Gable and Franchot Tone spend quite a few minutes in this film roaming about shirtless. While in Tahiti the two of them meet two extremely beautiful, sweet-natured young island gals who romp about in sarongs and speak no English, but fall for our fellows anyway - and the men are, obviously, smitten immediately. This is a film not to be missed. Rating - 10/10 stars
Plot Summary - Classic tale, based on a true story, of the HMS Bounty, helmed by perhaps the cruelest, hard-hearted captain ever to sail the sea, Captain Bligh (Charles Laughton), on a late 18th century voyage from England to Tahiti to pick up breadfruit trees. Men are shanghaied from taverns for the two-year voyage, others choose sailing over jail, then there's the handsome first mate, Fletcher Christian (Clark Gable), and midshipman Byam (Franchot Tone), a young officer and gentleman on his first voyage. Watch out for Bligh - the slightest wrong word or look and a man will be keelhauled, or made to go up top of the ship to the crow's nest in a huge storm - or given a hundred lashes even after death. Bligh accuses men of stealing bananas even after it's noted they were brought to his house, he later accuses Mr. Christian of stealing coconuts. The men are under-fed and brutalized and finally Mr. Christian and most of the other men (or "rabble" as Bligh calls them) finally get fed up and start a mutiny, taking over the ship and putting Bligh out on an open boat along with his few loyal men to find their way on the sea, or die trying.
Review - This one is amongst my favorite films from the thirties, I've seen it many times. Charles Laughton gives a mesmerizing performance in this, one of the great character portrayals in the history of film - every time he's on screen it's hard to look at anything else, he owns every scene. But, I was noticing how great Clark Gable is in this too, very powerful as Mr. Christian. Of course, my personal favorite thirties heartthrob, Franchot Tone, is wonderful and cute to boot here. Okay, I do seem to enjoy a good tale at sea, especially when there's a wicked captain you love to hate. And this film includes plenty of eye candy of the male variety, for those interested - Clark Gable and Franchot Tone spend quite a few minutes in this film roaming about shirtless. While in Tahiti the two of them meet two extremely beautiful, sweet-natured young island gals who romp about in sarongs and speak no English, but fall for our fellows anyway - and the men are, obviously, smitten immediately. This is a film not to be missed. Rating - 10/10 stars
Friday, November 7, 2008
When Did You Last See Your Father? (2007) Film Review
Plot Summary - UK film based on a true story, about the last few weeks between a middle-aged man and his dying father, much of the film told in flashback. Blake (Colin Firth), a poet, is quite resentful, it feels like he never really connected with his father (Jim Broadbent), a doctor - we see Blake in flashback as a little boy and as a teenage young man in the early 1960s, as he recalls memories of incidents with family and father. Dad is a jokester who seems to have a thing about calling his son "fathead", he often does stuff that embarrasses Blake, who doesn't seem to cut the dad that much of a break either. We see incidents involving a possible affair between the father and an "auntie", we see the teenage son and his crush on the family maid, we see dad and son go off on a rain-soaked camping trip. And we see current incidents between Blake and his now terminally ill father, as they face their final moments together.
Review - This is quite a good film, sensitively portrayed characters and, I must say, gorgeous scenery in the English countryside (SO green! I live in L.A., not so green) and a very pretty English town (yes, I'm an Anglophile). Colin Firth (spark! - - will always be my fave "Mr. Darcy", sigh!) is one of my favorite actors, he gives another well done performance in this - Jim Broadbent is great as the father on his deathbed. Some unusual photography in this, several shots done into mirrors where you see the both the person and their reflection on screen. The action changes back and forth throughout the film between the current day and incidents that took place in the past. An excellent, touching film. Rating - 9/10 stars
Review - This is quite a good film, sensitively portrayed characters and, I must say, gorgeous scenery in the English countryside (SO green! I live in L.A., not so green) and a very pretty English town (yes, I'm an Anglophile). Colin Firth (spark! - - will always be my fave "Mr. Darcy", sigh!) is one of my favorite actors, he gives another well done performance in this - Jim Broadbent is great as the father on his deathbed. Some unusual photography in this, several shots done into mirrors where you see the both the person and their reflection on screen. The action changes back and forth throughout the film between the current day and incidents that took place in the past. An excellent, touching film. Rating - 9/10 stars
Thursday, November 6, 2008
First a Girl (1935) Film Review - Jessie Matthews
Plot Summary - A cross-dressing musical from the UK. A wannabee showgirl/singer named Elizabeth (Jessie Matthews) meets Victor (Sonnie Hale) one rain-soaked day, an out-of-work actor who dreams of performing Shakespeare but occasionally gets work as a female impersonator. He gets a job to perform that evening at a London music hall, but is hoarse with a bad cold - what to do? He comes up with a great idea, Elizabeth perform in his place posing as a male who performs as a female impersonator - yeah, a woman pretending to be a man pretending to be a woman. She goes on stage as Victoria, and dresses as a man, "Bill", when off stage. A big agent sees her performance and hires him/her to travel and perform across Europe - Victoria becomes a hit! In Paris her show is attended by a princess and her fiance, Robert, who proclaims her a "marvelous girl" when he sees Victoria on stage. Surprise for him - "she's" a man. Robert and "Bill" bond over doubles and huge cigars at the club bar after the show, but a dropped "girl's comb" makes the princess and Robert suspicious so they come up with a plan to expose her on a trip for the four of them to the South-of-France. Romance to follow.
Review - This is a highly enjoyable film, the plotline of the 1982 film "Victor Victoria" is quite similar to this throughout the film, but this earlier version lacks the gay theme that is featured in the later version of this story. The film includes some very entertaining and stylish musical numbers, some almost Busby Berkeley in style - one number features women in this huge birdcage. The film opens with a fun fashion show (out-there gowns by "Seraphina"). I really, really liked the performance of actress Jessie Matthews in this, a very likable charmer - she kind of reminded me of Liza Minnelli with a touch of Anne Hathaway, especially around the eyes. Anna Lee appears as the princess, I know her so well from my years watching General Hospital where she played Lila Quartermaine - I don't think I've ever seen her quite so young and beautiful as she is in this film. This one is really good - both amusing and entertaining. A rarely seen gem. Rating - 9 to 10/10 stars
Review - This is a highly enjoyable film, the plotline of the 1982 film "Victor Victoria" is quite similar to this throughout the film, but this earlier version lacks the gay theme that is featured in the later version of this story. The film includes some very entertaining and stylish musical numbers, some almost Busby Berkeley in style - one number features women in this huge birdcage. The film opens with a fun fashion show (out-there gowns by "Seraphina"). I really, really liked the performance of actress Jessie Matthews in this, a very likable charmer - she kind of reminded me of Liza Minnelli with a touch of Anne Hathaway, especially around the eyes. Anna Lee appears as the princess, I know her so well from my years watching General Hospital where she played Lila Quartermaine - I don't think I've ever seen her quite so young and beautiful as she is in this film. This one is really good - both amusing and entertaining. A rarely seen gem. Rating - 9 to 10/10 stars
Transsiberian (2008) Film Review
Watched this one on Tuesday afternoon.
Plot Summary - Thriller set aboard the Trans-Siberian railway travelling from Beijing, China to Moscow, Russia where Jessie and Roy (Emily Mortimer and Woody Harrelson), an American couple who have just been on missionary work in China, befriend the rather mysterious young couple who are sharing the same small sleeping compartment as them, Carlos and Abby. Jesse, an amateur photographer, has some flirtations with Carlos, he's a handsome Spaniard and Lothario of a sort. POSSIBLE SPOILER AHEAD: But something seems not quite right about this couple, and as it is, Carlos is a mule, secretly carrying heroine to Moscow. Murder, a Russian police officer (Ben Kingsley) onboard in pursuit of drug traffickers, and some fast-paced train-board action to follow.
Review - This film is very atmospheric with it's Russian snow-covered locations, exotic train passengers singing and drinking Russian vodkas, and hot, uncomfortable train with narrow passageways and surly train workers - I enjoyed the escape into this interesting, exotic locale and found the film to be quite entertaining and suspenseful (okay, I do love films set in Russia - like fave "Doctor Zhivago"). Most of the action takes place inside the moving train, I always seem to find films set on trains to be interesting! I quite enjoyed this one. Rating - 8 to 9/10 stars
Plot Summary - Thriller set aboard the Trans-Siberian railway travelling from Beijing, China to Moscow, Russia where Jessie and Roy (Emily Mortimer and Woody Harrelson), an American couple who have just been on missionary work in China, befriend the rather mysterious young couple who are sharing the same small sleeping compartment as them, Carlos and Abby. Jesse, an amateur photographer, has some flirtations with Carlos, he's a handsome Spaniard and Lothario of a sort. POSSIBLE SPOILER AHEAD: But something seems not quite right about this couple, and as it is, Carlos is a mule, secretly carrying heroine to Moscow. Murder, a Russian police officer (Ben Kingsley) onboard in pursuit of drug traffickers, and some fast-paced train-board action to follow.
Review - This film is very atmospheric with it's Russian snow-covered locations, exotic train passengers singing and drinking Russian vodkas, and hot, uncomfortable train with narrow passageways and surly train workers - I enjoyed the escape into this interesting, exotic locale and found the film to be quite entertaining and suspenseful (okay, I do love films set in Russia - like fave "Doctor Zhivago"). Most of the action takes place inside the moving train, I always seem to find films set on trains to be interesting! I quite enjoyed this one. Rating - 8 to 9/10 stars
Monday, November 3, 2008
Kid Boots (1926) Film Review - Clara Bow, Eddie Cantor
Plot Summary - Silent film comedy starring Eddie Cantor as Samuel "Kid" Boots, tailor who tries to sell a suit to a big, bad-tempered lug named "Big Boyle" looking to buy a "one-button golf suit". Boyle ends up with a hanger in his back and ill-fitting plus-fours, causing him to give chase to Kid Boots, who hides in the car trunk of handsome Tom Sterling (Lawrence Gray), about to inherit a three million dollar fortune. Saved from Boyle, Boots and Tom are now "pals", especially after Boots becomes Tom's witness in his upcoming divorce case, after the soon-to-be ex-wife/gold digger and her sleaze-bag lawyer try to make it look like Tom was alone with her in his rooms. Tom and Boots vanish to a mountain resort to wait the two days until the trial, Tom is new golf instructor there and quickly falls for the attractive daughter (Billie Dove) of the hotel owner. Boots has a romance of his own - with Big Boyle's "girl", cute and flirtatious Clara (Clara Bow) - often seen sporting her 20s swim outfit - who likes Boots 'cause she thinks he's "reliable". Wife and lawyer show up, the wife is instructed to "vamp" Kid Boots the witness, causing Clara to get jealous. More misunderstandings when Boots takes Tom's place in his room for the night, after the wife takes the suite next door. The ending is a real cliffhanger - literally.
Review - This is a cute film, a light romantic comedy - only about 60 minutes long. It includes some amusing comic sight gags - especially one in which Cantor uses one of his arms to make it appear like he is having tea with another woman (to make Clara jealous, after she teases him) - some of the comedy is told via the title cards. Eddie Cantor reminded me a bit of Buster Keaton in this, but with his own style too. Even though sort of goofy looking, Cantor has chemistry with Clara Bow and they seem to make a good couple - well, Clara Bow seems to have chemistry with everyone! Favorite Clara Bow is very appealing in this, as usual. The DVD I saw of this is from the Eddie Cantor Appreciation Society and features a decent looking print and nice, snappy, retro style piano score done by Arthur Seigel. Rating - 7/10 stars
Review - This is a cute film, a light romantic comedy - only about 60 minutes long. It includes some amusing comic sight gags - especially one in which Cantor uses one of his arms to make it appear like he is having tea with another woman (to make Clara jealous, after she teases him) - some of the comedy is told via the title cards. Eddie Cantor reminded me a bit of Buster Keaton in this, but with his own style too. Even though sort of goofy looking, Cantor has chemistry with Clara Bow and they seem to make a good couple - well, Clara Bow seems to have chemistry with everyone! Favorite Clara Bow is very appealing in this, as usual. The DVD I saw of this is from the Eddie Cantor Appreciation Society and features a decent looking print and nice, snappy, retro style piano score done by Arthur Seigel. Rating - 7/10 stars
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Journey to the Center of the Earth (2008) Film Review
Watched this one on Thursday.
Plot Summary - Action-packed sci-fi adventure in which a professor (Brendan Fraser) and his thirteen-year old nephew (Josh Hutcherson) end up in Iceland where they bond on the ultimate get-to-know-you adventure - a literal trip to the center of the earth! While nephew is staying with uncle for 10 days after something like seven years apart, a trip to Iceland finds them hooked up with a beautiful blonde mountain guide named "Hannah" who takes them up into the mountains where they end up falling through a volcano portal into an old, abandoned mine. Soon they've found emeralds and diamonds - oh happy days - but unfortunately, the floor breaks through and they end up on a zoom-paced fall miles and miles to the center of the earth and into a fantastical world full of waterfalls, glowing blue birds, and fossilized giant mushrooms - plus some bad stuff too, like huge carnivorous plants, sea monsters, and angry dinosaurs. Worst of all - there is seismic activity causing the temperature to gradually rise, and they realize they have less than 48 hours to get themselves back to the earth's surface or die when the center of the earth turns into a 200 degree oven.
Review - This is a fun film - very, very light fare, but entertaining and real fast-paced. Some scenes I liked - the fast "roller-coaster" mine car ride they go on while trying to find a way out of the mine, and also the *long* drop through the tunnel down to the center of the earth is interesting to watch. Nephew almost gets eaten by a very fierce-jawed, drooling dinosaur in a later scene - but, in the way of all filmland, you can usually figure that no main character will probably come to harm, though some of the things these three live through is pretty darn amazing. Interesting special feature on the DVD talking about the history of hollow earth theory and "scientists" who have thought there was really another world inside the earth! Rating - 7/10 stars
Plot Summary - Action-packed sci-fi adventure in which a professor (Brendan Fraser) and his thirteen-year old nephew (Josh Hutcherson) end up in Iceland where they bond on the ultimate get-to-know-you adventure - a literal trip to the center of the earth! While nephew is staying with uncle for 10 days after something like seven years apart, a trip to Iceland finds them hooked up with a beautiful blonde mountain guide named "Hannah" who takes them up into the mountains where they end up falling through a volcano portal into an old, abandoned mine. Soon they've found emeralds and diamonds - oh happy days - but unfortunately, the floor breaks through and they end up on a zoom-paced fall miles and miles to the center of the earth and into a fantastical world full of waterfalls, glowing blue birds, and fossilized giant mushrooms - plus some bad stuff too, like huge carnivorous plants, sea monsters, and angry dinosaurs. Worst of all - there is seismic activity causing the temperature to gradually rise, and they realize they have less than 48 hours to get themselves back to the earth's surface or die when the center of the earth turns into a 200 degree oven.
Review - This is a fun film - very, very light fare, but entertaining and real fast-paced. Some scenes I liked - the fast "roller-coaster" mine car ride they go on while trying to find a way out of the mine, and also the *long* drop through the tunnel down to the center of the earth is interesting to watch. Nephew almost gets eaten by a very fierce-jawed, drooling dinosaur in a later scene - but, in the way of all filmland, you can usually figure that no main character will probably come to harm, though some of the things these three live through is pretty darn amazing. Interesting special feature on the DVD talking about the history of hollow earth theory and "scientists" who have thought there was really another world inside the earth! Rating - 7/10 stars
Thursday, October 30, 2008
The Lazarus Project (2008) Film Review
Plot Summary - Psychological thriller about Ben Garvey (Paul Walker), ex-con who gets fired from his job at a Dallas brewery because they find out about his past criminal record. He hooks up with his bad news brother, recently released from a Florida prison (what's wrong with these two?), and they commit a robbery which goes wrong, resulting in the deaths of three men. Much sooner than you think, Ben is executed by lethal injection for the crime. And suddenly he's walking along a rainy road in small town Oregon on his way to new job as groundskeeper at "Mount Angel", some sort of old psychiatric hospital in the woods, located in a big building once erected by priests. Ben is told he's being given a second chance, but he can't ever leave - but he's desperate to get back home to the wife and little girl he left behind. Is he alive, is he dead, what the heck is going on here - ah, that's the mystery!
Review - Okay, this was pretty good - a mysterious film that left me wondering. I'm not going to say much more about the film, so as not to reveal any potential spoiler. Linda Cardellini appears in this as a woman he befriends in the hospital grounds, I didn't recognize her as the star I know so well from Freaks and Geeks until more than halfway through the film (and then it was by her voice). No hint in the film about why this is called "The Lazarus Project", just part of the mystery I guess. Rating - 7 to 8/10 stars
Review - Okay, this was pretty good - a mysterious film that left me wondering. I'm not going to say much more about the film, so as not to reveal any potential spoiler. Linda Cardellini appears in this as a woman he befriends in the hospital grounds, I didn't recognize her as the star I know so well from Freaks and Geeks until more than halfway through the film (and then it was by her voice). No hint in the film about why this is called "The Lazarus Project", just part of the mystery I guess. Rating - 7 to 8/10 stars
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Death to Smoochy (2002) Film Review
Plot Summary - Black comedy about a popular NYC kiddie show host "Rainbow Randolph" (Robin Williams) who lacks morals and gets busted for taking bribes. The TV network decides to replace him with a new host, recruiting Sheldon Mopes (Edward Norton), local who performs weekly gigs at a Coney Island meth clinic dressed up as a big fuchsia-colored Rhinoceros. Mopes is a squeaky-clean, sorta geeky good guy and health nut who lives by a strong moral code - just what they're looking for. Soon his new show, "Smoochy the Rhino", is a TV hit. But - Rainbow "Randy" Randolph goes nutcase with jealousy and decides to try and get his old "time slot" back, seeking vengeance on Smoochy. He plants penis-shaped cookies in a "cookie time" show bag, opened up in front of all the kiddies - he tricks Smoochy into performing at an event that turns out to be a big Nazi rally. Everything backfires and soon Smoochy has an agent (Danny DeVito) and is head of his own production, which comes with a price. Gangsters are strong-arming him to do this big ice show and skim part of the profits for themselves. Smoochy wants to do things his way - and give to charities. Soon both Randy and the gangsters and even his own agent are out to kill poor Smoochy.
Review - This is a fairly interesting film, brightly colored with lots of overhead and slanted camera angles and extreme facial closeups. Throw in a mix of Williams and Norton performing cute kiddie songs that teach a lesson, some singing/dancing little people (sort of like little brightly colored Oompa Loompas), a famous ex-boxer who's punch drunk and wants a part on the show, some Irish mobsters, and a kiddie show on ice - yeah, it's a bit strange. Robin Williams is a bit hyper, as usual - the love interest in this, played by Catherine Keener, seems kind of thrown in. I watched this one basically to see crush/cutie Edward Norton (I needed another "Norton fix" after seeing The Incredible Hulk last week) - I've now seen all of his films available on DVD but one ("The Italian Job"). I'm usually not a fan of black comedies, so wasn't expecting too much from this - but I did find it to be reasonably good. Rating - 6 to 7/10 stars
Review - This is a fairly interesting film, brightly colored with lots of overhead and slanted camera angles and extreme facial closeups. Throw in a mix of Williams and Norton performing cute kiddie songs that teach a lesson, some singing/dancing little people (sort of like little brightly colored Oompa Loompas), a famous ex-boxer who's punch drunk and wants a part on the show, some Irish mobsters, and a kiddie show on ice - yeah, it's a bit strange. Robin Williams is a bit hyper, as usual - the love interest in this, played by Catherine Keener, seems kind of thrown in. I watched this one basically to see crush/cutie Edward Norton (I needed another "Norton fix" after seeing The Incredible Hulk last week) - I've now seen all of his films available on DVD but one ("The Italian Job"). I'm usually not a fan of black comedies, so wasn't expecting too much from this - but I did find it to be reasonably good. Rating - 6 to 7/10 stars
Monday, October 27, 2008
The Blackbird (1926) Film Review - Lon Chaney
Plot Summary - Silent film melodrama/love triangle, directed by Tod Browning. In foggy London's Limehouse district, full of painted ladies and seedy characters, we meet thief Dan Tate (Lon Chaney), aka "The Blackbird", as he sneaks into his hideout at the local mission ("Come Ye and Rest"), up through a trapdoor and in through the back of a closet. Dan secretly leads a double life as he plays an elaborate ruse posing as "The Bishop", his kindly (obviously twin - though never stated) brother who runs the mission - a deformed cripple who goes about on crutches and is beloved by all of Limehouse. Dan goes to see the show at a local Limehouse music hall one evening, where a monocled, well-dressed swell known as "West End Bertie" (Owen Moore) arrives "going slumming" with friends from the fashionable set. Dan and Bertie soon both have a lustful eye on the charming, pretty French girl, Fifi (Renee Adoree), who performs a rather delightful puppet act using her own face as part of her French maid female puppet. Dan actually meets Fifi by sending her a gift backstage - um, a pistol. When Fifi admires a woman's "diamond collar", he secretly has in mind to steal it for her - but turns out his rival Bertie is a notorious crook who gets his men to rob his own circle of friends of their jewelry, including the diamond collar. The two men agree to split the take half and half, as Dan points out that since the crime was committed in Limehouse, he and his men will be suspected by the "coppers". But soon Bertie takes Fifi out and gives her some bejeweled rings, thus winning her over for himself. Jealous Dan schemes to break the two of them apart, and he gets in more trouble with the law - but gets some help from his ex-wife who still carries the torch for him.
Review - This is a nicely done, albeit rather strange silent film, showcasing Lon Chaney's talent for distorting his body when playing a man with a deformity - not to mention his range at playing different character types, both a good man and a bad man. I always love the charmer Renee Adoree - now for some reason her character, though portrayed as sweet and innocent, doesn't seem all that put out when she finds out her man's a crook, but then he is kind of cute. Now I don't know if I'd put so much trust in him when he claims he's giving up his old ways for love - what happens when the seven-year itch comes in their relationship and he gets itchy fingers for some new jewelry to steal? Lon Chaney is one of my favorite silent era actors, and though I wouldn't say this is one of my most favorite of his films, it's still pretty good. The film, as shown on TCM, featured a nice orchestral score done by Robert Israel. One thing I wonder about - how come no one in town wonders why they never see The Blackbird and The Bishop at the same time, especially considering they both supposedly have a room at the mission?! Rating - 8/10 stars
Review - This is a nicely done, albeit rather strange silent film, showcasing Lon Chaney's talent for distorting his body when playing a man with a deformity - not to mention his range at playing different character types, both a good man and a bad man. I always love the charmer Renee Adoree - now for some reason her character, though portrayed as sweet and innocent, doesn't seem all that put out when she finds out her man's a crook, but then he is kind of cute. Now I don't know if I'd put so much trust in him when he claims he's giving up his old ways for love - what happens when the seven-year itch comes in their relationship and he gets itchy fingers for some new jewelry to steal? Lon Chaney is one of my favorite silent era actors, and though I wouldn't say this is one of my most favorite of his films, it's still pretty good. The film, as shown on TCM, featured a nice orchestral score done by Robert Israel. One thing I wonder about - how come no one in town wonders why they never see The Blackbird and The Bishop at the same time, especially considering they both supposedly have a room at the mission?! Rating - 8/10 stars
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Cries and Whispers (1972) Film Review - Ingmar Bergman
Plot Summary - Swedish language film, directed by Ingmar Bergman. Set at the turn of the last century, the film tells the story of a dying fortyish woman, Agnes (Harriet Andersson), facing her last few days of life as we see her in her bed, in agonizing pain. But the story is also about the three women who are in the house awaiting her death - her two sisters, Maria and Karin, and her devoted maid Anna - who then face what comes before them in their own futures. Agnes remembers in flashback her childhood and painful relationship with her mother, who she basically stalks around after, watching from behind sheer curtains. We see in flashback beautiful red-headed sister Maria (Liv Ullmann) having an affair with the doctor who currently treats Agnes. We also see some background for rather loony sis Karin, who has a pretty bad relationship with her boring, stern hubbie. Later in the film the two sisters, self-centered Maria and hard-hearted Karin, try to patch up what appears to be a years long bad sister relationship between them.
Review - This is a very unusual film (though not so unusual, as Ingmar Bergman films go). It's very quiet - mainly the sounds of the clock ticking, breathing, bells chiming, the wind, a chorus of whispering voices - and close to no background music. Many of the scenes are extreme facial close-ups of the different women looking into the camera - very interesting camerawork with softly filtered light coming through the windows, and red fades between scenes. The red color theme permeates the entire film, most scenes taking place in just a few rooms of the house, the bedroom, the "red drawing room", the dining room - all done with red painted walls and red upholstered furnishing. The women are often wearing white dresses, except when Maria is seen seducing the doctor in the flashback scene, she is dressed in a low-cut red lacy gown - when Karin is seen in flashback, in an uncomfortable dinner scene across the table from her husband, she wears black. The time at which each scene is taking place switches back and forth through the film, sometimes going back several years. The characters in this all have pretty odd relationships with each other, very complex and emotional - they're quite the dysfunctional family, especially that Karin who gets up to some pretty disturbing stuff. The scenes where poor Agnes is moaning in pain are hard to watch, but I found this film as a whole very fascinating and thought-provoking. I have liked every Ingmar Bergman film I've seen - I like these sort of slow, visual films. The DVD I saw of this is from the Criterion Collection and the print, of course, looks terrific. Rating - 9 to 10/10 stars
Review - This is a very unusual film (though not so unusual, as Ingmar Bergman films go). It's very quiet - mainly the sounds of the clock ticking, breathing, bells chiming, the wind, a chorus of whispering voices - and close to no background music. Many of the scenes are extreme facial close-ups of the different women looking into the camera - very interesting camerawork with softly filtered light coming through the windows, and red fades between scenes. The red color theme permeates the entire film, most scenes taking place in just a few rooms of the house, the bedroom, the "red drawing room", the dining room - all done with red painted walls and red upholstered furnishing. The women are often wearing white dresses, except when Maria is seen seducing the doctor in the flashback scene, she is dressed in a low-cut red lacy gown - when Karin is seen in flashback, in an uncomfortable dinner scene across the table from her husband, she wears black. The time at which each scene is taking place switches back and forth through the film, sometimes going back several years. The characters in this all have pretty odd relationships with each other, very complex and emotional - they're quite the dysfunctional family, especially that Karin who gets up to some pretty disturbing stuff. The scenes where poor Agnes is moaning in pain are hard to watch, but I found this film as a whole very fascinating and thought-provoking. I have liked every Ingmar Bergman film I've seen - I like these sort of slow, visual films. The DVD I saw of this is from the Criterion Collection and the print, of course, looks terrific. Rating - 9 to 10/10 stars
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
The Incredible Hulk (2008) Film Review - Edward Norton
Plot Summary - Action packed comic book tale starring Edward Norton as Bruce Banner, a man who, whenever he gets too angry or excited turns into, what else, "The Incredible Hulk", ten-foot tall green muscle-bound and angry hulking monster. While he's in hiding in a city in Brazil, an army general (William Hurt) is trying to find him so he can get the secret out of his body and use it to create a "Super Soldier" weapon. Meanwhile, Bruce seeks an anecdote to rid his body of whatever makes him turn into the Hulk. He is in contact with a person known as "Mr. Blue" who is trying to help - and Bruce finds he must return home to try and get data which will help cure him. Action packed adventure and a little bit of romance to follow.
Review - Okay, I don't normally even see these sort of action films based around comic books - but I just had to see this as it stars my latest big current movie star crush, heartthrob Edward Norton - and man, did he look sexy in this (only when he's Bruce Banner, not when he's the Hulk, which is all special effects anyway). The earlier parts of this film I found to be pretty entertaining (though perhaps I am just biased because of the scenes with cute Norton) - the later parts of the film became more and more far-fetched and silly, the big finale scene where two Hulks fight each other on the streets of NYC just went on too long for my taste, I was getting pretty bored (maybe if I was a thirteen year old male it would have seemed funner). Liv Tyler appears as the love interest, and there is a nice chemistry between her and Norton (remember, Bruce Banner can't get too excited or he turns into the Hulk, so no extended make-out scenes here). The special effects in the film are quite well done, some of the on-location scenery in different cities around the world is very neat to see - I thought the city in Brazil seen in the beginning of the film, with it's tumble of packed together houses and narrow, narrow streets, looked like a really interesting place. As for Edward Norton - without him in this film, I doubt I would give this a super big rating, as it is, I was pretty much feeling swoony every time his face comes on screen, there's just something about him that gets me, he has that sort of geeky, boyish attractiveness that I like - and I love his voice (and not to forget - he's also a great actor). So bonus points for that. Oh, one note: there is a short homage to TV's Incredible Hulk, Bill Bixby, in the beginning of the film when Bruce Banner is channel surfing across a brief scene of Bixby in "The Courtship of Eddie's Father". Rating - 7/10 stars
Review - Okay, I don't normally even see these sort of action films based around comic books - but I just had to see this as it stars my latest big current movie star crush, heartthrob Edward Norton - and man, did he look sexy in this (only when he's Bruce Banner, not when he's the Hulk, which is all special effects anyway). The earlier parts of this film I found to be pretty entertaining (though perhaps I am just biased because of the scenes with cute Norton) - the later parts of the film became more and more far-fetched and silly, the big finale scene where two Hulks fight each other on the streets of NYC just went on too long for my taste, I was getting pretty bored (maybe if I was a thirteen year old male it would have seemed funner). Liv Tyler appears as the love interest, and there is a nice chemistry between her and Norton (remember, Bruce Banner can't get too excited or he turns into the Hulk, so no extended make-out scenes here). The special effects in the film are quite well done, some of the on-location scenery in different cities around the world is very neat to see - I thought the city in Brazil seen in the beginning of the film, with it's tumble of packed together houses and narrow, narrow streets, looked like a really interesting place. As for Edward Norton - without him in this film, I doubt I would give this a super big rating, as it is, I was pretty much feeling swoony every time his face comes on screen, there's just something about him that gets me, he has that sort of geeky, boyish attractiveness that I like - and I love his voice (and not to forget - he's also a great actor). So bonus points for that. Oh, one note: there is a short homage to TV's Incredible Hulk, Bill Bixby, in the beginning of the film when Bruce Banner is channel surfing across a brief scene of Bixby in "The Courtship of Eddie's Father". Rating - 7/10 stars
The Magnificent Ambersons (1942) Film Review
Plot Summary - "The faster we're carried, the less time we have to spare." - -Directed by Orson Welles, this is the story of a deteriorating family set amidst the coming of the automobile and the new faster-paced world that goes with it. The film begins in 1873 and moves forward to the turn of the last century, showing the saga of the prominent Amberson family - - the Ambersons are rich, snobby, and live in the finest house in town, the Amberson mansion. Attractive Amberson daughter Isabel rejects her beau, Eugene Morgan (Joseph Cotten), because of a silly incident that happens when he is serenading her while tipsy. Though Isabel and Eugene are in love, she for some odd reason decides to marry one big bore, Wilber Minafer. Wilber and Isabel soon have an extremely spoiled, bratty young son, George, dressed up like "Little Lord Fauntleroy" and known by the town gossips as a "princely terror" who many hope to see get his comeuppance one day. George (Tim Holt) grows up and the Ambersons give a ball - "the last of the long-remembered dances that everybody talked about". Attendee Eugene Morgan, inventor of a "horseless carriage" and a widower back in town after years away, brings his beautiful daughter Lucy (Anne Baxter) who catches George's eye (and every other young man's eye) big time. George pursues Lucy - he's rather arrogant but she seems to like him anyway, Isabel and Eugene are still in love, and Wilber's sister, a spinster named "Aunt Fanny", moons around after Eugene, her long-time secret fancy. The Amberson mansion is soon full of high melodrama, especially after the death of Wilber leaves it now open for Isabel and Eugene to re-spark that old flame together. But son George stands in the way, worried about his family's reputation. And the family comes to their downfall as they lose their wealth and home.
Review - This film is somewhat dark and somber, particularly as the film progresses, but it is superbly put together. The cinematography is done in an unusual style - many dark scenes with natural lighting leaving the rooms often very shadowy, deep focus photography, and lots of scenes done in one take with no cuts, showcasing conversations between several people in different spots in the room, tracking shots following characters as they walk. My favorite scenes - the opening montage of changing fashions and the slow-paced lifestyle of the 1800s, with a wonderful voice-over narration done by Orson Welles: as he relates, "in those days they had time for everything", sleigh rides, cotillions, all-day picnics in the woods, serenades, etc. Another scene I love - a wintry ride for the whole clan in one of Eugene's horseless carriages, everyone laughing and singing and chatting all at once, having a great old time riding in this newfangled invention. Also: the last great ball scene, full of one-take tracking shots following characters walking towards the camera or dancing away from the camera. The acting quality is expertly done by all. Yes, Agnes Moorehead gives a stellar and memorable performance as "poor Aunt Fanny", but Tim Holt is great too - the relationship between Aunt and nephew seems so real. All the characters, actually, come across as a real, somewhat dysfunctional, family - bickering, talking over each other, but having fun sometimes too. I love Joseph Cotten, he's one of my favorites - he's wonderful here too. There is much more that can be said about this "magnificent" film, but I will leave it at just this for now. I have always enjoyed this film more than Welle's "Citizen Kane", I might add. Rating - 10/10 stars
Review - This film is somewhat dark and somber, particularly as the film progresses, but it is superbly put together. The cinematography is done in an unusual style - many dark scenes with natural lighting leaving the rooms often very shadowy, deep focus photography, and lots of scenes done in one take with no cuts, showcasing conversations between several people in different spots in the room, tracking shots following characters as they walk. My favorite scenes - the opening montage of changing fashions and the slow-paced lifestyle of the 1800s, with a wonderful voice-over narration done by Orson Welles: as he relates, "in those days they had time for everything", sleigh rides, cotillions, all-day picnics in the woods, serenades, etc. Another scene I love - a wintry ride for the whole clan in one of Eugene's horseless carriages, everyone laughing and singing and chatting all at once, having a great old time riding in this newfangled invention. Also: the last great ball scene, full of one-take tracking shots following characters walking towards the camera or dancing away from the camera. The acting quality is expertly done by all. Yes, Agnes Moorehead gives a stellar and memorable performance as "poor Aunt Fanny", but Tim Holt is great too - the relationship between Aunt and nephew seems so real. All the characters, actually, come across as a real, somewhat dysfunctional, family - bickering, talking over each other, but having fun sometimes too. I love Joseph Cotten, he's one of my favorites - he's wonderful here too. There is much more that can be said about this "magnificent" film, but I will leave it at just this for now. I have always enjoyed this film more than Welle's "Citizen Kane", I might add. Rating - 10/10 stars
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
No More Orchids (1932) Film Review - Carole Lombard
One of two Carole Lombard films I watched last night on Turner Classic Movies.
Plot Summary - Precode film starring Carole Lombard as Miss Anne Holt, rich, young, and beautiful heiress who goes about in a bevy of skin-tight and slinky backless gowns, furs, arms loaded up with bejeweled bracelets, and always an orchid pinned to her chest (she's also a wisecracker, and pretty heavy on the makeup). She delays the ocean liner sailing out of Cherbourg, France to New York (her granddaddy practically "owns" the line) causing shipboard stud/working man Anthony "Tony" Gage (Lyle Talbot) to deem her a "spoiled brat". She meets him on the sailing and falls for him hook, line, and sinker. But though she's loaded and gorgeous, he's not interested - so she proceeds to go "big Gage hunting", chasing after him the entire voyage, pretty much a failure (though he does seem to like her - duh). Back home, Anne's daddy who she is devoted to and calls by his first name, "Bill" (he calls her "Smudge"), helps the two hook up - and dad hits it off with Tony, great. They are in love and want to marry - and she's perfectly willing to live on his income, though he claims he doesn't make enough "even to keep her in orchids". But there's a problem - though in love with Tony Gage, she's engaged to marry a boring prince, previously arranged by stern old grump grandfather (C. Aubrey Smith) who insists she go through with the marriage or face disinheritance. Unfortunately, dad Bill has bungled his bank business and needs money - the grandfather threatens to cut him off to, so Anne decides to go through with the marriage to the prince for her father's sake and breaks it off with her true love. But Dad comes through with a rather desperate way of getting these two back together and married.
Review - An entertaining film with lots of snappy patter to keep it lively, and the star power of Carole Lombard who really makes this film. She looks particularly gorgeous here, by the way - and she gets to wear all sorts of scrumptious, figure-flattering gowns as she goes about the ship calling people "Duckie", and in pre-code style she is seen in one scene stripping down to her silk and lace undergarments. I like the relationship between Lombard's character and that of the dad (Walter Connolly), there's a lot of natural affection between them - they seem like such pals. One side character who's fun is Anne's grandmother, by her own claim "the only one in the family who can hold their liquor". I wasn't completely keen on the way this film ended - oh well. All in all, quite a good film. Rating - 8 to 9/10 stars
Plot Summary - Precode film starring Carole Lombard as Miss Anne Holt, rich, young, and beautiful heiress who goes about in a bevy of skin-tight and slinky backless gowns, furs, arms loaded up with bejeweled bracelets, and always an orchid pinned to her chest (she's also a wisecracker, and pretty heavy on the makeup). She delays the ocean liner sailing out of Cherbourg, France to New York (her granddaddy practically "owns" the line) causing shipboard stud/working man Anthony "Tony" Gage (Lyle Talbot) to deem her a "spoiled brat". She meets him on the sailing and falls for him hook, line, and sinker. But though she's loaded and gorgeous, he's not interested - so she proceeds to go "big Gage hunting", chasing after him the entire voyage, pretty much a failure (though he does seem to like her - duh). Back home, Anne's daddy who she is devoted to and calls by his first name, "Bill" (he calls her "Smudge"), helps the two hook up - and dad hits it off with Tony, great. They are in love and want to marry - and she's perfectly willing to live on his income, though he claims he doesn't make enough "even to keep her in orchids". But there's a problem - though in love with Tony Gage, she's engaged to marry a boring prince, previously arranged by stern old grump grandfather (C. Aubrey Smith) who insists she go through with the marriage or face disinheritance. Unfortunately, dad Bill has bungled his bank business and needs money - the grandfather threatens to cut him off to, so Anne decides to go through with the marriage to the prince for her father's sake and breaks it off with her true love. But Dad comes through with a rather desperate way of getting these two back together and married.
Review - An entertaining film with lots of snappy patter to keep it lively, and the star power of Carole Lombard who really makes this film. She looks particularly gorgeous here, by the way - and she gets to wear all sorts of scrumptious, figure-flattering gowns as she goes about the ship calling people "Duckie", and in pre-code style she is seen in one scene stripping down to her silk and lace undergarments. I like the relationship between Lombard's character and that of the dad (Walter Connolly), there's a lot of natural affection between them - they seem like such pals. One side character who's fun is Anne's grandmother, by her own claim "the only one in the family who can hold their liquor". I wasn't completely keen on the way this film ended - oh well. All in all, quite a good film. Rating - 8 to 9/10 stars
Virtue (1932) Film Review - Starring Carole Lombard
Plot Summary - Precode romantic melodrama starring Carole Lombard as Mae, a tough talking, streetwise New York City prostitute in t-strap heels, currently running from a "dick". She gets involved with cocky cabbie Jimmy Doyle (Pat O'Brien) who thinks he knows it all about women - "Nobody can tell me about Dames" says he (he also thinks guys should stay away from dames and advises his pal to "just buy a hot water bottle" rather than get married - okey dokey). Mae was meant to get out of town for soliciting men, but instead she stays with gal pal/fellow streetwalker Lil (Mayo Methot) and takes a job as waitress in a diner. Mae and Jimmy have a rough start from the moment she meets him as a passenger in his taxi (she stiffs him on the fare) but eventually start to date, and he has absolutely no clue about her shady past (he thinks she's an "out-of-work stenographer from out of town"). They get married, honeymoon at Coney Island, then return to her apartment to find the cop is there to round her up - the cop leaves when he sees the marriage license, and Jimmy leaves too, devastated by the truth. But he comes back and goes through with the marriage - soon she's serving him stacks of pancakes and bickering with him like an old married couple. (Possible SPOILER) Loads of troubles come when Jimmy wants to buy a gas station but Mae secretly loans part of the down-payment to help a gal friend pay for an operation, which turns out to be a scam. And Jimmy always has in the back of his mind that his wife is going to pick up a man again. Murder and possible jail for Mae all because of a gangster named Toots! (end SPOILER)
Review - This is a very entertaining film of the bad girl goes good variety, fun and snappy in the earlier parts - turning into a serious drama in the later scenes. Carole Lombard is great, in fact, all the acting is top-notch in this - I especially thought Mayo Methot is real good here, particularly later in the film in scenes between her character Lil and Lil's creepy gangster boyfriend Toots (Jack La Rue, the actor who plays him, makes this character suitably slimy - and memorable). I wasn't so sure at first about the chemistry between Lombard and Pat O'Brien (and his character is, at times, kind of an annoying blowhard who cares more about what his "gang" thinks than anything else) - but after the characters are married, they really do seem like a real couple. The quick montage of the Coney Island honeymoon shows signs for the "Dragon's Gorge", "Chutes", and the two eating ice cream cones (just for reference). Really good film. Rating - 9/10 stars
Review - This is a very entertaining film of the bad girl goes good variety, fun and snappy in the earlier parts - turning into a serious drama in the later scenes. Carole Lombard is great, in fact, all the acting is top-notch in this - I especially thought Mayo Methot is real good here, particularly later in the film in scenes between her character Lil and Lil's creepy gangster boyfriend Toots (Jack La Rue, the actor who plays him, makes this character suitably slimy - and memorable). I wasn't so sure at first about the chemistry between Lombard and Pat O'Brien (and his character is, at times, kind of an annoying blowhard who cares more about what his "gang" thinks than anything else) - but after the characters are married, they really do seem like a real couple. The quick montage of the Coney Island honeymoon shows signs for the "Dragon's Gorge", "Chutes", and the two eating ice cream cones (just for reference). Really good film. Rating - 9/10 stars
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008) Film Review
Watched this a few days ago - Friday afternoon.
Plot Summary - Action packed adventure tale set in 1957 that brings Harrison Ford back in the role of Indiana Jones, apparently fearless archaeologist/professor who gets into a new adventure when approached by twentyish Mutt, Marlon Brando wannabee who can't be parted from his black leather jacket, his switch blade, and especially his comb - which he uses to constantly keep his thick head of hair in place. Seems Oxley (John Hurt), an archaeologist and old friend of Indy's, is in trouble for his life - and so is Mutt's mom. All in the name of a crystal skull that must be returned to a mythical lost "city of gold" somewhere in the Amazon. Soon Indiana Jones and new sidekick Mutt are in Peru and into a romping tale full of cemeteries, scorpions, skeletons, cobwebs, aliens, crystal skulls, an army of giant red ants, and some evil KGB villains after the crystal skull - especially one, Russian beauty/spy (Cate Blanchett) who is interested in acquiring a mind weapon for psychic warfare. I know, I know - this all sounds pretty out there, but it's all part of the fun.
Review - Okay, this is light, silly fare - but fast-paced and fun to watch. It's not the greatest movie ever made, but it did keep me entertained and amused for two hours. Well done special effects and non-stop action keeps this film alive. The big chase scene near the end is quite good - edge-of-your-seat sort of stuff - with Mutt sword fighting against the KGB gal while each is on top of their own side's speeding vehicle, then the cars end up at the edge of this steep cliff, and Mutt ends up in the trees where he seems to befriend a pack of vine-swinging monkeys. Um - okay, you must pretty much suspend disbelief over the way these characters go over cliffs and waterfalls and falls up or down stone towers and the like without any harm, while the bad guys seem to get it right and left - oh well. Karen Allen returns in her old part here - Harrison Ford is still using that bullwhip. The film has a real nice orchestral score, done by composer John Williams, which includes the familiar "Raiders of the Lost Ark" theme music. Rating - 8/10 stars
Plot Summary - Action packed adventure tale set in 1957 that brings Harrison Ford back in the role of Indiana Jones, apparently fearless archaeologist/professor who gets into a new adventure when approached by twentyish Mutt, Marlon Brando wannabee who can't be parted from his black leather jacket, his switch blade, and especially his comb - which he uses to constantly keep his thick head of hair in place. Seems Oxley (John Hurt), an archaeologist and old friend of Indy's, is in trouble for his life - and so is Mutt's mom. All in the name of a crystal skull that must be returned to a mythical lost "city of gold" somewhere in the Amazon. Soon Indiana Jones and new sidekick Mutt are in Peru and into a romping tale full of cemeteries, scorpions, skeletons, cobwebs, aliens, crystal skulls, an army of giant red ants, and some evil KGB villains after the crystal skull - especially one, Russian beauty/spy (Cate Blanchett) who is interested in acquiring a mind weapon for psychic warfare. I know, I know - this all sounds pretty out there, but it's all part of the fun.
Review - Okay, this is light, silly fare - but fast-paced and fun to watch. It's not the greatest movie ever made, but it did keep me entertained and amused for two hours. Well done special effects and non-stop action keeps this film alive. The big chase scene near the end is quite good - edge-of-your-seat sort of stuff - with Mutt sword fighting against the KGB gal while each is on top of their own side's speeding vehicle, then the cars end up at the edge of this steep cliff, and Mutt ends up in the trees where he seems to befriend a pack of vine-swinging monkeys. Um - okay, you must pretty much suspend disbelief over the way these characters go over cliffs and waterfalls and falls up or down stone towers and the like without any harm, while the bad guys seem to get it right and left - oh well. Karen Allen returns in her old part here - Harrison Ford is still using that bullwhip. The film has a real nice orchestral score, done by composer John Williams, which includes the familiar "Raiders of the Lost Ark" theme music. Rating - 8/10 stars
Thursday, October 16, 2008
The World of Henry Orient (1964) Film Review
Plot Summary - Terrific coming-of-age tale which follows the friendship between two mischievous, dreamy fourteen-year old outsiders who meet at an exclusive girl's school then get mixed up in a rich fantasy world of their own as they run about the streets of Manhattan. Blonde, short pig-tailed "Gil" and mop-topped "Val" (normally seen in a long fur coat) find a mutual bond in braces and a hatred for the same teachers. Gil lives with her divorced mom and mom's (implied - or am I reading too much into this?!) female partner Boothy in a New York brownstone - Val, marked "unmanageable" by the schools she's been kicked out of, is left home alone and lonely by her wealthy, jet-setter parents (Angela Lansbury and Tom Bosley) who are rarely in town. The girls decide to meet in Central Park and go "Adventuring", living in a pretend world as they imagine they are someone else (beautiful, white nurses running away from bandits, to be exact), then go for a carefree romp through the park and the city streets as they jump over fire hydrants and small children shouting "Splitzing". While in the park they happen upon a man kissing a woman on a rock - the next day, they run across him again with the same woman. A short time later the girls are taken to a concert where this man happens to be the star attraction - an avant-garde pianist named Henry Orient (Peter Sellers). Val is in love! The two girls decide to make a blood pact devoted to the "study of Henry Orient", then proceed to stalk this guy around town as they talk to each other using the "mysterious language of the Orient" while sporting Chinese bamboo hats. Love-struck Val keeps a secret Henry Orient scrapbook full of clippings, magazine articles, and fake love notes from him. Henry Orient, in reality, is a womanizer who uses a fake European accent and seems to only chase about after married women and lure them to his "lair", that is, his red, white, and black apartment. He tells his latest, she of the frosted eyeshadow (Paula Prentiss), that he's going to set her poem to music (oh brother) but she runs off when she becomes concerned that the two teens are young detectives hired by her husband - heh! When Val's parents come home around the holidays, her rather bitchy mom causes trouble for the girls when she reads the scrapbook and phones Henry Orient!
Review - This film is a wonderful gem that I love, it's one of my favorites. The film has some comedy elements (as when Orient gives his radical concert), but it is also nostalgic and touching. The two actresses who play Val and Gil (Tippy Walker and Merrie Spaeth) are so great in this, they bring such a realness and enthusiastic charm to these characters - they really seem like two real teenage friends: swoony, bubble-gum chewing, getting into jams together. These two are the kind of girls I would have liked to have as friends when I was that age (and I admit I did like getting up to mischief and pranks in my junior high years, just as these two do). The film is rich in on-location scenes of New York City in the sixties, lots of street scenes and shots of a beautiful winter and summer Central Park. The direction is sometimes almost whimsical, as when the girls romp the streets near the beginning of the film and the camera romps with them - slo mo, then fast motion, upside-down and sideways - the Splitzing scene is my favorite scene in the film. The film is highlighted by a great music score done by Elmer Bernstein, with one tune in particular that runs through the film and still runs through my head as I write this - love! A few segments of the music are actually reminiscent of Bernstein's music done in "To Kill a Mockingbird". I can see how, perhaps, this film would not be for everyone - perhaps it may even fall into the category of "chick flick" as the story is totally focused from the perspective of the two girls. But for me - love it! Rating - 10/10 stars
Review - This film is a wonderful gem that I love, it's one of my favorites. The film has some comedy elements (as when Orient gives his radical concert), but it is also nostalgic and touching. The two actresses who play Val and Gil (Tippy Walker and Merrie Spaeth) are so great in this, they bring such a realness and enthusiastic charm to these characters - they really seem like two real teenage friends: swoony, bubble-gum chewing, getting into jams together. These two are the kind of girls I would have liked to have as friends when I was that age (and I admit I did like getting up to mischief and pranks in my junior high years, just as these two do). The film is rich in on-location scenes of New York City in the sixties, lots of street scenes and shots of a beautiful winter and summer Central Park. The direction is sometimes almost whimsical, as when the girls romp the streets near the beginning of the film and the camera romps with them - slo mo, then fast motion, upside-down and sideways - the Splitzing scene is my favorite scene in the film. The film is highlighted by a great music score done by Elmer Bernstein, with one tune in particular that runs through the film and still runs through my head as I write this - love! A few segments of the music are actually reminiscent of Bernstein's music done in "To Kill a Mockingbird". I can see how, perhaps, this film would not be for everyone - perhaps it may even fall into the category of "chick flick" as the story is totally focused from the perspective of the two girls. But for me - love it! Rating - 10/10 stars
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Rose of Washington Square (1939) Film Review
Plot Summary - "Stand By Your Man" - - Musical starring Alice Faye as Rose Sargent, singer who performs at New York's "The Classy Vaudeville" theatre, belting out a tune in clingy black satin gown while patrons throw coins at her feet. At the Burlesque theatre ("28 Beautiful Girls") across the street her partner, Ted Cotter (Al Jolson), seems to have a side job singing in the aisle while selling sheet music ("The Latest Song Hits") and boxes of "Yum Yums" at intermission. Feeling like their act's not getting anywhere, Rose decides to get away from it all and takes off with her gal pal to a "summer hotel" for a break. Who should show up - just to use the phone - one gum-chewing, a little bit arrogant charm boy Bart Clinton (Tyrone Power), and, man, is he handsome! When Bart sees Rose singing in the hotel parlor with a crowd of people, he decides to stay the night. Now, these two make one gorgeous couple - you just know they're meant to hook up. And yes, before you know it she's clinging to his arm and going down the road with him to a party thrown by Bart's wealthy war buddy. But turns out Bart has a shady side - he's a small time crook who's mixed up with gambling, crimes, and gangsters. He gets in trouble with the law right after the party and leaves in the middle of the night, no word to his new love Rose. But time goes by and they hook up again, when he spots her performing at a speakeasy. Now this guy just keeps getting into jams, but Rose loves him so much she'll stand by her man no matter what! And soon she gets her big break and gets signed to star in the Ziegfeld Follies - while Bart faces a possible jail sentence.
Review - This is a fun, entertaining film with lots of star power and great musical numbers to keep you happy. I especially enjoyed Alice Faye singing "I'm Just Wild About Harry" in the speakeasy scene, accompanied by none other than Louis Prima (love him!) - and the finale number where she sings "My Man", her vocals in rich, deep, sultry tones. Al Jolson also performs several well done numbers, including "Toot Toot Tootsie Goodbye" and Mammy in blackface. There's tons of chemistry between Faye and Tyrone Power - when they kiss, sparks are flying (and who can blame her, as I said above - man, is he handsome). Alice Faye is just beautiful and glamorous here, as usual - she's one of my favorites. Watch for William Frawley as the agent, Charles Lane as a talent scout, Leonard Kibrick as a newspaper boy, and specialty dance duo, Igor and Tanya, who are really great as Igor spins limber Tanya around like a rag doll in part of the "Rose of Washington Square" number. The film is set during Prohibition but you wouldn't know it by the clothes, all the gowns are strictly modern 1939. The film is in black and white, and looks very nice on the 20th Century Fox DVD. It includes several deleted songs including Faye singing "I'm Always Chasing Rainbows". Rating - 8/10 stars
Review - This is a fun, entertaining film with lots of star power and great musical numbers to keep you happy. I especially enjoyed Alice Faye singing "I'm Just Wild About Harry" in the speakeasy scene, accompanied by none other than Louis Prima (love him!) - and the finale number where she sings "My Man", her vocals in rich, deep, sultry tones. Al Jolson also performs several well done numbers, including "Toot Toot Tootsie Goodbye" and Mammy in blackface. There's tons of chemistry between Faye and Tyrone Power - when they kiss, sparks are flying (and who can blame her, as I said above - man, is he handsome). Alice Faye is just beautiful and glamorous here, as usual - she's one of my favorites. Watch for William Frawley as the agent, Charles Lane as a talent scout, Leonard Kibrick as a newspaper boy, and specialty dance duo, Igor and Tanya, who are really great as Igor spins limber Tanya around like a rag doll in part of the "Rose of Washington Square" number. The film is set during Prohibition but you wouldn't know it by the clothes, all the gowns are strictly modern 1939. The film is in black and white, and looks very nice on the 20th Century Fox DVD. It includes several deleted songs including Faye singing "I'm Always Chasing Rainbows". Rating - 8/10 stars
Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008) Film Review
Watched this one Sunday afternoon.
Plot Summary - Comedy about Peter (Jason Segel), newly dumped by his actress girlfriend Sarah Marshall, star of "Crime Scene", dumb looking TV crime drama. Peter tries one-night stands but that doesn't help - so he decides to go to Hawaii where he ends up at the same fancy beachfront resort that Sarah and her new boyfriend (yeah, the one she dumped Peter for) also happen to be. Sarah's new guy is, what else, a shaggy-haired rock star with a huge ego who wears skin-tight black leather pants and speaks with a thick London accent (he's actually not as big a jerk as first appearances make him seem). Peter sort of stalks around after her, cries in his room, drinks, surfs, whatever he can do to try to forget her. But he actually seems to have absolutely no trouble finding beautiful women to go out with him, and asks out the pretty gal who runs the customer service desk who he starts a vacation fling with. Soon Sarah, the rocker, Peter, and the customer service girl keep running into each other at the resort, even ending up dining together one evening. Comic side stories involve a pudgy waiter (Jonah Hill) who has a crush on the rocker, and a young Mormon couple having problems in bed on their honeymoon.
Rating - This was funnier than I was expecting - I actually thought, as comedies go, this one was pretty good - could have done without some of the nudity (like Jason Segel full frontal naked - I'd prefer someone hunkier if I'm gonna see that) which seemed to just be stuck in just to show nudity, not for any comedic effect. I quite like Jason Segel, well known to me as a big fan of "Freaks and Geeks", which I have seen all episodes multiple times (I never seem to tire of that show, I must say - wish it hadn't been cancelled so quickly). Jonah Hill is a hoot - I love that guy, every scene he's in is funny. Rating - 7/10 stars
Plot Summary - Comedy about Peter (Jason Segel), newly dumped by his actress girlfriend Sarah Marshall, star of "Crime Scene", dumb looking TV crime drama. Peter tries one-night stands but that doesn't help - so he decides to go to Hawaii where he ends up at the same fancy beachfront resort that Sarah and her new boyfriend (yeah, the one she dumped Peter for) also happen to be. Sarah's new guy is, what else, a shaggy-haired rock star with a huge ego who wears skin-tight black leather pants and speaks with a thick London accent (he's actually not as big a jerk as first appearances make him seem). Peter sort of stalks around after her, cries in his room, drinks, surfs, whatever he can do to try to forget her. But he actually seems to have absolutely no trouble finding beautiful women to go out with him, and asks out the pretty gal who runs the customer service desk who he starts a vacation fling with. Soon Sarah, the rocker, Peter, and the customer service girl keep running into each other at the resort, even ending up dining together one evening. Comic side stories involve a pudgy waiter (Jonah Hill) who has a crush on the rocker, and a young Mormon couple having problems in bed on their honeymoon.
Rating - This was funnier than I was expecting - I actually thought, as comedies go, this one was pretty good - could have done without some of the nudity (like Jason Segel full frontal naked - I'd prefer someone hunkier if I'm gonna see that) which seemed to just be stuck in just to show nudity, not for any comedic effect. I quite like Jason Segel, well known to me as a big fan of "Freaks and Geeks", which I have seen all episodes multiple times (I never seem to tire of that show, I must say - wish it hadn't been cancelled so quickly). Jonah Hill is a hoot - I love that guy, every scene he's in is funny. Rating - 7/10 stars
Thursday, October 9, 2008
The Happening (2008) Film Review
Plot Summary - Sci-fi thriller, directed by M. Night Shyamalan. The story begins one morning in New York City's Central Park where a strange occurrence takes place - most of the people are frozen in their paths, some of the people are harming themselves. Soon this is spreading through NYC and across the Northeast United States - a chemical toxin is being released into the air that causes humans to kill themselves. In Philadelphia, the main character, a science teacher (Mark Wahlberg), and his wife (Zooey Deschanel) get on a train to get the heck out of Dodge before the chemical hits their city - but the train ends up stopped in a small town in Pennsylvania, leaving all the passengers to fend on their own. Now groups of people try to find isolated areas to escape to before it's too late. The mystery of the toxin haunts everyone - is it terrorism, some sort of environmental oddity that is happening around them - or what?!
Review - The story, somewhat implausible - but the film is very stylishly done with fluid camerawork that gave me a feeling of nearness by the mysterious unknown toxin that you can't see, but that moves quietly through the air. Windy fields and trees tracked at rapid pace by the camera, sky full of scudding clouds, hand-held camera moving up, around, and through groups of people, lots of extreme facial close-ups - all very atmospheric. I gave a bit of a pause before deciding to rent this one from Netflix, as I saw some pretty negative ratings popping up for this. But I have enjoyed other films made by Shyamalan, and I am kind of a sucker for science fiction. I actually thought this one was pretty good, it held my interest, went by fast (meaning I wasn't bored), and I really liked the look and feel of it. A flaw I could mention - though this is a thriller, I didn't find the film particularly scary or feel as much tension as you would hope for in a film such as this, but it is a film that gets you thinking. Rating - 7 to 8/10 stars
Review - The story, somewhat implausible - but the film is very stylishly done with fluid camerawork that gave me a feeling of nearness by the mysterious unknown toxin that you can't see, but that moves quietly through the air. Windy fields and trees tracked at rapid pace by the camera, sky full of scudding clouds, hand-held camera moving up, around, and through groups of people, lots of extreme facial close-ups - all very atmospheric. I gave a bit of a pause before deciding to rent this one from Netflix, as I saw some pretty negative ratings popping up for this. But I have enjoyed other films made by Shyamalan, and I am kind of a sucker for science fiction. I actually thought this one was pretty good, it held my interest, went by fast (meaning I wasn't bored), and I really liked the look and feel of it. A flaw I could mention - though this is a thriller, I didn't find the film particularly scary or feel as much tension as you would hope for in a film such as this, but it is a film that gets you thinking. Rating - 7 to 8/10 stars
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