Where have I been? My report....

Well, so much for the past month! My outdoor life has been nice and enjoyable. So far, I have let the summer films pass by and have not made the effort to go to the theater. Nothing grabbed me. But this weekend I will head to the AMC Multiplex to catch Gerard Butler's latest - "The Ugly Truth." Reviews by youngish guys have been awful. But the word from 'real people - women/girls - is that theaters at prescreenings have been full with a mix of sexes and ages almost all roaring with laughter. So, we'll see what we see. Okay! Since last I posted I have seen:


Double Wedding (1937) Myrna Loy, William Powell. Last 15 minutes is a slapstick riot. 8/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0028804/

Stand In (1937) Joan Blondell, Humphrey Bogart, Leslie Howard. Satire of the Hollywood system. One of the best. 9/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0029605/

Crimson Tide (1995) Denzel Washington, Gene Hackman and a cast of newcomers who have since '95 become *stars*. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112740/

Before The Devil Knows You're Dead (2007) Philip Seymour Hoffmann, Marisa Tomei, Ethan Hawke. Ugh. What a waste of talent. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0292963/

Breach (2007) Ryan Phillipp, Chris Cooper, Laura Lynley. Story of spy Richard Hanssen and the young agent sent in to find out how he did it - steal secrets and damage the USA more than any other spy ever... 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0401997/

Gran Torino (2008) Clint Eastwood. Good story but we have seen this turn from Eastwood before. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1205489/

Flash Of Genius (2008) Greg Kinnear, Dermot Mulroney. Interesting tale of the guy who invented the intermittant windshield wiper and then had to take the big car makers to court to get his invention back. He finally won - but what a battle. 8/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1054588/

Marlee & Me (2008) Jennifer Aniston, Owen Wilson. And the dog. He is a hunk. Destructive and poor Jen's role is just putting up with all the chaos. Not as many laughs as I thought there would be. But also, not as heartbreaking as I thought the end would be. Something just didn't *click* for me. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0822832/

I also watched series TV. Repeats of "NCIS" & "Law & Order in all it's guises; History chs. programs; rewatched 2 of "The Bourne" films, Supremacy and Ultimatum; plus a bunch of rom/coms, which you can just veg out in front of and relax. Sometimes it's just good for what ails ya. LOL.

Nelson Eddy & Jeaneatte MacDonald plus Father---

Over the last 2 weeks I have been able to stay awake for a number of my favorites from the 'classic Studio era' of Hollywood. I get up a 5:30 a.m. to get out and water the pots and baskets while it is realitively cool. Then I hole up in the air-conditioning to use the computer and watch films. So here are a few comments on what I watched:

Naughty Marietta (1935) Nelson Eddy, Jeanette MacDonald. Charming musical, the stars first together. Both are in top form and there is real chemistry in their flirting scenes. 9/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0026768/

Maytime (1938) Nelson & Jeanette. There most dramatic and sad. Story of obsession by one man, ruining three lives. John Barrymore makes a fine portrait of a man who wants more than just gratitude from his protege'. Opera scene is superb. 10/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0029222/

The Gay Sisters (1942) Barbara Stanwyke, George Brent. A programmer soap opera but in the capable hands of Missy and George and a stellar supporting cast, a real pleasure to be in their company. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0034770/

Pride & Prejudice (1942) Greer Garson, Lawrence Olivier. MGM's version of Jane Austens durable story. It is one of the first but others have overtaken this version. Olivier gives his usual studied performance, which I find more and more fake. He may have been the bee's knees on stage, but on film, I don't think so. Rest of the cast is wonderful. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032943/

Father Of The Bride (1950) Elizabeth Taylor, Spencer Tracy, Joan Bennett. What can I say? This is just as charming today as it was 59 years ago. I just wish todays brides and family had half the charm and dignity as these people did. Bennett is so perfect as the beautiful Mother of the Bride. A favorite for June. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0042451/

Fathers Little Dividend (1951) Elizabeth Taylor, Spencer Tracy, Joan Bennett. Great follow-up and one of the best sequels of all time. Still love visiting this family. Tracy is a delight as the grumpy old man won over by a babies smile. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0043526/

Lots of old and new films in the stack on the table so onward.....

Romance & 2 Devils----

Random Harvest (1942) Greer Garson, Ronald Colman. Romantic and improbable, but lovely just the same. Story of a young woman who takes a lost and ill soldier under her wing on WWI Armistice during the celebration on the streets. He has walked away from an asylum and doesn't know who he is or where he is from. They end up in the country in an inn where he recuperates enough to ask her to marry him. When they have a child and he is called to the city for an interview to write for a newspaper, the plot takes a turn. He is hit by a car and knocked out. When he awakes, he is confused as to why he is wearing strange clothes, and thinks it is 1917 and the war is still on. But he does remember his former name and where he was from before the war. The rest of the film is these two trying to find each other again. Very good romance and wonderful performances. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0035238/


The Devil At 4 O'Clock (1961) Spencer Tracy, Frank Sinatra. Story of an island and the volcano that erupts and the hazards a priest{Tracy} and convict(Sinatra) face rescuing the children and staff of a school in the hills. Lovely location filming. Script has one to many narrow escapes and by the time they all get to the dock and load that last boat off the island, I was tired of the whole thing. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0054805/


Frost/Nixon (2008) Frank Langella, Michael Sheen. Interesting take on the interviews done after Nixon leaves the Presidency. A little anti-climatic because we are expecting a big moment - and there is none. All the actors are very good in their roles. Absorbing. 8/10.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0870111/

Gerard Butler is the Star whose career I am following now. I started when I saw his great characterization of the lead character in "The Phantom Of The Opera." Perhaps it was because I was taking care of my very ill husband that the story so affected me, but his anguished and crazed Phantom is one of my favorite characters.

For the past 4 1/2 years I have kept up with his projects and have seen all of his films from his start in 1996s "Mrs. Brown" to his latest now on DVD - "RocknRolla." Coming up are 2 films later this year: July 24 "The Ugly Truth" with Kathryn Heigl; and September 4 "Gamer."

The picture is from the filming of the 1st day, Monday the 15th, on the set of "The Bounty Hunter." His co-star in this one is Jennifer Aniston. We know little about the story so far. But he is looking good - a mature man at the top of his game.

Now and then I will highlight more about this fine actor.

Chow Yun Fat, The 1st Wives, & a western.....

Over the last weekend I watched the long mini-series:

Lonesome Dove (1989-TV mini-series) Robert Duvall, Tommie Lee Jones, Angelica Huston. Western with great scenery, but after all these years of not seeing it and hearing so much about it being great, I was dissapointed. The most interesting character and acting honors go to Angelica Houston, IMO. For her time on screen, she delivers a nuanced portrait of a frontier woman, not poor, but because of her husbands accident, in charge of a large working ranch/farm. For my money, more of her story would have been good. This was an edited version seen on AMC. Not sure I want to see the whole 6 hour version. No rating. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096639/

Also watched Chow in a very good film that shows his sensitive side:

All About Ah-Long (1989 HongKong "A Lang de gi shi) Chow Yun Fat, Sylvia Chang, Kwan Yuen Wong. Story of a poor man and his little boy living day by day, a lower working class life. The relationship between father and son is warm but who is looking out for who? A big chance for the boy comes and changes everything. Ah-long tries to do what is right for his little boy and finds out it is not easy to find the right solution to life's dilemmas.This is a fine film and Chow Yun-Fat is perfect as the ne'r do well who becomes a man for his son. Highly recommended.
I grade it down for the poor quality of the video tape whitch I bought in 1999. Poor transfer and Amazon should have had something about it in the online page for this film. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098694/

And a favorite comedy with a point-of-view:

First Wives Club (1996) Diane Keaton, Goldey Hawn, Bette Midler. This is a film for women and from their point-of-view. Three women who went to college together are at middle-age and dumped by their cheating husbands for younger women. At first it is all about getting back at the lugs. But as they find more and more of their power as women, they decide to expand their vision to help all women with problems with men, in marriages, careers, life. Great lines. Farsical at times and still very funny. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116313/

Chow Yun Fat shines....

...in this melancholy story.

All About Ah-Long (1989 HongKong "A Lang de gi shi") Chow Yun Fat, Sylvia Chang, Kwan Yuen Wong. Story of a poor man and his little boy living day by day, a lower working class life. The relationship between father and son is warm but who is looking out for who? A big chance for the boy comes and changes everything. Ah-long tries to do what is right for his little boy and finds out it is not easy to find the right solution to life's dilemmas.This is a fine film and Chow Yun-Fat is perfect as the ne'r do well who becomes a man for his son. Highly recommended.
I grade it down for the poor quality of the video tape which I bought in 1999. Poor transfer and Amazon should have had something about it in the online page for this film. It did tell us that there were subtitles, so at least we knew we were hearing the real actors own voices, which is always a plus as far as I'm concerned. So 8/10 for this video. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098694/

Chow Yun Fat is an actor I have followed since first discovering him in 1999s "Anna & The King." Tall, graceful and good looking, he is the star of the John Woo Hong Kong action films that made them both famous. But in going through his catalog of films, you realize this is a real actor with range and depth. From "The Killer;" the "Better Tomorrow" trilogy; to the sweet love story set in NYC "An Autumns Tale"; and his comedies, "God Of Gamblers 1 & 2" where he is the epitome of suave; Chow is amazing in every role. He does drama, action, passion and pathos equily well.


His films in the USA do not quite meet the standard of his work in his HK films. Except for Anna & The King with the great Jodie Foster. He IS the King, and the film only lets its' stars down because of the script. The scenery of Malaya and the score both are marvelous. The costumes are just beautiful. I loved it but realise I am a romantic and suspend my disbelief when I love something.


And the film with the great director Ang Lee; "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon." Li Mu Bai was a role made for him. Almost perfect in every way, his is the quiet, strong heart of the story.

I have not seen the last Pirate film with Depp "Worlds End." Tried the 1st one and could not get through the first half hour, so will not waste time and money on the others. I did see 2007s "Curse Of The Golden Flower" and Chow was good as the emporer in a lavish production.

I'll be watching his career and hoping we have another chance to see the great man in another great film.