The Great Train Robbery (1903)
One of the earliest films in American history that survives to this day, this is a silent 15-minute Western that is deserving of its classic status. Although not the first movie with a narrative, it is one of the earliest. Some of the black and white is augmented with hand-coloring and is quite effective, coming in shots like the smoke from gunfire, the explosion of a train strongbox, and the dresses of women dancing with their outlaw boyfriends. My only regret is that I almost forgot it was only 15-minutes long and was really getting into it when it came to an end with the famous image of the cowboy firing his pistol right at the camera. A must-see for any film completest.
Crimson Peak (2015)
Very effective and moody ghost story that doesn't scare so much as involve you in its tale. Although the story is not hard to figure out, given that one character practically gives away motive fairly early on in the proceedings, it still serves up some entertainment from director Guillermo del Toro. The story has rich heiress Mia Wasikowska wooed by Tom Hiddleston, who is eager to get financing from her father for an invention but is turned down. Naturally the father is dubious when Hiddleston suddenly declares his love for his daughter. But, they are married and her father mysteriously murdered. Jessica Chastain is along for the trip with her brother Hiddleston and right away she seems very mysterious. Things only get worse when they arrive at the mansion of the siblings and things quickly get weird for Wasikowska who has already been warned of the place called Crimson Peak because of the red clay pulled from the ground by mining. The warning has come from
WARNING: spoilers below
her mother's ghost, both in Mia's childhood and once before she goes with Hiddleston and Chastain to their childhood home.
her mother's ghost, both in Mia's childhood and once before she goes with Hiddleston and Chastain to their childhood home.
She doesn't find out the name of the place until she is there and by then it's too late.
The movie, as I've stated before, is more creepy than scary, and there are ghosts, one
WARNING: spoilers below
malevolent and the rest trying to warn Mia of the danger she's in.
malevolent and the rest trying to warn Mia of the danger she's in.
. The effects are pretty creepy, yet I feel like I've seen ones like them before. Still, on the whole, the movie is highly watchable and enjoyable, with good performances by all involved. There are some twists and turns, some of which you'll see coming, some maybe not. Very much worth a watch.
On Moonlight Bay (1951)
Charming, colorful musical starring Doris Day and Gordon MacRae, but the movie is all but stolen by Leon Ames as the gruff but loving dad, and Billy Gray as the young, trouble-making son. Doris is young and beautiful and in perfect voice and Gordon is handsome and in great singing form, but I was always waiting for Ames and Gray to reappear. Gray especially provides lots of laughs as the son who is always breaking things, lying or spreading false gossip, and generally being a good-natured holy terror if you can see your way to combine those two. A fun movie worth seeing and even if you don't care for musicals, stick around for the comedy.