NEW TO ME:
Twentieth Century (1934) Carole Lombard, John Barrymore. Tedious 'comedy' about a director and actress fighting on a cross country train. She is his discovery who after fame comes, has left his theater company and gone to greater fame in Hollywood. Now he is on the skids, and wants her back. I have tried to get through the whole thing before, but it is shrill and the over acting grates so much, I never made it. So by gritting of teeth and head slapping I managed to watch the whole thing. I was underwhelmed. 5/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0025919/combined
ENCORES:
Gold Diggers Of 1933 Joan Blondell, Warren William, Aline MacMahon, Dick Powell, Ruby Keeler. The great Busby Berkeley directed numbers "Shadow Waltz" with violins outlined in neon, and the opening Rogers number "We're In The Money", plus the final "My Forgotten Man" make the film iconic. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0024069/combined
The New Moon (1940) Jeanette MacDonald, Nelson Eddy, Mary Boland. Operetta by Sigmund Romberg with songs "Wanting You", "Stouthearted Men", and "One Kiss" performed flawlessly by leads. Old fashioned and lovely. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032840/combined
The More The Merrier (1943) Jean Arthur, Joel McCrea, Charles Coburn. Back in 1943, as a girl of 11, I thought this was the greatest, but now it was tedious. Really only a few chuckles. All about the housing shortage in Washington D.C. during WWII. 6/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0036172/combined
Jane Eyre (2006) TV Mini-Series. Ruth Wilson, Toby Stephens. Best of all the versions. Rewatched part of the latest with Fassbender as Rochester, and it was so passionless compared to this one, I could barely stand it. This will do as the best of the many versions. A true Masterpiece. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0780362/combined
November 30, 2013
November 18, 2013
Three for the week---
NEW TO ME:
Photographing Fairies (1997) Toby Stephens, Emily Woof, Ben Kingsley, Frances Barber. In the early 1900s England, a newly married photographer and wife are in Switzerland on their honeymoon and go out walking on the mountain. A fissure opens up and the wife falls in and though he grabs her hand he cannot pull her to safety and she is lost. He eventually goes back to work and a woman comes to ask him to come to her town and see if he can get a picture of what ever it is her daughter has seen. They tell all that it is fairies. He becomes obsessed with getting a picture and sets us his equipment. Fantasy film is unusual and interesting. Good cast. 7/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119893/combined
ENCORES:
Courage Under Fire (1996) Denzel Washington, Meg Ryan, Matt Damon, Lou Diamond Phillips. Investigation of a woman chopper commander for a Medal Of Honor. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0115956/combined
Jane Eyre (2006) TV mini-series. Ruth Wilson, Toby Stephens. Wonderful version of the story. Superb cast. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0780362/combined
Photographing Fairies (1997) Toby Stephens, Emily Woof, Ben Kingsley, Frances Barber. In the early 1900s England, a newly married photographer and wife are in Switzerland on their honeymoon and go out walking on the mountain. A fissure opens up and the wife falls in and though he grabs her hand he cannot pull her to safety and she is lost. He eventually goes back to work and a woman comes to ask him to come to her town and see if he can get a picture of what ever it is her daughter has seen. They tell all that it is fairies. He becomes obsessed with getting a picture and sets us his equipment. Fantasy film is unusual and interesting. Good cast. 7/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119893/combined
ENCORES:
Courage Under Fire (1996) Denzel Washington, Meg Ryan, Matt Damon, Lou Diamond Phillips. Investigation of a woman chopper commander for a Medal Of Honor. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0115956/combined
Jane Eyre (2006) TV mini-series. Ruth Wilson, Toby Stephens. Wonderful version of the story. Superb cast. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0780362/combined
November 11, 2013
Mystery, murder, a laugh or two and an awful DUD:
NEW TO ME:
Cornered (1946) Dick Powell, Walter Slezak, Micheline Cheirel. Powell is a relentless SOB going after who killed his French war bride. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0380510/combined
Holiday For Sinners (1952) Gig Young, Keenan Wynn, Janice Rule. Neat B-movie with Wynn as a washed up boxer in New Orleans at Mardi Gras time. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0044715/combined
Premonition (2007/I) Sandra Bullock, Julian McMahon. Mixed up story of a woman who keeps having dreams and strange out of body experiences. Muddled. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0477071/combined
The Lovely Bones (2009) Saoirse Ronan, Stanley Tucci, Rachel Weisz, Mark Wahlberg, Susan Sarandon. Told by a young girl who has died at the hands of a neighbor, who is never found out. Pretty pictures of the imagined afterlife. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0380510/combined
Kit Kittredge, American Girl (20) Abigail Breslin, Julia Ormond, Chris O'Donnell. Adventures of a depression era girl who writes and tries to get the newspaper to publish her stories of her family and neighbors as they struggle with growing proverty. 8/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0846308/combined
Cloud Atlas (2013) Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Jim Broadbent. So awful I could not finish and quit after an hour. 2/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1371111/combined
ENCORES:
One In A Million (1936) Sonja Heini, Don Ameche, Jean Hersholt, Adolph Menjou. Story is indifferent but the skating of Olympic Champion is fine. She could not win in today competitions, but back when doing the figures counted for most of the score, she won 3 times. 7/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0028063/combined
My Bill (1939) Kay Francis, Bonita Granville, Dickie Moore, Anita Louise, John Litel. When Pop dies, Bill has to take over to save Mom from wicked Aunt who comes and turns them out of their house. Sisters go with Aunt because they like the good life. But Bill and Mom win the day. 8/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0030479/combined
Two Girls And A Sailor (1944) June Allyson, Van Johnson, Gloria DeHaven, Jimmy Durante. The first movie of the three leads. Durante does some of his famous routines. Harry James and his orchestra provide the music and he does his trumpet solos and is so good. Lots of music and Lena Horne sings too. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0037408/combined
It Should Happen To You (1954) Judy Holiday, Jack Lemmon, Peter Lawford. Mild comedy of a girl who uses all her money to put her name on a giant billboard, causing her to become a sensation, for nothing. Like today being famous for being famous. 6/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0047123/combined
U.S. Marshals (1998) Tommie Lee Jones, Wesley Snipes, Robert Downey Jr., Joe Pantoliano. The same team of Marshals from The Fugitive are after a guy accused of murder who was being transfered in a prisoners airplane that crashes because another prisoner tries to excape. Good action and the Marshals banter is fun. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120873/combined
Maid In Manhattan (2002) Jennifer Lopez, Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, Natasha Richardson. Cinderella story of a hotel maid and the big politician who meet and sparks fly. She goes to the ball but then has to disappear. Do they end up together? Are you kidding? 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0252076/combined
Last Holiday (2006) Queen Latifah, LL Cool J, Timothy Hutton, Giancarlo Esposito, Gerard Depardieu. Updating of the wonderful Alex Guinness film from the 1950's. She is a lowly employee of a department store who is misdianosed with a brain tumor and given 3 weeks to live. She quits her job, cashes out her retirement and bond money and goes for a perfect holiday at a swank European mountain retreat. She sets all the rich guests straight and does all the exciting things she was too scared to try. All's well that ends well. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0408985/combined
Bride Wars (2009) Kate Hudson, Anne Hathaway, Candice Bergen. Two best friends from childhood get engaged at the same time and both want to have the perfect wedding. When scheduling gets messed up and they end up having the same day, all hell breaks out. 7/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0901476/combined
Taking Chance (2009) TV Movie. Kevin Bacon. I start crying at the beginning and just keep tearing up all the way through. Story of the escort for the body and casket of a soldier from the return from the battlefield to the burial in his hometown. All along the way the escort honors the fallen hero at each tranfer and others do as well. Heartbreaking. 9/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1019454/combined
Cornered (1946) Dick Powell, Walter Slezak, Micheline Cheirel. Powell is a relentless SOB going after who killed his French war bride. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0380510/combined
Holiday For Sinners (1952) Gig Young, Keenan Wynn, Janice Rule. Neat B-movie with Wynn as a washed up boxer in New Orleans at Mardi Gras time. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0044715/combined
Premonition (2007/I) Sandra Bullock, Julian McMahon. Mixed up story of a woman who keeps having dreams and strange out of body experiences. Muddled. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0477071/combined
The Lovely Bones (2009) Saoirse Ronan, Stanley Tucci, Rachel Weisz, Mark Wahlberg, Susan Sarandon. Told by a young girl who has died at the hands of a neighbor, who is never found out. Pretty pictures of the imagined afterlife. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0380510/combined
Kit Kittredge, American Girl (20) Abigail Breslin, Julia Ormond, Chris O'Donnell. Adventures of a depression era girl who writes and tries to get the newspaper to publish her stories of her family and neighbors as they struggle with growing proverty. 8/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0846308/combined
Cloud Atlas (2013) Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Jim Broadbent. So awful I could not finish and quit after an hour. 2/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1371111/combined
ENCORES:
One In A Million (1936) Sonja Heini, Don Ameche, Jean Hersholt, Adolph Menjou. Story is indifferent but the skating of Olympic Champion is fine. She could not win in today competitions, but back when doing the figures counted for most of the score, she won 3 times. 7/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0028063/combined
My Bill (1939) Kay Francis, Bonita Granville, Dickie Moore, Anita Louise, John Litel. When Pop dies, Bill has to take over to save Mom from wicked Aunt who comes and turns them out of their house. Sisters go with Aunt because they like the good life. But Bill and Mom win the day. 8/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0030479/combined
Two Girls And A Sailor (1944) June Allyson, Van Johnson, Gloria DeHaven, Jimmy Durante. The first movie of the three leads. Durante does some of his famous routines. Harry James and his orchestra provide the music and he does his trumpet solos and is so good. Lots of music and Lena Horne sings too. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0037408/combined
It Should Happen To You (1954) Judy Holiday, Jack Lemmon, Peter Lawford. Mild comedy of a girl who uses all her money to put her name on a giant billboard, causing her to become a sensation, for nothing. Like today being famous for being famous. 6/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0047123/combined
U.S. Marshals (1998) Tommie Lee Jones, Wesley Snipes, Robert Downey Jr., Joe Pantoliano. The same team of Marshals from The Fugitive are after a guy accused of murder who was being transfered in a prisoners airplane that crashes because another prisoner tries to excape. Good action and the Marshals banter is fun. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120873/combined
Maid In Manhattan (2002) Jennifer Lopez, Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, Natasha Richardson. Cinderella story of a hotel maid and the big politician who meet and sparks fly. She goes to the ball but then has to disappear. Do they end up together? Are you kidding? 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0252076/combined
Last Holiday (2006) Queen Latifah, LL Cool J, Timothy Hutton, Giancarlo Esposito, Gerard Depardieu. Updating of the wonderful Alex Guinness film from the 1950's. She is a lowly employee of a department store who is misdianosed with a brain tumor and given 3 weeks to live. She quits her job, cashes out her retirement and bond money and goes for a perfect holiday at a swank European mountain retreat. She sets all the rich guests straight and does all the exciting things she was too scared to try. All's well that ends well. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0408985/combined
Bride Wars (2009) Kate Hudson, Anne Hathaway, Candice Bergen. Two best friends from childhood get engaged at the same time and both want to have the perfect wedding. When scheduling gets messed up and they end up having the same day, all hell breaks out. 7/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0901476/combined
Taking Chance (2009) TV Movie. Kevin Bacon. I start crying at the beginning and just keep tearing up all the way through. Story of the escort for the body and casket of a soldier from the return from the battlefield to the burial in his hometown. All along the way the escort honors the fallen hero at each tranfer and others do as well. Heartbreaking. 9/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1019454/combined
November 03, 2013
Crime, cops, Jane Austin, Maisie and all the rest---
NEW TO ME:
Between Midnight and Dawn (1950) Edmund O'Brien, Mark Stevens, Gale Storm, Donald Buka. Prowl car cops meet police secretary and both vie for her affections while fighting gangsters. B-movie that is nicely done. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0042242/combined
Scandal Sheet (1952) Broderick Crawford, Donna Reed, John Derek, Rosemary DeCamp. Newspaper story about the editor, murder and reporters who figure it out. 7/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0045124/combined
The Brothers Rico (1952) Richard Conte, James Darren, Kathryn Grant, Dianne Foster. You can't get away from the mob. Three brothers try, but pay a price. 8/10
http://www.imdbh.com/title/tt0050213/combined
Promised Land (2012) Matt Damon, Frances McDormand, John Krasinski, Rosemarie DeWitt, Hal Holbrook. Little farming towns in the USA are slowly dying as their industries close, so when a big oil company sends salesmen in to buy drilling rights on their and, it seems a godsend. A story about the fracking industry and the dilemma it imposes on desperate citizens. 7/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2091473/combined
Broken City {2013) Mark Wahlberg, Russell Crowe, Catherine Zeta-Jones. Cops, politics, and murder. Confused story, but does hold your interest. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1235522/combined
Muhammed Ali's Greatest Fight (2013) HBO film starring Christopher Plummer, Frank Langella, Benjamin Walker. The Supreme Court case ruling on Ali's refusal to be drafted for the Vietnam war based on religious grounds. Leads as Justice's Harlan and Burger, and a law clerk, are great. I remember the case and the fights. Clips of Ali in the ring are icing on the cake. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2061756/combined
Gangster Squad (2013) Josh Brolin, Ryan Gosling, Sean Penn, Emma Stone, Nick Nolte, Michael Pena, Giovanni Ribisi. 1949 Los Angeles, the mobster Mickey Cohen, and the squad of cops that bring him down. Which is fiction. Cohen died in his sleep in 1976. The film is very violent and while using Cohen as the villain, is all fiction and nonstop action. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1321870/combined
ENCORES:
Maisie (1939) Ann Sothern, Robert Young, Ian Hunter, Ruth Hussey. The beginning of the series, with Maisie stranded in Wyoming and her misadventures on a ranch. Cast is great and it is a lot of fun. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0031608/combined
Arsenic And Old Lace (1944) Cary Grant, Josephine Hull, Jean Adair, Priscella Lane, Raymond Massey, Peter Lorre. My Halloween movie. Watch it every year. 9/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0036613/combined
Pride And Prejudice (1995 TV mini-series) Colin Firth, Jennifer Ehle. Jane Austin characters played by a great cast. A favorite. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112130/combined
Never Been Kissed (1999) Drew Barrymore, David Arquette, John C. Reilly, Octavia Spencer. She's 25. a copy editor who wants to be a reporter, and gets an assignment to go undercover to find out about contemporary high school students. Okay rom/com. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0151738/combined
Sense And Sensibility (2008 TV mini-series) of the Jane Austin story. Fine cast of British actors. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0847150/combined
Argo (2012) Ben Afflect, John Goodman, Alan Arkin, Brian Cranston. Favorite; playing on HBO now. Won 3 Oscars including Best Picture. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1024648/combined
Between Midnight and Dawn (1950) Edmund O'Brien, Mark Stevens, Gale Storm, Donald Buka. Prowl car cops meet police secretary and both vie for her affections while fighting gangsters. B-movie that is nicely done. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0042242/combined
Scandal Sheet (1952) Broderick Crawford, Donna Reed, John Derek, Rosemary DeCamp. Newspaper story about the editor, murder and reporters who figure it out. 7/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0045124/combined
The Brothers Rico (1952) Richard Conte, James Darren, Kathryn Grant, Dianne Foster. You can't get away from the mob. Three brothers try, but pay a price. 8/10
http://www.imdbh.com/title/tt0050213/combined
Promised Land (2012) Matt Damon, Frances McDormand, John Krasinski, Rosemarie DeWitt, Hal Holbrook. Little farming towns in the USA are slowly dying as their industries close, so when a big oil company sends salesmen in to buy drilling rights on their and, it seems a godsend. A story about the fracking industry and the dilemma it imposes on desperate citizens. 7/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2091473/combined
Broken City {2013) Mark Wahlberg, Russell Crowe, Catherine Zeta-Jones. Cops, politics, and murder. Confused story, but does hold your interest. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1235522/combined
Muhammed Ali's Greatest Fight (2013) HBO film starring Christopher Plummer, Frank Langella, Benjamin Walker. The Supreme Court case ruling on Ali's refusal to be drafted for the Vietnam war based on religious grounds. Leads as Justice's Harlan and Burger, and a law clerk, are great. I remember the case and the fights. Clips of Ali in the ring are icing on the cake. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2061756/combined
Gangster Squad (2013) Josh Brolin, Ryan Gosling, Sean Penn, Emma Stone, Nick Nolte, Michael Pena, Giovanni Ribisi. 1949 Los Angeles, the mobster Mickey Cohen, and the squad of cops that bring him down. Which is fiction. Cohen died in his sleep in 1976. The film is very violent and while using Cohen as the villain, is all fiction and nonstop action. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1321870/combined
ENCORES:
Maisie (1939) Ann Sothern, Robert Young, Ian Hunter, Ruth Hussey. The beginning of the series, with Maisie stranded in Wyoming and her misadventures on a ranch. Cast is great and it is a lot of fun. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0031608/combined
Arsenic And Old Lace (1944) Cary Grant, Josephine Hull, Jean Adair, Priscella Lane, Raymond Massey, Peter Lorre. My Halloween movie. Watch it every year. 9/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0036613/combined
Pride And Prejudice (1995 TV mini-series) Colin Firth, Jennifer Ehle. Jane Austin characters played by a great cast. A favorite. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112130/combined
Never Been Kissed (1999) Drew Barrymore, David Arquette, John C. Reilly, Octavia Spencer. She's 25. a copy editor who wants to be a reporter, and gets an assignment to go undercover to find out about contemporary high school students. Okay rom/com. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0151738/combined
Sense And Sensibility (2008 TV mini-series) of the Jane Austin story. Fine cast of British actors. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0847150/combined
Argo (2012) Ben Afflect, John Goodman, Alan Arkin, Brian Cranston. Favorite; playing on HBO now. Won 3 Oscars including Best Picture. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1024648/combined
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