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Dr. Strangelove follows the attempts of the US government to stop a nuclear bombing to the Soviet Union after a paranoid general closes off his base and orders a group of B-52 bombers to proceed. The film stars Slim Pickens as the pilot of one of the bombers and George C. Scott as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. But the most notable performance(s) perhaps is Peter Sellers in a triple role as Captain Mandrake (who is unwillingly barricaded with the crazy general), President Merkin Muffley, and the titular doctor and war expert.

I saw this for the first time a couple of years ago and, although I liked it a lot, I didn't feel I *loved* it as I was expecting. However, as I was preparing for an episode of my podcast dedicated to Kubrick, I wanted to give it another shot and it was certainly an improvement. The film is so pointedly funny and sharp in its critique, without losing the focus of what it is. The way that Kubrick manages to satirize and make fun of the incompetence of both sides is masterful, and the film is full of quotable lines.

Grade:


Full review on my Movie Loot

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Agreed.

Maybe there's some nuance or interesting angle taken in this second one, but I really have no interest in for another film.

Suspiria, 2018 (D)

A film about a ballet dancer in a school run by a coven of witches. Remake of a 1977 movie.

Did not care for it. It doesn't ever manage to create a vibe like an Argento movie does. It's very conventional (and very, very long) most of the time, and then you get the weird scenes. The movie honestly insists upon itself a lot. It did not need to be 2 and a half hours long by any stretch. You get the point very early, and then see the movie hammer it down 5 miles deep. It's very much like Midsommar in that way. It goes too hard too fast, and then, whatever happens might as well.

I just finished watching A Face in the Crowd. If I could sum up my experience watching this film in one word, it would be: WOW! A Face in the Crowd is a masterpiece and one of the greatest films of all time. Brilliantly directed by Elia Kazan, the films stars Andy Griffith in a fantastic, career best performance as Larry 'Lonesome' Rhodes, a drifter who rapidly ascends to become an influential radio and tv star. This film is more relevant now than when it first came out and has a lot of worthwhile things to say about the dangers of fame and power. The screenplay is exceptionally smart and sharply written. In addition to Griffith's powerhouse performance, Patricia Neal is great as the woman who first discovers Rhodes and falls under his spell. I really enjoyed the film. It was consistently entertaining, engaging and ranged from funny to sad to frightening and back again. I cared about the characters and was invested in what was happening. Even though Griffith's character acts like a jerk at times, I didn't completely hate him and even felt empathy towards him. I appreciated that he was written and portrayed as a complex, flawed character and he didn't come across as an over the top villain. A Face in The Crowd is without a doubt a must see film.

Babe (1995)

My Favorite Martian


4/10


Kind of funny but stupid and i couldn't finish it.

I've read shortened versions of the story as a kid and can't, for the life of me, remember the ending.

Seeing it on a theater screen is a serious MUST for all its cinematic artistry. I'm sure on smaller screens its quite beautiful as well, but. . . in a theater. . .

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Strangelove is much stranger if you put it in its historic context. It was made about the same time as the movie-novel Fail Safe, which had a similar situation. Fail Safe had a relatively sane president trying to avoid a nuclear holocaust, played by Henry Fonda in a very earnest portrayal.

Strangelove has General Jack Ripper, ex-nazis in the government and a completely diabolical Dr Strangelove with his spastic arm doing nazi salutes.

In the context of the Cold War and the then recent Cuban Missile Crisis, and the "missile gap", I've always thought that Strangelove correctly portrayed the insanity of that era in US-USSR relations. Try to read about "Operation Paperclip" and NOT think about Dr Strangelove.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Paperclip

I really wish I could, but with an infant that can't be vaccinated nor babysat just yet I just don't think we can risk it just yet.

Nice review. I took your recommendation, and watched the picture last night. Happily Cage's superb acting in the role of the drug addicted New Orleans detective cause me to recall what a good actor he is. I'd recently seen Pig (2021), which soured me on Cage himself as well as the entire film.

Poor Val Kilmer had a relatively tiny part, which may have been somewhat cut down during editing. Eva Mendes had a very nice turn as a druggie prostitute, who eventually turns the page into a new life.

I thought the picture to be a little uneven, although it may have seemed that way because of Cage's character's wild mood swings-- on or off drugs. I'm used to seeing Werner Herzog's work in his high quality documentaries, and I'm equivocal about whether he is or isn't a good drama film director.

Some of the pacing of the film could've been tightened a little, but overall it was a worthwhile viewing experience. I'd rate it about the same level as you have.

I liked it more than you did, which is probably a generational thing.. As a matter of fact it has one of my few "10" review ratings. Here's my commentary:

Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)

Once in every generation or so a film comes along that perfectly addresses the public’s mood, while simultaneously satirizing the bleakness of its subject matter. Dr. Strangelove is one of history’s finest examples of satirical black comedy at its highest level.

During the mid 1960s the country was in its height of the Cold War. The Bay of Pigs had occurred; President Kennedy and Soviet Premier Khrushchev had a major nuclear standoff; and finally the unthinkable JFK assassination-- all had combined to put the country on edge. Dr. Stangelove was a welcome source of gallows humor to help let off a little steam from the pressure cooker. As one can see from the film’s accessory title --”How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb”-- people could honestly imagine and fear a nuclear conflict between the two superpowers.

Peter Sellers’ variegated earlier body of work, including The Pink Panther, attracted director Stanley Kubrick to cast Sellers in three distinct roles, including the title character, the U.S. president, and a military Group Captain. The film gets most of its comedic heft from Sellers’ memorable portrayal of these three parts. Sellers’ sight gags, mannerisms, voice accents, and complete character inhabitation provide wonderful satire.

The supporting cast is a dream, with first rate performances by Sterling Hayden, George C. Scott, and the venerable Slim Pickens. Reportedly Kubrick got an indelible performance from Scott by telling him to try a few sample takes in an over-the-top manner, but then used those takes in the film. Pickens was lead to believe that his was a serious role, learning only later that the film was a dark comedy.

Entire books can be written discussing “Strangelove”, its background, all the people involved, and its significance; but suffice to say that this movie is not only a top comedy, but one of the best films of the 20th Century.

Doc’s rating: 10/10
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OK my rating was harsh (probably wasn't in the mood) I like Fassbender...but it just felt like a really empty film. Masterpiece is not how I'd describe it. All to out own I guess.

I am like 12 movies behind in terms of writing reviews.

I'll write more later, but for now I have to say that I watched Signs today and I'm kind of shocked that it is on three top 100 lists on this site.

I know this sounds mean, but what on Earth would anyone think is great (or even really good) about it? The ham-fisted, clunky "everything happens for a reason" theme? The yikes acting? The awkward pacing of flashback sequences? The . . . .corn?

Thanks for sharing. I didn't know about Fail Safe or Operation Paperclip. I'll check both out.


EDIT: As I started reading on Wikipedia, I realized that yeah, I had read about Paperclip. Just didn't remember the name.

Great writeup.

I can certainly see it improving. I had it at 3 or 3.5 after my first watch, and went up to 4 now.

I watched Racket Girls (1951) on blu ray. Also known as Pin-down Girl or Blonde Pickup, its about a gangster who uses women's wrestling as a front for illegal activity. The film has really low ratings, a 1.7 on imdb and a 1.5 on letterboxd, with some people saying it is one of the worst films ever. In my opinion, this isn't anywhere near as bad as some people say. It has its flaws and limitations, but this is nowhere near one of the worst films ever. It has its charm and there is fun to be had. My rating is a .

I figure it's one of the worst 174 at this point.

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Samurai Cop - 1991 (rating not applicable)


I had heard tales of this movie, usually intermixed with lots of laughter, and had to see what all the hubbub was about.
Where do I start? Well, umm... there are plenty of mullets, cheesy pickup lines, and I did get a laugh when the Samurai Cop was getting ready to have sex with some girl and noticed they were wearing matching panties.

Sometimes dubbed the worst movie ever made, and I admit that there are some issues. I wouldn't call it the worst, but I'm drawing a blank at the moment. All I know is that I did make it all the way through, so that counts for something.

Suicide Squad (2021)
8/10.
That was fun.

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By Tri-Star Pictures - Impawards, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=14681078

The Doors - (1991)

Another film featuring Val Kilmer that I've had on my watchlist for a while, so my whole 'Val Kilmer Appreciation Week' continues. This Oliver Stone film focusses nearly entirely on Jim Morrison, and gets hurt in the scriptwriting stage after being in development hell for ages. What we end up with is a series of unconnected vignettes, usually with Morrison drunk, stoned or tripping out in the desert (and during concerts.) You can watch the whole film and still have no idea who this man was. It's a shame because Kilmer gives what is probably the best acting performance of his life - completely inhabiting his subject to the point where I completely forget it's him. Any scene taken alone from this would indicate a great film - but taken together it just goes nowhere. It gets a good rating from me because a lot of the people making the film were at the top of their game, putting together great scenes, but there's no meaning, story or sense of someone's life. The film just tells anecdotes until the inescapable ending.

6/10

I got the same impression. That must hurt a bit for an actor - they've put a lot of work in, got some great scenes, and then they find out they're barely in the movie.