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Post by teleadm on Jan 11, 2020 15:48:24 GMT
Comments/ratings/recommendations/film posters are welcome and much appreciated.
Post when you like! This is not a race! Take it Easy!
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Post by wmcclain on Jan 11, 2020 16:05:24 GMT
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Post by mikef6 on Jan 11, 2020 16:31:11 GMT
Murder At Midnight / Frank R. Strayer (1931). Tiffany Productions. Brief and brisk murder mystery that, while choppily edited with a couple narrative gaps, is not a bad whodunit. The writers clearly knew their Agatha Christie, only stealing from the best. While playing a charade game that involved acting a scene and shooting a gun with blanks, a man is killed when the gun turns out to have real bullets. While the man who shot the gun waits upstairs to be questioned by police, someone kills him. Inspector Taylor (Robert Elliot) is, of course, blustering but baffled. Lucky for him, noted criminologist Philip Montrose (Hale Hamilton) is present to make the proper deductions but not before two more bodies hit the floor. Also in the cast is family matriarch Aunt Julie (Clara Blandick, Auntie Em in The Wizard Of Oz) and, as the maid who sneaks around hallways, Alice White, whose star shown for a brief time in early sound musicals. I’m not familiar with any of the other players. Mainly of historical interest. Hunt The Man Down / George Archainbaud (1950). RKO Radio Pictures. Cinematography by Nicholas Musuraca (The Spiral Staircase, Out Of The Past). When tavern dishwasher Bill Jackson (James Anderson) inadvertently becomes a local hero, his picture ends up in the newspaper. He is recognized by law enforcement as Richard Kincaid who had been on trial for murder twelve years earlier but escaped. Recaptured, he is set for another trial. Things look bad until he convinces Public Defender Paul Bennett (Gig Young) to investigate the dozen year old murder. This brisk, tightly paced courtroom mystery with noir overtones was very entertaining. As Bennett tries to track down the seven witnesses who had testified in the earlier trial, he finds most of them greatly changed, allowing some unsung character actors to show what they can do. One couple had divorced, the man in the present was a hopeless alcoholic while his ex-wife had a nervous breakdown and now lives a quiet life. One witness had died, another had withdrawn into delusion. The mystery is a good one, too. The killer is kept well-hidden until the end. I liked this one. Highly recommended for a good hour’s entertainment. Bell Book And Candle / Richard Quine (1958). Columbia Pictures. Mildly amusing, overly long, comedy-fantasy that has become both a Christmas and Halloween staple. I watched this only because My Lovely Wife wanted to see the Siamese cat (actually 12 stunt cats) who plays a large part in the plot (we have a Siamese mix abiding in our house and have had three others – one mix, two pure – over the years). Gillian (Kim Novak) belongs to a family of witches which include her brother Nick (Jack Lemmon) and her dizzy aunt Queenie (Elsa Lanchester). She falls in love with the bachelor upstairs (James Stewart) so, against her better judgment, puts him under a spell to make him fall in love with her. Romantic comedy and a few chuckles ensue. I mostly enjoyed the supporting cast of accomplished comedy actors. In addition to Lemmon and Lanchester we are treated to Ernie Kovacs and Hermione Gingold. Publicity still of Kim Novak with 9 of the 12 Siamese cats who were used in the film Red Joan / Trevor Nunn (2018). Lionsgate. Really wanted to see this for Judi Dench as the oldest of the Russian spies in England during WWII. Dench is featured on all the poster art and other promotions. However, Dame Judi is barely in the movie. The film opens in 1999 when the 80+ year old Joan Stanley (Dench) is arrested by British Intelligence for espionage and treason. Under questioning, her mind flashes back to the events. This developing drama of her romances and how young physics whiz Joan Smith (Sophie Cookson) began stealing atomic secrets and passing them on the Russia make up the bulk of the run time. While there are a couple of good scenes in the goings-on, mostly we get a good looking, talkie, slow moving British period picture. I was distracted through most of it. Only the parts with Judi Dench under questioning or trying to explain her actions to her astonished barrister son did the screen hold my interest. The movie was based on a novel which was based loosely on the life of long-time spy Melita Norwood. Disappointing. Mike Wallace Is Here / Avi Belkin (2019). Talk about your documentary talking heads! Since Mike Wallace was considered the most feared interviewer of his time (fl. 1968-2006), the movie is all about talking heads interviews. This portrait shows us many of the most contentious interviews he held – and one dangerous, going into Iran during the embassy hostage crisis to interview the Ayatollah Khomeini. He managed to piss off politicians, entertainers, and shady business men all over America At the end of his grilling of Barbra Streisand, she says calmly, “Right at this moment I don’t hate anybody in the world more than you.”. The only person featured in the film who he couldn’t get under the skin of was Johnny Carson: Wallace: “There are some stereotypes about you.” Carson: “Like what?” Wallace: “Like you have ice water for blood.” Carson: “I had that replaced years ago. I went to Denmark for an operation.” The film also debates the questions of What is a fair interview? What is good journalism? Mostly it is just a fun ride through recent journalistic history.
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Post by politicidal on Jan 11, 2020 16:38:52 GMT
The Last King of Scotland (2006) 8/10
Triple Threat (2019) 3/10
Winter Kills (1979) 6/10
Two on a Guillotine (1965) 4/10
Black Widow (1954) 7/10
Written on the Wind (1956) 8/10
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Post by MrFurious on Jan 11, 2020 18:15:12 GMT
Never Surrender: A Galaxy Quest Documentary(19)(doc) Who Finds a Friend Finds a Treasure(81) Nothing But the Truth(08) Making Waves: The Art of Cinematic Sound(19)(doc) They Call Me Trinity(70) I Am Paul Walker(18)(doc) ^^^^^^ The Sisters Brothers(18) Wild Rose(18) Passion Fish(92) The Snow Walker(03) An American Crime(07) The Man from Earth(07) Coldplay: A Head Full of Dreams(18)(doc) Whitney(18)(doc)
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Post by teleadm on Jan 11, 2020 19:43:34 GMT
Well here is my latest!: J.K. Rowling territory again, and they mention Hogwarth and Dumbledore, and maybe a start of another 5 or 6 movies. Not sure if Eddie Redmayne is charismatic enough to carry this movie serial through, since he was a bore in this one. Whales are big, but they are certainly not as big as shown on this poster. The story behind the story that made Melville's Moby Dick famous, though it took decades to make it famous. It's actually a good movie that is worth watching, tall tale or not, with great characters. It flopped in USA and most of Europa, but was a huge hit in Russia, Italy and Thailand, that nearly covered the losses. A rather tired re-hash of the popular first movie, though it has a few laughs, Bullock wisely killed off this possible serial after this movie. Once again a poster over exaggerate since a Killer Whale ain't that big, neither in nature or in this movie (Blame the old King Kong Posters LOL) A lame Jaws wannabe, with a few virtues, Charlotte Rampling, Morricone's music and the cinematography that manages to make it look like a very secluded place and take advantage of the nature around. Actually a nice Danish movie, about a tomboy who works as a car mechanic that turns out to possibly be a real but born out of marriage by a not so clever Baron. There is a friendly ghost too. Future Ingmar Bergman actress Ghita Nørby is simply adorable, as the Baroness that ain't gonna sit down and do Baronessian things The first 20 minutes or so is the most beautiful thing director John Huston ever did, recreating a nighclub with Can-Can dancing. It might not have anything to do with neither the famous painter or his models, but those first 20 minutes is pure cinema magic. The rest of the movie is good too, though José Ferrer just becomes too much, when displaying the bitterness of the crippled genious, and a bit tiresome. Zsa Zsa Gabor actually plays a role (her singing voice was done by somebody else) as a man hungry flighty character, not far off from real life. Cinematographer Oswald Morris created with John Huston a colour scheme that reminded of the paintings of the famous artist, totally against the Technicolour Company, when Huston used the F word Lovely Loretta, in a tight little thriller running just 75 minutes or so. Starts like a regular soap opera as she vacums the floor but her voice over starts telling us that something is not allright in the peacfull suburbs. Her husband played by Barry Sullivan, might be sane, and Loretta just chasing ghost? As others here has written positive reviews of this Western who-done-it, I was interested to see for myself. It was one of the lamest transfers I've ever seen, it looked like a public domain colorization that someone turned back to black and white, where it's mostly very black or very white and very minimal grey scale, mostly none. Frankly it pissed me off! I know a little about the plot, and hopefully a better copy wiill come around, some sunny day! Now I'm curious what all others have seen!!!!
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Post by teleadm on Jan 11, 2020 19:59:35 GMT
wmcclainThose Lord Peter Wimsey series with Ian Carmichael, were the kind that my mother and father liked and discussed at the breakfast table, after every episode, "THEY FOLLOWED THE BOOK" vs "NO! THEY DIDN'T", they never remembered who was guilty even if they read the books after a few years.
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Post by koskiewicz on Jan 11, 2020 20:45:44 GMT
"Mad Love" w/Peter Lorre
"The Return of "Dr. X" w/Humphrey Bogart as a vampire!!!
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Post by wickedkittiesmom on Jan 11, 2020 22:11:34 GMT
Black Orpheus
It Happens Every Spring
The Great Rupert
The Twelve Chairs
(all DVD's I own)
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Post by OldAussie on Jan 11, 2020 22:26:51 GMT
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Post by Chalice_Of_Evil on Jan 11, 2020 23:36:40 GMT
Little Women (1994). Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi (2017). What’s the deal with Reylo? Dame Judi Dench asked this^ question, and the answer is...they've kinda formed a 'link'/'connection' between them through the Force, communicating/having conversations over vast distances, with one trying to lure the other to their side. We're treated to three different versions of how Ben Solo became Kylo Ren, though none excuse what he's done. Like Rey, I'm sure Kylo's fans will try to see the 'conflict'/'good' inside him, but at this point he's virtually unsalvageable as a character (the one *good* thing he does involves Snoke, who's more interesting in the flesh than as a hologram, which I liked...but that's about it). Adam Driver shows more sides to Ben/Kylo than he did previously, and is good at conveying different emotions, but when it comes to him being the 'main villian', his tantrums/shoutiness needs to be reined in if he's to be taken seriously. He's no Vader, but rather a 'fanboy'. 'Reylo shippers' might think they're getting what they want, but as Luke says to Rey at one point, "This is not going to go the way you think!" (the look Rey gives Kylo as she shuts the Millennium Falcon's door in his face pretty much says it all). Speaking of Rey/Luke, this movie has a couple of 'firsts' involving their characters. One being that we pick up exactly where we left off with them in Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (something none of the other films have done), in quite an amusing way, and the other being that we get multiple flashbacks. Old crotchety Luke isn't the Luke we remember, but flashbacks help us see why he is the way he is now. He doesn't make things easy on Rey, refusing her multiple times, making her sleep outside his hovel, swatting her hand with a leaf and just generally being about as 'fun' a mentor for her as Yoda was for him...perhaps even less so (though he's awesome when it counts). Daisy Ridley continues to show much promise in her important role to the saga as Rey, displaying conflicting emotions convincingly and playing well off Mark Hamill's Luke. They even get a few funny moments too. Regarding the movie's humour, there's certainly a fair share of it to ensure that proceedings never get too 'grim'/'dark'...though not all of it works. Some moments involving John Boyega's Finn feel like they're from the prequels (which isn't a good thing). However, when he's given more 'serious' moments, Boyega does what he can with them. Part of what makes Finn's journey in this film less interesting for me is that he's separated from Rey, which is a shame considering the two of them had so convincingly developed a quick/believable camaraderie in TFA. Their reunion shows just how much of a mistake it was to keep them apart, since they're very good together (not in a 'romantic' way, but a 'platonic friendship' way). This time Finn's paired with his very own fangirl, Rose. Kelly Marie Tran is fine in the role, and Rose endeared herself to me when she (along with Finn) rescued the horse-like creatures called Fathiers, but hers and Finn's storyline feels very disconnected from the rest. Rose's sister, Paige, was much more interesting/awesome. Oscar Isaac's Poe remains as smart-mouthed as ever, but when it's directed at Domhnall Gleeson's General Hux (who still hasn't improved since TFA), it's definitely warranted, since Hux remains the butt-monkey of the universe. Poe's occasionally irritating (at least he finally gets to meet Rey and they have a 'moment'), but thankfully Leia's there to show him who's boss. Regarding the late Carrie Fisher, she gets some great moments as Leia, and fans should be pleased with the Leia/Luke reunion (and her hug with Chewie, making up for the lack of one in TFA). There are some really good emotional moments with her and a heartfelt message at the end of the movie. Some new characters prove to be more than what they first appear (such as Laura Dern's Vice Admiral Holdo), while others (like Benicio Del Toro's character) really add nothing much to the story. Apart from the previously mentioned Fathiers, there's a bunch of other new critters. Porgs aren't Jar Jar Binks levels of annoying, but rather on par with the Ewoks. I really liked the Crystal Foxes/Vulptices (plural of Vulptex). There are some good action scenes, memorable moments, nice shots/visuals, and a lot of things to like about the film. However, there's also some unnecessary stuff. Especially irritating for me was how it felt like we'd reached the film's natural conclusion...only for it to continue on for another completely unnecessary minute. They had a good ending, but messed it up (how I HATE 'Broom Kid'! He's almost 'Kid Anakin' levels of annoying). That's why, as much as I'd have *liked* to, I couldn't enjoy this film quite as much as I enjoyed The Force Awakens. Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker (2019). This is the second time I've seen the movie at the theatre, as I’d previously watched it for the first time last year (making it the last movie I saw at the theatre in 2019 and the first I saw at the theatre in 2020). My opinion/review of it really hasn’t changed much since the last time I saw it. Never underestimate a droid. This 'Sequel Trilogy' has been quite divisive since the beginning. If you're a hater, it's unlikely this movie will change your mind (that was made up before seeing it). Those who felt Last Jedi veered too far off course will be happy to know that J.J. Abrams has course-corrected with Rise of Skywalker. The trio of Poe/Rey/Finn, which were largely separated in TLJ (much to its detriment), thankfully share lots of screentime together here. I've seen criticisms of this movie having 'too much' going on it, but I actually thought it was easier to follow than its predecessor/didn't feel as 'scattered'. Rey, who's had every criticism/label/insult thrown at her, shows she's not as 'perfect' as some claim. Her main flaw is that she seems determined to do the whole 'lone wolf' thing, wandering off by herself umpteen times throughout the movie which causes problems. She's also struggling with memories of her family she lost, her 'connection' with Kylo Ren (which causes her to lose focus at times) and other issues. It's a lot, and she sometimes doesn't make the best choices, but Rey is a hero, pure and simple (whether some wish to accept it or not). She makes mistakes, but she also makes sacrifices. While we finally get definitive answers regarding her parentage/heritage, the main message of this film is that one can choose their family...and that's what Rey's journey has been all about. Finn, whose character was done a disservice in The Last Jedi, bounces back thanks to spending the majority of his screentime with Rey and Poe. He's not stuck as 'comic relief', but rather shows that he too is a hero. His friendship with Rey and Poe was one of The Force Awakens' strengths, and it's good to see that remembered here. Poe and Rey share quite a bit of screentime together (making up for the lack of it we'd gotten previously. They argue quite a bit, but clearly care for/respect each other. The trio was always the 'heart' of this trilogy, and they're treated as such. Leia is given the respectful send-off she deserves due to the late Carrie Fisher's passing. It's a credit to these movies that she's played such a significant part/left a lasting impression. Her connection to several of the main characters is given the appropriate emotional 'weight' they deserve, and there's at least couple of pleasant surprises regarding her character. Chewie, meanwhile, not only gets significant emotional moments, but also finally something that's been coming his way for a LONG time now. That's one thing this movie has going for it, the fact that it respects the franchise (despite what some might think/claim). C-3PO, who's often been relegated to 'comic relief'/butt of jokes, actually gets some significant emotional moments here, and thus treated 'properly'. R2 isn't given much to do, though. BB-8 has been a welcome addition to the franchise, while a new droid, D-O, feels like one droid too many. Lando's back, and while he mightn't have a 'big' role, it's still important. If there's any 'negatives' to the film, it's the introduction of several new characters that don't really get enough time for us to care about them (the third movie in a trilogy is a bit late to be bringing in so many newbies). As for the villains, General Hux, surprisingly, proves to be not entirely useless/more than just the universe's buttmonkey he appeared to be in TLJ, while Kylo Ren has rebuilt his mask...and his character is the better for it. He regains some of that 'menace' he had back in The Force Awakens before he removed his mask (least it covers his mopey/pouting face). While I've never been a fan of his Darth Vader wannabe character, I'll admit this movie goes to great lengths to give him some actual depth/complexity. His 'connection' with Rey also has layers to it. Some choices made regarding their 'relationship' may well prove 'controversial', but in the end it feels like a decent conclusion to their intertwined story. To the surprise of NO ONE (thanks to the trailers), Emperor Palpatine has returned...and, thankfully, his make-up has him looking more like his old self from Return of the Jedi (this movie goes a long way to making up for the WTF-ness that was Palpatine's appearance in Revenge of the Sith. He's also toned down the over-the-topness a bit too). It makes sense that a 'Big Bad' needed to be brought in to replace Snoke after what happened in The Last Jedi, as Ren just wasn't going to cut it. Whatever you might think of Abrams as a director, one can't deny his eye for iconic shots/scenes in movies. This film has a quite a few. Some are beautiful, others creepily atmospheric, but there's some very memorable ones here. Visually, the film is stunning. The action's exhilarating, but easy to follow/non-chaotic, the film's pace feels much improved from The Last Jedi, and the story feels coherent. Unlike certain earlier films in the franchise, the nods to the 'Original Trilogy' here feel just right/not overdone, and the cameos from certain characters (if not physically, then at least in voice) are just the right amount. It seems like the debating of what is and isn't considered 'true Star Wars' will be never-ending. There were complaints of The Force Awakens being 'too similar' to A New Hope, then other complaints of The Last Jedi being 'too different'. It seems like certain people don't know WHAT they want; while others have decided the prequel films are 'great' in comparison to these sequels films, conveniently forgetting/ignoring the vast array of problems the prequels had. To that I say (here's an oldie but a goodie): you can't please everyone. If you've made up your minds to hate these new films, nothing's going to change that. For those with open minds, however, hopefully you're able to acknowledge any 'flaws' in the films whilst not blatantly ignoring all the 'good' in them. For my money, I thought Star Wars was in dire straits after the prequels, but this sequel trilogy breathed life into the franchise again and I'm grateful for that. Black Panther (2018). Liberal Arts (2012). Ragnarok (2013).
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Post by claudius on Jan 12, 2020 11:45:29 GMT
THE SCOOBY DOO AND SCRAPPY DOO SHOW (1980) “The Ransom of Scooby Chief” 40TH ANNIVERSARY. The final episode of the first season is also the last for several things. The last appearance of Fred, Daphne, and Velma (for Daphne three years, four years for the other two), the last appearance of Lennie Weinrib voicing Scrappy (Don Messick takes over for the remainder of his appearances). It also begins the “Trio” phase, with the focus on Scooby, Shaggy, and Scrappy (although the story focuses on Scrappy and his neighborhood friends rescuing his kidnapped Uncle & Shaggy; possibly TPTB’s belief that Scrappy can carry his own show, which would reach its nadir with those Uncle Yabba cartoons from THE SCOOBY & SCRAPPY DOO/PUPPY HOUR). Warner DVD.
THE NEW ADVENTURES OF FLASH GORDON (1980) “Ming’s Last Battle” 40TH ANNIVERSARY. Thus ends the first season, and the series’ serialized storyline. The next season will be standalone episodes and a dragon sidekick. BCI Eclipse.
I finish up my 35th Anniversary of my 1984-1985 VHS marked “The Great Muppet Caper/Muppet Babies” Running six hours, I have watched its contents over the month. THE RACCOONS CHRISTMAS (c. Early December 1984). The CBS Broadcast of THE GREAT MUPPET CAPER (December 15), YOGI BEAR’S ALL-STAR CHRISTMAS COMEDY CAPER and MUPPET BABIES (December 18), IT’S FLASHBEAGLE, CHARLIE BROWN (January 1, 1985) and five Saturday Morning cartoons from January 5, 1985: THE MIGHTY ORBOTS (“The Devil’s Asteroid” which I already 35th anniversary watched last year) and DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS (“The Night of No Tomorrow” the premiere episode I viewed in 2018), as well as: -ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS (1984) “Terms of Entrancement and Simple Play.” -THE SCARY SCOOBY FUNNIES Compliations of THE RICHIE RICH/SCOOBY AND SCRAPPY DOO SHOW (1980-81): “Scooby Doo 2000”, “Alaskan King Coward”, & “Scooby’s Funzone.” -SPIDER-MAN AND HIS AMAZING FRIENDS (1983) “The X-Men Adventure.” Spidey, Firestar, and Iceman team up with the X-Men (the second group in their Dave Cockrum designs of Cyclops, Nightcrawler, Storm, Colossus, Sprite, and Thunderbird- who was already dead in their second adventure) drawn by John Romita Sr. (his son was penciling the series at this time). I think this episode really ignited my interest in the X-MEN series. Commercials include TRIX promoting the addition of Grape, PAC-MAN Cereal with Paul Winchell voicing Super PacMan, and a CBS promo for THE BUGS BUNNY/ROAD RUNNER SHOW in what would be its final run on the Network; the Looney Tunes would move over to ABC that fall.
ER (1995) “Happy New Year” 25TH ANNIVERSARY. Warner DVD.
DRAGON BALL SUPER (2017) “”The Evil Emperor Returns! A Reception from Mysterious Assassins?”, “Most Heinous! Most Evil! Freeza’s Wild Rampage!”, The Time Has Come! To The Null Realm with the Universes on the Line!!”, and “Survive! The Tournament of Power at Last!” Funimation DVD.
THE ADVENTURES OF ROCKY & BULLWINKLE & FRIENDS (1960) “Jet-Rocket Formula 15 & 16” 60TH ANNIVERSARY. Fractured Fairy Tales handles its first of three adaptations of RUMPELSTILTSKIN, while Mr. Peabody and Sherman meet Sir Walter Raleigh. Sony Wonder DVD.
THE SIX WIVES OF HENRY VIII (1970) “Anne Boleyn” 50TH ANNIVERSARY. The second episode covers the fall of the second wife (played by Dorothy Tutin). The episode caused some controversy for CBS when they broadcast the series, editing out several lines and scenes of torture. BBC Video DVD.
HOLLYWOOD (1980) “Pioneers” 40TH ANNIVERSARY. Forty Years Ago, Kevin Brownlow and David Gill (with the musical accompaniment of Carl Davis) created this 13-part documentary series celebrating the American Silent Film, its purpose to introduce modern viewers to the silent film. The introductory episode begins with a scene of THE JAZZ SINGER, as Adele St. John and King Vidor comment about how sound wrecked motion pictures. The episode begins (with the narration of James Mason) with THE LIFE OF THE AMERICAN FIREMAN (1901) contrasting its primitive production (representing the modern viewers’ view of a silent film) with the more sophisticated THE FIRE BRIGADE (1927). This is followed by scenes from THE BLACK PIRATE, BEN-HUR: A TALE OF THE CHRIST, THE WIND, and NOAH’S ARK, with interviews by Gaylord Carter, A. A. Gillespie, Lillian Gish, Jackie Coogan, and Dolores Costello. The second half then rewinds to the early nickelodeon era, leading to D. W. Griffith’s early shorts and coverage on THE BIRTH OF A NATION (with Karl Brown reminiscing about opening night-a scene, italicized titles and all- reused for D.W. GRIFFITH: FATHER OF FILM), climaxing with Henry B. Walthall’s wounded charge to enemy line. Back when I first saw most of this series on The Learning Channel in the fall of 1991, this episode usually eluded me, always missing the first half. I finally saw the whole episode on Turner Classic Movies that summer of 1997. I am watching from a Bootleg DVD of some source: it is not the HBO Video VHS (this has the Thames Television intro) or the TCM Broadcast.
NARUTO SHIPPUDEN (2011) “The Secret Origin of the Ultimate Tag Team” Viz Media DVD.
SCOOBY DOO WHERE ARE YOU? (1970) “A Night of Fright is No Delight.” 50TH ANNIVERSARY. Warner DVD.
MONTY PYTHON’S FLYING CIRCUS (1970) “Intermission” 50TH ANNIVERSARY Monty Python reaches its season finale with Historical Impressions of Cardinal Richelieu as Petula Clark and John the Baptist as Graham Hill (who I never knew, but thought it was funny anyway). With the exception of “Sex and Violence” and parts of “Owl-Stretching Time” & “The Royal Philharmonic Goes to the Bathroom” I first watched the episodes of the first series on Comedy Central in the Summer to Winter of 1992. Paramount VHS.
GANKUTUSOU – THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO (2005) “Haydee” 15TH ANNIVERSARY & 175TH COMC ANNIVERSARY. Geneon DVD.
IVANHOE (1970) “To the Death” 50TH ANNIVERSARY & 200TH IVANHOE ANNIVERSARY. Francis DeWolff who played Front DeBouef in the 1952 MGM version, appears in this episode. SimplyMedia DVD
I also watched the second half of DESPICABLE ME 3 (2017) on Disney Channel.
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Post by Lebowskidoo 🦞 on Jan 12, 2020 13:29:28 GMT
mikef6 Saw Bell, Book & Candle way back, your review makes me want to revisit it. Had two siamese cats in our house growing up, Sammy, a seal-point siamese, and Carlyle, her annoying younger adopted brother who was a lilac-point siamese. 🐱🐱
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Post by Lebowskidoo 🦞 on Jan 12, 2020 14:12:58 GMT
Battleship Potemkin (1925) This movie helped invent the way movies were made. It's a very involving tale that you quickly get sucked into and stay with until it's over. The visuals, the music, they all propel this beast along at the most dramatic pace. The version I saw looked and sounded amazing. Easy to see why it's considered one of the greatest movies ever made. I do believe DePalma got his idea for the baby carriage scene from The Untouchables from this. Революция для людей! Red Tails (2012) Tells the tale of the Tuskegee pilots in Italy during World War II. It could have used a little more depth but it was entertaining all the same. Climax (2018) The latest from director Gaspar Noé, who always has some new and strange offering. This time, we are at a rave for the entirety and things go wrong. Maybe not for everyone, helps if you enjoy techno/electronic music and a twinge of horror. Lady and the Tramp (1955) Meatballs have never been more romantic. A perfect little Disney movie. Lady and the Tramp II: Scamp's Adventure (2001) Better than I would have thought it would be. Needed a bit more of that old Disney magic, but not unbearable. Chazz Palminteri was born to voice mean cartoon dogs. Lady and the Tramp (2019) It's official: I'm now Disney's bitch! Got Disney + for Christmas and as you can see, I'm deep down a Lady and the Tramp rabbit hole. It's great being able to just watch these old classics I've never seen. This was a warm and wonderful adaptation of the 1955 cartoon, I loved it from start to finish. Maybe I'm just a softy when it comes to dogs, but I loved the voice cast selected here and it has a lot of funny lines too. The combination of CGI and real dogs was fairly seamless, and after awhile I just got into the story and stopped noticing, and I had just watched the original just prior to watching this. Sam Elliott was born to play a hound dog! The best thing was how this movie encourages adopting shelter dogs, yay! Paul, Apostle of Christ (2018) An intimate look at Paul and Luke and the very bad old days of Christianity in ancient Rome. Inspiring without being preachy, it was depicted more as a historical tale than an overly religious one. Reinforces that the power of good is the only thing capable of defeating evil. Constantine (2005) Changes many things from the comic book, specifically that John Constantine is no longer British or blonde, because he's being played by Keanu Reeves. This adaptation is fairly good though, it does drag a bit in places, but it has Tilda Swinton and Peter Stormare, who I always enjoy. Have a great movie week everyone!
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Post by mikef6 on Jan 12, 2020 16:47:57 GMT
mikef6 Saw Bell, Book & Candle way back, your review makes me want to revisit it. Had two siamese cats in our house growing up, Sammy, a seal-point siamese, and Carlyle, her annoying younger adopted brother who was a lilac-point siamese. 🐱🐱 My family has a history of siamese cats, too. When I met My Lovely Wife so long ago, she had a seal-point siamese mix (a husky body instead of the slender frame of the BB&C cats). Later, we got two blue-point siamese kittens, one each for our two guys to grow up with. Now that there is just the two of us again, we have come full circle earlier this year by adopting a seal-point siamese mix who greatly resembles that first cat we had together.
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Post by hitchcockthelegend on Jan 12, 2020 18:10:52 GMT
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Post by hi224 on Jan 13, 2020 0:38:53 GMT
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Post by RiP, IMDb on Jan 13, 2020 11:59:49 GMT
Kangaroo.
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Post by morrisondylanfan on Jan 13, 2020 17:56:23 GMT
Hi all,I hope everyone had a good weekend. Last week I revisited a 007 that was far better than when I saw it on the big screen in 2008. I also got invited by a friend to a showing due to them having cinema voucher. Walking to the car,I asked if anyone could remember one song from the film we had just seen 10 minutes ago,and no one could! Frozen 2:Let It Meh (2019) 4Unable to let things go,song writers Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez attempt to create another monster hit with the new 7 songs being modelled on Let It Go's tempo. With a clear focus on topping the charts, the effect is songs which come-off as sub-par carbon copies,as a basis on singing/describing a characters actions, rather their inner feelings, leading to interchangeable, utterly forgettable tunes. From the opening sweeping shot returning to Arendelle, returning co-writers/co-directors Chris Buck & Jennifer Lee unveil a backdrop with a impeccable attention to giving the backdrop animation a realistic shine, with the ripples from the rivers dotted across the screen,along with cold winds making leaves shake, and falling snowflakes covering the icy paths Elsa and Anna must take. Standing badly at odds with what is established in the opening shot, the directors contrast the grounded animation of the backdrop with a wide-eyed, rubbery design for the characters, whose contrasting appearance stops them blending into the world they are meant to inhabit. Bringing Elsa to the Enchanted Forest with a sirens call, the writers attempt to juggle a crowd-pleasing reunion, with a serious message, only to end up making a total mess. Going into what led to the creation of The Enchanted Forest, the writers bluntly use thinly-veil allegory to touch on the killing of Native Americans by European Settlers. Freezing in time a moment when a tribe leader was murdered, the writers distastefully shove aside their attempt at a message, for a ill-judged rush to feel-good fantasy,which wastes the potential offered from the mysterious siren a quick and easy fix, whilst stamping all over the plight of the Natives in order to put a Disney bow on a film which does not know where to go. Quantum of Solace (2008) 7 Revealed years later that the main draft of the script was completed just 2 hours before the US Writers Strike began, leading to the production unable to request re-writes, that ended up being done the director and the lead, who caused the movie to be more linked to Casino Royale than originally planned. The disjointed building in Michael G. Wilson and Paul Haggis screenplay, (who re-wrote the credited Neal Purvis and Robert Wade's first draft from scratch) actually benefits the film,thanks to it capturing the disjointed state of Bond, torn between a dour desire for revenge ignited by the death of his love, with a thrilling blood rush to dive head-first into a mission against the murky dealings of Dominic Greene,and Bond Girl Camille, who is kept tantalisingly ambiguous over who side she is on. Whilst the production issues were kept undercover in the script, they become visible in the action set-pieces, where co-writer/director Marc Forster and editors Matt Chesse and Richard Pearson piece Bond's fights together with a staple gun, clipping agitated half a second edits on grinding shaky cam. Taking a completely different approach to the non-Action majority of the film, Forster & cinematographer Roberto Schaefer eye a excellent jet-set Euro Spy atmosphere, stylishly gliding on reflective surfacing mirroring 007's espionage activities,cracking on the sun-kissed locations, dried up from Greene's vicious water business dealings. Opening a box which she finds contains info on assassinating her,Olga Kurylenko gives a terrific turn as Camille,whose Bond Girl glamour shines by punching into the fight scenes, which are rolled by Kurylenko with a lingering mistrust, whilst Mathieu Amalric gives a tasty, slippery take on boo-hiss baddie Greene. Injured three times on the set, Daniel Craig gives a wonderful, gritty performance in his second mission, with Craig recoiling Bond's thirst for revenge,which is threaded by Craig with a growing determination to make this mission a success on the cards. 1955 Noir duo: A Noir I stumbled on that I suspect hitchcockthelegend & mikef6 would enjoy. John Brahm's TV adaptation of Laura (1955)7. Full episode: Working with the director for the third time after the films The Lodger (1944) and Hangover Square (1945), George Sanders gives a delightful performance as Lydecker, who Sanders fills with a dry, dead-pan manner, topped by growing hints from Noir loner Lydecker that he is not showing all the colours he is painting with. Looking at her death mask portrait hanging from above,Dana Wynter gives a terrific turn as Laura, whose shock at learning that she was believed dead, Wynter balances with a calculating to appear relaxed on the outside in order to find out who wanted her dead. Given the rather challenging task of squeezing a 90 minute movie into a 43 minute TV version, the screenplay by Mel Dinelli wisely leans on the police procedure side of Noir over MacPherson attempting to uncover who the person who had believed that they had killed Laura, a belief which Dinelli uses to grate into Laura's despair over confronting her own death. Even when faced with the obstacle of this being live TV and the second ep in a series, director John Brahm hangs a refined Noir atmosphere on the walls, stylishly dissolving Laura's face to the death portrait haunting her, with Brahm tightly coiling wide shots to keep everyone imposed by the portrait of Laura's murder. Dementia (1955) 9 The lone output by un-credited writer/ director John Parker, (similar to the one-off feature directing of the Carnival of Souls team) Parker closely works with sound effects editor Michael Pozen in layering the complex, dialogue free soundtracks,keeping George Antheil's excellent, spike-driven Noir score descending the woman deeper into the nightmare, which is inter-spaced by Parker and Pozen with pops of disembodied laughs, shattered glass and screams springing out from this hellish unknown. Puncturing the mind-set of the woman with the discovery of a knife in a draw, director Parker & editor Joseph Gluck jab the viewer with outstanding match-cuts, shattering the sanity of the woman. Scrambling down the street as cops surround a dead man with her necklace in hand, Parker and cinematographer William C. Thompson (who later did Plan 9 From Outer Space!) magically weave surrealist Horror and a haunting Film Noir atmosphere, bending ultra-stylised close-ups on the face of the woman attempting to reconstruct her diced Noir memories,with nightmare, ultra-stylised high angles on faceless figures stretching their arms out from all she is trying to escape. Carving into the long troubled history of the unnamed woman, (a superb, walking on eggshells with fear Adrienne Barrett) Parker impressively separates the screen/sets in two,tracking the woman back to the parental abuse she suffered, then pushing her memories into the present. Italian trash duo: Nightmare City (1980)5 Stating in a interview on the DVD that he hated the script and was having constant rows with the producers over their demands for more "Zombie looking" baddies, the distaste director Umberto Lenzi had for the film bites down hard on the screen, as Lenzi's distinctive rapid-fire whip-pans plunge the viewer into burning red gore-dripping zombies (or as Lenzi demanded they were called "Contaminated People") Drive-In munching on naked fitties, but instead of panning towards a pulpy atmosphere, Lenzi pulls to stilted wide-shots on the sparsely dressed sets and stubborn close-ups on the poor burn marks-style zombie make up. Nibbling at potential thanks to the writers giving hints the zombies are able to plan attacks and use weapons, the 3 writers (!) utterly wastes it all with a stop-start process which never allows the film to fully explore the cunning mind-set of the zombies, in order to push the humans whose on the run adventure hits a dead end as none of the relationships are built on in the nightmare city. Proibito erotico (1978) 4 Appearing to separate the over 20 sketches in this 66 minute film between themselves, co-directors Luigi Batzella & Derek Ford fails to bond at any time, with smut merchant Ford making making his mark clear in saucy outdoor Sex Comedy cheeky antics, whilst Batzella unzips avant-garde dance numbers erotica, standing at odds with Ford's proceeding sketches, and with some sketches being given just 2 minutes to play out, no room for the gags or frolics to be fleshed out. Having shown with the fun Lady Frankenstein (1971-also reviewed) that he can come up with a sizzling plot for the Grindhouse, here the screenplay by Dick Randall comes across as aimless, due to attempts to build a romance plot for the budding daydreamer, being prohibited by the need for random sketch inserts.
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Post by morrisondylanfan on Jan 15, 2020 1:00:41 GMT
Well here is my latest!: J.K. Rowling territory again, and they mention Hogwarth and Dumbledore, and maybe a start of another 5 or 6 movies. Not sure if Eddie Redmayne is charismatic enough to carry this movie serial through, since he was a bore in this one. Whales are big, but they are certainly not as big as shown on this poster. The story behind the story that made Melville's Moby Dick famous, though it took decades to make it famous. It's actually a good movie that is worth watching, tall tale or not, with great characters. It flopped in USA and most of Europa, but was a huge hit in Russia, Italy and Thailand, that nearly covered the losses.
A terrific summing up for Heart of the Sea,Tel. The main thing I heard about when it came out was how the movie was caught between the finally Hunger Games and the new SW coming out,which led to it sinking. Catching up with it in 2017,I found the movie to be a very good Adventure Drama. Racing down from the race tracks of Rush with the same lead actor and cameraman,director Ron Howard & cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle ride the wave of "Golden Age" Hollywood epics, where sweeping crane shots over the beautiful Canary Islands and very well done earthy CGI make the ocean go as far across the screen as the eye can see.Harpooning the crew into the depths of the sea,Howard washes the bright blockbuster blue away for over saturated burning yellows and blood reds dehydrating any memory of adventure from the crew. Altering the fascinating real story behind Nickerson's autobiography (he wrote it in 1876,and it remained lost until 1960!) the screenplay by Charles Leavitt/ Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver brings to shore the friction Chase and Pollard over who should be the captain,whilst the crew keep their eyes on the task at hand. Carving out the boys own Adventure into incredibly dark themes that include suicide,the writers give the months lost at sea a real weight,where the dialogue,and the life drain out of the survivors. Reuniting with Howard, Chris Hemsworth gives Chase a salty gravitas,which Hemsworth uses as a uniting glue among the others. Following orders from Benjamin Walker's slick Pollard, Tom Holland wonderfully grinds down the wide-eyed innocence of young Nickerson,as he enters the belly of the beast. Bit of trivia: Fantastic Beasts 1 was the first IMAX I saw. Even though me and a pal were slightly drunk when we went to a late showing, I was really taken by the Steampunk look of it. On a repeat viewing at home,I've still found Redmayne to be the most uninteresting cast member.
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