Citizen Rules...Cinemaesque Chat-n-Review

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Save the Texas Prairie Chicken
I love to hear your thoughts on this.
Will definitely let you know. But you will have to wait a little while yet. I saw today that I am number 143 out 410. I got my request in early at the library. Just not early enough. I figure it will still be about a month or so before I get it.

.her supporting actress Oscar was the only sure thing Oscar night since she was clearly a lead...she has more screentime than Denzel.
That is the kind of thing that drives me crazy about the Academy. From what I knew about the story, I didn't get how she was only supporting when it came to the nomination. But I also felt that same way about Jake Gyllenhaal in Brokeback Mountain and Casey Affleck in The Assassination of Jesse James. I don't understand why they nominate someone in the supporting category when they are clearly equal with the actor that they consider to be the lead.
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Violas character is supporting to me because she isn't technically a central character to the plot....Denzel is. But yeah, I could still see why many would think that.



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That does sound like something I would say And yeah basically it's true, though I just realized I had seen him in Crimson Tide (1995)

I think she underplayed it, (which I like)as her character was more of a put-upon character. She did have the snot-coming-out her nose scene, I don't know if that's overacting, as she probably couldn't help that But I really liked her in this.

I love to hear your thoughts on this.
Dude you need to see more Denzel. He's my favorite of all time.



Dude you need to see more Denzel. He's my favorite of all time.
He seemed good in Fences, I don't see Denzel Washington being a stand out actor for me.

In the original stage production of Fences, James Earl Jones did the role of the father. Now, I could see Jones as a powerful force in that role, he has such a commanding presences.



28 days...6 hours...42 minutes...12 seconds
Violas character is supporting to me because she isn't technically a central character to the plot....Denzel is. But yeah, I could still see why many would think that.
I consider her a lead, but she's been nominated in supporting at the MoFo Film Awards. Is that because the Oscars somewhat determine where people think things should go? I sure do.




The Suspect (Robert Siodmak, 1944)

Director: Robert Siodmak
Cast: Charles Laughton, Ella Raines, Dean Harens,
Henry Daniell
Genre: Drama, Mystery


A more obscure film that deserves more recognition. This reminded me of an early Hitchcock, though the director is Robert Siodmak.I thought the way the film was put together: the acting, the cinematography and direction was done intimately...which fits the very personal story, told from one man's view point.

I think if The Suspect had been made grandiose with dramatic cinematography it would have ran counterproductive to the very up close and personal feel the movie has. I mean Charles Laughton feels like someone we care about, almost like we personally know him. I loved that about the movie.

The film succeeded at creating empathy for Laughton's character...and for giving him one nasty wife too! And his wife has to be a cantankerous, battle axe for the story to work, and for us to continue liking Laughton...And that's all done well.

A good murder mystery should keep you guessing as to who's done the crime and who's a red herring. And that was done well too. I wasn't sure what the final outcome would be until the last scenes, which kept my interest up.

If there was one thing I didn't care for, it was a 1 minute voice over montage scene where the Scotland Yard inspector tells us how he thinks the murder was done. I wish the actor would have delivered a conventional monologue, instead. But not a big deal.

Charles Laughton makes this film, he's excellent, he's likable and has real screen presences and so does the actresses that plays his wife, she's the kind you love to hate. I also liked the drunken, snobbish next door lout, played by Henry Daniell.







I seen a Charles Laughton movie set in the 19th century, where he was an overbearing father who kept his adult daughter literally a prisoner in his house. It was a powerful performance, I might even have reviewed it, but I can't think of the title at the moment.



i love Charles Laughton, he's great actor and i enjoy to watch him in any film he did, I havent seen a lot: The Sign of the Cross, The Barretts of Wimpole Street, Mutiny on the Bounty, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, The Suspect, The Paradine Case, Hobson's Choice, Witness for the Prosecution, Spartacus

but there is still a lot. Watching him in a film feels very comfortable and natural. I feel like I am there with him, having cognac and cigar in his salon.
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i love Charles Laughton, he's great actor and i enjoy to watch him in any film he did, I havent seen a lot: The Sign of the Cross, The Barretts of Wimpole Street, Mutiny on the Bounty, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, The Suspect, The Paradine Case, Hobson's Choice, Witness for the Prosecution, Spartacus

but there is still a lot. Watching him in a film feels very comfortable and natural. I feel like I am there with him, having cognac and cigar in his salon.
You've seen some of this best films, but you're right he made a lot and there's still a lot that I need to see of his work.

I've seen these and can recommend all of them
The Old Dark House (1932)
The Sign of the Cross (1932)
Island of Lost Souls (1932)
The Barretts of Wimpole Street (1934)
Mutiny on the Bounty (1935)
Sidewalks of London (1938)
Jamaica Inn (1939)
The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939)
It Started with Eve (1941)
The Suspect (1944)
The Paradine Case (1947)
The Big Clock (1948)
Witness for the Prosecution (1957)
Spartacus (1960)

Looking at all of Laughton's filmography, I realize the man made a lot of movies! And now I want to watch more of them!




How Green Was My Valley (John Ford,1941)

Director: John Ford
Writers: Philip Dunne(screen play), Richard Llewellyn(novel)
Cast: Walter Pidgeon, Maureen O'Hara, Anna Lee
Genre: Drama

About: A poor family in a poor Welsh mining village coming to grips with life's hardships at the turn of the century.

Review: This reminded me of Dune (1984). Both films are based on well known novels that were multi-character, with multiple interwoven story lines.... both were epic, long novels that were brought to the big screen. Like David Lynch with Dune, John Ford choose to include many of the scenes from the book (as opposed to focusing on select chapters of the book). And like Dune, that gives the viewer a visual synopsis of the novel. However, unfortunately in a 2 hour movie doesn't allow enough time for the character's personalities and story subtleties to be delved into as much as if this was a simpler story.

I think John Ford did a fine job in including as much of the human element that he could, but when a 600 page novel of much complexities is condensed down to 2 hours of film, so much gets loss. How Green Was My Valley lacks the 'meat' that makes movie moments so special, some scenes felt rushed and incomplete. Ford did manage to bring to life Donald Crisp, I got a good sense of the kind of man he was and what motivated him.

This reminded me of The Waltons TV show from the 1970s.The narrators voice, his warm sentimental way of talking and his rosy look back into his families past, really reminded me of Earl Hamner author and narrator of The Waltons.

I liked How Green Was My Valley, but it's viewing impact for me was middle of the road.







This reminded me of Dune (1984).
I had to do a double-take when I saw that statement. Glad you explained "how" (because I couldn't remember any scenes with young Roddy McDowell riding a giant sand worm with an oxygen tube stuck in his nose!)

Saw this a couple years ago for the first time - really liked it. So I'm on par with your rating.




Harold and Maude
(1971)

Director: Hal Ashby
Writer: Colin Higgins
Cast: Ruth Gordon, Bud Cort, Vivian Pickles
Genre: Dark Comedy, Drama Romance


Review: I really wanted to like this movie, really I did! I thought it sounded fun and it's so highly rated. I thought it might be something I'd really like. I thought wrong. I mostly hated it. I'll explain...

No I didn't hate it for the obvious reason. I did not object to the story idea of an 80 year old woman having a romance with a 20 year old kid, (though he looks more like 14) I actually liked the story idea, it had a lot of potential.

I liked Ruth Gordon in this, she's always a favorite of mine. I liked the look of the film too: (the way it was filmed, the on location scenes, the editing...it was all well done.) I liked the actress who played the rich kid's mom, Vivian Pickles (cool name!). I thought she brought lots of juice to her role, ha.



Even the three girls who showed up for blind dates, were well cast and each actress made the most out of their limited screen time. I liked everyone except for the drip dry Bud Cort who plays the young Harold. Crap was he boring! Talk about no personality and zero screen presences. He played the role like a zombie, which made it hard for me to care about him at all.

I kept hoping he would wipe that vacant, dumb-ass look off his face and come out of his clam shell...but he never did. He was not up for the role.

Then I kept thinking how great this would've been if the movie had a spirited, impish actor with a dark side, say like Malcom McDowell. Malcom was a young actor at the time and had three years earlier made a film about another disfranchised, rebellious youth in the controversial movie, If....(1968)

Malcom McDowell would've been perfect for this. Hell even a more comic actor, say like Dustin Hofman could've made this film memorable. But as it is, I can't get behind the movie with such a dismally, boring lead actor.

As far as the message of the film goes, that life should be enjoyed to the fullest by being a free spirit, sure that's a great idea. But...Maude certainly disapproves that idea at the end of the film, doesn't she.

One interesting thing about this movie, it's a product of it's time and endorses the old hippy slogan 'if it feels good just do it'. Are Maude and Harold free spirits? No, they're both selfish, self centered people, who hurt people around them.

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Harold and Maude
(1971)

Director: Hal Ashby
Writer: Colin Higgins
Cast: Ruth Gordon, Bud Cort, Vivian Pickles
Genre: Dark Comedy, Drama Romance


Review: I really wanted to like this movie. I thought it sounded fun and as it's so highly rated, I thought it might be something I would like. I thought wrong, I mostly hated it.

No, not for the obvious reason, I did not object to the story idea of an 80 year old woman having a romance with a 20 year old kid, thought the fact that he looked 14 was a little creepy. I actually liked the story idea. I liked Ruth Gordon in this. I liked the actress who played the rich kid's mom, Vivian Pickles.



I liked all the actors, the three girls who show up for blind dates were well cast. I liked everyone except for the drip dry Bud Cort who plays the young Harold. Crap was he boring! Talk about no personality. He played the role like a zombie, which made it hard for me to care about him at all. I kept hoping he would wipe that vacant, dumb-ass look off his face and come out of his clam shell...but he never did. He was not up for the role. Not to mention he looked 14 years old.

I kept thinking how great this would have been if the movie had a spirited, impish actor with a dark side. Malcom McDowell was a young actor at the time and had three years earlier made a film about another disfranchised, rebellious youth in the controversial If....(1968) Malcom would have been perfect for this role. Hell even a more comic actor, say like Dustin Hofman would have made this film. But as it is, I can't get behind the movie with such a dismally boring lead actor.

As far as the message goes, that life should be enjoyed to the fullest by being a free spirit. Well Maude certainly disapproves that idea at the end of the film. One interesting thing about his movie, it's a product of the time and endorses the old hippy slogan 'if it feels good do it'. Is Maude and Harold free spirits? No, there both selfish, self centered people.

I'm not sure what people see in this film...I didn't see much.

Wow I really need to rewatch this as I adored it during my first watch. Dissapointed that you didn't like it



Also he's supposed to act like a zombie. The part is supposed to be someone who is depressed, suicidal, attention seeking, and sulking. Not a upbeat outgoing person.



Wow I really need to rewatch this as I adored it during my first watch. Dissapointed that you didn't like it
We all perceive movies differently, so it's cool that you liked the movie Most people love it. I didn't.

Have you seen If....(1968) that movie rocks.



We all perceive movies differently, so it's cool that you liked the movie Most people love it. I didn't.

Have you seen If....(1968) that movie rocks.
No I have not but will have to check it out. You do bring up good points in your post that I myself haven't thought about to much such as them being very selfish people when the message is supposed to promote living life to the fullest and stuff. I am not quite sure about my input on that but I think that everybody is selfish in some way such as Maude choosing an action that hurt Harold.



also after checking if on imdb I was pleasantly surprised as I now remember I really wanted to watch this. Thanks a bunch