Citizen Rules...Cinemaesque Chat-n-Review

[Citizen Rules]

Don't get too excited over it:D...the best part of the film is it's ironicism (is that even a word?)

[gbgoodies]

Don't get too excited over it:D...the best part of the film is it's ironicism (is that even a word?)


Okay, but I'm still curious what movie it is, even if it's not a great movie.

[Citizen Rules]

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=25987&stc=1&d=1466468568
A Very Special Favor (1965)

Director: Michael Gordon
Cast: Rock Hudson, Leslie Caron, Charles Boyer
Length: 1h 45min
Genre: Comedy

Synopsis (spoiler free): In France during a court trial, two business men meet and agree to a rather tawdry arrangement. The older French man,(Charles Boyer) has not seen his daughter in 25 years, ever since she was taken to America as a little girl. When he finally travels to the USA and meets her, he discovers she's become a 30 year old prude...who doesn't know how to embrace life. Enter American business man and renowned ladies man, (Rock Hudson). As a favor to the father, Rock Hudson agrees to sweep his prudish daughter of her feet for a romantic interlude, that her father hopes will awaken her inner woman hood.

Review: That sounds pretty promising doesn't? But don't get too excited as the best thing about A Very Special Favor is it's premise. 1965 was the time of the 'swingers', and like a lot of mid 60's movies, this film alludes to a lot of swinging. But seeing how it's a movie made in a more innocent era, the 'swinging' is all mistaken identity...and that's where the humor comes from. If you ever seen the 70s TV show Three's Company, you've seen this movie.

http://orig02.deviantart.net/11fe/f/2014/046/1/1/leslie_caron_1965_carried_by_rock_hudson_by_slr1238-d76n8n6.jpg


Rock Hudson is a much better actor than people give him credit for, but here he's totally ill suited for the role of a hip cat, swinging bachelor who uses women like tissue paper then discards them. Frank Sinatra played this similar role in Pal Joey. Had Sinatra or Dean Martin been cast, this might have been an hilarious movie. But Rock Hudson is more serious, more subdued and just doesn't work here.

http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/images/reviews/190/1164158363.jpg


On an ironic note, Rock's character in the movie decides to pretend he's gay to teach a jilted woman a lesson...and so pretends to take a 'man' to a hotel room (actually his female secretary in a suit and tie). Which for 1965 probably raised some eyebrows.

There's lots of eye candy with sheik mod 1965 sets, and stunning women decked out in the latest fashions. Leslie Caron sports Yves Saint-Laurent fashions and looks simply smashing. Other than the fancy clothes, there's not much to see here.

rating_2_5
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[gbgoodies]

Believe it or not, I have seen A Very Special Favor. I watched it for the '60's countdown.

I think I liked it a little bit more than you did, but I agree that it's not a great movie. Here's a link to my review of it:

http://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1241484#post1241484

[Citizen Rules]

Ohh! I knew you had seen it:p... So you wrote in your review:

This is a very funny movie at times, but it's just a bit too far-fetched. There is too much going on in this movie that just doesn't make sense. For example, why would any father want his daughter to get involved with that kind of man? And how dumb does the psychologist have to be to believe his crazy stories? That's true...and I think that is the hallmark of mid 60s comedies, far out, far fetched. Sometimes it works good, but not with this movie.

Rock Hudson's acting is a bit over the top, especially when he first tells the doctor about Wanda. And there's little chemistry between the two of them. Dick Shawn doesn't get much screen time, but he's very funny as her wimpy fiancé when we get to see him. Good call, you're right Dick Shawn was funny, great character.

This movie is filled with some great acting talent, but it's definitely not the best movie for any of them. However if you're just looking for a fun movie and you can suspend belief for some of the craziness in the movie, it's a pretty good movie, but don't set your expectations too high. Agreed, I like all there actors but not so much in this movie. Of the three I liked Charles Boyer the best.

[TONGO]

And Bill Murray, who's really cool in this, doesn't even sound like FDR. Hell, he doesn't have to, the film is not going for a historical period piece feel.

Well if thats the case Im disappointed in Bill Murray for dropping the opportunity ball on that. If he had nailed FDRs voice, and was able to project the emotions necessary, that could have been a career changer. I know he always wanted to be in more dramas. Meh, hes probably just old now and couldnt give a ;)

[gbgoodies]

That's true...and I think that is the hallmark of mid 60s comedies, far out, far fetched. Sometimes it works good, but not with this movie.

Yeah, most rom-coms, (not just older ones), are far-fetched, but this one was more far-fetched than most others. It's a lot harder to suspend disbelief for this one because it's such an outrageous concept, and the characters do things that normal people probably wouldn't do.


Agreed, I like all there actors but not so much in this movie. Of the three I liked Charles Boyer the best.

Charles Boyer is probably the best in this movie, but overall, I like Rock Hudson the best in other movies.

[Citizen Rules]

I thought Bill Murray dropped the ball on imitating FDR for the first few minutes of the film too, then I could tell it wasn't one of those big period piece, historic-dramas and he wasn't trying to be an authentic FDR, he's more of an FDR inspired character.

It's just a little movie, done from a stage play on a weekend when the King and Queen arrived at FDR's mothers house.

I think Bill Murray is very good in this and he's likable too, which is important. If he played a straight FDR I'm not sure if the light comic tone would have worked.

Kenneth Branagh made a good FDR in Warm Springs (2005) (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0423510/)

[TONGO]

Kenneth Branagh made a good FDR in Warm Springs (2005) (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0423510/)

How did Cynthia Nixon do? Did his performance overpower her? She wouldnt be my first pick to play across from a Shakespearian actor.

[Citizen Rules]

My memory isn't that fresh on the movie, but I seem to recall I liked her as the life long partner and love interest of FDR. I don't remember not liking her, in fact I should watch that movie again and do a FDR movie sweep.

[Citizen Rules]

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=26014&stc=1&d=1466559193
A Guy Named Joe (Victor Fleming 1943)

Director: Victor Fleming
Writer: Dalton Trumbo (screenplay)
Cast: Spencer Tracy, Irene Dunne, Van Johnson
Genre: Fantasy Drama, Romance, War

Steven Spielberg, you know the famous director, this old movie is one of his favorites. He liked A Guy Name Joe so much that he remade it in 1989 as Always. Spielberg's love of this movie ever since he was a child, tell us something about the director and the kind of stories that captive him... This old film has charm, it has hope, it has adventure and it has heroic elements all combined with a good dose of fantasy. Hey if Spielberg likes this, you know it has to have some magic feel good moments.

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=26015&stc=1&d=1466559210


Any serious film buff should, watch Always (1989) then watch this one and see how Spielberg the director, seen story elements in the original film that he would then keep and incorporate into his own remake. Both film are similar and yet quite different too.

I liked this old movie...and what's not to like about it with it's highly personable cast including: Spencer Tracy playing Pete the reckless WWII pilot who ends up a ghost and his love, Dorinda played by charming Irene Dunn. After Pete manages to get himself killed sinking an enemy ship he then ends up in a flyers heaven, where his commander officer is a WWI pilot played by Lionel Barrymore. Pete is then sent back to earth to be a guardian angel to a new recruit who's just learning to fly military planes, Ted played by Van Johnson. And lets not forget the always likeable character actor, Ward Bond.

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=26016&stc=1&d=1466559231


I found the romance between Pete and Dorinda convincing and even more convincing was the romance between Ted and Dorinda... and that's despite the fact that Irene Dunn was 18 years older than Van Johnson.

Honorable mention to... the P38 Lighting, we get to see some actual footage of this famous U.S. plane in action, yahoo!

rating_3_5





.

[TONGO]

Great review theread Citizen! TONGO humbled.

[Citizen Rules]

Thanks Tongo!...One of these days I'm going to make an index of all my movie review titles with clickable links. I can't even remember sometimes what I've reviewed:D

[Gideon58]

But now don't expect a romantic movie, it's not that. And Bill Murray, who's really cool in this, doesn't even sound like FDR. Hell, he doesn't have to, the film is not going for a historical period piece feel.

So what is this then? Hyde Park on the Hudson is a nice, well done small film, shot in Britain...it's an enjoyable 94 minutes. It's not big and I doubt kids will like it. But I did.

rating_3_5+

Loved your review of this movie, Citizen...I wish I had watched it before I did my Bill Murray list...definitely adding it to my watchlist.

[Citizen Rules]

Thanks Gideon, it's a neat little movie, unpretentious but spirited...(damn that sounds like something one would say about wine.) I liked Bill Murray in it, it's worth the time to watch it.

[gbgoodies]

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=26014&stc=1&d=1466559193
A Guy Named Joe (Victor Fleming 1943)

Director: Victor Fleming
Writer: Dalton Trumbo (screenplay)
Cast: Spencer Tracy, Irene Dunne, Van Johnson
Genre: Fantasy Drama, Romance, War

Steven Spielberg, you know the famous director, well this old movie is one of his favorites. He liked A Guy Name Joe so much that he remade it in 1989 as Always. Spielberg's love of this movie ever since he was a child, tell us something about the director and the kind of stories that captive him...And that something is...as this old film has charm, it has hope, it has adventure and it has heroic elements all combined with a good dose of fantasy. Hey, if Spielberg likes this, you know it has to have some magic feel good moments.

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=26015&stc=1&d=1466559210


Any serious film buff should, watch Always (1989) then watch this one and see how Spielberg the director, seen story elements in the original film that he would then keep or discard in his own remake. Both film are similar and yet quite different.

I liked this old movie...and what's not to like about it with it's highly personable cast including: Spencer Tracy playing Pete the wreckless WWII pilot who ends up a ghost and his love, Dorinda played by charming Irene Dunn. After Pete manages to get himself killed sinking an enemy ship he then ends up in a flyers heaven, where his commander officer is a WWI pilot played by Lionel Barrymore. Pete is then sent back to earth to be a guardian angel to a new recruit who's just learning to fly military planes, Ted played by Van Johnson. And lets not forget the always likeable character actor, Ward Bond.

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=26016&stc=1&d=1466559231


I found the romance between Pete and Dorinda convincing and even more convincing was the romance between Ted and Dorinda... and that's despite the fact that Irene Dunn was 18 years older than Van Johnson.

Honorable mention to... the P38 Lighting, we get to see some actual footage of this famous U.S. plane in action, yahoo!

rating_3_5





.



Great review of A Guy Named Joe. I think you enjoyed this movie more than the remake because the wartime setting in this movie works for you, but I prefer the updated version where Pete is still a hotshot pilot, but it's not wartime. I also prefer Richard Dreyfuss as Pete over Spencer Tracy because I felt that Dreyfuss played the role more as being hurt by the new romance, but Tracy seemed more jealous of it.

I agree that the romance between Ted and Dorinda was much more convincing in this movie than in the remake. It's interesting to note that Van Johnson's role was almost recast after he was seriously injured in an auto accident, but both Spencer Tracy and Irene Dunne insisted that production was stopped until he was able to return to finish filming.

[Gideon58]

[CENTER]Chef (2014)
http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2014-04-29-CHEF_01954.jpg
[LEFT]Chef (2014)
Director: Jon Favreau
Writer: Jon Favreau
Cast: Jon Favreau, John Leguizamo, Emjay Anthony, Sofía Vergara Scarlett Johansson
Genre: Drama, Light Comedy
Length: 114 minutes


Enjoyed your review of this movie and after recently watching Burnt, I may have to add this to my watchlist...couldn't be any worse.

[Citizen Rules]

I haven't seen Burnt (2015) but I read your review. I thought about the movie as I like films about the culinary arts. I think you would like Chef (2014) better. Even better yet is a film HoneyKid recommended to me, link to my review:
The Hundred Foot Journey (2014) (http://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=1308080#post1308080)

[Citizen Rules]

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=26031&stc=1&d=1466721869
Command Decision (1948, Sam Wood)

Director: Sam Wood
Cast: Clark Gable, Van Johnson, Walter Pidgeon, Brian Donlevy, Charles Bickford, John Hodiak, Edward Arnold
Genre: War Drama

Synopsis (spoiler free): During World War II, a U.S. General (Clark Gable) is placed in charge of the 5th Bomber Division, air command center in England. The general must send the B-17 bombers deep into Germany to destroy the Nazi's new super weapon, the Messerschmitt, jet powered planes. The jet factories are deep in Germany where the bombers have to travel without the aid of U.S. fighter escort planes. This makes for a deadly mission for the Yanks. If they don't succeed, Germany will have the upper hand in air supremacy and could win the war. Along the way the general has to fight with U.S. congressmen and his own chain of command, over the political cost of losing so many American lives on the mission. To make matters worse the weather is only clear for high altitude aerial bombing for a few days over the targets.

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=26035&stc=1&d=1466722141


My thoughts: Command Decision was adapted from a stage play, which in turn was based on a successful novel by the same name. Most of the movie's scenes are set inside the command center and adjacent rooms. The film introduces a number of military type characters and is rich in dialogue, as one would expect from a play based movie. What makes this a unique war film is it explores the military and political challenges of an air commander and those around him.

Not about action: there's no real war action scenes in this, it's more cerebral...and refreshingly so. That's not to say, it's not exciting, it's exciting. The conflict comes from the various opponents of the current bombing strategy as they try to outmaneuver each other.

Also interesting: is the all star, all male cast. There's not a woman to be seen, not even a sweetheart or a secretary. And what a cast this has! In one scene we get all the primary actors together in one large room, each giving their spew as to how the bombers should be used. It's an interesting contrast seeing Clark Gable up against Walter Pidgeon and Charles Bickford. With Van Johnson, John Hodiak and Brian Donlevey in the wings. I thought Clark Gable and Van Johnson were the stand outs in this, they both seemed very natural in their roles.

Pair Command Decision with Twelve O'Clock High (1949) and you'll have one helluva blast.

rating_3_5+

[Citizen Rules]

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=26040&stc=1&d=1466736158

Bridge of Spies (Steven Spielberg 2015)

Director: Steven Spielberg
Cast: Tom Hanks, Mark Rylance
Genre: Drama, History

Synopsis (spoiler free): In 1960 during the height of the Cold War, an American lawyer (Tom Hanks) reluctantly agrees to defend an accused Soviet spy who has been captured (Mark Rylance). After the Soviet Union shoots down an American U2 spy plane, the CIA taps the lawyer to negotiate an exchange for the Soviet spy for the American spy plane pilot, Francis Gary Powers.

Review: What can I say, Spielberg is a genius, no wonder Bridge of Spies was nominated for best picture. Based on true events, this felt like I was there, witnessing these events as they took place in U.S. court rooms, and in integration cells and on the streets of East Germany. I was engrossed in this, it held my attention fast....and there's no real action scenes to speak of, the 'action' comes from the dialogue and the characters...and that worked beautifully.

Spielberg knows how to put the viewer in the time frame, every detail in the sets is circa 1960. I believed it was 1960. Even those set pieces that are way out of frame have still been carefully selected and placed to give authenticity.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/proxy/kDAzs9NMawe4TgdA3x_XNLlDCu_N9fqL6IW0oZ65yvVdhAGdL30UethEKCdEqsOlFPl-eAAlMkMWrhOKRGcuOwCLPakh4LD98cxI9q3jMZLISpEv763na9mDGnaX_wkiaDxM8hX2=w426-h284


Tom Hanks, I was confident before even seeing this that if Tom Hanks was in it, he would be good. He was excellent. He never breaks character, he never goes over the top. And he always seem genuine. He made the film. I also enjoyed the performance by the Soviet spy played by Mark Rylance.

http://i.blogs.es/da5853/tom-hanks-y-mark-rylance-en-el-puente-de-los-espias-2015-foto/450_1000.jpg


What a nice offering from Mr Spielberg, keep em coming. I enjoyed it!

rating_4_5

[Khuzy_]

I had to really look at my favourite films and rewatch some parts of them to actually realise why I love film so much. Film has become a major and important part of my life - yet it's hard for me to word why I love it so much. But after some contemplation I can do my best to give you my reason for my love of cinema.

I realised that almost every single film which is on my favourites list speaks out to me in a profound manner, it carries a message to me which effects me enough to be left shaken by what I saw and to start contemplating the films message. The film "Treasures of the Sierra Madre" made me promise to myself that I would never let money corrupt me, the Film "Interstellar" made me start taking interest in science and making an effort to learn science, "Social Network" made me actually start reading about computing history and posed some big questions for me to ask on the history of a lot of computer geniuses. The film "Goodfellas" inspired me to want to become a movie director and the film "La Dolce Vita" is still stuck in my mind. It has slowly been changing the way I think and react to select situations as I only saw it recently I cannot describe my love for it just yet.

Then there are films which don't have an extremely profound message to tell me - but they trap me into there world and make me fall in love with there characters. They make me idolise and remember the heroes and heroines of the film and whilst the film doesn't communicate some important message, it effects me in a way that I make the message myself. I will forever love Indiana Jones and his adventures, does he have a profound effect one me? Yes and No. Indiana Jones traps me into a world of crazy adventures which I would never dare to do - that inspires me to do stuff I normally wouldn't do, to step out of my boundaries and look at life in a more cynical but careful way. Films like "Notorious" trap me into there feel-good romance story which brings a big smile on my face everytime. It makes me think about how love works in itself and the film itself makes me fall in love with it.

What is the common factor in all of this? This films impact me in some way or another, not only did they entertain me, but they spoke to me or my emotions or both. They slowly and unknowingly changed who I am as a person and how I think. They stuck with me due to how poetic they are, how they play out and how the effect me. I love film as film speaks to me in a way nothing or nobody else can - its because film not only entertains me but emotionally or mentally changes me.

[Citizen Rules]

Excellent post Khuzy!

The film "Treasures of the Sierra Madre" made me promise to myself that I would never let money corrupt me...Yes I can see that as a message in the film. I can also see that film saying: one should never get themselves in a situation where their life is in trusted to strangers, as ultimately people can be self serving. Treasure of the Sierra Madre is one of my all time favorite films.

[Citizen Rules]

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Dead Man Walking (1995 Tim Robbin)
Director: Tim Robbins
Writers: Helen Prejean(novel),Tim Robbins(screenplay)
Cast: Susan Sarandon, Sean Penn, Robert Prosky
Genre: Crime Drama


About: A nun who receives a letter from a death row inmate, then takes up his legal cause, while she walks a fine line between empathizing with the killer...and empathizing with his victim's families.



Sean Penn has made a name for himself in such films as: Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982), Casualties of War (1989) and Milk (2008)...to name just a few of his fine films. Usually if Sean Penn is in the movie, it's worth watching.

I had seen Dead Man Walking years ago but had forgotten just how amazing of a performance Sean Penn gives! He totally immerses himself in the character, his accent, his body language, his demeanor, even his eye movements are so in tune with the type of character he plays. IMO Sean Penn is the best actor working today...Heck I would even rank him as one of the all time greats!

http://cinema10.com.br/upload/filmes/filmes_9758_homem9.jpg


Susan Sarandon is pretty darn good too, and she needs to be as she is our eyes and ears into the world of a prison's death row. If her character was played in other way this film might not have worked as good as it did. It works brilliantly...

Director Tim Robbins, keeps the films subject matter of a convicted murder who claims he's innocent balanced, and I respect that. Sean Penn's character is not likable in fact he's creepy, but yet by the end of the film Robbins manages to make that character a human being and not just a monster.

I expected this to be an anti death penalty film. But no, this film is unflinching in showing the brutality of the crime and the destruction of the lives of the victims families as well as the hardships a prisoner on death row goes through. This is one intelligent film, that doesn't take sides, but shows it as it is and lets you decide how you feel about the death penalty. Powerful stuff.

rating_4

[Citizen Rules]

Even though I am very careful not to spoil the movie in my reviews. The next review I do talk about what happens in the ending.

[Citizen Rules]

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KhzFF7-kvnY/UF4DFV4RUvI/AAAAAAAABbc/AIOaxGjSRQE/s1600/el+ladr%C3%B3n+de+orqu%C3%ADdeas.jpg

Director: Spike Jonze
Writers: Susan Orlean(novel), Charlie Kaufman(screenplay)
Cast: Nicolas Cage, Meryl Streep, Chris Cooper
Genre: Comedy Drama

A brilliant but hopelessly nervous-shy screenwriter (Nicholas Cage) becomes desperate as he tries and fails to adapt the novel, "The Orchid Thief" by Susan Orlean for the movies. Meanwhile his happy go lucky twin also played by Nicholas Cage, has successes with his screenplay.

https://40.media.tumblr.com/40dc7803213c67d03061e8c950adb0b6/tumblr_inline_nnu1x3nNPN1rbbuj0_540.jpg
Nicolas Cage plays identical twin brothers, Charlie Kaufman / Donald Kaufman


I had seen this a few years before but I remembered nothing of the film. Which is not a good sign! Not one scene, not one character, not even the big finally rang a bell. How could a movie be erased out of my memory? With not even a vague inkling of having ever seen it. Perhaps the plot of Being John Malkovich is more plausible than commonly believed. I sometimes think about that movie, so it's strange that Adaption starts off on the set of Being John Malkovich.

So....I'm watching the film for the second time, which is actually the first time, and despite the fact that I supposedly hated the film 10 years ago, I'm loving it now. I find the film uniquely different, the duel stories of the Orchid Hunter and the story line of the self doubting screen writer is fascinating. Nicholas Cage is really good in this, and I wonder why he made so many crap movies when he's such a talented actor. The toothless orchid guy is pretty far out too and even more so is he's back story, I like it! The film is written very intelligently and I'm thinking this is a work of art.


http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/606/2242/1600/adaptation.jpg


But then a funny, but not humorous, thing happens: The film talks about what not to do in a screen play, Cage's character says he wants to do a screen adaptation that does not have car chases and guns and typically Hollywood crap.

The ending..... And that's exactly what we get in the end! This brilliant film is trounced on by Spike Jonz in the third act. We were just warned that a film could have flaws but the audience well forgive that, if the ending wows them. Then we get this really stupid, cliche Hollywood ending, with car chases, and guns and alligators! I just about ripped up all the Orchids in the house and flush them down the toilet in protest...or should I have applauded?

rating_3

[seanc]

Why are some people having trouble understanding that is the point of the third act of Adaptation. That's rhetorical, it's baffling. Wish you had liked it more CR. I think it is Kauffman's funniest. I love Chris Cooper in this film.

[Citizen Rules]

I did get the third act and I knew it was intentional irony by Spike Jonz to give us the exact ending that Charlie had told his twin brother Donald not to do in a screenplay (car chases, gun play, etc). I wrote about that in more detail in the 9th Hof. This is what I said there:

****SPOILER***** And that's exactly what we get in the end! This brilliant film is defecated on by Spike Jonz in the third act. We were just warned that a film could have flaws but the audience well forgive that, if the ending wows them. Then we get this really stupid, cliche Hollywood ending, with car chases, and guns and alligators! I just about ripped up all the
Phalaenopsis in the house and flush them down the toilet in protest.

Oh yes, I know that the director was mocking Hollywood films by including a Hollywood style stupid third act. And yes I know this is about a screen writer, writing a screen play, about a screen writer who's writing a screen play. But that doesn't negate the fact that he used a felt marker to draw a mustache on the Mona Lisa.

[cricket]

Ok then I guess I will give Bridge of Spies a shot.

[Citizen Rules]

Yeah, you should Cricket, I think you would at least like it, maybe even really like it. I never got bored and I was engaged and into the story. I have Spot Light coming sometime in the near future.

[cricket]

Just put it atop the queue for next weekend. That'll be the one movie I pick out every weekend to watch with wifey.

[Citizen Rules]

My wife really liked Bridge of Spies, we often agree on films luckily.

I hated Spielberg's War Horse and AI, so it's not like I love everything he does, but yeah this one was a good one.

[Citizen Rules]

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=26046&stc=1&d=1466819249
Jamaica Inn (Alfred Hitchcock,1939)


Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Cast: Maureen O'Hara, Robert Newton, Charles Laughton
Genre: Adventure

Synopsis: On the rugged coastline of Cornwall, England in 1819, a group of murderous criminals operate out of the Jamaica Inn, luring passing ships to their doom on the rocky shore. As the ships flounder and the crew try to swim ashore, the outlaws attack, leaving no man alive to tell the tale of the stolen bounty.

Review: Hitch had made 23 previous feature length films before making Jamaica Inn which is based on the Daphne Du Maurier novel. Hitch would make two more films from Daphne Du Maurier novels: Rebecca (1940) and The Birds (1963). Jamaica Inn marks the last of the films Hitch would make in England before heading off to Hollywood.

This was also one of Hitch's least favorite films. Much of the problem stems from Hitch not having control over the film. The star, Charles Laughton was also the producer and as such, the star of the film had control of the shots.

http://www.agendalx.pt/sites/default/files/styles/475_255/public/evento/jamaicainn2-1600x900-c-default.jpg?itok=yOKAjHtM


Jamaica Inn was a box office success, though as part of Hitch's canon, it often finds itself at the bottom of his films. Some of the blame can be attributed to Charles Laughton's choice of performance. Laughton who's one of cinema's greats, choose to play the aristocratic Bannister who's losing his mind, as an eccentric almost comical character. His performance is boisterously larger than life. The exaggerated make up and facial applications dramatically change the actors look, unfortunately it makes him look buffoonish. This works against the story because he's the antagonist that puts the young Irish woman Mary in peril (Maureen O'Hara).

Despite some problems, the film is still a treat to watch. The opening scene of the shipwreck and murder of it's crew is outright disturbing. Hitch really poured effort into these dark scenes and they still pack a punch today.

rating_3

[Citizen Rules]

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Leave Her To Heaven (John Stah,1945)


Director: John M. Stah
Cast: Gene Tierney, Cornel Wilde, Jeanne Crain
Genre: Film Noir, Drama, Thriller

A writer meets a young socialite on board a train. The two fall in love and are married soon after. But her obsessive love for him threatens to be the undoing of both of them...and everyone else around them too.

It had been years since I last seen this. I have to say, I was even more impressed with this the second time around. It's not your typical 1940s Hollywood film, it has a quality to it that's hard to describe.

It's a slow burn, like sipping on a glass of fine brandy. At first it's easy, mellow and smooth. Slowly there's a growing sense that something is amiss with Ellen (Gene Tierney)...but she's so beautiful in another worldly way, that we're drawn to her like a moth to a flame. Richard (Cornel Wilde) is an innocuous man, and it's easy to be in his shoes and fall for Ellen. Who wouldn't?

I love the way the film really takes the time to develop the relationship between the two. So many films rush from the first meeting, to being in love in the very next scene. The strength of Leave Her to Heaven is the way the film never rushes the story.

No one but Gene Tierney could have played this part. She gives Ellen grace, beauty and a strange ethereal quality that makes Ellen attractive and yet reprehensible all at the same time.

The other thing I love is the look of the film. The art direction is sublime. The theme of aqua is used often in the film and is associated with Ellen. In set design, aqua is considered a 'cool color' and Ellen is cold as she is beautiful.

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=26057&stc=1&d=1466901793


I love the care the director put into the scenes, one that stands out is the stair case scene. We see Ellen take her time getting dressed, she picks out aqua shoes and dresses in an aqua & white print negligee, which matches the wall paper. All of this, for a particular event in the movie. This simply scene of getting dressed, expresses the mindset of Ellen.

I love this film. rating_5

[rauldc14]

Nice write up Citizen. I really enjoyed watching this film for the 9th HOF. It was a great performance from Gene Tierney

[Citizen Rules]

Thanks Raul, glad you liked it. One of these Hofs, I will nominate another Gene Tierney film. I can think of a couple that would be interesting. Who knows when that will be???;)

[seanc]

I really enjoyed Leave Her To Heaven as well. Those stills make me want to throw it on again.

[Citizen Rules]

I really enjoyed Leave Her To Heaven as well. Those stills make me want to throw it on again. :) I like to see it on Blu Ray.

[seanc]

:) I like to see it on Blu Ray.

Me too. I went on Amazon right after I posted. No transfer yet. :(

[Citizen Rules]

Believe it or not, I have never seen a Blu Ray movie, that's true....and funny thing, I do own a Blu Ray player, crazy I know.

[seanc]

Believe it or not, I have never seen a Blu Ray movie, that's true....and funny thing, I do own a Blu Ray player, crazy I know.

They are getting cheap. Now that UHD is getting started, you can move into Blu-ray. :D

[Citizen Rules]

I don't even know what UHD is ultra high def? is that the same as 4K?

[seanc]

I don't even know what UHD is ultra high def? is that the same as 4K?

You got it.

[gbgoodies]

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=26040&stc=1&d=1466736158

Bridge of Spies (Steven Spielberg 2015)

Director: Steven Spielberg
Cast: Tom Hanks, Mark Rylance
Genre: Drama, History

Synopsis (spoiler free): In 1960 during the height of the Cold War, an American lawyer (Tom Hanks) reluctantly agrees to defend an accused Soviet spy who has been captured (Mark Rylance). After the Soviet Union shoots down an American U2 spy plane, the CIA taps the lawyer to negotiate an exchange for the Soviet spy for the American spy plane pilot, Francis Gary Powers.

Review: What can I say, Spielberg is a genius, no wonder Bridge of Spies was nominated for best picture. Based on true events, this felt like I was there, witnessing these events as they took place in U.S. court rooms, and in integration cells and on the streets of East Germany. I was engrossed in this, it held my attention fast....and there's no real action scenes to speak of, the 'action' comes from the dialogue and the characters...and that worked beautifully.

Spielberg knows how to put the viewer in the time frame, every detail in the sets is circa 1960. I believed it was 1960. Even those set pieces that are way out of frame have still been carefully selected and placed to give authenticity.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/proxy/kDAzs9NMawe4TgdA3x_XNLlDCu_N9fqL6IW0oZ65yvVdhAGdL30UethEKCdEqsOlFPl-eAAlMkMWrhOKRGcuOwCLPakh4LD98cxI9q3jMZLISpEv763na9mDGnaX_wkiaDxM8hX2=w426-h284


Tom Hanks, I was confident before even seeing this that if Tom Hanks was in it, he would be good. He was excellent. He never breaks character, he never goes over the top. And he always seem genuine. He made the film. I also enjoyed the performance by the Soviet spy played by Mark Rylance.

http://i.blogs.es/da5853/tom-hanks-y-mark-rylance-en-el-puente-de-los-espias-2015-foto/450_1000.jpg


What a nice offering from Mr Spielberg, keep em coming. I enjoyed it!

rating_4_5


I had a feeling that you would like Bridge of Spies. I almost didn't watch it because I thought it was just a war movie, but it turned out to be one of my favorite movies of the year. It might even have gotten my vote for Best Picture. I liked it more than all the other movies that were nominated.

[gbgoodies]

https://didyouseethatone.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/dead-man-walking-2.jpg

Dead Man Walking (1995 Tim Robbin)
Director: Tim Robbins
Writers: Helen Prejean(novel),Tim Robbins(screenplay)
Cast: Susan Sarandon, Sean Penn, Robert Prosky
Genre: Crime Drama


About: A nun who receives a letter from a death row inmate, then takes up his legal cause, while she walks a fine line between empathizing with the killer...and empathizing with his victim's families.



Sean Penn has made a name for himself in such films as: Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982), Casualties of War (1989) and Milk (2008)...to name just a few of his fine films. Usually if Sean Penn is in the movie, it's worth watching.

I had seen Dead Man Walking years ago but had forgotten just how amazing of a performance Sean Penn gives! He totally immerses himself in the character, his accent, his body language, his demeanor, even his eye movements are so in tune with the type of character he plays. IMO Sean Penn is the best actor working today...Heck I would even rank him as one of the all time greats!

http://cinema10.com.br/upload/filmes/filmes_9758_homem9.jpg


Susan Sarandon is pretty darn good too, and she needs to be as she is our eyes and ears into the world of a prison's death row. If her character was played in other way this film might not have worked as good as it did. It works brilliantly...

Director Tim Robbins, keeps the films subject matter of a convicted murder who claims he's innocent balanced, and I respect that. Sean Penn's character is not likable in fact he's creepy, but yet by the end of the film Robbins manages to make that character a human being and not just a monster.

I expected this to be an anti death penalty film. But no, this film is unflinching in showing the brutality of the crime and the destruction of the lives of the victims families as well as the hardships a prisoner on death row goes through. This is one intelligent film, that doesn't take sides, but shows it as it is and lets you decide how you feel about the death penalty. Powerful stuff.

rating_4


Dead Man Walking was another movie that surprised me. I expected it to be just another predictable movie about an innocent man facing the death penalty, but I was wrong, and it turned out to be a much better movie than I expected. And I'm not a big fan of Sean Penn, so that wasn't easy. :)

[gbgoodies]

http://1cqgxm3l59yi2wwbnn3qy35h.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Leave-Her-to-Heaven-Taos-House-sets-17.jpg

Leave Her To Heaven (John Stah,1945)


Director: John M. Stah
Cast: Gene Tierney, Cornel Wilde, Jeanne Crain
Genre: Film Noir, Drama, Thriller

Synopsis: A writer meets a young socialite on board a train. The two fall in love and are married soon after, but her obsessive love for him threatens to be the undoing of both them...and everyone else around them.

It had been years since I last seen this. I have to say, I was even more impressed with the film the second time around. It's not your typical 1940s Hollywood film. It has a quality to it, that's hard to describe.

It's a slow burn, like sipping on a glass of fine brandy. At first it's easy, mellow and smooth. Slowly there's a growing sense that something is not quite right with Ellen (Gene Tierney)...but she's so beautiful in another worldly way, that we're drawn to her like a moth to a flame. Richard (Cornel Wilde) is an innocuous man, and it's easy to be in his shoes and fall for Ellen. What guy wouldn't?

I love the way the film really takes the time to develop the relationship between the two. So many films rush from the first meeting of boy & girl, to being in love in the very next scene. The strength of Leave Her to Heaven is the way the film never rushes the story.

No one but Gene Tierney could have played this part. She gives Ellen grace, beauty and a strange ethereal quality that makes Ellen attractive and yet reprehensible.

The other thing I love is the look of the film. The art direction is sublime. The theme of aqua is used often in the film and is associated with Ellen. In set design, aqua is considered a 'cool color' and Ellen is cold as she is beautiful.

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=26057&stc=1&d=1466901793


I love the care the director put into the scenes, one that stands out is the stair case scene. We see Ellen take her time getting dressed, she picks out aqua shoes and dresses in an aqua & white print negligee, that matches the wall paper. All of this, for a particular event in the movie. This simply scene of getting dressed, shows the mindset of Ellen.

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=26058&stc=1&d=1466901811


I love this film. rating_5




I was surprised that Leave Her To Heaven didn't do better in the HoF. I thought it was one of the best movies nominated. (Sometimes I think this forum needs more older people. There are too many youngsters here who just don't appreciate the great old classics. :( )

[gbgoodies]

Believe it or not, I have never seen a Blu Ray movie, that's true....and funny thing, I do own a Blu Ray player, crazy I know.


Don't feel bad. I have three Blu-Ray players, and only about a dozen blu-ray discs.

But I recently noticed that Walmart and Best Buy sell a lot blu-ray movies for under $10, so hopefully I'll add a bunch of blu-rays to my DVD collection around Black Friday this year.

[Chypmunk]

Hurrah ... I'm finally caught up :)
Great stuff :up: and I look forward to keeping up in real time in future lol.

[Citizen Rules]

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=26083&stc=1&d=1467080887
20,000 Years in Sing Sing (Michael Curtiz 1932)

Director: Michael Curtiz
Cast: Spencer Tracy, Bette Davis, Lyle Talbot, Louis Calhern
Length: 78 minutes
Genre: Prison Crime Drama

About: An overly confident hoodlum (Spencer Tracy) who is convicted and sent up to Sing Sing prison. He's full of fight and believes he will soon be running the joint, but the no nonsense warden sets him straight.

Review: Three good things about the movie:

1, The title! Is that a cool title for a film or what? Based on the novel that was written by a real life warden, Lewis E. Lawes...20,000 Years in Sing Sing tells the story of the prison from the viewpoint of it's newest member, Spencer Tracy.

2, The second best thing is that this is filmed at Sing Sing! Writer Lewis E. Lawes who was still the warden of Sing Sing at the time, allowed the movie crew to actually film inside and outside the prison. This gives the film a very real look as you are seeing Sing Sing circa 1932.

3, The third best thing is Spencer Tracy! If you only know him from his latter roles when he was much older, you should check him out as a young tough punk. He looks the part! And I believe he was as tough as his character was portrayed.

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=26087&stc=1&d=1467081239


Bonus reason for watching this: Bette Davis decked out as a babe with platinum blonde hair, false eyelashes and a pretty snazzy art deco style dress. Miss Davis had this 'glamour look' at the insisting of Warner Bros studio. After 1934, she refused to have the glamour look and became the Bette Davis most of us remember.

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=26089&stc=1&d=1467081261


I thought this was a good early precode movie. Nothing too risque happens, so it can't really be called a precode, except that it was made before the Hays Production Code went into effect.

Good story, good acting and a fun time at only 78 minutes long. What more could you ask for?

rating_3

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=26088&stc=1&d=1467081249

[Citizen Rules]

I was surprised that Leave Her To Heaven didn't do better in the HoF. I thought it was one of the best movies nominated. (Sometimes I think this forum needs more older people. There are too many youngsters here who just don't appreciate the great old classics. :( ):) Thanks, I appreciate that. I didn't know you like the movie so much. I'm glad a few people did.

Hurrah ... I'm finally caught up :)
Great stuff :up: and I look forward to keeping up in real time in future lol. Thanks Chyp! I appreciate the read and the reps:p I'm always happy to chat movies anytime:)

[Gideon58]

http://1cqgxm3l59yi2wwbnn3qy35h.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Leave-Her-to-Heaven-Taos-House-sets-17.jpg


This still of Gene Tierney alone made me want to add this film to my watchlist.

[Gideon58]

[CENTER]http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=25987&stc=1&d=1466468568
A Very Special Favor (1965)

I could tell by the premise and the cast that this film was probably nothing special...this kind of comedy was definitely NOT Leslie Caron's forte.

[Citizen Rules]

I could tell by the premise and the cast that this film was probably nothing special...this kind of comedy was definitely NOT Leslie Caron's forte. I haven't seen her in much, except for the big musicals she did in the 50s. This is what I've seen her in:

An American in Paris (1951)
Daddy Long Legs (1955)
Gigi (1958)
Father Goose (1964)
A Very Special Favor (1965)

[Citizen Rules]

This still of Gene Tierney alone made me want to add this film to my watchlist.Leave Her to Heaven is easily in my Top All Time Favorite 100 Film list (if I ever get around to making one).

I do think you would really like it. I'd swear by the set designs that Vincente Minnelli directed it. And the story is like a Douglas Sirk meets Film Noir.

[Citizen Rules]

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Etsk6zvLpDY/UeSEEa4PmaI/AAAAAAAAT7k/28LcgwYgj_w/s1600/2002_the_four_feathers_024.jpg
The Four Feathers (Shekhar Kapur, 2002)
Director: Shekhar Kapur
Writers: A.E.W. Mason(novel), Michael Schiffer(screenplay)
Cast: Heath Ledger, Wes Bentley, Kate Hudson
Length: 2h 12min
Genre: Adventure, Drama

Synopsis: On the eve of battle a British officer resigns his military commission just before his regiment ships out to put down an uprising in Sudan,1884. His friends in the regiment consider him a coward and along with his finance they send him four white feathers, the mark of a coward.

Review: This is the seventh movie version of the classic British novel. I haven't watched the three silent film versions, but I've seen all four of the 'talkie' versions of The Four Feathers...And this one is a sorry excuse and a waste of a great story. I don't think I've ever been so bored by a movie before.

Style over substances, doesn't equal a good movie. The story was so convoluted with inter-cut scenes that started in the middle of the action and then cut away before the natural end of the scene had occurred. The director used every trick in the book to make his film look like an art film, but it ain't! The story rambles, making it hard to follow.

It doesn't help that the director took it upon himself to rewrite history with the British now looking like dolting invading idiots who are saved by a North African. This desert mentor & strong man who befriends Harry and sees him along his journey, is one old tired character trope.

http://moviesmedia.ign.com/movies/image/1djimonhounsou_heathledger.jpg


We get none of the upper aristocratic British attitudes and protocol, that powered the heart of the original story. The spirit of the original is gone and replaced with a showy film that uses every trick camera shot in the book and finished off with disjointed edited.

I couldn't believe everything that was good in the other movie versions was removed and replaced with scenes like the enemy who pops up out of the sand during an attack....Oh! I never seen that one done before;)

http://media.port-network.com/picture/instance_1/137617_1.jpg


Did I mention Kate Hudson was all wrong for the role, she was positively a bore. Heath Ledger was good and he would have been great had the director not whizzed all over a fine proper British story.

Pretty photography can't save this bombastic bastardization of the classic British story. Do yourself a favor and watch the original 1939 version instead.

rating_1

[gbgoodies]

I haven't seen her in much, except for the big musicals she did in the 50s. This is what I've seen her in:

An American in Paris (1951)
Daddy Long Legs (1955)
Gigi (1958)
Father Goose (1964)
A Very Special Favor (1965)


Those are the exact same Leslie Caron movies that I've seen. :)

[Citizen Rules]

https://thevelvetcafe.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/brief-enc.jpg
Brief Encounter (David Lean, 1945)
Director: David Lean
Cast: Celia Johnson, Trevor Howard, Stanley Holloway
Genre: Drama, Romance

About:A bored woman has a chance meeting with a stranger at a railway station and strikes up a romance with him. Both of them are married and know that their relationship can go nowhere.

Thoughts: This was a well made film and it covers a subject of infidelity in a way that hadn't been done before, so kudos for that. It's a short 86 minutes that looks at the makings of an illicit affair. The film starts off as a mystery and takes a long while until the subject matter about two married people falling in love with each other, became apparent. By the time I knew what the movie was about, I had grown restless with it. A film needs to hook people in the opening scenes.

The ending didn't work for me, so don't read this last part if you haven't seen the film:
The ending didn't work for me...Laura, who's married to a nice man, but has an affair with a married doctor. During the end scene Laura is setting in her living room, looking miserable as her loving and unsuspecting husband does a cross word puzzle...There's a long internal monologue as she thinks out loud, so we can hear it, about what she would tell her husband about her affair. She thinks outloud, 'the truth would hurt him', so she never does tell him about it. She then smiles and he walks over and hugs her, then he says something like, 'you were a long ways away for the last month, I'm glad to have you back.....' To me that seemed like a 'soft' way to end the film and I felt let down. I wanted more of the conflict coming into the light, with some sort of resolve or understanding coming out of that.

I have to say this is a uniquely done film, and worth watching.

rating_3_5

[Citizen Rules]

http://blog.flicks.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2011_the_descendants_016-e1326714825359.jpg The Descendants (Alexander Payne, 2011)
Director: Alexander Payne
Writers: Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon
Cast: George Clooney, Shailene Woodley, Amara Miller
Genre: Drama, Comedy

A wealthy real estate investor (George Clooney) tries to reconnect with his two daughters after his cheating wife is seriously injured in a boating accident...He also has to deal with his decision to sell 25,000 acres of undeveloped line in Kauai, that has belonged to his family for generations.

First off, I see a woman in a hospital on life support. She's surrounded by her grieving family. Damn it! I thought, that's not the subject matter I want to spend two hours with. I hate hospitals and I don't like movies set in them. And yet I was liking this film.

I liked it mostly because it was about Clooney and his family dealing with the situation which was causing turmoil in their lives. Also we didn't have to spend much time in the hospital scenes, thank goodness. And it was a real big help that this was set in Hawaii, that made the subject matter easier to handle.

But what I really liked was the emotions the film explored as Clooney finds out about his wife's past. One of the most brilliant (yet odd) scenes was when Clooney confronts the man who had an affair with his wife and as Clooney is leaving he says goodbye to the man's wife..he then looks at her, grabs her, and kisses her right on the lips! Genius! I know why he did that too. Glad to have watched this movie

rating_4

[Citizen Rules]

https://chiakicreates.files.wordpress.com/2016/03/time-lapse.jpg?w=820
Time Lapse (Bradley King, 2014)

Director: Bradley King
Writers: Bradley King, BP Cooper
Cast: Danielle Panabaker, Matt O'Leary, George Finn
Genre: Indie, Sci-Fi Thriller

About: Three friends discover a strange machine in an abandoned building that belonged to a missing scientist. The machine takes photos 24 hours into the future, thus giving the user the ability to know future events. One of the friends go against the others and uses the machine for his own personal benefit, which leads to a series of disturbing photos of the future.

Thoughts: Time Lapse, is a very small Indie film, so don't expect brand name actors or big budget-CG effects. This little film takes a simple sci fi premise and expands on it by using paranoia, deceit, crime and thriller elements. I thought the acting was appropriate for the type of film it was, a low profile Indie film. The film wasn't trying to be bigger than it was and so the acting seemed real enough...It was like I was watching three people in their apartment. I liked that.

I thought the giant camera that could photograph into the future was a cool idea. And yes, there are giant cameras like that, they're called STAT cameras and they're giant. They use huge sheets of film and are used for photographing flat items like paper.

http://static1.squarespace.com/static/56d61ffeb654f980b27fca3b/t/571520242fe131760ca5c418/1461002279282/?format=500w


If you keep an open mind about this and remember that this is a very small budget movie, you'll find it's kinda of cool.

rating_3

[MovieMeditation]

Brief Encounter :up:

Time Lapse :up::up:

Especially awesome that you liked the latter! Oh, and I see what you mean about lagging behind as well. ;):p

[Chypmunk]

Brief Encounter is a decent film that's nicely made, not seen if for many years but can't say the ending ever bothered me ... it's perfectly in keeping with the period and the British middle/upper class way of things at the time imo.

I like The Descendants ... and it taught me that my silly preconception that it's virtually always sunny in Hawaii was ... well ... plain silly!!

Not seen Time Lapse - sound interesting and being an indie flick I may well be able to pick it up for peanuts a little down the line which is just how I likes 'em ... I'll add it to my Amazon list when the UK website eventually starts working again - assuming that happens before I forget :shrug:

[Citizen Rules]

Brief Encounter :up:

Time Lapse :up::up:

Especially awesome that you liked the latter! Oh, and I see what you mean about lagging behind as well. ;):p:p I'm always lagging behind. If I would have wrote a review for everything I watched since joining 2 years ago, I would have over 700 reviews. I just get lazy at times!

Brief Encounter is a decent film that's nicely made, not seen if for many years but can't say the ending ever bothered me ... it's perfectly in keeping with the period and the British middle/upper class way of things at the time imo. I hadn't thought that the 'stiff upper lip, don't make a fuss ending' was in keeping with British sensibilities in the early 30s. Thanks for pointing that out. Since I've seen the film my opinion of it has risen.

I like The Descendants ... and it taught me that my silly preconception that it's virtually always sunny in Hawaii was ... well ... plain silly!! Ha!:) Chyp, did you vacation in Hawaii?

[Chypmunk]

Ha!:) Chyp, did you vacation in Hawaii?
Sadly too far to swim and flights always seem to go to Vegas first for us :D

[Citizen Rules]

Ahh, I thought maybe you had a holiday in Hawaii and got rained out. I've only been there once and mostly sunny weather but it does rain! that's how everything stays green. Now Vegas, I've heard that's always sunny:)

[Chypmunk]

No - in the film the weather is a little dreary at times and the ground is wet at points which I naturally ascribed to it having rained ;)

I have been both rained and snowed on in Vegas though .... mind you I must admit I've been burned far, far more often lol.

[Citizen Rules]

Oh OK, I totally forget about the wet ground in The Descendants. I'm sure it did rain, I didn't remember that part. What's Vegas without a good ole sun burn:cool:...(and sunglasses too!) I've never been to Vegas, I've been to Nevada state, but never made it to Vegas. One of these days I will.

[Gideon58]

I
An American in Paris (1951)
Daddy Long Legs (1955)
Gigi (1958)
Father Goose (1964)
[SIZE=3]A Very Special Favor (1965)

I think both An American in Paris and GiGi are severely overrated. Fred Astaire was way too old for her in Daddy Long Legs, but I absolutely loved her in Father Goose. Loved her in Lili and The Glass Slipper as well.

[Citizen Rules]

Fred Astaire was way too old for her in Daddy Long Legs, Yeah, no doubt, Fred was always being paired with too young of a love interest in his latter movies.

I think both An American in Paris and GiGi are severely overrated. I can't remember GiGi very well, but I do remember liking An American in Paris as it had lots of girls and lots of flash. There were 3 different love interest for Gene Kelly if I remember correctly.

Oh BTW I just seen Jennifer Jones (For Whom the Bell Tolls) in her first starring movie role The Song of Bernadette. She was really good in that and won Best Actresses Oscar for her performance. I'll do a review of the movie when I get a chance.

[Camo]

The Song of Bernadette

My mum owns and loves that movie. May take a loan of it from her at some point.

The only thing i've seen Jennifer Jones in was Love Is A Many Splendored Thing i think and i personally didn't think it was a good performance.

[Gideon58]

I like The Descendants ... and it taught me that my silly preconception that it's virtually always sunny in Hawaii was ... well ... plain silly!!

Loved The Descendents...George Clooney has rarely been better.

[Citizen Rules]

My mum owns and loves that movie. May take a loan of it from her at some point.

The only thing i've seen Jennifer Jones in was Love Is A Many Splendored Thing i think and i personally didn't think it was a good performance.Love Is A Many Splendored Thing...I just requested that movie this morning. My wife wanted to see it as we watched an A&E Biography doc on Jennifer Jones. The documentary was pretty good...and now I guess I'll be watching a bunch of her movies.:p

[Camo]

I didn't like it that much. I think you will though so enjoy.

[Citizen Rules]

I seen the trailer for it last night, it looked a little soapy-melo dramatic to me, but that's OK, sometimes I'm in the mood for that sort of stuff and that was popular mid to late 50s. I'll post a review when I watch it.

[gbgoodies]

http://blog.flicks.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2011_the_descendants_016-e1326714825359.jpg The Descendants (Alexander Payne, 2011)
Director: Alexander Payne
Writers: Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon
Cast: George Clooney, Shailene Woodley, Amara Miller
Genre: Drama, Comedy

A wealthy real estate investor (George Clooney) tries to reconnect with his two daughters after his cheating wife is seriously injured in a boating accident...He also has to deal with his decision to sell 25,000 acres of undeveloped line in Kauai, that has belonged to his family for generations.

First off, I see a woman in a hospital on life support. She's surrounded by her grieving family. Damn it! I thought, that's not the subject matter I want to spend two hours with. I hate hospitals and I don't like movies set in them. And yet I was liking this film.

I liked it mostly because it was about Clooney and his family dealing with the situation which was causing turmoil in their lives. Also we didn't have to spend much time in the hospital scenes, thank goodness. And it was a real big help that this was set in Hawaii, that made the subject matter easier to handle.

But what I really liked was the emotions the film explored as Clooney finds out about his wife's past. One of the most brilliant (yet odd) scenes was when Clooney confronts the man who had an affair with his wife and as Clooney is leaving he says goodbye to the man's wife..he then looks at her, grabs her, and kisses her right on the lips! Genius! I know why he did that too. Glad to have watched this movie

rating_4










The Descendants is one of my favorite George Clooney movies. I was glad to see it did well in the 9th HoF.

[gbgoodies]

https://chiakicreates.files.wordpress.com/2016/03/time-lapse.jpg?w=820
Time Lapse (Bradley King, 2014)

Director: Bradley King
Writers: Bradley King, BP Cooper
Cast: Danielle Panabaker, Matt O'Leary, George Finn
Genre: Indie, Sci-Fi Thriller

About: Three friends discover a strange machine in an abandoned building that belonged to a missing scientist. The machine takes photos 24 hours into the future, thus giving the user the ability to know future events. One of the friends go against the others and uses the machine for his own personal benefit, which leads to a series of disturbing photos of the future.

Thoughts: Time Lapse, is a very small Indie film, so don't expect brand name actors or big budget-CG effects. This little film takes a simple sci fi premise and expands on it by using paranoia, deceit, crime and thriller elements. I thought the acting was appropriate for the type of film it was, a low profile Indie film. The film wasn't trying to be bigger than it was and so the acting seemed real enough...It was like I was watching three people in their apartment. I liked that.

I thought the giant camera that could photograph into the future was a cool idea. And yes, there are giant cameras like that, they're called STAT cameras and they're giant. They use huge sheets of film and are used for photographing flat items like paper.

http://static1.squarespace.com/static/56d61ffeb654f980b27fca3b/t/571520242fe131760ca5c418/1461002279282/?format=500w


If you keep an open mind about this and remember that this is a very small budget movie, you'll find it's kinda of cool.

rating_3


I liked Time Lapse. It's not the best time travel movie, but it's a unique idea, and I thought it was a pretty good movie. The acting wasn't the best, but it wasn't bad either.

[gbgoodies]

I think both An American in Paris and GiGi are severely overrated. Fred Astaire was way too old for her in Daddy Long Legs, but I absolutely loved her in Father Goose. Loved her in Lili and The Glass Slipper as well.


I love both An American in Paris and Gigi, but I have to agree that they're both overrated movies. I think some of the songs make the movies seem better than they actually are, but they're still good movies.

[Citizen Rules]

https://imalazybum.files.wordpress.com/2015/12/the-help-poster-3.jpg?w=730
The Help (Tate Taylor, 2011)
Director: Tate Taylor
Writers: Tate Taylor(screenplay), Kathryn Stockett(novel)
Cast: Emma Stone, Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer
Genre: Drama (Comedy)


What's it about: During the civil rights movement of the early 1960s, a young southern woman inspires to be an author by writing a novel detailing the plight of black maids working for well-to-do white women in the deep south. This is a risky undertaking, as it's illegal to even talk about such things in the segregated society of Mississippi.

Review: This is called a drama and that's inaccurate, half of the film is parody comedy. Even odder is the high acclaim this film has garnered, which is too high of praise for a film that borders on being an exploitation film...The film neither serves it dramatic side, the serious issues of 1960's segregation & bigotry in the deep south...nor does it embrace it's comic tendencies.

Instead it paints a picture of brainless but pretty, well-to-do young women who rule the south and look like refuges from The Stepford Wives. These catty women are comical, oh yes indeed, but misplaced with such a serious subject.

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/69/11/ff/6911ffff6a90af80c3dceed1b0793be6.jpg


On the flip side is the very real and compelling story of the black maids who have to work for these women. The maids story is one of the most interesting topics to come to film. We've seen movies about the deep south and segregation before, but never from a first hand telling of the hardships and injustices faced by the black maids who lived it. I thought the story line about the maids was fresh, compelling and I wanted more.

http://cfile30.uf.tistory.com/image/213D7F4F56CFF4742FE0E1
Viola Davis is excellent in this otherwise uneven film.

The maids literally raised the children of these rich white women from the time they were babies and into adult hood. The maids shaped the children's future. And heart breaking as it is, segregation laws meant the black maids could not even use the bathroom in the house or eat off the same plates as the white women.

The problem with the movie is the director/writer treats this subject like a parody. We get stereo type caricatures, especially of the southern fried Stepford Wive's. To make matters worse the poor black maids only hope lies in a free-spirted, white woman (played by Emma Sands) who will write a novel telling of their stories and thus saving the day for the maids. How contrived, as it takes credit away from the black maids themselves.

http://www.naturallycurly.com/curlreading/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/help1.jpg
Emma Sands, with her modern looking curly hair looks more like a contemporary woman from the 21st century.

This could have been the picture of the year had the director/writer Tate Taylor treated the subject matter with respect. Instead it's a confused film that doesn't know if it's a zany comedy or a serious expose.

rating_2_5
http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=26108&stc=1&d=1467401879

[MovieMeditation]

I once started The Help but never finished it. Perhaps I shouldn't feel to bad about that.

[Citizen Rules]

I once started The Help but never finished it. Perhaps I shouldn't feel to bad about that.Indeed you should watch it!:p So you can tell me I'm right!........or wrong!:D

[Gideon58]

Indeed you should watch it!:p So you can tell me I'm right!........or wrong!:D

I really liked The Help, but I enjoyed reading your review and understand your point of view. I was very pleased to see you mention how unpleasant some of the white women in the film were (loved Dallas Bryce Howard) and thank you for mentioning the fact these women's children were raised by their maids. It's something I don't think anyone who has not seen this film is really aware of and it's still going on today.

[Citizen Rules]

I really liked The Help, but I enjoyed reading your review and understand your point of view. I was very pleased to see you mention how unpleasant some of the white women in the film were (loved Dallas Bryce Howard) and thank you for mentioning the fact these women's children were raised by their maids. It's something I don't think anyone who has not seen this film is really aware of and it's still going on today. I didn't know you had reviewed The Help. I search for reviews and I only seen 3 counting mine. Do you have a link?

[cricket]

My wife wanted to see The Help at one point. Fortunately, she forgot about it.

[Citizen Rules]

My wife liked The Help much better than I did. It was an easy watch I'd say. I guess I'm just disappointed that it could have been more.

[Citizen Rules]

http://fs141.www.ex.ua/show/107380481/107380481.jpg?800
Adventures in Babysitting (Chris Columbus, 1987)

Director: Chris Columbus
Cast: Elisabeth Shue, Maia Brewton, Keith Coogan
Genre: Adventure Comedy


A teenage babysitter must take her parents car and journey into the dangerous city to rescue a stranded friend. Forced to take the kids that she's babysitting along for the ride...The adventures begin as soon as they hit the open road.

"I had the worst nightmare!"...says Elisabeth Shue in the movie. She would say those same words a few years latter in Back to the Future Part III (1990). With the 30th anniversary of Adventures in Babysitting, coming up, it's time to visit this semi-classic comedy from the 80s.

A blast to the past, they just don't make movies like this anymore! You'd be hard pressed today to find a movie that offers fun for both kids and adults and never takes its self too seriously. The movie knows it's about fun and it never gets over the top. Instead it grounds itself in the type of situations a group of naive teens could get themselves into as they journey into the big city.

The kids cross paths with a crazy gun toting, tow truck operator...a friendly car thief who's boss runs a crime ring and isn't so friendly. Just to make this even funier, everyone thinks high school senior Chris (Elisabeth Shue) is Playboy's March Centerfold of the Month. The resembles is uncanny;)

http://cdn.highdefdigest.com/uploads/2012/07/27/adventures-in-babysitting-5.png


The movie relies on the appeal of the four kids and mostly they're likeable too. Each has his or hers own quirks, such as the little girls fascinating with Thor, or the red headed kids fascinating with girls and Playboy...These quirks also cause the adventures to happen, which is pretty clever to boot.

Elisabeth Shue plays the lead and much like her roles in the Back to the Future movies, she's a likeable, nice girl who gets herself into sticky situations.

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=26142&stc=1&d=1467568470
The prerequisite 'singing with the band scene' that all the 80s teen movies seemed to have.


Adventures in Babysitting doesn't come up to the level of Pretty in Pink, Fast Times at Ridgemount High or The Breakfast Club, but it's a nice, even paced, fun film that never gets too corny and delivers the goods.

rating_3

[Citizen Rules]

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=26151&stc=1&d=1467597586
The Song of Bernadette (Henry King, 1943)


Director: Henry King
Writers: George Seaton(screenplay), Franz Werfel(novel)
Cast: Jennifer Jones, Charles Bickford, Charles Bickford, Vincent Price, Lee J. Cobb, Gladys Cooper
Genre: Biography, Spiritual Drama

Synopsis (spoiler free): In 1858 Lourdes France a poor, simple peasant girl has a vision of 'a beautiful lady' in a rock grotto above the town's dump. The girl never claims her vision to be anything else but this, however the town's people begin to believe it's a vision of the Virgin Mary. The town's bureaucratic government fearing throngs of believers tries to seal off the area, but the crowds keep coming. The Catholic church does not readily accept the vision as a miracle but instead questions it and Bernadette's worthiness to receive such grace. Despite Bernadette's desire to remain simple, the vision has repercussions for her.

Review: The Song of Bernadette goes down in film history as the movie that launched the career of Jennifer Jones, making her a star and earning her an Academy Award for Best Actress. The film received a staggering 12 Academy Award nominations including Best Picture. Based on the actual events that happened at Lourdes France in the mid 19th century the film tells the sometimes happy, sometimes heart breaking tale of Bernadette.

http://www.coffeecoffeeandmorecoffee.com/archives/song%20of%20bernadette%202.jpg


I found the film to be surprisingly balanced in it's subject matter. We see the events and it's up to us to interrupt them. What is clear is that these version of a beautiful lady that took place over a period of time, brought both serenity and hardship to the poor country girl Bernadette. She's put threw the ringer by both the town's folk and the Catholic church. The events of her life and how they turned out make up the rest of the movie. I won't say what those events were but they were dramatic.

rating_3_5+



.

[Citizen Rules]

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=26152&stc=1&d=1467599991

The Best Years of Our Lives (William Wyler 1946)
Director: William Wyler
Writers: Robert E. Sherwood(screen play), MacKinlay Kantor(novel)
Cast: Fredric March, Dana Andrews, Myrna Loy, Teresa Wright,
Genre: Drama, Romance, War

About: After World War II has ended, three American Veterans return home to their small town where they discover that while they were off fighting the people at home have also been change by the war.

Review: Damn impressive movie! I'd seen it before and knew I liked it but after a second watch, I realized just how well made and intelligent this film is.

A film like this that covers the lives of three returning soldiers could have easily became cliche and overly dramatic...this movie never does that. The characters and the dialogue and the scenes, are all well grounded in reality. We hear about Italian neorealism films, this American film from 1946 is 'new realism'.

I was most impressed with the way the film handles real situations that returning WWII soldiers faced...as they tried to find jobs that the war hadn't trained them for...and dealt with dissolving relationships...and alcoholism and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

https://static.mediapart.fr/files/2016/04/12/the-best-years-of-our-lives.jpg

Most memorable is Homer (Harold Russell) the Navy sailor who lost his hand and returned home with hooks. You might think that's an actor with prop hooks, nope...Harold Russell was not an actor but a Paratrooper who lost his hands during an explosion. This non-actor, gave one of the best performances in the movie and that's saying a lot because all of the main cast stood out as exceptional.

I could go on and on but I will end this by saying: I truly enjoyed watching The Best Years of Our Lives, it's a classic who's message is still as relevant today as it was when the film was made.

rating_5

[gbgoodies]

http://fs141.www.ex.ua/show/107380481/107380481.jpg?800
Adventures in Babysitting (Chris Columbus, 1987)

Director: Chris Columbus
Cast: Elisabeth Shue, Maia Brewton, Keith Coogan
Genre: Adventure Comedy


A teenage babysitter must take her parents car and journey into the dangerous city to rescue a stranded friend. Forced to take the kids that she's babysitting along for the ride...The adventures begin as soon as they hit the open road.

"I had the worst nightmare!"...says Elisabeth Shue in the movie. She would say those same words a few years latter in Back to the Future Part III (1990). With the 30th anniversary of Adventures in Babysitting, coming up, it's time to visit this semi-classic comedy from the 80s.

A blast to the past, they just don't make movies like this anymore! You'd be hard pressed today to find a movie that offers fun for both kids and adults and never takes its self too seriously. The movie knows it's about fun and it never gets over the top. Instead it grounds itself in the type of situations a group of naive teens could get themselves into as they journey into the big city.

The kids cross paths with a crazy gun toting, tow truck operator...a friendly car thief who's boss runs a crime ring and isn't so friendly. Just to make this even funier, everyone thinks high school senior Chris (Elisabeth Shue) is Playboy's March Centerfold of the Month. The resembles is uncanny;)

http://cdn.highdefdigest.com/uploads/2012/07/27/adventures-in-babysitting-5.png


The movie relies on the appeal of the four kids and mostly they're likeable too. Each has his or hers own quirks, such as the little girls fascinating with Thor, or the red headed kids fascinating with girls and Playboy...These quirks also cause the adventures to happen, which is pretty clever to boot.

Elisabeth Shue plays the lead and much like her roles in the Back to the Future movies, she's a likeable, nice girl who gets herself into sticky situations.

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=26142&stc=1&d=1467568470
The prerequisite 'singing with the band scene' that all the 80s teen movies seemed to have.


Adventures in Babysitting doesn't come up to the level of Pretty in Pink, Fast Times at Ridgemount High or The Breakfast Club, but it's a nice, even paced, fun film that never gets too corny and delivers the goods.

rating_3






I agree that Adventures in Babysitting is a fun movie, but I think it's a bit over-the-top at times, and the little girl who's obsessed with Thor is very annoying. But it's a typical fun '80's teen movie. :)

[gbgoodies]

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=26152&stc=1&d=1467599991
The Best Years of Our Lives (William Wyler 1946)
Director: William Wyler
Writers: Robert E. Sherwood(screen play), MacKinlay Kantor(novel)
Cast: Fredric March, Dana Andrews, Myrna Loy, Teresa Wright,
Genre: Drama, Romance, War

about: After World War II has ended, three American Veterans return home to their small town where they discover that while they were off fighting the people at home have also been change by the war.



Review: Damn impressive movie! I'd seen it before and knew I liked it but after a second watch, I realized just how well made and intelligent this film is.

A film like this that covers the lives of three returning soldiers could have easily became cliche and overly dramatic...this movie never does that. The characters and the dialogue and the scenes, are all well grounded in reality. We hear about Italian neorealism films, this American film from 1946 is 'new realism'.

I was most impressed with the way the film handles real situations that returning WWII soldiers faced...as they tried to find jobs that the war hadn't trained them for...and dealt with dissolving relationships...and alcoholism and Post Dramatic Stress Disorder.

https://static.mediapart.fr/files/2016/04/12/the-best-years-of-our-lives.jpg


Most memorable is Homer (Harold Russell) the Navy sailor who lost his hand and returned home with hooks. You might think that's an actor with prop hooks, nope...Harold Russell was not an actor but a Paratrooper who lost his hands during an explosion. This non-actor, gave one of the best performances in the movie and that's saying a lot because all of the main cast stood out as exceptional.

I could go on and on but I will end this by saying: I truly enjoyed watching The Best Years of Our Lives, it's a classic who's message is still as relevant today as it was when the film was made.

rating_5






The Best Years of Our Lives is a terrific movie. It's one of those movies that just gets better each time I watch it.

Did you know that Harold Russell won two Academy Awards for that role? He's the only actor to ever win two Academy Awards for the same role. He was given a special award for "bringing hope and courage to his fellow veterans", and he also won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.

BTW, it's called "Post Traumatic Stress Disorder", not Post Dramatic Stress Disorder. (I assume that was just a typo.)

[Citizen Rules]

I agree that Adventures in Babysitting is a fun movie, but I think it's a bit over-the-top at times, and the little girl who's obsessed with Thor is very annoying. But it's a typical fun '80's teen movie. :) I thought I have watched all these 80s teen fun movies but this one slipped past my radar.

The Best Years of Our Lives is a terrific movie. It's one of those movies that just gets better each time I watch it.

Did you know that Harold Russell won two Academy Awards for that role? He's the only actor to ever win two Academy Awards for the same role. He was given a special award for "bringing hope and courage to his fellow veterans", and he also won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.

BTW, it's called "Post Traumatic Stress Disorder", not Post Dramatic Stress Disorder. (I assume that was just a typo.) I didn't know he won two Oscars, that's very cool. He was excellent in the film, way better than many professional actors. Oh yes that was a typo.

[Citizen Rules]

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=26160&stc=1&d=1467661432
No Man's Land (2001)

Director: Danis Tanovic
Writer: Danis Tanovic
Cast: Branko Djuric, Rene Bitorajac, Filip Sovagovic
Genre: War Drama
Foreign Language with subtitles

about: 1993, during the Bosnia and Herzegovina conflict.
Two soldiers from opposing sides of the war become trapped in a trench...in no man's land. The two enemies are at each others throats, as a third soldier is trapped laying on a live bobby trap mine. If he's moved, the mine will explode.

Review: No Man's Land, won both an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for Best Picture of the Year 2002.

This small budgeted film packs a huge wallop as it tells a very personal telling of the futility of the Bosnia and Herzegovina conflict. I thought this was well made and I thought the scenes (the sets and the way it was filmed) all looked very real to me. The movie felt like I was there, which is just what the movie needed to do, to be believable...and this was believable!

It was filmed in almost documentary style and I think that was appropriate for the subject matter. Luckily there was no fancy camera work or ultra fast edits or overbearing music score. Nicely done film.

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=26161&stc=1&d=1467661448


I didn't expect light humor arising from the situation on the battle field, but the humor kept the film from being too dark and some of it was quiet clever. And the latter scenes where the UN 'tries' to help was clearly a double edged meaning to the failed attempt by the UN to bring the real war to a speedy end. The film makes a strong statement about war...but you'll have to watch it to see what that statement is.

BTW, the end scene will leave an impression on you.

rating_4

[skizzerflake]

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=26152&stc=1&d=1467599991
The Best Years of Our Lives (William Wyler 1946)
Director: William Wyler
Writers: Robert E. Sherwood(screen play), MacKinlay Kantor(novel)
Cast: Fredric March, Dana Andrews, Myrna Loy, Teresa Wright,
Genre: Drama, Romance, War

about: After World War II has ended, three American Veterans return home to their small town where they discover that while they were off fighting the people at home have also been change by the war.



Review: Damn impressive movie! I'd seen it before and knew I liked it but after a second watch, I realized just how well made and intelligent this film is.

A film like this that covers the lives of three returning soldiers could have easily became cliche and overly dramatic...this movie never does that. The characters and the dialogue and the scenes, are all well grounded in reality. We hear about Italian neorealism films, this American film from 1946 is 'new realism'.

I was most impressed with the way the film handles real situations that returning WWII soldiers faced...as they tried to find jobs that the war hadn't trained them for...and dealt with dissolving relationships...and alcoholism and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

https://static.mediapart.fr/files/2016/04/12/the-best-years-of-our-lives.jpg


Most memorable is Homer (Harold Russell) the Navy sailor who lost his hand and returned home with hooks. You might think that's an actor with prop hooks, nope...Harold Russell was not an actor but a Paratrooper who lost his hands during an explosion. This non-actor, gave one of the best performances in the movie and that's saying a lot because all of the main cast stood out as exceptional.

I could go on and on but I will end this by saying: I truly enjoyed watching The Best Years of Our Lives, it's a classic who's message is still as relevant today as it was when the film was made.

rating_5





I recall hearing, as a kid, from old people, that Best Years was a great movie, but didn't actually see it for a long time. When I did, I was amazed at just how believable that film was. My usual recollection of WW II movies were that they mainly basked in the glory of victory with a few moments of passing pathos, but Best Years really made the cost of the war seem real. It was a great movie that gets largely ignored when lists of classics are made.

[re93animator]

No Man's Land (2001)



Awesome movie. It definitely leaves its mark, and it's probably the best film I've seen about the post-Yugoslavia tumult.

[Gideon58]

[CENTER]http://fs141.www.ex.ua/show/107380481/107380481.jpg?800
Adventures in Babysitting (Chris Columbus, 1987)

[LEFT]Director: Chris Columbus
Cast: Elisabeth Shue, Maia Brewton, Keith Coogan
Genre: Adventure Comedy



I love this movie (it's the first movie on my review thread), but you mentioned that the appeal of the film lies with the kids, but I completely disagree...the appeal of this film is Elisabeth Shue's performance as Chris, which is absolute perfection.

[Citizen Rules]

I recall hearing, as a kid, from old people, that Best Years was a great movie, but didn't actually see it for a long time. When I did, I was amazed at just how believable that film was. My usual recollection of WW II movies were that they mainly basked in the glory of victory with a few moments of passing pathos, but Best Years really made the cost of the war seem real. It was a great movie that gets largely ignored when lists of classics are made.I'm glad to hear some other people really appreciate The Best Years of Our Lives (1946). You right it really shows the cost of the war on the people back home. I hope when we get to the Top 100 Countdown of the 1940s that The Best Years of Our Lives is watched by everyone who submits a list.


I love this movie (it's the first movie on my review thread), but you mentioned that the appeal of the film lies with the kids, but I completely disagree...the appeal of this film is Elisabeth Shue's performance as Chris, which is absolute perfection. By 'kids' I mean Elisabeth Shue too, to me a 17 year old is a kid. Yes she was the best part of the film, so I was saying all of them were kids who went on an adventure.

[Citizen Rules]

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=24573&stc=1&d=1457981883The Magnificent Ambersons (1942, Orson Welles)
Director: Orson Welles
Post Production Directors: Fred Fleck & Robert Wise(uncredited for the happy ending scene)
Writers: Booth Tarkington(novel), Orson Welles(screen play)
Cast: Tim Holt, Joseph Cotten, Dolores Costello,
Length: 1h 28min
Genre: Drama, Romance

1941 would mark a low note in American history with the attack at Pearl Harbor and the start of World War 2. That attack would in a chain of events cause Orson Welles to loose control of his second film The Magnificent Ambersons, as RKO studio cut nearly 40 minutes of Welles' original material and forced a reshooting of the ending...which recently in the 'happy ending' to his movie. All of this took place the following year when Orson was in Brazil working on a film that was suppose to strengthen U.S. South American relations (ironically that film was never completed.)

After a disastrous screen preview of The Magnificent Ambersons in Pomona, California, where the audience hated the film so much that the decision was made to edit it....Due to wartime travel restrictions, Orson who was in Brazil could not readily renter the USA in time to edit his own film, prompting his long time friend Robert Wise to do the job. The rest is history as Orson's down trodden ending was replace with the infamous 'happy ending', against Welles's wishes.


In the original ending, which Orson Welles considered one of the best scenes in the film, Eugene visits a now withdrawn Fanny in her new home, a boarding house filled with noisy eccentrics. That provided an ironic counterpoint to his good news about George's recovery and his reconciliation with Eugene's daughter, an effect heightened when he leaves the boarding house, and the camera pulls back to reveal that it is the converted Amberson's mansion.

I still like the movie and one can see Welles' genius in it, but I can't say that I love it. I don't know it just seems to be lacking something. Who knows what this film would be like if Orson hadn't lost control of it?

From Wiki as quoted from an interview with Orson Welles in the 1993 documentary It's All True.

"Of course I expected that there would be an uproar about a picture which, by any ordinary American standards, was much darker than anybody was making...There was just a built-in dread of the downbeat movie, and I knew I'd have that to face, but I thought I had a movie so good — I was absolutely certain of its value, much more than of Kane..."

"Welles said he would not have gone to South America without the studio's guarantee that he could finish editing The Magnificent Ambersons there. "And they absolutely betrayed me and never gave me a shot at it."

Orson Welles's would repeatedly experience his genius being edited and tossed aside by Hollywood studio types. Still there's much to appreciate in the film especially up until the last act. The bulk of the film is pure Orson and shows his cinema style and ability to build characters with deep motivations.

I'd give the first hour, which Orson did a 5/5, I rate it slightly lower thanks to the studio forced happy ending.

rating_4

[Citizen Rules]

http://www.electricsheepmagazine.co.uk/features/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Legrandsilence.jpg
The Great Silence (1968)


IL Grande Silenzio (original title)
Director: Sergio Corbucci
Writers: Sergio Corbucci (story), Vittoriano Petrilli (screenplay)
Cast: Jean-Louis Trintignant, Klaus Kinski, Frank Wolff
Genre: Spaghetti Western

Synopsis (spoiler free): In the remote Utah wilderness mountain region in 1898, a group of starving people are forced to steal to keep their families alive. The corrupt businessmen from the valley below hire a gang of ruthless bounty killers to exterminate the mountain people...A woman who was recently widowed by the psychotic bounty hunter Loco (Klaus Kinski), seeks revenge by hiring a mute gunfighter, Silence (Jean-Louis Trintignant,) who has a personal vendetta against Loco.

http://www.filmosphere.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/le-grand-silence-2.jpg


What I liked about it:


It had a cool setting in the snowy mountains of Utah.



It has a good story of revenge by a man of mystery.



It had great cinematography and music score.




It had a great cast of actors playing colorful characters.

Nods to:


Klaus Kinski as Loco



Jean-Louis Trintignant as Silence



Vonetta McGee as Pauline

What I didn't care for:


Ultra close ups of actor's faces. I never like that in a movie.



The English dub makes the dialogue sound odd and off kilter. But I bet in Italian the dialogue was much better.

https://jeunescinephiles.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/le-grand-silence-014.jpg


My thoughts:
I'm glad to have watched The Great Silence as it's an under seen Spaghetti Western by the other Sergio....Sergio Corbucci. Klaus Kinski makes a really great, bad guy... really creepy and yet still real. He added so much to the film. The outdoor on location filming makes this film look as beautiful as it is violent.

rating_3_5+

[Citizen Rules]

http://films.blog.lemonde.fr/files/2016/01/one-eyed-jacks-large2.jpg
One-Eyed Jacks (Marlon Brando, 1961)

Director: Marlon Brando
Cast: Marlon Brando, Karl Malden, Pina Pellicer
Genre: Western

About (spoiler free): After two bandits rob a Mexican bank, the older bandit 'Dad' Longworth (Karl Malden) goes for horses and takes the stolen money with him. Leaving behind his younger partner, Rio (Marlon Brando) to be captured. Some years later Rio escapes from prison and seeks revenge on Dad who's now in California.

My thoughts: The opening scene jumped into the story with no set up and so I didn't know what was going on. The first 15 minutes are confusing. But when Marlon Brando and Karl Malden end up on top of a hill surrounded by the law...that's when the film got more interesting!

What sold me on One Eyed Jacks, was the second act when Brando ends up at Karl Malden's house and encounters the wife and daughter of his former friend. The tension between Malden and Brando was tense and done well. But for me it was the doomed romance between Rio and Louisa, that made the film so memorable.

Brando is great in this. He's the bad guy who's a no good liar and yet he's human enough for me to still root for his character. Karl Malden was also good at being subdued but powerful. What Marlon does with a furled brow and a sulk, Malden does equally well with a cold icy stare. Slim Pickens as the slimy bad Deputy, made for a really 'good' bad guy. And I even liked the wife of the Sheriff, Kay Jurado, who's also in the western classic High Noon.

I really liked Louisa (Pina Pellicer), she had this vulnerable sadness quality to her that made her memorable. I was saddened to learn that she died only a couple years after making this movie.

rating_4+

[cricket]

So glad you liked One-Eyed Jacks; I was counting on it.

[Citizen Rules]

I really appreciate it that you try to find these great under seen films for the Hofs. I enjoyed it! and one of these days I'm going to watch Pina Pellicer's other movies too. Sadly she didn't get to make many.

[mark f]

Probably the only other Pellicer movie you can find is Macario which is very good.
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[Citizen Rules]

Thanks Mark, I'll put Macario on my list.

[Citizen Rules]

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Red River (Howard Hawks 1948)
Director: Howard Hawks
Cast: John Wayne, Montgomery Clift, Joanne Dru, Walter Brennan, John Ireland
Genre: Western

About John Wayne is 'Dunson' a stubborn determined man who leads his heard of cattle on a long drive to market. During the long track to market, Dunson's tyrannical behavior rubs his men the wrong way, causing his adopted son (Montgomery Clift) to take charge. Something that Dunson won't stand for.



My thoughts: Red River does a lot of things right, and there's a few things I wish it had done differently, overall it's a fine and powerful western. But first the good stuff:

http://craigerscinemacorner.com/Images/red%20river.jpg


John Wayne, he's a bastard in this film and a damn good one! He got my 'dander up' and that's a sign of a strong actor. Some people think Wayne can't act because he always plays the same roles. BS! The man can definitely act and he does vary his performances, he's in top form here.

Montgomery Clift, they could have easily made his character an arch type, wimpy guy, who couldn't do anything right. But nope, he's tough enough, but fair...He's a quick draw and will use his gun but he's not cold blooded. He's fleshed out and three dimensional and makes the movie work. He's a unique actor, I like him in the films I've seen him in.

Walter Brennan, Brennan lightens the mood so our senses have a chance to reset and be ready for the next tension filled scene. I always like him, he adds a lot.

Quo the Native American, yes I'm even going to review him! He paired well with Brennan and also added a lighter touch when it was needed. Thumbs up to the script writer for respecting his character and not making him look foolish.

Cherry Valance, cool name for a character. John Ireland rocks this role. Good story element as he appears to be the antagonist and a direct threat to Montgomery Clift. This really adds tension and excitement. The way his character finally turns out, is a sign of intelligent script.

I loved! the on-location shooting. The film looks so rich and vast with the wide angle shots at the start of the film of the wagon train. Later there's nice wide angle shots of 1000s of cattle. Very impressive and a hallmark of Howard Hawks, he goes big here!

80290

What I didn't like: The wagon train scene when the girl is shot through the shoulder with an arrow, she doesn't even flinch...she actually smiles. Say what?

The ending, seemed cold heartened, Cherry Valance is killed and laying there and they just forget him....and everyone ends on a happy note. The happy ending didn't work for me. We have this huge buildup with Wayne, half crazed with revenge, comes to Abilene to kill Clift. After a dramatic fight sequence, the girl gives a speech and then almost automatically they're friends again.

Still Red River is one of the all time great Westerns.

rating_4

[Citizen Rules]

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Stagecoach (John Ford, 1939)

Director: John Ford
Cast: John Wayne, Claire Trevor, Andy Devine
Genre: Western

About: A group of people some who are social outcast take a journey on a stagecoach through dangerous territory. Along the way they are threaten by Geronimo and learn valuable life lessons.

My thoughts: I liked it! It's a tightly made movie with no extraneous moments. It's a lot of story packed into 96 minutes of action and characterization, all while being visually stunning.

This has action...with a very mixed group of people all packed like sardines into the stagecoach, evading the threat of Indian attack, and from Geronimo no less. It's very cool that they used Native American actors for the Indian close up shots.

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I was impressed by the stuntman who jumped onto the lead horse on the stagecoach, and was 'shot', and then hit the ground, actually sliding under the horses hooves and the stagecoach! That was done without edits, that was real folks! And the most dangerous stunt I've ever seen performed in a movie!

Audiences at the time must have loved seeing Monument Valley. And of course John Ford's amazing camera shots, makes the film look great.

http://vadecine.es/vadecine2/images/stories/contenido/peliculas/l/LaDiligencia/ladiligencia3.jpg


Stagecoach is one of the great early westerns. It might not compare to more modern westerns and that's what most of us are use to, but in it's day it was a damn fine film.

rating_4


.

[Captain Steel]

Hey, I watched Stagecoach several months back.
As you know, Westerns are my least favorite of genres, but I liked it for Andy Devine (he's pretty much hilarious in everything... as soon as he starts speaking. Love that voice!)

[Citizen Rules]

I didn't know that westerns were your least favorite genera. Yeah good ole Andy Divine, you got spot his voice from a mile away. So did you like Stagecoach?

[Captain Steel]

I didn't know that westerns were your least favorite genera. Yeah good ole Andy Divine, you got spot his voice from a mile away. So did you like Stagecoach?

Yes, except I watched it very late one night and fell asleep toward the end. :(

Now, I'd be interested in seeing the 1966 remake - the one with Ann Margaret and an all-star cast.

[Citizen Rules]

Yes, except I watched it very late one night and fell asleep toward the end. :(

Now, I'd be interested in seeing the 1966 remake - the one with Ann Margaret and an all-star cast.I like to see that one too. Maybe I can find it somewhere. I'm still on a waiting list at my library for Airplane. One of these days it will be my turn to check it out. I mean I watched all the four original Airport movies so I have to watch Airplane:p

[Citizen Rules]

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Vertigo (Hitchcock, 1958)

Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Cast: James Stewart, Kim Novak, Barbara Bel Geddes
Genre: Mystery,Thriller, Romance

About: A San Francisco police detective (James Stewart) during a robbery chase, nearly falls from a tall building...and develops acrophobia (the extreme fear of heights). The detective now retired is hired to investigate the strange activities of an old friend's wife (Kim Novak), who according to her husband has been possessed by the spirit of a woman who committed suicide a 100 years earlier. The detective ends up falling in love with the mysterious woman.

My Thoughts: When Vertigo came out it was panned by audiences and critics alike. Hitchcock blamed James Stewart for being too old to have a believable romance with Kim Novak. Hitch also blamed Kim Novak, saying she was the wrong choice. Personally I liked Kim Novak in this and everyone loves James Stewart. I never thought of him as being too old for her either.

I love the way Hitch incorporated vertical themes into many of his scenes and sets, which of course supports the film's title and theme. Two examples are shown below in the photos.

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Midge's apartment, with huge bay windows looking out from dizzying heights to the city-scape below. Notice how the set is dressed vertically with points of interest from floor to ceiling.

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The art museum, here too the space is big and tall. Note how Kim Novak looks small and is low in the frame and looking up. Makes me feel dizzy just looking at it.


What I thought failed was: the special effects for the scenes where we see the effects of vertigo. They didn't feel intense enough. Hitch needed to have a couple more brief scenes establishing just how impeded James Stewart's character was by his fear of heights. This is the main part of the film and it should have been emphasized more.

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I bet audiences back in 1958 laughed at the dream sequences. I thought some of the elements were comically fun, and overly cartoonish to be taken seriously...Though other elements of the dream scene looked and worked great.


I think Hitch failed to convey a budding romance between the two leads...or maybe they just didn't have chemistry? They meet, they're in love, then they're separated and they can't live without each other. But it doesn't feel like we the audience, falls in love at the same time. Hitch is a great technical director with his use of creative studio lighting and in Vertigo I think it's Hitch's love for pazazz that gets in the way of the human element being realized.

But hey, this is still a Hitch film which makes it better than the average flick. And you can't go wrong with James Stewart in the lead, especially when Hitch makes even the smallest details look so important.
rating_4


.

[Gideon58]

Cherry Valance, cool name for a character. John Ireland rocks this role.

Cherry Valance is also the name of the character that Diane Lane played in the 1983 film The Outsiders.

[Citizen Rules]

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McCabe & Mrs Miller (Robert Altman, 1971)

Director: Robert Altman
Writers: Edmund Naughton(novel), Robert Altman(screenplay)
Cast: Warren Beatty, Julie Christie, Rene Auberjonois
Genre: Western


An off beat gambler arrives in a remote western mining town, his reputation as a gun fighter proceeds him. He settles into the town and begins making money...and romancing the town's prostitute. The gambler becomes a successful small town business man. Then he comes up against a large corporation who tries to force him to sell his land.


I loved the shooting location in Vancouver, B.C. Canada. It gave a really authentic look to the town, with all the mud, rain and evergreen trees. The small, rustic town built on a step mountainside also added to the film's ambiance. One beautiful movie to look at!

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Great sets too...I loved the look of the film and the cinematography choices. The entire film was expertly handled by Altman. It's really near flawless. I especially liked the scene of the man dancing on the ice, which reminded me of one of the greatest movie scenes ever filmed.

I liked the story premise too, it was an interesting subject matter and I did enjoy watching it. Overall there's a lot to like here, unfortunately there's a few things that didn't work for me:

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The theme song that played over and over, drove me nuts. It took me out of the film and was distracting as I kept focusing on it instead of the film.

Also I couldn't make out what was being said half the time. The words were so mumbled that I actually had to use subtitles to know what they were saying. This made it hard to connect to the film emotionally. The sound mix needed to be done differently.


The interior shots were to dark at times and hard to see, but they sure looked authentic. Just a tiny bit more light would have helped. I read other reviews that mentioned the darkness and sound quality so I know it just wasn't me. I also read Robert Altman deliberately 'frosted' the negative of his film so that it would have a dark slightly hazy look, that could not be corrected later on by the studio. An artistic choice that I liked.

But I don't like Warren Betty, I never have. His movie star fame didn't last long and he's not much of an actor either. Though I will say he's perfectly cast here as a successful but clueless business man. And true to Altman's style he spends a lot of time on colorful dialogue and yet doesn't give us much insight or development on the characters (or maybe I just couldn't hear it!) I felt like I didn't even know what Julie Christie's character was about. Nor did we get much on the momentous task of building a thriving town out of the wilderness mud.

McCabe & Mrs Miller is the kind of film that can grow on you and takes more than one viewing to get it's full effect. However as I already knew what was coming at the ending, the rewatch wasn't emotional rewarding and the last 20 minutes with the hired guns dragged for me.
rating_3_5+

[cricket]

Like you said, I didn't care for that movie on my first viewing but loved it on my second. Of course, I have an advantage over you with loving the theme song and liking Warren Beatty.

[Citizen Rules]

I've only seen it once, for the Western Hof. I think if I could have heard the dialogue better I would have bumped it up a half popcorn rating.

[Citizen Rules]

http://ilarge.lisimg.com/image/5599867/1018full-love-is-a-many--splendored-thing-screenshot.jpg
Love Is a Many Splendored Thing (1955)


Director: Henry King
Writers: John Patrick(screenplay), Han Suyin(novel)
Cast: William Holden, Jennifer Jones, Torin Thatcher
Genre: Biography, Drama, Romance

About: Set during the last days of the Chinese communist revolution of the 1950s...A beautiful Eurasian woman (Jennifer Jones) who's recently widowed, works as a doctor in the Hong Kong hospital. Hers is an uneventful life until she meets and fall in love with an American newspaper correspondent (William Holden).

Review: The 1950's were the time of big budget, Hollywood soap-opera dramas like Peyton Place, Some Came Running and of course all those wonderful Douglas Sirk films...But don't mistake Love Is a Many Splendored Thing for a soapy style drama, it's not. It's a straight forward telling of a difficult (at the time) interracial relationship between a white American male and a woman of Chinese and European parents, a Euroasian. The film focuses on the two people and their growing love for each other, as well as the problems society and their families create for them.

Beautiful set in Hong Kong, the film is a thing of beauty. We're treated to many first hand scenes set in the crowded streets of Hong Kong...and that harbor! Oh my, it's alone worth watching.

http://cfile229.uf.daum.net/image/180A151049E85C0CEC3F51
Jennifer Jones reads a letter from her lover William Holden who's been sent to cover the war in Korea.

Both Jennifer Jones and William Holden have believable screen chemistry. What I like here, is that we, the audience also fall in love as the two leads do. Jennifer Jones brings to the movie a reserved, self disciplined, yet spiritual and hopeful character in Han Suyin.

William Holden might very well be at his finest here. We're use to seeing him play the confident, swaggering maverick. Here we see a more sincere and compassionate side. His character Mark Elliott is forthright with his emotions and shows tenderness towards his love interest. Which is a testimony to his acting as reportedly Jennifer Jones and William Holden didn't get along at all! She went as far as eating garlic before their big romantic kiss, yuk. Holden should have won an Oscar just for kissing the pungent tasting girl.

http://crimsonkimono.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/colline-ladieu-love-is-many-splendored-thing-L-JVjswW.jpeg


rating_4

[cricket]

I've seen that recently, but I'm going to have to look up my thoughts. I can hardly remember it, but I want to say I liked it.

[Citizen Rules]

It's not a film that makes a person stop and think about it. But I still liked it. I bet you gave it a rating_3 or probably a rating_3_5

[Citizen Rules]

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Paths of Glory (Stanley Kubrick, 1957)
Director: Stanley Kubrick
Cast: Kirk Douglas, Ralph Meeker, Adolphe Menjou
Genre: Drama, War

About: After a French soldier refuses to attack an enemy position, a pompous general accuses the soldier of cowardice. Leaving the soldiers commanding officer to defend him



Review: I was totally impressed with Kubrick's amazing cinematography. It reminded me of Orson Welles' work in Citizen Kane. The next time you watch a 'run of a mill' movie, pay attention to how often close ups are used. They're used a lot, which means the cinematographer is using a telephoto lens with a narrow angle of view. They do this because it cuts out much of the background scene allowing for a cheaper made set. If you can't see much of the walls of an interior shot then they don't have to be made or dressed for the movie. Kubrick awards us with beautiful wide angle shots. Even on close ups he goes with a wide angle lens with a small aperture for great depth of field in the background (in focus).

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In the still shot above, Kubrick has used a wide angle lens with a low mount-upwards angle, this shows beautifully the rich detail of the Schleissheim Castle in Germany. The camera angle gives an imposing feel with the soldiers looming larger than life. This is a nice shot with lots of visual impact.


https://thetimothycareyexperience.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/paths202.jpg

I was also impressed with the film noir/German expression style of lighting and shadows that was used in this beautifully framed shot. Both the foreground and background subjects are set at the photographers 'rule of 3rds', with the overall composition looking balanced. Nicely done.

One more shot that was stunning, towards the end of the film inside the castle we have the two generals talking at the bottom of a long stair case...way in the distance, on top of the stairs are two small figures. Then the camera goes to them and we hear their discussion. Look for that scene it's impressive!

The last scene I want to talk about is the battle field. In the trench scene there's this very long dolly shot traveling down the length of the trench. The camera just keeps going and going showing us the war weary men. We see the sides of the trenches lined with 100s of men. In most war movies they don't have that many extras in the shot as they cost money. The trench and no man's land scenes look real.

I thought Kirk Douglas was good, as always. I also liked Ralph Meeker, George Macready, and Adolphe Menjou. I didn't like Wayne Morris (Lt. Roget). He usually plays a dumb muscle in crime movies and here seemed a bit off.

Despite the dramatic events in the story, I found the film somewhat austere. I never had a personal connection to it, it felt emotionally distant. But...that's not a negative comment. I get the feeling that Kubrick was working on the visual impact of the film. The French military is shown as inflexible and regimented, so the austere feel of the story matched that perfectly. I can only concluded that Kubrick planned it that way and is a genius.

rating_4_5+

[Captain Steel]

I always enjoyed the confrontational climax between Douglas and Menjou.
And always cry at the end... (you think something really nasty is going to happen with the German girl, but when all the soldiers start singing with her and crying...*sniff*)

[cricket]

It's not a film that makes a person stop and think about it. But I still liked it. I bet you gave it a rating_3 or probably a rating_3_5

I gave it 3 and commented that I may have loved it if I could've bought into a couple things a little more. I can't remember what those things were.

[Citizen Rules]

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Anatomy of a Murder (Otto Preminger, 1959)

Director: Otto Preminger
Cast: James Stewart, Lee Remick, Ben Gazzara
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery

Otto Preminger knows how to make a movie! Who else could make a 2 hour 40 minute movie about a murder investigation with a long trial and yet make it interesting? Without using over dramatization, Preminger tells a straight forward story as he takes a frank look at the inner workings of the judicial system.



Preminger masterfully controlled the story keeping it focused. Many other directors would have thrown in a car chase or a gun battle or two. Another director would have been tempted to create a romantic sub plot around Lee Remick and James Stewart. But this is a tight film, it has focus, it knows what it wants to be and it delivers.

Preminger's cinematography is polished. The camera glides effortlessly. I loved how the film opens with a Duke Ellington jazz score that tells us James Stewart's character marches to a different drummer. The score tells us he's a bit roguish but likable. Equally impressive was how the score changed when we get to the trial portion of the film, then it was all business. Preminger has all the elements of film making in harmonization.

James Stewart is always amazing. What's amazing here is he plays his character more subdued than he usually does. He's not as quirky, not as colorful...and that matches the feel of the movie. Same goes for George C Scott, amazing always. Here he's powerful but not uber powerful as he often is. He's metered, also matching the style of the film. Artur O'Connelly and Eve Arden were good choices to lighten the film some.

http://www.filmnoirblonde.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Anatomy-4.jpg

Lee Remick was OK but didn't quite fit the role. Oh sure she's all dolled up and looks the part, but she didn't have the personality of a man crazy, party girl floozy.

I liked Ben Gazzara's performance he seemed capable of committing a violent act of passion.

Anatomy of a Murder is rich in detail and nuances. I found the realistic study of how defense and prosecuting attorneys operate in a court of law fascinating.

rating_4_5+

[Citizen Rules]

http://animationresources.org/pics2/goldrush04-big.jpg
The Gold Rush (1925)
Director: Charles Chaplin
Writer: Charles Chaplin
Cast: Charles Chaplin, Mack Swain, Tom Murray
Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Drama
Type: Silent Film

About: Charlie Chaplin's little trap heads to the Klondike in the frozen north, in search of gold and finds love.



Review: There's something joyous about looking back in time to an era so long gone. Silent films are a different form of artistry, the acting style is unique and so are the stories. Charles Chaplin once said that The Gold Rush was the one film that he wanted to be remembered for. I feel like it's important not to forget him or any of these great artist that were once so important to the world.

So much has already been lost, 75% of all silent films are gone...erased from history. The moments, the people, the images vanished into the ether. Occasional a lost film is found, but it's extremely rare. Of the remaining silent films, many are in storage and deteriorating. Sad.

At least we have this gem. I really loved watching The Gold Rush. All one has to do is watch Chaplin's face as he does the dancing rolls to know you're watching a very special artist.

Charlie Chaplin revised this film in 1942. The revision which was done by Chaplin himself. You can call it a Director's Cut.

For the 1942 version, Chaplin wrote the narrative and spoke the lines, giving a dramatic reading of them. In some ways it enhances the story, but it also takes away some of the subtleties of a silent film.

Chaplin also composed a beautiful music score for the 1942 version. Which really enhanced the movie over the 1925 version with the bouncy organ music (added to the DVD at a latter date of course.)

He cut two scenes from the 1925 version:

The scene where Georgia writes a love letter to the Tramp. The scene takes the focus off the Tramp, as it's mainly a close up of the letter being written by Georgia. When the camera pans up to the second floor of the dance hall, it shakes badly. Chaplin was a perfectest often doing many takes of a scene and I can image he was unhappy with it.

The second scene was the ending, which I won't spoil by talking about. I'll just say where the film was edited in the 1942 version is a better choice. The 1925 gives a brief comic epilogue but diminishes the emotional impact of the 1942 cut.

Regardless of what version you watch, The Gold Rush is a real treat.

rating_5

[Citizen Rules]

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Coming Home (Hal Ashby, 1978)
Director: Hal Ashby
Cast: Jane Fonda, Jon Voight, Bruce Dern
Genre: Drama, Romance, War

The wife of a Vietnam solider falls in love with a paralyzed veteran when she signs up to help at a Army hospital.


Damn...this is excellent story telling. I loved this film...it's moving, it's powerful, it's a beautifully told story that covers the emotions and aftermath of the Vietnam war.

This movie feels personal to me and I connected to it very easily, something I often don't do. Some of that comes from the cinematography/direction but mostly it comes from the superbly written & acted, character driven story. These people seem real. I'm still thinking about them a day after watching it.

The soundtrack is brilliant. It's composed of 1960's rock songs. But it's so much more than just cool songs. The songs tell us about the main emotion of the scene.

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Jon Voight won an Academy Award for best actor. He embodies his role and allows us a gateway into the movie. His speech to the high school students worked beautifully to deliver the message of the film. He did this with subtle power and humanity.

Jane Fonda won an Academy Award for best actress. Jane's character is not a liberated, outspoken woman as Jane Fonda is in real life. Her character is the dutiful, stay at home, married 'little woman'. She plays her character accordingly. At first she's reserved in her emotions, latter she emotionally grows and we can see this change in her performance.

rating_4_5

[Gideon58]

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Just saw this one recently for the first time...enjoyed it as much as you did.

[Citizen Rules]

Just saw this one recently for the first time...enjoyed it as much as you did. I seen your reviewed on it, we had similar thoughts, I think?

Oh and have you seen Love Is a Many Splendored Thing (1955)?

[Gideon58]

Lee Remick was OK but didn't quite fit the role. Oh sure she's all dolled up and looks the part, but she didn't have the personality of a man crazy, party girl floozy.

I liked Ben Gazzara's performance he seemed capable of committing a violent act of passion.

Anatomy of a Murder is rich in detail and nuances. I found the realistic study of how defense and prosecuting attorneys operate in a court of law fascinating.



So pleased to see you liked this movie as much as I do...for my money, it's the best film of 1959. I agree with just about everything you've said here. Funny what you said about Lee Remick because she wasn't originally cast in the role. Your gal Lana Turner was originally cast in the role, but she had issues with the costume and makeup people and walked from the project.

[Gideon58]

I seen your reviewed on it, we had similar thoughts, I think?

Oh and have you seen Love Is a Many Splendored Thing (1955)?

I have not...I'm a little reluctant about approaching another Jennifer Jones project, but I will add it to my watchlist.

[Citizen Rules]

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Pather Panchali (Satyajit Ray, 1955)

Director: Satyajit Ray
Writers: Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay(novel), Satyajit Ray(screenplay)
Cast: Kanu Bannerjee, Karuna Bannerjee, Subir Banerjee
Genre: Drama
Country: India

Synopsis: A poor priest strives to make a better life for his family who verily have enough food to eat. He leaves his remote village to search work in Bengal. Leaving his family to endure hardships.

About: Pather Panchali is constantly rated as one of the most important films made! That's saying a lot as supposedly the director and his cinematographer had never made a film until this one!

The first of the Apu trilogy films all directed by Satyajit Ray: Pather Panchali (1955), Aparajito (1956) and Apur Sansar (1959).

Review: I found myself being drawn into the film from the very start. And I found myself really caring about this family. I especially connected to the mother, daughter relationship...The older sister, younger brother relationship was touching with it's simply, yet telling moments.

These people, even though removed from us by 60 years in time and living in a remote region, seemed so much realer than many families depicted in movies today. The director brought out their shades of humanity. I feel like I've meet these people.

I noticed a very important name during the title credits...Ravi Shankar. Beatle fans will recognize him. I loved his music and the way the soundtrack was used in the film..powerful when needed, subtle when required and absent when quietness told the story. Cinematography was done very well too.

rating_4_5

[Gideon58]

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Splash (1984)

[SIZE=2]Director: Ron Howard
Cast: Tom Hanks, Daryl Hannah, Eugene Levy, John Candy
Genre: Romantic Comedy


Enjoyed your review of this movie, Citizen, can't believe it took you this long to see it...Ron Howard really began to show his chops as a director here...I love that close-up shot of Hanks on the beach looking for Madison and way, way, way way back in the background you see her tail come quietly out of the water and splash back in.

[Citizen Rules]

Enjoyed your review of this movie, Citizen, can't believe it took you this long to see it... I've missed out on a lot of 80s films. I just seen Adventure in Babysitting for the first time. And a year ago was the first time I seen St Elmos Fire. I really need to watch more of these fine 80s films.:)

[Daniel M]

Love The Gold Rush, possibly my favourite silent Chaplin and one of my favourite silent films altogether, as you say, a real treat. Good to see you enjoying so many films recently.

[cricket]

I didn't remember you thinking so much of Pather Panchali. I thought it was brilliant.

[Gideon58]

I've missed out on a lot of 80s films. I just seen Adventure in Babysitting for the first time. And a year ago was the first time I seen St Elmos Fire. I really need to watch more of these fine 80s films.:)

St. Elmo's Fire is one of my favorite guilty pleasures.

[rauldc14]

Gold Rush! There's another Criterion I need.

[Citizen Rules]

I didn't remember you thinking so much of Pather Panchali. I thought it was brilliant. For me it was the characters who seemed so real that I ended up caring about them, especially the girl who stole fruit from the neighbors tree to help her family survive. She was a very natural actresses. I read that none of the children in the movie had ever acted before. How amazing is that then, that the children made the movie.

St. Elmo's Fire is one of my favorite guilty pleasures. I was disappointed in St. Elmos's Fire, I guess it had it's moments but it was not Breakfast Club or Sixteen Candles. Still it's worth watching and I could see it on a guilty pleasure list.

[Citizen Rules]

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=22809&stc=1&d=1444589301 The Shop Around the Corner (Ernst Lubitsch, 1940)

Director: Ernst Lubitsch
Cast: Margaret Sullavan, James Stewart, Frank Morgan
Genre: Drama Comedy Romance

Synopsis: Two employees at a small Budapest gift shop (Margaret Sullavan, James Stewart) can't stand being in each other's presences...they bicker and argue all the time. What they don't realize is that they have fallen in love with each other, anonymously, when each secretly sends a 'lonely hearts letter' to the newspapers personal ads.

Review: Ernst Lubitsch brings out the small moments that make up life. His focus is on the character's idiosyncrasies and by that we experience their world. The Shop Around the Corner is a world unto itself. The majority of the film takes place inside the shop, this gives us an intimate feel. Inside the shop the lives of the sales people unfold for us. Their simple yet telling actions allows us to connect to them in a personal way. Lubitsch understands people, this film is a showcase for his talents.

James Stewart is arguably one of the greatest actors of all time. His strength is in how he can 'play it small'. He can bring a dramatic moment to life by doing the opposite of what most actors do. At the end of his dialogue he often will lower his voice and trails it off to almost a whisper. This works well and brings out his humanity, he seems real to us. Stewart is a very likable actor and here his character is perfectly tuned for the story.

Margaret Sullavan has top billing, with her name before Stewart's in the title sequence. Which seems odd as she wasn't as big of a star as Stewart at the time. Margaret didn't make very many movies and this is her most well known performance. It's a good one too. I liked her in this and she fits the character to a tee. Another producer might have went with a platinum blonde glamor queen for more eye appeal and ticket sells, Lubitsch chose wisely with his leading lady.

Lubitsch is one of the great directors and The Shop Around the Corner is one of his great films.

rating_5

[gbgoodies]

I love The Shop Around the Corner, as well as both of its remakes. I think it's much better than In the Good Old Summertime, which is also a great movie, but I'd put You've Got Mail almost as high up as The Shop Around the Corner.

I think The Shop Around the Corner is actually a better movie than You've Got Mail, but I think You've Got Mail is a more emotional movie because of the chemistry between Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan.

[Citizen Rules]

You've Got Mail is a more emotional movie because of the chemistry between Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. Don't they end up meeting at the Space Needle? Or am I thinking of a different movie.

[gbgoodies]

Don't they end up meeting at the Space Needle? Or am I thinking of a different movie.


No, that's Sleepless in Seattle.

[Citizen Rules]

Ha, my mind has melded those two films. I know one of them has Tom Hanks living on a house boat.

[gbgoodies]

Ha, my mind has melded those two films. I know one of them has Tom Hanks living on a house boat.


Yeah, that's also Sleepless in Seattle.

It's easy to get those two movies confused because of the pairing of Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. Plus, they're both great movies.

[Citizen Rules]

I wonder if I seen both? I might not have seen You Got Mail

[rauldc14]

I don't love Shop Around the Corner, but I can see the appeal.

[gbgoodies]

I wonder if I seen both? I might not have seen You Got Mail


Then you should definitely see it. It's a version of The Shop Around the Corner that's been updated to when AOL used the sound file "You've got mail.".

[gbgoodies]

I don't love Shop Around the Corner, but I can see the appeal.


Have you seen either of the remakes?

[Citizen Rules]

Then you should definitely see it. It's a version of The Shop Around the Corner that's been updated to when AOL used the sound file "You've got mail.". Update...I just asked my wife and she said we did see You've Got Mail. And when watched it after watching The Shop Around the Corner, (I bet it was because you mentioned it before:))

Have you seen either of the remakes? I'm sure Raul seen The Shop Around the Corner, that was an HoF film. I thought maybe it was his, but must have been someone else's. (I'm too lazy to look:p)

[gbgoodies]

Update...I just asked my wife and she said we did see You've Got Mail. And when watched it after watching The Shop Around the Corner, (I bet it was because you mentioned it before:))

I'm sure Raul seen The Shop Around the Corner, that was an HoF film. I thought maybe it was his, but must have been someone else's. (I'm too lazy to look:p)


Yeah, I probably mentioned it when I did a write-up of The Shop Around the Corner for the HoF. I usually end up watching both of those movies together, and sometimes all three if I have the time.

[Citizen Rules]

Wow, that's a lot of movies:D

[gbgoodies]

Wow, that's a lot of movies:D


Well, I work on the computer through most of the night, so the TV is usually on the whole time.

[Citizen Rules]

You've probably watched a lot more movies than I have. I only manage 1 a night, sometimes not even that. I couldn't watch 2 movies back to back, I would get to tired from that. But it cools that you can watch and work at the same time. Do you have two computer monitors?

[gbgoodies]

You've probably watched a lot more movies than I have. I only manage 1 a night, sometimes not even that. I couldn't watch 2 movies back to back, I would get to tired from that. But it cools that you can watch and work at the same time. Do you have two computer monitors?


I have four computers and three monitors, plus a laptop and a tablet, but one system is my primary system, and one system is Hubby's primary system. One of the other systems is strictly for work, and the laptop and tablet aren't used much unless we're traveling.

But I rarely watch movies on any of the computers.

[Citizen Rules]

Do you do networking between any of those computers? I tried setting that up once with my wife's laptop and my desktop but it was more of a pain than I wanted to go through. So if we transfer files (usually pictures) I just use a USB flash drive.

[gbgoodies]

Do you do networking between any of those computers? I tried setting that up once with my wife's laptop and my desktop but it was more of a pain than I wanted to go through. So if we transfer files (usually pictures) I just use a USB flash drive.


Yes. Three of the computers are on a wired network, and the laptop and tablet have wireless access to the network. (Our cell phones and Blu-Ray DVD players also have access to the network.)

[Citizen Rules]

Wow, you're really techno savy. I'm in the dark ages when it comes to technology.

[gbgoodies]

Wow, you're really techno savy. I'm in the dark ages when it comes to technology.


I know enough, but I haven't really kept up on the newer tech stuff. There are a lot of people who know more tech stuff than I do.

[Citizen Rules]

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=22920&stc=1&d=1445622046

Spirited Away (Hayao Miyazaki, 2001)


Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Writer: Hayao Miyazaki
Voice Actors: Daveigh Chase, Suzanne Pleshette, Miyu Irino
Genre: Animation, Adventure
Country: Japan

Synopsis: An unhappy 10 year old girl moves with her family to the suburbs. She's lazy and uncaring...During a wrong way turn onto an abandoned country road, the family gets out of their car and walks down a long tunnel, and into a world ruled by spirit beings...where humans if caught trespassing are changed into animals.

Review: I really enjoyed this! I watched the English audio version, there is also the original Japanese language version with subtitles. I connected to this film right from the start.

What I loved about Spirited Away was that it's so richly detailed with wonderfully interesting spirit characters. The story both written and directed by Miyazaki excels in 'world building' much like Ridley Scott did in Blade Runner. We're treated to a uniquely different world with its on set of rules and traditions. And we're showing many aspects of it, from the deep bowels where coal is stoked into the fires by little dust creatures to the upper world of the bath house which is richly appointed with it's own characters and ways of doing things.

The bath house was immense like some castle labyrinth, I want to go there! Each room had it's own interesting design, every time we enter a new room there's something fascinating to see. In some ways this reminded me of the Alice in Wonderland, stories with a new adventure at every turn!

I loved that the animators understood the relationship between lighting and color gradients. Much care was given to making the film look real and three dimensional. I was impressed that cinematography camera angles were used. We get low angle and overhand shots, fly by shots and more. Just like a well made live action film, Spirited Away has amazing cinematography, lighting and sets.

Of course the star of the Spirited Away is the little girl who must cope with insurmountable odds to save the day. She seems real, with real emotions, so I cared about her plight. This was a very enjoyable film to watch.

rating_5

[rauldc14]

My favorite animated movie of all time. Glad you enjoy it :up:

[Citizen Rules]

I did enjoy it! My wife really liked it too.

[gbgoodies]

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=26231&stc=1&d=1468172144
Vertigo (Hitchcock, 1958)

Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Cast: James Stewart, Kim Novak, Barbara Bel Geddes
Genre: Mystery,Thriller, Romance

About: A San Francisco police detective (James Stewart) during a robbery chase, nearly falls from a tall building...and develops acrophobia (the extreme fear of heights). The detective, now retired is hired to investigate the strange activities of an old friend's wife (Kim Novak), who according to her husband has been possessed by the spirit of a woman who committed suicide a 100 years earlier. The detective ends up falling in love with the mysterious woman.

My Thoughts: When Vertigo came out it was panned by audiences and critics alike. Hitchcock blamed James Stewart for being too old to have a believable romance with Kim Novak. Hitch also blamed Kim Novak saying she was the wrong choice. Personally I liked Kim Novak in this and everyone loves James Stewart. I never thought of him as being too old either.

I did like the movie. I love the way Hitch incorporated vertical themes into many of his scenes and sets. Two examples are shown below in the photos.

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=26236&stc=1&d=1468173291

Midge's apartment, with huge bay windows looking out from dizzying heights to the cityscape below. Notice how the set is dressed vertically with points of interest from floor to ceiling. Hitch repeats this set idea in many of the scenes.

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=26233&stc=1&d=1468172916

The art museum, here too the space is big and tall. Note how Kim Novak looks small and is low in the frama and looking up. Makes me feel dizzy just looking at it.


What I thought failed was the special effects for the scenes where we see the effects of vertigo. They didn't feel intense enough. Hitch needed to have a couple more brief scenes establishing just how impeded James Stewart's character was by his fear of his heights. This is the main part of the film and it should have been played up more.

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=26237&stc=1&d=1468173298


http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=26238&stc=1&d=1468173304

I bet audiences back in 1958 laughed at the dream sequences. I thought some of the elements were comically fun, and overly cartoonish to be taken seriously. Though other elements of the dream scene looked and worked great.


I think Hitch also failed to convey a budding romance between the two leads...or maybe they just didn't have chemistry? They meet, their in love, their separated, they can't live without each other. But it doesn't feel like we the audience, fall in love at the same time. Hitch is a great technical director with his use of creative studio lighting and in Vertigo I think it's Hitch's love for pazazz that gets in the way of the human element being realized.

But hey, this is still a Hitch film which makes it better than the average bear. And you can't go wrong with James Stewart in the lead, especially when Hitch makes even the smallest details look so important.

rating_4


I like Vertigo, but I think James Stewart and Kim Novak didn't have any chemistry together, and yes, I think their age difference was part of the reason. But I have a bad fear of heights, and I get dizzy, and sometimes even pass out, in high places, so I can relate to what he's going through.

[gbgoodies]

http://ilarge.lisimg.com/image/5599867/1018full-love-is-a-many--splendored-thing-screenshot.jpg
Love Is a Many Splendored Thing (1955)


Director: Henry King
Writers: John Patrick(screenplay), Han Suyin(novel)
Cast: William Holden, Jennifer Jones, Torin Thatcher
Genre: Biography, Drama, Romance

About: Set during the last days of the Chinese communist revolution of the 1950s...A beautiful Eurasian woman (Jennifer Jones) who's recently widowed, works as a doctor in the Hong Kong hospital. Hers is an uneventful life until she meets and fall in love with an American newspaper correspondent (William Holden).

Review: The 1950's were the time of big budget, Hollywood soap-opera dramas like Peyton Place, Some Came Running and of course all those wonderful Douglas Sirk films...But don't mistake Love Is a Many Splendored Thing for a soapy style drama, it's not. It's a straight forward telling of a difficult (at the time) interracial relationship between a white American male and a woman of Chinese and European parents, a Euroasian. The film focuses on the two people and their growing love for each other, as well as the problems society and their families create for them.

Beautiful set in Hong Kong, the film is a thing of beauty. We're treated to many first hand scenes set in the crowded streets of Hong Kong...and that harbor! Oh my, it's alone worth watching.

http://cfile229.uf.daum.net/image/180A151049E85C0CEC3F51
Jennifer Jones reads a letter from her lover William Holden who's been sent to cover the war in Korea.

Both Jennifer Jones and William Holden have believable screen chemistry. What I like here, is that we, the audience also fall in love as the two leads do. Jennifer Jones brings to the movie a reserved, self disciplined, yet spiritual and hopeful character in Han Suyin.

William Holden might very well be at his finest here. We're use to seeing him play the confident, swaggering maverick. Here we see a more sincere and compassionate side. His character Mark Elliott is forthright with his emotions and shows tenderness towards his love interest. Which is a testimony to his acting as reportedly Jennifer Jones and William Holden didn't get along at all! She went as far as eating garlic before their big romantic kiss, yuk. Holden should have won an Oscar just for kissing the pungent tasting girl.

http://crimsonkimono.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/colline-ladieu-love-is-many-splendored-thing-L-JVjswW.jpeg


rating_4







I was hoping to watch Love Is a Many Splendored Thing before turning in my 1950's list, but I haven't had the chance to watch it yet. I'm pretty sure that I saw it many years ago, but I don't remember much about it.

[gbgoodies]

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vkIeyqtOmNM/VTg8Gbt_50I/AAAAAAABDFc/KZ7SnpWG9rw/s1600/005-otto-preminger-theredlist.png
Anatomy of a Murder (Otto Preminger, 1959)

Director: Otto Preminger
Cast: James Stewart, Lee Remick, Ben Gazzara
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery

Otto Preminger knows how to make a movie! Who else could make a 2 hour 40 minute movie about a murder investigation with a long trial and yet make it interesting? Without using over dramatization, Preminger tells a straight forward story as he takes a frank look at the inner workings of the judicial system.



Preminger masterfully controlled the story keeping it focused. Many other directors would have thrown in a car chase or a gun battle or two. Another director would have been tempted to create a romantic sub plot around Lee Remick and James Stewart. But this is a tight film, it has focus, it knows what it wants to be and it delivers.

Preminger's cinematography is polished. The camera glides effortlessly. I loved how the film opens with a Duke Ellington jazz score that tells us James Stewart's character marches to a different drummer. The score tells us he's a bit roguish but likable. Equally impressive was how the score changed when we get to the trial portion of the film, then it was all business. Preminger has all the elements of film making in harmonization.

James Stewart is always amazing. What's amazing here is he plays his character more subdued than he usually does. He's not as quirky, not as colorful...and that matches the feel of the movie. Same goes for George C Scott, amazing always. Here he's powerful but not uber powerful as he often is. He's metered, also matching the style of the film. Artur O'Connelly and Eve Arden were good choices to lighten the film some.

http://www.filmnoirblonde.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Anatomy-4.jpg

Lee Remick was OK but didn't quite fit the role. Oh sure she's all dolled up and looks the part, but she didn't have the personality of a man crazy, party girl floozy.

I liked Ben Gazzara's performance he seemed capable of committing a violent act of passion.

Anatomy of a Murder is rich in detail and nuances. I found the realistic study of how defense and prosecuting attorneys operate in a court of law fascinating.

4.5+




Anatomy of a Murder is a great movie, and a strong candidate for my 1950's list.

[Citizen Rules]

I like Vertigo, but I think James Stewart and Kim Novak didn't have any chemistry together, and yes, I think their age difference was part of the reason. But I have a bad fear of heights, and I get dizzy, and sometimes even pass out, in high places, so I can relate to what he's going through. We're both right...no chemistry in the film. Kim Novak was terribly shy to the point of being sick before her scenes, so it's hard for her to have chemistry with anyone. Hitch had a thing for blonde short haired women, who were cool and reserved: Tippi Hedren, Kim Novak, Grace Kelly, Janet Leigh, Eva Marie Saint, Ingrid Bergman

I was hoping to watch Love Is a Many Splendored Thing before turning in my 1950's list, but I haven't had the chance to watch it yet. I'm pretty sure that I saw it many years ago, but I don't remember much about it. I think you would like it.

Anatomy of a Murder is a great movie, and a strong candidate for my 1950's list. I had so many great 50s films that it was the hardest list for me to make so far.

[gbgoodies]

I had so many great 50s films that it was the hardest list for me to make so far.


I know how you feel. I've been narrowing down my '50's list so I'll be ready to submit it, and it's going up and down like a yo-yo. Every time I remove a movie from my list, I regret removing it and try to remove something else to put it back on.

But if you think that's hard, try voting in the Old Fogey Song Tournament. I think that's even harder.

[Citizen Rules]

https://anotherfilmblog.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/manfor1.jpg
A Man for All Seasons (Fred Zinnemann, 1966)

Director: Fred Zinnemann
Writers: Robert Bolt (stageplay), Robert Bolt(screenplay)
Cast: Paul Scofield, Wendy Hiller, Robert Shaw, Susannah York, John Hurt, Orson Welles
Genre: Biography, Drama, History

Synopsis: 16th century England: Sir Thomas More who's a respected lawyer, author, statesman, humanist and serves as Councillor to King Henry VIII, puts his life in danger when he opposes the King's rejection of the Roman Catholic Church. Thomas More's steadfast holding to his religious beliefs stands in the way of the king being granted a divorce and remarriage. A matter of upmost importance to the King, as so far the King has no male heirs, only daughters.

Review: I had seen this before a few years ago and had completely forgotten it. Probably because despite the very dramatic history being presented, the film itself isn't that emotional. That's not a bad thing...The film presents a more intellectual picture of Sir Thomas More and goes into depth with his mental reasoning's for opposing the King wishes. Sir More was a man of deep beliefs and would not budge from those beliefs, even when his life was endangered the film explores his convictions and the man behind them.

http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Film/Pix/pictures/2009/11/18/1258549067500/Orson-Welles-and-Paul-Sco-001.jpg

Cardinal Wolsey (Orson Welles) has a confrontation with Sir Thomas More (Paul Scofied).


I like period pieces and the story of England's infamous King Henry VIII and his clash with the Catholic Church and Sir Thomas More is the stuff of legends. I thought the actors were well cast in their roles. I would have liked to seen more of Cardinal Wolsey (Orson Welles). I would also have liked a little more detail on why King Henry was seeking to be the head of his own church....The Church of England.

The outdoor scenes were excellent and the old English castles were neat to see. A slower moving film, but with great characters. I enjoyed it.

rating_4+

[Gideon58]

Lee Remick was OK but didn't quite fit the role. Oh sure she's all dolled up and looks the part, but she didn't have the personality of a man crazy, party girl floozy.

I thought I had posted this already but I don't see it...it's interesting that you thought Lee Remick wasn't right for the role because she wasn't originally cast in the role. Lana Turner was originally cast in the role, but she had issues with the costume and makeup people and walked.

[Citizen Rules]

Lee Remick was OK but didn't quite fit the role. Oh sure she's all dolled up and looks the part, but she didn't have the personality of a man crazy, party girl floozy.

I thought I had posted this already but I don't see it...it's interesting that you thought Lee Remick wasn't right for the role because she wasn't originally cast in the role. Lana Turner was originally cast in the role, but she had issues with the costume and makeup people and walked. Lana Turner would have had the overt sexuality, that would have made the character worked. I didn't totally buy Lee Remick in that role.

[Citizen Rules]

My next film review is thanks to a recommendation by Cricket.

[Citizen Rules]

https://teganthegreat.files.wordpress.com/2016/03/2-5.jpg?w=760
Brooklyn (John Crowley, 2015)

Director: John Crowley
Writers: Nick Hornby(screenplay), Colm Tóibín(novel)
Cast: Saoirse Ronan, Emory Cohen, Domhnall Gleeson
Genre: Period Piece, Drama, Romance

A young Irish girl leaves her mother and sister behind and travels to America in 1951. In Brooklyn she starts a new life for herself as she falls in love with a young Italian American boy.

Review: What a wonderful film! Lovely story telling, without the usual profanity, violence and faux sex that usually accompanies the typical Hollywood movie. But....this is not a Hollywood by-the-numbers movie, it's a finely made Irish-British-Canadian film directed by John Crowley. Cowley is an up and coming film maker with only five theatrical release movies to his name (films that he directed). After watching his very personal and charming story telling of Brooklyn, I'm keen on watching other of his films. And that says a lot for this movie!

http://www.indiekino.de/material/filepool/brooklyn-eine_liebe_zwischen_zwei_welten/bilder/fotostrecke_12663.jpg

What I really appreciated about this movie is, it was made as if we were along for the ride. We see America for the first time, and we feel like Eilis Lacey (Saoirse Ronan) feels as she takes a room at a boarding house in a strange country and goes to work in a department store and struggles with her shyness, until she finds love and confidence. Latter in the film when she travels back to Ireland we feel as she feels, torn between her ancestral homeland in Ireland and her new home in America.

My highest praise is for an amazing actresses, Saoirse Ronan. She makes her character come alive by playing her character oh-so-subtly. I believed her character was real and that says a lot for this actresses.

So many films have to go 'big' in order to get the R rating and yet they fail to deliver any type of storytelling worth caring about. I cared about this film and it's story.

Sadly, it will be a long time until I find another new film that I like as much as I do this one.

rating_5

[Citizen Rules]

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=22806&stc=1&d=1444491655
Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior (George Miller, 1981)

Director: George Miller
Writers: Terry Hayes, George Miller
Cast: Mel Gibson, Bruce Spence, Michael Preston
Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi


About: In a dystopian, post-apocalyptic wasteland where water and gasoline is a rare commodity...a hardened drifter, Max (Mel Gibson) appears on the scene and enters into a contract with a group of people who are trapped in a fortress like compound. They're gasoline rich, but surrounded by murderous bandits who want their gasoline.


We had a contract!....Max


Review: Totally awesome! This does exactly what it's designed to do and does it better than any movie of its type. It's full of interesting characters with their own quirks. There are lots of cool and strange looking autos too. But most of all it's got the coolest dude to hit a dystopian sunset...Mad Max. Mel Gibson created one hell of an iconic figure and along with his hot rod car, the last of the V8 Interceptors and his helpful dog, he kicks sci-fi ass.

Stunts! those are a huge part of the film and let me say a well executed stunt is just as impressive as some artsy camera movement. The tanker chase down a long stretch of road has enough crazy stunts to impress anyone and those are real stunts, not CG stuff.

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=26333&stc=1&d=1469379927


On a personal level this film holds a deep meaning for me...it's tenet that runs through this movie and also in Beyond Thunder Dome...The cool thing about Road Warrior is that despite all of the carnage and violence, Max has a personal code of honor that he holds to and I admire that.

rating_5


.

[Citizen Rules]

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=26444&stc=1&d=1469823022
Hello My Name is Doris (Michael Showalter, 2015)
Director: Michael Showalter
Writers: Michael Showalter, Laura Terruso
Cast: Sally Field, Max Greenfield, Tyne Daly
Genre: Indie Drama-Comedy-Romance

Doris (Sally Fields) is an ecliptic, lonely 60ish spinster, who has spent her life living with her mother in a run down old house, filled with junk and memories. Doris is left alone after her mother dies, her only friend (Tyne Daily) tries to keep her company. Her brother and sister in-law want her to get rid of her life long collection of useless junk and sell the house. But Doris is not willing to let go of her safe space...too her the junk might be useful and holds memories.

After attending a free motivational seminar, which she buys into hook, line and sinker, Doris decides nothing in life is impossible...including pursuing a romance with her much younger and handsome office worker (Max Greenfield).

Sally Fields has still got it! She takes what might be an over the top character type and grounds her in stark reality. As a result we're treated to both insightful, funny moments, as well as some very hard to watch moments. One such hard scene, is when her brother and sister in-law come to take her life long collection of stuff away from her. Doris' reaction is heart felt and real, giving us an uncomfortable scene but a very honest one.

We see a lot of ourselves in Doris and see how she makes the same life mistakes that many of us do...and so we care about her. At the same time the director shows us how pitiful Doris can be in her out of place actions, especially her attempt to break up her co-workers relationship. Almost everything Doris does in the pursuit of romance is inappropriate. That makes us squirm, just a little and that's a good thing.

https://36.media.tumblr.com/ed6489a8fbe1b500982bb94f70ee3245/tumblr_o4ba2l7Eo21qa74avo1_500.jpg

Doris (Sally Fields) spends another day alone reading and fantasizing about a wonderful life.


This is an indie film, so luckily we don't get the same old tired cliches that Hollywood keeps showing us. I found the film to be fresh and refreshing. At times it made me wince, other times I smiled. But I always enjoyed the experience of watching Doris in her world.

rating_4

[Citizen Rules]

https://forgottenfilmcast.files.wordpress.com/2016/02/volunteers-3.png?w=700
Volunteers (Nicholas Meyer, 1985)


Director: Nicholas Meyer
Cast: Tom Hanks, John Candy, Rita Wilson
Genre: Comedy

Lawrence Whatley Bourne III, yup that's his name, is a rich-snobby Harvard graduate with a bad accent and an even badder gambling habit. On the eve of his graduation he makes a double or nothing bet and loses! The bad guys give him until midnight to come up with the $28,000! No problem, the rich dad will help out right?...Well you guessed it, Lawrence high tails it to the airport and jumps on an air flight full of Peace Corp volunteers (hence the movie's name) and winds up in sunny, umm, I mean steamy hot! Thailand.

http://www.sbs.com.au/movies/sites/sbs.com.au.film/files/images/s/i/site_28_rand_317181288_volunteers_pub_627.jpg
Snobby Lawrence (Tom Hanks) meets, cutie pie Beth (Rita Wilson) on the plane ride over. She's not impressed with his attempt to get her in the sack. He's not happy that he struck out.


https://forgottenfilmcast.files.wordpress.com/2016/02/volunteers-2.png?w=700

Tom Tuttle (John Candy) is thrilled to meet Wallace (Tom Hanks), Wallace isn't so thrilled.

Along the way he encounters John Candy and the future Mrs. Hanks, Rita Wilson...Along for the ride is a gang of communist guerillas, a drug lord with a bad hair-do and a crazy CIA type. His only friend is At Toon (Gedde Watanabe) better known as the fun loving exchange student from Sixteen Candles... They are all mixed up in a wacky bid for a bridge being built...shades of Bridge Over the River Kwai.

http://www.elseptimoarte.net/imagenes/peliculas/41392.jpg

All and all this is a wacky 1980s comedy with just about every stereo typical character troupe you can think of...Now, that's not a bad thing, just leave your sense of reality in the bathroom next to your toothbrush and you'll be fine, as you explore zany characters in a far away land. You won't even care if you never see your toothbrush again.

Word up to the actors, they are what makes this film...Let's face it the story is a farce, yeah it's meant to be over-the-top...But it's Tom Hanks fun loving performance of a bumbling blue blood snob that is reminiscent of Thurston Howl the III from Gilligan's Island, that makes the film go.

Let's not forget that comic genius of John Candy. This movie was early in Candy's film career and he doesn't get top billing, but does that stop him from stealing the show? Hell no! You should watch this just for Candy, I did.

https://forgottenfilmcast.files.wordpress.com/2016/02/volunteers-4.png?w=700


Last but certainly not least is the lovely Rita Wilson, who's cute as the bubbly Peace Corp worker. She's so bubbly that in real life Tom Hanks fell in love with her on the set and they married..and they're still married!

What more could you want than that?

rating_3+
http://www.movie-trailer.co.uk/static/images/backdrops/previews/volunteers-1985.jpg

[Captain Steel]

I thought I'd seen just about every Tom Hanks & John Candy movie, but after reading the description & seeing the photos, this doesn't even sound remotely familiar. So it's going on the "watch list."

P.S. that photo with Watanabee is weird because it looks like the old man behind him has his beard morphing into Watanabee's shirt! (???)
I can't tell where the old man's beard ends and Watanabee's torso begin. It's like they're "Siamese" brothers joined at the beard & shoulder! :D

[Citizen Rules]

I can't tell where the old man's beard ends and Watanabee's torso begin. It's like they're "Siamese" brothers joined at the beard & shoulder! http://www.movieforums.com/community/data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhDwAPAMQAANDs/AB9bQKAbwSDcQWEcg2Qew6RexWcghefhR+qjcDAwCKvkCSykii4liu8mSy9mjHFnzTKozPIoTrRqD7YrUDbr0LdsEjmt0rpuVDxv lP2wln/yP///729vQAAAAAAACH5BAEAAAoALAAAAAAPAA8AQAVxoCKKXlmO5ONxwMqubeApHuZtmld5z+IZM1IBaPIEZCjPBXOxTCCNxCHomRSvp cHMk/C0OC+OMZgsosqUieTBOI2UmdKFEikhClvKJaPJzCMOC3cEJRIwLl8tAiVtYWExWwcIJWAtRkhvHgQDAkduCiEAOw==Ha!...So you never seen that one? Either had I, in fact I had never even heard of it. But I'm on a quest to see every John Candy movie and so that's another one down.

BTW, I requested Airplane at your recommendation, months ago...I just picked that up from the library, so I will be watching that very soon. And it's another 80s movie I never seen. Come to think of it I must have missed the 80s all together:cool:

[Captain Steel]

Oh my gosh! You've never seen Airplane, Rules?
I'll be curious as to your impression. (Will it hold up over time, or will the humor seem dated?)
One thing you'll probably be able to pick out and appreciate is all the spoofs of scenes, themes & situations from all the Airport movies (and I know you've seen all those).

Some people think Airplane is genius, others think it's stupid - I just remember seeing it in the movies - a friend's parents took us (we were high-school aged, but too young to drive). My friend embarrassed me as he was hysterical through the whole movie - at one point he was literally rolling in the aisle and he was laughing so hard that he was spitting up his soda! I thought it was funny, but not THAT funny.

P.S. How come every movie I saw in the theater seems to have some stupid story attached to it? ;)

[Citizen Rules]

Ha!...love that story...what ever became of your friend?

I'm thinking that stupid funny is funny, so I bet I'll love it! At any rate after setting through all four of the original Airport movies, why not watch it? It should be good fun recognizing scenes as you say. I might watch it tomorrow and I for sure will do a review on it.

I'm off for pizza and Blade Runner....yahoo!

[Captain Steel]

Ha!...love that story...what ever became of your friend?

I'm thinking that stupid funny is funny, so I bet I'll love it! At any rate after setting through all four of the original Airport movies, why not watch it? It should be good fun recognizing scenes as you say. I might watch it tomorrow and I for sure will do a review on it.

I'm off for pizza and Blade Runner....yahoo!

He was my roommate for 9 years, and then my landlord for another 9 years!

I moved into the house that his parents owned & lived with him & his girlfriend when I was 25. His girlfriend died of lymphoma! :( Then his parents made him an owner of the house. Then he got another girlfriend - a woman who was already married to his friend. She moved into the house. At that time there was a couple living in the 2nd floor apartment - they were friends with the husband of my roommate's new girlfriend - what a soap opera!!! My roommate's girlfriend got a divorce from her husband (the mutual friend of everyone else in the house) & married my roommate. When the couple upstairs left, my roommate & his new bride asked me to leave, but offered me the upstairs apartment. I moved from 2 rooms on the first floor to the 5 room apartment on the second floor - so at that point he was no longer a roommate, just my landlord. They ultimately had kids and kicked me out because they wanted to convert the house into a single family dwelling. I moved out 8 years ago. (And that's just the short version!)

[gbgoodies]

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=26444&stc=1&d=1469823022
Hello My Name is Doris (Michael Showalter, 2015)

Director: Michael Showalter
Writers: Michael Showalter, Laura Terruso
Cast: Sally Field, Max Greenfield, Tyne Daly
Genre: Indie Drama-Comedy-Romance

Doris (Sally Fields) is an ecliptic, lonely 60ish spinster, who has spent her life living with her mother in a run down old house, filled with junk and memories. Doris is left alone after her mother dies, her only one friend (Tyne Daily), tries to keep her company. Her brother and sister in-law want her to get rid of her life long collection of useless junk and sell the house. But Doris is not willing to let go of her safe space...to her the junk might be useful and holds memories.





I haven't seen Hello My Name is Doris, but it sounds like a movie, (or at least a character), that I can relate to. I spent years arguing with my sister about not throwing out my "junk". :lol:

[gbgoodies]

BTW, I requested Airplane at your recommendation, months ago...I just picked that up from the library, so I will be watching that very soon. And it's another 80s movie I never seen. Come to think of it I must have missed the 80s all together:cool:

Oh my gosh! You've never seen Airplane, Rules?
I'll be curious as to your impression. (Will it hold up over time, or will the humor seem dated?)
One thing you'll probably be able to pick out and appreciate is all the spoofs of scenes, themes & situations from all the Airport movies (and I know you've seen all those).

Some people think Airplane is genius, others think it's stupid - I just remember seeing it in the movies - a friend's parents took us (we were high-school aged, but too young to drive). My friend embarrassed me as he was hysterical through the whole movie - at one point he was literally rolling in the aisle and he was laughing so hard that he was spitting up his soda! I thought it was funny, but not THAT funny.

P.S. How come every movie I saw in the theater seems to have some stupid story attached to it? ;)


I'm surprised that you've never seen Airplane. I thought that was a movie that everyone our age has seen.

I love the movie, but don't get your hopes up too high. It seems like people who saw it years ago, when they were younger, love the movie, but people who see it now, when they're older, usually just think it's dumb. Hopefully you still have enough of a kid in you to enjoy it.

[Captain Steel]

I'm surprised that you've never seen Airplane. I thought that was a movie that everyone our age has seen.

I love the movie, but don't get your hopes up too high. It seems like people who saw it years ago, when they were younger, love the movie, but people who see it now, when they're older, usually just think it's dumb. Hopefully you still have enough of a kid in you to enjoy it.

Hi gb!

I don't know if Rules has seen other spoof movies, but these days Airplane could almost get lost among them since there are now so many.

When Airplane was made it was fairly unique as a movie spoofing a specific genre with it's own brand of humor that hadn't been seen in other satires or comedies (except for its lesser known predecessor, the Big Bus, of course!) ;)

But then there was a craze of spoof movies that I think maybe began with The Naked Gun franchise? (which had similar humor to Airplane and starred one of the stars of Airplane: Leslie Nielsen).
But shortly after the Scary Movie franchise began it seemed like they started spitting them out like crazy with the humor & quality becoming worse and more low brow each time.

I know YOU know all this already (but in case any of the younger folks aren't up on their spoof-movie history!) ;)

[gbgoodies]

Hi gb!

I don't know if Rules has seen other spoof movies, but these days Airplane could almost get lost among them since there are now so many.

When Airplane was made it was fairly unique as a movie spoofing a specific genre with it's own brand of humor that hadn't been seen in other satires or comedies (except for its lesser known predecessor, the Big Bus, of course!) ;)

But then there was a craze of spoof movies that I think maybe began with The Naked Gun franchise? (which had similar humor to Airplane and starred one of the stars of Airplane: Leslie Nielsen).
But shortly after the Scary Movie franchise began it seemed like they started spitting them out like crazy with the humor & quality becoming worse and more low brow each time.

I know YOU know all this already (but in case any of the younger folks aren't up on their spoof-movie history!) ;)


Hi Capt. :)

I think that's why people who watch Airplane! now don't appreciate it the way we did back when it was released. Back then, it was unique. We spent years quoting lines from Airplane!.

But now, it's just one of the many, and if you've seen the later movies first, then it feels like Airplane! is just a copy, not the original.

[Captain Steel]

Hi Capt. :)

I think that's why people who watch Airplane! now don't appreciate it the way we did back when it was released. Back then, it was unique. We spent years quoting lines from Airplane!.

But now, it's just one of the many, and if you've seen the later movies first, then it feels like Airplane! is just a copy, not the original.

That's exactly what I was trying to say.
Well said.
Night, night!

[gbgoodies]

That's exactly what I was trying to say.
Well said.
Night, night!


Good night. :yawn:

[Citizen Rules]

http://o.aolcdn.com/hss/storage/midas/a3bce50b62aa82b4698efdf4d59aa562/202228509/LESLIE_N_FINAL.jpg

Airplane! (1980)

Directors: Jim Abrahams, David Zucker
Writers: Jim Abrahams, David Zucker
Cast: Robert Hays, Julie Hagerty, Leslie Nielsen
Genre: Comedy

'A former war pilot who's afraid to fly a plane, must fly a plane.'

If you're a fan of this movie be prepared for a rough landing with this review. Airplane! is a spoof of the Airport movies (which I did recently watch and review) and it's a spoof of an old black & white movie Zero Hour! (1957), which is oddly, real good.

Airplane! mainly consist of sight gags. It's not clever comedy or situation comedy, but a throw back to the vaudeville days with comic shtick. Such as the 'auto pilot' which is a blow up doll.

http://media.salon.com/2015/05/airplane_autopilot.jpg




The movie is full of such gags, one after another. Occasional they get a laugh but mostly they seemed dull. I wish I could say this was one of those, 'it's so stupid it's funny movies', but I found little funny in this famous comedy.

For all it's claim of lampooning the original four Airport movies, there's scant little actual lampooning going on. We do get the infamous nun scene singing to the sick little girl which is a nod to the original movie. And yes that's Barbara Billingsley, June Cleaver from Leave It To Beaver .

http://i.imgur.com/UCpKk.png?fb


OK, I admit it, the scene above made me laugh. So if you're not looking for anything too funny this movie might work for you. "I picked a bad week to quit smoking." That was the line. I thought that was funny, but of the millions of people who've seen this film I wonder if they all got the reference?

I can't recommend Airplane!, and I sure wish it didn't have an exclamation point after the title. Surely;) you'd be better off watching an Adam Sandler movie. Or better yet watch a really odd and hipster cool movie like, Zero Hero!...

rating_2_5-

[Captain Steel]

So... Airplane! apparently does not stand the test of time.

(Have you seen The Big Bus, Rules?)

One thing I can't agree with is being better off with an Adam Sandler movie - Airplane! may be dated but it's still not THAT bad! ;)

I always remembered my favorite part being a character (I think his name was "Johnny"?) who was a balding guy in the control tower who had a few non-sequitor stupid jokes: he's seen pulling the plug on the runway lights and says, "oops!" or something? And when someone says, "The plane is getting closer!" he wraps his hands around a chubby guy's tummy and says, "And Leon is getting LARGER!" He seemed funny to me because many of his jokes didn't follow any logic of humor - he was just so random & arbitrary.

Also, Rules, did you catch Jimmy Walker's cameo (checking the oil?)

Now I can't wait to hear gbg's thoughts on your review! ;)

[gbgoodies]

http://o.aolcdn.com/hss/storage/midas/a3bce50b62aa82b4698efdf4d59aa562/202228509/LESLIE_N_FINAL.jpg

Airplane! (1980)

Directors: Jim Abrahams, David Zucker
Writers: Jim Abrahams, David Zucker
Cast: Robert Hays, Julie Hagerty, Leslie Nielsen
Genre: Comedy

A former war pilot who's afraid to fly a plane, must fly a plane.

If you're a fan of this movie be prepared for a rough landing. Airplane! is a spoof of the Airport movies (which I did recently watch and review) and it's a spoof of an old black & white movie Zero Hour! (1957). Airplane! mainly consist of sight gags. It's not clever comedy or situation comedy, but a throw back to the vaudeville days with comic shtick. Such as the 'auto pilot' which is a blow up doll.

http://media.salon.com/2015/05/airplane_autopilot.jpg




The movie is full of such gags, one after another. Occasional they get a laugh but mostly they seemed dated. I wish I could say this was so a stupid it's funny, but there's nothing funny about pedophile jokes or mocking black people. This movie belongs to another time.

http://www.tigersweat.com/movies/airplane/air14.jpg


For all it's claim of lampooning the original four Airport movies, there's scant little actual lampooning going on. We do get the infamous nun scene singing to the sick little girl which is a nod to the original movies. And yes that's Barbara Billingsley, June Cleaver from Leave It To Beaver .

http://i.imgur.com/UCpKk.png?fb


OK, I admit it, the scene above made me laugh. So if you're not looking for anything too funny this movie might work for you. "I picked a bad week to quit smoking." That was the line. I thought that was funny, but of the millions of people who've seen this film I wonder if they all got the reference?

I can't recommended Airplane!, and I wish it didn't have an exclamation point after it as it looks like I'm excited by it. Surely;) you'd be better off watching an Adam Sandler movie. Or better yet watch a really odd and hipster cool movie like, Zero Hero!...

rating_2_5

I'm disappointed that you didn't like Airplane!, but I can't really say that I'm surprised. The movie is a very funny movie for those of us who saw it back when it came out, but unfortunately most people who see it nowadays, just don't see the humor in it. Maybe it's because there have been so many spoof movies since then that it now feels like a copy of those movies, (kind of like seeing the remake of a movie before seeing the original, and wondering why most people prefer the original when you think that the remake is so much better).

Or maybe it's just because the world is such a different place now that some of those jokes just aren't funny anymore. I haven't watched the movie in such a long time that I don't know if it would stand the test of time for me, but when I think of some of those jokes in my mind, they still make me laugh. However Hubby watched it recently and he said that it wasn't as funny as he remembered it, so maybe it just doesn't hold up anymore. :shrug:

Or maybe you just have to be younger than us to appreciate it, (at least the first time you see it because it has nostalgia value for those of us who saw it when we were younger). Have any of the young kids on MoFo watched it for the first time and reviewed it?

No matter what the reason, it's kind of sad that you didn't enjoy it. It was one of my favorite comedy movies for many years, and I still have fun remembering some of the classic lines.


So... Airplane! apparently does not stand the test of time.

(Have you seen The Big Bus, Rules?)

One thing I can't agree with is being better off with an Adam Sandler movie - Airplane! may be dated but it's still not THAT bad! ;)

I always remembered my favorite part being a character (I think his name was "Johnny"?) who was a balding guy in the control tower who had a few non-sequitor stupid jokes: he's seen pulling the plug on the runway lights and says, "oops!" or something? And when someone says, "The plane is getting closer!" he wraps his hands around a chubby guy's tummy and says, "And Leon is getting LARGER!" He seemed funny to me because many of his jokes didn't follow any logic of humor - he was just so random & arbitrary.

Also, Rules, did you catch Jimmy Walker's cameo (checking the oil?)

Now I can't wait to hear gbg's thoughts on your review! ;)

I saw The Big Bus, and Airplane! is much better than The Big Bus. If he didn't like Airplane!, I doubt that he'll like The Big Bus. :(

But I strongly agree with you about Adam Sandler's movies. No matter how bad you think it was, Airplane! is far superior to any of Adam Sandler's movies. (Although I'm probably the only person in the world who liked his movie Pixels.)

The guy in the control tower was so funny. I love when Lloyd Bridges hands him a piece of paper and says "Johnny, what can you make out of this?", and he says, "This? Why, I can make a hat or a brooch or a pterodactyl...". :lol:

And there were so many funny lines, that I can't imagine how anyone can dislike the movie. I loved the way the lines play on words.

Dr. Rumack: Captain, how soon can you land?
Captain Oveur: I can't tell.
Dr. Rumack: You can tell me. I'm a doctor.
Captain Oveur: No. I mean I'm just not sure.
Dr. Rumack: Well, can't you take a guess?
Captain Oveur: Well, not for another two hours.
Dr. Rumack: You can't take a guess for another two hours?

Dr. Rumack: You'd better tell the Captain we've got to land as soon as we can. This woman has to be gotten to a hospital.
Elaine: A hospital? What is it?
Dr. Rumack: It's a big building with patients, but that's not important right now.

I love when the two announcers fight over the red and white loading zones. :lol:

[Gatsby]

I can't recommended Airplane!, and I wish it didn't have an exclamation point after it as it looks like I'm excited by it. Surely;) you'd be better off watching an Adam Sandler movie. Or better yet watch a really odd and hipster cool movie like, [I]Zero Hero!...

Better off watching an Adam Sandler film? I understand you not finding this movie funny but that was a bit cruel. At least Airplane puts in effort and doesn't have actors sleep-walk through performances.

[Beatle]

http://images.amcnetworks.com/ifc.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/starship-troopers.jpg

Starship Troopers (1997)

Director: Paul Verhoeven
Cast: Casper Van Dien, Denise Richards, Dina Meyer, Jake Busey, Neil Patrick Harris, Michael Ironside

If you think Starship Troopers is a no-brainier flick with nothing to say, you'd be wrong. This rock 'em sock 'em movie, loosely based on Robert Heinlein's best selling novel is much more than just space marines battling giant bugs on an alien planet.

Starship Troopers delivers a powerfully conflicting message on the dangers of over zealot flag waving and the folly of demonizing your enemy, without knowing them.

At first the film looks like a simple sci-fi action story about an alien insect planet that has evil plans to destroy Earth with their asteroid bombs. Later we find out that the alien bugs are brainless and act out of pure instinct. Which seems to suggest that the Human's war effort is misguided by the militaristic government. At the end of the movie however, they encounter a 'smart bug' which perhaps justifies Earth's fear. Or perhaps not? It's a conflicting message.

The movie cleverly indoctrinates the viewer into it's message by showing us, ultra patriotic Nazi style propaganda clips. These clips on shown on the fictions 'Federal Network'. It's no coincidences, that the military officers are audaciously dressed in pseudo Nazi uniforms. The films propaganda news clips rallies one's militarist side....'the enemy is evil...they must be destroyed!'

“War”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=faFuaYA-daw

New military recruits are indoctrinated into fighting soldiers by an ultra patriotic instructor, played by Michael Ironside. The recruits are taught the differences between a full fledged Citizen who has earned the right to vote, and a Civilian who has not served in the military and so has no voting rights. The following scene is well done, especially as Michael Ironside gives his Citizenship speech to teen students who are more interested in flirting with each other. The arm bit at the end is good too.

“The Failure of Democracy”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvAsR4O4W0w
On the surface Starship Troopers works as an action packed, special effects movie. But look deeper and it's a clever parody of ultra-militarism.

rating_4_5

Thanks for this Rules, really. :) It's a revelation and it opened my eyes. The only hint of what you said was at the very end when the chief bug looked so helpless I felt sorry for it. ("It's afraid!") But then there's that dilemma, as you say. They leave us wondering: maybe a challenge for us to conclude from what we've seen is it truly evil or not. (I didn't read the book) What do you think? I'm inclining (as I just realized, tragically) towards "yes". Because it was afraid. and one who's afraid must have some intelligence which isn't necessarily evil I guess. But again, I'm inclining towards "yes". Why else would they give such an information at the very end? Unless the one who said it was lying or whatever.

But there's no question that there's lot to be criticized. I can't stand the Nazis, but they're not the only evil in human history.

Thank you Honeykid! It took me a loooong time to write it, so I'm glad to hear someone liked it....

I know I've seen MoFo members with Starship Troopers as one of the favorites. So any thoughts on the movie from you guys, even if you think I'm nuts is OK:)

Are you nuts? Calling yourself nuts? You're one hella intelligent guy, Rules! Hell, I might even call you a genius. :) Seriously, I'm not joking.

This whole thing even reminds me of the Crusades, which were actually sanctioned by the pope, church wanted for them to happen. Ridiculous promises were made, such as that you'll go to heaven only if you die in battle. Of course the church only wanted war, what's the purpose of weapons otherwise? We all know that unfortunatelly weapon industry is the greatest one in human history which is tragically a history of war.

[Citizen Rules]

So... Airplane! apparently does not stand the test of time.

(Have you seen The Big Bus, Rules?) No not yet, but I'll give it a chance....Oh and I'm glad you recommended Airplane!
(damn explanation mark in the movie title making it look like I'm overly endorsing the film), I mean I had to see it. I suppose if I had watched it back in 1980 as a teenage I would have thought the gags were funny, but now they just seemed sophomoric and crude, and cruel. Yes, even Citizen has been brainwashed by the PC police:rolleyes: Seriously I appreciate the recommendation:)


One thing I can't agree with is being better off with an Adam Sandler movie - Airplane! may be dated but it's still not THAT bad! ;) Ha, I knew when I wrote that, it was too much!:p

I always remembered my favorite part being a character (I think his name was "Johnny"?) who was a balding guy in the control tower who had a few non-sequitor stupid jokes: he's seen pulling the plug on the runway lights and says, "oops!" or something? And when someone says, "The plane is getting closer!" he wraps his hands around a chubby guy's tummy and says, "And Leon is getting LARGER!" He seemed funny to me because many of his jokes didn't follow any logic of humor - he was just so random & arbitrary. Yes! Johnny was the best part of the movie. I read at IMDB that he was allowed to ad lib those lines on the spot. I forgot to mention him but I'll go back and write a nice paragraph about the character as he did make me laugh, that's more my speed of comedy.

Also, Rules, did you catch Jimmy Walker's cameo (checking the oil?) I sure did! But wasn't he cleaning the windshield?

Now I can't wait to hear gbg's thoughts on your review! ;) Say no more, say no more (in my best Monty Python imitation) Now Monty Python movies, those are funny!

[Citizen Rules]

I'm disappointed that you didn't like Airplane!, but I can't really say that I'm surprised. The movie is a very funny movie for those of us who saw it back when it came out, but unfortunately most people who see it nowadays, just don't see the humor in it. I think that's because of nostalgia. The same way older people who watched Rocky Horror Picture Show love that film! Others who've never seen it don't like it. (I seen it once and didn't like it). Like I just told Captain, had I went with high school friends and seen Airplane!, I bet I would have laughed my self silly. But seeing it for the first time, I actually cringed at some of the jokes. Like the bored Indian person who's soaking himself with gasoline to burn himself up, just seemed wrong.

Maybe it's because there have been so many spoof movies since then that it now feels like a copy of those movies, (kind of like seeing the remake of a movie before seeing the original, and wondering why most people prefer the original when you think that the remake is so much better). I don't think I've seen another spoof movie. The Naked Gun and Police Station movies (or whatever they were called) looked stupid to me when they first came out, like I said not my style of humor.

Or maybe it's just because the world is such a different place now that some of those jokes just aren't funny anymore. I haven't watched the movie in such a long time that I don't know if it would stand the test of time for me, but when I think of some of those jokes in my mind, they still make me laugh. However Hubby watched it recently and he said that it wasn't as funny as he remembered it, so maybe it just doesn't hold up anymore. :shrug: I read this the other night at IMDB under reviews hated it:
From IMDB: I saw this movie when it first came out. I remember laughing so hard at the time that my sides hurt. It was one of my favorite comedies for the longest time. I bought it when it came out on VHS. Quotes from it were seared into my memory. I didn't watch it again in until last year. When my kids were old enough, I decided they needed to experience this laugh riot. There was a riot alright. I thought my kids were going to kill me. I wouldn't have any right to blame them either. To be kind, this movie has not aged well and simply isn't funny. Airplane! was innovative and irreverent in 1980. It is now stale and sad. Or maybe you just have to be younger than us to appreciate it, (at least the first time you see it because it has nostalgia value for those of us who saw it when we were younger). Have any of the young kids on MoFo watched it for the first time and reviewed it? Sounds like Gatsby has seen it?

But I strongly agree with you about Adam Sandler's movies. No matter how bad you think it was, Airplane! is far superior to any of Adam Sandler's movies. (Although I'm probably the only person in the world who liked his movie Pixels.) I was kinda joking about Sandler movies. I've only seen 2? I did like Happy Gilmore. But once again Sandler isn't my style of comic.

[Citizen Rules]

Citizen Rules: Starship Troopers review (http://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1197675#post1197675)Thanks for this Rules, really. :) It's a revelation and it opened my eyes. The only hint of what you said was at the very end when the chief bug looked so helpless I felt sorry for it. ("It's afraid!") But then there's that dilemma, as you say. They leave us wondering: maybe a challenge for us to conclude from what we've seen is it truly evil or not. Because it was afraid. and one who's afraid must have some intelligence which isn't necessarily evil I guess. But again, I'm inclining towards "yes". Why else would they give such an information at the very end? Unless the one who said it was lying or whatever. You're a smart man Beatle! and you've started to figure out the paradox of Starship Troopers. Not many people do. Did you see it recently?

(I didn't read the book) What do you think? I didn't read the book either. The movie and the book are very, very different so I hear, so much so that it's best to consider them unrelated.

I can't stand the Nazis, but they're not the only evil in human history I agree.


This whole thing even reminds me of the Crusades, which were actually sanctioned by the pope, church wanted for them to happen. Ridiculous promises were made, such as that you'll go to heaven only if you die in battle. Of course the church only wanted war, what's the purpose of weapons otherwise? We all know that unfortunately weapon industry is the greatest one in human history which is tragically a history of war.Ahh, the Crusades that's a good comparison for Starship Troopers. I hadn't thought of that, thanks:p

[Captain Steel]

http://www.tigersweat.com/movies/airplane/air14.jpg


Race relations were so much better back when they could make fun of each other without all the PC generated fear of "offending" others. :)
And hey, it went both ways - remember Richard Pryor & Eddie Murphy's imitations of "white people"?

[Beatle]

Citizen Rules: Starship Troopers review (http://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1197675#post1197675) You're a smart man Beatle! and you've started to figure out the paradox of Starship Troopers. Not many people do. Did you see it recently?

No Rules, I haven't. Thanks for the compliment. :)

I didn't read the book either. The movie and the book are very, very different so I hear, so much so that it's best to consider them unrelated.

Thanks.

I agree.

I believe we all know any establishment is evil per definition. My dad is a real nut job on conspiracy theories, I learned a lot from him. Masons and all that. I didn't believe in them, but they make sense. Like, the real fat bastards who are evil and rule the world are actually in a bunker somewhere. Someone could shoot them otherwise. You think Clinton will be the most powerful one? Forget it. (I'm not attacking her personally, i mean whoever president, even though I heard she's litterally a witch!) I mean this whole thing, just like everything else is the ancient "science or religion?" question. I say religion, even thou I'm occupied with math, i adore it. I'm very Christian, I believe Satan himself is behind science, and a lot of other stuff, including people in power. Did I go to far? I'm stopping before I get into trouble. How about you? If you don't wanna say it in public, I can PM you.


Ahh, the Crusades that's a good comparison for Starship Troopers. I hadn't thought of that, thanks:p

Welcome. It's really a shame. Jesus came to send the message of love and peace, but we're just not listening. Satan's at work. But he'll get his soon enough. Even more, Jesus gave the example. Hefought all his life, and then payed the ultimate prize on the cross. (I believe that you have to pay for absolutely everything you do, after action, there's always passion.) But we're living in a particular era, when he'll come to fight and defeat the devil. We didn't listen, so there's no love and peace this time around I'm afraid. The devil must be defeated.

[Citizen Rules]

Race relations were so much better back when they could make fun of each other without all the PC generated fear of "offending" others. http://www.movieforums.com/community/data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhDwAPANUAAPfXAPPTAO3NAOrKAOPDAODBAN6+ANi5ANO0ANGyANCxAM2uAMGjAManAMWmAMDAwLyeALmbA LaYALWXALGTAK2PAKyOAKqNAKmMAKKFAKWHAKCCAJ+CAJ1/AJl8AJR3AJJ1AJB0AI1xAI5xAIlsAIltAIhrAIVoAIJmAL+/vwAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACH5BAEAAA8A LAAAAAAPAA8AAAaUwIdQqCoWh8hH0XBQNCBHpGogGBAOC4YEoxpOA4DAwJBwRCycrlIAKAoKiGJl01UZBoHiOFFEg4oHBFRWWFoY HSFFCgcGBUxOEBQaHiJFDQsJCAkLTxMXHB8lRRAMKg0ODBATFhkqIyd1EhEqERIUF60hJmoqGBYVRkUhJChqShwbHB0eHyMmxUlF ICEiJbDG0cFJQQA7
And hey, it went both ways - remember Richard Pryor & Eddie Murphy's imitations of "white people"?

That's true! and you know what? The first time they did that scene with the two black guys speakin street slang, it went on for only a few seconds and I thought it was clever. But when they revisited that scene with Barbara Billingsley and it went on and on, I felt 180 degrees different about it.

The first time it was like the black guys were in on the joke. The second time it seemed like they were the joke. Anyway that's just how I seen it.

[Gideon58]

http://o.aolcdn.com/hss/storage/midas/a3bce50b62aa82b4698efdf4d59aa562/202228509/LESLIE_N_FINAL.jpg

Airplane! (1980)

Directors: Jim Abrahams, David Zucker
Writers: Jim Abrahams, David Zucker
Cast: Robert Hays, Julie Hagerty, Leslie Nielsen
Genre: Comedy




I'm sorry you didn't like Airplane! Citizen...I can imagine in 2016 that it might seem dated...may be if you had seen it when it was originally released you might have felt different,,,the audience was roaring with laughter in the theater the first time I saw it.

[Citizen Rules]

I'm sorry you didn't like Airplane! Citizen...I can imagine in 2016 that it might seem dated...may be if you had seen it when it was originally released you might have felt different,,,the audience was roaring with laughter in the theater the first time I saw it.Gideon....I believe it when you say the theater audience was in stitches. Airplane was a huge hit! at the time. I remember kids at school talking about how funny it was. I guess I should have seen it back in the day. Have you seen the movie it spoofs, Zero Hour!, I watched it thanks to Captain and Zero Hour is not only entertaining it's funny in a dry sort of way. I recommend it if you haven't seen it.

[Gideon58]

Gideon....I believe it when you say the theater audience was in stitches. Airplane was a huge hit! at the time. I remember kids at school talking about how funny it was. I guess I should have seen it back in the day. Have you seen the movie it spoofs, Zero Hour!, I watched it thanks to Captain and Zero Hour is not only entertaining it's funny in a dry sort of way. I recommend it if you haven't seen it.

I will add it to my watchlist.

[Gatsby]

Sounds like Gatsby has seen it?

I was kinda joking about Sandler movies. I've only seen 2? I did like Happy Gilmore. But once again Sandler isn't my style of comic.
Yes, I have seen the movie. It's one my favorites, actually. Never fails to make me laugh.

Glad you were joking about Sandler, or else I might have to call you Citizen Sucks. :D

[Citizen Rules]

I've only seen these two Adam Sandler movies and I even liked them, for what they were.

Happy Gilmore (1996)
Billy Madison (1995)

I might watch The Wedding Singer one of these days, but yeah most of his film aren't what I would prefer to watch.

So....everybody will be happy to know, I watched another beloved comedy film (this time from the late 1970s) and I hated it! I'll review that soon, so you guys get your rotted tomatoes ready.:D

[Captain Steel]

Man, Rules! One Adam Sandler comment and you've dug yourself quite a hole! :D

Lesson learned: never joke about Adam Sandler (it's like joking about Hitler.) Some things are too serious to make jokes about, and people's hatred for Sandler is serious!

[Gideon58]

I've only seen these two Adam Sandler movies and I even liked them, for what they were.

Happy Gilmore (1996)
Billy Madison (1995)

I might watch The Wedding Singer one of these days, but yeah most of his film aren't what I would prefer to watch.

So....everybody will be happy to know, I watched another beloved comedy film (this time from the late 1970s) and I hated it! I'll review that soon, so you guys get your rotted tomatoes ready.:D

On the subject of Adam Sandler, Citizen, I would like to suggest Mr. Deeds and Punch Drunk Love.

[Citizen Rules]

Man, Rules! One Adam Sandler comment and you've dug yourself quite a hole! :D

Lesson learned: never joke about Adam Sandler (it's like joking about Hitler.) Some things are too serious to make jokes about, and people's hatred for Sandler is serious! Yup! This is going to become Sandler-gate. Sort of like the time I panned Woody Allen and then ended up watching many of his films, just to see them...then I ended up being a fan of Woody's.

On the subject of Adam Sandler, Citizen, I would like to suggest Mr. Deeds and Punch Drunk Love. Thanks Gideon, I would watch Mr Deeds just to see Winona Ryder. I'd probably watch Punch Drunk Love too... Maybe that one will get nominated in an Hof.

[Captain Steel]

On the subject of Adam Sandler, Citizen, I would like to suggest Mr. Deeds and Punch Drunk Love.

...and Little Nicky. It's Sandler's religious film. ;)

[Citizen Rules]

OK, OK....anymore Sandler films you guys want me to watch:p

[Beatle]

Man, Rules! One Adam Sandler comment and you've dug yourself quite a hole! :D

Lesson learned: never joke about Adam Sandler (it's like joking about Hitler.) Some things are too serious to make jokes about, and people's hatred for Sandler is serious!

You know what's scarry? He was born Sept 9th '66. We have two 6s already. And i know I said I won't mention astrology again, but I'm only kidding people...which makes him Virgo, the 6th sign.

[Captain Steel]

OK, OK....anymore Sandler films you guys want me to watch:p

He's GREAT!!! ;)

[Captain Steel]

You know what's scarry? He was born Sept 9th '66. We have two 6s already. And i know I said I won't mention astrology again, but I'm only kidding people...which makes him Virgo, the 6th sign.

Sept 9th, eh? And you know what 9 turned upside down is!
Plus that means his birthday is 9/9/66. Its an upside down palindrome - that's got to mean something!

[Beatle]

Sept 9th, eh? And you know what 9 turned upside down is!
Plus that means his birthday is 9/9/66. Its an upside down palindrome - that's got to mean something!

you know what this reminds me off? The End of Days. Remember (if you've seen it) when Rod tells about 666...Thomas of Aquini had dreams in which he saw the antichrist and those numbers, but upside down. so, 1999 was supposed to be the Revelation. Well, it wasn't, and i know it's a horrible thing, but something did happen on Sept 11 2001. no one can tell me that nothing happened on Millenium. World will never be the same again.

[Captain Steel]

you know what this reminds me off? The End of Days. Remember (if you've seen it) when Rod tells about 666...Thomas of Aquini had dreams in which he saw the antichrist and those numbers, but upside down. so, 1999 was supposed to be the Revelation. Well, it wasn't, and i know it's a horrible thing, but something did happen on Sept 11 2001. no one can tell me that nothing happened on Millenium. World will never be the same again.

Going a bit off topic, but most people think the significance of the 9/11 date has to do with the fact that it's the American phone code for "emergency." But the date was chosen by the terrorists because it is significant in Islamic history.

Check out...

The Siege of Malta - 9/11/1565
The Muslim Expulsion from Spain (Announced) - 9/11/1609
The Battle of Vienna - 9/11/1683
The Battle of Zenta - 9/11/1697

[Citizen Rules]

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=26508&stc=1&d=1470365061

Every Which Way But Loose (1978)


Director: James Fargo
Writer: Jeremy Joe Kronsberg
Cast: Clint Eastwood, Sondra Locke, Geoffrey Lewis, the Orangutan
Genre: Action, Comedy

The wild adventures of a truck driving, street fighting cowboy (Clint Eastwood), who drinks beer and chases Sandra Locke around the country, all while his pet orangutan and best buddy come along for the ride.

The second highest grossing film of 1978 was non other than Clint Eastwood's first foray into wacky comedy. Panned by critics, the film went on to be one of Eastwood's biggest success and ranks in the top 200 of the highest grossing films (when accounting for inflation).

Original this had been slated to be another wild and crazy comedy in the vein of Smoky and the Bandit and was to star Burt Reynolds. Too bad it didn't star Mr Reynolds. I'm a big fan of Eastwood as an actor and as a director, but as a comedy star he doesn't have a lot going for him.

For starters he comes across as way too serious and restrained. Probably because in real life he's described as a quiet, reserved man. That personality worked wonders for him in the Spaghetti westerns, but here he seems too serious, which makes the film seem serious and it's way too corny to be serious.

http://iv1.lisimg.com/image/8846964/563full-every-which-way-but-loose-screenshot.jpg


Poor Clint he's pursued by everyone in this film, including the dangerous Black Widow motorcycle gang. Which reminds of Eric Von Zipper from How to Stuff a Wild Bikini (1965)...Then there's two hair brained cops who Clint takes out by B-slapping one of them with a trout (that's a fish to you none fishermen types).

All this is going on as Clint is hopelessly seeing Sandra Locke, who was Eastwood's real life girlfriend and protege. Together they made six films, including this one where she sings.

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1706/24844170799_2ddeeb632d.jpg


Sandra Locke actually does sing in this movie, pretty good at it too. In fact it's the country western songs performed by the actual singers that make this movie decent. Of course the title song Every Which Way But Loose was a big hit for Eddie Rabbit.

If you like fist fighting, there's a lot of it here and lots of Olympia beer drinking too. Mainly I suggest watching it for the music, and for Ruth Gordon who's always funny and for Clyde the Orangutan.

rating_2

[Citizen Rules]

...I believe we all know any establishment is evil per definition. My dad is a real nut job on conspiracy theories, I learned a lot from him. Masons and all that. I didn't believe in them, but they make sense. Like, the real fat bastards who are evil and rule the world are actually in a bunker somewhere... I use to love watching TV shows about different conspiracies. I'm way too skeptical to believe some, but some sound very plausible and of course some have been proven to be real, like the conspirators who plotted and assassinated President Lincoln. Conspiracies are an interesting topic you should make a new thread about them:p that be cool, and your first post you could talk about " Like, the real fat bastards who are evil and rule the world are actually in a bunker somewhere"...I'm not sure who you mean? But interested!

... I mean this whole thing, just like everything else is the ancient "science or religion?" question. I say religion, even thou I'm occupied with math, i adore it. I'm very Christian, I believe Satan himself is behind science, and a lot of other stuff, including people in power. Did I go to far? I'm stopping before I get into trouble..... You're fine Beatle:) We all get to have our own opinions...and yes some science has been used for evil. But personally I think the great evil is those humans over the centuries who have tried forcing their views onto others and thus squelching the human experience. (hey, that makes a good discussion topic too:p)

[Beatle]

I use to love watching TV shows about different conspiracies. I'm way too skeptical to believe some, but some sound very plausible and of course some have been proven to be real, like the conspirators who plotted and assassinated President Lincoln. Conspiracies are an interesting topic you should make a new thread about them:p that be cool, and your first post you could talk about " Like, the real fat bastards who are evil and rule the world are actually in a bunker somewhere"...I'm not sure who you mean? But interested!


While we're at it, there's of course the JFK thing. I really do believe they killed him bc he tried to stop the war in Vietnam, started to give Christian-like speaches ("Don't ask what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country", "We're not gonna do it bc it's easy, we'll do it bc it's hard"). But ultimately i believe John Malković was correct in that Clint movie. JFK had a death wish. It's naive to think he didn't know the'll kill him bc of what he was doing. OK I'll do it, and explain the fat bastards :lol:. One thing I can say it's not austin Powers. I'm not sure who I mean either, but the real villains, tthe greatest ones in entire human history are not Hitler, Stalinetc. They're Spinoza, whose philosophy was very anti-Christian, one might say it all started with him, who influenced the illuminators Jean Jacques Rousseau, Montesquieu (remember Straw Dogs? Dustin: "No blood was spilled like that of the Kingdom of Heaven" that's a direct quote) and of course Voltaire, who were ideologists of the French Revolution, imho the single most important event in human history (except Jesus, obviously), where all this democracy by which they've successfully fooled people started. Another great beast is sir Isaac Newton, as much as I admire his math and science (there's no denying he was one of the greatest geniuses of all time, greater than Da Vinci imho), it was again anti-Christian. He was in fact more of an occulist than a scientist, deep, deep into black magic, a warlock, and he was the grandmaster of the Primary of Sion, as we saw in the Da Vinci Code. Leonardo was also a satanist, just look at this:

http://www.muskiportal.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/da-vinci.jpg

However, the worst of them all was albert Pike

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Pike

[Citizen Rules]

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=26516&stc=1&d=1470451869
The Barretts of Wimpole Street (1934)


Director: Sidney Franklin
Cast: Norma Shearer, Fredric March, Charles Laughton, Maureen O'Sullivan
Genre: Biography, Drama, Romance

About: The biographical story of the famous 19th century British poet, Elizabeth Barrett-Browning. Young Elizabeth is a sickly woman unable to walk and confined to her bedroom. Her one outlet is writing poetry. Her poems attract the attention of another up and coming poet, Robert Browning, who falls in love with young Elizabeth through her writings. When they finally meet face to face, it's love at first sight. Though her father (Charles Laughton) is a maniacal tyrant and forbids his children to marry. His desire is to keep young Elizabeth to himself as a surrogate for his wife that he drove away years ago.

Review: I thought this was going to be a dry, movie until the second act got going. Then the story gets intense and the acting gets grandeur. It's quite an intense story of a maniacal father, aptly played by Charles Laughton, who controls, threatens and sends fear into the heart of his adult children, especially the two young women, Elizabeth (Norma Shearer) and Henrietta (Maureen O'Sullivan). Into this mix comes the dashing and love struck poet Robert Browning (Fredric March), who has fallen in love with Elizabeth but must carefully visit her as not to arose the anger of her father.


http://83e2u32cf1b4dlzbl29etyxt.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/The-Barretts-of-Wimpole-Street.jpg

A particular tense part of the film deals with the overt affections of the father for his daughter. In this way the film becomes more than just a dramatic love story but takes on a deeper, sinister feel as the father seeks to control his daughter who in his eyes has taken the place of his wife.

Based on the successful stage play of the 1930s. The Barretts of Wimpole Street was nominated for two Academy Awards: Best Picture and Norma Shearer for Best Actress. The movie was also remade in 1957 with Jennifer Jones.

rating_3_5

[gbgoodies]

Gideon....I believe it when you say the theater audience was in stitches. Airplane was a huge hit! at the time. I remember kids at school talking about how funny it was. I guess I should have seen it back in the day. Have you seen the movie it spoofs, Zero Hour!, I watched it thanks to Captain and Zero Hour is not only entertaining it's funny in a dry sort of way. I recommend it if you haven't seen it.

I added Zero Hour! to my watchlist, but I doubt I'll get to it before I have to submit my 1950's list, so I hope it's not that good. :lol:

[gbgoodies]

I've only seen these two Adam Sandler movies and I even liked them, for what they were.

Happy Gilmore (1996)
Billy Madison (1995)

I might watch The Wedding Singer one of these days, but yeah most of his film aren't what I would prefer to watch.

So....everybody will be happy to know, I watched another beloved comedy film (this time from the late 1970s) and I hated it! I'll review that soon, so you guys get your rotted tomatoes ready.:D


The only Adam Sandler movies that I've seen are:

Punch-Drunk Love (2002) - I remember very little about this movie, except being surprised that it was a good movie, and not one of his stupid comedies.

Click (2006) - Hubby and I watched this while riding on the auto-train, and I mainly remember people shushing us when we laughed.

Bedtime Stories (2008) - I liked this movie.

Grown Ups (2010) - This is one of the stupidest movies ever made.

Hotel Transylvania (2012) (voice) - This is an animated movie, so it's only his voice, but I enjoyed the movie enough that I want to see the sequel.

Pixels (2015) - I think I'm the only person in the world who liked this movie.

[gbgoodies]

I've never seen Every Which Way But Loose, but I love the theme song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JP2PgaLG7dA

[gbgoodies]

I haven't seen The Barretts of Wimpole Street (1934) either, but it has a great cast, so please remind me about it when we get to the MoFo 1930's list. :)

[Beatle]

I've never seen Every Which Way But Loose, but I love the theme song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JP2PgaLG7dA

Ah, it's a marvel, GBG. :) Especially an idiotic motocycle band "The Black Widows", a parody of Hell's Angels.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjkCQjxJI4Y

I usually confuse it with Any Which WayYou Can, the follow-up which I actually prefere.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xU6eTVZUWJg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwhzardUvOg

[gbgoodies]

The only scenes I've seen in Every Which Way But Loose are a couple of clips with Clyde the orangutan, but they were probably in the trailer. I remember Clint Eastwood sticking his finger out like a gun, and Clyde putting his arms up, and Clint saying "Right turn, Clyde", and Clyde punching someone.

[Beatle]

The only scenes I've seen in Every Which Way But Loose are a couple of clips with Clyde the orangutan, but they were probably in the trailer. I remember Clint Eastwood sticking his finger out like a gun, and Clyde putting his arms up, and Clint saying "Right turn, Clyde", and Clyde punching someone.

Yes, and then The Black Widows fell like dominos. (They were arranged that way next to a truck from which Clyde has punched the 1st one.)

Any Which Way you Can also has one of my fave fights:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIPPsZ_lqd0

It begins just before the two our mark.

[Beatle]

I like Vertigo, but I think James Stewart and Kim Novak didn't have any chemistry together, and yes, I think their age difference was part of the reason. But I have a bad fear of heights, and I get dizzy, and sometimes even pass out, in high places, so I can relate to what he's going through.

Ditto. :) It's one of my faves, and yes, they really didn't have any chemistry. I don't think it's just the age, as you say, I think they're unfortunately simply incompatible. But then we have her "appearing again", so maybe it was for the best. I, on the other hand love heights, the higher the better, it's being down on earth I can't stand. I'd fly with airplanes all day long if I could. (Mostly taking off and landing, though because that way I'd be taking off all the time, which I adore. Nothing compares to it. You know the acceleration, if you ever flied, it reaches 300 kmh in 30 secs or less. Concorde had a ridiculous acceleration, to 450 kmh in 15 secs.)

[cricket]

I love Every Which Way but Loose, one of my biggest childhood favorites.

[Citizen Rules]

Let's see if I can do a big, long multi-quote...

I added Zero Hour! to my watchlist, but I doubt I'll get to it before I have to submit my 1950's list, so I hope it's not that good. :lol:It's not:p...But if you watch Airplane! first and then watch Zero Hour!, I think you'd have some fun with it.

I've never seen Every Which Way But Loose, but I love the theme song:

You never seen that movie? I'm really surprised I would have thought with all the movies you seen you would have seen it, especially as it has several country western songs being performed in western cowboy bars. You might not like all the fist fighting, but the music was good.

I haven't seen The Barretts of Wimpole Street (1934) either, but it has a great cast, so please remind me about it when we get to the MoFo 1930's list. :) If we ever get to do the MoFo 1930's list....I can image resistances to doing it will be high:rolleyes:

I love Every Which Way but Loose, one of my biggest childhood favorites. Have you seen the sequel, Any Which Way You Can?

[Citizen Rules]

Vertigo (1958). 😊 It's one of my faves, and yes, they really didn't have any chemistry. I don't think it's just the age, as you say, I think they're unfortunately simply incompatible. I agree and I've said this before, Kim Novak was very, very shy in real life so I think it was hard for her to 'come out of her shell' and show an attraction for James Stewart. And she might have thought of James Stewart as a father figure, not a lover! She did have chemistry with Frank Sinatra in The Man With the Golden Arm. So I know she can light up the screen under the right circumstances.

I, on the other hand love heights, the higher the better, it's being down on earth I can't stand. I'd fly with airplanes all day long if I could. (Mostly taking off and landing, though because that way I'd be taking off all the time, which I adore. Nothing compares to it. You know the acceleration, if you ever flied, it reaches 300 kmh in 30 secs or less. Concorde had a ridiculous acceleration, to 450 kmh in 15 secs.) Beatle, have you been on the Concorde?

[cricket]

I also saw Any Which Way You Can multiple times at the movies. Not as good as the first but I still like it.

[Beatle]

I agree and I've said this before, Kim Novak was very, very shy in real life so I think it was hard for her to 'come out of her shell' and show an attraction for James Stewart. And she might have thought of James Stewart as a father figure, not a lover! She did have chemistry with Frank Sinatra in The Man With the Golden Arm. So I know she can light up the screen under the right circumstances.[quote]

Don't get me wrong, I love her. In every way possible. I really just wonder why the age difference. Hitch couldn't find a better one of the right age? Maybe, because was she maybe even his favorite actress? The proverbial Hitch cold blonde. And unlike Grace, who was utterly beautiful (don't get me wrong Kim is also, but Grace is just a devastation), feminine, more of a femme fatale, and also cold though, she was more of a casual type I think maybe. I seem to recall reading there was always a horrible tension between Grace and him - they had to keep it strictly professional.

[qoute]Beatle, have you been on the Concorde?

No. Have you? I've only been on Beoing 727, Mcdonnell-Douglas DC 9 and Airbuss 300.

Here are all my trips:

'79 to Dubrovnik via DC 9. It was ridiculous. We were supposed to take off at 8 am, but instead it was 12 hours later. I remember being utterly pissed because obviously at night I couldn't see anything. Dubrovnik is about 400 kms (250 miles) from Zagreb, and still we arrived in half an hour! The airplane couldn't even reach its cruising altitude! (About 11 kms) It went up and up and then immediately down and down.

Winter of '81 to Venice
'84 to Canary Islands
'85 to Val d'Isere and Vienna
'86 to Spain (Madrid, Toledo (El Greco's funeral painting is there), Cordoba, Sevilla and Granada)
'87 to London and Athens and around Greece
'88 to Barcelona
'90 to Amsterdam and Scottland.

Where have you been to?

[Citizen Rules]

Nope, I've never been on the Concorde.

Wow! Sounds like you've seen some cool stuff in Europe:) I wish I could go to Europe but the cost of an airline ticket plus the cost of the vacation is just too expensive for me.

So where have I been? Mainly just the Caribbean and Central America...Mexico and Canada too as they are close to the U.S. borders. Mostly I've done ship cruises to travel as they are economical and easy to do, and you get to visit a bunch of countries in one trip. Last time I went somewhere was a few months ago and I took a short vacation to B.C. Vancouver Island, Canada. It's very nice there.

[Beatle]

Nope, I've never been on the Concorde.

Wow! Sounds like you've seen some cool stuff in Europe:) I wish I could go to Europe but the cost of an airline ticket plus the cost of the vacation is just too expensive for me.

So where have I been? Mainly just the Caribbean and Central America...Mexico and Canada too as they are close to the U.S. borders. Mostly I've done ship cruises to travel as they are economical and easy to do, and you get to visit a bunch of country in one trip. Last time I went somewhere was a few months ago and I took a short vacation to B.C. Vancouver Island, Canada. It's very nice there.

I'd really like to go to Canada, USA and Mexico too. I heard you can drive through Canadian forests, mountains and lakes without encountering anyone for hours! There's just so much to see in the USA...And Mexico also, because I heard there's no concept of time there. A guy from here went there and had a meeting with someone. But the guy was three hours late.

- Where have you been?!
- I don't know.
- You're three hours late!!!!
- So what? I'm here now. Now, did I come or what?

Favorite destinations:

Montreal, San Francisco and New Orleans.

But it looks like I'll be off to Paris this year afterall. Despite of all that's going on. That certainly won't stop me.

[gbgoodies]

I like Vertigo, but I think James Stewart and Kim Novak didn't have any chemistry together, and yes, I think their age difference was part of the reason. But I have a bad fear of heights, and I get dizzy, and sometimes even pass out, in high places, so I can relate to what he's going through.

Ditto. :) It's one of my faves, and yes, they really didn't have any chemistry. I don't think it's just the age, as you say, I think they're unfortunately simply incompatible. But then we have her "appearing again", so maybe it was for the best.

It's interesting that you don't think it's the age difference between James Stewart and Kim Novak that caused the lack of chemistry because I've seen other movies with this type of large difference in the ages between the male and female leads, and sometimes it works, but sometimes it doesn't.

For example, I love Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn together in Charade (1963), and there was a 25-year age difference between them. And I recently watched the movie Teacher's Pet (1958) with Clark Gable and Doris Day, and I thought they were great together too, despite the 21-year age difference between them.


I, on the other hand love heights, the higher the better, it's being down on earth I can't stand. I'd fly with airplanes all day long if I could. (Mostly taking off and landing, though because that way I'd be taking off all the time, which I adore. Nothing compares to it. You know the acceleration, if you ever flied, it reaches 300 kmh in 30 secs or less. Concorde had a ridiculous acceleration, to 450 kmh in 15 secs.)

I hate flying in airplanes, but that doesn't stop me from traveling by plane. However my general rule is that I try to fall asleep before the plane takes off, and I don't want to be woken until after the plane lands.

[gbgoodies]

Let's see if I can do a big, long multi-quote...

It's not:p...But if you watch Airplane! first and then watch Zero Hour!, I think you'd have some fun with it.

I'm surprised that you said to watch them in that order. I thought it would have made more sense to watch Zero Hour! first, and then have Airplane! follow it. But I'll watch them in the the order that you recommended. :)


You never seen that movie? I'm really surprised I would have thought with all the movies you seen you would have seen it, especially as it has several country western songs being performed in western cowboy bars. You might not like all the fist fighting, but the music was good.

No, I have the DVD of Every Which Way But Loose because I found it cheap at a garage sale a while back, but I still haven't watched it. I've seen a bunch of Clint Eastwood movies, but most of them aren't really my type of movies, so I rarely go out of my way to watch his movies. I have nothing against him, but he's just never been a favorite actor of mine. :shrug:


If we ever get to do the MoFo 1930's list....I can image resistances to doing it will be high:rolleyes:

Yeah, unfortunately I think you may be right about that, but I'm not giving up hope. :)

[Beatle]

It's interesting that you don't think it's the age difference between James Stewart and Kim Novak that caused the lack of chemistry because I've seen other movies with this type of large difference in the ages between the male and female leads, and sometimes it works, but sometimes it doesn't.

For example, I love Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn together in Charade (1963), and there was a 25-year age difference between them. And I recently watched the movie Teacher's Pet (1958) with Clark Gable and Doris Day, and I thought they were great together too, despite the 21-year age difference between them.

Yes, I don't care much about age. I'm a strong believer in individualism. We're all different, we all know that, and it just so happens some couples are compatible, some aren't.

[Citizen Rules]

A big thanks to Cricket for recommending the next movie I review.

[Citizen Rules]

http://bonnier.imgix.net/2015-11_lt-spotlight-olz5JUW4O0001T67XORRZw.jpg?auto=format&ixjsv=1.0.24&w=750
Spotlight (Tom McCarthy 2015)

Director: Tom McCarthy
Writers: Josh Singer, Tom McCarthy
Cast: Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams
Genre: Biography, Crime, Drama

About: Based on the true life story of the Boston Globe newspaper investigate efforts to uncover a massive cover up scandal, involving child molestation by priest in the Catholic Church...and an even larger cover up by the community.

Wow! what a powerful movie and sadly it's all true. Spotlight won the Academy Award for Best Picture and and another Academy Award for Best Screen Play. In this reviewer's opinion it was well deserving of both Oscars.

Spotlight is reminiscent of the 1976 classic All The President's Men. The focus of the movie is on the investigative efforts of a four person team at the Boston Globe called Spotlight. We follow the bread crumb evidence as the investigate team seek out and find new information to prove this huge conspiracy.

This is not a character driven movie, we hardly get to know the back story and personalities of the news reporters. We don't need to know much about them. The focus is on the uncovering of the molestation scandal.

We don't see much action, we don't see any of the priest actually abuse the kids. We do learn that an estimated 6% of Catholic Priest are involved in molesting children. We learn that the Catholic hierarchic including the Cardinal, look the other way as this abuse happens. In Boston alone we learn that there is a shocking 87 priest confirmed by their victims as abusing children.


rating_4

[Captain Steel]

Yay! I got Spotlight for my mom for her 84th birthday a couple months ago. (She said she wanted to see it... she's not Catholic, so I don't know why she was so interested... maybe because it won the oscar?)

Anyway, my parents watched it then gave it to me to watch - it's still on my shelf.
So now I can watch it and be able to compare it to the review.
(4 stars is now making me look forward to it.)

[Citizen Rules]

Yay! I got Spotlight for my mom for her 84th birthday a couple months ago. (She said she wanted to see it... she's not Catholic, so I don't know why she was so interested... maybe because it won the oscar?)

Anyway, my parents watched it then gave it to me to watch - it's still on my shelf.
So now I can watch it and be able to compare it to the review.
(4 stars is now making me look forward to it.) Cool, let me know what you think. It's not an exciting film in the sense of action, but it held my attention and to be truthful I have a short attention span for movies, no kidding.

I will just say it's an intellectual film and it isn't anti Catholic, it just sticks to the facts.

[Captain Steel]

The subject matter, although disturbing, is still intriguing.

I can't think about that without recalling the movie Priest (1994) - about a Catholic priest struggling with his own homosexuality while trying to aid a girl who is being sexually abused by her father. Heavy stuff. Disturbing themes, but a very gripping drama.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110889/?ref_=nv_sr_4

[skizzerflake]

I saw Spotlight when it was in the theaters and liked it. I don't know that "enjoy" is the right word due to the content, but I liked that it seemed like a throwback to the "ripped from the headlines" genre, an expose' film. There are not many movies like that today, so, in a sense, it was innovative or, at least outside the mainstream. The plot stayed pretty close to the events that I recall and told the story without adding hyperbole to the actual events, which WERE pretty damn hyperbolic themselves.

[Citizen Rules]

The subject matter, although disturbing, is still intriguing.

I can't think about that without recalling the movie Priest (1994) - about a Catholic priest struggling with his own homosexuality while trying to aid a girl who is being sexually abused by her father. Heavy stuff. Disturbing themes, but a very gripping drama.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110889/?ref_=nv_sr_4 I never heard of that one. There was a movie a few years ago about a priest in Ireland? I think who was being stalked. Not really my type of film. But I found Spotlight very easy to watch.

I saw Spotlight when it was in the theaters and liked it. I don't know that "enjoy" is the right word due to the content, but I liked that it seemed like a throwback to the "ripped from the headlines" genre, an expose' film. There are not many movies like that today, so, in a sense, it was innovative or, at least outside the mainstream. The plot stayed pretty close to the events that I recall and told the story without adding hyperbole to the actual events, which WERE pretty damn hyperbolic themselves.Hey Skizzerflake nice to see ya! I've seen your reviews, you a good reviewer. What you just wrote describes the movie to a tee. I especially like this line: "The plot stayed pretty close to the events that I recall and told the story without adding hyperbole to the actual events, which WERE pretty damn hyperbolic themselves".

[Citizen Rules]

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=26554&stc=1&d=1470705062
The Cobweb (Vincente Minnelli, 1955)


Director: Vincente Minnelli
Cast: Richard Widmark, Gloria Grahame, Lauren Bacall, Lillian Gish, Charles Boyer
Genre: Melodrama
Studio: MGM

The Cobweb would have been James Dean's fourth movie had he lived. He was slated to play the young Steven Holt, a disturbed young artist who's a patient at the psychiatric clinic. The role went to John Kerr instead, the man in the above photo. Driving the car is a bruntte Gloria Grahame.

The Cobweb is a 1950's melodramatic soap-drama that follows the
loves, hopes and fears of doctors and staff of an upscale psychiatric clinic...where the patients are free to come and go as they please and seem more normal that the often neuritic staff. The patients have a series of issues from phobias and sex maniacs, etc and are aptly played by: John Kerr, Susan Strasberg, Oscar Levant. With an equally impressive star filled staff: Richard Widmark, Gloria Grahame, Lillian Gish, Charles Boyer and Lauren Bacall.

http://rarefilm.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/The-Cobweb-1955-2.jpg


Based on a novel by William Gibson and directed by Vincente Minnelli with his usual flair for stunning sets and colorful decor. The movie unfolds in 1950's soap opera style, which works quite well as the characters are colorful and plenty. The plot revolves around a power play for who has the authority to order the new drapes for the clinic. Of course this is just a symptom of the internal politics and struggles between the business end and romance side of this film.

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=26555&stc=1&d=1470705115


Stealing this movie is Gloria Grahame! If you're a fan of Grahame, watch this. Not only does she look spectacular as a brunette, she has a fire and prescience that makes every scene she is a stand out.

This is 50s soap fun!
rating_3_5

[cricket]

Never heard of that before. I wouldn't mind trying it sometime.

[Citizen Rules]

Well, Gloria Grahame is a rocket in this one. She's worth the admission price:p I really don't think we'll see that one on the 50s countdown. But I can keep my fingers crossed.

[Citizen Rules]

http://www.themoviedistrict.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/onceuponatimeinthewest01B.jpg

Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)
Director: Sergio Leone
Writers: Sergio Donati, Sergio Leone (screenplay)
Cast: Henry Fonda, Charles Bronson, Claudia Cardinale
Genre: Western

Synopsis: A sweeping story of a woman (Claudia Cardinale) who moves to Utah only to find her new husband and family killed. Determined to stay on her husbands ranch, despite attempts to be driven off it by a murderous land baron working for the railroad (Henry Fonda), she meets up with a mysterious stranger with a harmonica who might spell her hope or her doom.



Review: Once Upon a Time in the West, is a glorious film to look at with stunning set locations, some of the best I've seen on film...and equally stunning set designs. This is a visual western! I loved the old weathered wood at the railroad station and the ranch owned by the widow. The sets just ooze character.

This is art as film. What a feast for the eyes, even the flies get a close-up. But you know, I could have done without the ultra close-ups of the actors. I don't want to know how many pores are in Charles Bronson's face. Nor do I need to check out the dental work on Henry Fonda. Close ups OK, but ultra close ups, no.

I guess you'd call that an auteurs stamp. But to me, when the director's individuality takes me out of the film, it works against the film.

http://www.rebeatmag.com/wp-content/uploads/once_upon_a_time_in_the_west_16_630_pxlw.jpg


I loved the score...and the opening scene with the sound of a squeaky weather vane was brilliantly done. But the flip side was the grandiose foley effect when someone was slapped in the face, it sounded like it was lifted from an old Bruce Lee kung fu movie.

To be honest each scene was so slow I found the film tedious and hard to watch at times. It was like the director intentionally stretched out the scenes to as long as possible.

http://www.indiewire.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/cardinale-once-upon-a-time-in-the-west.jpg?w=780


Come to think of it, the two leads Charles Bronson and Henry Fonda were both adequate, but not dynamic like Clint Eastwood and Jack Palance would have been. The only actor who had my attention was Claudia Cardinale. She could relay more emotion with a furled brow and her eyes, than the rest of the cast combined. High marks for the director for his decision to make her the focus of the story.

I thought the story was pretty well done but it made the same mistake as many films...insulting the intelligence of the audience. It was established that Henry Fonda is a cold blooded killer and he knows Charles Bronson wants to kill him.Fonda arrives on his horse with gun drawn...but....Bronson has his gun laying on a fence rail and is playing his harmonica. In any sense of reality, Fonda would have shot him while his gun laid there. That sort of thing drives me nuts in a serious western, and could have been fixed with a script adjustment that showed Charles Bronson playing the harmonica with one hand and pointing his gun at Fonda with the other.

Overall I'd give this a 5/5 for visual beauty and I'd give it 5/5 for a cool story, but I have to score it lower for how drawn out the scenes were and for the other things I mentioned.

rating_3_5+

[MovieMeditation]

During my first watch this was a 2.5 film for me, particularly the drawn out scenes and constant lingering in scenes for pure visual pleasure kind of annoyed me... But with a second watch, I was able to completely disappear into the visual beauty of it and ended up giving it 4.5 on the rewatch.

[Gideon58]

Really enjoyed your review of this movie and will be adding it to my watchlist.

[Gideon58]

[CENTER]http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=26508&stc=1&d=1470365061

[B][SIZE=5]Every Which Way But Loose (1978)



I was pleasantly surprised to see a review of this movie on your thread, Citizen...just doesn't strike me as the kind of movie you'd like. I always loved it, I thought it was a very refreshing change of pace for Eastwood.

[Gideon58]

[CENTER]https://forgottenfilmcast.files.wordpress.com/2016/02/volunteers-3.png?w=700
Volunteers (Nicholas Meyer, 1985)
Director: Nicholas Meyer
Cast: Tom Hanks, John Candy, Rita Wilson
Genre: Comedy


This is one of those rare Tom Hanks movies that I have never seen...enjoyed your review though and might check it out.

[edarsenal]

just did a partial catch up (only went back to June) always do enjoy your reviews, and, like everyone else, I too am sad you didn't like airplane ;)

[Citizen Rules]

Thanks Ed, I seen all the reps and appreciate it you checking out my thread:p Same message to Gideon, thanks for the interest in my reviews:p

[edarsenal]

thoroughly enjoy the insight and the love for movies you express as well as being quite eclectic when it comes to the movies you review.
ALWAYS a joy!

[Citizen Rules]

http://www.dvdizzy.com/images/l/ladyinthevan-03.jpg
The Lady in the Van (2015)
Director: Nicholas Hytner
Writer: Alan Bennett
Cast: Maggie Smith, Alex Jennings

About: An unassuming British writer (Alex Jennings) unexpectedly finds a homeless elderly woman (Maggie Smith) living in a van that's parked in his driveway. There she stays for the next 15 years as he observes her strange life.
Review:

I was bored by this...and by all rights this should have been a film I loved. The story is right up my alley...with what would seem to be a quirky British film with a wonderful actresses and based on true life events. But gads! was this boring. I blame the boredom on a major disconnect from the characters on the screen.

First problem is we don't really get up close and personally with the lady in the van. We see her from affair as the writer observes her from his house window. The story felt all surface, with no depth and no insight.

Second problem we experience the film from the writer's viewpoint and damn is he a muddling, boring character. I would say he's one dimensional, but the director went with the idea of having the actor play two version of himself. Because according to the film the writer is of two minds.

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=26585&stc=1&d=1471105104
I hated this dull character and done in stereo.


Third problem is the film has no guts. It charts a safe course without looking at the reality of what is transpiring before our eyes. This film could have went so many ways from darkly dismal, or exposé style, to a quirky comic or even black comedy...or the film could have tugged at our heart strings a la Spielberg. But it does none of these things, it just lays there like a bag of refuge carelessly tossed by the road side.

Maggie Smith turned in a good performance too bad the director was a sleep at the wheel.

rating_2

[Citizen Rules]

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=26639&stc=1&d=1471397357
Mame (1974)

Director: Gene Saks
Cast: Lucille Ball, Robert Preston, Bea Arthur
Genre: Musical

About: Set in the roaring 1920's. A nine year old kid who's been recently orphaned comes to Manhattan to live with his only relative, the free spirited Mame.

Review: Ugh, this might be one of the worst movie musicals to be adapted from Broadway play. And yes, this is a reboot of the wildly successful movie Auntie Mame (1958) the one with Rosalind Russell. So how can a very successful Broadway play end up being such a stinker? Lucille Ball.

Bless her heart, she's the queen of comedy but she can't sing a stitch. Oh sure she can croak some, but what good is a lead in a musical who can't hold a note? And to be blunt, Lucy isn't up to the part. I hardly believed her as the wildly entertaining free spirit. Lucy has some pretty big high heels to fill in the role of Mame...Rosalind Russell defined the role in 1958 and on Broadway Angela Lansbury was the toast of the town as the feisty, colorful Mame. Let's face it Lucy ain't got it here. She knew it too, that's why it's her last theatrical movie she ever made.

It's not all Lucy's fault, the kid actor who comes to live with her is a pivotal character...and he had the personality of wet noodle. But latter on he's become a young man and so there's a different actor playing him, and that actor too is milquetoast.

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=26640&stc=1&d=1471397385


Saving the day is Bea Arthur, who's colorful as an aging flapper. Sadly Robert Preston, beloved actor from The Music Man doesn't add much to the movie.

Watch, if you must.
rating_2

[gbgoodies]

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=26639&stc=1&d=1471397357
Mame (1974)

Director: Gene Saks
Cast: Lucille Ball, Robert Preston, Bea Arthur
Genre: Musical

About: Set in the roaring 1920's. A nine year old kid who's been recently orphaned comes to Manhattan to live with his only relative, the free spirited Mame.

Review: Ugh, this might be one of the worst movie musicals to be adapted from Broadway play. And yes, this is a reboot of the wildly successful movie Auntie Mame (1958) the one with Rosalind Russell. So how can a very successful Broadway play end up being such a stinker? Lucille Ball.

Bless her heart, she's the queen of comedy but she can't sing a stitch. Oh sure she can croak some, but what good is a lead in a musical who can't hold a note? And to be blunt, Lucy isn't up to the part. I hardly believed her as the wildly entertaining free spirit. Lucy has some pretty big high heels to fill in the role of Mame...Rosalind Russell defined the role in 1958 and on Broadway Angela Lansbury was the toast of the town as the feisty, colorful Mame. Let's face it Lucy ain't got it here. She knew it too, that's why it's her last theatrical movie she ever made.

It's not all Lucy's fault, the kid actor who comes to live with her is a pivotal character...and he had the personality of wet noodle. But latter on he's become a young man and so there's a different actor playing him, and that actor too is milquetoast.

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=26640&stc=1&d=1471397385


Saving the day is Bea Arthur, who's colorful as an aging flapper. Sadly Robert Preston, beloved actor from The Music Man doesn't add much to the movie.

Watch, if you must.
rating_2


I've never watched Mame specifically because I'm not a fan of Lucille Ball in anything other than "I Love Lucy", but I was going to watch this when I saw that the cast included Robert Preston.

But then I read your review, and the last sentence about Robert Preston, and it sounds like my first instinct to skip this movie was the right one. :(

[Captain Steel]

I wonder how it stacks up against Auntie Mame (1958) starring Rosalind Russel and Forrest Tucker (of F-Troop fame, whom I assume is in the Robert Preston role)?

I've only seen a little of the earlier movie, but none of the 1974 version.

[gbgoodies]

I wonder how it stacks up against Auntie Mame (1958) starring Rosalind Russel and Forrest Tucker (of F-Troop fame, whom I assume is in the Robert Preston role)?

I've only seen a little of the earlier movie, but none of the 1974 version.


I saw Auntie Mame many years ago so I don't remember much about it, but as I recall, it was only okay for me. I wanted to rewatch it for the '50's list, but I just didn't get a chance.