Between storms

I watched the following films this week, between storms with lots of lightning and thunder:

Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0443680/maindetails
Slow, pretentious, and worst of all, boring. I went to sleep. You know the saying "between truth and the legend, I'll take the legend." If this was to set the record straight, it was dull and uninteresting. Casey Afleck was weird, and seemed to hardly be able to rouse himself to say the dialog. Brad Pitt was weirder. I guess he was showing that Jesse was going bonkers. They only thing I give points for is the scenery. Pretty and the fields of grasses were authentic. But the winter scenes of the hill country covered in PINE is nothing like any place in Missouri. We have hard wood trees and lots of cedar(juniper) but few native pines. Stupid mistake. But pretty scenes of Canada. 5/10 for the cinematography.

Charlie Wilson's War (2007) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0472062/
Interesting story of how one congressman from Texas became interested in the situation in Afghanistan back in the time when the Russians were invading and managed to get appropriations raised to fund arms for the guerillas. Tom Hanks is good in the role of a glad hander who can get things done because he is owed so many favors. Julia Roberts is fine as a Texas power broker hostess with the mostess. 8/10

Video Tape:
Ferris Buellers Day Off (1986) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091042/
Matthew Broderick as Ferris who decides to take a day off from school with his girlfried and his best friends and car. Great individual scenes as the trio go from place to place around Chicago. Most fun is getting involved with the parade, with Ferris on the float singing "twist and shout." Jennifer Grey is hilarious as his sister and her encounter at the police station with Charlie Sheens spike haired biker is hilarious. Always watch this one at the end of the school year, just for fun. 8/10

The Witch From Nepal (Qi yuan-1985) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089861/
Chow Yun Fat is gorgeous and has two pretty ladies - his girlfriend - and the witch who he finds after he is injured on holiday. Fantasy and horror and who cares what it is about. Chow is in almost every scene, and that's good enough for me. 8/10

Gambit (1966) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0060445/
One of my favorite caper films. Michael Caine, Shirley MacLaine and Herbert Lom star. Love it. 9/10

The Journey (1959) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0052950/
Yul Brynner and Deborah Kerr star in a story about the cold war and the uprising in Hungary in the 1950's. All star cast make for a good time getting them all across the border into Austria. "The kiss" between Kerr and Brynner is one of the best build ups in films. Very tense and erotic. No tongue, no nudity, but *WOW* 9/10

That Certain Age (1938) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0030854/
Deanna Durbin, Jackie Cooper, Melvyn Douglas star in a story about a newspaper owner and his star reporter. They all end up at the country home of the publisher and the teen aged daughter of the house (Deanna) gets things all muddled up so she can staighten it all out in the end. Deanna sings 3 lovely songs, and is her cute self. 8/10

Satellite:
Four Brothers (2005) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0430105/
Another violent story about 4 boys brought up by a teacher, who return after she is murdered. Filmed in Detroit, the locale is a character in the story. I got tired of the same scenes over and over. It got so I couldn't keep track of who was who. And didn't care. 6/10