From Brother Orchid; The Birdcage; & Dear Frankie --

--revisiting favorites the hottest week so far this summer.

NEVER SEEN BEFORE:


On HBO:

Cellular(2004) Kim Basinger, Chris Evans. All the rotten things I heard and read about this film are a bit much. It is a typical suspense story about a woman who is in danger trying to get someone to help her. She has only a cell phone and it can only be heard by a young guy in a service van. He doesn't believe what he is hearing and the film continues to make us root for her getting him to understand her plight and help her and her husband and child, being held also by thugs. Kept my interest and Evans was very entertaining. Kim was okay, but an actress can only do so much with the helpless victim role. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0337921/

REPEATS:

On TCM:

It's Love I'm After (1937) Bette Davis, Leslie Howard, Olivia de Havilland. Fluff. The troop tries but can't make this work. Famous acting couple, playing Romeo & Juliet, fight like snarling cats and dogs. Silly young woman in a box at the theater falls madly in love and makes a nuisance of herself. Her fiance and father think it a good idea to have Romeo come to the country estate and make her fall out of her nuttiness. Wife thinks all are mad. Wasn't as charming or funny this time around. Maybe my mood. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0029058/

Brother Orchid (1940) Edward G Robinson, Ann Sothern, Ralph Bellamy, Humphrey Bogart. Edward G. is just wonderful as a mobster who has it all - lots of money, great fiance, his mob under his thumb. Decides to get some culture and goes to Europe for a few years. When all his money is gone to high living and at the casinos, he heads back to pick up where he left off. Too late. His mob has a new leader who has 'the boys' take him out to the country to rub him out. He gets shot but starts running through the woods and is found by a monk at a monastery. Then comes the real fun as he learns their ways and teaches them a thing or two. Ann S. as his true blue gal is fun as always. Bogie is good as the bad guy. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032285/

HBO:

The Birdcage (1996) Robin Williams, Nathan Lane. Funniest couple in a film. Just enjoy the remarkable performances. A favorite. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0115685/

IFC:

Dear Frankie (2005) Emily Mortimer, Gerard Butler, Jack McElhone. One of Gerry Butlers films I keep in rotation to see at least once a year. Little boy who is deaf and is Mother and Grandmother move to a new town and take a flat near the sea. His Dad supposedly is a sailor on a ship called the Accra. He gets letters from and sends answers to a person he thinks is his father. In reality, it is his Mother who has managed a deception so she can "hear his voice" through the letters he writes back. When she is trapped into hiring a man to act as the Dad, our Stranger (Butler) appears, in a scene that is stunning. The Stranger sits down and all the air is sucked out of the room. Beautiful. The quiet performance is so strong, we have no doubt this man could change all their lives. Mortimer is perfect as is the boy McElhone. In fact, there is not a false note or performance in the film. A real gem. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0377752/

Heat and summer rains make soupy air.  Mornings are the only time to be out and about.  Watching old favorites and some of the lighter fare from the last few years, is all one can do to cope.  LOL