My Movie Thoughts

I'm not a very good writer, so I cannot claim to write "Reviews." I cannot commit to watching "One Film a Day." I have yet to come up with a satifactory "Top 100 Films" list. So I just decided I'd make a place for myself to comment on stuff I've watched recently and some of my all-time favorites. So here goes. (For some things I will borrow and/or expand on thoughts I've posted in other threads.)

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Family DVD Collection | My Top 100 | My Movie Thoughts | Frank Capra

Tron: Legacy (2010)
Dir: Joseph Kosinski
Starring: Jeff Bridges, Garrett Hedlund, Bruce Boxleitner, Olivia Wilde

Took the family to see this (2-D) over the weekend. I wasn't expecting much, based on the mixed reviews. I was pleasantly surprised. I thought this was a pretty good and really fun film. My vague memories of having seen the first one over 25 years ago weren't really needed, as they told us everything we needed to know. My boys all loved it and are now clammoring to see the first one when the DVD gets re-released later this year. If their interest holds, I anticipate we'll end up with both of them.

While this hasn't made the money it was expectected to, I think Disney accomplished their primary goal, since my kids left the theater saying "They should make a Tron cartoon. Are there any Tron comic books? Do they really have Tron action figures? They should make another movie." Thanks, Disney, for giving my kids something else to want me to buy for them. As a parent of kids under 10, I'm glad they kept it PG instead of going for the obvious "more mature" PG-13 that all the sci-fi and super hero movies seem to shoot for these days.

The only thing I complained about afterward was that I thought the "De-aged" Jeff Bridges effects were inconsistant. Sometimes I thought the animation was painfully obvious, while other times I thought it was remarkably realistic.

Enter the Lone Ranger (1949); aka The Legend of the Lone Ranger (1952)
Dir: George B. Seitz, Jr.
Starring: Clayton Moore, Jay Silverheels, Genn Strange

The first three episodes of the classic Clayton Moore television series (Enter the Lone Ranger, The Lone Ranger Fights On, The Lone Ranger's Triumph) tell the definitive tale of the Lone Ranger's origin. They first aired on TV in September of 1949 and were later edited together as a movie and given a theatrical release in 1952. While Moore's delivery here is a little more wooden (he was told to try and imitate the radio Ranger, Brace Beemer) than in the later episodes and films, this is still a fun show to watch. Veteran western villain Glenn Strange is great as Butch Cavendish. Far superior to 1981's big budget re-telling.

Thanks Mikey I am a big fan of the first Tron

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Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship.
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***FROM THE ALL-TIME FAVORITES LIST***


Arsenic & Old Lace (1944)
Dir: Frank Capra
Starring: Cary Grant, Priscilla Lane, Raymond Massey, Peter Lorre, Josephine Hull, Jean Adair

I just rewatched Arsenic & Old Lace the other night (finally). I think it's probably been 10 years or so since the last time I saw it. I had forgotten just how funny it was. I was laughing out loud the whole time. Was Cary Grant's performance a little over-the-top? Maybe, but he was absolutely hilarious. A truly fun, truly funny movie. Not the social-statement, little-guy-vs-the-system picture Capra is normally remembered for, but still an excellent piece of work and worth watching if you've never seen it.

The Matinee Idol (1928)
Dir: Frank Capra
Starring: Bessie Love, Johnnie Walker

This is the first silent film I can remember ever watching. I will say that watching a silent film requires more of your attention than modern films. Without being able to hear what is going on you really have to be watching the screen or you're going to miss something.

I really enjoyed this film. While not on the level of Capra's later masterpieces, you can see all the elements of a classic Capra film. The high-and-mighty sophisticates who think they're better than everyone else. The "little punks" who put their heart and soul into what they do. The clash of the two. When the small town acting troupe goes to broadway and their Civil War drama is greeted by roars of laughter, you feel for them. The old man, so proud of the play he had written, breaks down in tears, and I almost did too. I certainly did not expect to be so moved by a silent picture. It wasn't the It's a Wonderful Life waterworks, of course, but I was misty eyed watching the old man's heart break like that.

Some people may be put off by the use of blackface in the film. Accepting that blackface was standard practice for 1928, here it is not used in any derogitory way. It is really only a means of disguise in this picture, allowing for the Don Wilson character to keep his dual identity of Harry Mann a secret.

I thought this movie was really good and a fantastic look at Capra honing his craft early on.



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Frank Capra's American Dream (1997)
Dir: Kenneth Bowser
Host: Ron Howard

Actor/director Ron Howard hosts this look at Capra featuring interviews with a wide variety of directors and actors, as well as Capra's sons, Frank Jr. and Tom Capra. Capra's story, even in this non-critical review of it, is very interesting. Coming to the US at the age of 6, growing up dirt poor, working hard to make a better life for himself, voluntarily serving his adopted country in two World Wars, his classic films of course, his struggles with his success, being investigated by the government, his later days where he enjoyed traveling and talking about his work.

I thought this documentary (similar to an extended episode of Biography) was very well done. Capra's whole career was covered very well. They didn't talk about every film, of course, but all of the major films received the coverage they deserved. Directors such as Martin Scorsese, Oliver Stone, Robert Altman and Andre De Toth, among many others, share their thoughts on the man and his work. Several actors who worked with Capra at various points also share their thoughts, such as Angela Lansbury (State of the Union), Peter Falk (Pocketful of Miracles) and Jane Wyatt (Lost Horizon). The only thing I really wish could have been included would have been some archived comments from the man himself. I know he did many interviews later in his life and it would have been nice to include bits of those.

IMDb has a rundown of everyone interviewed for the project, if you're curious.)

A few great movies there Mikey

Disorder in the Court (1939)
Dir: Jules White
Starring: Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Curly Howard, Bud Jamison

I love the Three Stooges. I watch their shorts frequently. Some are better than others. Disorder in the Court is a good one. The Stooges are called as witnesses in the murder trial of Gail Tempest. They try to prove her innocence of the murder of Kirk Robin. This short features the famous swearing in scene:

Judge: "He's asking you if you swear..."
Curly: "No! But I know all the woids."



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Brideless Groom (1947)
Dir: Edward Bernds
Starring: Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Shemp Howard, Dee Green, Emil Sitka, Christine McIntyre

Brideless Groom is another good one. This short sees Shemp set to inherit $500,000 if he can get married in 6 hours. After numerous mishaps ("Can I help it if I ain't Cousin Basil?"), the Stooges get him set up to wed his singing student ("Hold hands you love-birds"). Chaos ensues when Shemp's old flames find out about the money. My favorite line:

Moe: "You wouldn't hit a lady with that, would ya? Use this. It's bigger."



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Sing a Song of Six Pants (1947)
Dir: Jules White
Starring: Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Shemp Howard, Vernon Dent, Harold Brauer

This time the boys are tailors and encounter bank robber Terry Hargan. Shemp has several great moments and this was the short that really convinced me that, even without Curly, the Three Stooges are worth watching. My favorite exchange:

Girl (to Shemp): "Do you dye?"
Moe: "No, that's his natural expression."



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Malice in the Palace (1949)
Dir: Jules White
Starring: Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Shemp Howard, Vernon Dent

Mayhem in the middle east as the Stooges set out after a rare gem. I love the names of the supporting characters, like Hassan Ben Sober ("I had a few too many myself."), Gin-A Rummy and Haffa Dollar. The best scene involves Larry, a cat, a dog, and a meat cleaver. Hilarious.

Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'hoole (2010)
Dir: Zack Snyder
Starring: Jim Sturgess, Geoffrey Rush, Emily Barclay, Anthony LaPaglia, David Wenham, Ryan Kwanten, Helen Mirren, Sam Neill, Hugo Weaving

This movie was very well done. The kids were mesmerized by the whole thing. A somewhat darker family film than Toy Story. The tone reminded me of stuff like The Black Cauldron and The Secret of Nimh from when I was a kid. Proof that family movies don't have to be just silly and goofy.

Despicable Me (2010)
Dir: Pierre Coffin, Chris Renaud
Starring: Steve Carell, Jason Segel, Russell Brand, Julie Andrews

Great, funny family movie. I really enjoyed it, and the kids did too. Sure, there are elements that are cheesey and predictable, but everything is delivered in such a delightful manner that the overall result is teriffic.

The Social Network (2010)
Dir: David Fincher
Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, Justin Timberlake, Armie Hammer

Didn't live up to the hype. It wasn't bad. As a "based on true events" TV movie it was really good. As interesting as the story was, I guess I just wasn't as impressed as everyone else. I thought Zuckerberg came off as a huge jerk (and maybe he is), and I really didn't feel for any of the characters here. Armie Hammer did a convincing job as the Winklevoss twins, though. I hadn't seen him before and I believed they were actually twins until the credits.

***FROM THE ALL-TIME FAVORITES LIST***


Meet John Doe (1941)
Dir: Frank Capra
Starring: Gary Cooper, Barbara Stanwyck, Edward Arnold, James Gleason, Walter Brennan

Frank Capra's first post-Columbia feature. Gary Cooper is excellent as Long John Willoughby. You ride right along with him as he goes from bum to celebrity, from being full of doubts to actually believing in what he is doing. Walter Brennan is also great as his friend the Colonel, and Edward Arnold is always excellent as the Capra villain. This movie is the antithesis of the belief that Capra's endings are always perfect and happy, as the conflicted ending, while not tragic, is not all sunshine and roses either.

I like all your thoughts and comments (as I did when you posted them elsewhere at the site), but it's difficult to believe that The Social Network is the least of all the films in this thread.

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It's what you learn after you know it all that counts. - John Wooden
My IMDb page

Yeah. I just really didn't think that film was so great. There was no "feel good" story there. I didn't really like any of the characters. Only one guy wasn't out for himself, but he came off as a whiner. Maybe that was the point of it - no likable characters, no satisfying conclusion. Makes it different and award-worthy, I suppose. It just wasn't for me, I guess.

***FROM THE ALL-TIME FAVORITES LIST***

My Favorite Brunette (1947)
Dir: Elliott Nugent
Starring: Bob Hope, Dorothy Lamour, Peter Lorre, Lon Chaney Jr., Alan Ladd

Bob Hope is always funny. I have enjoyed every film I've seen him in, but this one is my favorite. As a baby photographer mistaken for a private eye, he gets caught up in a mystery with Dorothy Lamour. Peter Lorre is always excellent in the henchmen role and Lon Chaney Jr. is fantastic as the gentle giant Willie. The movie is a great comedic take on the detective noir genre. Funny, funny movie, right up to the excellent cameo appearance at the end.

i agree with you, i think its totally overrated there was no connection to any of the characters, the story was a little dull also.

***FROM THE ALL-TIME FAVORITES LIST***

The Lone Ranger (1956)
Dir: Stuart Heisler
Starring: Clayton Moore, Jay Silverheels, Lyle Bettger, Bonita Granville, Michael Ansara

The first, and best, Lone Ranger feature film for the big screen. Clayton Moore and Jay Silverheels bring their iconic portrayals of the Lone Ranger and Tonto to the big screen after being on the small screen for 7 years (with 1 more year on TV and 1 more feature to follow. It's still hard to imagine anyone but those two in the roles, even though others have attempted it.

The Lone Ranger is often lumped in with talk of "Hollywood's horrible mistreatment of Native Americans" (see recent interviews with Johnny Depp). I have not seen a lot of old westerns, but I do know that Native Americans were often portrayed as villainous savages. However, the Lone Ranger was not among those type of productions. Aside from the issue of Tonto's broken english, Native Americans were portrayed respectfully in the Lone Ranger. There were villainous characters, of course, but there were even more villainous white characters. Really, you need look no further than this film to see the, possibly exemplary at the time, treatment of Native Americans by the Lone Ranger. The villains of the film are the white ranchers trying to steal from the indians. Many of the characters show tremendous prejudice against the natives, as evidenced when an angry mob attempts to lynch Tonto. When the Lone Ranger visits Chief Red Hawk, he shows him the respect due the leader of an indian tribe. He speaks to him as he does to anyone else. He only fights Angry Horse, a native with equal prejudice against the white men as they have for indians, when he has no other choice. In the end, the natives are proven innocent and the white men receive their just desserts.

Thanks Mikey finally caught up

Thanks for reading.

Nanny McPhee Returns (2010)
Dir: Susanna White
Starring: Emma Thompson, Maggie Gyllenhaal

The kids absolutely loved the first Nanny McPhee (2005), so they were really looking forward to this. It did not disappoint. A fun, funny, touching film. This time set in WWII England, Nanny McPhee assists the mother of three children who's husband is off to war. Her brother's two spoiled children have come to stay with them and her brother-in-law is pressuring her to sell the farm so he can clear up a gambling debt. Like the first, this is a great film for the whole family. Emma Thompson has done a great job with these two films (star, screenwriter, producer) and I hope to see a third before too long.