---the ladies rule.
New:
Payment On Demand (1951) Bette Davis, Barry Sullivan, Betty Lynn, Peggie Castle. A Bette Davis film I had missed all these years. She is very good as an ambitious woman who marries a nice guy in the depression years and through manipulation manages to help him rise to successful corporate lawyer. When he at last learns how she has deceived him and hurt friends and his first partner, he leaves and they are divorced. Good old fashioned "woman's" movie. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0043910/combined
Great Expectations (1998) Ethan Hawke, Gwyneth Paltrow, Anne Bancroft, Chris Cooper, Robert DeNiro. Modernized version of the Charles Dickens story. Beautiful cinematography and interesting relocation of the decaying mansion to New Orleans. But rather boring during middle. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119223/combined
The Watcher (2000/I) James Spader, Marisa Tomei, Keanu Reeves. FBI agent at L.A. office resigns and moves to Chicago because of a serial killer case he could not solve. His lady psychiatrist tries to help him, but soon he starts getting messages from his former foe who has followed him and is taunting him with new killings. Starts off good but soon is mired in chases and gorey killings. 5/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0204626/combined
Elizabeth I (2005/TV Miniseries) Helen Mirren, Hugh Dancy, Jeremy Irons. Mirren is marvelous as usual, and the rest of the cast, costumes and locations are great. Won many awards. The story is known to anyone who loves history. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0465326/combined
W. (2008/I) Josh Brolin, Toby Jones, Richard Dreyfus, Thandie Newton, Scott Glenn, Jeffrey Wright. Oliver Stone's take on the Bush's life and Presidency, and the run up to the Iraq war. Held my attention and all the actors are great, Brolin especially. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1175491/combined
Parental Guidance (2012) Billy Crystal, Bette Midler, Marisa Tomei. Hyper daughter and her husband, enlist her folks to come take care of the three kids while both are away on business. Clash of new parenting ideas with old fashioned views of her parents. Crystal is outstanding as lovable clueless grandpa. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1047540/combined
Joyful Noise (2012) Queen Latifah, Dolly Parton. Lots of music and singing. About a choir competition. Parton is a caricature of her old self. Too much work on her lips. 6/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1710396/combined
Encores:
Mr. Deeds Goes To Town (1936) Gary Cooper, Jean Arthur, Lionel Stander. He inherits a fortune from an uncle and goes to NYC. She is hot shot reporter who tricks him into believing she is a "damsel in distress" so he can rescue her. Stander is the guy hired to watch out for him in big city. The hearing at the last part of film to see if he is sane, after he starts giving his money away, is best part of film and the two sisters from Mandrake Falls, Vermont, who testify he has always been "pixilated" are priceless. One of the best of Directer Frank Capra's-corn. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0027996/combined
The Rains Came (1939) Myrna Loy, Tyrone Power, George Brent, Brenda Joyce, Marie Ouspenskaya. Lavish story of a terrible earthquake and flood caused by dam giving way during monsoon rains in Ranchipur, India. Marvelous special effects for it's time. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0031835/combined
The Bridge On The River Kwai (1957) Alec Guinness, Sessue Hayakawa, William Holden, Jack Hawkins. Director David Leans still marvelous film of a prisoner of war camp and the clash of wills between the commandant and British officer about working on a bridge. Seven Oscars, including for Best Director, Actor, Music score, Cinematography and Writing.. Writers Carl Foreman and Michael Wilson were blacklisted and received no screen credit. The were posthumously awarded Oscars in 1984. A tarnish on the times. Great film on the madness of war. 10/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0050212/combined
Butterfield 8 (1960) Elizabeth Taylor, Laurence Harvey, Eddie Fisher, Dina Merrill, Mildred Dunnock, Betty Field. Taylor's first Oscar, deserved or not. It's all Liz and she is stunning in the fashions by Helen Rose. Harvey and Fisher are cyphers. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0053622/combined
The Americanization Of Emily (1964) Julie Andrews, James Garner, Melvin Douglas, James Coburn. Droll comedy on the madness of war and a guy who is decidedly unheroic, who ends up being the first "dead" man on Omaha Beach. A scheme concocted by his crazed Admiral for publicity for the navy. Garner is priceless. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0057840/combined
16 Candles (1984) Molly Ringwald, Anthony Michael Hall. Everyone forgot her birthday! Favorite teen comedy from the '80's. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088128/combined
Con Air (1997) Nicolas Cage, John Malkovich, John Cusack. Prisoners on a plane take over. Pretty good suspense film. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118880/combined
Also 2 series made for TV: Bleak House 4 episodes; and Sense & Sensibility. Both rewatches.
Also my favorites I watch over and over: Taken, The Big Year, Argo and Chasing Mavericks.
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