Them!-1954 What makes this movie timeless? Why is it so darn good? It starts from the start that's when a young girl (Sandy Descher); shocked and speechless, clutches a doll as she walks through the desert. It's tough to find a better start in any film regardless of genre, and The writing is top notch, as is the acting especially James Whitmore and Edmund Gwenn. Mr. Gwen had serious health problems during the shooting.. Joan Weldon (the lovely scientist)had this to say: ". . . he (Mr. Gwenn)was in great pain. He was crippled with arthritis. But when they said, "Camera! Action!", you'd never know that there was a thing wrong with him. ...and the moment they said "Cut!", he'd just crumble." Them! is more than just the best 'big bug' movie. It's an excellent movie that has never disappointed me from when I first saw it beaucoup decades ago up to last Friday. And I still get bummed out by what happens to James Whitmore. It's a classic, what else can I say?
Wag The Dog-1997 An insipid, banal, trivial piece of tripe. What was the purpose of this movie? Political satire? David Mamet wrote this? It must have been in his sleep. A quick pay day for some actors? Who knows. I've written enough.
The Spanish Prisoner-1997 Years ago I went with the flow of the movie. This time around the film noticeably changed from a story with good cast, good writing, good acting to a ridiculously implausible film that bordered on the laughable. It's usually one deux machina per film, the finest example might be the repeating record in "Brighton Rock." With The Spanish Prisoner it's one deux maching after another and either you permanently suspend your disbelief or scream, "Basta!" The acting is fine, Campell Scott and Steve Martin is excellent as is Rebecca Pidgeon. I did like the last exchange between Susan (Rebeca) and Joe (Campbell). The Spanish Prisoner is worth a look, but if you want a much better Mamet film check out House of Games.
Picnic At Hanging Rock (1975 ) loosely draws on an incident in the late 1880s when two Australian school girls went missing, one girl did return, and their chaperone, while hiking up the Rock. The last we see of them is entering a tunnel like crevice. After days of searching only one girl is found alive. This being an all girls school set in the Victorian era there are themes of sexual repression, rebellion and awareness.
There are no reasons given for their disappearance, no suspects and no motives. The girls were there and then they were not. We were never meant to find out and in the words of one character, "There are some questions for which there are no answers." And so it seems here. As I do with movies I looked at some of the reviews on IMDB. I came across this which, in my opinion, for the most party, coincides with mine. This is from a MissRosa: "The central vision of the film is enigma, the void, mystery. "The hand that erases writes the true thing" If there must be a meaning, it is that nothingness is the biggest threat of all. .. We fear our disappearance." And in accordance to my thoughts: "In Picnic, there was no villain, no enemy, no fall guy, no perpetrator, process or predicament that we could blame for the girls' disappearance. They simply disappeared. And that is the scariest nightmare of all."
This was Director Peter Weir's first film and he paints a thoughful and sobering portrait of hopelessness and the fruitlessness of eternal struggle.
There are no reasons given for their disappearance, no suspects and no motives. The girls were there and then they were not. We were never meant to find out and in the words of one character, "There are some questions for which there are no answers." And so it seems here. As I do with movies I looked at some of the reviews on IMDB. I came across this which, in my opinion, for the most party, coincides with mine. This is from a MissRosa: "The central vision of the film is enigma, the void, mystery. "The hand that erases writes the true thing" If there must be a meaning, it is that nothingness is the biggest threat of all. .. We fear our disappearance." And in accordance to my thoughts: "In Picnic, there was no villain, no enemy, no fall guy, no perpetrator, process or predicament that we could blame for the girls' disappearance. They simply disappeared. And that is the scariest nightmare of all."
This was Director Peter Weir's first film and he paints a thoughful and sobering portrait of hopelessness and the fruitlessness of eternal struggle.
Queen of Spades (1949)is a lavish, opulent, costume drama set in Imperial Russia of 1802 where the rage is a card game called faro which looks to be a variation of the children's card game of war. Some countess who needed money sold her soul so she could win at cards and she's lived a nice life through her success at faro. There's a poor Captain who wants to get ruble rich so he plans on getting her secrets. In the end he does. This is a very highly rated movie and many reviewers gave it 10/10. It did not resonate for me but with such a discrepancy and with me being an outlier this film might get another look from me in the future.
Once Were Warriors-1994 The film is not an easy watch but is worth it. Jake (Temura Morrison) is violent, brutish and abusive. His wife Beth (Rena Owen) puts up with his beatings, for as it's stated several times, its part of a woman's lot. While Jake and Beth are both Maori descendent, Jake has been urbanized. He knows little of his own culture, while Beth is proud of her background. While there is a clash between the Anglo and Maori cultures the emphasis is between those who hold fast to their culture and those who have lost it. Jake's presence forebodes imminent violence. The scenes at the public tavern (public=sans women) are realistic. Having been in the public houses in Australia it conjured up memories and smell of spilled beer, vomit and urine. Saw this years ago and it's lost none of its effectiveness. There are also, some nice scenes of young Maoris being taught different versions of the Haka.
Move over Plan 9 From Out Space and make room for A Ghost Story.-2017 I hate to be so blunt but this movie stinks. Ed Wood and his movies brings to mind "To thine own self be true," and that's what Mr. Wood and "Plan 9...." represent. They are what they are. A Ghost Story is sheer pretentiousness. The movie's purpose, I guess, was to address some cosmic absolute or the absurdity of such. But, does it have to be slow moving, tedious and boring? There's a monologue mid-way in the film, meant to be philosophical, I suppose,that doesn't pass muster as psycho-babble and instead is drivel. There is a scene that made me laugh until I cried. The ghost of another house, also covered with a white bed sheet converses with the lead ghost of the movie. F-Troop would be jealous. I've spent enough time on this movie. The film should be staple on those "MTS3K" shows.
Apt Pupil-1998 Brad Refro (Bully )plays a high school student who discovers that a Nazi War criminal (Ian McKellen) living in his neighborhood. In lieu of turning him he wants the Nazi to tell him the truth about the camps, not just what the books tell him. It's a great premise but falls flat, flat flat. The ill-fated Renfro is a match for the great Sir Ian in this movie. Despite these two great actors, with a great story line, the movie disappoints. It's one of those 'could have been a contenders. That's my opinion yours may differ.
Personal Affair-1953 A young girl (Glynnis Johns) is infatuated with her English prof (Leo Genn) and then goes missing. The town is agahst, accusations fly against the prof, his wife (Gene Tierney who looks stunning) isn't happy. This could have been an excellent movie esp. with that cast, and could have with a better director and a better supporting cast. Ms. Johns Daddy looks as concerned over his missing daughter as he might over a misplaced Meershaum pipe. BTW, IMO Mr. Genn bears a resemblance to Rbt. Newton and Ms. Tierney looks as good as she did in the 40s.
Waterloo Bridge-1931-This was a very good movie directed by James Whale and that should be all the recommendation any film needs. I was impressed by Douglass Montgomery's performance. I bought his all-shucks Boy Scout persona 100% and it was a great contrast to Mae Clark's role as the prostitute Myra. Her meeting his family was not as I expected. They were very nice people and it's easy to see how Roy (Mr. Montgomery) turned out to be the gentleman he was. The scene with Myra and Roy's Mom was touching. Lest I forget Mae Clark was great. Check out her reaction when the ever gallant Roy twice kisses her hand.
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo-2011- David Fincher seems to have a very popular base of fans that was built with his films Se7en and Fight Club. This boring movie could have been called the filmthat would never end. Talk about a boring movie! For for two hours and thirty-eight minutes you could watch Raw Deal and Detour. The part where the Girl gets the money out of the off-shore accounts is laughable. In my opinion that entire sequence should have been sped up with Benny Hill music in the background. I know it's a remake but right now the only thing I want to see from Sweden is the Swedish Bikini Team.
Predestination-2014 WOW! Great movie! Ethan Hawke is a time traveler who needs to whack someone in the past to save the present. That person is played by Sarah Snook. Some say it's similar to Inception and Looper but I disagree. The film based on Robert Heinlein's short story is a bona fide mindjammer and addresses sexual identity that makes this as pertinent and relevant as any thing today. It's not based on the any particular ideology but the fertile and imaginative mind of Heinlein. I later came up with a conclusion to the ending that makes sense, to me at least. The less said the better as it needs to be seen and not explained. Sarah Snook was fantastic and if awards were based on acting alone she certainly deserved a few.
Stations West-1948 Dick Powell plays a fed who goes out West to investigate gold shipments being robbed. Jane Greer is the bad guy's moll and she runs a saloon. (What else?"His Marlowe schtick falls flat. Robert Conrad would do the wild West government agent much better in The Wild Wild West television show. much better years later. Jane Greer is wasted, Raymond Burr tries his best. It's best to remember and re-visit the three stars in Murder, My Sweet, Out Of The Past and Too Late For Tears.
Deathdream-1974 Director Bob Clark's (A Christmas Story) is s a very good chiller/horror film as well as a metaphor of the Vietnam War. Andy (Richard Backus) is killed in Vietnam at the moment his Mom is praying for his safety. The telegram of his death is hand delivered by a colonel friend of the family His Mom sits in a rocking chair, not believing the news and praying that Andy would come home. We tsee Andy getting a ride from a trucker, then we see him in a corner in his home. His family is elated and all seems fine; for a short while. Andy appears to be suffering from PTSD but for the sake of the movie supernatural. Andy becomes more withdrawn and gaunt. Backus is ghastly ghoulish in the role. He survives on the blood, he withdraws from his victims (he tells one: "I died for you. Why shouldn't you return the favor?" He shoots the blood in his veins, another metaphor of the results for many returning Vets. Deathdream is an excellent horror/chiller film but deeper is the tragedy of the war and those left behind; friends, neighbors and eventually in Andy's case the destruction of his family. Kudos to John Marley for an outstanding job as Andy's pop. Lynn Carlin as Mom was excellent. As she says at the wonderful, horrifying, and touching ending, "Andy's home. Some boys never come home."
Victim (1961) In London a group of socially elite gay men are being blackmailed where homosexuality is punishable by jail. A young working class lad, Boy Barrett, is also being blackmailed and robs to pay the blackmailers. He is caught but rather give up a man his lover hangs himself in his jail cell. His lover Melvin Farr (Dirk Bogarde) feels at fault for ignoring Barrett and not even wanting to talk to him. Understanding he will lose all he has even his marriage he searches for the blackmailers to bring them to justice. This film gives us a great look at the treatment of gays and does not fail to infuse the movie with social commentary. It presents what appears to be a relatively gay enclave where straights are relatively tolerant and the 'queers' (as they were called ) are part of the working community. It is also a very good mystery. We are unsure of the blackmailers until the very end and it is a study of a man willing to sacrifice everything to give justice for a boy he ignored and for whom, he would admit to his wife (Sylvia Sims in a great scene), he had feelings. Bogarde again is excellent, in fact the whole cast is very good. Not a clunker among them. This was a good follow up to Bogarde's The Hunted and cemented his reputation as a serious, 'mature' actor.
The Island of Dr. Moreau.-1996 Is this the Mother of all FUBAR movies? I gave up on it the first two times the third attempt. was a charm. It's a fun movie If not taken seriously. It starts off pretty good UNTIL M.Brando makes the scene then it's one ----show after another. Brando didn't want to be there, Kilmer was a jerk and Director Richard Stanleywas fired after four days. He did however sneak back onto the set in dog-man mask. Kudos to Faruiza Balk for doing her best. To see Moreau offer his 'children' milk and cookies before they tear him apart is classic. Then there's Brando and his Mini Me. Watch the movie, don't take it seriously, Brando and Kilmer didn't. The documentary about the making of this movie is a must see. Both the movie and documentary are on Ok.Ru.
The Stranger In Between (1952). Young Robbie (John Whitely) runs from his abusive step-parents and seeks shelter in a bombed out basement where hides Chris (Dirk Bogarde) who has just killed his wife's lover. The panicky Chris runs and takes Robbie with him. It isn't long before Chris tries to persuade the boy to return home, but for the lad being on the run is better than his life at home. There's only so much that could be shown in '52 but the evidence of Robbie's physical abuse is shocking. The two fugitives form a bond. They flee through the Moors up to a Scottish fishing village. There are a lot of location shots and it's easy to see this as a precursor of the UK 'kitchen sink" genre. Dirk Bogarde is fantastic and should be on everyone's best actor's list. Seven year old John Whitely acts with a maturity far beyond his age. This is definitely worth watching.
Not of This Earth.Classic low-budget sci-film by Roger Corman and my personal favorite of Corman's films. A visitor from a dying planet scopes out Earth for suitable blood donors to replenish their pastures of pleasure. These are stockyards where conquered peoples from other planets are put so the bad guys can feast. Look for Corman regulars Dick Miller and Jonathan Haze, then there's Beverly Garland and Paul Birch who walked out in disgust before filming was done. There's a lot of comic touches and some scary ones as well.
Carnival of Souls-(1962)-Like many boomers in the NYC Metropolitan Area I saw Carnival of Souls WOR-TV's Million Dollar Movie. It was for years a cult classic and rose in stature to the point where Criterion added it to its list of movies.
. Director Herk Harvey directed hundreds of industrial/educational films but this was his only feature film. With the exception of Candace Hiligos (who played Mary and was very good) the cast was comprised of local actors with varying experience. This would be for them, as it was with Mr. Harvey, their first and only feature film. The bulk of the movie was filmed in Lawrence, KS and Salt Lake City. It cost $30,000 to finance, two weeks to film and two weeks to edit, and in many ways it shows it. However the film is well-directed, expertly photographed and has several top notch scenes. A great scene is one that upon only one viewing will stick with you forever, and that's the case with the brilliant danse macabre of the lost souls. It is as chilling now as it was then and IMO is one of the finest scenes of any horror/suspense movie.
The film brings to mind the TZone episode The Hitch-Hiker with Inger Stevens as the survivor of a car crash haunted by a spectral figure. The biggest drawback for 'Carnival..."is that unlike Ms. Stevens in The Hitch-Hiker, Herk doesn't let Mary (Candace Hilligoss) show emotion or attempt to elicit any sympathy for herself. It's one thing for Mary to cut herself off from people and the world but it's another when the actor (as directed) does the same to the audience. Still, it's a movie worth watching.
. Director Herk Harvey directed hundreds of industrial/educational films but this was his only feature film. With the exception of Candace Hiligos (who played Mary and was very good) the cast was comprised of local actors with varying experience. This would be for them, as it was with Mr. Harvey, their first and only feature film. The bulk of the movie was filmed in Lawrence, KS and Salt Lake City. It cost $30,000 to finance, two weeks to film and two weeks to edit, and in many ways it shows it. However the film is well-directed, expertly photographed and has several top notch scenes. A great scene is one that upon only one viewing will stick with you forever, and that's the case with the brilliant danse macabre of the lost souls. It is as chilling now as it was then and IMO is one of the finest scenes of any horror/suspense movie.
The film brings to mind the TZone episode The Hitch-Hiker with Inger Stevens as the survivor of a car crash haunted by a spectral figure. The biggest drawback for 'Carnival..."is that unlike Ms. Stevens in The Hitch-Hiker, Herk doesn't let Mary (Candace Hilligoss) show emotion or attempt to elicit any sympathy for herself. It's one thing for Mary to cut herself off from people and the world but it's another when the actor (as directed) does the same to the audience. Still, it's a movie worth watching.
The Stunt Man-1980-I love movies within a movie. It could be comedic like After The Fox or a horror/thriller a la Mulholland Drive. Saw two the past couple of weeks. Peter O'Toole plays is a tyrannical director (O'Toole says he modeled him after David Lean) who won't let the death of a stunt man stop his production. So he hires a felon on the run, Steven Railsback, to replace him. The ending could have been better, the film is a fine homage to those faceless risk takers; the stunt men without whom there would be little action in action movies. Railsback is always good and in this film he plays a man on the verge of a psychotic break down that could end in extreme violence which would be right in Railsback's wheel-house. BTW...both Railsback and Macho Man Randy Save sound very similar.
Lawrence of Arabia-1962-Call me Captain Obvious but Lawrence of Arabia is one of the finest movies ever made. It is a spectacle of a film that would make Cecil B.DeMille proud. It's almost an injustice to watch this other than on a big movie screen and preferably on IMAX. I never had a clue that camels could be ridden like horses and the cavarly charges were right up there with any Western. Loved Anthony Quinn. The guy definitely had a big screen persona. T.E. was a very interesting character and I wish there had been more detail into his life. Speculation is that on the day he died he was on his way to meet some English muckety muck to arrange a deal with Hitler. This was in 1935 and the National Socialists were nowhere as strong as they would be in a couple of years. Who knows what might have happened? It's definitely a movie not to be missed.
Distant Journey-1949-A Czechoslovakian film about the Holocaust. The film focuses on the marriage between a Jew and Gentile and the pressures they endure. The Gentile husband is temporarily safe while the relatives of his Jewish wife suffer as hers are sent to Thereisenstadt. Thereisenstadt is used as a front to mask the horrors of the extermination camps. It is where Jews are put into their own self-governing, semi-independent work camp. When the film begins we see the family closet is filled with suits and jackets and coats with the Star of David sewn on them. Near the film's end there is only one left. There is a scene of an old German Jew tears flowing down his face as he holds his Iron Cross won for bravery in the First World War. With the memory of the horrors of the war still fresh there are no scenes of violence, which makes it atypical. Director Alfred Radok intersperses clips from documentaries including Triumph of The Will. There are a lot of great innovative techniques that catch our attention and add to the theme of the movie. It's a very good movie and definitely worth a look.
L.A. Confidential-1991-What a movie! It's a bit long but the acting was great. Could this be Crowe's best film? I've no problem with Spacey's acting and he came through big time, same with DeVito, Straithan, Pearce and Basinger. Was there ever a bigger crumb than James Cromwell's character? There is so much going on here what with the heroin, the prostitutes made to look like movie stars, police corruption which seemed to be as much a requisite to being a cop as carrying a badge. Based on a novel by James Ellroy it takes a cynical look at the sausage making that goes into Hollywood. There are several shots of a movie marquee where The Bad and The Beautiful are playing. This had to be an inside joke as that movie about scandalous Hollywood was a full blown Hollywood production and whatever transpired as controversial about Tinsel Town was made palpable for the audience. Ms. Lana Turner happened to be in both movies, one as an actress the other as herself. This is movie that should be seen by everyone....at least once.
Marked Woman-1937-This film is based on the trial of Lucky Luciano prosecuted by Thomas Dewey. It stars Humphrey Bogart, Bette Davis and Eduardo Cianelli. Bogart and Davis are enough to watch it. Kudos to Cianelli who does a very good job of playing Johnny Vanning who is based on Lucky Luciano. At this time in NYC history the mafia had expanded from a local bunch of thugs extorting Italian immigrants to almost a shadow government, (thank you temperance groups). Cianelli is no mobster, he's a businessman. Cianielli's portrayal might very well have influenced Alexander Scourby's Mike Lagana in The Big Heat and Brando's Don Coreleone in The Godfather. On a side note, Thomas Dewey is mostly forgotten today but certainly did more than The Untouchables to fight organized crime.and is on a par with Rudy Giuliani in that respect. Robert Rossen's first screenplay was a big plus as well. Not a bad movie at all and one worth watching.
The Last Seduction--1994-A long time neo-noir favorite and another neo-noir classic by Director John Dahl (Red Rock West being the other) that I revisited. At times it dragged but the last five or six minutes is very intense. The story and dialogue could have come from a Jim Thompson novel. Good performances all the way around. Linda Fiorentino is pure evil, Peter Berg plays the male chump to perfection. It has a nice, subdued and not over-done jazz score. The revisit only reinforced my opinion that this is an excellent film and Ms. Fiorentino is easily among the best of all the femme fatales in Hollywood.
Temptation Harbour-1947 -Robert Newton plays an honest, hard-working man(Bert) trying to raise his daughter the right way. He sees two men fighting over a parcel one is stabbed and falls into the river with the parcel. Bert retrieveshe parcel which hold 5,000 quid. His initial thought is to turn it in, but he hesitates. And thus begins his dilemma. The film stuck in my mind after watching it and that's a big positive. Bert's life is further complicated when the killer comes after him. It is further complicated when carvinal performer, the lovely, Simone Simon, inveigles her way into his life. There are more complications but I don't want to give away of the story. This could have been a good movie but it lacked a good director to tie all the loose ends together. This could have been an excellent movie but there are too many minor faults. Robert Newton is excellent and one can feel his stress in either doing the right thing or keeping the money. Ms. Simon is undeniably sexy. The film is based on a Georges Simenon novel and that may account for the complexity. Theatmoshperic cinematography puts a nice noir touch and the great, gritty location shots add nice noir touches to the film. It's worth a look if only to check out Robert Newton's brilliant performance.
If you're a fan of the old school P.I.'s of Hammett, and Chandler and the well produced B noirs of the 40s then Small Town Crime is the film for you. John Hawkes is the lead who plays a disgraced ex-cop trying to get back on the force. He finds a badly beaten young woman in the desert where he slept off a drunk. She is taken to the hospital where she later dies. He embarks on a crusade to find the killer(s). The film is bereft of major stars but is chock full of talented character and supporting actors. What could have been a confuluted film innunated with filler is expertlessly navigated through the film under the direction of the Nelm Brothers. I liked this movie a lot.
The Voyeurs-2021-WAWOT(what a waste of time) This from a review om IMDB of the film by a sage person which I've taken to heart. ""Amazon originals you've never heard of are almost guaranteed to be terrible. This is no exception." Attractive Sydney Sweeny and her almost as attractive boyfriend's apartment is directly across that of another apartment. They are shocked when they see, and see again, and continually see the volatile relationship of another attractive couple across the street. They try to help but we all know what paved the road to Hell. Refer back if you would to the opening lines of this summarization.
The VVitch--A great psychological horror story set in colonial New England. The film is based on actual accounts of colonists who were thought to be 'witched' (victims of 'witchcraft.' ) A family of six is forced out due to their religious beliefs and they build a home at the edge of a forest. The film's horror starts with the abduction of an infant. A little later we see the infant sacrificeD by a 'witch' of the forest. The seven year old twins accuse older sister played by Anya Taylor-Joy of being a witch and she in return accuses them. One by one the remaining members become victims of the evil spirit(s) of the forest and the terror and suspense itensifies in this terrifying film of Who's The Witch. I definitely recommend this intense film. Robert Eggers also directed did The Lighthouse, another psychological horror story based on a true account where lighthouse keepers turn on each other. In both films Eggers gets brilliant performances from the actors. turn on each other. Eggers and his cinematographer Jarin Blaschke, who worked on both films, may be the modern equivalent of Anthony Mann and John Alton. I hope Mr. Eggers can refrain from doing a comic book movie.
Midway (2019) A pleasant surprise. The film does a good job of detailing the most important battle of the Pacific theatre. IMO, there's too much CGI but that's the nature of the beast these days. Director Roland Emmerich ensures that the heroism of the pilots is well documented. This battle should be remembered as any in our nation's history. Churchill's, "never have so many...etc" was meant for the Battle of Britain but it's more than applicable for the American pilots. What a country we have to have produced such men. Film also goes into some, but not enough, background of how the Japanese code was broken. I recommend this.
Old Boy...Spike Lee remake of the Korean film. Arrogant, obnoxious Joe Doucett (Josh Brolin) is kidnapped and wakes in a cell where's he's fed a daily diet of Chinese food. He learns he has been framed for the murder of his wife. After 20 years he escapes and hunts for the murderer. It's an okay film. It has some deep, dark over-tones and a heck of an ending that is very distressful. There are a few ridiculous scenes where Josh takes on ten, twenty, thirty, forty or more thugs and dispatches them with ease. Samuel Jackson co-stars and mother-effs his way in stereotypical Samuel Jackson fashion.
The Suspect. Robert Siodmak directed, Charles Laughton and Ella Raines are the leads and that should be enough recommendation. That's you know and all you really need to know. But to be on the safe side; Charles Laughton is Philip Marshall a well to do businessman unhappily married to the harridan of all harridans,(Rosalind Ivan). Mary Gray (Ella Raines) applies for a job but there are no openings. She is depressed and unemployed. Charles solaces her and that leads to an unlikely platonic relationship that leads to love. The harridan finds out and threatens scandal, and to make things worse his drunken, low life of a neighbor (Henry Daniell) finds out and blackmails him. Ella Raines has never looked better. The chemistry between her and Laughton is such that their relationship does not stretch creduility but comes across as natural and believable. Laughton gives an understated, nuanced performance of a man who for too long has lived a life of quiet desperation. I definitely recommend this.
The Guilty-1947-A Republic Film based on a Cornell Woolrich story is enough recommendation enough. With Woolrich the emphasis is on plot and often there are massive plot holes that best be over-looked for the film to work. When given a good cast and screen writers his stories are bona fide gems. Phantom Lady, The Window, Night Has A Thousand Eyes, Black Angel, are but a few examples. As for the movie; there are twin sisters, one is good the other is bad, one gets killed and there are suspects but who killed her? If you can get over the low budget production, and the poor print then check it out.
1917. Director Sam Mendes does an excellent job of showing the conditions in the trenches. I liked the difference between the German and English trenches. Mr. Mendes does not show the gore and carnage of going over the top instead we wind along the trenches and get a feel for how those soldiers lived. The story is about an British battalion that has been suckered into believing the Germans have retreated. In response the Brits will occupy that territory. The Boche plan on slaughtering them once they take the bait. One might think the British High Command is doing a great humanitarian service but I think the reason is they need the 1,600 men to face potential slaughter on another front. After all a few months later in August the British lost 20,000 men in day at the Somme. Director Mendes lists among his films American Beauty, Road To Perdition, Skyfall and Jarhead.
Malice-(1993-1hr 47min)- If you liked Alec Baldwin as the messenger from Murray in Glengarry Glen Ross you'll love him as the doctor with the God complex. Nicole Kidman is Tracy married to Andy (Bill Pullman). Kidman's femme fatale makes Linda Fiorentino from The Last Seduction look like a PTA Mom (remember them?) There was however a certain charm, a perverse likeability about Fiorentino which cannot be said about Kidman's character.
Every movie needs at least one stand out scene and Malice has two. One is the "I am God" monologue wonderfully delivered by Baldwin, and the other is the scene with Anne Bancroft. It brings to mind classic film noir scenes by Esther Howard, Thelma Ritter and Josephine Hutchinson. It's an integral part of a movie that is definitely worth multiple viewings. The film demands a suspension of disbelief that permeates the entire film from beginning to end. Still, Malice is a very good neo-noir and I recommend it.
Every movie needs at least one stand out scene and Malice has two. One is the "I am God" monologue wonderfully delivered by Baldwin, and the other is the scene with Anne Bancroft. It brings to mind classic film noir scenes by Esther Howard, Thelma Ritter and Josephine Hutchinson. It's an integral part of a movie that is definitely worth multiple viewings. The film demands a suspension of disbelief that permeates the entire film from beginning to end. Still, Malice is a very good neo-noir and I recommend it.
The Captain. 2017-German w/English sub-titles. Two weeks before the end of WW2 a German private (Max Hubacher) deserts and comes across an abandoned vehicle where in the back seat lies the uniform of a German captain. He discards his uniform for that of the Captain. It isn't long before he becomes a dictatorial, murdering sycopath obsessed by power. He bluffs his way through check points and then ironically becomes the head of a camp where German deserters are held.. He has no problem in enlisting other German soldiers, sadists and Nazi fanactics to do his bidding as he denigrates, beats and executes German soldieres who were caught for doing the same thing as he did. One can see this a metaphor for Hitler's (a WW1 Corporal) rise to power. The end of Nazi Germany did not bring an end to insanity. The ending of film is definitely surreal and quite a surprise for now mum's the word. It's definitely worth a look.
"The Grey Zone. Come and see; "The Grey Zone is nothing less than a modern day level of Hell. Based on the only prisoner revolt in a concentration camp in 1944 Dir. Tim Blake Nelson's film has no hero's no feel-good moments and no manipulation of emotions. The participants of the revolt are Sonderkommandos; Jewish prisoners who worked in tandem with the Nazi guards in the liquidation Jews. The escorted them from the trains to the 'showers' where they were gassed, they burned them in huge crematoriums, collected and disposed of their ashes. In return they were spared the gas for ninety days pilfered the personal belongings of the deceased lived and more privileges not given to the others. Tim Blake Nelson worked on the screenplay but much of the film comes directly from the memoirs of Nikolas Nyziszil a Jewish doctor who worked with Joseph Mengele.
"Schindler's List. S.Kubrick said of SL: "Think that's about the Holocaust? That was about success, wa"Sc"Schindler's List." S.Kubrick said of SL: "Think that's about the Holocaust? That was about success, wasn't it? The Holocaust is about 6 million people who get killed. Schindler's List is about 600 who don't." Of course it's a very good film, but there were too many scenes where our emotions are maniuplated. It's great we learned about Schindler, and that for every Heydrich, Himmler there were scores of Anon Goeth's who eagerly followed their directives. I was touched by Schindler pointing out objects he could have sold to buy one life, or ten lives. His efforts, meager as they may seem to have been at the moment, are shown to be substantial (a theme of the movie) as the descendents of Schindler's Jews are shown paying respects at his resting place. Goeth is a monster, a low level monster and this evilness is evident when he commences the destruction of Krakow. He details the history of how for six hundred years Jews flourished in the town, they were artisans, successful businessmen, proficient in the fine arts, their religion and culture flourished and how by midnight 6 centuries of their history will be a rumor.h
Seven Keys To Baldpate-1947- From a story by Earl Der Biggers (Charlie Chan) and a play by George Cohan (Yankeed Doodle Dandy). An author is given the only key to spend a night finishing a book to win 5K. But six others have the other only keys. A very good supporting cast, the leads are fine. The movie reminded me of those crime/comedy films with Abbott and Costello and this would have been an excellent addition. I intend on watching the version done in 1927.
Kiss The Blood Off My Hands. Good example of bait and switch. It's a shame that a great title was wasted on this movie. Set in London but filmed in studio lots in Hwood, which explains why there is little if any bombed out sites."Kiss...supplants"Dead Recokoning"as my all time dog of a movie with big name stars and reasonably sized budget
Best Seller-1987 James Woods is a hit man for a large corporation. Brian Dennehy is a worn out detective who also writes crime books but has hit a writer's block. Woods approaches him with a plot that is a definite best seller; his career as a hit man and he's naming names. This movie has held up well since I first saw it decades ago. It's a wonderful movie and the inter-action between Woods and Dennehy is great. Directed by John Flynn who did The Outfit. The film has a Michael Mann feel to it. James Woods is always great it seems, and he doesn't get nearly enough attention for his talents.
Mr. Monk's Last Case. Monk fans will enjoy, to what extent I'm not sure, this film when we see Monk after COVID effectively negated all the progress we saw at the show's finale. Stottlemyer is back, as is Randy, as is Trudy, but alas, no Sharona. The show has a lot of funny moments. The scenes with Monk and his publisher played by Shaloub's real life wife Brooke Adams is a standout. For me the gems were those with Monk and his psychaitrist (Hector Elizondo.) The original series was running on fumes for it's last two seasons and alas this movie seems to be a continuation of that trend. Still, it is worth a watch and there are more than enough moments to make us realize what a funny, witty and creative show this once was. And, BRING BACK SHARONA.
The Outfit-1973. Robert Duvall is released from prison for time served in a bank robbery. His goal is to get the money owed to him and get the dirty rats who killed his brother. This is a pedal to the money neo-noir that save for the last ten minutes or so keeps on keeping on. The film is a direct homage to the classics of the 40s, and it has: Jane Greer, Marie Windsor, Ray Rogers, Elisha Cook Jr and...trumpets blaring..Timothy Carey. Modern day stars in addition to Mr. Duvall are Joe Don Baker and Karen Black. 1 hour and 43 minutes is a bit too long. At times it reminded me of Raw Deal in its single mindedness of plot and anataganist. It is definitely a film I recommend. I checked Director John Flynn's and he also did one of my favorites, Best Seller.
Sicario: Day of the Soldado. Not a bad sequel to the original. Brolin and del Toro reprise their roles. Great beginning as we learn the cartel's biggest money maker is human trafficing, especial Islamic terrorists. And therein lies the problem as that should have been the focus. Instead it centers on the situation of one individual and the film is rather pedestrian when it could have been a lot more. As as action thriller it's pretty good.
American Murderer. Film is about Jason Derek Brown a con man who executed a security guard and has been on the run for 18 years, but not to worry the FBI is in hot pursuit. Brown's story had been on several crime shows and I'm sure they were all better than this movie. No detail about his background, no detail as to how he scammed people. If you want to know about this guy check it out, as I did, on Wikipedia. Too bad the producers didn't. Director Gentile has turned a good story with an iteresting yet amoral character into something and someone boring and unwatchable.
Godzilla Minus One. Saw it once and it made an immediate positive impression. "Godzilla' is probably the biggest, scariest, macguffin in all of filmdom. They took the original roar and magnified it a few times and it sounds terrifying. There are some real nice additions to the creature which are very good. This is a movie that kids of all ages, even geezers, can appreciate.
The Last Samurai. First time look at a great epic about the penultimate clash between the old Japan represented by Samurai and it'scode of Bushido with that of Japan's Westernization. Give cinematographer John Toll a whole lot of credit as the photography is fantastic. The film did great in Japan who liked the historical accuracy of the time period and the Samurai way of life. Tom Cruise is good, as he usually is, but it's the cinematography that makes the movie. This internal conflict was still evident in WW2 and would be settled once and for all on August 9, 1945.
Come and See. This is not an easy watch, nor should it be. Released to commemorate the 40th Anniversary of the Great Patriotic War it follows a young boy (Aleksey Kravchenko) who joins Belorussian partisans to fight the Germans. We follow him from the time he joins the partisans to the horrific (yet all too true ending of the film.) It should be noted that not all Belorussians were anti-fascists as many, and they were often the worst, fought alongside them. The horrors of the war are brilliantly conveyed to us through closeups of terror on Aleksy's face. No one suffered more in WW2 than the peasant class of the rural villages in Eastern Europe. This look at racial and tribal wafare is still with us today.
The Menu is a vacuous, all style no substance about 'guests' invited to a fancy dinner by the best chef (Ralph Fiennes) in the world at his best restaurant in the world. Ana Joy Taylor is the everyday common person who earns her keep as an escort for the rich, the very rich, and the very, very rich. We get a bunch of guests who somehow offended the chef (sans Ms. Taylor) who get their just desserts. There was a potentially workable sub-plot regarding AJT's date but nothing is made of it. House on Haunted Hill was much better of this particular sub-genre (the mad rich/genius and or vindictive person invites a group of disparate guests to become the victims of his evil perfidy.) Satire is tough when the subject is inherently satirical. Lord, Love A Duck, Dr. Strangelove even Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein are better. As for subtle pokes at the hoi polloi? I submit Laura. When it comes to Menu there is no there there.
The Kings is a 4 episode documentary about four of the greatest fighters of all time: Marvelous Marvin Hagler, Thomas Hearns, Sugar Ray Leonard and Roberto Duran. They fought each other at least once and some twice. This is an excellent look at one of the best periods in boxing history and should be fail-safe, right? Almost. The good is that we have guys like Teddy Atlas, who is nothing like the persona he must play on ESPN, Al Bernstein and other boxing gurus giving us their boxing insights and knowledge. There are nice segments showing the boxers upbringing and early fights that propelled them to the top. We get to hear the boxers as they are today and there are more than enough clips of their bouts. BUT for some reason the producers chose to insert their own political biases into each episode often for five, ten minutes at a time. Many reviewers of opposite ideologies to mine said the same. Another minus is there is only a brief mention of the Marvelous one's passing at the end of the series. Not even a picture of him perhaps enjoying the good life in Italy. Nonetheless boxing fans should check it out.
Against The Tide is a very good documentary about a game that changed football in the SEC. USC was a power house Alabama was rebuilding. On paper it was a mismatch and mismatch it was. USC was the first integrated team to play in the state of Alabama. Alabama had recruited Wilbur Jackson but at that time frosh had to sit out a year. The Tide had a couple black walk-ons but this beat down by USC would accelerate the recruiting of black players. The injustices and racism in the state were shown through actual footage. The scenes were horrific so no need to pontificate and for that credit to the makers. The documentary touches on another cataclysmic event that would happen when Bama visited USC; Bama's switch to the most fun formation ever; the wish-bone. It's a well done documentary. And even those with only a passing interest in football will like it.
Dare To Be Different. A loving look at 5,000 watt radio station WLIR in Long Island that may have been in the forefront of bringing New Wave to the East Coast. The documentary shows the musicians when back in the day when they made the music and thirty plus years later and we wonder where did the time go? The music is reason enough to watch it. There's a nice segment as they bring back some fans of the station to talk about the glory days of their local station. Although the impression given is that WLIR brought New Wave to the States. It seems KROQ was a year ahead of them
Margin Call wastes the talent of Kevin Spacey, Jeremy Irons and Stanley Tucci. It takes place the evening before the start of the financial crisis in 2008. The film is listless, boring, talkative displaying none of the turmoil that was to come. The director is from the school of 'tell don't show' and the dialogue is loaded with gems of..'eff you..eff me..eff this..eff them etc etc. The characters are neither hot or cold and as such they are easy to spit out or in this case ignore. Different opinions are welcome as I may have missed something.
Terminal List. Chris Pratt, a Seal Team Commander is the sole survivor of an ambush. He suspects foul play and he's right, and he wants to bring justice to those responsible. He makes a list of those who have to pay amped up to Navy Seal specifications. There are more twists and turns than one might find driving down Lombard Street. It was a good watch. The opening scene is great as he relates the Biblical tale of Gideon. There is some graphic violence but considering the topic it could have been a lot more.
A good start to the week w/Suspense. This oft recommended film has a lot going for it. It has four good leads, Barry Sullivan, Albert.Dekker, Belita and Bonita Granville. Dekker runs an icecapades show. Belita is his wife and star performer. Sullivan is a down on his luck huckster who gets a job selling peanuts and works his up to having an affair with Belita. Belita is a real gem. I saw the film a years ago and did not make that much of an impression, save for the fantastic opening skate routine that occurs early in the movie. There is a lot going on and in my case it needed a second viewing. IMO a more accomplished director was needed for this film. FWIW I do recommend it.
Things hit a snag when I suffered through 15 minutes of the putrid trash known as The Wolf of Wall Street. Things rebounded big-time with a great three part documentary; Where Are You D.B. Cooper? In my opinions D.B. is in the same legendary status as Davey Crockett and Jesse James. The documentary follows an obsessed journalist on a seemingly Quixotic chase trying to find the real identity of Mr. D.B. It explores the large following Cooper's legend has spawned, even a look at a Cooper Convention. And all is done with no smirking, no condescension. There is a nice description that goes into detail about everything D.B. had to do to jump out of the plane and survive; you thought pawn shop store fronts had large brass balls? Does the investigator discover the real D.B.? Maybe. Take a look.
Sudden Fear is often recommended and while and not great it is worth watching. At 1 hr and 50minutes it's a bit long. Ms. Crawford is a legendary actress starring in a new play. A leading man is needed. Palance auditions and gets rejected. He gets upset but it's an act, everybody is impressed and he gets the role ands Ms. Joan Crawford as well. Joan was excellent in this movie, and the same goes for Jack Palance who more than held his own in their many shared scenes. Gloria Grahame is in this and 'wowza' she is so bad I just wanna give her a big hug. There's a memorable scene with a mechanical dog. I recommend this.
Billions. Took four weeks to get through this HBO series, and that's with a lot of fast forwarding. The good? The first season with nice interplays with Damian Lewis, Paul Giamatti and Maggie Siff. The bad? Too many to mention but one would think that with fifty writers at least one could write a three line dialogue w/out the 'f' word nor injecting the character speaking in similes or inserting cultural references that many Boomers may not remember. Season 6 was an embarrassment. Season 7: Billions. I had to choose either to have my finger nails pulled out with a rusty plier or watch Billionsand I chose wrong. What a load of rubbish! Poor writing, a galaxy of actors whose range went from A to B, non-sensical plots, absolutely no one to root for. The saddest part? It got a review of 8.4.
Duets."Not as good as first time I saw it but still decent. Huey Lewis plays a karaoke hustler he attends the funeral of his wife and discovers he has a daughter. They go together on the karaoke circuit. Paul Giamatti is a salesman searching for meaning in life and what better way than to pick up an escaped con and head out on the karaoke circuit. He's not a bad singer and neither was Gwyneth Paltrow who Huey's daughter. The moral: don't try to hustle Huey Lewis in karaoke contests.
Out of The Past. Had to watch film to get rid of the bile built up by Billions and what could be better than this cinematic masterpiece? What more can be said other than it's a great film from beginning to end. There are no dead or uneven scenes. It's one of this country's best films PERIOD. Mitchum was fantastic of course, as was Jane Greer, and let's not forget Kirk Douglas and then there's Dickie Moore as the mute young boy who along with Bob laugh all the time. If you haven't then you owe it to yourself to watch this gem of a movie.
It was a manic Cronenberg Weekend. Back to the past with Scanners. People and things get blowed up real good, and the film has held up well these many years. It's a very mild movie and can be enjoyed on many levels. Michael Ironside was very good, and Jennifer O'Neill is gorgeous. This is one of those 'comfort food' types of film.
Videodrome is a dark, intense and gripping tale. Made when VHS and BETA were duking it out the film is deeply prescient. It portrayed a society beyond the pale of civilized society. It's prescient take back then to where it's now is akin to being a documentary. James Woods runs a small time Canadian TV station that specializes in soft-core porn and graphic violence. He picks up transmissions from a pirate TV station from Pittsburgh where he comes across a show that broadcasts torture and sex all the time. Nick Berg's decapitation may have been the first publicly seen 'snuff' but this film predicts what will come. Cronenberg's movies are not often an easy watch and Videodrome's virtual reality is not a game but rather a dangerous, mind-altering tool and the film takes the viewer, like Alice, on a trip down the rabbit hole The tag line, "Death to Videodrome-long live the new flesh," could very well be a clarion call to trans-humanism.
Three On A Match. This pre-code film focuses on the adult lives of three grade school friends and what friends! Bette Davis, Joan Blondell and Ann Dvorak. The film focuses on the states of Ms. Dvorak who was the popular, bound for success student . This film follows her downfall from a marriage to a wealthy lawyer (Warren William) to a life of debauchery, deprivation, drugs and degradation. Mervyn LeRoy directed this 1932 gem that runs for a 63 minutes which is enough time when there's a director who knows his stuff. Ms. Dvorak is tremendous. .