June 15, 2014
April 08, 2014
APRIL'S FIRST WEEK
NEW TO ME:
Off The Record (1939) Pat O'Brien, Joan Blondell. Reporters on newspaper try to help gangsters young brother. Likable stars in B-movie fare. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0031743/combined
Identity Thief (2013) Melissa McCarthy, Jason Bateman. She steals his identity because his name is Sandy and maxes out his credit cards. He tracks her down and tries to bring her in so he can prove he is who he says he is. I had to fast forward through some of this mess. 5/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2024432/combined
ENCORES:
Mogambo (1953) Clark Gable, Ava Gardner, Grace Kelly. African hunter leads safari to capture sounds of gorillas. Gorgeous cinematography. Unique score of only African native drums and chants. Ava is stunning. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0046085/combined
On The Waterfront (1954) Marlon Brando, Eva Marie Saint, Rod Steiger, Lee J. Cobb, Karl Malden. Right out of the headlines, story of the longshoremen's union corruption and the people who lived through and fought it. Great film won 8 Oscars and many other awards. 10/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0047296/combined
The Agony And The Ecstasy (1965) Charlton Heston, Rex Harrison, Diane Cilento. The story of Michelangelo's struggle with the Pope over the painting of the Sistine Chapel. Drags at times. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0058886/combined
The Hunt For Red October (1990) Sean Connery, Alex Baldwin. A Tom Clancy Jack Ryan adventure story about the capture of a Soviet submarine. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099810/combined
Off The Record (1939) Pat O'Brien, Joan Blondell. Reporters on newspaper try to help gangsters young brother. Likable stars in B-movie fare. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0031743/combined
Identity Thief (2013) Melissa McCarthy, Jason Bateman. She steals his identity because his name is Sandy and maxes out his credit cards. He tracks her down and tries to bring her in so he can prove he is who he says he is. I had to fast forward through some of this mess. 5/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2024432/combined
ENCORES:
Mogambo (1953) Clark Gable, Ava Gardner, Grace Kelly. African hunter leads safari to capture sounds of gorillas. Gorgeous cinematography. Unique score of only African native drums and chants. Ava is stunning. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0046085/combined
On The Waterfront (1954) Marlon Brando, Eva Marie Saint, Rod Steiger, Lee J. Cobb, Karl Malden. Right out of the headlines, story of the longshoremen's union corruption and the people who lived through and fought it. Great film won 8 Oscars and many other awards. 10/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0047296/combined
The Agony And The Ecstasy (1965) Charlton Heston, Rex Harrison, Diane Cilento. The story of Michelangelo's struggle with the Pope over the painting of the Sistine Chapel. Drags at times. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0058886/combined
The Hunt For Red October (1990) Sean Connery, Alex Baldwin. A Tom Clancy Jack Ryan adventure story about the capture of a Soviet submarine. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099810/combined
March 31, 2014
Thieves, friends, the Fleet, and so forth---
NEW TO ME:
I Am A Thief (1934) Mary Astor, Ricardo Cortez. Fun and games among the criminal class. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0026505/combined
The Passionate Friends (1940) Ann Todd, Claude Rains, Trevor Howard. A love story, directed by David Lean, that is so boring I had to force myself to finish it. They meet when young and part and then she marries an older man and he pines and - oh! me, I've forgotten what, but after much dickering around, she is forgiven and he is? I've already forgotten. 5/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0041735/combined
The Fleets In (1942) Dorothy Lamour, William Holden, Bette Hutton, Eddie Bracken, Jimmy Dorsey and Orchestra. Lots of great dance music and great old songs. Sailors and getting girls is the plot. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0034736/combined
Cynthia (1947) Elizabeth Taylor, Mary Astor, George Murphy, S. Z. Sakall. Fifteen year old Taylor in a minor film that hardly any of my friends saw back then. It did not play long and I had forgotten it. Liz is a sickly girl with all the usual teen problems. Solved nicely by the end. BTW, I am one week older than Liz. She had 5 or 6 husbands. I had one. She was gorgeous her whole life. Lucky girl. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0039293/combined
Tightrope (1984) Clint Eastwood, Genevieve Bujold, Dan Hedaya. Women are being murdered. Cops are baffled when it seems their detective's life is mirrored. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088272/combined
Friends With Benefits (2011) Justin Timberlake, Mila Kunis, Patricia Clarkson. California guy sent to NYC for job meets girl and - the title tells all. Leads are so attractive it is a pleasure to watch them. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1632708/combined
ENCORES:
Follow The Fleet (1936) Astaire and Rogers musical. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0027630/combined
Red River (1946) John Wayne, Montgomery Clift, Joann Dru, Walter Brennan, John Ireland. All time great western about cattle drive from Texas to the new rail head in Kansas. 10/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0040724/combined
Top Gun (1986) Tom Cruise, Kelly McGillis, Val Kilmer, Anthony Edwards. Still a great flying film and nice romance. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092099/combined
Rain Man (1988) Tom Cruise, Dustin Hoffman. Lovely film about an autistic man and his bother, who has just learned of his existence. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095953/combined
I Am A Thief (1934) Mary Astor, Ricardo Cortez. Fun and games among the criminal class. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0026505/combined
The Passionate Friends (1940) Ann Todd, Claude Rains, Trevor Howard. A love story, directed by David Lean, that is so boring I had to force myself to finish it. They meet when young and part and then she marries an older man and he pines and - oh! me, I've forgotten what, but after much dickering around, she is forgiven and he is? I've already forgotten. 5/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0041735/combined
The Fleets In (1942) Dorothy Lamour, William Holden, Bette Hutton, Eddie Bracken, Jimmy Dorsey and Orchestra. Lots of great dance music and great old songs. Sailors and getting girls is the plot. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0034736/combined
Cynthia (1947) Elizabeth Taylor, Mary Astor, George Murphy, S. Z. Sakall. Fifteen year old Taylor in a minor film that hardly any of my friends saw back then. It did not play long and I had forgotten it. Liz is a sickly girl with all the usual teen problems. Solved nicely by the end. BTW, I am one week older than Liz. She had 5 or 6 husbands. I had one. She was gorgeous her whole life. Lucky girl. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0039293/combined
Tightrope (1984) Clint Eastwood, Genevieve Bujold, Dan Hedaya. Women are being murdered. Cops are baffled when it seems their detective's life is mirrored. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088272/combined
Friends With Benefits (2011) Justin Timberlake, Mila Kunis, Patricia Clarkson. California guy sent to NYC for job meets girl and - the title tells all. Leads are so attractive it is a pleasure to watch them. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1632708/combined
ENCORES:
Follow The Fleet (1936) Astaire and Rogers musical. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0027630/combined
Red River (1946) John Wayne, Montgomery Clift, Joann Dru, Walter Brennan, John Ireland. All time great western about cattle drive from Texas to the new rail head in Kansas. 10/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0040724/combined
Top Gun (1986) Tom Cruise, Kelly McGillis, Val Kilmer, Anthony Edwards. Still a great flying film and nice romance. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092099/combined
Rain Man (1988) Tom Cruise, Dustin Hoffman. Lovely film about an autistic man and his bother, who has just learned of his existence. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095953/combined
March 24, 2014
Philo Vance, an Empress, Gatsby, baseball, and Three Cinderellas etc---
NEW TO ME:
Kennel Murder Case (1934) William Powell, Mary Astor, Eugene Paulette. Powell as Philo Vance solves the case. Astor wears great fashions of the day. Vance has a black Scottish terrier in this one and only the rich messed with dog shows back then. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0024210/combined
Young Catherine (1991) Julia Ormond, Mark Frankel, Franco Nero, Chistopher Plummer, Vanessa Redgrave. Story of the German Princess brought to Russia to marry the heir to the throne. Gorgeous costumes and scenery. Interesting story. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0103311/combined
The Great Gatsby (2013) Leonardo deCaprio, Carey Mulligan, Tobey Maguire. The story has been filmed enough already. Leo is quite good as Gatsby. Silly useless people doing silly useless things. A tragedy? Not at all. Gorgeous sets but the parties are much too frantic. And tiresome. 5/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1343092/combined
42 (2013) Harrison Ford, Chadwick Boseman, Nicole Beharie. The story of Jackie Robinson as the first black baseball player hired into the major leagues. Very well done, showing the harassment he endured. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0453562/combined
ENCORES:
Cinderella Jones (1946) Joan Leslie, Robert Alda, S. Z. Sakall. Girl singer and air craft plant worker discovers she is an heiress and must decide who loves her for herself. 5/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038415/combined
Two Sisters From Boston (1946) June Allyson, Kathryn Grayson, Peter Lawford, Jimmy Durante. Musical set in the gay 90's is fun. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0039054/combined
The Glass Slipper (1955) Leslie Caron, Michael Wilding, Elsa Lancaaster, Estelle Winwood, Keenan Wynn. Cinderella with lots of singing and dancing. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0048124/combined
Because Your Mine (1952) Mario Lanza, Doretta Morrow, James Whitmore. Opera star is drafted into the army with consequences for all. Great singing. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0044402/combined
To Catch A Thief (1955) Cary Grant, Grace Kelly, Jessie Royce Landis, John Williams. Alfred Hitchcocks fun film about a jewel theif. Gorgeous scenery. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0044402/combined
Enchanted (2007) Amy Adams, Patrick Dempsey, Susan Sarandon. A storybook Princess ends us in real life New York City befriended by a man and his little girl. Charming for the lighter side. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0461770/combined
Sex And The City, (2008) Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Cynthia Nizon, Kristin Davis,
Chris Noth. Fun with the girls. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1000774/combined
Kennel Murder Case (1934) William Powell, Mary Astor, Eugene Paulette. Powell as Philo Vance solves the case. Astor wears great fashions of the day. Vance has a black Scottish terrier in this one and only the rich messed with dog shows back then. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0024210/combined
Young Catherine (1991) Julia Ormond, Mark Frankel, Franco Nero, Chistopher Plummer, Vanessa Redgrave. Story of the German Princess brought to Russia to marry the heir to the throne. Gorgeous costumes and scenery. Interesting story. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0103311/combined
The Great Gatsby (2013) Leonardo deCaprio, Carey Mulligan, Tobey Maguire. The story has been filmed enough already. Leo is quite good as Gatsby. Silly useless people doing silly useless things. A tragedy? Not at all. Gorgeous sets but the parties are much too frantic. And tiresome. 5/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1343092/combined
42 (2013) Harrison Ford, Chadwick Boseman, Nicole Beharie. The story of Jackie Robinson as the first black baseball player hired into the major leagues. Very well done, showing the harassment he endured. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0453562/combined
ENCORES:
Cinderella Jones (1946) Joan Leslie, Robert Alda, S. Z. Sakall. Girl singer and air craft plant worker discovers she is an heiress and must decide who loves her for herself. 5/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038415/combined
Two Sisters From Boston (1946) June Allyson, Kathryn Grayson, Peter Lawford, Jimmy Durante. Musical set in the gay 90's is fun. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0039054/combined
The Glass Slipper (1955) Leslie Caron, Michael Wilding, Elsa Lancaaster, Estelle Winwood, Keenan Wynn. Cinderella with lots of singing and dancing. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0048124/combined
Because Your Mine (1952) Mario Lanza, Doretta Morrow, James Whitmore. Opera star is drafted into the army with consequences for all. Great singing. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0044402/combined
To Catch A Thief (1955) Cary Grant, Grace Kelly, Jessie Royce Landis, John Williams. Alfred Hitchcocks fun film about a jewel theif. Gorgeous scenery. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0044402/combined
Enchanted (2007) Amy Adams, Patrick Dempsey, Susan Sarandon. A storybook Princess ends us in real life New York City befriended by a man and his little girl. Charming for the lighter side. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0461770/combined
Sex And The City, (2008) Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Cynthia Nizon, Kristin Davis,
Chris Noth. Fun with the girls. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1000774/combined
March 17, 2014
Melodrama, comedy and all that jazz---
NEW TO ME:
Thousands Cheer (1943) Kathryn Grayson, Gene Kelly, Mary Astor, John Boles. Musical about the shows put on for service men during WWII. 7/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0036432/combined
Go Naked In The World (1961) Gina Lollabrigida, Ernest Borgnine, Anthony Franciosa. Love affair between a protitute and the heir to a fortune. Boring, Pretty scenery. 6/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0054933/combined
Youngblood Hawk (1964) James Franciscus, Genevieve Page, Suzanne Pleshette. Writer from the backwoods becomes a sensation and lives the high life until the glamour almost kills him. 7/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0058764/combined
How Do You Know (2010) Reese Witherspoon, Paul Rudd, Owen Wilson, Jack Nicholson. Love triangle has some cute moments but is mostly forgettable. 6/10 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1341188/combined
ENCORES:
After The Thin Man (1936) William Powell, Myrna Loy, Asta. Second in the series is just as fun. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0027260/combined
Fiesta (1947) Esther Williams, Ricardo Montalban, Akim Tamiroff, Mary Astor, John Carroll. Boy, girl twins fight in the bull ring and he wants to be a musician so she takes his place. Gorgeous cinematography. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0039377/combined
12 O'Clock High (1949) Gregory Peck, Dean Jagger, Gary Merrill, Hugh Marlowe. Great film about the strategic bombing of Nazi Germany in WWII. 10/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0041996/combined
How To Marry A Millionaire (1953) Lauren Bacall, Betty Grable, Marilyn Monroe, William Powell. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0045891/combined
Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid (1969) Paul Newman, Robert Redford. 7/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0064115/combined
The Bourne Legacy (20111) Jeremy Renner, Ed Norton, Rachel Weisz. 9/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1194173/combined
Argo (2012) Ben Affleck, Alan Arkin, John Goodman. 9/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1024648/combined
Thousands Cheer (1943) Kathryn Grayson, Gene Kelly, Mary Astor, John Boles. Musical about the shows put on for service men during WWII. 7/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0036432/combined
Go Naked In The World (1961) Gina Lollabrigida, Ernest Borgnine, Anthony Franciosa. Love affair between a protitute and the heir to a fortune. Boring, Pretty scenery. 6/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0054933/combined
Youngblood Hawk (1964) James Franciscus, Genevieve Page, Suzanne Pleshette. Writer from the backwoods becomes a sensation and lives the high life until the glamour almost kills him. 7/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0058764/combined
How Do You Know (2010) Reese Witherspoon, Paul Rudd, Owen Wilson, Jack Nicholson. Love triangle has some cute moments but is mostly forgettable. 6/10 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1341188/combined
ENCORES:
After The Thin Man (1936) William Powell, Myrna Loy, Asta. Second in the series is just as fun. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0027260/combined
Fiesta (1947) Esther Williams, Ricardo Montalban, Akim Tamiroff, Mary Astor, John Carroll. Boy, girl twins fight in the bull ring and he wants to be a musician so she takes his place. Gorgeous cinematography. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0039377/combined
12 O'Clock High (1949) Gregory Peck, Dean Jagger, Gary Merrill, Hugh Marlowe. Great film about the strategic bombing of Nazi Germany in WWII. 10/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0041996/combined
How To Marry A Millionaire (1953) Lauren Bacall, Betty Grable, Marilyn Monroe, William Powell. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0045891/combined
Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid (1969) Paul Newman, Robert Redford. 7/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0064115/combined
The Bourne Legacy (20111) Jeremy Renner, Ed Norton, Rachel Weisz. 9/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1194173/combined
Argo (2012) Ben Affleck, Alan Arkin, John Goodman. 9/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1024648/combined
March 10, 2014
Classics and junk---
NEW TO ME:
Rumor Has It (2005) Jennifer Aniston, Mark Ruffalo, Shirley MacLaine, Kevin Costner. The rest of the story after the end of The Graduate. Supposedly. 6/10
Trance (2013/I) James McAvoy, Vincent Cassel, Rosario Dawson. Something about a guy who is hypnotized and a bunch of thieves and a painting and a therapist and and and---blah! 5/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1924429/combined
The East (2013) Playing on HBO this month is this mess of a film. I watched it but have no idea what it was about. Have completely forgotten who was in it and what was happening. I looked it up on IMDb but it was so dense I gave up reading about it. I gave it one point and that is generous. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1869716/combined
ENCORE:
Naughty Marietta (1935) Jeanette MacDonald, Nelson Eddy, Frank Morgan, Elsa Lancaster. Great movie musical. A delight for operetta lovers. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0026768/combined
Cass Timberlane (1947) Lana Turner, Spencer Tracy, Zachery Scott. A small town judge marries a girl from the wrong side of the tracks and their struggle to make it work. Lana is beautiful and fun; Spence is likable; Zach is his usual charming cad. Great MGM production values. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0039250/combined
Major League (1989) Tom Berenger, Cbarlie Sheen, Rene Russo, Corbin Bernsen. One of the most fun baseball movies. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097815/combined
Dave (1993) Kevin Kline, Sigourney Weaver, Frank Langella, Ving Rhames, Charles Grodin, Ben Kingsley. A guy subs for the President of the USA while he has a night with his girlfriend. Prez has a stroke and the sub is duped into posing as the Prez by the scheming team that doesn't want to give up power. Cast is wonderful. Great satire. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0106673/combined
How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days (2003) Matthew McConaughey, Kate Hudson. Back when Matt was doing rom/coms this was one of the best. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0251127/combined
Spy Game (2001) Robert Redford, Brad Pitt, Catherine McCormick. A CIA agent on his last day recalls the training of one of his operatives and works frantically to rescue him from a Chinese prison. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0266987/combined
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