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
Sunday, November 30, 2008
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
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