Rate The Last Movie You Saw

It's funny, despite being a horror fan and being pretty high on Coppola at that time, I remember this movie, seen in the theater on its initial release, being just so abysmal that I have never, ever been able to bring myself to endure it again.

Sounds like we're on the same page. I agree that it totally nails the ending.

Ziegfeld Girl, 1941

Three different women get scouted to join the famed Ziegfeld troupe. Susan Gallagher (Judy Garland) is spotted as part of a vaudeville act she does with her father, and has qualms about leaving him behind. Sandra (Hedy Lamarr) must deal with her husband (Philip Dorn) not wanting her to take the job, to the point that he threatens to leave her. Sheila (Lana Turner) embraces her new status, leading her to ultimately reject a marriage offer from her boyfriend, Gil (James Stewart), but fame ultimately takes a toll on her.

This was an interesting look at how the experience of fame--but a very specific type of fame--can have different impacts on different people. I had different reactions to each of the stories.

Susan’s story is probably the most straightforward, but I thought Garland was really charming in her role, and she has great chemistry with Charles Winninger, who plays her father. While the film’s claims that she’s not as pretty as the other girls had me rolling my eyes, she really sells the idea that she makes up for any “deficits” via her strength in singing.

Sandra’s story feels real, but it’s also kind of frustrating. Almost right off the bat, Franz gives Sandra an ultimatum: him or the job. He doesn’t even try to meet her halfway or see things from her point of view. Later in the film when she considers getting back together with him, it’s pointed out that a job as a Ziegfeld girl is only a short term gig. But isn’t that a reason to want Sandra to pursue her career? To let her have a few years, at the most, to be a star? In any event, Franz’s stank, disrespectful attitude toward his wife made me a lot less sympathetic toward his point of view, and frustrated when the film started to push them back together. Lamarr is transcendental in her role, virtually luminous.

Lana Turner’s Sheila gets the meatiest plot, with her fractured romance and descent into alcoholism. Like Sandra’s story, so much of it felt real and it was hard to watch at times. Maybe we’re supposed to think Sheila is getting what she deserves when she throws Gil over in favor of the adoration from wealthy male fans. I thought that her response to having her own money for the first time in her life was understandable. Later, as her addiction begins to take its toll, it feels like the film is punishing her for her actions. Despite this, her story does manage to be compelling. When her drinking affects a performance, she is fired without ceremony. A later declaration about the loyalty of the organization seems laughable in the face of the way that no one lifts a finger to help Sheila. The delight that a man who Sheila’d previously turned down in seeing her reduced in status is appropriately icky. Turner is really good in her role, and she kept my sympathy the whole way through. Stewart is also pretty good as Gil.

Visually, the film offers up several lush production numbers, complete with amazing moving sets and outlandish costumes. I found the songs unmemorable, but enjoyed them on the screen.

Presenting Lily Mars, 1943

Lily Mars (Judy Garland) is an aspiring actress living at home with her mother (Spring Byington) and several siblings. She contrives to audition for a big-time Broadway producer/writer named John (Van Heflin), but totally flops her first impression. Determined to follow her dream, she makes her way to New York where John is trying to stage a huge production with an experienced leading lady (Marta Eggerth).

This was a very charming little romantic comedy, with solid laughs, solid musical numbers, and winning performances from the leads.

I’m obviously on a Judy Garland kick, and she’s really funny here both in her line delivery and her physical comedy. She does a great job of selling someone who has a lot of talent, but not the right kind of presence (yet!) for the work that she wants to do on stage. She manages to walk just the right line between charming and obnoxious as she relentlessly pursues John, including showing up with her younger sister to make a scene outside of his office or sneaking into a garden party by scaling the wall.

Van Heflin is also a lot of fun as the besieged John. With her meant to be 19 years old and him looking very much like a man in his mid-30s, the film has to tread carefully for him not to come off as a creep. Because a lot of the plot leans on her naivete, I originally thought that she was meant to be even younger than 19. But ultimately I found their romance to be rather sweet. John doesn’t just like her for her talent, he really seems to respect her. And wisely the movie puts most of the heft on how Lily deals with the ups and downs of trying to be a star.

I also enjoyed several of the supporting performances. Eggerth is very enjoyable as the more seasoned star headlining the show. Her character is a bit of a diva, but not to the point that she’s a sneering villain. She isn’t out to sabotage Lily or anything, and we can certainly empathize with her annoyance at finding out that the producer of the show wants to possibly replace her with his new 19 year old girlfriend. I have to give a shout-out to Patricia Barker, the child actor who plays Lily’s little sister Poppy. She has really fun timing and I loved the running gag of all of Lily’s sisters acting as a choir that echoes Lily’s emotions at every twist and turn.

A sweet and engaging movie.

Girl Crazy, 1943

Danny Churchill (Mickey Rooney) is a spoiled rich teenager living in New York City. When his girl crazy--and obnoxiously privileged--behavior starts to make the papers, his father ships him off to a boys-only school in the west. Once there, though, he becomes smitten with mail delivery girl Ginger (Judy Garland). Danny struggles to fit in, but then once he finds his footing the school itself is in jeopardy of closing.

This was a fun little musical/romance/comedy, with winning lead performances from both Rooney and Garland, and more than capable supporting turns from several actors, including Rags Ragland as a worker at the school, Guy Kibbee as the school's easy-going dean, and Nancy Walker as Ginger’s wise-cracking cousin.

I will never get tired, apparently, of watching Judy Garland shut down arrogant flirting that’s thrown in her direction. (Yeah, she always ends up with the guy. Whatever, I guess you can’t have it all!). Sometimes when Garland performs--literally, as in when she’s singing--there seems to be a kind of strain there that can make me a bit uncomfortable. Watching her comedies it is really striking just how at ease she can be, and how capably she delivers some really crackling dialogue.

In fact, there is an ease to the whole film that is mostly very endearing. A lot of the story and humor is predictable--like the “city boy in the country” stuff that Danny goes through when he first arrives--but everyone does such a good job with the material that it’s hard to take too much issue with it. The song and dance numbers are all solid, especially a huge set piece that takes place at Ginger’s birthday party.

Good fun.

For Me and My Gal, 1942

Jo Hayden (Judy Garland) is a singer and performer in a struggling song and dance troupe led by Jimmy (George Murphy). When they are joined by arrogant single act Harry Palmer (Gene Kelly), Jo and Harry first clash, but then agree to make a go as a double act. But things get complicated when World War 1 rears its head just as Jo and Harry are trying to make a move to the big time.

I went into this film expecting the emphasis to be on the song and dance numbers, but instead the drama packed a much bigger punch than I could have anticipated.

The story builds the perspectives of both characters really brilliantly, eventually centering their conflict around Harry’s reluctance to enlist in the war. When Harry receives his order to report for duty, he instead chooses to injure himself to be declared unfit to serve. Harry tells Jo (when she discovers the deception) that he did it just to put off his enlistment so that they could make one last push at success. What I liked about the way that Kelly plays this whole series of events is that Harry himself doesn’t seem to be entirely sure if he’s willing to go to war. And while it would be easy for the film to paint Harry as a contemptible coward, it’s more nuanced than that. People should be afraid of war. The film doesn’t like his fear, but it is at least a bit empathetic toward it.

On the other hand, we can understand Jo’s disgust at Harry’s dodging of military service. Jo’s beloved little brother, Danny (Richard Quine) has left medical school to serve. Adding to that, Jo has been a witness to many self-serving actions from Harry. Jo has put up with a lot in holding up her half of the partnership, and this final moment of betrayal hits her hard.

Garland and Kelly are both incredibly talented performers--and not a combo I’d realized had ever worked together. They both light up the screen in their own way and they really match each other well on the banter front in the first act of the film. Likewise, they both do a good job with the heavier drama toward the end.

There’s just a lot more here than I expected. For example, the way that Jimmy clearly pines for Jo, but respectfully keeps his feelings to himself because she’s in a relationship. There’s also a really powerful sequence where Danny has to ship out and won’t be able to see Jo perform . . . which leads to the whole room of diners singing Danny an emotional farewell song. It put a lump in my throat and it’s probably the best moment in the film.

I had very few issues with this film. I thought one of the dance numbers was a bit icky (Garland playing a doll doing a suggestive song directed at “Daddy” like, gross). I also thought that a part where Jimmy (enlisted as a soldier) cheated a French taxi driver out of his fare and robbed him (by demanding change) was gross. Aside from that, nothing negative that stood out to me.
Really good stuff around some great song and dance numbers.

I’m starting this up tonight.

Yeah, Bogie was 55 then, and the booze and butts had taken a toll on his looks. He reportedly was upset during most of the filming, thinking he was wrong for the role. He didn't like Billy Wilder, he and W. Holden didn't get along at all, and he thought Lauren Bacall should have gotten Hepburn's role. He thought Hepburn to be unprofessional and inexperienced.

Bogart only did 5 more pictures before his 1957 death. Interestingly several of them were against the "Bogie" type. And of course he nailed the Capt. Queeg part earlier in '54 in The Caine Mutiny. He was superb in his final film, The Harder They Fall.

Still, the '54 Sabrina has a genuine charm, and was a captivating story.

Glad you enjoyed this movie...it's one of a handful of movies where I really enjoyed Lana Turner. Not a great film, but watchable and I agree with most of what you've said here.

The costumes and stages were really awesome. I don't think that it nails the three different stories as well as it could have.

I've also felt more and more since watching it that Sheila's outcomes are meant as a moral rebuke for her enjoying her success and that just feels crummy.

Set in the early 1960s, Inside Llewyn Davis follows the titular character (Oscar Isaac), an aspiring folk singer struggling to get through as a solo act after the death of his partner. Davis survives by performing small gigs while cycling through the houses of various friends and acquaintances to sleep in.

Like every Coen film, their mastery of dialogue and tone is superb. Still, this is Isaac's film all the way. His performance walks a fine line between charisma, charm and bitterness, frustration. He doesn't play Davis to the audience, but actually as a real man full of talent, but also full of flaws, insecurities, and anger. For all his artistry, he just can't help but burn bridges all around him, leaving him effectively trapped with the same shit happening to him.

Grade:


Full review on my Movie Loot

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Everything Everywhere All At Once - 2022

Well I'd been in a rut with movies then you see something that restores your faith in cinema. Wowey is this movie awesome. I legitimately and genuinely laughed out loud, cried and was in awe at some scenes. There was no heavy handed agenda, it was an Asian-American cast that felt genuine and not cast to make some diversity quota. What a splash of cold water to the face on the desert that is Hollywood right now. The acting was phenomenal. Michelle Yeoh is always great but she deserves an academy award next year for this what a force. James Hong is in it I always love him. Stephaine Hsu is a new chick to me but she was outstanding and I didn't realize this until after but Ke Huy Quan who was Short Round and was in the Goonies is in it. He hasn't acted since those 2 movies, I mean wow what a way to come back. I think he at least deserves a nomination he looked like he never left.

I don't want to give to much a way but I can not recommend this flick enough. What an inspiring piece of film making. It will put you through the ringer emotionally. It's uniquely weird in the best sense. I'll be watching it again and buying it on blu ray to support it. My rating might go up after another viewing.

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I came here to do two things, drink some beer and kick some ass, looks like we are almost outta beer - Dazed and Confused

101 Favorite Movies (2019)

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It Follows - (2014)

Not the perfect horror film, but when it's this good - and this creepy - why complain? David Robert Mitchell constructs a dream world where everything is slightly off, and then inhabits it with something that has literally come straight from his nightmares to us - the titular "it", which will follow you in a steady fashion until it eventually catches and kills you. How does the curse work? It's sexually transmitted. So, of course just about everyone who watches this is doing the computations in their brains - "Is this about AIDS? Shame? What follows you after you have sex? Is it about unwanted pregnancy? Commitment?" Whatever it is, it exists in a world askew, with the wrong technology inhabiting the wrong time-period - and when you add that to the excellent score you've got something so creepy you'll feel uncomfortable as the final credits roll. Had a blast watching this.

And I liked Under the Silver Lake too.

8/10


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The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie - (1972)

I loved The Exterminating Angel so much that The Discrete Charm of the Bourgeoisie couldn't quite unseat it from my "favourite Luis Buñuel film" film pedestal - but I still enjoyed watching it very much. I think this was supposed to be my year of Luis Buñuel films - and it's June already. Time is passes much too rapidly for my liking. Anyway, a group of stuffy, privileged people are seated at a dinner table and to their surprise a curtain pulls back and they discover they're onstage - the man whose nightmare this is sweats, and states that he hasn't learned his lines. Later a policeman will be having a nightmare which involves the ghost of a commander letting political prisoners go. I knew what I was getting and my expectations were met.

8/10


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Policeman - (2011)

I haven't seen many films from Israel - this one feels like it's going to follow main character and counter-terrorist cop Yaron (Yiftach Klein) around as we sense more and more that he's shifty (when we leave him, he's chatting up a 15 year-old girl) - but then the focus shifts to a group of Israeli radicals railing against poverty and financial injustice. When they kidnap a group of ultra-rich figures, Yaron's group is called and instead of facing Arabs he's organising the death of fellow-Jews, something that he will obviously struggle with - but we only see his reaction to the aftermath - and then the credits roll. Was interesting while it lasted.

6/10

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loved michelle yeoh , she one of amazing actresses

Very dark supernatural thriller from Norway focussing on morals, good Vs evil, personality forming from childhood. Disturbing in parts. Very well directed and some of the child performances are outstanding. The Director Eskil Vogt wrote most of Joachim Trier's films, so clearly has huge talent.

Meet Me in St Louis, 1944

A year in the life of the Smith family, focusing especially on Esther (Judy Garland), who is in love with the boy next door, John Truett (Tom Drake), and the mischief of her little sister Tootie (Margaret O'Brian).

This is considered a musical classic, and deservedly so. It's one of those movies where you just hear song after song that you know, especially The Trolley Song and Garland's rendition of Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.

For a musical, it's interesting to see the way that so much of the action takes place in the family home. The set design is really masterful in the way that the house manages to feel large enough for a song-and-dance number, and yet cozy enough to give that family sensibility.

The story itself is mostly very gentle and domestic in scope. When the possibility of the family moving to New York comes up, it raises emotional turmoil in the adults and children. Esther must navigate young love and the possibility of loss at the same time. Esther's sister, Rose (Lucille Bremer) has to deal with a rivalry with another woman she thinks has her eye on Rose's crush.

My only hangup with the film was the character of Tootie. Now, O'Brian's performance is absolutely fantastic. Whether it's a sequence where she has to go and prank a scary neighbor on Halloween night, or the way she delivers the line "Aw, it'll take me days to dig up all the dolls in my cemetery", her presence is undeniable.

But Tootie herself? Too much for me. And also kind of a sociopath? There's a sequence in the middle of the film where Tootie returns to the house late at night with a busted lip, a tooth that's been knocked out, and a fistful of hair in her hand, claiming that John assaulted her. Insert classic sound of record scratching to a stop. It then turns out that Tootie and her sister put a fake body on the trolley track to derail the trolley. This whole sequence was bizarre and off-putting to me, and made me feel like "What is wrong with these people?!".

An interesting musical and overall very enjoyable.

Easily one of the best films of 2021. Gave it the same rating few months ago.

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