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Post by mikef6 on Dec 23, 2018 2:09:39 GMT
Sorry To Bother You / Boots Riley (2008). Playwright George S. Kaufman once famously said, “Satire is what closes on Saturday.” Well, I’m not sure how universally true that is, but satire is notoriously hard to do well. Movies, though, have been successful, especially when the satire comes from the dark side. Case in point is this fall down funny fantasy picture of society in the near future. Cassius Green (Lakeith Stanfield) needs a job so interviews with a telemarketing company who will hire anyone. He is told that if he succeeds he may get a promotion to Power Caller and get to work upstairs via a private elevator. He doesn’t do well until advised by fellow caller Langston (Danny Glover) that he needs to use a “white voice” over the phone (the high-pitched reedy “white voices” are provided by comedy actors like David Cross and Patton Oswalt). Cassius becomes one the highest selling callers in the world, earning his promotion where he finds out what is really going on with this company. I sort of think that I “discovered” Lakeith Stanfield during his film debut in the indie drama “Short Term 12” (2013). He really stood out strongly in that ensemble cast. Tessa Thompson as Detroit, Cassius’ girlfriend continues to build on the promise she showed in “Creed” (2015). Armie Hammer plays the evil billionaire behind the dastardly schemes of the telemarketing company. I genuinely laughed out loud during the entire movie. Highly recommended. 
"Playwright George S. Kaufman once famously said, “Satire is what closes on Saturday.”
I like this quote you quoted. I might have to quote it too one day.  Be my guest. You won't even have to pay a royalty.  |
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Post by hitchcockthelegend on Dec 23, 2018 2:38:36 GMT
Thanks for returning delon ! Most of it is Christmasy  2003? Was it really that long ago? Love it!  The Muppets and Michael Caine? Well somehow it works out very well, I could have done without the forgettable songs though  A local chanel digged this one out, and it's actually still a bit fun.  More of the same, more action and a bit lesser humour, but still enjoyable  With these actors and actresses, it's a pure joy  Love, sadness, loneliness, and Wilder's acid touch. Maclaine is such a darling in this movie  A Bit static at times, but who cares, seeing Bogart in a comedy is a joy, and after all the bad guy is Basil Bathbone!  Hectic Yuletide farce, funny and touching at the same time.  Powell and Loy, a match made in heaven, at least movie wise. They solve a crime too by the way.  Well that was all this week!
I absolutely love Love Actually, it gets a lot of kicks in some quarters, but a lot of its narrative resonates with me for various reasons, plus it's very funny if you happen to be in a warm/wine influenced state. Favourite strand is the Colin Firth story.
God only knows what I'd be without you.
London, England, and it's the run up to Christmas, and we are in the company of a number of couples dealing with the joys and problems that love can bring.
We open with a narration from Hugh Grant who tells us that when he is troubled by the hate in the world, he thinks of the arrivals area of Heathrow airport. A place where loved ones greet returning loved ones, a place that indeed showcases a strand of love in its joyous form. He further ventures that when the aeroplanes hit the twin towers on 9/11, as far as he knows, all those phone calls from those sadly involved were messages of love, not hate. Pertinent musings that although somewhat sombre for an opening, sets it up nicely for what Richard Curtis (writer and director) wants to say.
A roll call of fine British and Irish actors, and American Laura Linney, lend their considerable talents to Curtis' ensemble piece. The structure is surprisingly simple considering the number of stories being woven together, the result being that there is sure to be a story in there to either love, or, yes, even hate. Is it sentimental? Of course. Is it as stuffed as a turkey on Xmas day? Naturally. Does it stretch credibility in some strands? For sure. But only the coldest of hearts could truly decry that Love Actually is all around. Very often it's funny too. Curtis, following on from writing credits such as Four Weddings And A Funeral, continues to show himself to be a very fine writer of comedy. None more so than with Bill Nighy's past his sell by date pop star, Billy Mack. There's something for everyone in here, indeed there's likely to be something that many can associate with.
It's a lovely affecting film that should hopefully perk up those that get blue around the holiday season. With perceptive writing, some excellent acting (Nighy, Emma Thomson, Colin Firth et al) and a soundtrack of some worth, Love Actually is a winner. 8/10
I am under orders to watch Muppets/Carol for the first time this year 
Trading Places is smart and funny.
The Prince and the Pauper with Eddie & Dan on sparkling form.
Mortimer & Randolph Duke are two repugnantly rich brothers, they make a bet that sees the role reversal of top toff yuppie, Louis Winthorpe, and wise cracking street hustler bum, Billy Ray Valentine. That's about the strength of the films plot, yet it makes for a very funny film that crackles with glee due to it's excellently written script. Watching the respective characters rise and fall respectively creates laughs aplenty whilst asking the question of how we all would cope in similar circumstances?
Sure the film does beat one over the head with its social message, we are in no doubt from the off about the gap between the rich and the poor, and yes the colour of a persons skin also rears its ugly head here to make this one of the more braver comedies of the 80s. Billy Ray Valentine (a brilliant dual performance from Eddie Murphy) is elevated up the social ladder, he becomes a force in industry, but as the progression enthrals him it also makes him aware that the things at the top end of the ladder aren't exactly stand up doings. Winthorpe (a perfectly casted Dan Ackroyd) drops further down the social ladder and resorts to behaviour that nobody from the upper echelons could ever have dreamed he would be capable of - it's only an encounter with prostitute Ophelia (Jamie Lee Curtis at the peak of her sexiness), and her good heart, that starts to see an upturn in his now dead bottom fortunes.
The gags come thick and fast, both verbally (Murphy on fire) and visually, as the film sees the whole cast fusing together to create a cracking comedy. Come the denouement on Wall Street we are privy to a joyous and savage turn of events that ice the clever Christmas cake we have just digested. It does have an 80s sheen about it, and viewing now in post 9/11 times it's got a tint of nostalgia value to it, but really it's all about the script, the stars and a kick in the eye for those who think nothing of treading on the people below them, enjoy. 8/10
We're No Angels. Yes I would agree it's a bit static at times, normally when Aldo Ray is about! Tis good fun though.
Who says Bogart couldn't do comedy?
Joseph, Julius and Albert have escaped from Devil's island, whilst waiting for a ship to take them away, they plot to steal from the amiable Ducotel family. They bluff store owner Felix into letting them repair his roof, from here they plan to execute their robbery, but the more that the escapees observe this family, the more they find humane personas coming from within.
Humphrey Bogart, Aldo Ray and Peter Ustinov take up the task of playing our villains who find hearts, where backed up with witty dialogue amongst the very tidily scripted piece, the result is a hugely enjoyable picture for all the family to enjoy. The film mostly works because of the interplay between Ustinov & Bogart, Ustinov's Jules is a softly spoken gentile sort of man and this oddly works well against Bogart's Joseph who is gruff and oozing toughness, this of course sets us up for some delightful scenes that leave a lasting impression. Witness Bogart in a pink apron!
Aldo Ray, perhaps not unsurprisingly, seems a touch out of place and looks swamped by the acting talent either side of him, but he does what is needed and his characters' pet snake, Adolphe, is the crucial meat in this films sandwich. Sadly Basil Rathbone is wasted by being reduced to what amounts to little more than a walk on villain part, but a great bonus is Leo G. Carroll as the hapless Felix Ducotel, charmingly oblivious to what is around him, Carroll gets the audience on board with a smashingly effective turn.
Perhaps viewed as a Christmas movie by many, it is however a film that can be watched at anytime of the year, a testament to what a good script can do for comedy. We're No Angels is never less than fun, and of course its backed up by a few highly watchable performances. 7/10
The Thin Man is class.
Waiter, will you serve the nuts? ... I mean, will you serve the guests the nuts?
The Thin Man is directed by W. S. Van Dyke and co-written by Albert Hackett and Frances Goodrich. It is based on the Dashiell Hammett novel of the same name. Starring are William Powell and Myrna Loy, with support coming from Maureen O'Sullivan, Nat Pendleton, Minna Gombell, Porter Hall and Skippy as Astra the dog. William Axt scores the music and James Wong Howe is the cinematographer.
Plot finds Powell and Loy as married couple, Nick and Nora Charles, he is a retired detective, she a good time heiress. Planning to finally settle down, their life is upturned when Nick is called back into detective work due to a friend's disappearance and the possibility he was also involved in a murder. Murder, malarkey and mirth are about to become the order of the day.
It was the big surprise hit of 1934. Afforded only a tiny budget because studio head honcho Louis B. Mayer thought it was dud material, and he ordered for it to be completed in under three weeks time! Film made stars out of Powell and Loy and coined an impressive $2 million at the box office. Also birthing a franchise (5 film sequels and a radio and television series would follow), it's a film that has irresistible charm leaping out from every frame. It's easy to see even now why a mid 1930's audience could take so warmly to such an appealing motion picture.
From the off the film was in good hands, Dyke (One-Take Woody as he was sometimes known) was an unfussy director with a keen eye for pacing and casting, both of which are things that shine through in this production. There's also considerable talent in the writing, both in the source material and with the script writers. Hammett based his witty bantering couple on himself and his relationship with playwright Lillian Hellman, this was ideal material for Hackett and Goodrich, themselves a happily married couple fondly thought of in the cut and thrust world of Hollywood. As a couple they would go on to write It's a Wonderful Life for Frank Capra and win the Pulitzer Prize for their play The Diary of Anne Frank.
It stands out as a film of note because it successfully marries a murder mystery story with a screwball comedy spin, this was something new and exciting. While the believable relationship between Powell and Loy was also a breath of fresh air - a married couple deeply in love, devoted, funny, boozey and bouncing off of each other with witty repartee. It can never be overstated just how good Powell and Loy are here, true enough they are given an absolutely zinging script to work from, but the level of comedy, both in visual ticks and delivery of lines, is extraordinarily high.
Small budget and a small shoot, but everything else about The Thin Man is big. Big laughs, big mystery and big love, all bundled up into a joyous bit of classic cinema. 9/10
What a grand week of viewings you had. |
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Post by claudius on Dec 23, 2018 3:04:55 GMT
And now as we reach the final week before Christmas, I move toward the greater essentials that I usually view towards the end. A good majority of them are MGM films (A TALE OF TWO CITIES, THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, PEACE ON EARTH, THE PEACHY COBBLER, MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS, BEN-HUR), which I first viewed on TNT or TBS (Baryshnikov’s THE NUTCRACKER was once an MGM/UA release, joining BEN-HUR and ST. LOUIS among MGM/UA’s first releases on VHS). And there are three more MGM films coming up next week. Time for me to bring out Eames' THE MGM STORY coffeetable book and let's have an MGM Christmas!
SIR ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE’S SHERLOCK HOLMES (1968) “The Sign of Four” 50TH ANNIVERSARY I return to the penultimate episode of the BBC TV Series starring Peter Cushing and Nigel Stock. A& E Video DVD
DARK SHADOWS (1968) 50TH ANNIVERSARY The first appearance of David Selby’s Quentin and the departure of Victoria Winters. MPI Video DVD.
CHARMED (1998) “The Witch is Back!” 20TH ANNIVERSARY The return of a 17th century warlock forces the sisters to summon their founder Melinda Warren. This was the first ever episode I saw, back in its original broadcast. Although the ending hints to a return appearance, it never happened. Paramount DVD.
MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM WING (1995) “Go Forth Gundam Team!”, “Signs of the Final Battle!”, “Milliardo’s Decision”,”Collison in Space”, “Takeoff into Confusion”, “The Final Victor” The final six episodes of the Gundam series that helped awaken Anime interest in the turn-of-the-century. The conclusion series ENDLESS WALTZ states the events of these episodes happened on Christmas Eve, so since 2001 I have been watching them in the six-or-seven days before Christmas Eve. Bandai DVD.
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE (1978) ‘Elliott Gould/Peter Tosh (and Mick Jaggers)” 40TH ANNIVERSARY. The fourth season Christmas episode with previous host Gould and comedy duo Bob Elliot (father and Grandfather to future SNL’S Chris and Abby) and Ray Goulding. The highlight of this episode is a ‘Mommie Dearest’ sketch, where Joan Crawford (Jane Curtin) plays host to a Christmas get together with her daughter Christina (Gilda Radner) who receives the full brunt of her mood swings, assaults, and Christmas presents of liver and other dinner she found inedible. Guests include Dan Akroyd’s Clark Gable, Bill Murray’s Cary Grant, and Laraine Newman’s Kathrine Hepburn (whom Joan snaps about being alone while Spencer is spending Christmas with “Mrs. Tracy and his REAL Family”). Apart from lover Gable, I don’t recall Joan having any association with Kate or Cary. Universal DVD
A TALE OF TWO CITIES (1935) A self-destructive lawyer makes the ultimate sacrifice during the French Revolution. David O. Selznick’s follow-up to his Dickens hit David Copperfield, returning Edna Mae Oliver, Elizabeth Allan, and Basil Rathbone with Ronald Colman, Blanche Yurka, Henry B. Walthall, Claude Gillingwater, and Isabel Jewell. This film was released in December 1935, with the addition of a Christmas sequence where certain plot points are progressed (Sidney Carton’s nobility, the secret of Charles Darnay). “Adeste Fideles” is used as a theme for Carton’s character arc. From my experience, it was certainly not the film to watch while under a ‘Day after Christmas’ depression (with its reminder of something now over with), so I decided to watch it before Christmas. Warner DVD.
SMALL ONE (1978) 40TH ANNIVERSARY The late 1970s gave a bunch of animated specials concerning a put-upon donkey who eventually gets Mary and Joseph to Bethelehem (THE LITTLE BURRO and NESTOR THE CHRISTMAS DONKEY are the others). This Disney Theatrical short was probably Don Bluth’s biggest work for the studio (before he quit over creative differences) as well as an early work for Richard Rich (who would end up producing a series of Biblical animated shorts). This comes from a 1982 Disney VHS that has the original unedited print (the original “We even cheat a little if we much” lyric from ‘The Merchants’ Song’ is intact). It also includes WINTER, a 1930 Silly Symphonies short, a clip from THE THREE CABELLEROS (The ‘Las Posados’ segment), and a promo trailer for Disney films on video.
FRIENDS (1998) “The One With the Inappropriate Sister.” 20TH ANNIVERSARY Netflix.
ER (1997) “Do You See What I See?” From the 4th season, with Mark Greene trying to confront his beating trauma, Kerry Weaver finds romance, Doug and Carol become engaged, and Carter’s grandmother visits Carol’s clinic. Always liked this Christmas episode, especially the scene when Gloria Reuben’s Jeannie Boulet persuades an AIDS patient in denial, and the ‘Do You See What I See’ montage. Warner DVD.
A CHRISTMAS CAROL (1984) A rewatch of the George C. Scott version, usually on its premiere day of December 17. FoxVideo DVD.
GOOD CHEER (1924) An Our Gang Short as the spirit of Santa Claus helps the poor and orphaned Gang learn that he does exist. Saw the ending back in 2011 when TCM had a marathon of Our Gang shorts.
JANE EYRE (1983) “Episode Eleven” 35TH ANNIVERSARY The conclusion. Warner/BBC Video DVD
EDWARD AND MRS. SIMPSON (1978) “The Abdication” 40TH ANNIVERSARY The conclusion. A & E Video
MISTER MAGOO’S CHRISTMAS CAROL (1962) Some would view this as the best musical version of the novel, with songs by Jule Styne and Bob Merrill. I usually watch this when I ornament the tree. Media DVD.
SANTA’S WORKSHOP (1932) and THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS (1933) Two Disney Silly Symphonies. The two shorts appear to be reissues, with a different Disney opening. Despite that, these shorts are uncut featuring several racist portraits (a black doll crying Mammy!, a child getting blackface from fallen soot). Viewed via the VHS short collection A WALT DISNEY CHRISTMAS (1981), itself reissued for a 1990 VHS re-release.
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE (1979) Ted Knight/Desmond’s Child and Rouge. The last Christmas episode of the original cast (well, as original minus Dan Akroyd and John Belushi), not to mention the last SNL episode of the 1970s. The highlight of this episode is the controversial ‘Nerds Nativity’ sketch (Todd and Lisa- referred to as physically correct for the part- playing the Holy Family for a School pageant) which almost didn’t get aired that night. There is also a running gag of promos featuring Gary Coleman in everything.
MICKEY’S CHRISTMAS CAROL (1983) 35TH ANNIVERSARY. My first experience with Charles Dickens’ oft-told Ghost story. The first major features for Wayne Allwine’s Mickey Mouse, Alan Young’s Scrooge McDuck, and the last for Clarence Nash’s Donald Duck. Viewed on a VHS recording of its Television premiere broadcast on NBC. Commercials include a scary promo for Pinnochio’s 1984 re-release, Rainbow Brite (with Wizard of Oz music), the promo for the Jane Seymour-Hart Bochner THE SUN ALSO RISES, and a family commercial of my local painting company Brendell (back when it was a family of six).
BOX OF DELIGHTS (1984) Episode 5 “Beware of Yesterday” Learning the origins of the Box and Abner Brown’s plans, Kay tries to return the gift to its original owner, the time-lost Arnold of Todi. Failing that big time, Kay undergoes rescuing his loved ones himself. He ends up in a situation without the box, and only treachery can free him!
MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000 (1991) “Santa Claus Conquers the Martians” One of my favorite episodes (“A Patrick Swayze Christmas” Song), having first viewed it in 1992. Rhino DVD.
MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS (1944) Nuff Said. Warner Blu-Ray.
THE PEACHY COBBLER (1950) Tex Avery’s take on the Elves and the Shoemaker. Bootleg DVD.
MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM WING ENDLESS WALTZ (1997) “Falling Stars” & “Operation Meteor.” The first two parts of the final Wing series. Set on Christmas Eve a year after the events of the previous series. First saw this on Cartoon Network in December 2000. Bandai DVD.
The following are from a 1981 VHS:
- Journey Back to Oz (1974) Dorothy (voice of Liza Minelli) returns to the land of Oz, getting new friends (Paul Lynde’s Pumpkinhead and Herschel Bernardi’s Woodenhead), reuniting with old (Mickey Rooney’s Scarecrow, Larry Storch’s Tin Man and Milton Berle’s Lion) and facing new enemies (Ethel Merman’s Mombi) in an adaptation of Marvelous Land of Oz (without Tip/Ozma, Jinjur, the Powder of Life, etc.). This production by Filmation had something of a Thief and the Cobbler-esque shelf- life. Filmation producers Hal Sutherland and Lou Schiemer kept putting the production (starting in the mid-1960s) on hold due to financial problems, always waiting for money to continue and finish it. It was not a success in theaters but found new life under the SFM Holiday Network program, which made the film a popular holiday broadcast since the late 1970s; one of those broadcasts, on November 29, 1981, had been recorded on VHS. This TV version added Christmas-themed/live-action sequences of Bill Cosby as the Wizard playing Greek chorus to the proceedings. Commercials in this broadcast includes a JC Penneys’ clothing promo (with a young Carey Lowell), several Ore Ida French Fries advertisements (one a Rich Little gallery of impersonations of John Wayne, Paul Lynde, Jimmy Durante, Boris Karloff, and Humphrey Bogart, the other concerning a live-action Lois Lane making fries for an animated Superman) and an SFM Holiday Network promo for El Cid (1961), which was my introduction to that movie.
-Meet The Smurfs (1981) In view of its recent success as a Saturday Morning cartoon, NBC gave a prime-time showing of several episodes: “SuperSmurf,” “The Smurfette” (an early episode, noted by Frank Welker still not quite getting the hang of voicing Hefty Smurf), and “The Baby Smurf” (No, not the debut of that character. That will happen two seasons later). This special features the original intro with a narrator (not the syndicated intro that includes footage from The Smurfic Games special in 1984) but ends with a preview of scenes, climaxing with a freeze frame of a terror-stricken Smurf facing a tidal wave as the credits roll. This special too was broadcast the night of November 29, 1981. Commercials include promos for Little House on the Prairie, Chips, The Facts of Life, short-lived items like The Regis Philbin Show, James Garner’s Bret Maverick, and Tony Randall’s Love Sidney, as well as the Robert Blake-Randy Quaid version Of Mice and Men, which broadcast that night.
-Rudolph’s Shiny New Year (1976) Rankin-Bass first sequel of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer returning Billie Richards and songwriter Johnny Marks with the voices of Red Skeleton, Morey Amsterdam, Paul Frees, Hal Peary and Frank Gorshin. This comes from a VHS recording of an ABC broadcast in December 10, 1981 (more uncut than the Freeform/ABC Family Channel broadcasts, although Gorshin’s Sir Ten-to-One’s “It’s hopeless!” is deleted). Commercials include promos for Perry Como’s French-Canadian Christmas, Benson and the short-lived Bosom Buddies, It’s a Living, and Critic’s Choice.
DRAGON BALL (1988) “Another Fierce Fight! Goku VS Tenshinhan!” 30TH ANNIVERSARY The end of the Yamucha VS Shen match, and then the rematch between Tenshinhan and Goku. Funimation DVD.
PEACE OF EARTH (1939) Hugh Harmon’s anti-war animated short about an old squirrel telling the young ‘uns about the extinction of man. Back when TNT and TBS used to broadcast Turner Entertainment’s ownership of the MGM animated shorts, PoE was among them (I think my first experience with the short was a TBS Tom & Jerry Christmas special that showed their Night Before Christmas short along with other Christmas-themed shorts). Something that won’t happen again. Warner DVD.
BEN-HUR (1959) Nuff said about this film, which I first viewed around Christmas and will continue to do so. Warner DVD.
The following came from VHS recording from December 1984:
- THE RACCOONS CHRISTMAS (1980) Kevin Gillis animated special (with the voices of Rita Coolidge, Leo Sayer, and Rupert Holmes) that led to several more specials and an animated series THE RACCOONS. NBC Broadcast, rather edited.
-The CBS Network television premiere of THE GREAT MUPPET CAPER (1981). A lot of Christmas-themed-commercials (A Hardees commercial advertising plush toys of the MICKEY’S CHRISTMAS CAROL cast, even though the special came on NBC, a promo to the George C. Scott A CHRISTMAS CAROL premiere, etc.)
- YOGI’S ALL-STAR CHRISTMAS CAPER (1982) the third and final Holiday special involving the Hanna-Barbera stable that follows CASPER’S FIRST CHRISTMAS and YOGI’S FIRST CHRISTMAS). To me, this special cemented my view of Yogi and Ranger Smith as best friends underneath their battle of wits. CBS Broadcast.
-MUPPET BABIES (1984) “Gonzo’s Picture Show.” CBS Broadcast.
THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS (1940) This one is Tom & Jerry’s third short. Warner DVD.
I also watched clips from A CHRISTMAS CAROL: THE MOVIE (2003 MGM/UA DVD) and SANTA CLAUS THE MOVIE (1985 Anchor Bay DVD)
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Post by Deleted on Dec 23, 2018 5:42:18 GMT
The Haunting (1963)
One of the best horror films of all time. Still scary.
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Post by Lebowskidoo 🦞 on Dec 23, 2018 11:49:45 GMT
Thanks for returning delon ! Most of it is Christmasy 2003? Was it really that long ago? Love it! The Muppets and Michael Caine? Well somehow it works out very well, I could have done without the forgettable songs though A local chanel digged this one out, and it's actually still a bit fun. More of the same, more action and a bit lesser humour, but still enjoyable With these actors and actresses, it's a pure joy Love, sadness, loneliness, and Wilder's acid touch. Maclaine is such a darling in this movie A Bit static at times, but who cares, seeing Bogart in a comedy is a joy, and after all the bad guy is Basil Bathbone! Hectic Yuletide farce, funny and touching at the same time. Powell and Loy, a match made in heaven, at least movie wise. They solve a crime too by the way. Well that was all this week! Well, someone had an awesome movie week! I think I love every movie on your list. Is it weird that the The Muppet Christmas Carol is becoming one of the more iconic versions? At least to me it is. I watched every single entry of The Thin Man movie series around this time last year, I think it was New Year's Eve. So much fun, William Powell and Myrna Loy can't be beat! I started watching We're No Angels on YouTube last year, but had to stop because there was a chapter missing. I hope to finally see it this year. Romancing the Stone is one of my personal favorite movies from the 80's. It seemed like an instant classic to me, I could see Bogey and Bacall doing this movie. The Apartment and Trading Places are both very Christmasy, good choices. |
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Post by Lebowskidoo 🦞 on Dec 23, 2018 12:50:01 GMT
I started out where Mickey Mouse started out, in black and white cartoon shorts! In Plane Crazy (1928) Mickey is sexually aggressive with Minnie in an airplane, so not politically correct for our modern times.    In The Karnival Kid (1929) Mickey is selling hot dogs at a carnival is Minnie appears to be a stripper! My, how these two have cleaned up their acts over the years!   In The Grocery Boy (1932) Minnie plays fast and loose with Mickey's emotions. Who knew they had such a volatile relationship in the beginning?   In Barnyard Olympics (1932) Mickey tries to defeat Pete, who cheats at every turn. Minnie offers support from the stands. I think I prefer the episodes where there is more Mickey/Minnie relationship drama.   In The Pet Store (1933) Mickey is running a pet store and Minnie shows up to dance. This is a sweet episode, seems like their relationship solidifies itself somewhat here.   In Gulliver Mickey (1934) Mickey tells his nephews about the time he was shipwrecked on an island of little people. Pete plays the giant spider. The whole Mickey/Minnie thing takes a backseat this time.   I had insomnia one morning so I got up and watched No Sleep 'Til Christmas (2018), one of a billion cutesy Christmas TV movies, about two insomniacs who fall in love at Christmas. It was enjoyable enough, and did not put me to sleep!  Gambit (2012), a remake of the Michael Caine/Shirley MacLaine caper movie, although slightly different. Colin Firth and Cameron Diaz try their best, but it's rather lacking. It looks like it would work, but something is missing. There is one great laugh in there though. The late great Alan Rickman is here too, and it wouldn't be Christmas without seeing him, usually in Die Hard or Love Actually. Also, the only non-Christmasy movie I saw all week.  With Secret Santa (2018), my Christmas viewing took a dark turn. Someone spikes the punch of a family Christmas with a military grade version of sodium pentothal, and things get bloody after that! A crazy Christmas horror movie, with some laughs thrown in.  Better Watch Out (2016) is a twisty Christmas horror thriller that begins as one movie but takes a turn I wasn't expecting. A babysitter and the young boy she's babysitting for are being stalked by someone outside the house. Don't go into this one for any feel-good vibes!  Red Christmas (2016) may well be the darkest premise ever for a Christmas horror movie: an aborted baby survives and returns twenty years later to kill his siblings at their Christmas Day dinner. Maybe not one for the whole family to enjoy together, just saying.  Getting back to a more wholesome Christmas movie, I watched A Bad Moms Christmas (2017), which is actually a raunchy Christmas-themed sequel to Bad Moms (2016). There's a few laughs to be had and plenty going on to maintain interest.  The Christmas Chronicles (2018) stars Kurt Russell as Santa, which sounds odd at first, but the man is so charming in the role you find yourself completely sucked in. It's a sweet story really, told in a way that everyone can enjoy it. I knew I was in good hands when I saw that Chris Columbus produced it, the man who gave us such Christmas favorites as the first two Home Alone and Harry Potter movies, plus Gremlins.   |
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Post by hitchcockthelegend on Dec 24, 2018 0:35:42 GMT
Out Of The Past / Jacques Tourneur (1947). RKO Radio Pictures. “She can’t be all bad. No one is.” “She comes closest.” Maybe she does. “She” is Kathy Moffat (Jane Greer), one of the most fatale of femme fatales. I have wanted to revisit this classic noir for a long time and am glad I finally got to it. Kathy draws the formally honest private eye, Jeff Bailey (Robert Mitchum) into her web causing him to cross mobster Whit Sterling (Kirk Douglas). This famous film noir never ceases to amaze. The story is complicated almost to silliness, but not quite. There are plots within plots. Robert Mitchum had played supporting and second lead in a number of movies leading up to “Out Of The Past” but here he earns his Leading Man badge. Kirk Douglas, too, is early in his career but already starting to dazzle. But the takeaway here is Jane Greer – mysterious, sexy, a great liar and murderer. It is her career performance. She and Mitchum would be reunited two years later in “The Big Steal” (1949, directed by Don Siegel) but this later crime film is quite light-hearted and tongue-in-cheek - at times downright funny. Mitchum and Greer make a fine couple of quipsters. Their banter will keep a smile on your face. No way this is noir. A far cry from “Out Of The Past.”   Drive A Crooked Road / Richard Quine (1954). Columbia. Eddie Shannon (Mickey Rooney) is a lonely guy living in one room in a boarding house. His only friends are the guys at work. He doesn’t have much confidence in himself. Why? He’s short. He’s a little guy. One of his co-workers has nicknamed him “Shorty” which gets to him but he doesn’t say anything. The one thing he IS good at is being an ace auto mechanic and race car driver who dreams of going to Europe to race in the French Grand Prix. This makes him the perfect patsy for two guys, played by Kevin McCarthy and Jack Kelly, who need a driver for their heist. To recruit him, they send McCarthy’s girlfriend to flirt with him, make him think a woman is actually in love with him, then reel him in. Cruel but effective. Rooney is more than excellent in this, allowing his slight stature to be a major plot point and often being in the same shot with the much taller McCarthy and Kelly for comparison. The femme who tempts Eddie into crime is played by Dianne Foster. She is especially good late in the film when she starts to regret what she is doing to Eddie. This was the last in a three picture contract with Columbia for Rooney (Sound Off and All Ashore were the other two) and he really showcases his dramatic talent. The picture was a modest success at the box office. The screenplay is by Blake Edwards, based on someone else’s story. Edwards, who went on to direct such films as “Breakfast At Tiffany’s,” “Day’s Of Wine And Roses, directed the second unit director for the first time in this film.  Julius Caesar. BBC Play Of The Month Season 4, Episode 8 April 13, 1969. Friends! Romans! Countrymen! This slightly abbreviated production of Shakespeare’s Roman play was presented in color, something fairly new to U.K. tele at the time. It is a rather straight forward telling with Edward Woodward (The Wicker Man) leading the acting honors as the lean and hungry Cassius. Frank Finlay (Iago in the 1965 film of Othello with Laurence Olivier) is Brutus and Robert Stephens is Antony. Your best choice for JC on video remains the 1953 Joseph L. Mankiewicz directed film with Marlon Brando. Edward Woodward and Frank Finlay  Sorry To Bother You / Boots Riley (2008). Playwright George S. Kaufman once famously said, “Satire is what closes on Saturday.” Well, I’m not sure how universally true that is, but satire is notoriously hard to do well. Movies, though, have been successful, especially when the satire comes from the dark side. Case in point is this fall down funny fantasy picture of society in the near future. Cassius Green (Lakeith Stanfield) needs a job so interviews with a telemarketing company who will hire anyone. He is told that if he succeeds he may get a promotion to Power Caller and get to work upstairs via a private elevator. He doesn’t do well until advised by fellow caller Langston (Danny Glover) that he needs to use a “white voice” over the phone (the high-pitched reedy “white voices” are provided by comedy actors like David Cross and Patton Oswalt). Cassius becomes one the highest selling callers in the world, earning his promotion where he finds out what is really going on with this company. I sort of think that I “discovered” Lakeith Stanfield during his film debut in the indie drama “Short Term 12” (2013). He really stood out strongly in that ensemble cast. Tessa Thompson as Detroit, Cassius’ girlfriend continues to build on the promise she showed in “Creed” (2015). Armie Hammer plays the evil billionaire behind the dastardly schemes of the telemarketing company. I genuinely laughed out loud during the entire movie. Highly recommended.
Drive A Crooked Road. Have to agree about Rooney's performance, very understated and one of the reasons the pic doesn't fall below average. Of his serious roles I much prefer him in Quicksand where he plays another auto-mechanic! and The Last Mile, the latter of which is a truly great prison noir.
But I do have issues with Drive a Crooked Road >
Short in stature and short on confidence.
Drive a Crooked Road is directed by Richard Quine who also co-adapts the screenplay with Blake Edwards from a story by James Benson Nablo. It stars Mickey Rooney, Dianne Foster, Kevin McCarthy and Jack Kelly. Music is by Ross DiMaggio and cinematography by Charles Lawton Jr.
Car mechanic and race car driver Eddie Shannon (Rooney) is surprised when beautiful Barbara Mathews (Foster) shows interest in him. Normally the butt of jokes at work and uncomfortable around women, Eddie falls for Barbara's charms big time. Is it too good to be true? You bet it is...
Frustrating! Neatly performed by the principal performers and featuring classic noir characters, yet it's a picture not being all that it can be.
The pace is borderline laborious as characterisations are formed and film's central plot device unravels for the first two thirds of the piece. That the acting is so strong keeps us interested, Rooney, in a performance he was very fond of, tugs the heart strings with a beautifully understated performance as the dupe falling into a world that is alien to him. Foster as the femme fatale is sexy and sultry and utterly convincing in the way she lures Eddie into the web. That web is being spun by McCarthy's suave and sly Steve Norris, who backed up by the witty and edgy William McIntyre (Kelly), has plans afoot to break more than just the Palm Springs Bank.
It's very good characterisations, undeniably, but visually the film is flat. Oh the L.A. locations used are nice to look at, but the all round sunny days feel to the surroundings never sits comfortably with the human dynamics. Then there is the problem of the "big pay off" for the last third. All things are in place for some excitement but the makers fail to deliver, the action sequences are brief and only adequately constructed. While although the closing scene carries enough of a sting to lift the production out of the mundane, this is just watchable fare without being essential for the film noir enthusiast. 6/10
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Post by hitchcockthelegend on Dec 24, 2018 0:51:35 GMT
A CHRISTMAS CAROL (1984) A rewatch of the George C. Scott version, usually on its premiere day of December 17. FoxVideo DVD. MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS (1944) Nuff Said. Warner Blu-Ray. BEN-HUR (1959) Nuff said about this film, which I first viewed around Christmas and will continue to do so. Warner DVD. A CHRISTMAS CAROL (1984) A rewatch of the George C. Scott version, usually on its premiere day of December 17. FoxVideo DVD.
Yes it's a wonderful adaptation, the makers keep the black heart of the source material and Scott gives Scrooge a great complexity. Authentic production design as well.
MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS (1944) Nuff Said. Warner Blu-Ray.
Sometimes all you need is a slice of cake and a song to blow away the ills. Wonderful picture.
BEN-HUR (1959) Nuff said about this film, which I first viewed around Christmas and will continue to do so. Warner DVD.
10/10 for me all the way >
Majestic in scope and story telling.
The truth is, is that Ben-Hur deserved every award that was showered upon it. It's a titanic film both in structure and scope. It doesn't need me to go over old ground about how much the film cost to make, the number of extras, the number of sets and etc, it's now folklore that this film could have bankrupted MGM such was the investment, but they needn't have worried since the film went on to make 40 million and still counting.
Every cent spent was worth it because it's a magnificent film, the kind that you can get swept away with, the minute the overture starts you feel little tingles as the hairs on your arms stand up on end, you are aware that for over three hours director William Wyler and lead actor Charlton Heston are going to own you.
The story centres around Judah Ben-Hur (Heston) who through his staunch loyalty to the Jewish race falls out with his dear Roman friend Messala (Stephen Boyd). He is dispatched to be a slave in the galleys and swears revenge on Messala. After pirates attack the ship he is slaved on, he manages to escape and in the process he saves Roman Admiral Quintus Arrius (Jack Hawkins) and this sets Juda on his destiny to enact revenge on his old friend as Quintus makes him a citizen of Rome.
It sounds so simple yet it's a story of the highest order because crucial to the film's core strength is Judah's encounters with Christ, and it's only during the harsh and upsetting final reel that we realise the whole point of the film. There's also strong themes involving family love and loyalty, friendships formed or broken under race and creed banners, and of course religious beliefs and all that comes with that kettle of fish...
It's epic, it's simply beautiful, it's actually essential viewing for any serious cinema fan, the film's set pieces are still wondrous even today. You will marvel at the chariot race (a stunning 20 minutes long), you will hoist the flag during the pirate attack, and if you have the emotion in you? You will be hit with sombre silence as Christ is crucified. Come the closing music I personally feel like clapping such is the appreciation I have for this truly wonderful film, if you haven't seen it then make a point of doing so because everything that is great about cinema is right here. 10/10 |
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Post by hitchcockthelegend on Dec 24, 2018 1:00:05 GMT
I started out where Mickey Mouse started out, in black and white cartoon shorts! In Plane Crazy (1928) Mickey is sexually aggressive with Minnie in an airplane, so not politically correct for our modern times. In The Karnival Kid (1929) Mickey is selling hot dogs at a carnival is Minnie appears to be a stripper! My, how these two have cleaned up their acts over the years! In The Grocery Boy (1932) Minnie plays fast and loose with Mickey's emotions. Who knew they had such a volatile relationship in the beginning? In Barnyard Olympics (1932) Mickey tries to defeat Pete, who cheats at every turn. Minnie offers support from the stands. I think I prefer the episodes where there is more Mickey/Minnie relationship drama. In The Pet Store (1933) Mickey is running a pet store and Minnie shows up to dance. This is a sweet episode, seems like their relationship solidifies itself somewhat here. In Gulliver Mickey (1934) Mickey tells his nephews about the time he was shipwrecked on an island of little people. Pete plays the giant spider. The whole Mickey/Minnie thing takes a backseat this time. I had insomnia one morning so I got up and watched No Sleep 'Til Christmas (2018), one of a billion cutesy Christmas TV movies, about two insomniacs who fall in love at Christmas. It was enjoyable enough, and did not put me to sleep! Gambit (2012), a remake of the Michael Caine/Shirley MacLaine caper movie, although slightly different. Colin Firth and Cameron Diaz try their best, but it's rather lacking. It looks like it would work, but something is missing. There is one great laugh in there though. The late great Alan Rickman is here too, and it wouldn't be Christmas without seeing him, usually in Die Hard or Love Actually. Also, the only non-Christmasy movie I saw all week. With Secret Santa (2018), my Christmas viewing took a dark turn. Someone spikes the punch of a family Christmas with a military grade version of sodium pentothal, and things get bloody after that! A crazy Christmas horror movie, with some laughs thrown in. Better Watch Out (2016) is a twisty Christmas horror thriller that begins as one movie but takes a turn I wasn't expecting. A babysitter and the young boy she's babysitting for are being stalked by someone outside the house. Don't go into this one for any feel-good vibes! Red Christmas (2016) may well be the darkest premise ever for a Christmas horror movie: an aborted baby survives and returns twenty years later to kill his siblings at their Christmas Day dinner. Maybe not one for the whole family to enjoy together, just saying. Getting back to a more wholesome Christmas movie, I watched A Bad Moms Christmas (2017), which is actually a raunchy Christmas-themed sequel to Bad Moms (2016). There's a few laughs to be had and plenty going on to maintain interest. The Christmas Chronicles (2018) stars Kurt Russell as Santa, which sounds odd at first, but the man is so charming in the role you find yourself completely sucked in. It's a sweet story really, told in a way that everyone can enjoy it. I knew I was in good hands when I saw that Chris Columbus produced it, the man who gave us such Christmas favorites as the first two Home Alone and Harry Potter movies, plus Gremlins. Hee, even Mickey Mouse gets turned on 
I have recorded Better Watch Out so hopefully I'll have something of substance to share with you soon.
I had never heard of Red Christmas before! Looks like Dee Wallace is clinging onto her horror babe icon status! Doesn't sound too enticing mind, and it's rating is poor...
Cheers Leb, some interesting Xmas Movies there!
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Post by mikef6 on Dec 24, 2018 1:00:52 GMT
hitchcockthelegend Thanks for sharing your review of "Drive A Crooked Road." I shoulda coulda said more about the performances of Kevin McCarthy and Jack Kelly. McCarthy was in only his third released film and just coming off "Death Of A Salesman" (1951). He is very vivid as a career criminal who hides his true self under a surface of a friendly, helpful guy. Jack Kelly (best known to U.S. audiences from the TV western series "Maverick" which Kelly joined in 1957) is McCarthy's muscle, always ready with a sarcastic remark. I agree with what you said about pacing and uninspired direction, but I still maybe liked it a little more than you did. Kevin McCarthy, Jack Kelly, Mickey Rooney 
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Post by Lebowskidoo 🦞 on Dec 24, 2018 1:29:18 GMT
hitchcockthelegendRed Christmas sounds far worse than it actually was, but it all depends on how you like your horror I suppose. I have a higher tolerance I guess.
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Post by morrisondylanfan on Dec 24, 2018 1:57:42 GMT
Hi all,I hope everyone has a merry Christmas, and this week I've done notes on: TV X-Mas trio:  Blackadder's Christmas Carol (1988) 10 Made as they were starting to plan the 4th (and final) series, the script by Ben Elton & Richard Curtis shows the duo working like a well-oiled machine,from the opening send- up of the tradition Dickensian Christmas setting, to the hilarious episodic ghostly visions of X-Mas from the past and the future. Merrily skipping over the wholesomeness which clogs up a number of Christmas specials, the writers cleverly give a moral sting in their loose take on A Christmas Carol, as Blackadder decides to no longer be a pushover, only to discover that he has slammed the door on the chance for some Christmas cheer. Reunited with outstanding regular co-stars Stephen Fry, Miranda Richardson, a proto-Hagrid Robbie Coltrane, future Oscar winner Jim Broadbent and Hugh Laurie doing his future "House" US accent, Tony Robinson and Rowan Atkinson give fantastic performances, with Robinson hitting Baldricks mix of dim and disappointment over the lack of any Christmas presents, and Rowan Atkinson joyfully tearing up his initial morals, in Blackadder's reading of A Christmas Carol.  MWC: It's a Bundyful Life Part 1/ 2 (1989) 9/10 Going against the sickly sweet (false) moral high ground that The Cosby Show had taken, the script by Michael G. Moye and Ron Leavitt unwraps a hilarious trailer-trash, Redneck X-Mas of the Bundy family being utterly crass in to the point dialogue, over the only meaning they have of Christmas is shaking presents out of Al. Wisely avoiding avert moralising, the writers do very well at finding spaces for Al to display (some) level of awareness over how his family are solely focused on consuming presents. Backed by the unique studio audience, director Gerry Cohen stages lively background gags such as Al getting into a fight with Santa's. Getting into the groove of the series, the ensemble cast give very funny performances, with Ed O'Neill having Al Bundy find out that the holiday season is not a Bundyful life. Originally chosen by the creators to be Al,Sam Kinison gives a tantalising "what if" performance as Al's angel, with Kinison brashly telling Al how much of a dump his life has been, and smoothly hitting the sarcastic exchanges with Ed O'Neill. Continuing to mock the traditional feel-good TV X-Mas special, the script by Michael G. Moye and Ron Leavitt hilariously turns the It's a Wonderful Life outline inside out, with the only "lesson" offered being Al wanting to live in order to make everyone else's lives miserable. Going into a Bizarro World of the family without Al, director Gerry Cohen gives the rest of the family a very funny prim and proper appearance, as they all discover that it's a Bundyful life. Family movie duo:  Goosebumps 2 (2018) 7 Whilst ending with a delightful 30 minute mad-dash "greatest hits" final similar to the first film, the screenplay by the returning Rob Lieber and Darren Lemke displays a more focused approach here,with the choice to have the film be largely based around one monster (Slappy) allowing for the friendship between Sarah, Sonny and Sam to be given space. Taking over from Lieber directing the first movie, director Ari Sandel & cinematographer Barry Peterson do really well at giving this family-friendly Horror a creepy atmosphere, thanks to the stop-start puppet motions of Slappy. Bringing R. L. Stine's most famous monsters for the final, Sandel gives them a brightly animated look, which gives all the the creatures a lively vibe as they haunt the town. Facing off against Mick Wingert giving a wonderfully sinister voice to Slappy, Jeremy Ray Taylor,Madison Iseman and Caleel Harris each give very good turns as Sarah, Sonny and Sam, due them balancing the friendships between the frightful and the brave,as they fight to shake off the goosebumps.  Igor (2008) 8 Displaying a confidence in his writing debut (with additional material from John Hoffman/Dimitri Toscas and director Tony Leondis) of playing around with genre staples which would work wonders with Jumanji 2 and in the MCU, the screenplay by Chris McKenna moves pass the big-name monsters in order to follow the daily grind of the lab assistants and evil henchmen such as Igor, who have dreams of becoming mad scientists themselves, but always get stuck following the demands of their masters. Dipping into off-beat Horror Comedy with a talking brain and a suicidal immortal rabbit, McKenna gives the movie dollops of heart via Igor's Frankenstin's Monster-style creation Eva learning that she does not have to sit in the pigeon-hole others attempt to place Eva in. Brimming with enthusiasm in the detailed audio commentary with McKenna and producer Max Howard, Director Tony Leondis shows a real promise here, which has sadly not continued (his next project was 2017's The Emoji Movie.) Looking back to the Gothic Horror films of the 1930's, Leondis gives his monsters an excellent grotesque appearance, with the smoothly-handled CGI animation not taking the rough edges off the put together with odds and ends, fading into a metallic grey, character designs. Joined by a dead-pan Steve Buscemi as Scamper and an adorable Molly Shannon as Eva, John Cusack gives a great worn-down turn, as loyal henchman Igor. Others: Note:some of the psychos/baddies in the film are KKK and White Nationalists, IMDb would not post my notes, until I removed mention of KKK and WN.  First Purge (2018) 5 Stepping away from directing but continuing to script the franchise, the screenplay by James DeMonaco trims a majority of the thinly-veiled allegories of the first 3,to make this the most politically open of the series, via the Purgers being Neo-Nazis and the people trying to survive the night being Latino and African-Americans from the poverty-ridden "Hood." Aiming to make a statement on the state of the nation, the need to link it to the series makes the Horror elements stick out of place to the unfolding drama. Going for a scatter-shot of the first Purge night, the flick loses the "survive the night" group dynamic which holds the 2nd and 3rd film together, and instead goes for plodding 90's Gangsta Rap stereotypes, (without even a G-Funk score) and muddled nods to the Crips and the Bloods, which leaves the characters looking flat. Staging the first Purge, director Gerard McMurray & cinematographer Anastas N. Michos oddly have the machinery be more advanced than shown in the later films, (and an unexplained gap in no social media) which gives the action some crunch, but due to the toning down of horror elements, leads to little in a threatening mood being created, as the first purge is unleashed. |
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Post by hitchcockthelegend on Dec 24, 2018 2:55:17 GMT
Hi all,I hope everyone has a merry Christmas, and this week I've done notes on: TV X-Mas trio: Blackadder's Christmas Carol (1988) 10 Made as they were starting to plan the 4th (and final) series, the script by Ben Elton & Richard Curtis shows the duo working like a well-oiled machine,from the opening send- up of the tradition Dickensian Christmas setting, to the hilarious episodic ghostly visions of X-Mas from the past and the future. Merrily skipping over the wholesomeness which clogs up a number of Christmas specials, the writers cleverly give a moral sting in their loose take on A Christmas Carol, as Blackadder decides to no longer be a pushover, only to discover that he has slammed the door on the chance for some Christmas cheer. Reunited with outstanding regular co-stars Stephen Fry, Miranda Richardson, a proto-Hagrid Robbie Coltrane, future Oscar winner Jim Broadbent and Hugh Laurie doing his future "House" US accent, Tony Robinson and Rowan Atkinson give fantastic performances, with Robinson hitting Baldricks mix of dim and disappointment over the lack of any Christmas presents, and Rowan Atkinson joyfully tearing up his initial morals, in Blackadder's reading of A Christmas Carol. MWC: It's a Bundyful Life Part 1/ 2 (1989) 9/10 Going against the sickly sweet (false) moral high ground that The Cosby Show had taken, the script by Michael G. Moye and Ron Leavitt unwraps a hilarious trailer-trash, Redneck X-Mas of the Bundy family being utterly crass in to the point dialogue, over the only meaning they have of Christmas is shaking presents out of Al. Wisely avoiding avert moralising, the writers do very well at finding spaces for Al to display (some) level of awareness over how his family are solely focused on consuming presents. Backed by the unique studio audience, director Gerry Cohen stages lively background gags such as Al getting into a fight with Santa's. Getting into the groove of the series, the ensemble cast give very funny performances, with Ed O'Neill having Al Bundy find out that the holiday season is not a Bundyful life. Originally chosen by the creators to be Al,Sam Kinison gives a tantalising "what if" performance as Al's angel, with Kinison brashly telling Al how much of a dump his life has been, and smoothly hitting the sarcastic exchanges with Ed O'Neill. Continuing to mock the traditional feel-good TV X-Mas special, the script by Michael G. Moye and Ron Leavitt hilariously turns the It's a Wonderful Life outline inside out, with the only "lesson" offered being Al wanting to live in order to make everyone else's lives miserable. Going into a Bizarro World of the family without Al, director Gerry Cohen gives the rest of the family a very funny prim and proper appearance, as they all discover that it's a Bundyful life. Family movie duo: Goosebumps 2 (2018) 7 Whilst ending with a delightful 30 minute mad-dash "greatest hits" final similar to the first film, the screenplay by the returning Rob Lieber and Darren Lemke displays a more focused approach here,with the choice to have the film be largely based around one monster (Slappy) allowing for the friendship between Sarah, Sonny and Sam to be given space. Taking over from Lieber directing the first movie, director Ari Sandel & cinematographer Barry Peterson do really well at giving this family-friendly Horror a creepy atmosphere, thanks to the stop-start puppet motions of Slappy. Bringing R. L. Stine's most famous monsters for the final, Sandel gives them a brightly animated look, which gives all the the creatures a lively vibe as they haunt the town. Facing off against Mick Wingert giving a wonderfully sinister voice to Slappy, Jeremy Ray Taylor,Madison Iseman and Caleel Harris each give very good turns as Sarah, Sonny and Sam, due them balancing the friendships between the frightful and the brave,as they fight to shake off the goosebumps. Igor (2008) 8 Displaying a confidence in his writing debut (with additional material from John Hoffman/Dimitri Toscas and director Tony Leondis) of playing around with genre staples which would work wonders with Jumanji 2 and in the MCU, the screenplay by Chris McKenna moves pass the big-name monsters in order to follow the daily grind of the lab assistants and evil henchmen such as Igor, who have dreams of becoming mad scientists themselves, but always get stuck following the demands of their masters. Dipping into off-beat Horror Comedy with a talking brain and a suicidal immortal rabbit, McKenna gives the movie dollops of heart via Igor's Frankenstin's Monster-style creation Eva learning that she does not have to sit in the pigeon-hole others attempt to place Eva in. Brimming with enthusiasm in the detailed audio commentary with McKenna and producer Max Howard, Director Tony Leondis shows a real promise here, which has sadly not continued (his next project was 2017's The Emoji Movie.) Looking back to the Gothic Horror films of the 1930's, Leondis gives his monsters an excellent grotesque appearance, with the smoothly-handled CGI animation not taking the rough edges off the put together with odds and ends, fading into a metallic grey, character designs. Joined by a dead-pan Steve Buscemi as Scamper and an adorable Molly Shannon as Eva, John Cusack gives a great worn-down turn, as loyal henchman Igor. Others: Note:some of the psychos/baddies in the film are KKK and White Nationalists, IMDb would not post my notes, until I removed mention of KKK and WN. First Purge (2018) 5 Stepping away from directing but continuing to script the franchise, the screenplay by James DeMonaco trims a majority of the thinly-veiled allegories of the first 3,to make this the most politically open of the series, via the Purgers being Neo-Nazis and the people trying to survive the night being Latino and African-Americans from the poverty-ridden "Hood." Aiming to make a statement on the state of the nation, the need to link it to the series makes the Horror elements stick out of place to the unfolding drama. Going for a scatter-shot of the first Purge night, the flick loses the "survive the night" group dynamic which holds the 2nd and 3rd film together, and instead goes for plodding 90's Gangsta Rap stereotypes, (without even a G-Funk score) and muddled nods to the Crips and the Bloods, which leaves the characters looking flat. Staging the first Purge, director Gerard McMurray & cinematographer Anastas N. Michos oddly have the machinery be more advanced than shown in the later films, (and an unexplained gap in no social media) which gives the action some crunch, but due to the toning down of horror elements, leads to little in a threatening mood being created, as the first purge is unleashed.
Blackadder's Christmas Carol. I literally cried with laughter when it first aired, an absolute joy. The next day we were all in the pub singing the Piggy Wiggy Woo song  So many great gags in there, I guarantee that one of my mates this Xmas will try and order a pint of Nurse McCready's Surgical Bruise Lotion! in one of the pubs we go in. I watch it every year without fail.
Mrs. Scratchit, Tiny Tom is fifteen stone and built like a brick privy. If he eats anymore heartily, he will turn into a pie shop.
Baldrick, I want you to go out and buy a turkey so large you'd think it's mother had been rogered by an omnibus.
Pigmont: Plus Commander, did you vanquish the Nibblepibblies? Blackadder: No, my lord Pigmot, I did not vanquish the Nibblepibbles because you just made them up.
Baldrick: Well, it went all right until the shepherds came on. See, we haven't been able to get any real sheep, so we had to stick some wool...
Ebenezer Blackadder: On some other dogs!
Baldrick: Yeah. And the moment Jesus got a whiff of them, he's away! While the angel's singing "peace on earth, good will to mankind," Jesus scampers across and tries to get one of the sheep to give him a piggy-back ride!
Ebenezer Blackadder: Scarcely appropriate behavior for the Son of God, Mister Baldrick! Weren't the children upset?
Baldrick: No, they loved it! They want us to do another one at Easter. They want to see us nail up the dog! |
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Post by claudius on Dec 24, 2018 14:18:32 GMT
Thank you, hitchcockthelegend.
I remember the Scott CAROL since it aired on CBS in the 1980s and its final telecast in 1992. Shades of memories were Finlay's Marley, Pleasance's Ghost of Christmas Past, and Woodward's Christmas Present showing Ignorance and Want. Back then I shied away from Yet-To-Come because of the trauma gained from seeing MICKEY'S CHRISTMAS CAROL and SCROOGE (1970), although here the Ghost never reveals his face. Even though it came out on VHS in 1995 it took me two years to finally watch it, and it became a perennial ever since, one where I have to watch it twice.
MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS I first saw on TNT in December 1990, although it was limited to the Trolley Song and the Halloween segment. I didn't see the full film until PBS Summer of 1991 and became fond of it. Since 1996 it has been a XMAS perennial.
BEN-HUR, I know it's a controversial thing because aside from the Nativity, the majority of the film is set during the ministry and Passion. But, like the 1925 version and KING OF KINGS, I first saw it on Christmas and I connect it to Christmas. My early memories of the film was the crucifixion/Leper healing and crucifixion and the Chariot Race and Messala's Greek Chariot [sic. If Jon Solomon in his BEN-HUR THE FIRST BLOCKBUSTER book, with quotes of the many script drafts, calls the Chariot Greek, I'm going by it]. A commercial revealed to me the two scenes are mixed. It wasn't until seeing the 1925 version (more on that one next week) that I got a jist of the main plot. The next year, I watched most of the 1959 version (save for the Nativity Prologue) on TNT. Then it became one of my 'must-see' whenever it aired on TNT. Then it became one of my Christmas films since 1997.
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Post by marianne48 on Dec 25, 2018 0:53:22 GMT
Talk About a Stranger (1952)--TCM is the place to see many well-known classics; it's also great at showing a lot of unknown, forgotten, unavailable on home video little gems, too. This one stars Billy Gray as a cute little boy with a cute little dog who has a run-in with a bad-tempered new neighbor. When his dog ends up being poisoned on the neighbor's property, the boy loses his cuteness and vows revenge on the stranger, who looks more and more sinister as the boy discovers that the previous owner of the stranger's new house disappeared mysteriously. Billy Gray's character becomes more and more sinister himself in the process. A creepy little film with a good message. Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot (2018)--This story was in development for many years before it finally came to the screen this year. I read John Callahan's memoir not long after it came out, and I had hoped that the movie version would spend more time reflecting Callahan's opinions on how people with disabilities are treated in society, in our culture, and especially in Hollywood movies--with contempt; as stereotypes; as childlike; patronized; and as "inspirations." Unfortunately, the movie version concentrated mainly on his AA meetings and Jonah Hill's sermons. I would suggest those interested in Callahan's life and work read the book; it shows off much more of his work and his sick humor. Grown-Ups (1980)--Remember the early SNL sketch featuring bad horror movies such as "The Thing That Wouldn't Leave," about a clueless house guest who hangs around a couple's house and never wants to go home? This is the full-length version of that premise, and it really is kind of a horror film. This is actually an episode of a British TV series, BBC2 Playhouse, that's available on DVD. Directed by Mike Leigh, it's a disturbing slice of life about a bickering young couple who can't have any time to themselves in their new home thanks to the constant visits by the wife's sister, a frighteningly manic woman played by Brenda Blethyn. Things only get worse (much, much worse) when they try to keep her from visiting. Lesley Manville, who plays the young wife here, would play a character very similar to Blethyn's in the more recent Leigh film Another Year. Frightening, depressing, and weirdly funny. * Knock-knock* "Woo-hoo!"  J.T. (1969)--It would be so nice if someone could hack into the Hallmark channel for one day during their two-month marathon of cookie-cutter holiday movies and replace that insipid, formulaic drivel with the kind of heart-tugging Christmas family dramas that were a lot more common in the 1960s-1970s. There was The Homecoming (1971), the precursor to The Waltons; The House Without a Christmas Tree (1972); and then there was J.T., a deeply moving hour-long film about a lonely, depressed boy who is pretty much dismissed by the adults around him and bullied by neighborhood punks. Then his life changes when he meets an ailing stray cat. This was originally made for a Saturday morning TV show for children, but it was such an outstanding program that it was rebroadcast soon afterwards in prime time and won a Peabody award. A must-see for fans of quality holiday films (it's not on DVD, but it may still be available on YouTube). A League of Their Own (1992)--In honor of the late Penny Marshall, I watched this for the umpteenth time; it's the kind of movie that's always worth a re-watch.
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Post by morrisondylanfan on Dec 26, 2018 2:10:36 GMT
Hi all,I hope everyone has a merry Christmas, and this week I've done notes on: TV X-Mas trio: Blackadder's Christmas Carol (1988) 10 Made as they were starting to plan the 4th (and final) series, the script by Ben Elton & Richard Curtis shows the duo working like a well-oiled machine,from the opening send- up of the tradition Dickensian Christmas setting, to the hilarious episodic ghostly visions of X-Mas from the past and the future. Merrily skipping over the wholesomeness which clogs up a number of Christmas specials, the writers cleverly give a moral sting in their loose take on A Christmas Carol, as Blackadder decides to no longer be a pushover, only to discover that he has slammed the door on the chance for some Christmas cheer. Reunited with outstanding regular co-stars Stephen Fry, Miranda Richardson, a proto-Hagrid Robbie Coltrane, future Oscar winner Jim Broadbent and Hugh Laurie doing his future "House" US accent, Tony Robinson and Rowan Atkinson give fantastic performances, with Robinson hitting Baldricks mix of dim and disappointment over the lack of any Christmas presents, and Rowan Atkinson joyfully tearing up his initial morals, in Blackadder's reading of A Christmas Carol.
Blackadder's Christmas Carol. I literally cried with laughter when it first aired, an absolute joy. The next day we were all in the pub singing the Piggy Wiggy Woo song So many great gags in there, I guarantee that one of my mates this Xmas will try and order a pint of Nurse McCready's Surgical Bruise Lotion! in one of the pubs we go in. I watch it every year without fail.
Mrs. Scratchit, Tiny Tom is fifteen stone and built like a brick privy. If he eats anymore heartily, he will turn into a pie shop.
Baldrick, I want you to go out and buy a turkey so large you'd think it's mother had been rogered by an omnibus.
Pigmont: Plus Commander, did you vanquish the Nibblepibblies? Blackadder: No, my lord Pigmot, I did not vanquish the Nibblepibbles because you just made them up.
Baldrick: Well, it went all right until the shepherds came on. See, we haven't been able to get any real sheep, so we had to stick some wool...
Ebenezer Blackadder: On some other dogs!
Baldrick: Yeah. And the moment Jesus got a whiff of them, he's away! While the angel's singing "peace on earth, good will to mankind," Jesus scampers across and tries to get one of the sheep to give him a piggy-back ride!
Ebenezer Blackadder: Scarcely appropriate behavior for the Son of God, Mister Baldrick! Weren't the children upset?
Baldrick: No, they loved it! They want us to do another one at Easter. They want to see us nail up the dog! Hi Spike,I hope you had a good Christmas, and with not having seen it for a few years, the Blackadder X-Mas was even funnier than I remembered. Speaking of X-Mas Comedy,Have you seen the Inside Number 9 (season 3,ep 1/ The Devil of Christmas-currently on Netflix) and The League of Gentlemen specials? I'd put both of them at the top of the X-Mas specials table, (with Mel also being a big fan of the League special) thanks to them both also being prime TV Horror.  Knowing how much you enjoyed Killer Joe,I'm sure you will have a lot of fun with Friedkin/ Letts's Bug (they need to make a trilogy):  |
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Post by OldAussie on Dec 26, 2018 4:24:46 GMT
Just the odd comment on some quality viewings -
Trading Places - my all time no.1 comedy
Out of the Past - my all time no.1 noir
A Tale of Two Cities - my highest rated pre-1939 movie.
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Post by hitchcockthelegend on Jan 2, 2019 15:14:48 GMT
BEN-HUR, I know it's a controversial thing because aside from the Nativity, the majority of the film is set during the ministry and Passion. But, like the 1925 version and KING OF KINGS, I first saw it on Christmas and I connect it to Christmas. Hi Claudius, in the madness that comes with the holiday season I forgot to acknowledge your response on these. What you say here about connecting to Christmas films you viewed in the period rings true. I myself pretty much group my viewings over Xmas as what I call "holiday staples", regardless of the season. There was a time when I was growing up at home living with my folks where it was expected that stuff like The Great Escape would be on the TV and we would watch without fail - hardly Xmas spirit, but associated as such. Don't get me wrong, I do slot in "real" crimble films if I can, but the holiday seasons to me are about marrying up films that I remember fondly back in the day as part of my holiday experiences. |
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