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Post by delon on Aug 10, 2019 14:50:21 GMT
Comments/ratings/recommendations/film posters are welcome and much appreciated.
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Post by wmcclain on Aug 10, 2019 14:52:43 GMT
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Post by politicidal on Aug 10, 2019 15:28:53 GMT
A Fish Called Wanda (1988) 5/10
Bulworth (1998) 6/10
Bound (1996) 7/10
Femme Fatale (2002) 8/10
Armour of God (1987) 7/10
Torpedo Run (1958) 5/10
Deja Vu (2006) 6/10
The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996) 7/10
A Civil Action (1998) 4/10
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Post by hi224 on Aug 10, 2019 16:28:19 GMT
well the kitchen.
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Post by Chalice_Of_Evil on Aug 10, 2019 21:05:42 GMT
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004). Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005).  At last! Harry battles his archenemy...hormones! This is easily my favourite HP film. It has EVERYTHING: action/adventure, horror, romance, comedy, combining the light-hearted feel of the first two films with the overly dark/gothic feel of the third (without going over-the-top). The opening shot, where we follow snake-cam, with rather ‘loose’ interpretation of the now very familiar Harry Potter theme, establishes that this movie is going to be something different to what’s come before. I appreciated the fact that while the prior films had somewhat slow starts, this one skipped over the horrible Dursleys (seriously, WHY do they keep sending Harry back to his abusive relatives? It’s totally messed up), who’re always my least favourite parts of the films, and got straight into the action. Daniel Radcliffe feels like he's at last comfortable in the role Harry, who’s much more angst-filled in this film (though also more sarcastic/amusing, which is welcome). Rupert Grint finally gets to do more as Ron than just simply acting scared/pulling funny faces, and the rift between him and Harry is interesting (I’ll always remember Ron’s telling Harry to “Pi$$ off”). Emma Watson, like Radcliffe, seems more at ease in her role, and Hermione goes through a wide range of emotions in this film. I appreciate her friendship with Harry, and her arguing with Ron (whilst obviously they secretly care for each other) allows for some real emotionally-charged/interesting moments. All three work like a well-oiled machine at this point with their interaction/dynamic. While this might be an unpopular opinion, I actually really like Michael Gambon as Richard Harris’ replacement playing Dumbledore (I know book readers had issues with him yelling at Harry, but I actually thought it showed some complexity, revealing another side to the character). Alan Rickman’s Snape and Maggie Smith’s McGonagall don’t get much screentime, but do the most with what they’re given (I thought the latter’s scene, teaching Ron how to waltz, was quite amusing). The most interesting addition to the adult cast is Brendan Gleeson as Mad-Eye Moody, who’s odd/quirky, but I’d almost say he’s the most complex of the constantly revolving door of Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers thus far...except he’s not all that he seems. Miranda Richardson is suitably irritating as Rita Skeeter, Gary Oldman stops by for a quick Sirius fireplace chat with Harry, and Ralph Fiennes gives a memorable debut performance as Voldemort in all his digitally-removed-nose glory. Regarding the new additions to the younger castmembers, pre-Twilight Robert Pattinson manages to make Cedric Diggory likable and his friendship with Harry *mean* something in the short amount of time we get to know him in, which proves crucial later on (as it shows that, to quote Hermione, “Everything’s going to change now”). His relationship with his father is also very effective. As for the other Triwizard Tournament champions, Stanislav Ianevski as Viktor Krum (who Ron has a man-crush on…that is until Krum beats Ron to the punch by asking Hermione to the Yule Ball) and Clémence Poésy as Fleur Delacour (who Ron also has a crush on, and manages to earn a kiss from at one point) are actually both the nationalities of the characters they’re playing, which is appreciated (instead of having actors/actresses of other nationalities doing dodgy fake accents for the roles), and are good in their parts, though after the memorable entrances of their respective schools (Durmstrang and Beauxbatons), they don’t get much to do/say. As for the non-Triwizard champions, Katie Leung also has very little to do in the movie as Cho Chang (other than smile and be on the receiving end of Harry’s most awkward invitation to the Yule Ball ever. She has a lovely Scottish accent, though), as does Tom Felton as Draco Malfoy (he gets one memorable scene with Mad-Eye Moody). Neville Longbottom continues to get his own moments to shine, at least (though I wonder how Harry and Ron felt about Ron’s sister, Ginny, being Neville’s date to the Yule Ball. Even *Hagrid* gets some lovin’ in this movie!). As well as all the wonderful characters, something else this movie excels at is its storytelling. Things keep going at an exhilarating pace that seldom slows down. The three Triwizard tasks are all unique, but exciting (the task featuring dragons is probably more memorable for us the audience than the spectators, since most of the dragon action takes place AWAY from where they're sitting). The second task’s underwater scenes are appropriately spooky, while the final task (involving a giant hedge maze) is the ‘darkest’ section of the film, creating a real sense of terror/horror. However, there are enough laughs to balance out the darker moments. The score adds a lot to the film, but never takes you out of it (and doesn’t play the HP theme ad nauseam like the previous films, thankfully). In my opinion, this film is the most thrilling, enjoyable, roller-coaster (or, more accurately, broomstick) ride in the series. Also, it’ll probably always be remembered as the one where nobody got a haircut.             (2017). Fallen (1998). Bend It Like Beckham (2002).    Road to Perdition (2002). 
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Post by teleadm on Aug 10, 2019 21:51:13 GMT
Well here is my week:  Okay for a lazy Sunday, I had forgotten that TV Superman was in it though.  Since it's based on true events, it's very interesting to follow, it's a good movie, and could have been better, maybe I'm old fashioned but 150 minutes of shaky-cam is just too much. It's still a worthwhile movie though!  After having trouble to get the grips last week with Pride and Prejudice, I was very hesitant to watch another movie version of a Jane Austen novel, but I have to say that this movie had another flow that made it a bit easier to follow. If it's because of the original novel or how it's interpreted I'm the wrong man to question.  Been so hesistant to watch this movie, thinking it was some cutie father daugher stuff. Damn I was wrong, it's a very entertaining little tale of con artists in the deep Kansas area during the depression of the 1930's just after the prohibition. László Kovács' black and white cinematography, is simple, smart and breathtaking, meant in a good way.  This was an old favorite of mine and I was looking forward to seeing it again. It actually dragged in parts, what saves it from tedium is the great Cole Porter songs, sung be some of the greatest voices America ever produced, Well did you evah!  Sparse and biting pre-fame Ingmar Bergman, about love affairs and if they results in anything when married to someone else, and how to respond, take responsibility or pay as an anonymous giver. Better than I thought it would be, though some dialogues are too long.  The Warning is PRC, so it's a low budget movie that is now in public domian. A variation of Agatha Christie's And Then there were none in the sense that characters get's bumped off, but based on a play by Bernadine Angus, that only made 21 performances on Broadway. Cinematographer Ira H. Morgan (a big name in the silent era) adds a certain plus too with a few camera angles, as did some of the olde actors Zucco, Atwill, Cowan and Borg. In old movies like these, there has to be a possible young couple that survives. This movie has John Whitney, whoever that was, is so incredibly bad and stiff, the older established actors just seems to look, OkeY1 let's move on, and hope we get payed. Veda Ann Borg is a cool name by the way, LOL  Who else but Veda! Chingaling and see you next week! |
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Post by vegalyra on Aug 10, 2019 22:06:47 GMT
Still in the process of catching another one or two before the day is over but here is what I have so far:  The Black Windmill (1974) Interesting Michael Caine vehicle, I thought it was going to be more of a spy film rather than a film about retrieving his kidnapped child, but it was still entertaining. Donald Pleasance is unintentionally (?) hilarious as Caine's superior, he has a lot of idiosyncrasies such as arranging all of his office paraphernalia meticulously like a letter opener, pen, etc. and watering his plants as well as telling visitors to not smoke because the pollution is toxic to the plants. Caine plays it solid and his character reminds me quite a lot of his other contemporary '70s roles. John Vernon plays his normal bad guy self.  Robbery (1967) teleadm recently posted a great Peter Yates write up, and I already had a copy of Robbery on bluray that I've been meaning to watch and I'm glad I did. Great film, I can see why McQueen wanted Yates to do Bullitt. Stanley Baker is stupendous as usual. The location shots were well done and some of the in car shots are just amazing. Debating on my next film to watch tonight. I'll update this post once I figure it out and watch it... |
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Post by OldAussie on Aug 10, 2019 23:31:59 GMT
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Post by mikef6 on Aug 11, 2019 2:39:28 GMT
Within The Law / Gustav Machatý (1939). Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM). Ruth Hussey shines as Mary Turner, a wrongly accused woman who has to serve 3 years in prison for theft. (Hussey was just one year away from “The Philadelphia Story” which netted her a Supporting Actress nomination.) She blames her employer, a department store owner, for the frame and vows vengeance. She spends her years in prison reading law books so when she is released, she is educated in the law and its loopholes and comes up with several plans to get money out of her rich former boss but to do it, yes, within the law. The clever story is from a 1912 play that had been adapted three times before (1917, 1923, and as “Paid” with Joan Crawford in 1930). Unfortunately, the third act falls apart when the dumb criminals who have been helping her decide to do a crash and grab of a famous painting. This results in a lot of running around, shooting, shouting, and police grilling people under hot lights. Tom Neal (“Detour”) also stars as the son of Mary’s nemesis. The criminal gang is filled with familiar supporting faces, if not names, viz., Paul Kavanaugh, Paul Kelly, James Burke (“The Maltese Falcon”), and Rita Johnson (Charles Laughton’s unlucky mistress in “The Big Clock” (1944)). But the film belongs to Ruth Hussey. Director Gustav Machatý, born in what is now the Czech Republic, spent about eight years in Hollywood during which time he worked uncredited on four pictures and got credit on three others, including “Within The Law.” This is the guy who had become an international sensation in the early 1930s with two films, “Erotikon” and “Ekstase,” the latter which featured young Hedy Kiesler (later Lamarr) in a nude scene and a sex scene. The Golden Fleecing / Leslie Fenton (1940). Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM). A really get-on-your-nerves comedy with Lew Ayres (probably regretting every moment) as Henry Twinkle, one of those whiny, inarticulate, incompetent, often cowardly men often embodied by the likes of Eddie Cantor or Red Skelton. For some reason they always have knockout girl friends. When wanted fugitive Gus Fender (Lloyd Nolan) needs a patsy, “Someone honest but dumb,” he lights on Twinkle who had recently sold him an insurance policy. Twinkle ends up in a tangled web that he barely understands himself but keeps him in a panic, running from place to place. Happily, the movie is chock full of familiar supporting players, two of which (James Burke and Rita Johnson) also appear in “Within The Law” (see the first of my reviews, above). Playing Nolan’s bodyguards are Nat Pendleton and Marc Lawrence. Virginia Grey is his moll. Leon Errol, a major Broadway star in the 19-teens and ‘20s and comedy supporting player in movies from silents through the 1940s but almost forgotten today, is Johnson’s crazy uncle. A couple of chuckles in there somewhere but mostly loud and grating – like most 21st century comedies. Maybe it was just ahead of its time.   Force Of Evil / Abraham Polonsky (1948). Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM). Absolutely a noir essential. Joe Morse (John Garfield) is a mob lawyer working for Ben Tucker (Roy Roberts). Tucker has come up with a plan to take over and consolidate all the major “banks” that run the numbers rackets. This plan would also put the smaller banks out of business. One of those small banks if owned by Joe’s brother Leo Morse (Thomas Gomez, coming off his Oscar nom for “Ride The Pink Horse”). Leo, however, doesn’t want anything to do with either Tucker or his younger brother so doesn’t accept any help or advice which leads to legal problems and a potential gang war. Joe, who owes his older brother for his education, begins to take bigger and bigger risks to protect him. “Force Of Evil” was written and directed by Abraham Polonsky. The DVD I watched contained about a five-minute analysis by Martin Scorsese who raves about the screenplay. Scorsese relates that at a screening of “Force Of Evil” he presented in London, at one point a journalist declared out-loud, “My God, they are speaking blank verse!” Polansky also wrote another notable screenplay for John Garfield in “Body and Soul” (1947). A must-see.    Johnny Stool Pigeon / William Castle (1949). Universal International Pictures. Another plot of noble Treasury Department Agents tracking down evil drug smugglers. At first I thought I was going to have to endure an updated version of “Reefer Madness,” but once the story proper got underway, the propaganda mostly went away. Agent George Morton (Howard Duff) wants to go undercover but needs a way into the smuggling gang. To do this, he recruits known career criminal Johnny Evans (Dan Duryea), currently in the slammer, to provide him with contacts and bona fides, in return for Evans’ release. But, can Evans ever be entirely trusted? Morton, in the guise of a thug from Chicago, and Evans travel first to Canada where a mobster’s moll, Terry Stewart (Shelley Winters), latches on to them in order to escape and get back to the American Midwest. But is SHE on the up-and-up? From Canada they travel to Tucson and then to a Mexican resort for the finale. I was surprised at the amount of location footage shot in Tucson and the Arizona border town of Nogales. Maybe this could be called a B+ movie because of its location budget, instead of a common “B” picture. I’ve always thought Howard Duff was a bit of a stiff and his performance here didn’t change my mind. However, Duryea, Winters, and John McIntire as the resort owner, are vivid and flamboyant enough for several movies. Also, as a young gunsel, in only his second credited movie role, is an actor billed, at the time, as Anthony Curtis. He, too, is striking and memorable even though he has no dialog. A star in the making, for sure. Although it plays out in a rather routine fashion, a slightly better than usual screenplay, location shooting, and the actors mentioned make this a worthy choice for ‘40s noir/crime film fans. Le Corbeau (The Raven) / Henri-Georges Clouzot (1943). France. This great film was shot in France during the Nazi occupation of the country. When it was released, it was denounced by all sides. The Nazis recognized that the story of rampant paranoia, suspicion, and betrayals was an allegory of the atmosphere in France at that time. Those opposed to the occupation disliked the film because of its dark picture of the French people, portraying them as easily led into mob violence. The setting is the small town of St. Robin outside of Paris. All at once residents begin receiving poison-pen letters signed by “The Raven.” The letters reveal either the recipient’s personal secrets or warns about the danger that others present. Most of them seem to be directed toward the newest doctor in town, Dr. Germain (Pierre Fresnay). The anonymous letters accuse him of, among other things, of being an abortionist and having an affair with the young wife of a well loved older physician. It isn’t long before everyone in St. Robin is at each others’ throats. Suspicion bounces from person to person. Who is The Raven? The elderly doctor or his young wife? The landlord’s sexually active daughter? Her 14-year-old sister who has a crush on Dr. Germain? And how about the bitter, pinch-faced nurse at the hospital? The Reveal does not come until the final seconds, resulting in a startling conclusion. The tension created by Director Clouzot is almost palpable. The movie is derived from a novel which, in turn, was based on a historical incident from the 1920s. I used to think of the Hollywood penchant toward remaking foreign films in English to be a modern phenomenon until I encountered the 1951 remake of Fritz Lang’s German classic “M” from 1939. Well, that comment segues nicely into the American remake of “Le Corbeau” called…. The 13th Letter / Otto Preminger (1951). Twentieth Century Fox. This English remake of “Le Corbeau” doesn’t mention the French film as a source nor the historical incident from the 1920s it is based on but refers back only to the novel. It does pay some homage to its French origins. An opening title tells us that the new movie was filmed in its entirety at a “small French-Canadian community in the Province of Quebec.” When I reviewed the Hollywood remake of Fritz Lang’s “M” (released the same year as “The 13th Letter” but from different studios), I said that if you could, as much as possible, take the new film on its own merits then it had quite a bit to offer. I can’t quite say the same for the Preminger effort. The director doesn’t seem to be working too hard for a film that falls between “Where The Sidewalk Ends” and “Angel Face” in his filmography. The new film is not quite a shot-for-shot remake but is pretty much a scene-for-scene redo. The only substantial change is right at the end where a fairly long dialog passage goes to explaining the crimes in a lot more detail than Clouzot provided – but I liked the Clouzot approach better. The new young doctor is played by Michael Rennie who can’t come close to showing the inner turmoil that Pierre Fresnay brought to his tormented physician. Linda Darnell is good enough as the landlord’s flirty daughter if she isn’t nearly as seductive and overtly sexual as the French would have it. The only real notable performance is by Charles Boyer who is quite brilliant as the elderly doctor with the young wife who the anonymous letters continually link to Rennie’s character. Howard Koch wrote the screenplay. The cinematographer was Joseph LaShelle (Laura, The Apartment, Marty), so there was talent behind the camera. I can neither recommend or not recommend this picture. See it if curiosity leads you that way. It’s not really a bad movie but not a very good one either. Matching scenes. The two doctors confer.  
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Post by claudius on Aug 11, 2019 9:35:59 GMT
DARK SHADOWS (1969) “Episodes 811-815” 50TH ANNIVERSARY MPI Video DVD.
August 4 marks the 75th Anniversary of the ‘Secret Annex’ capture: when Gestapo found and arrested the Franks, Van Pels and Dr. Pfeiffer, ending their 2-year hiding, the beginning of the end for most of them. I watched several films.
THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK (1959) 75TH ANNIVERSARY (of the Arrest) and 60TH ANNIVERSARY (of the film this year). This is Act 2 of the George Stevens film (having viewed Act 1 last March). My first viewing of this film- at school in 1992 didn’t reach this part; the 1980 TV film and an edited script of the play in my School Reading Book helped fill in the blanks until I saw this on American Movie Classic in 1993 (as part of the 1st Annual Film Preservation Festival). Fox Video DVD.
THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK (1987) “Part Four” Conclusion of the BBC-TV Serial. Just Entertainment PAL DVD.
THE ATTIC: THE HIDING OF ANNE FRANK (1988) Based on her co-written ANNE FRANK REMEMBERED, Meip Gies- the Austrian-turned-Dutch employee who helped protect & support the ‘Secret Annex’- is the focal point of this TV-Movie starring Mary Steenburgen, Paul Scofield, Eleanor Bron, Tom Wilkinson, and Victor Spinetti. I first saw parts of this on the Disney Channel in June 1992, as part of a string of Frank-related subjects (a docu THE WORLD OF ANNE FRANK, and the 1980 version of THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK with Maxmillian Schell sharing Scofield’s out-of-visual-accuracy Otto Frank) Cabin Fever VHS.
THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK (2009) "Part 3" YouTube.
ANNE FRANK REMEMBERED (1995) Jon Blair’s award-winning documentary, with interviews of Anne’s friends and Pfeffer’s son (who gets an emotional reunion with Miep Gies shortly before his death) as well as actual film footage of Anne (from a home movie of a wedding occurring in her neighborhood). First saw this on the Disney Channel in June 1995 (the Disney Channel was a very different thing back then). Sony Classics DVD
I also watched the beginning part of Part 2 of ANNE FRANK (2001 Buena Vista DVD) up to the arrest.
NARUTO SHIPPUDEN (2013) “An Old Nemesis.” Viz Media DVD
A TALE OF TWO CITIES (1980) “Episode Three” To2C 160TH ANNIVERSARY Marquis St. Evermonde (Morris Perry) and Madame DeFarge (Judy Parfitt) make their appearances in this serial. One doesn't make it past the episode. Just Entertainment PAL DVD.
THE SON OF THE SHIEK (1926) UNITED ARTISTS 100TH ANNIVERSARY Rudolph Valentino’s final film (he plays both father and son). First saw parts of this on a documentary called LIFE OF VALENTINO back in 1989. Kino Lorber BluRay.
FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST (2004) “Hohenheim of Light” 15TH ANNIVERSARY. Funimation DVD.
FINAL CUT: THE MAKING OF HEAVEN’S GATE AND THE UNMAKING OF A STUDIO (2004) Narrated by Willem DaFoe, this documentary covers the making and legacy of Leonard Cimino’s epic bomb, with interviews by Stephen Bach, Jeff Bridges (who bought the cabin whorehouse when filming ended), Kris Kristoffersen, and Brad Dourif. This is a VHS recording from a Trio TV Broadcast in 2004. Guess what I will be watching this week?
SERVING THE ROYALS (2015) Netflix.
DRAGON BALL Z (1989) “Escape From Piccolo! Gohan Summons a Storm!” 30TH ANNIVERSARY. Funimation DVD.
THE MARK OF ZORRO (1920) ZORRO 100th ANNIVERSARY and UNITED ARTISTS 100TH ANNIVERSARY. In honor of the centennial publication of Johnston McCulley's “The Curse of Capistrano”, I revive my Zorro watching with the Douglas Fairbanks Sr. film (which will have its own centennial next year) that launched the swashbuckler phase of his career. The film is also notable for debuting Zorro’s ‘Z’ signature, and the magic tricks, which weren’t in the pulp serial but impressed McCulley to add these actions in his book-form revision. I only saw parts of this film (the chase sequence) in many forms (SESAME STREET for example), not viewing the full film until my birthday in 1995 on a Blackhawk/Image VHS. This is the Kino DVD, with an Orson Welles introduction from THE SILENT YEARS.
METROPOLIS (1927) GRIGORI MORODER VERSION (1984) 35TH ANNIVERSARY. Moroder’s controversial revision of the film with songs by Pat Benatar, Bonnie Tyler, Adam Ant, Freddie Mercury (his association would cause this edit to be erroneously referred to as scored by Queen), and Dreamboy. Back in Elementary school in 1991, a special class I went to would have this scholastic activity of the Metropolis story with questions for memory learning (I recognized the film from my horror history books). On my final day at school, the teacher then showed me this version (at least up to Freder struggling through the workday). I didn’t see the rest of the Morodoer version for almost a decade until I rented the film in 1999. Kino Lorber BluRay.
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Post by OldAussie on Aug 11, 2019 9:55:13 GMT
FINAL CUT: THE MAKING OF HEAVEN’S GATE AND THE UNMAKING OF A STUDIO (2004) Narrated by Willem DaFoe, this documentary covers the making and legacy of Leonard Cimino’s epic bomb, with interviews by Stephen Bach, Jeff Bridges (who bought the cabin whorehouse when filming ended), Kris Kristoffersen, and Brad Dourif. This is a VHS recording from a Trio TV Broadcast in 2004. Guess what I will be watching this week? One of my favourite behind-the-scenes documentaries - unfortunately the Blu-ray contains a shortened version (over 20 minutes cut) in the special features. Similar "making-of" docs that stand out for me are Citizen Kane, Ben-Hur (59) and Cleopatra (63).
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Post by claudius on Aug 11, 2019 11:27:10 GMT
Really? Good thing I taped the docu on its TrioTV premiere.
My favorite 'Making of' documentaries are MAKING OF A LEGEND: GONE WITH THE WIND (1989), BEN-HUR: THE MAKING OF AN EPIC (1993), CLEOPATRA: THE FILM THAT CHANGED HOLLYWOOD (2001) (with honorable mentions to THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ (1990) and I, CLAUDIUS: A TELEVISION EPIC (2005)). I never saw the CITIZEN KANE docu.
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Post by hitchcockthelegend on Aug 11, 2019 14:54:45 GMT
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Post by manfromplanetx on Aug 11, 2019 21:32:29 GMT
Hello everyone A wonderful week of viewing so many great reviews and recs Thanks.... A shout out for two Soviet Classics which highlighted a week of top European Classic viewing down here in OZ ...
Ballada o Beringe i ego druzyakh (1971) Yuri Shvyryov Based on factual detail, the Ballad of Bering and His Friends is a marvellous adventure drama, an exciting historical account of the very first Russian naval scientific expeditions. Vitus Bering (1681-1741) was selected by the Tsar to captain the First Kamchatka Expedition. It was an expedition which began in St Petersburg with the explorers planning to sail north from far eastern Russian outposts on the Kamchatka Peninsula. Their aim was to establish whether Asia and America physically share a land border or whether they are separated by sea. Beginning in the court of Peter the Great the fascinating true story is an absorbing tale of service, adventure, hardship and discovery. Composed in widescreen B&W the film is beautifully crafted with fine period detail and highlights some breathtaking natural wonders. With a cast of characters taken straight from the documented journals, some of which have Islands, Peaks and Seas named in their honour. The Ballad of Bering and His Friends is a not only an exciting adventure tale it offers a fascinating insight into the exploration of this harsh, wild remote region. Highly Recommend Soviet Classic Cinema...  Ne boysya, ya s toboy , Don't worry, I'm with you!...(1981) Yuliy Gusman A fabulous Soviet Azerbaijani co-production overflowing each of the listed genres with exciting Action, rousing Adventure, light-hearted Comedy, wonderful Music and touching Romance, non-stop entertainment from start to finish. With spontaneous outbursts of song and instrumental, each beautifully filmed scene captivates with wondrous delight. Magnificent natural landscapes portray a spectacular scenic backdrop. An outstanding cast features two companion characters. Philosophical San Sanych (Lev Durov) is a true friend who surprises with some incredible martial arts and skilled performer Rustam (Mukhtar-bek Kantemirov) was a real life professional ring entertainer from a famous family of circus horse riders. Here the handsome, mild mannered Ossetian showcases some spectacular talents, he was also highly proficient at throwing target knives & axes. An exceptional film is as the translated title suggests... an uplifting story of friendship, of righteousness and kindness. Highly Recommended Soviet Classic .!!  |
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Post by Lebowskidoo 🎄😷🎄 on Aug 11, 2019 21:35:16 GMT
Frenzy (2018) "I had a raft...but the sharks ate it." No, not a Hitchcock remake, thankfully. Just another killer shark TV movie. Good premise but the lack of horror portrayed by the actors sinks it a little. Why are they so calm about their friends being eaten in front of them? The CGI sharks are a step up from some other CGI shark movies, but only slightly. Still, it was an okay time waster and my fellow shark movie fans will find something to enjoy.  Capsized: Blood in the Water (2019) Based on a true story from 1982 makes this Discovery Channel Shark Week movie a little more harrowing than your usual made-for-TV shark movie. Plenty of tension during the shark scenes and some actual actors, it's similar to so many other movies but well done and worth your time.  Lake Placid: Legacy (2018) Yes, another killer aquatic animal TV-movie, I was really on a roll. Complete trash that copies Aliens, Jaws and Anaconda. Naturally, I loved it. ::yes Great poster too!  Crawl (2019) "We can defeat these pea-brained lizard sh**s!" Oh yeah, baby! That's what I'm talking about! A real suspenseful, gory, creepy, claustrophobic man-eating alligator flick! The man-eating animal genre is my favorite of all the horror genres, and this is a good one! Directed by Alexandre Aja, the man who gave us Piranha 3D, so this instantly became a must see, since that movie delivered so well. A competitive swimmer (Kaya Scodelario, a future star) and her dad (Barry Pepper) are stuck in their basement in a hurricane with hungry alligators. Great premise and this movie milks every ounce out of the scenario.  Summer Camp Nightmare (1987) Sounds like a summer camp-themed horror movie, right? Nope, more of a teen drama about some rebellious teens fighting back against their strict camp counselors. Maybe they thought it was a horror movie they were making, but it's hardly suspenseful or scary at all. Chuck Connors plays the head counselor, with some seriously bad eyeglass frames!   Sleepaway Camp (1983) Trashy, fun 80's summer camp slasher that I'd seen way back then. Now, the authentic 80's clothes, fashion and slang sticks out like, totally! A few laughs come from this rewatch for that reason alone. The kills are not bad, slightly more original that most. Still wondering exactly just where that curling iron wound up....yikes! When I saw it back in the 80's, Christopher Collet as Paul, was the only "famous face" in the cast. He seemed to be an up and coming actor, he had done Firstborn (1984) and The Manhattan Project (1986). He didn't really go on to fame and fortune as an actor, but I do think being linked to this now classic of the slasher genre will keep his fame alive for years to come.  Hold on to your short-shorts for that ending!!!   Sleepaway Camp 2: Unhappy Campers (1988) A more comedic sequel, with the lead role of Angela suddenly recast with Pamela Springsteen, The Boss' sister! No clever twists here, but lots of interesting murders for the whole family to enjoy!  Sleepaway Camp 3: Teenage Wasteland (1989) This sequel was filmed back-to-back with the previous one, all sets were reused and simply altered slightly. Angela is still bonkers and kills everyone she meets. Wholesome entertainment.  Sleepaway Camp IV: The Survivor (1992) This is why horror gets no respect sometimes. They produce a Frankenstein's monster of a movie like this clip show and they know we'll show up for it anyway. And here I am, trying to complete the series, watching it too...even though I just saw all of this earlier in the week when I watched the series from the beginning. There's a few shots added in from some aborted attempt at making a sequel that got shutdown. They add almost nothing. In fact, they are mostly confusing. You're basically just rewatching the best bits from the first three movies. The worst "film" I've seen all year. Maybe even including last year, and that's saying something since I watch my share of crap movies.  Return To Sleepaway Camp (2008) I didn't have much hope for this after viewing the god-awful Sleepaway Camp IV: The Survivor, but it's actually a real sequel to the original, more so than any of the others. Very similar in many ways, thanks to Robert Hiltzik, the original writer/director from the first movie. Some original cast members return and the kills are inventive. This is a worthy sequel and fans of the original will be pleased.  As you can see, all of the above films are beloved classics. I feel like I need a bath AND a shower after this week of cinematic carnage.   Till next week, have a great movie week everybody!  
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Post by morrisondylanfan on Aug 11, 2019 23:22:42 GMT
Le Corbeau (The Raven) / Henri-Georges Clouzot (1943). France. This great film was shot in France during the Nazi occupation of the country. When it was released, it was denounced by all sides. The Nazis recognized that the story of rampant paranoia, suspicion, and betrayals was an allegory of the atmosphere in France at that time. Those opposed to the occupation disliked the film because of its dark picture of the French people, portraying them as easily led into mob violence. The setting is the small town of St. Robin outside of Paris. All at once residents begin receiving poison-pen letters signed by “The Raven.” The letters reveal either the recipient’s personal secrets or warns about the danger that others present. Most of them seem to be directed toward the newest doctor in town, Dr. Germain (Pierre Fresnay). The anonymous letters accuse him of, among other things, of being an abortionist and having an affair with the young wife of a well loved older physician. It isn’t long before everyone in St. Robin is at each others’ throats. Suspicion bounces from person to person. Who is The Raven? The elderly doctor or his young wife? The landlord’s sexually active daughter? Her 14-year-old sister who has a crush on Dr. Germain? And how about the bitter, pinch-faced nurse at the hospital? The Reveal does not come until the final seconds, resulting in a startling conclusion. The tension created by Director Clouzot is almost palpable. The movie is derived from a novel which, in turn, was based on a historical incident from the 1920s. I used to think of the Hollywood penchant toward remaking foreign films in English to be a modern phenomenon until I encountered the 1951 remake of Fritz Lang’s German classic “M” from 1939. Well, that comment segues nicely into the American remake of “Le Corbeau” called…. The 13th Letter / Otto Preminger (1951). Twentieth Century Fox. This English remake of “Le Corbeau” doesn’t mention the French film as a source nor the historical incident from the 1920s it is based on but refers back only to the novel. It does pay some homage to its French origins. An opening title tells us that the new movie was filmed in its entirety at a “small French-Canadian community in the Province of Quebec.” When I reviewed the Hollywood remake of Fritz Lang’s “M” (released the same year as “The 13th Letter” but from different studios), I said that if you could, as much as possible, take the new film on its own merits then it had quite a bit to offer. I can’t quite say the same for the Preminger effort. The director doesn’t seem to be working too hard for a film that falls between “Where The Sidewalk Ends” and “Angel Face” in his filmography. The new film is not quite a shot-for-shot remake but is pretty much a scene-for-scene redo. The only substantial change is right at the end where a fairly long dialog passage goes to explaining the crimes in a lot more detail than Clouzot provided – but I liked the Clouzot approach better. The new young doctor is played by Michael Rennie who can’t come close to showing the inner turmoil that Pierre Fresnay brought to his tormented physician. Linda Darnell is good enough as the landlord’s flirty daughter if she isn’t nearly as seductive and overtly sexual as the French would have it. The only real notable performance is by Charles Boyer who is quite brilliant as the elderly doctor with the young wife who the anonymous letters continually link to Rennie’s character. Howard Koch wrote the screenplay. The cinematographer was Joseph LaShelle (Laura, The Apartment, Marty), so there was talent behind the camera. I can neither recommend or not recommend this picture. See it if curiosity leads you that way. It’s not really a bad movie but not a very good one either. Matching scenes. The two doctors confer. Terrific reviews Mike,I found the comparisons you made between both films really interesting. Although sadly not Subbed,there is a 1989 remake called Radio Corbeau:  My quotes on the raven from a few years ago: 10. "Interpretation and mystification go hand in hand." Inspired by a real "poison letter" case that took place in Tulle, Limousin (signed "The eye of the tiger") in 1917,the screenplay by co-writer/(along with Louis Chavance) director Henri-Georges Clouzot sends the letters to the gripped with fear Occupied France.Openly having a character state "Evil is a necessary thing.",the writers tear the town up with a ruthlessly allegorical Film Noir,by making the search for The Raven,one where everybody is covered in grave doubts,and the "resistance" to the letter is torn down by mistrust and deceit. Getting on the wrong side of everyone, (with "The Raven" being revived in real life letters on the Clearstream affair,leaking details about French politicians secret bank accounts.) The writers strike a brutal punch against the Nazis, (who ran Continental Films studio) by making the letters drying up info being given to the self-appointed,ruling elite in the town.Leaving this work as a mark for 3 years,director Clouzot & cinematographer Nicolas Hayer fly with the raven into the darkest areas of the town.Opening up the anxiety with each new letter,Clouzot sweeps across the town with ultra-stylish tracking shots which turn on every suspect in town. Unveiling the secrets,Clouzot soaks the title in an intense Film Noir atmosphere of dread,by superbly making the decayed shadows shining down on the residences subtly reflect the "grey" world they are trapped in.Joined by a stunning Micheline Francey (who got banned from acting for a year after appearing here!) as the unsteady on her feet Laura Vorzet, Pierre Fresnay gives an extraordinary performance as Germain,thanks to Fresnay trimming Germain's "clean cut" image as secrets fly out of his hand,and turn Germain into a Film Noir loner in the wilderness of the town,as the mysterious letter writer quotes The Raven,never more.
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Post by bravomailer on Aug 12, 2019 0:17:34 GMT
Save the Tiger - 7.5/10. Probably the best of the "American dream gone wrong" films. Jack Lemmon, a believer in American ideals and proud veteran of WW2, wrestles with the decision to commit arson to save his failing business in 1970s LA. One of Lemmon's best performances and one that got him an Oscar. Jack Guilford delivers a remarkable performance as his more conscientious partner. Not the highest budget and the nostalgic talk of the past is repetitious, but a fine film.  |
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Post by morrisondylanfan on Aug 12, 2019 0:38:25 GMT
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004). Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005). At last! Harry battles his archenemy...hormones! This is easily my favourite HP film. It has EVERYTHING: action/adventure, horror, romance, comedy, combining the light-hearted feel of the first two films with the overly dark/gothic feel of the third (without going over-the-top). The opening shot, where we follow snake-cam, with rather ‘loose’ interpretation of the now very familiar Harry Potter theme, establishes that this movie is going to be something different to what’s come before. I appreciated the fact that while the prior films had somewhat slow starts, this one skipped over the horrible Dursleys (seriously, WHY do they keep sending Harry back to his abusive relatives? It’s totally messed up), who’re always my least favourite parts of the films, and got straight into the action. Daniel Radcliffe feels like he's at last comfortable in the role Harry, who’s much more angst-filled in this film (though also more sarcastic/amusing, which is welcome). Rupert Grint finally gets to do more as Ron than just simply acting scared/pulling funny faces, and the rift between him and Harry is interesting (I’ll always remember Ron’s telling Harry to “Pi$$ off”). Emma Watson, like Radcliffe, seems more at ease in her role, and Hermione goes through a wide range of emotions in this film. I appreciate her friendship with Harry, and her arguing with Ron (whilst obviously they secretly care for each other) allows for some real emotionally-charged/interesting moments. All three work like a well-oiled machine at this point with their interaction/dynamic. While this might be an unpopular opinion, I actually really like Michael Gambon as Richard Harris’ replacement playing Dumbledore (I know book readers had issues with him yelling at Harry, but I actually thought it showed some complexity, revealing another side to the character). Alan Rickman’s Snape and Maggie Smith’s McGonagall don’t get much screentime, but do the most with what they’re given (I thought the latter’s scene, teaching Ron how to waltz, was quite amusing). The most interesting addition to the adult cast is Brendan Gleeson as Mad-Eye Moody, who’s odd/quirky, but I’d almost say he’s the most complex of the constantly revolving door of Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers thus far...except he’s not all that he seems. Miranda Richardson is suitably irritating as Rita Skeeter, Gary Oldman stops by for a quick Sirius fireplace chat with Harry, and Ralph Fiennes gives a memorable debut performance as Voldemort in all his digitally-removed-nose glory. Regarding the new additions to the younger castmembers, pre-Twilight Robert Pattinson manages to make Cedric Diggory likable and his friendship with Harry *mean* something in the short amount of time we get to know him in, which proves crucial later on (as it shows that, to quote Hermione, “Everything’s going to change now”). His relationship with his father is also very effective. As for the other Triwizard Tournament champions, Stanislav Ianevski as Viktor Krum (who Ron has a man-crush on…that is until Krum beats Ron to the punch by asking Hermione to the Yule Ball) and Clémence Poésy as Fleur Delacour (who Ron also has a crush on, and manages to earn a kiss from at one point) are actually both the nationalities of the characters they’re playing, which is appreciated (instead of having actors/actresses of other nationalities doing dodgy fake accents for the roles), and are good in their parts, though after the memorable entrances of their respective schools (Durmstrang and Beauxbatons), they don’t get much to do/say. As for the non-Triwizard champions, Katie Leung also has very little to do in the movie as Cho Chang (other than smile and be on the receiving end of Harry’s most awkward invitation to the Yule Ball ever. She has a lovely Scottish accent, though), as does Tom Felton as Draco Malfoy (he gets one memorable scene with Mad-Eye Moody). Neville Longbottom continues to get his own moments to shine, at least (though I wonder how Harry and Ron felt about Ron’s sister, Ginny, being Neville’s date to the Yule Ball. Even *Hagrid* gets some lovin’ in this movie!). As well as all the wonderful characters, something else this movie excels at is its storytelling. Things keep going at an exhilarating pace that seldom slows down. The three Triwizard tasks are all unique, but exciting (the task featuring dragons is probably more memorable for us the audience than the spectators, since most of the dragon action takes place AWAY from where they're sitting). The second task’s underwater scenes are appropriately spooky, while the final task (involving a giant hedge maze) is the ‘darkest’ section of the film, creating a real sense of terror/horror. However, there are enough laughs to balance out the darker moments. The score adds a lot to the film, but never takes you out of it (and doesn’t play the HP theme ad nauseam like the previous films, thankfully). In my opinion, this film is the most thrilling, enjoyable, roller-coaster (or, more accurately, broomstick) ride in the series. Also, it’ll probably always be remembered as the one where nobody got a haircut. (2017). Fallen (1998). Bend It Like Beckham (2002). Road to Perdition (2002). Hi COE! Hope you had a good weekend,and how did you find the epic Action trash of F&F 8 to be?
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Post by morrisondylanfan on Aug 12, 2019 1:39:33 GMT
Hi all,I hope everyone had a good weekend,and I watched: Auteurs in '87 Viewing fest: Move out of the way with your dogs QT!  One that ticks off the boxes in your Neo-Noir & Action lists hitchcockthelegend With Eng Subs: www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoydUKo9ZZk&t=6215sRingo Lam's City on Fire 10. Building on the skill he had displayed in his co-directing debut Esprit D'amour, (1983-also reviewed)and given a free hand by producer Karl Mak to do whatever project he wanted, co-writer/(with Sai-Shing Shum) directing auteur Ringo Lam becomes one of the leading figures of the Heroic Bloodshed sub-genre,with a blistering entry. Continuing to expand on the Jazzy Blues score of D'amour with a vibrant Neo-Noir score from Teddy Robin Kwan, Lam takes debuting cinematographer Andrew Lau Wai-Keung onto the streets of Hong Kong in guerrilla filming style, (a recurring filming technique for Lam) that fires off a rough & tumble sawn-off shotgun atmosphere of Lam's long tracking shots, (which catch the odd side mirror of cars Lam's secretly filming in!) being welded to Heroic Bloodshed slow-motion parting shots, and whip-pans darting towards each thief clearing out their part of shop in the robberies. Displaying his eye for Neo-Noir for the first time, Lam brings a depth fatal heroism to the bloodshed, dressing Chow in ultra-stylised black and white low-lighting, (lined between his loyalty with the cops,and loyalty to the gang leader) and closely-held two-shots pushing the nervous cops to the very outskirts of the frame/the law. Far more than just being the original Reservoir Dogs, the screenplay by Lam & Sai-Shing Shum holds Chow's feet to the fire as a absolute Noir loner, who must pick at the grey to make his isolating moral choices (a regular theme of Lam's credits.) Gaining the trust of the gang by a tagged handing over of weapons, the writers take a excellent slow-burn approach to the handing over Chow makes not only of weapons, but loyalty, via new, young hip cop John Chan shoving the steady hands of Inspector Lau away from guiding Chow in the case, leaving Chow open to gaining a closer look at the traditional hand of loyalty lead gangster Fu places on his fellow thieves. Getting his fingers burnt,Yueh Sun gives a tense, worn down to the bones turn as Lau, whilst Danny Lee brilliantly carries Fu with the confidence of knowing he is the toughest in the room, but aware of times he needs to show his hand. The first in his long collaboration with Lam, Chow Yun-Fat gives a mesmerising performance as Chow, drilling down on Chow's early swagger to a bloodstained, morally blurred wreak,who leaves the city on fire.  My first Fellini directed film- Intervista. 7 Reuniting from Tenebrae, Lara Wendel and Christian Borromeo give delightful performances,with Wendel capturing the excitement of a actress working with a legend,and Christian Borromeo brings out a playfulness from being on set with the film maker. Joining old friends of the good life, Marcello Mastroianni brings a touching melancholy as himself, conjuring the highlight of the film, via Mastroianni and Anita Ekberg watching footage of themselves together in faded footage from a fading era of cinema. Interviewed by a documentary crew at Cinecitta studio, the screenplay by co-writer/(with Gianfranco Angelucci) directing auteur Federico Fellini give the dialogue of the fake documentary portion an in the moment feel, via criss-crossing between snappy questions from the interviewer, with the more considered replies by Fellini. Pulling four films out of his magicians hat, Fellini continues building upon his themes with a enticing zest, magicking up the blurring between fantasy and reality of Fellini reminiscing about his time at Cinecitta seeping into the making of a fake film version of Kafka's Amerika. Finding it more difficult to fly at his advance age, Fellini & Sergio Leone's regular cinematographer Tonino Delli Colli continue the later theme of Fellini's credits in a bitter-sweet love letter to Cinecitta. Turning his magical surrealism towards the magic of cinema, Fellini takes a flight of fantasy in tracking shots down the sets of the Kafka's Amerika and his heightened re-enactment of the first visit to the studio, pinned by a striking final shot, which peels away the fantasy of Cinecitta.  Claude Chabrol's adaptation of Patricia Highsmith's The Cry of the Owl. 10 Slipping on Patricia Highsmith's novel like a velvet glove, co-writer/(with regular collaborator Odile Barski) directing auteur Claude Chabrol's adaptation takes Highsmith cynical,apprehension world view, and superbly coils it with the rich dissection of the murderous bourgeoisie which spans across his credits. First sighting Juliette by watching from afar, the writers alight a fatalist Neo-Noir edge in the entanglement between Robert and Juliette, spun from the pressure of trying to keep how they first met secret, and Juliette's ex Patrick digging for details on this outsider. Cracking open Robert's past from his bitter ex-wife Veronique's hissing asides which hold Robert from escaping his old life, (a major theme in Chabrol's credits) the writers display their claws with a tantalising Mystery Thriller, sinking into Robert's detached bourgeoisie status being torn to shreds by bitter, calculating ex's,and Chabrol's traditional, doubting police officers, leaving everything in a bloody pile on the floor. Soaring on his son Matthieu's plucked, spidery score, Chabrol & his regular cinematographer Jean Rabier take a turn of the screw with a unrelenting tense atmosphere, nailed in French New Wave distorted wide-views, imprinting the impression of Robert being a loner from all those in town. Setting out the rules of the game for him, Chabrol grinds Robert down with bursts of red against a pristine, sterilised white and silver canvas, reflecting the Noir lack of morals, in the conniving bourgeoisie. Taunting her ex Robert, Virginie Thevenet gives a alluring, viciously seductive turn as Veronique,whilst Jacques Penot slithers round being the Highsmith blonde psychopath Patrick. Dazed by the pure vision of Juliette, (a terrific Mathilda May) Christophe Malavoy gives a excellent performance as Robert, who whilst getting shaky at the edges from becoming entrapped in a game, is held at the core by Malavoy as a Noir loner, detached from the cry of the owl.  What a kick ass set! Norman J. Warren's Bloody New Year 7. Ending their set on a high note, Indicator fill the disc with detailed extras, including new a commentary with Warren & BFI film historian Jo Botting, (bet Warren never imagined that the BFI would hold a "season" screening his films!) and in dealing with inconsistent film stock, sand down the roughest edges in their great 2K transfer, whilst keeping the soundtrack clean. Facing tight limits placed on by producer Maxine Julius, (from no time being given to write more than one draft, turning down any actors who did not live nearby,and keeping a close count on how many reels of film were used)co-writer/(with Hayden and Frazer Pearce) directing auteur Norman J. Warren presents a fitting, late coda to the era of British "New Wave" Horror.Closely working with cinematographer John Shann and co-writer Frazer Pearce standing in as a set designer, who made sets out of any scraps he found, Warren plays a lively, ramshackle Punk Rock atmosphere, using the real empty hotel location for messy,use anything around shocks, turning the tables on the guests with possessed netting, ghosts caked in thick practical effects and a table which turns into a monster! Even under the conditions placed, Warren still finds space for his distinctive style to shine, surrounding the group of pretty young things with surreal flashing neon lights,melting into rapid-fire long panning shots of the ghostly old guests giving the new arrivals a special welcome.Backed by a breezy soundtrack of 50's Rock and 80's synch, the writers tune into this sound with a screenplay that takes the body count of Slasher flicks, and wonderfully twist it into Warren's creepy, surreal supernatural time-warp, which keeps the guest held in a bloody new year. Biggest surprise viewing of the week: Jess Franco's Faceless 9 (who knew Jess could go mainstream and do this well!) The Eng Dub is the officially released version: www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcV5wiTZPE8 The first time he had a decent budget since Jack the Ripper (1976),co-writer/(with Pierre Ripert/Jean Mazarin/ Michel Lebrun/ Dominique Eudes and producer Rene Chateau) directing auteur "Uncle" Jess Franco brings his Orloff creation back into the era of the Erotic Thriller,which Jess enters with a tasty heaping of stylised kitsch, (backed by the toe-tapping Disco crooning tunes sung by Vincenzo Thoma)brimming from the pounding bright reds and his own unique, scatter-shot whip-pans landing on the pristine, garish clothes, reflecting the vanity of those being forced under the knife for beauty. Whilst toning down his trademark button-bashing zoom-ins to light moments of hot lesbian action, Uncle Jess puts the extra cash he got on screen in excellent practical special effects set-pieces, striking from a Lucio Fulci-style poke in the eye, to gore hounds delight of face removal operations brimming with red. As detailed in Stephen Thrower's outstanding book Flowers of Perversion: The Delirious Cinema of Jess Franco- Volume 2, Jess had wanted to give Orloff (what would turn out to be the final appearance of the character) a bigger in the ending with a final twist, which was blocked by co-writer/producer Rene Chateau, and that leaves Orloff being given an added,subtle layer to his murky past,and a farewell threaded in a oddly bitter sweet vibe,when stepping out of the operation room for good. Surrounding the ghouls with a gaudy, eye-abusing backdrop, Jess goes down the corridor of women being locked in a (mental) prison, and with the co-writers attacks the amoral (a theme in Jess's work) vanity of the era with relish. Dripping exchanges between Dr Flamand and his "patients" with ripe acid dialogue, the writers twist the stereotype of the "Mad Doctor/ Scientist" genre, first in Ingrid not being forced, but a willing partner for the killings to be committed in order to restore her beauty, "specialist" Dr. Moser being more concerned with his ego than the acts being committed. Holding the richly cynical atmosphere right to the end, the writers avoid a clean happy ending, instead holding investigator Morgan on a cryptic ledge. Reuniting with Uncle Jess, sexy Brigitte Lahaie gives a icy cool turn as deadly vixen nurse Nathalie, whilst Caroline Munro and Stephane Audran (!) bring the screams as Barbara and Sherman. Joined by the welcome return of Howard Vernon's Orloff, and Helmut Berger's eyes of madness as Dr.Flamand, Anton Diffring gives a mesmerising turn in one of his last roles, drilling into the cold, deadly professional way Dr. Moser looks at the faceless. Other flicks: A superb French Film Noir:  Such a Pretty Little Beach (1949) 10 With Eng Subs: www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpPKW767ftc&t=1sA decade before the movement got into full flow, director Yves Allegret & cinematographer Henri Alekan build a sandcastle between the poetic Film Noir's of the 30's and 40's,and the realism of the French New Wave in the late 50's. Closely working with sound team Jacques Carrere and Pierre-Louis Calvet , Allegret creates an incredibly haunting sound design, pelting the hotel roof with rain which lands like gunshots, and lone creaks from doors opened in the hotel room, listened to by the residence as if part of a espionage mission. Sticking a spade into the beach with a breath-taking final shot, Allegret and Alekan display a delicate quality springing from FNW-style long panning shots catching the fellow hotel guests and staff taking a sly glance at Pierre, to brewing a icy Film Noir atmosphere of a ill-looking Pierre sleeping over dissolves,joined by the outside bullets of rain falling into Pierre embrace with Marthe. Entering the hotel looking like he is at deaths door, the screenplay by Jacques Sigurd brilliantly matches Allegret's stylisation,in the characterization of Pierre, who Sigurd has netted between the the ridden with pessimism Noir loner of the 30's/40,with the bruised, outsider rebel streak of the FNW. Unable to take their eyes off Pierre, Sigurd cleverly circles the staff/fellow guests at the hotel to cast the ghostly image of Pierre, glowing from the simmering with menace clipped dialogue of fellow "guest" Fred,and the lone hands of empathy offered by Marthe. The lone person in the washed out town to reach out, the elegant Madeleine Robinson gives a exquisite turn as Marthe, whose own worn-down past is cut open by Robinson to slowly entangle Marthe with Pierre, whilst Jean Servais plays for the creeping slow-burn as Fred. Permanently haunted by his past, Gerard Philipe gives a mesmerising, expressive performance as Pierre,whose every look back is carried by Philipe like a ghost,fading away on such a pretty little beach.  Cosgrove Hall studio's The Reluctant Dragon (1987) 10 Following their magnificent adaptation of The Wind in the Willows, Willis Hall (related to Mark Hall?) brings another Kenneth Grahame adaptation to Cosgrove Hall studios, with Hall merrily playing on the image of the fearsome dragon,here being one who recites his own poetry and is a pacifist. Lighting up a message about not judging people (or a dragon) by their cover, Hall brings with the arrival of St George to slay the dragon, folk tale comedy,from the locals treating the day when the dragon is to be killed,like a funfair, and George/dragon being guided by a boy on how to stage a fight. Reciting poems to anyone who goes near his cave, the animators give the dragon a wonderful, colourful appearance, whose friendly, flamboyant manner goes against the image created by the locals. Looming large over the locals, the animators impressively use forced perspective on the rustic, detailed designed locals looking up in fear at the dragon. Joined by the welcomed sounds of Cosgrove Hall regulars Brian Trueman/ Jimmy Hibbert,and smooth narration from Martin Jarvis, Simon Callow brings the fire breathing dragon to life, with a wonderful, soothing calm for a reluctant dragon. |
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Post by Chalice_Of_Evil on Aug 12, 2019 5:13:21 GMT
The Fate of the Furious (2017). Hi COE! Hope you had a good weekend,and how did you find the epic Action trash of F&F 8 to be? Hi, morrisondylanfan. Hope you had a good weekend too. I'm sorry to say The Fate of the Furious won't be ranked among my favourite of the franchise. While I thought it did have some decent moments, on the whole I think I kind of lost interest in the franchise after #6. Them killing off Gisele (Gal Gadot) in the sixth film probably had a lot to do with that, as she was a favourite character of mine.
As for #8, I'll admit that Charlize Theron probably gave one of the better villain performances in the franchise, but as for the character she played (Cipher)...I wanted her dead after what she did to Elena (or rather, what she had her henchman do to Elena). I really like Elsa Pataky and the character she played, so I was pretty ticked off with how they wrote her out of the franchise. And like with Han and Gisele in prior films, her death seemed to be mostly forgotten about by the end of the movie. Not to mention I think it's wrong that Dom and his team became pretty accepting of Shaw by the end of the movie, after he and his brother were responsible for the deaths of Han and Gisele. This^ is just my opinion, though. I imagine others will likely disagree.
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