....a quiet little film of middle aged people meeting and spending time together. This week I watched these films all the way through and didn't fall asleep.....
Turner & Hooch (1989) Tom Hanks, Mare Winningham, Craig T. Nelson. A big ugly slobbering dog wins the day for his cop friend in this amusing comedy. When his original old coot owner is killed and he is to be taken by animal control, if they can, our detective decides to keep him because he can identify the old mans killer. Hooch proceeds to eat our heros house, his car and wreck the police station, but he is darn loveable doing it. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098536/
Havoc (2005) Anne Hathaway. The only reason to see this indy film is because it is an early film of Hathaway. She is a presence, and the camera loves her. Story is about rich kids, bored out of their minds, trying all the drugs and dangerous lifestyle choices they can. As always, they will be saved by their money and connections, while those without their resources will end up in a trash heap. Lots of nudity and awful crude dialog. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0285175/
Last Chance Harvey (2008) Emma Thompson, Dustin Hoffman. Nice litlle film about 2 lonely people connecting after a chance meeting at the airport in London. Nothing much happens, but we enjoy spending time with these two people finding their way in a beginning relationship. Two fine actors charming us to come along. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1046947/
Taking Of Pelham 1 2 3 (2009) Denzel Washington, John Travolta, John Turturro, James Gandolfini. Remake of the 1974 thriller is okay but not as good as the earlier version. The director got in all the crashing vehicles he could, but the tension just wasn't there like in the earlier film. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1111422/
Turkey day approaches here in the USA and then the Christmas madness. I'm just trying to stay healthy - and hope everyone will stay home if ill. I hate to hear people hacking away but know it is not always possible for people to take a day off to get well. Anyway, films to get into the h0liday frame of mind these next weeks.
November 22, 2009
November 15, 2009
Bollywood and Sex & The City.....
Finding old video tapes I made when TCM was doing a series showing Bollywood films all night once a week, usually with a guest director, I watched two recently:
Awaara (1951/India) D. Raj Kapoor. Black & White Bollywood film has lots of music but also more story than usual. The title translates to 'aimless jerk' which is what the main character becomes because of the circumstances of his birth, and the actions of a bad judge. But in the style of these films, there are generous helpings of music, singing and dancing throughout the film. The central and longest segment is a dream sequence, beautifully shot, elaborate and enchanting. The director is also the lead and is a good comedian as well as doing the drama. His own father plays the Judge who turns out to be his real father. All in all, interesting and worth seeing, but at almost 3 hours, I had to have an intermission. Over two days. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0043306/
Junglee (1961/India) Early Bollywood style film shot in color. Interesting scenes of the main characters playing in the snow, sledding etc. The plot is not that important. It is the usual - troubles between the generations and who marries who. The songs, costumes and dancing are all good but like so many Bollywood films, Junglee is overlong. I'm afraid I dosed off near the end. I think the fans in India certainly get their money's worth. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0055035/
The Game Plan (2007) Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Madison Pettis. Cute little girl shows up at big football stars penthouse door saying she is his daughter. As long as the two are interacting the film is fun and not too awful. When other characters get in the picture, it bogs down. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0492956/
Sex & The City (2008) Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Catrell, Chris Noth, Cynthia Nixon, Kristin Davis, Jennifer Hudson. The girls are living and lovin' and wearing outrageous styles, and OMG! shoes with 5 in heels! Also having man troubles. And babies. How will it all end? Not a serious moment in the film -- well -- Mr Big going all wimp and chicken about the wedding day - yeah that was pretty serious. But! As Mr. Shakespeare wrote "All's well that ends well." 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1000774/
The Proposal (2009) Sandra Bullock, Ryan Reynolds. In this one our Sandy is a high-powered something or other in a publishing company (I think) and is a real 'meany', screaming at underlings and doing all kinds of things that make you dislike her. Her gofer, Reynolds, takes the hateful stuff because see, he wants to be a powerful editor or something and thinks it will happen somehow or other. Why is she so mean? Dunno. But before long it becomes necessary for her to be married so she won't be deported (she is Canadian) so she tells her boss she and the Ryan person are getting married. Then she forces doofus to take her home to his families place in Alaska, where it turns out his family is Fabulously Wealthy. Got all that? How will it end? You must buy or rent or look it up and find out. Sandy needs to get a new character - she's done this one to death. Beautiful scenery. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1041829/
Raining and chilly and good to have the fireplace on and something hot to drink. Turkey day coming up. Gobble, gobble.
Awaara (1951/India) D. Raj Kapoor. Black & White Bollywood film has lots of music but also more story than usual. The title translates to 'aimless jerk' which is what the main character becomes because of the circumstances of his birth, and the actions of a bad judge. But in the style of these films, there are generous helpings of music, singing and dancing throughout the film. The central and longest segment is a dream sequence, beautifully shot, elaborate and enchanting. The director is also the lead and is a good comedian as well as doing the drama. His own father plays the Judge who turns out to be his real father. All in all, interesting and worth seeing, but at almost 3 hours, I had to have an intermission. Over two days. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0043306/
Junglee (1961/India) Early Bollywood style film shot in color. Interesting scenes of the main characters playing in the snow, sledding etc. The plot is not that important. It is the usual - troubles between the generations and who marries who. The songs, costumes and dancing are all good but like so many Bollywood films, Junglee is overlong. I'm afraid I dosed off near the end. I think the fans in India certainly get their money's worth. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0055035/
The Game Plan (2007) Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Madison Pettis. Cute little girl shows up at big football stars penthouse door saying she is his daughter. As long as the two are interacting the film is fun and not too awful. When other characters get in the picture, it bogs down. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0492956/
Sex & The City (2008) Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Catrell, Chris Noth, Cynthia Nixon, Kristin Davis, Jennifer Hudson. The girls are living and lovin' and wearing outrageous styles, and OMG! shoes with 5 in heels! Also having man troubles. And babies. How will it all end? Not a serious moment in the film -- well -- Mr Big going all wimp and chicken about the wedding day - yeah that was pretty serious. But! As Mr. Shakespeare wrote "All's well that ends well." 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1000774/
The Proposal (2009) Sandra Bullock, Ryan Reynolds. In this one our Sandy is a high-powered something or other in a publishing company (I think) and is a real 'meany', screaming at underlings and doing all kinds of things that make you dislike her. Her gofer, Reynolds, takes the hateful stuff because see, he wants to be a powerful editor or something and thinks it will happen somehow or other. Why is she so mean? Dunno. But before long it becomes necessary for her to be married so she won't be deported (she is Canadian) so she tells her boss she and the Ryan person are getting married. Then she forces doofus to take her home to his families place in Alaska, where it turns out his family is Fabulously Wealthy. Got all that? How will it end? You must buy or rent or look it up and find out. Sandy needs to get a new character - she's done this one to death. Beautiful scenery. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1041829/
Raining and chilly and good to have the fireplace on and something hot to drink. Turkey day coming up. Gobble, gobble.
November 02, 2009
My last 10 films in 10 days----
---This is what I watched recently-----
Faithless (1932) Tallulah Bankhead, Robert Montgomery. Interesting pre-code look at how the great depression affected a very wealthy young woman and her fiancee, a guy with a good paying middle class job. He wants them to live on his $20k salary(over 290k today). She will have none of it and sees no reason why she can't use her money and live as she always has. Audiences in 1932 would know that she is being unreasonable. Most were living on a few thousand a year. The couple splits up and soon the crash on wall street wipes out the girls wealth and her trust account. Not content to live in poverty or 'work' she chases the good life and rich men to all her old haunts. She becomes ones mistress and ends up being thrown out of a rich hostesses home. After our couple get back together, he forgives her and they marry. And the soap opera begins with his accident on the job he finally got, and her having to become a street walker to save them. Best scene and very subtly done, is her talk with her landlady who realises what she is up to and tells her to put on her makeup and fix her hair. They say nothing about why, but both know.
Bankhead and Montgomery are good pros and handle their roles well. The man who plays the brother must have been someones relative to get a speaking role, because he is terrible. A fine look at a film before the censors started messing with films in the 30's. 7/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0022873/maindetails
American Madness (1932) d. Frank Capra. Walter Houston, Pat O'Brien, Kay Johnson, Constance Cummings. Another pre-code film, this one about a banker who is above reproach in his dealings with customers and his employees. When a crisis develops involving his neglected wife, an employee and a robbery, there is a run on the bank. Pre FDIC also, so all the small depositors panic, as who wouldn't? This is an early Capra film and has many of his touches which he became famous for - especially large crowd scenes. The run on the bank is pure chaos with thousands of extras, which he films pulling back and up to an overhead shot, to see the pushing, shoving; and one woman caught and shoved against a wall, who goes down under the stampeding feet. Houston is very good and the story is not too melodramatic. Worth a look to see early Capra and why the U.S. congress enacted some of the laws it did in the 1930s. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0022626/
The Letter (1940) d. William Wylers. Bette Davis, Herbert Marshall, James Stephenson, Gale Sondergaard. One of Davis's best performances which I have commented on before. The music score by Max Steiner adds greatly to the atmosphere. One of the great 'studio' films, where they had the stars, the crew and sets to make magic, all on Warners back lot. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032701/
Shadow Of A Doubt (1943) d. Alfred Hitchcock. Joseph Cotton, Teresa Wright, Patricia Collinge, Henry Travers, Hume Cronyn, MacDonald Carey, Wallace Ford & Edna Mae Wonacott. Great cast in a fine film. Hitch had been in America only a few years and made one of the best films featuring small town life. Also one of the only times Joe Cotton played a sinister villain. He's very good at being bad. The young Wonacott is perfect as the young sister, who "knows everything about everyone." Cronyn as the neighbor who visits Travers every evening with a new way to murder his friend, is very droll. Such a great screenplay, with many normal family life scenes, all with the undercurrent of menace. One of Hitches best. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0036342/
Quartet (1948-UK) W. Somerset Maugham stories. Dirk Bogard, George Cole, Cecil Parker. None of the stories were outstanding. The Kite, with Cole, was the best, which isn't saying much. 5/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0040335/
Uncle Silas (1948-UK) Jean Simmons, Katina Paxinou, Derrick De Marney. Gothic melodrama, all old mansions, hoop skirts, cobwebs, sinister musical climaxes, and Jean in peril but an innocent throughout. She was just 17 and lovely. Hollywood came calling and the rest is history. Paxinou is so over the top she is ridiculous. Like the witch in Wizard Of Oz all she needed was the broomstick. De Marney is not much better. He would be fingering a mustache in the melodramas of old. Outlandish is too mild a comment. 5/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0039492/
Desperately Seeking Susan (1985) Madonna, Rosanna Arquette, Aidan Quinn. Still laugh throughout after all these years. Just see it - you'll be glad you did. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089017/
Gladiator (2000) Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen, Oliver Reed, Derek Jacoby. Can't help myself. Whenever it is shown on TV, I usually end up sitting and watching it once again. Great action woven into a good story of one mans betrayal and capture, to end up in the arena in Rome. The score is wonderful at setting the mood of melancholy and the end speeches - perfect. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0172495/
Dracula 2000 Gerard Butler "& some other actors." Hard to believe that this film was to showcase a bunch of young actors who were given top billing. Johnny Lee Miller, Justine Waddell, Jennifer Esposito, and Omar Epps are listed top of the DVD. No mention of Drac/Butler, who has gone on to become a true STAR. The tale of the vampire Dracula (Butler) has be brought forward to present day and New Orleans at Mardi Gras, perfect location and time for all black floor sweeping coats and long hair. For my Halloween movie, I choose this one. Cheesy, pretty young things all over the place, and no need to pay attention if the doorbell rings with little goblins, you won't miss a thing. 8/10 that's how much I enjoy it and get my giggles. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0219653/
The Upside Of Anger (2005) Joan Allen, Kevin Costner. Enjoyable film on the family dynamics after the father goes missing. Wife assumes he has taken off with his secretary for Sweden. Her anger and unhappiness keep the four daughters in constant conflict with her. Her neighbor and friend, Denny (Costner) drinks with her and offers a hand with her girls. Over the next few years they struggle along until a discovery at a new building site makes some things clear to all. Good little drama. Costner is very good as the charming drunken friend. Allen is so good at anger you almost hate her. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0365885/
Daylight time is over. Days are short. Trees almost bare. Goblins and ghosts are gone again and winter is just around the corner. We'll see what develops.......
Faithless (1932) Tallulah Bankhead, Robert Montgomery. Interesting pre-code look at how the great depression affected a very wealthy young woman and her fiancee, a guy with a good paying middle class job. He wants them to live on his $20k salary(over 290k today). She will have none of it and sees no reason why she can't use her money and live as she always has. Audiences in 1932 would know that she is being unreasonable. Most were living on a few thousand a year. The couple splits up and soon the crash on wall street wipes out the girls wealth and her trust account. Not content to live in poverty or 'work' she chases the good life and rich men to all her old haunts. She becomes ones mistress and ends up being thrown out of a rich hostesses home. After our couple get back together, he forgives her and they marry. And the soap opera begins with his accident on the job he finally got, and her having to become a street walker to save them. Best scene and very subtly done, is her talk with her landlady who realises what she is up to and tells her to put on her makeup and fix her hair. They say nothing about why, but both know.
Bankhead and Montgomery are good pros and handle their roles well. The man who plays the brother must have been someones relative to get a speaking role, because he is terrible. A fine look at a film before the censors started messing with films in the 30's. 7/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0022873/maindetails
American Madness (1932) d. Frank Capra. Walter Houston, Pat O'Brien, Kay Johnson, Constance Cummings. Another pre-code film, this one about a banker who is above reproach in his dealings with customers and his employees. When a crisis develops involving his neglected wife, an employee and a robbery, there is a run on the bank. Pre FDIC also, so all the small depositors panic, as who wouldn't? This is an early Capra film and has many of his touches which he became famous for - especially large crowd scenes. The run on the bank is pure chaos with thousands of extras, which he films pulling back and up to an overhead shot, to see the pushing, shoving; and one woman caught and shoved against a wall, who goes down under the stampeding feet. Houston is very good and the story is not too melodramatic. Worth a look to see early Capra and why the U.S. congress enacted some of the laws it did in the 1930s. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0022626/
The Letter (1940) d. William Wylers. Bette Davis, Herbert Marshall, James Stephenson, Gale Sondergaard. One of Davis's best performances which I have commented on before. The music score by Max Steiner adds greatly to the atmosphere. One of the great 'studio' films, where they had the stars, the crew and sets to make magic, all on Warners back lot. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032701/
Shadow Of A Doubt (1943) d. Alfred Hitchcock. Joseph Cotton, Teresa Wright, Patricia Collinge, Henry Travers, Hume Cronyn, MacDonald Carey, Wallace Ford & Edna Mae Wonacott. Great cast in a fine film. Hitch had been in America only a few years and made one of the best films featuring small town life. Also one of the only times Joe Cotton played a sinister villain. He's very good at being bad. The young Wonacott is perfect as the young sister, who "knows everything about everyone." Cronyn as the neighbor who visits Travers every evening with a new way to murder his friend, is very droll. Such a great screenplay, with many normal family life scenes, all with the undercurrent of menace. One of Hitches best. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0036342/
Quartet (1948-UK) W. Somerset Maugham stories. Dirk Bogard, George Cole, Cecil Parker. None of the stories were outstanding. The Kite, with Cole, was the best, which isn't saying much. 5/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0040335/
Uncle Silas (1948-UK) Jean Simmons, Katina Paxinou, Derrick De Marney. Gothic melodrama, all old mansions, hoop skirts, cobwebs, sinister musical climaxes, and Jean in peril but an innocent throughout. She was just 17 and lovely. Hollywood came calling and the rest is history. Paxinou is so over the top she is ridiculous. Like the witch in Wizard Of Oz all she needed was the broomstick. De Marney is not much better. He would be fingering a mustache in the melodramas of old. Outlandish is too mild a comment. 5/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0039492/
Desperately Seeking Susan (1985) Madonna, Rosanna Arquette, Aidan Quinn. Still laugh throughout after all these years. Just see it - you'll be glad you did. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089017/
Gladiator (2000) Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen, Oliver Reed, Derek Jacoby. Can't help myself. Whenever it is shown on TV, I usually end up sitting and watching it once again. Great action woven into a good story of one mans betrayal and capture, to end up in the arena in Rome. The score is wonderful at setting the mood of melancholy and the end speeches - perfect. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0172495/
Dracula 2000 Gerard Butler "& some other actors." Hard to believe that this film was to showcase a bunch of young actors who were given top billing. Johnny Lee Miller, Justine Waddell, Jennifer Esposito, and Omar Epps are listed top of the DVD. No mention of Drac/Butler, who has gone on to become a true STAR. The tale of the vampire Dracula (Butler) has be brought forward to present day and New Orleans at Mardi Gras, perfect location and time for all black floor sweeping coats and long hair. For my Halloween movie, I choose this one. Cheesy, pretty young things all over the place, and no need to pay attention if the doorbell rings with little goblins, you won't miss a thing. 8/10 that's how much I enjoy it and get my giggles. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0219653/
The Upside Of Anger (2005) Joan Allen, Kevin Costner. Enjoyable film on the family dynamics after the father goes missing. Wife assumes he has taken off with his secretary for Sweden. Her anger and unhappiness keep the four daughters in constant conflict with her. Her neighbor and friend, Denny (Costner) drinks with her and offers a hand with her girls. Over the next few years they struggle along until a discovery at a new building site makes some things clear to all. Good little drama. Costner is very good as the charming drunken friend. Allen is so good at anger you almost hate her. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0365885/
Daylight time is over. Days are short. Trees almost bare. Goblins and ghosts are gone again and winter is just around the corner. We'll see what develops.......
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