|
Post by hitchcockthelegend on Apr 3, 2019 3:05:03 GMT
Well here are my week's joy's: I realised early that I'm not the right audience for this kind of movies, but it was entertaining, I can't deny that! Michael Caine at his sleeziest, I liked this movie even if Horocks was a bit hard to understand. Blethyn is the mother of all Hell's, but the movie wouldn't have worked without her, she's cheap and destructive. Sorry all fans of this movie! but I didn't get it! Not bad, but many action scenes were edited for from better movies. I love Deadpool but understand why some don't!
I must get around to watching Little Voice again, not seen it since it was first released and liked it a lot.
Clockwork Orange, you are not alone, I think it's crap.
Hee, Mosquito Squadron is the film that drives my Father crackers as it is on British TV every single week!! And it's poor as well!
Dam and Bust those Germans!
Squadron Leader Quint Munroe is struggling to come to terms with the probable death of his friend and comrade, Sq. Leader David Scott. After choosing to leave the squadron, Quint is approached to take part in a crucial mission to bomb a château in occupied France that houses a deadly German flying bomb factory. The top secret mission will involve using a new land bouncing bomb that needs to be delivered with the ultimate precision, which is why they want the respected Quint to lead the assault. To further complicate matters, Quint starts to fall in love with David's widow, Beth. Will Quint take up the task? can he succeed? and just why have the Germans dropped a parcel on the base containing a roll of film?
It's not very good, that's really all there is to it, Mosquito Squadron is a collage of far better films put together to make one complete whole. David McCallum, bless him, 6 years after he was integral to The Great Escape's success, he is found sadly lacking as a lead actor asked to carry a film. Charles Gray proves that Blofeld really was a career high and the rest of the cast cover themselves in mud. Director Boris Sagal shows that he should have stayed doing TV work, whilst the writers I hope were embarrassed to have been paid for their work on this one.
So why after all my moaning do i give it a generous 3/10? Well the model work is half decent and Frank Cordell's score is deserving of a far better film, whilst editor John S. Smith should be applauded for his cheek. But really this is one to avoid, the sort of film that was shown prior to the main event in a double feature. Rent The Dam Busters and 633 Squadron instead to see just why this film falls some way short of being entertaining. 3/10
|
|
|
Post by hitchcockthelegend on Apr 3, 2019 3:15:56 GMT
WUTHERING HEIGHTS (1939) 80TH ANNIVERSARY and UNITED ARTISTS 100TH ANNIVERSARY The most famous film version of Emily Bronte's Gothic Novel (focusing on the first half and skipping the next generation resolution), making a star out of Laurence Olivier. First knew about this film on its broadcast on American Movie Classics back in 1991 (while reading about the stormy behind-the-scenes in Bob Dorian's CLASSIC MOVIES book- Olivier struggling with film style acting, Merle Oberon being a diva, complaining about Olivier's saliva getting on her, the backfire of David Niven's crying scene- a chemical used to stimulate tears got him sneezing instead). HBO Video DVD. Nice tid-bids I hadn't heard about, thanks for that. Truly great film, liberties taken be damned! A haunting and lyrical gem of a picture.
|
|
|
Post by hitchcockthelegend on Apr 3, 2019 3:26:04 GMT
Knock Knock (2015) A remake of Death Game (1977) from director Eli Roth, who must have wanted a change of pace from his usual gore-filled horror movies. Produced by Sondra Locke and costarring Colleen Camp, who played the two girls in Death Game. Keanu Reeves opens his door to Lorenza Izzo (Roth's wife) and Ana de Armas and insanity ensues. Kind of Hitchcockish in a way. In a Valley of Violence (2016) A western version of John Wick (2014), basically. Ethan Hawke and John Travolta face off in the dusty streets of the old west. Cool opening credits reminiscent of Sergio Leone spaghetti westerns. Knock Knock, hmm >
Just say no!
Eli Roth directs and co-writes the screenplay with Nicolás López and Guillermo Amoedo. It stars Keanu Reeves, Lorenza Izzo and Ana de Armas. Music is by Manuel Riveiro and cinematography by Antonio Quercia.
Reeves plays Evan, a devoted husband and father of two, who while he is left home alone, is visited by two young women soaked and apparently lost. Letting them in to his home as an act of kindness, things quickly spiral out of control.
You do wonder if Eli Roth sits at home looking at the reaction to his movie and giggles like a schoolboy. It's invariably a distinctly average film, but it does get a reaction from the audience, something which Roth is gleefully aware of. Pic is actually a remake of Peter S. Traynor's 1977 movie, Death Game, which starred Sondra Locke and Colleeen Camp, both of whom lend their names to production for this release.
At times it feels like we are part of one of Roth's wet dreams, or conversely one of his sick jokes. Yet as the cast struggle to instill acting gravitas (the girls actually become more annoying than frightening), and Roth chooses psychological themes over blood and guts, there's a deft whiff of a moral fable hanging in the air. While also of note is the nods to film noir, both in story and visuals. It isn't enough to save the piece, but it's interesting enough as an aside to the chaos inside the house. 5/10
In a Valley of Violence I like, one for Western fans who can enjoy its simplicities and love for the genre.
The Denton Rapscallion.
In a Valley of Violence is written and directed by Ti West. It stars Ethan Hawke, Taissa Farmiga, James Ransome, Karen Gillan and John Travolta. Music is by Jeff Grace and cinematography by Eric Robbins.
Ethan Hawke plays Paul, an ex soldier accompanied only by his dog, Abbie, who is drifting across the desert towards Mexico. Stopping off in the dying town of Denton, Paul finds trouble that will have consequences for himself and town alike.
Ti West is more well known for his horror ventures, where although divisive in that genre sphere, he can be proud of his success rate. Here he tackles the Western, and true to form, he homages past genre masters whilst unmistakably putting his own stamp on things. Opening with credits straight out of Spaghetti Western land, and introducing us to a musical score that will accompany the story that is wonderfully feverish, West is in no hurry for blood and bone shenanigans. He always favours the slow burn and so it proves here.
There's nothing remotely new here, it's a standard tale of a gunman - one damaged by his war efforts - who through circumstance is forced to abandon his hope of a quiet life. He's a loner man of few words, thus giving viewers a classic Western character staple, an anti-hero to root for and for us to yearn for him to find peace. When the violence comes, it's sharp and bloody, but often there is humour as well, deftly inserted into proceedings, whilst the canine is skillful and a key character to all and sundry.
Perfs are more than adequate. Hawke sifts seamlessly into being a believable drifter type of complexity, Ransome is annoyingly brattish, but that's actually job well done, and Travolta - sporting a wooden leg - gets better once (and if) you buy into him in this setting. Gillan isn't given much to do, but lands some decent emotive punches, but it's Farmiga who stands out as Mary-Anne. She's utterly infectious and thankfully she gets a well written part, that of a young woman trying to hold her own in the most trying of township circumstance.
The purpose built town of Denton looks just that!, but this is off- set a touch by the nice location landscapes (Santa Fe, New Mexico), and with the story working from solid genre foundations then this is a pleasure - without pulling up any trees - for fans of such. 7/10
|
|
|
Post by wmcclain on Apr 3, 2019 12:21:40 GMT
|
|
|
Post by hitchcockthelegend on Apr 3, 2019 21:01:40 GMT
Smart reviews - still a crap film
|
|
|
Post by hitchcockthelegend on Apr 3, 2019 21:06:56 GMT
It was dull. I watched most of it, but decided to bug out when I felt that I didn't care how it ended, and was losing track of most of the characters. I thought it was going to be juicy dramatic fun. It is just talky, stagy. Not one closeup. The opening sequence was pretty good though. Not all classics are going to thrill everyone. Not seen it myself so can't share thoughts with you about it. Your last line is absolutely right, one person's classic is another person's dud, nothing wrong with that
|
|
|
Post by OldAussie on Apr 3, 2019 21:46:45 GMT
I bought a Barbara Stanwyck box-set just to get Executive Suite - really good movie.
|
|
|
Post by hitchcockthelegend on Apr 3, 2019 23:05:51 GMT
I bought a Barbara Stanwyck box-set just to get Executive Suite - really good movie. Probably the same set I bought a while back because I was after Jeopardy (1953)!
|
|
|
Post by lostinlimbo on Apr 3, 2019 23:09:24 GMT
Them! (1954) 8/10 The Nightcomers (1971) ftv 7/10 The Stone Killer (1973) 7/10 Zu Warriors From the Magic Mountain (1983) ftv 6/10 Sole Survivor (1983) ftv 6/10 Yes, Madam (1985) ftv 7/10 Ricki-Oh: The Story of Ricky (1991) ftv 7/10 Hangin’ with the Homeboys (1991) 7/10 The Hunted (1995) 6/10 Halloween (2018) 5/10
|
|
|
Post by OldAussie on Apr 4, 2019 0:13:50 GMT
I bought a Barbara Stanwyck box-set just to get Executive Suite - really good movie. Probably the same set I bought a while back because I was after Jeopardy (1953)! Jeopardy and Executive Suite were the only 2 I'd seen up to then. East Side West Side, which I had never heard of, was the real find of the others.
|
|