All classics of Indian cinema - much before the silly word "Bollywood" was coined.gunnar wrote: ↑Fri Apr 12, 2024 11:10 pmBandini (1963) - 8/10 - Kalyani is a quiet resident of a women's prison in 1930s India. She volunteers to take care of a TB patient, a dangerous thing to do at the time. She gains the eye and the ear of one of the prison doctors and the story of how she came to be a prisoner is revealed in flashback. I think the first part of the film is the strongest, but the whole picture is pretty good.
Scorching Winds / Garm Hava (1974) - 8/10 - Salim Mirza is a Muslim with a good family and life in India. When Pakistan is created during partition, Salim's brother and a number of other relatives emigrate to Pakistan. Life becomes difficult for those who chose to stay behind in their home town. The film does a very nice job of showing some of the difficulties faced by the minority Muslim population after the partition.
Paper Flowers / Kaagaz Ke Phool (1959) - 8/10 - A once successful film director looks back on his life. Suresh Sinha (Guru Dutt) is a popular director with a number of hits who is about ready to film Devdas for his next feature. He comes across a young woman named Shanti (Waheeda Rehman) who is not an actress, but he thinks will be perfect for a lead role in the film. The film follows his relationship with Shanti and also his relationship with his daughter (Kumari Naaz). The film is apparently based in part on Dutt's own experiences in the film industry. He starred in and directed the film and his life mirrored this to an extent. I thought Dutt, Rehman, and Naaz all did a nice job and I appreciated the music in the film, too.
Sahib Bibi aur Ghulam (1962) - 8/10 - An old, ruined mansion is in the process of being torn down when lunch break is called. The overseer (Guru Dutt) uses this time to reflect back to many years earlier when he first arrived at the mansion as a young, naive man. The estate is elegant, but the master of the house goes out drinking every night and spending time with dancing women while his unhappy wife (Meena Kumari) remains at home, lonely in the absence of her husband. The newly arrived worker befriends the daughter (Waheeda Rehman) of a man who works at the master's factory and the worker also befriends the mistress of the house, being seeming to be somewhat in awe of her. The film has nice performances from the three main leads as the tragedy plays out.
Guide (1965) - 8/10 - Raju was a tour guide who fell in love with the young wife of an older archeologist. The woman was a dancer and the daughter of a prostitute so many people in Raju's village were against her, including his mother and uncle. When the film starts, Raju has just been released from a short stay in prison and instead of returning home, decides to go in a different direction. He is mistaken for a holy man and the people of a rural village start looking to him for wisdom. His earlier life is told in flashback. I thought the film wandered a bit during the second half, but overall it is pretty solid and I enjoyed it.
Junglee (1961) - 7/10 - Shammi Kapoor portrays a wealthy, but humorless jackass named Shekhar who lives by the principles espoused by his mother who is conscious of wealth and status. Shekhar's sister Mala is in love with a poor man, but her mother forbids their relationship and has Shekhar take her to Kashmir to get away from the man. While in Kashmir, Shekhar falls in love with the daughter of a doctor and his demeanor changes as a result, though it is not immediate. I didn't really like Kapoor's acting throughout much of the film, but I did really like Saira Banu as Rajkumari, the love interest. Overall, I did like the movie, but thought it could have been better.
Amar Akbar Anthony (1977) - 7/10 - A chauffeur takes the fall for his crime boss employer only to see the boss betray his promises of support for the chauffeur's family. This eventually leads to the husband, wife, and three young sons all being separated from each other for 20+ years with each boy being raised in a different home with different religions. One of the sons becomes a police officer, another runs a bar, and the third is a singer. The story is kind of ridiculous and over the top with plenty of bad fighting scenes mixed in. And yet, some of the songs were good and the film itself became kind of fun after a while, sometimes due to the ridiculousness of it. I ended up finding it entertaining and can understand why some people love the film and some hate it.
Who Pays the Piper / Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro (1983) - 5/10 - Two photographers open up a new studio, but don't do well at first. They get an assignment from a newspaper specializing in scandals which leads to more work for them. They uncover graft, but it leads. to quite an adventure and some Weekend at Bernie's action. Unfortunately, a lot of this is kind of dumb and not very funny, especially during the first half of the film.
Last Seen Movie - The Latest Movie You Have Seen; ratings
Re: Last Seen Movie - The Latest Movie You Have Seen; ratings
Re: Last Seen Movie - The Latest Movie You Have Seen; ratings
Kummatty / The Bogeyman (1979) - 8.5/10 - A group of village children go about their daily lives - going to school, hanging out, etc. - when a strange old man comes to to their village. He sings folk lore songs, dances, and may have some magic ability. The children. take a liking to him and start calling him Kummatty. I liked the first half of the film more, but the second half wasn't bad. It has really nice cinematography and reminds me a bit of Weerasethakul's films. The music is good and the kids in the film did a nice job.
Where Eagles Dare (1968) - 8/10 - An American general has been captured after his plane went down and the Nazis are holding him in a fortified castle high up in the mountains. The castle is inaccessible, except by cable car from the lower elevations. An allied team is assembled to rescue the general before he can spill the knowledge that he holds about upcoming actions. There is plenty of action, deception, and so on. Richard Burton leads the team and Clint Eastwood is the lone American member of the team.
Ajantrik / Pathetic Fallacy (1958) - 8/10 - Bimal drives an old 1920 jalopy as a taxi. It's beaten up, but is pretty reliable. Others laugh at him for driving it, but he loves the car, has named it, and thinks of it as a person. The film shows Bimal interacting with the locals as well as various customers. His love for the car is evident and I found myself enjoying the film quite a bit.
Bandini (1963) - 8/10 - Kalyani is a quiet resident of a women's prison in 1930s India. She volunteers to take care of a TB patient, a dangerous thing to do at the time. She gains the eye and the ear of one of the prison doctors and the story of how she came to be a prisoner is revealed in flashback. I think the first part of the film is the strongest, but the whole picture is pretty good.
Scorching Winds / Garm Hava (1974) - 8/10 - Salim Mirza is a Muslim with a good family and life in India. When Pakistan is created during partition, Salim's brother and a number of other relatives emigrate to Pakistan. Life becomes difficult for those who chose to stay behind in their home town. The film does a very nice job of showing some of the difficulties faced by the minority Muslim population after the partition.
Thief (1981) - 8/10 - James Caan stars as a diamond thief and ex-con named Frank who wants to settle down and start a family. A major crime boss who is under police surveillance approaches Frank about working for him. Frank is resistant to the idea, but one last big score could set him up for life. There's plenty of action, a lot of nice night shots, and a good soundtrack.
Paper Flowers / Kaagaz Ke Phool (1959) - 8/10 - A once successful film director looks back on his life. Suresh Sinha (Guru Dutt) is a popular director with a number of hits who is about ready to film Devdas for his next feature. He comes across a young woman named Shanti (Waheeda Rehman) who is not an actress, but he thinks will be perfect for a lead role in the film. The film follows his relationship with Shanti and also his relationship with his daughter (Kumari Naaz). The film is apparently based in part on Dutt's own experiences in the film industry. He starred in and directed the film and his life mirrored this to an extent. I thought Dutt, Rehman, and Naaz all did a nice job and I appreciated the music in the film, too.
Sahib Bibi aur Ghulam (1962) - 8/10 - An old, ruined mansion is in the process of being torn down when lunch break is called. The overseer (Guru Dutt) uses this time to reflect back to many years earlier when he first arrived at the mansion as a young, naive man. The estate is elegant, but the master of the house goes out drinking every night and spending time with dancing women while his unhappy wife (Meena Kumari) remains at home, lonely in the absence of her husband. The newly arrived worker befriends the daughter (Waheeda Rehman) of a man who works at the master's factory and the worker also befriends the mistress of the house, being seeming to be somewhat in awe of her. The film has nice performances from the three main leads as the tragedy plays out.
Guide (1965) - 8/10 - Raju was a tour guide who fell in love with the young wife of an older archeologist. The woman was a dancer and the daughter of a prostitute so many people in Raju's village were against her, including his mother and uncle. When the film starts, Raju has just been released from a short stay in prison and instead of returning home, decides to go in a different direction. He is mistaken for a holy man and the people of a rural village start looking to him for wisdom. His earlier life is told in flashback. I thought the film wandered a bit during the second half, but overall it is pretty solid and I enjoyed it.
The Power (1968) - 7.5/10 - George Hamilton stars as a biologist named Jim Tanner who heads a committee researching human endurance in conjunction with the space program. One of the committee members has designed a test that shows another member has mental powers in advance of normal humanity. When that man is murdered, suspicion falls on Tanner and he starts trying to get to the bottom of things to clear his name. This was a nice thriller.
The 1,000 Eyes of Dr. Mabuse (1960) - 7.5/10 - Dr. Mabuse has been dead for quite some time, but is he back? The film starts with a reporter getting murdered and soon segues to a hotel which is set up with two way mirrors and closed circuit tv cameras so that whoever is behind the scenes can spy on any guest they choose. It's a decent film and there is a lot to like, but it doesn't match up to The Testament of Dr. Mabuse. I did like it more than the original silent film.
Junglee (1961) - 7/10 - Shammi Kapoor portrays a wealthy, but humorless jackass named Shekhar who lives by the principles espoused by his mother who is conscious of wealth and status. Shekhar's sister Mala is in love with a poor man, but her mother forbids their relationship and has Shekhar take her to Kashmir to get away from the man. While in Kashmir, Shekhar falls in love with the daughter of a doctor and his demeanor changes as a result, though it is not immediate. I didn't really like Kapoor's acting throughout much of the film, but I did really like Saira Banu as Rajkumari, the love interest. Overall, I did like the movie, but thought it could have been better.
Amar Akbar Anthony (1977) - 7/10 - A chauffeur takes the fall for his crime boss employer only to see the boss betray his promises of support for the chauffeur's family. This eventually leads to the husband, wife, and three young sons all being separated from each other for 20+ years with each boy being raised in a different home with different religions. One of the sons becomes a police officer, another runs a bar, and the third is a singer. The story is kind of ridiculous and over the top with plenty of bad fighting scenes mixed in. And yet, some of the songs were good and the film itself became kind of fun after a while, sometimes due to the ridiculousness of it. I ended up finding it entertaining and can understand why some people love the film and some hate it.
Vigilante (1982) - 7/10 - A factory worker named Eddie has his life turned upside down when his wife and son are assaulted by a gang. His friend Nick tries to get Eddie to join the group of vigilantes that takes matters in to their own hands, but Eddie wants to let things play out in the courts. He changes his mind when corruption and bribery become evident. This is a decent revenge film, somewhat along the Death Wish lines.
Cutter's Way (1981) - 7/10 - Bone (Jeff Bridges) is driving when his car breaks down in an alley. He sees a man stop and dump something before driving on and almost running Bone over. Bone finds out later that the body of a murdered girl was dumped and the police suspect that he may have killed her. Bone thinks he recognizes the killer during a parade and Bone's friend Cutter (John Heard) decides to try and get the man to confess. Cutter is a veteran with his own way of doing things. It was decent, but felt like it had the potential to be a lot better.
The Ghost Writer (2010) - 6.5/10 - A former British Prime Minister (Pierce Brosnan) is writing his memoirs, but needs a new ghost writer since his previous one died. A new ghost writer (Ewan McGregor) and gets to work. It's tedious at first, but there seem to be some secrets buried within the text and the new writer might also be in danger. Unfortunately, I didn't really find the story all that engrossing. It wasn't bad, but it felt kind of flat.
One False Move (1991) - 6.5/10 - Three criminals kill a group of people in LA and steal a bunch of money and drugs. They head toward Houston to sell the drugs and Arkansas where one of the three has relatives. Detectives in LA get wind of the Arkansas connection and travel there to work with the local sheriff. The opening section in LA and a good part of the road trip with the criminals wasn't really all that good or interesting. The parts that took place in Arkansas with the sheriff were decent, though.
Nightmare (1964) - 6/10 - Janet is a 17 year old girl whose mother went insane and murdered her father when Janet was 11. Janet has nightmares about it and the nightmares seem to get worse when she sees a mysterious woman in white wandering the halls. It was okay, but the whole thing was fairly bland without a lot of real tension.
The Strange Vengeance of Rosalie (1972) - 6/10 - A traveling salesman picks up a strange teenage hitchhiker (Bonnie Bedelia) and soon finds his travels derailed since she has plans of her own. His actions seem kind of dumb and I don't think the story is all that convincing. There are obvious similarities to Misery which came much later. As a side note, Kathy Bates is only a few months younger than Bedelia.
Agraharathil Kazhutai / Donkey in a Brahmin Village (1977) - 5.5/10 - A group of people attack and kill a donkey for no apparent reason. A college professor decides to take care of that donkey's offspring, but it causes problems for him wherever he goes. I guess people are superstitious about donkeys or just don't like them or whatever. There were a few somewhat interesting bits here and there, but mostly it kind of falls flat.
Who Pays the Piper / Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro (1983) - 5/10 - Two photographers open up a new studio, but don't do well at first. They get an assignment from a newspaper specializing in scandals which leads to more work for them. They uncover graft, but it leads. to quite an adventure and some Weekend at Bernie's action. Unfortunately, a lot of this is kind of dumb and not very funny, especially during the first half of the film.
Where Eagles Dare (1968) - 8/10 - An American general has been captured after his plane went down and the Nazis are holding him in a fortified castle high up in the mountains. The castle is inaccessible, except by cable car from the lower elevations. An allied team is assembled to rescue the general before he can spill the knowledge that he holds about upcoming actions. There is plenty of action, deception, and so on. Richard Burton leads the team and Clint Eastwood is the lone American member of the team.
Ajantrik / Pathetic Fallacy (1958) - 8/10 - Bimal drives an old 1920 jalopy as a taxi. It's beaten up, but is pretty reliable. Others laugh at him for driving it, but he loves the car, has named it, and thinks of it as a person. The film shows Bimal interacting with the locals as well as various customers. His love for the car is evident and I found myself enjoying the film quite a bit.
Bandini (1963) - 8/10 - Kalyani is a quiet resident of a women's prison in 1930s India. She volunteers to take care of a TB patient, a dangerous thing to do at the time. She gains the eye and the ear of one of the prison doctors and the story of how she came to be a prisoner is revealed in flashback. I think the first part of the film is the strongest, but the whole picture is pretty good.
Scorching Winds / Garm Hava (1974) - 8/10 - Salim Mirza is a Muslim with a good family and life in India. When Pakistan is created during partition, Salim's brother and a number of other relatives emigrate to Pakistan. Life becomes difficult for those who chose to stay behind in their home town. The film does a very nice job of showing some of the difficulties faced by the minority Muslim population after the partition.
Thief (1981) - 8/10 - James Caan stars as a diamond thief and ex-con named Frank who wants to settle down and start a family. A major crime boss who is under police surveillance approaches Frank about working for him. Frank is resistant to the idea, but one last big score could set him up for life. There's plenty of action, a lot of nice night shots, and a good soundtrack.
Paper Flowers / Kaagaz Ke Phool (1959) - 8/10 - A once successful film director looks back on his life. Suresh Sinha (Guru Dutt) is a popular director with a number of hits who is about ready to film Devdas for his next feature. He comes across a young woman named Shanti (Waheeda Rehman) who is not an actress, but he thinks will be perfect for a lead role in the film. The film follows his relationship with Shanti and also his relationship with his daughter (Kumari Naaz). The film is apparently based in part on Dutt's own experiences in the film industry. He starred in and directed the film and his life mirrored this to an extent. I thought Dutt, Rehman, and Naaz all did a nice job and I appreciated the music in the film, too.
Sahib Bibi aur Ghulam (1962) - 8/10 - An old, ruined mansion is in the process of being torn down when lunch break is called. The overseer (Guru Dutt) uses this time to reflect back to many years earlier when he first arrived at the mansion as a young, naive man. The estate is elegant, but the master of the house goes out drinking every night and spending time with dancing women while his unhappy wife (Meena Kumari) remains at home, lonely in the absence of her husband. The newly arrived worker befriends the daughter (Waheeda Rehman) of a man who works at the master's factory and the worker also befriends the mistress of the house, being seeming to be somewhat in awe of her. The film has nice performances from the three main leads as the tragedy plays out.
Guide (1965) - 8/10 - Raju was a tour guide who fell in love with the young wife of an older archeologist. The woman was a dancer and the daughter of a prostitute so many people in Raju's village were against her, including his mother and uncle. When the film starts, Raju has just been released from a short stay in prison and instead of returning home, decides to go in a different direction. He is mistaken for a holy man and the people of a rural village start looking to him for wisdom. His earlier life is told in flashback. I thought the film wandered a bit during the second half, but overall it is pretty solid and I enjoyed it.
The Power (1968) - 7.5/10 - George Hamilton stars as a biologist named Jim Tanner who heads a committee researching human endurance in conjunction with the space program. One of the committee members has designed a test that shows another member has mental powers in advance of normal humanity. When that man is murdered, suspicion falls on Tanner and he starts trying to get to the bottom of things to clear his name. This was a nice thriller.
The 1,000 Eyes of Dr. Mabuse (1960) - 7.5/10 - Dr. Mabuse has been dead for quite some time, but is he back? The film starts with a reporter getting murdered and soon segues to a hotel which is set up with two way mirrors and closed circuit tv cameras so that whoever is behind the scenes can spy on any guest they choose. It's a decent film and there is a lot to like, but it doesn't match up to The Testament of Dr. Mabuse. I did like it more than the original silent film.
Junglee (1961) - 7/10 - Shammi Kapoor portrays a wealthy, but humorless jackass named Shekhar who lives by the principles espoused by his mother who is conscious of wealth and status. Shekhar's sister Mala is in love with a poor man, but her mother forbids their relationship and has Shekhar take her to Kashmir to get away from the man. While in Kashmir, Shekhar falls in love with the daughter of a doctor and his demeanor changes as a result, though it is not immediate. I didn't really like Kapoor's acting throughout much of the film, but I did really like Saira Banu as Rajkumari, the love interest. Overall, I did like the movie, but thought it could have been better.
Amar Akbar Anthony (1977) - 7/10 - A chauffeur takes the fall for his crime boss employer only to see the boss betray his promises of support for the chauffeur's family. This eventually leads to the husband, wife, and three young sons all being separated from each other for 20+ years with each boy being raised in a different home with different religions. One of the sons becomes a police officer, another runs a bar, and the third is a singer. The story is kind of ridiculous and over the top with plenty of bad fighting scenes mixed in. And yet, some of the songs were good and the film itself became kind of fun after a while, sometimes due to the ridiculousness of it. I ended up finding it entertaining and can understand why some people love the film and some hate it.
Vigilante (1982) - 7/10 - A factory worker named Eddie has his life turned upside down when his wife and son are assaulted by a gang. His friend Nick tries to get Eddie to join the group of vigilantes that takes matters in to their own hands, but Eddie wants to let things play out in the courts. He changes his mind when corruption and bribery become evident. This is a decent revenge film, somewhat along the Death Wish lines.
Cutter's Way (1981) - 7/10 - Bone (Jeff Bridges) is driving when his car breaks down in an alley. He sees a man stop and dump something before driving on and almost running Bone over. Bone finds out later that the body of a murdered girl was dumped and the police suspect that he may have killed her. Bone thinks he recognizes the killer during a parade and Bone's friend Cutter (John Heard) decides to try and get the man to confess. Cutter is a veteran with his own way of doing things. It was decent, but felt like it had the potential to be a lot better.
The Ghost Writer (2010) - 6.5/10 - A former British Prime Minister (Pierce Brosnan) is writing his memoirs, but needs a new ghost writer since his previous one died. A new ghost writer (Ewan McGregor) and gets to work. It's tedious at first, but there seem to be some secrets buried within the text and the new writer might also be in danger. Unfortunately, I didn't really find the story all that engrossing. It wasn't bad, but it felt kind of flat.
One False Move (1991) - 6.5/10 - Three criminals kill a group of people in LA and steal a bunch of money and drugs. They head toward Houston to sell the drugs and Arkansas where one of the three has relatives. Detectives in LA get wind of the Arkansas connection and travel there to work with the local sheriff. The opening section in LA and a good part of the road trip with the criminals wasn't really all that good or interesting. The parts that took place in Arkansas with the sheriff were decent, though.
Nightmare (1964) - 6/10 - Janet is a 17 year old girl whose mother went insane and murdered her father when Janet was 11. Janet has nightmares about it and the nightmares seem to get worse when she sees a mysterious woman in white wandering the halls. It was okay, but the whole thing was fairly bland without a lot of real tension.
The Strange Vengeance of Rosalie (1972) - 6/10 - A traveling salesman picks up a strange teenage hitchhiker (Bonnie Bedelia) and soon finds his travels derailed since she has plans of her own. His actions seem kind of dumb and I don't think the story is all that convincing. There are obvious similarities to Misery which came much later. As a side note, Kathy Bates is only a few months younger than Bedelia.
Agraharathil Kazhutai / Donkey in a Brahmin Village (1977) - 5.5/10 - A group of people attack and kill a donkey for no apparent reason. A college professor decides to take care of that donkey's offspring, but it causes problems for him wherever he goes. I guess people are superstitious about donkeys or just don't like them or whatever. There were a few somewhat interesting bits here and there, but mostly it kind of falls flat.
Who Pays the Piper / Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro (1983) - 5/10 - Two photographers open up a new studio, but don't do well at first. They get an assignment from a newspaper specializing in scandals which leads to more work for them. They uncover graft, but it leads. to quite an adventure and some Weekend at Bernie's action. Unfortunately, a lot of this is kind of dumb and not very funny, especially during the first half of the film.
Re: Last Seen Movie - The Latest Movie You Have Seen; ratings
The First Omen (Arkasha Stevenson, 2024) 7/10
It's amazing how one can often find a dichotomy within the same place - the beauty and tranquility of a church and the menace and evil within it as well.....the latter of which one mainly gets to see only at the movies. This creepy prequel to Richard Donner's classic horror film - The Omen (1976) - involves a recently arrived American novitiate (Nell Tiger Free) at an Italian orphanage in Rome which is run by a bunch of nuns and headed by a friendly Cardinal (Bill Nighy) and an ominous Abbess (Sonia Braga who is unrecognizable). She discovers that a disturbed orphan is being reared to mate with the Devil in order to give birth to the Anti-Christ. Highly atmospheric film, with gothic overtones, leads up to a twist ending which then goes on to show a baby supposedly "born" in Rome to the American Ambassador (Gregory Peck) and his wife (Lee Remick) who name their "son" Damien, thus bringing the story up to date with the Donner film.
Ambush at Cimarron Pass (Jodie Copelan, 1958) 1/10
Two groups of survivors of Indian attacks - a squad of cavalry and a Texas cattle drive - join forces to move towards a fort. When the Apache take off with their horses the two groups of men begin to bicker as food and water runs out and exhaustion begins to set in. Lifeless B-Western has an early big screen appearance by Clint Eastwood as a trigger-happy former Confederate soldier itching to kill the Cavalry leader (Scott Brady). He called it ‘the worst Western ever made’. And it most probably is.
Leave of Absence (Tom McLoughlin, 1994) 6/10
Soap opera about a "situation" that seems quite far fetched if one really thinks about it. Actually no need to even think. It IS far fetched. A successful architect (Brian Dennehy) tells his loving wife (Blythe Danner) that he needs a "leave of absence" from their very happy marriage to go look after his dying mistress (Jacqueline Bisset)......and wants to return to their marriage after she dies. Well for starters the burly-Dennehy / sexy-Bisset matchup may seem unrealistic but it actually works because it looks real as in something familiar from real life - the two stars have an easy-going screen chemistry. Their relationship comes off much more natural than the one with his wife of many years - Danner is stuck in a mostly under written part that calls for her to whine a lot. Also very good are Polly Bergen (who also came up with the story), as Danner's mother, and Jessica Walter as her best friend who is cheating on her husband.
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (Adam Wingard, 2024) 5/10
Less is always more, but here the filmmakers seem to have literally fallen in love with the word "more". We not only get King Kong & Godzilla but then this very busy screenplay also throws in an ape tribe leader who battles Kong, an ancient ice-powered Titan who also jumps into the fray and before you can heave a sigh of relief that this very long film is finally coming to an end yet another monster makes an appearance - Mothra, a giant silk moth. The final 30 minutes are a cacophony of utter noise as the monsters all join in and create havoc. It all begins with a strange
unidentified signal that emanates from Hollow Earth where a lonely Kong resides. Godzilla, living on earth's surface and using the Colosseum in Rome as its nest, helps humanity against pesky giant monsters - there is a battle with a giant crab-like creature almost destroying half of Rome. The signals also attract Godzilla who rampages across France, destroys a nuclear plant to absorb its radiation, and ventures onto the Arctic Circle. Meanwhile a scientist (Rebecca Hall), her deaf adopted daughter (Kaylee Hottle), a vet (Dan Stevens) and a conspiracy podcaster (Brian Tyree Henry) reach Hollow Earth where they follow Kong into an unchartered section where they discover a tribe of apes, the Titan, and a surviving Iwi tribe, who communicate telepathically with each other. Then Godzilla also arrives after destroying the pyramids in Cairo and most of Rio. It all results in violence and mayhem of epic proportions with all the beasts at each other's throats. Kong comes off best with his soulful eyes and almost human-like traits. The rest of the beasts are like a fistful of Marvel superheroes flailing about and giving off the stench of too many cooks in the kitchen who sadly spoil the broth. There is just too much repetitious noisy action that ends up dulling one's senses.
It's amazing how one can often find a dichotomy within the same place - the beauty and tranquility of a church and the menace and evil within it as well.....the latter of which one mainly gets to see only at the movies. This creepy prequel to Richard Donner's classic horror film - The Omen (1976) - involves a recently arrived American novitiate (Nell Tiger Free) at an Italian orphanage in Rome which is run by a bunch of nuns and headed by a friendly Cardinal (Bill Nighy) and an ominous Abbess (Sonia Braga who is unrecognizable). She discovers that a disturbed orphan is being reared to mate with the Devil in order to give birth to the Anti-Christ. Highly atmospheric film, with gothic overtones, leads up to a twist ending which then goes on to show a baby supposedly "born" in Rome to the American Ambassador (Gregory Peck) and his wife (Lee Remick) who name their "son" Damien, thus bringing the story up to date with the Donner film.
Ambush at Cimarron Pass (Jodie Copelan, 1958) 1/10
Two groups of survivors of Indian attacks - a squad of cavalry and a Texas cattle drive - join forces to move towards a fort. When the Apache take off with their horses the two groups of men begin to bicker as food and water runs out and exhaustion begins to set in. Lifeless B-Western has an early big screen appearance by Clint Eastwood as a trigger-happy former Confederate soldier itching to kill the Cavalry leader (Scott Brady). He called it ‘the worst Western ever made’. And it most probably is.
Leave of Absence (Tom McLoughlin, 1994) 6/10
Soap opera about a "situation" that seems quite far fetched if one really thinks about it. Actually no need to even think. It IS far fetched. A successful architect (Brian Dennehy) tells his loving wife (Blythe Danner) that he needs a "leave of absence" from their very happy marriage to go look after his dying mistress (Jacqueline Bisset)......and wants to return to their marriage after she dies. Well for starters the burly-Dennehy / sexy-Bisset matchup may seem unrealistic but it actually works because it looks real as in something familiar from real life - the two stars have an easy-going screen chemistry. Their relationship comes off much more natural than the one with his wife of many years - Danner is stuck in a mostly under written part that calls for her to whine a lot. Also very good are Polly Bergen (who also came up with the story), as Danner's mother, and Jessica Walter as her best friend who is cheating on her husband.
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (Adam Wingard, 2024) 5/10
Less is always more, but here the filmmakers seem to have literally fallen in love with the word "more". We not only get King Kong & Godzilla but then this very busy screenplay also throws in an ape tribe leader who battles Kong, an ancient ice-powered Titan who also jumps into the fray and before you can heave a sigh of relief that this very long film is finally coming to an end yet another monster makes an appearance - Mothra, a giant silk moth. The final 30 minutes are a cacophony of utter noise as the monsters all join in and create havoc. It all begins with a strange
unidentified signal that emanates from Hollow Earth where a lonely Kong resides. Godzilla, living on earth's surface and using the Colosseum in Rome as its nest, helps humanity against pesky giant monsters - there is a battle with a giant crab-like creature almost destroying half of Rome. The signals also attract Godzilla who rampages across France, destroys a nuclear plant to absorb its radiation, and ventures onto the Arctic Circle. Meanwhile a scientist (Rebecca Hall), her deaf adopted daughter (Kaylee Hottle), a vet (Dan Stevens) and a conspiracy podcaster (Brian Tyree Henry) reach Hollow Earth where they follow Kong into an unchartered section where they discover a tribe of apes, the Titan, and a surviving Iwi tribe, who communicate telepathically with each other. Then Godzilla also arrives after destroying the pyramids in Cairo and most of Rio. It all results in violence and mayhem of epic proportions with all the beasts at each other's throats. Kong comes off best with his soulful eyes and almost human-like traits. The rest of the beasts are like a fistful of Marvel superheroes flailing about and giving off the stench of too many cooks in the kitchen who sadly spoil the broth. There is just too much repetitious noisy action that ends up dulling one's senses.
Re: Last Seen Movie - The Latest Movie You Have Seen; ratings
Do You Love Me (Gregory Ratoff, 1946) 4/10
Mousy music school dean (Maureen O'Hara) is insulted for her looks and dress sense by band leader (Harry James who blows his famous trumpet) so she decides to remove her glasses - with help from close friend and composer colleague (Reginald Gardiner) - and transforms herself into a swan with the latest fashions. Soon she finds herself pursued by the man who insulted her as well as his best friend and crooner (Dick Haymes who sings five songs). Silly but colorful Fox musical. O'Hara is lovely, Gardiner is witty, and Betty Grable (then Mrs Harry James) makes a cameo appearance as a fan of James.
Mysterious Island (Cy Endfield, 1961) 7/10
Godzilla and King Kong are the offshoots of the original imagination of writer Jules Verne who wrote the classic 1874 novel "L'Île mystérieuse" about strange giant creatures on an island. Union soldiers (Michael Craig, Michael Callan, Dan Jackson) and a journalist (Gary Merrill) escape from prison in a giant balloon during the American Civil War. After days of being airborne they crash onto an island where they encounter not only two lovely shipwrecked ladies (Joan Greenwood, Beth Rogan) but find themselves battling with a giant crab, a huge chicken and huge bees. They also realize that someone appears to be looking out for them who turns out to be Captain Nemo (Herbert Lom) - a character from Jules Verne's 1870 novel "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas". Old fashioned adventure film is fairly thrilling, has a rousing score by Bernard Herrmann and stop motion animation effects by Ray Harryhausen. Lovely Joan Greenwood and her gurgling voice were always a huge asset to any film.
Futures vedettes / School for Love (Marc Allégret, 1955) 4/10
Affairs of the fluttering heart at the music and dance conservatory in Vienna. A tough music teacher (Jean Marais) finds himself involved with a nubile sexpot (Brigitte Bardot), a melancholic student (Isabelle Pia) and his estranged wife. Bardot, before stardom, is lively during the ballet sequences which she performs quite well. The silly screenplay was adapted by Roger Vadim from the novel by Vicki Baum.
The Bricklayer (Renny Harlin, 2024) 5/10
Cartoonish hijinks and violence in a screenplay with one pothole after another yet this action packed nonsense is still great fun. A rogue CIA agent (Clifton Collins Jr.), thought dead, is killing important European journalists thus wrongfully implicating the Agency. The FBI Director (Tim Blake Nelson) and one of his top agents (Nina Dobrev) recruit a very reluctant retired agent (Aaron Eckhart) to bring in the rogue who was once upon a time his close friend. Non-stop mayhem with bullets flying, car chases galore, fist fights and double crosses. The agent assigned to him has to be one of the most inept ever although deep down we know she will come through at a crucial moment in the plot. The entire film is shot on location in the Greek city of Thessaloniki which adds much needed sunny colour to the proceedings. Eckhart makes a competent action hero although brings nothing new to the genre.
The Rosary Murders (Fred Walton, 1987) 6/10
When members of a Catholic clergy in Detroit start falling victim to a serial killer with victims dying in gruesome fashion, a priest (Donald Sutherland) tries to investigate. When the killer confesses to him in the confession booth at the church it causes intense conflict in his mind as he is bound by the seal of confession to keep it secret. Despite his guilt at the continuing murders he does not reveal to the cop (Josef Sommer) the identity of the killer who has been unhinged since his daughter committed suicide. Slow moving, bleak mystery has a charismatic performance by the silver haired Sutherland and an equally good one by Charles Durning as his superior at the church who is also connected to the mystery. Hitchcock did this theme better in the classic I Confess (1953) with Montgomery Clift as the tormented priest who cannot reveal the murderer who has confessed to him.
The Gunfight at Dodge City (Joseph M. Newman, 1959) 4/10
Bat Masterson (Joel McCrea) arrives in Dodge City, invests in a saloon, becomes the City Marshall after his brother is murdered and has to fend off the murderous intentions of the town sheriff and his deputies. Standard western with McCrea merely going through the motions. Julie Adams and Nancy Gates are the two love interests and John McIntire is memorable as the local doctor.
A Thunder of Drums (Joseph Newman, 1961) 2/10
Deathly slow Western starts well during an Indian attack on a homestead which is viewed through the horrified face of a child and shadows on the ceiling. It's all downhill from there on until another skirmish between the Indians and the Cavalry. In between there is a prickly relationship between a Captain (Richard Boone) and a Lieutenant (George Hamilton), plus the latter's involvement in a love triangle. Far too much time is spent showing an inside look at a Cavalry post and its functions. An excellent supporting cast - Arthur O'Connell, Charles Bronson, Richard Chamberlain - is wasted. The screenwriter, James Warner Bellah, adapted it from one of his own short stories - a far cry from many of his other stories of which - "Fort Apache", She Wore a Yellow Ribbon", "Rio Grande" - were brought memorably to the big screen by John Ford.
I bambini ci guardano / The Children Are Watching Us (Vittorio De Sica, 1943) 10/10
A child is abandoned when his mother runs off with her lover and his father cannot keep him because he is busy with his career. Later she returns to her child and husband and they go on vacation in an attempt to make their marriage work. However, she soon runs off again with her lover which results in a devastating turn of events followed by a bitter decision taken by the child while at boarding school which reflects his loss of innocence. Sad but realistic look at a modern marriage as seen through the eyes of an innocent child. The perceptive screenplay touches on infidelity, selfish parents unwilling to take responsibility for their children and focusing instead on a materialistic life and career. Classic neorealist drama marked the first collaboration of De Sica with Cesare Zavattini who was one of the many screenwriters.
Parigi è sempre Parigi / Paris is always Paris (Luciano Emmer, 1951) 5/10
Italian tourists arrive in Paris for a soccer match but get distracted by the sights and romance. A wealthy hotelier (Aldo Fabrizi) hopes to score with female company, his wife gets a beauty makeover, while their daughter (Lucia Bosè) continuously bickers with her fiancé (Marcello Mastroianni). A young romeo (Franco Interlenghi) falls in love with a girl who works at a newspaper kiosk and both end up at a club where Yves Montand is performing. Rather silly film has an interesting cast and views of lovely Paris including a look-in at a gay club with drag queens and an avante garde club where the cabaret singer is Eartha Kitt.
Shaurya (Samar Khan, 2008) 5/10
Inspired by the Hindi play "Court Martial" by Swadesh Deepak, the story has more than a passing resemblance to two other plays - "Conduct Unbecoming" by Barry England and "A Few Good Men" by Aaron Sorkin. During a skirmish in Indian occupied Kashmir a Muslim Army officer (Deepak Dobriyal) shoots dead his fellow superior Hindu officer (Pankaj Tripathy) and surrenders himself. His court martial is presided over by two Army lawyers and best friends - the dedicated and sensible (Javed Jaffrey) is to be the prosecuting lawyer and the immature and care-free (Rahul Bose) is assigned to be the defence lawyer. As the case progresses it becomes apparent that there is a cover up and a senior Commanding officer (Kay Kay Menon) may know more about the case than he has divulged. Menon channels Jack Nicholson when he is called to the stand and the plot quickly devolves into what remains at the heart of India's deep-down crankiness - the Hindu-Muslim "issue" - which is a result of the country being ruled once upon a time for almost 600 years by Muslims. They never seem to have gotten over the fact which has in recent times escalated into Hindu nationalism of the rabid kind. Menon is clearly the standout in what is a very slow and predictable film.
Fighter (Siddharth Anand, 2024) 5/10
A dream casting coup - Bollywood screen heart-throb Hrithik Roshan and sultry beauty Deepika Padukone on the screen together for the first time. With Deepika's sexy appearance - often wearing next to nothing - in last year's hit "Pathaan" the expectations were sky high for this film - sizzling clinches in bed and on and off the dance floor. However, Deepika here plays a fully-clothed Air Force squadron leader while Roshan, as her partner in the Forces, instead gets to do the female equivalent of cheesecake by stripping and showing his rippling chest - ok it's his breasts that get the water lashings in the shower. Romance takes mostly a constipatory backseat but the film deflects it by a few imaginary song and dance sequences where the two stars get to "romance", don sexy attire - she in the obligatory swimsuit - and move on the dance floor. During the main plot we get the usual lashings of potshots at Pakistan by way of references to the 2019 Pulwama attack, Balakot airstrike and India-Pakistan border skirmishes. Yup, its Bollywood-Indian patriotic fever galore played up several decibels to the Modi gallery by regurgitating jingoism at an ad nauseum level. The film's action sequences reminds of the recent Tom Cruise "Maverick" film with superbly shot fighter jet aerial sequences. The screenplay often takes on a campy aspect in the dialogues between the opposing fighter pilots - during an intense airborne chase sequence - as they sarcastically parry as if sitting on a sofa in a drawing room - its the old cliché equivalent of boys comparing their dick sizes. And when will Bollywood finally "get" a Pakistani muslim right - intoning the word "janaab" at the drop of a hat is such a dull cliché and a totally incorrect depiction. The film's ending is so over-the-top - with hilariously inane dialogue - that it takes on the mantle of a cartoon. Hrithik has great swag, Deepika has expressive eyes and Anil Kapoor is fiery and brooding as their Group Captain.
Mousy music school dean (Maureen O'Hara) is insulted for her looks and dress sense by band leader (Harry James who blows his famous trumpet) so she decides to remove her glasses - with help from close friend and composer colleague (Reginald Gardiner) - and transforms herself into a swan with the latest fashions. Soon she finds herself pursued by the man who insulted her as well as his best friend and crooner (Dick Haymes who sings five songs). Silly but colorful Fox musical. O'Hara is lovely, Gardiner is witty, and Betty Grable (then Mrs Harry James) makes a cameo appearance as a fan of James.
Mysterious Island (Cy Endfield, 1961) 7/10
Godzilla and King Kong are the offshoots of the original imagination of writer Jules Verne who wrote the classic 1874 novel "L'Île mystérieuse" about strange giant creatures on an island. Union soldiers (Michael Craig, Michael Callan, Dan Jackson) and a journalist (Gary Merrill) escape from prison in a giant balloon during the American Civil War. After days of being airborne they crash onto an island where they encounter not only two lovely shipwrecked ladies (Joan Greenwood, Beth Rogan) but find themselves battling with a giant crab, a huge chicken and huge bees. They also realize that someone appears to be looking out for them who turns out to be Captain Nemo (Herbert Lom) - a character from Jules Verne's 1870 novel "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas". Old fashioned adventure film is fairly thrilling, has a rousing score by Bernard Herrmann and stop motion animation effects by Ray Harryhausen. Lovely Joan Greenwood and her gurgling voice were always a huge asset to any film.
Futures vedettes / School for Love (Marc Allégret, 1955) 4/10
Affairs of the fluttering heart at the music and dance conservatory in Vienna. A tough music teacher (Jean Marais) finds himself involved with a nubile sexpot (Brigitte Bardot), a melancholic student (Isabelle Pia) and his estranged wife. Bardot, before stardom, is lively during the ballet sequences which she performs quite well. The silly screenplay was adapted by Roger Vadim from the novel by Vicki Baum.
The Bricklayer (Renny Harlin, 2024) 5/10
Cartoonish hijinks and violence in a screenplay with one pothole after another yet this action packed nonsense is still great fun. A rogue CIA agent (Clifton Collins Jr.), thought dead, is killing important European journalists thus wrongfully implicating the Agency. The FBI Director (Tim Blake Nelson) and one of his top agents (Nina Dobrev) recruit a very reluctant retired agent (Aaron Eckhart) to bring in the rogue who was once upon a time his close friend. Non-stop mayhem with bullets flying, car chases galore, fist fights and double crosses. The agent assigned to him has to be one of the most inept ever although deep down we know she will come through at a crucial moment in the plot. The entire film is shot on location in the Greek city of Thessaloniki which adds much needed sunny colour to the proceedings. Eckhart makes a competent action hero although brings nothing new to the genre.
The Rosary Murders (Fred Walton, 1987) 6/10
When members of a Catholic clergy in Detroit start falling victim to a serial killer with victims dying in gruesome fashion, a priest (Donald Sutherland) tries to investigate. When the killer confesses to him in the confession booth at the church it causes intense conflict in his mind as he is bound by the seal of confession to keep it secret. Despite his guilt at the continuing murders he does not reveal to the cop (Josef Sommer) the identity of the killer who has been unhinged since his daughter committed suicide. Slow moving, bleak mystery has a charismatic performance by the silver haired Sutherland and an equally good one by Charles Durning as his superior at the church who is also connected to the mystery. Hitchcock did this theme better in the classic I Confess (1953) with Montgomery Clift as the tormented priest who cannot reveal the murderer who has confessed to him.
The Gunfight at Dodge City (Joseph M. Newman, 1959) 4/10
Bat Masterson (Joel McCrea) arrives in Dodge City, invests in a saloon, becomes the City Marshall after his brother is murdered and has to fend off the murderous intentions of the town sheriff and his deputies. Standard western with McCrea merely going through the motions. Julie Adams and Nancy Gates are the two love interests and John McIntire is memorable as the local doctor.
A Thunder of Drums (Joseph Newman, 1961) 2/10
Deathly slow Western starts well during an Indian attack on a homestead which is viewed through the horrified face of a child and shadows on the ceiling. It's all downhill from there on until another skirmish between the Indians and the Cavalry. In between there is a prickly relationship between a Captain (Richard Boone) and a Lieutenant (George Hamilton), plus the latter's involvement in a love triangle. Far too much time is spent showing an inside look at a Cavalry post and its functions. An excellent supporting cast - Arthur O'Connell, Charles Bronson, Richard Chamberlain - is wasted. The screenwriter, James Warner Bellah, adapted it from one of his own short stories - a far cry from many of his other stories of which - "Fort Apache", She Wore a Yellow Ribbon", "Rio Grande" - were brought memorably to the big screen by John Ford.
I bambini ci guardano / The Children Are Watching Us (Vittorio De Sica, 1943) 10/10
A child is abandoned when his mother runs off with her lover and his father cannot keep him because he is busy with his career. Later she returns to her child and husband and they go on vacation in an attempt to make their marriage work. However, she soon runs off again with her lover which results in a devastating turn of events followed by a bitter decision taken by the child while at boarding school which reflects his loss of innocence. Sad but realistic look at a modern marriage as seen through the eyes of an innocent child. The perceptive screenplay touches on infidelity, selfish parents unwilling to take responsibility for their children and focusing instead on a materialistic life and career. Classic neorealist drama marked the first collaboration of De Sica with Cesare Zavattini who was one of the many screenwriters.
Parigi è sempre Parigi / Paris is always Paris (Luciano Emmer, 1951) 5/10
Italian tourists arrive in Paris for a soccer match but get distracted by the sights and romance. A wealthy hotelier (Aldo Fabrizi) hopes to score with female company, his wife gets a beauty makeover, while their daughter (Lucia Bosè) continuously bickers with her fiancé (Marcello Mastroianni). A young romeo (Franco Interlenghi) falls in love with a girl who works at a newspaper kiosk and both end up at a club where Yves Montand is performing. Rather silly film has an interesting cast and views of lovely Paris including a look-in at a gay club with drag queens and an avante garde club where the cabaret singer is Eartha Kitt.
Shaurya (Samar Khan, 2008) 5/10
Inspired by the Hindi play "Court Martial" by Swadesh Deepak, the story has more than a passing resemblance to two other plays - "Conduct Unbecoming" by Barry England and "A Few Good Men" by Aaron Sorkin. During a skirmish in Indian occupied Kashmir a Muslim Army officer (Deepak Dobriyal) shoots dead his fellow superior Hindu officer (Pankaj Tripathy) and surrenders himself. His court martial is presided over by two Army lawyers and best friends - the dedicated and sensible (Javed Jaffrey) is to be the prosecuting lawyer and the immature and care-free (Rahul Bose) is assigned to be the defence lawyer. As the case progresses it becomes apparent that there is a cover up and a senior Commanding officer (Kay Kay Menon) may know more about the case than he has divulged. Menon channels Jack Nicholson when he is called to the stand and the plot quickly devolves into what remains at the heart of India's deep-down crankiness - the Hindu-Muslim "issue" - which is a result of the country being ruled once upon a time for almost 600 years by Muslims. They never seem to have gotten over the fact which has in recent times escalated into Hindu nationalism of the rabid kind. Menon is clearly the standout in what is a very slow and predictable film.
Fighter (Siddharth Anand, 2024) 5/10
A dream casting coup - Bollywood screen heart-throb Hrithik Roshan and sultry beauty Deepika Padukone on the screen together for the first time. With Deepika's sexy appearance - often wearing next to nothing - in last year's hit "Pathaan" the expectations were sky high for this film - sizzling clinches in bed and on and off the dance floor. However, Deepika here plays a fully-clothed Air Force squadron leader while Roshan, as her partner in the Forces, instead gets to do the female equivalent of cheesecake by stripping and showing his rippling chest - ok it's his breasts that get the water lashings in the shower. Romance takes mostly a constipatory backseat but the film deflects it by a few imaginary song and dance sequences where the two stars get to "romance", don sexy attire - she in the obligatory swimsuit - and move on the dance floor. During the main plot we get the usual lashings of potshots at Pakistan by way of references to the 2019 Pulwama attack, Balakot airstrike and India-Pakistan border skirmishes. Yup, its Bollywood-Indian patriotic fever galore played up several decibels to the Modi gallery by regurgitating jingoism at an ad nauseum level. The film's action sequences reminds of the recent Tom Cruise "Maverick" film with superbly shot fighter jet aerial sequences. The screenplay often takes on a campy aspect in the dialogues between the opposing fighter pilots - during an intense airborne chase sequence - as they sarcastically parry as if sitting on a sofa in a drawing room - its the old cliché equivalent of boys comparing their dick sizes. And when will Bollywood finally "get" a Pakistani muslim right - intoning the word "janaab" at the drop of a hat is such a dull cliché and a totally incorrect depiction. The film's ending is so over-the-top - with hilariously inane dialogue - that it takes on the mantle of a cartoon. Hrithik has great swag, Deepika has expressive eyes and Anil Kapoor is fiery and brooding as their Group Captain.
Re: Last Seen Movie - The Latest Movie You Have Seen; ratings
You have totally underestimated this film. It's one of the most romantic - and over-the-top - films ever. Over-the-top in terms of its visuals, the characters, the emotions and the dialogues (you need to understand Hindi in order to *get* it). Plus it has two stunningly beautiful actresses at their peak - Aishwarya Rai (as Paro) and Madhuri Dixit (as the prostitute Chandramukhi).gunnar wrote: ↑Sat Apr 06, 2024 12:01 amDevdas (2002) - 5/10 - This one was a real chore to get through. Devdas (Shah Rukh Khan) has been living in the UK for many years when he finally comes home, apparently as a lawyer. He reunites with his childhood friend, Paro, and the two expect to marry, but Devdas's mother (egged on by her scheming daughter-in-law) insult Paro's family and refuse to allow the wedding. This leads Paro away as Devdas rejects her and starts a downward spiral for Devdas. The film has pretty good visuals, but the background music was pretty annoying much of the time as were many of the various characters, with the exception of Paro and Chunnilal.
Its like watching something Pedro Almódovar would come up with.
Re: Last Seen Movie - The Latest Movie You Have Seen; ratings
This is the seventh film that I've seen starring Aamir Khan and I've liked them all to one extent or another with my favorites being Lagaan and Dangal. The others that I've seen are Dil Chahta Hai, PK, Like Stars on Earth, and 3 Idiots. There's a challenge on another message board to watch films from the Indian subcontinent this month. I plan to watch quite a few films from Indian during April, though I don't think any of the others have Aamir Khan in them (or Shah Rukh Khan either for that matter).
Re: Last Seen Movie - The Latest Movie You Have Seen; ratings
The film was a massive hit, cemented the stardom of Aamir Khan (who would much later appear in Lagaan), and won many Filmfare awards - India's equivalent to the Oscarsgunnar wrote: ↑Sat Apr 06, 2024 11:03 amI can see that now that you point it out. I love Breaking Away and while this doesn't measure up to it, it was okay.Reza wrote: ↑Sat Apr 06, 2024 10:50 amThis was the Bollywood remake of Peter Yates' Breaking Away (1979)gunnar wrote: ↑Sat Apr 06, 2024 12:01 amJo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar (1992) - 6.5/10 - Aamir Khan portrays a slacker who goes to the 'poor' school in the area and hangs out with his friends. Their rivals are a nearby 'rich' school which has a few jerks of their own, including the big man on campus and his followers. This isn't a great film, but it's not really worse than a lot of similar American films from the era, though it comes with a couple of song/dance numbers and is more than 2.5 hours. The song/dance numbers weren't really all that intrusive and at least were few in number.
Re: Last Seen Movie - The Latest Movie You Have Seen; ratings
Classic historical-romance about the love affair between Mughal Prince Salim (later the 4th Mughal Emperor Jehangir) and Anarkali (a slave girl). The story is a famous myth. It is set during the reign of the 3rd Mughal Emperor Akbar. Some say Anarkali was actually Akbar's concubine but stolen by his son.gunnar wrote: ↑Sat Apr 06, 2024 12:01 amMughal-E-Azam (1960) - 8/10 - A Mughal prince falls for a court dancer/maid. She tries to resist because of the difference in their stations, but loves him as well. Unfortunately, this relationship displeases the emperor and he takes steps to keep it from happening. I thought the first half of the film was pretty well paced and maintained my interest throughout. I even enjoyed the musical numbers. It got bogged down during the second half and was less interesting. It would have benefitted from a number of cuts in the runtime during that section. The costumes and sets were excellent all the way through the film, though. I've read a couple of novels which take place around 35 years later and feature the prince's son and grandchildren so this was interesting to me for that reason, too.
This black & white film is famous for having two songs shot in colour at a huge cost.
Trivia: The two actors playing the lovers - Dilip Kumar & Madhubala - were off screen lovers too but had broken off their relationship acrimoniously some years before. The film is very famous for their sensuous love scenes - the one where he strokes her face with a feather is a classic erotic moment - yet both actors were not on speaking terms when they shot their scenes. Despite this the film lives on due to the romantic moments.
Last edited by Reza on Sat Apr 06, 2024 11:08 am, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Last Seen Movie - The Latest Movie You Have Seen; ratings
I can see that now that you point it out. I love Breaking Away and while this doesn't measure up to it, it was okay.Reza wrote: ↑Sat Apr 06, 2024 10:50 amThis was the Bollywood remake of Peter Yates' Breaking Away (1979)gunnar wrote: ↑Sat Apr 06, 2024 12:01 amJo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar (1992) - 6.5/10 - Aamir Khan portrays a slacker who goes to the 'poor' school in the area and hangs out with his friends. Their rivals are a nearby 'rich' school which has a few jerks of their own, including the big man on campus and his followers. This isn't a great film, but it's not really worse than a lot of similar American films from the era, though it comes with a couple of song/dance numbers and is more than 2.5 hours. The song/dance numbers weren't really all that intrusive and at least were few in number.
Re: Last Seen Movie - The Latest Movie You Have Seen; ratings
Three classic Indian films starring the great actor-director Raj Kapoor.gunnar wrote: ↑Sat Apr 06, 2024 12:01 am Awaara / The Tramp (1951) - 9/10 - Raj is on trial for attempted murder and his lawyer is his girlfriend/childhood friend Rita. Rita is the ward of the man Raj is charged with attempting to kill. The story of what led to this moment is told through flashbacks and goes back to before Raj was even born. It's a very nice film and moves quickly through its nearly 3 hours. The requisite songs work well within the context of the film.
A Night in the City / Jagte Raho (1956) - 8/10 - A poor farmer comes to the city looking for a job. He's thirsty, so he wanders into an apartment block to look for a drink of water. The residents there call him a thief and before he knows it, he is being chased all over the apartment block by hordes of people. Along the way, he sees all sorts of illicit behavior among the residents. The chase takes on comic proportions and lasts for quite some time. The film has a pretty nice ending.
The Third Oath / Teesri Kasam (1966) - 7.5/10 - A man who drives are cart pulled by bullocks falls in love with a dancer that he transports to a fair. She falls for him as well during the journey, but there are a number of obstacles in the way of their relationship. It's pretty well done.
Re: Last Seen Movie - The Latest Movie You Have Seen; ratings
This was the Bollywood remake of Peter Yates' Breaking Away (1979)gunnar wrote: ↑Sat Apr 06, 2024 12:01 amJo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar (1992) - 6.5/10 - Aamir Khan portrays a slacker who goes to the 'poor' school in the area and hangs out with his friends. Their rivals are a nearby 'rich' school which has a few jerks of their own, including the big man on campus and his followers. This isn't a great film, but it's not really worse than a lot of similar American films from the era, though it comes with a couple of song/dance numbers and is more than 2.5 hours. The song/dance numbers weren't really all that intrusive and at least were few in number.
Re: Last Seen Movie - The Latest Movie You Have Seen; ratings
Awaara / The Tramp (1951) - 9/10 - Raj is on trial for attempted murder and his lawyer is his girlfriend/childhood friend Rita. Rita is the ward of the man Raj is charged with attempting to kill. The story of what led to this moment is told through flashbacks and goes back to before Raj was even born. It's a very nice film and moves quickly through its nearly 3 hours. The requisite songs work well within the context of the film.
The Stranger / Agantuk (1991) - 9/10 - A woman receives a letter one day from an uncle that she hasn't seen since he left India 35 years earlier when she was 2 years old. The woman lives with her husband and young son and they are fairly well to do, but don't quite know what to make of the letter. The uncle will be arriving back in India soon and wants to visit during his stay to get to know his last relatives. The son is quite taken with the uncle while the wife isn't quite sure and the husband is suspicious that the man is an imposter with an ulterior motive. The uncle is very well traveled and knowledgeable with plenty of stories, but he won't confirm or deny their suspicions. Utpal Dutt gives a very nice performance and it is a pretty entertaining film.
The Big City (1963) - 8.5/10 - A family in Calcutta is having trouble making ends meet. Subrata (the husband) works at a bank while Arati (the wife) stays home and takes care of the household, which includes Subrata's parents and his teenage sister. Reluctantly, Subrata agrees to allow Arati to find a job to help support the family. She gets a job as a saleswoman and she does very well, bringing home more than expected. She also starts to blossom and gain in confidence with her success in the workplace. Meanwhile, her husband becomes a bit insecure about her success. This is a very nice film that shows a society that is beginning to change with women leaving the home and entering the workforce.
Celia (1989) - 8.5/10 - Rebecca Smart stars as a young girl named Celia who is growing up in Australia during the 1950s. She is disturbed by the death of her grandmother and has dreams and visions on occasion where her grandmother appears as well as visions of scary creatures known as hobyahs. Celia wants very much to have a pet rabbit, but this is during a time when rabbits are viewed as an invasive species that many would like eradicated. Celia befriends the neighbor children who are on her side when her cousins bully and harass her. There are also adult problems like the Red Scare that intrude into Celia and her friends' lives. Smart is very good as Celia and the film does a good job capturing the era.
Romeo My Neighbour / Romeo moy sosed (1963) - 8.5/10 - Arif and Nona are twentysomethings who meet briefly while waiting for a train home and fall for each other. It turns out that they are from the same city, Baku. Meanwhile, their families have each moved into a new apartment next door to one another and quarrel because each family wanted the apartment with the sea view. Can the families overcome any bad feelings for the two young people to come together? There is plenty of music and a fair amount of comedy along with the romance. I liked the acting, the sets, and the various views of the city as well. It is a very nice film.
Blow Out (1981) - 8/10 - John Travolta stars as a sound engineer for a studio that makes very low budget movie. He is out one night capturing nature sounds to use in the films when he sees a car crash into the river. He manages to save a young woman from the car and soon comes to suspect that the car going into the river was no accident. He recorded the whole incident with his sound equipment and becomes involved in a conspiracy that could put his life in danger. It was pretty entertaining.
Distant Thunder / Ashani Sanket (1973) - 8/10 - In 1943, a Brahmin doctor/teacher and his wife have a good life and are well respected in the village they live in. The doctor starts a school for the village children (only the boys apparently) and asks only that the villagers pay what they can. Then word of rising prices for rice, famine, and disease start to reach the village. Soon, shortages and rising prices affect everyone in this village as well. The doctor and his wife struggle to survive like everyone else.
A Night in the City / Jagte Raho (1956) - 8/10 - A poor farmer comes to the city looking for a job. He's thirsty, so he wanders into an apartment block to look for a drink of water. The residents there call him a thief and before he knows it, he is being chased all over the apartment block by hordes of people. Along the way, he sees all sorts of illicit behavior among the residents. The chase takes on comic proportions and lasts for quite some time. The film has a pretty nice ending.
Mughal-E-Azam (1960) - 8/10 - A Mughal prince falls for a court dancer/maid. She tries to resist because of the difference in their stations, but loves him as well. Unfortunately, this relationship displeases the emperor and he takes steps to keep it from happening. I thought the first half of the film was pretty well paced and maintained my interest throughout. I even enjoyed the musical numbers. It got bogged down during the second half and was less interesting. It would have benefitted from a number of cuts in the runtime during that section. The costumes and sets were excellent all the way through the film, though. I've read a couple of novels which take place around 35 years later and feature the prince's son and grandchildren so this was interesting to me for that reason, too.
Aprili (1961) - 8/10 - A young couple is looking for a bit of privacy, but keep getting interrupted by people moving around, often carrying furniture. They finally take refuge in an empty apartment where the utilities seem to turn on of their own volition. They have some peace for a while, though the neighbors are an eclectic bunch with one man constantly lifting weights, a girl dancing ballet, and so on. The couple seems less happy after they take residence in the apartment and it is filled with all sorts of material goods. There are good sound effects and visual humor in this short film.
A Thousand and One (2023) - 8/10 - In 1994, Inez is released from prison and returns to her old neighborhood. Her 6 year old son is in foster care and she decides to kidnap him, move to another part of New York City and assume different names. There are a couple of time skips involved, but it is clear that Inez is pretty concerned about getting the best for her son, but expresses her feelings in the only way she can, which can seem harsh to some. She also has to worry about the law possibly catching up to them. Teyana Taylor is excellent as Inez.
Repentance (1984) - 7.5/10 - The long serving mayor of a town dies and he is buried. His body is discovered in his son's garden the next day. It is dug up again the next day and the culprit is found shortly thereafter. The woman responsible relates her tale in court that paints the mayor in a different light than is commonly known.
Madhumati (1958) - 7.5/10 - A pair of travelers are forced to seek shelter in an old, run-down mansion during a storm. One of the travelers recognizes a painting in the mansion and says that he painted it in another life that has just been restored to his memory. He goes on to relate a tale of his love for a young woman and the cruel ways of his boss in the earlier life.
Pariah (2011) - 7.5/10 - A 17 year old lesbian is inexperienced, but curious. She's afraid of coming out to her parents because of her mother's probable reaction, though the parents seem to realize already and are dealing with it in their own way. The mother tries pushing her daughter toward different friends and ways of dressing. The father basically ignores it and seems somewhat distant. The parents also fight pretty frequently. It's a good coming of age tale with nice performances by Adepero Oduye and the rest of the cast.
The Third Oath / Teesri Kasam (1966) - 7.5/10 - A man who drives a cart pulled by bullocks falls in love with a dancer that he transports to a fair. She falls for him as well during the journey, but there are a number of obstacles in the way of their relationship. It's pretty well done.
Sant Tukaram (1936) - 7/10 - Tukaram spends most of his time contemplating his god or singing songs praising his god. This makes his wife exasperated with him since he doesn't actively look out for his wife and two children. She still loves him, though, and everything ends up being taken care of. There is also a priest who is jealous of Tukaram and is always plotting against him, though these plots inevitably backfire. There is a lot of singing throughout the film which may be a turnoff to some, though I didn't mind it, and the effects are kind of primitive. I liked the film and the performances of the man who played Tukaram and the woman who played his wife. There's a fair amount of humor throughout.
Running on Karma (2003) - 7/10 - A former monk turned bodybuilder and stripper can see the karma people have earned from their past lives. He becomes involved with helping a young police detective after he sees that she is in danger of dying due to her past life as a Japanese soldier who committed atrocities. The film has a strange villain and the storyline gets a bit messy at times, but there is enough to like here that I did mostly enjoy the film.
Night Train (1959) - 6.5/10 - A man and a woman meet on a train when they happen to have tickets for the same compartment. Each seems to be trying to escape from something, but they agree to share the compartment for the duration of the trip. Later, a murderer is sought aboard the train and some signs seem to point to the man from the compartment. There are some interesting scenes and I liked the closing shots, but the film as a whole didn't quite come together for me.
Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar (1992) - 6.5/10 - Aamir Khan portrays a slacker who goes to the 'poor' school in the area and hangs out with his friends. Their rivals are a nearby 'rich' school which has a few jerks of their own, including the big man on campus and his followers. This isn't a great film, but it's not really worse than a lot of similar American films from the era, though it comes with a couple of song/dance numbers and is more than 2.5 hours. The song/dance numbers weren't really all that intrusive and at least were few in number.
Certain Women (2016) - 6/10 - Three short stories involving women are told here. The first one stars Laura Dern as a lawyer dealing with a client who was injured on the job, but is not able to sue since he took a small settlement after the injury. It was good and was a lot better than the other two. Lily Gladstone was decent in her role in the third story as a woman who attends a night class on school law only because she has a crush on the woman teaching it. Too bad the story was kind of dull, though it was better than the middle story.
Wish (2023) - 6/10 - A king controls the wishes of his subjects, but only chooses to grant them on rare occasions. The people forget the content of their wishes after they make them and gift them to the king for safe keeping. Asha is up to be the king's apprentice, but recoils at what he does with the wishes when she finds out the truth. I thought the film looked decent, but the story was fairly simple. Overall, the movie wasn't that good, but also wasn't really as bad as some of the reviews that I've read.
I Stand Alone (1998) - 5.5/10 - Following on from his short film Carne, Gaspar Noé tells the tale of a butcher who is out of jail and in an unhappy relationship with a woman who has promised to purchase him a butcher shop, but backs out on it. The Butcher has few marketable skills and dark thoughts continually seem to run through his mind. I did like this more than Irreversible, but I still didn't like it very much. Others seem to have a different opinion of the film.
Devdas (2002) - 5/10 - This one was a real chore to get through. Devdas (Shah Rukh Khan) has been living in the UK for many years when he finally comes home, apparently as a lawyer. He reunites with his childhood friend, Paro, and the two expect to marry, but Devdas's mother (egged on by her scheming daughter-in-law) insult Paro's family and refuse to allow the wedding. This leads Paro away as Devdas rejects her and starts a downward spiral for Devdas. The film has pretty good visuals, but the background music was pretty annoying much of the time as were many of the various characters, with the exception of Paro and Chunnilal.
The Stranger / Agantuk (1991) - 9/10 - A woman receives a letter one day from an uncle that she hasn't seen since he left India 35 years earlier when she was 2 years old. The woman lives with her husband and young son and they are fairly well to do, but don't quite know what to make of the letter. The uncle will be arriving back in India soon and wants to visit during his stay to get to know his last relatives. The son is quite taken with the uncle while the wife isn't quite sure and the husband is suspicious that the man is an imposter with an ulterior motive. The uncle is very well traveled and knowledgeable with plenty of stories, but he won't confirm or deny their suspicions. Utpal Dutt gives a very nice performance and it is a pretty entertaining film.
The Big City (1963) - 8.5/10 - A family in Calcutta is having trouble making ends meet. Subrata (the husband) works at a bank while Arati (the wife) stays home and takes care of the household, which includes Subrata's parents and his teenage sister. Reluctantly, Subrata agrees to allow Arati to find a job to help support the family. She gets a job as a saleswoman and she does very well, bringing home more than expected. She also starts to blossom and gain in confidence with her success in the workplace. Meanwhile, her husband becomes a bit insecure about her success. This is a very nice film that shows a society that is beginning to change with women leaving the home and entering the workforce.
Celia (1989) - 8.5/10 - Rebecca Smart stars as a young girl named Celia who is growing up in Australia during the 1950s. She is disturbed by the death of her grandmother and has dreams and visions on occasion where her grandmother appears as well as visions of scary creatures known as hobyahs. Celia wants very much to have a pet rabbit, but this is during a time when rabbits are viewed as an invasive species that many would like eradicated. Celia befriends the neighbor children who are on her side when her cousins bully and harass her. There are also adult problems like the Red Scare that intrude into Celia and her friends' lives. Smart is very good as Celia and the film does a good job capturing the era.
Romeo My Neighbour / Romeo moy sosed (1963) - 8.5/10 - Arif and Nona are twentysomethings who meet briefly while waiting for a train home and fall for each other. It turns out that they are from the same city, Baku. Meanwhile, their families have each moved into a new apartment next door to one another and quarrel because each family wanted the apartment with the sea view. Can the families overcome any bad feelings for the two young people to come together? There is plenty of music and a fair amount of comedy along with the romance. I liked the acting, the sets, and the various views of the city as well. It is a very nice film.
Blow Out (1981) - 8/10 - John Travolta stars as a sound engineer for a studio that makes very low budget movie. He is out one night capturing nature sounds to use in the films when he sees a car crash into the river. He manages to save a young woman from the car and soon comes to suspect that the car going into the river was no accident. He recorded the whole incident with his sound equipment and becomes involved in a conspiracy that could put his life in danger. It was pretty entertaining.
Distant Thunder / Ashani Sanket (1973) - 8/10 - In 1943, a Brahmin doctor/teacher and his wife have a good life and are well respected in the village they live in. The doctor starts a school for the village children (only the boys apparently) and asks only that the villagers pay what they can. Then word of rising prices for rice, famine, and disease start to reach the village. Soon, shortages and rising prices affect everyone in this village as well. The doctor and his wife struggle to survive like everyone else.
A Night in the City / Jagte Raho (1956) - 8/10 - A poor farmer comes to the city looking for a job. He's thirsty, so he wanders into an apartment block to look for a drink of water. The residents there call him a thief and before he knows it, he is being chased all over the apartment block by hordes of people. Along the way, he sees all sorts of illicit behavior among the residents. The chase takes on comic proportions and lasts for quite some time. The film has a pretty nice ending.
Mughal-E-Azam (1960) - 8/10 - A Mughal prince falls for a court dancer/maid. She tries to resist because of the difference in their stations, but loves him as well. Unfortunately, this relationship displeases the emperor and he takes steps to keep it from happening. I thought the first half of the film was pretty well paced and maintained my interest throughout. I even enjoyed the musical numbers. It got bogged down during the second half and was less interesting. It would have benefitted from a number of cuts in the runtime during that section. The costumes and sets were excellent all the way through the film, though. I've read a couple of novels which take place around 35 years later and feature the prince's son and grandchildren so this was interesting to me for that reason, too.
Aprili (1961) - 8/10 - A young couple is looking for a bit of privacy, but keep getting interrupted by people moving around, often carrying furniture. They finally take refuge in an empty apartment where the utilities seem to turn on of their own volition. They have some peace for a while, though the neighbors are an eclectic bunch with one man constantly lifting weights, a girl dancing ballet, and so on. The couple seems less happy after they take residence in the apartment and it is filled with all sorts of material goods. There are good sound effects and visual humor in this short film.
A Thousand and One (2023) - 8/10 - In 1994, Inez is released from prison and returns to her old neighborhood. Her 6 year old son is in foster care and she decides to kidnap him, move to another part of New York City and assume different names. There are a couple of time skips involved, but it is clear that Inez is pretty concerned about getting the best for her son, but expresses her feelings in the only way she can, which can seem harsh to some. She also has to worry about the law possibly catching up to them. Teyana Taylor is excellent as Inez.
Repentance (1984) - 7.5/10 - The long serving mayor of a town dies and he is buried. His body is discovered in his son's garden the next day. It is dug up again the next day and the culprit is found shortly thereafter. The woman responsible relates her tale in court that paints the mayor in a different light than is commonly known.
Madhumati (1958) - 7.5/10 - A pair of travelers are forced to seek shelter in an old, run-down mansion during a storm. One of the travelers recognizes a painting in the mansion and says that he painted it in another life that has just been restored to his memory. He goes on to relate a tale of his love for a young woman and the cruel ways of his boss in the earlier life.
Pariah (2011) - 7.5/10 - A 17 year old lesbian is inexperienced, but curious. She's afraid of coming out to her parents because of her mother's probable reaction, though the parents seem to realize already and are dealing with it in their own way. The mother tries pushing her daughter toward different friends and ways of dressing. The father basically ignores it and seems somewhat distant. The parents also fight pretty frequently. It's a good coming of age tale with nice performances by Adepero Oduye and the rest of the cast.
The Third Oath / Teesri Kasam (1966) - 7.5/10 - A man who drives a cart pulled by bullocks falls in love with a dancer that he transports to a fair. She falls for him as well during the journey, but there are a number of obstacles in the way of their relationship. It's pretty well done.
Sant Tukaram (1936) - 7/10 - Tukaram spends most of his time contemplating his god or singing songs praising his god. This makes his wife exasperated with him since he doesn't actively look out for his wife and two children. She still loves him, though, and everything ends up being taken care of. There is also a priest who is jealous of Tukaram and is always plotting against him, though these plots inevitably backfire. There is a lot of singing throughout the film which may be a turnoff to some, though I didn't mind it, and the effects are kind of primitive. I liked the film and the performances of the man who played Tukaram and the woman who played his wife. There's a fair amount of humor throughout.
Running on Karma (2003) - 7/10 - A former monk turned bodybuilder and stripper can see the karma people have earned from their past lives. He becomes involved with helping a young police detective after he sees that she is in danger of dying due to her past life as a Japanese soldier who committed atrocities. The film has a strange villain and the storyline gets a bit messy at times, but there is enough to like here that I did mostly enjoy the film.
Night Train (1959) - 6.5/10 - A man and a woman meet on a train when they happen to have tickets for the same compartment. Each seems to be trying to escape from something, but they agree to share the compartment for the duration of the trip. Later, a murderer is sought aboard the train and some signs seem to point to the man from the compartment. There are some interesting scenes and I liked the closing shots, but the film as a whole didn't quite come together for me.
Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar (1992) - 6.5/10 - Aamir Khan portrays a slacker who goes to the 'poor' school in the area and hangs out with his friends. Their rivals are a nearby 'rich' school which has a few jerks of their own, including the big man on campus and his followers. This isn't a great film, but it's not really worse than a lot of similar American films from the era, though it comes with a couple of song/dance numbers and is more than 2.5 hours. The song/dance numbers weren't really all that intrusive and at least were few in number.
Certain Women (2016) - 6/10 - Three short stories involving women are told here. The first one stars Laura Dern as a lawyer dealing with a client who was injured on the job, but is not able to sue since he took a small settlement after the injury. It was good and was a lot better than the other two. Lily Gladstone was decent in her role in the third story as a woman who attends a night class on school law only because she has a crush on the woman teaching it. Too bad the story was kind of dull, though it was better than the middle story.
Wish (2023) - 6/10 - A king controls the wishes of his subjects, but only chooses to grant them on rare occasions. The people forget the content of their wishes after they make them and gift them to the king for safe keeping. Asha is up to be the king's apprentice, but recoils at what he does with the wishes when she finds out the truth. I thought the film looked decent, but the story was fairly simple. Overall, the movie wasn't that good, but also wasn't really as bad as some of the reviews that I've read.
I Stand Alone (1998) - 5.5/10 - Following on from his short film Carne, Gaspar Noé tells the tale of a butcher who is out of jail and in an unhappy relationship with a woman who has promised to purchase him a butcher shop, but backs out on it. The Butcher has few marketable skills and dark thoughts continually seem to run through his mind. I did like this more than Irreversible, but I still didn't like it very much. Others seem to have a different opinion of the film.
Devdas (2002) - 5/10 - This one was a real chore to get through. Devdas (Shah Rukh Khan) has been living in the UK for many years when he finally comes home, apparently as a lawyer. He reunites with his childhood friend, Paro, and the two expect to marry, but Devdas's mother (egged on by her scheming daughter-in-law) insult Paro's family and refuse to allow the wedding. This leads Paro away as Devdas rejects her and starts a downward spiral for Devdas. The film has pretty good visuals, but the background music was pretty annoying much of the time as were many of the various characters, with the exception of Paro and Chunnilal.
Last edited by gunnar on Sat Apr 06, 2024 11:04 am, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Last Seen Movie - The Latest Movie You Have Seen; ratings
Dalva (2022) - 8.5/10 - The film starts with a young girl being taken away from her home by police in the middle of the night as they arrest her father. Dalva is 12, but dresses and acts older. She is taken to a shelter where she struggles to learn how to be a girl rather than trying to be an adult. Zelda Samson is very good as Dalva.
Takva (2006) - 8/10 - Muharrem is a simple and devout man whose life changes when the Sheikh at his holy place asks him to start collecting the rents for the places owned by the institution. This pushes Muharrem out of his comfort zone and into the wider world. He starts being plagued by materialistic dreams and is confronted by the cynical attitude of the Sheikh and his subordinates that the rents must be collected, even from those who cannot afford to pay. All of these various forces act on Muharrem and cause him a number of problems.
Take My Eyes / Te doy mis ojos (2003) - 8/10 - Pilar leaves home one night with her 7 year old son and very few possessions. She takes refuge with her sister Ana and it is pretty clear that it is a domestic violence situation. We are soon introduced to her husband Antonio, a man with a violent temper at times. Antonio starts trying to get Pilar back, even going to group therapy to try and change his behavior, but will it stick. Ana is very much against her sister trying to get back together with Antonio. This is nicely acted by Laia Marull and Luis Tosar.
Vizontele (2001) - 8/10 - A small village in a hilly region of Turkey finally gets their first television set in the early 1970s. The mayor is happy because it will stick it to a local businessman that he doesn't like who runs an open air theater. The mayor asks an eccentric technician for help and they go to many lengths to get it to work.
The Virgin Suicides (1999) - 8/10 - A group of men reminisce about the summer of 1975 in Grosse Pointe, Michigan (which is actually only a few miles from where I live). They were teenage boys at the time and they were enamored with the mysterious Lisbon sisters, especially after one of the (five) sisters tried to commit suicide. The girls have little to no social life thanks to their religious and repressive mother. The film is pretty well acted and has a nice atmosphere.
35 Shots of Rum (2008) - 8/10 - Josephine is a 20 something woman who is studying anthropology. She has a close relationship with her widowed father Lionel and the two live together in an apartment. It eventually becomes evident, though, that the time is fast approaching where Lionel will have to let her go and move out into the world without him. It's a nice film.
Girlhood (2014) - 8/10 - Marieme lives in an apartment in a tough neighborhood near Paris. Her mother works a lot and her older brother is usually in charge and is not always nice about it. Marieme wants to go to high school and improve her situation, but a counselor informs her that vocational school is her only option. She soon falls in with a gang of girls and finds friendship and camaraderie there. It doesn't bring an end to her struggles, but perhaps it will help provide a way out. This is well acted and makes good use of music.
Times and Winds (2006) - 8/10 - The film takes place in a small mountain village in Turkey and focuses on three children and their families. One boy named Yakup is in love with his teacher. His best friend Omer wishes his father (the Imam) was dead and thinks of ways that he might help make that happen. Omer's cousin, Yildiz, studies, but likes to wander around the nearby terrain, to the chagrin of her mother. All three kids seem to be able to sleep anywhere at anytime and have problems with at least one of their parents. The fathers of Omer and Yildiz are brothers and each is still cowed by their father. I liked the sound design, the acting of the kids, the school scenes, and so on. It's a nice film.
A New Leaf (1971) - 8/10 - Walter Matthau stars as Henry Graham, a spendthrift heir who lives beyond his means and eventually exhausts his inheritance. Rather than give up his lifestyle, he determines to find an extremely wealthy single woman to marry, but he only has a limited time to make this plan work. This was dry, but pretty funny.
Dune Part Two (2024) - 7.5/10 - This had great visuals like the first part and is a decent film, but it also had me a bit bored at times like the first part as well.
Double Happiness (1994) - 7.5/10 - Jade Li (Sandra Oh) is a young Chinese-Canadian woman whose parents want her to meet a nice Chinese boy and keep setting her up for dates. She is more concerned with getting her acting career off the ground. She meets a nice young white man and the two hit it off, but she knows that her parents won't approve. Oh is really good here in one of her early roles.
Sleeping with Other People (2015) - 7.5/10 - Jake and Lainey met and had a one night stand in college. They meet again 12 years later and have pretty similar personalities and habits, each unable to remain monogamous. The two decide to just remain friends, though each finds themself drawn to the other. This can be pretty crude, but I also ended up enjoying it quite a bit.
The Watermelon Woman (1996) - 7.5/10 - Cheryl (Cheryl Dunye) is an aspiring black lesbian filmmaker who works in a video story and has an interest in 1930s cinema, particularly in black actresses from that era. She becomes interested in an actress known only as The Watermelon Woman. Cheryl researches the woman and sets out to make a documentary about her. The film is a mix of Cheryl's daily life and her research/documentary. It was pretty entertaining.
Unicorn Wars (2022) - 7/10 - Teddy bear cubs are training as soldiers with a goal to eradicate unicorns from the neighboring forest. There's plenty of violence plus some humor as well. It's an odd and often entertaining film.
Happy as Lazzaro (2018) - 7/10 - The residents of a small, remote Italian village in 1977 are sharecroppers who know nothing of the outside world and are perpetually in debt at the hands of the woman who owns the estate. Lazzaro is a young and simple man who gets caught up in a fake kidnapping plot at the behest of the spoiled son of the landowner. This leads to a big change for the village and villagers.
Obvious Child (2014) - 7/10 - Donna (Jenny Slate) is a stand up comic who is struggling to make a living, but finds herself pregnant after a one night stand. She decides to have an abortion, but struggles to tell her mom and the man she had a one night stand with, even though he seems interested in starting a relationship. Slate was pretty good here and I also liked Jake Lacy as Max.
To All the Boys I've Loved Before (2018) - 7/10 - Lara Jean is a 16 year old girl whose older sister is moving away to college. Lara Jean has had crushes on a few boys over the years, including her sister's (recent) ex-boyfriend, and has written secret love letters that she keeps hidden in her room. Her younger sister decides one night to mail these out and it makes a big change in Lara Jean's life. This is kind of formulaic, but it was still fun, due in large part to Lana Condor as Lara Jean.
Me and You and Everyone We Know (2005) - 7/10 - A shoe salesman separates from his wife and gets a small apartment to share with his two sons. A slightly odd artist takes an interest in the man and tries to start a relationship. There are a few other subplots, including following the two sons when they are on their own. It's fairly low-key, but I liked it.
Priest (1994) - 6.5/10 - A young priest has to deal with a number of issues, including a girl who tells him about her father's incestuous behavior under the seal of the confessional. The priest also has to deal with his own secret homosexuality. The film isn't bad, but I thought it was a bit too blunt/obvious in its messages.
The Cuenca Crime (1980) - 6.5/10 - A woman searches for her son after he didn't return from selling his sheep. Rumors are spread that two local men killed him for his money. Nothing much comes of this for a couple of years until an eager new judge pushes the matter and torture is used to extract confessions.
Mikey and Nicky (1976) - 6.5/10 - Nicky (John Cassavetes) is on the run after stealing from a mob boss. He looks to his old friend MIkey (Peter Falk) for help. While Cassavetes and Falk gave good performances, the story just didn't seem all that interesting much of the time.
The Breath (2009) - 6/10 - A unit of Turkish soldiers need to defend a relay station against their Kurdish enemies. The enemy is led by a man known as The Doctor who remains somewhat mysterious and out of sight throughout most of the film, heard over the radio/phone from time to time. There are some nice bits here and there and the acting isn't bad, but the story and style didn't really appeal to me.
Marianne and Juliane (1981) - 6/10 - Marianne and Juliane are sister who were very close growing up. They each care about women's rights, but have taken different paths as adults. Juliane is a reporter and tries to influence the government and society through her stories. Marianne has become part of a terrorist group that uses bombings and other tactics to try and get what they want. Juliane's life is upended when her sister is arrested and thrown into prison. I found the flashback scenes to their growing up more interesting than the 'present day' scenes. This is a fictionalized account of a true story.
You Were Never Really Here (2017) - 6/10 - Joaquin Phoenix plays a veteran who specializes in rescuing girls who have gone missing. He is also doing with his own personal traumas. He is hired by a senator to rescue the senator's daughter who was taken by a human trafficking ring. There's certainly plenty of violence as he goes about his business. I liked the second half more than the first half.
By the Bluest of Seas (1936) - 6/10 - Two sailors are shipwrecked on an island in the Caspian Sea near a fishing village. They make themselves useful by working for the the fishing boats. Each sailor falls in love with the same woman which causes some minor tension. The acting is kind of stilted at times and it seems to be a cross between silent film and talking film with intertitles at various points.
Appropriate Behavior (2014) - 6/10 - Shirin is a bisexual Persian-American who is getting over a recent breakup with her girlfriend and is afraid to tell her parents about her sexual orientation. She seems filled with self-pity and has a number of (generally short) relationships. She also gets roped into teaching a filmmaking class to disinterested 5 year olds. The film is occasionally mildly amusing
D'Est (1993) - 6/10 - Chantal Akerman turns her camera to life in Eastern Europe after the fall of the Iron Curtain. There is no narration or dialogue (apart from an occasional word or two caught in passing). Some parts were kind of interesting, but there were too many scenes of people just standing around waiting, whether it was for a streetcar, a train, or perhaps to get milk, bread, and toilet paper from a store. At close to two hours, that got pretty old.
Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel (2009) - 5.5/10 - Dave ends up in the hospital so Alvin, Theodore, and Simon end up in the care of his nephew as the chipmunks are enrolled in high school. A rival female chipmunk group comes on the scene as a contest approaches that could raise money needed for the school's music program. It isn't a great film, but it was a lot more entertaining than I expected and about on par with the first film.
The Legend of Suram Fortress (1985) - 5/10 - This is an adaptation of a Georgian fable. It looks nice, but I didn't care for it.
The Herd (1978) - 5/10 - Two families have had a blood feud going for some time. It seemed to be settled somewhat when the daughter of one family married a son of the other family, but the couple have had bad luck in terms of health and having children. Now the feud is on with the father wanting to expel his daughter-in-law. The couple set out on a long journey to sell their sheep, but are met with misfortune. I didn't enjoy this one very much.
Takva (2006) - 8/10 - Muharrem is a simple and devout man whose life changes when the Sheikh at his holy place asks him to start collecting the rents for the places owned by the institution. This pushes Muharrem out of his comfort zone and into the wider world. He starts being plagued by materialistic dreams and is confronted by the cynical attitude of the Sheikh and his subordinates that the rents must be collected, even from those who cannot afford to pay. All of these various forces act on Muharrem and cause him a number of problems.
Take My Eyes / Te doy mis ojos (2003) - 8/10 - Pilar leaves home one night with her 7 year old son and very few possessions. She takes refuge with her sister Ana and it is pretty clear that it is a domestic violence situation. We are soon introduced to her husband Antonio, a man with a violent temper at times. Antonio starts trying to get Pilar back, even going to group therapy to try and change his behavior, but will it stick. Ana is very much against her sister trying to get back together with Antonio. This is nicely acted by Laia Marull and Luis Tosar.
Vizontele (2001) - 8/10 - A small village in a hilly region of Turkey finally gets their first television set in the early 1970s. The mayor is happy because it will stick it to a local businessman that he doesn't like who runs an open air theater. The mayor asks an eccentric technician for help and they go to many lengths to get it to work.
The Virgin Suicides (1999) - 8/10 - A group of men reminisce about the summer of 1975 in Grosse Pointe, Michigan (which is actually only a few miles from where I live). They were teenage boys at the time and they were enamored with the mysterious Lisbon sisters, especially after one of the (five) sisters tried to commit suicide. The girls have little to no social life thanks to their religious and repressive mother. The film is pretty well acted and has a nice atmosphere.
35 Shots of Rum (2008) - 8/10 - Josephine is a 20 something woman who is studying anthropology. She has a close relationship with her widowed father Lionel and the two live together in an apartment. It eventually becomes evident, though, that the time is fast approaching where Lionel will have to let her go and move out into the world without him. It's a nice film.
Girlhood (2014) - 8/10 - Marieme lives in an apartment in a tough neighborhood near Paris. Her mother works a lot and her older brother is usually in charge and is not always nice about it. Marieme wants to go to high school and improve her situation, but a counselor informs her that vocational school is her only option. She soon falls in with a gang of girls and finds friendship and camaraderie there. It doesn't bring an end to her struggles, but perhaps it will help provide a way out. This is well acted and makes good use of music.
Times and Winds (2006) - 8/10 - The film takes place in a small mountain village in Turkey and focuses on three children and their families. One boy named Yakup is in love with his teacher. His best friend Omer wishes his father (the Imam) was dead and thinks of ways that he might help make that happen. Omer's cousin, Yildiz, studies, but likes to wander around the nearby terrain, to the chagrin of her mother. All three kids seem to be able to sleep anywhere at anytime and have problems with at least one of their parents. The fathers of Omer and Yildiz are brothers and each is still cowed by their father. I liked the sound design, the acting of the kids, the school scenes, and so on. It's a nice film.
A New Leaf (1971) - 8/10 - Walter Matthau stars as Henry Graham, a spendthrift heir who lives beyond his means and eventually exhausts his inheritance. Rather than give up his lifestyle, he determines to find an extremely wealthy single woman to marry, but he only has a limited time to make this plan work. This was dry, but pretty funny.
Dune Part Two (2024) - 7.5/10 - This had great visuals like the first part and is a decent film, but it also had me a bit bored at times like the first part as well.
Double Happiness (1994) - 7.5/10 - Jade Li (Sandra Oh) is a young Chinese-Canadian woman whose parents want her to meet a nice Chinese boy and keep setting her up for dates. She is more concerned with getting her acting career off the ground. She meets a nice young white man and the two hit it off, but she knows that her parents won't approve. Oh is really good here in one of her early roles.
Sleeping with Other People (2015) - 7.5/10 - Jake and Lainey met and had a one night stand in college. They meet again 12 years later and have pretty similar personalities and habits, each unable to remain monogamous. The two decide to just remain friends, though each finds themself drawn to the other. This can be pretty crude, but I also ended up enjoying it quite a bit.
The Watermelon Woman (1996) - 7.5/10 - Cheryl (Cheryl Dunye) is an aspiring black lesbian filmmaker who works in a video story and has an interest in 1930s cinema, particularly in black actresses from that era. She becomes interested in an actress known only as The Watermelon Woman. Cheryl researches the woman and sets out to make a documentary about her. The film is a mix of Cheryl's daily life and her research/documentary. It was pretty entertaining.
Unicorn Wars (2022) - 7/10 - Teddy bear cubs are training as soldiers with a goal to eradicate unicorns from the neighboring forest. There's plenty of violence plus some humor as well. It's an odd and often entertaining film.
Happy as Lazzaro (2018) - 7/10 - The residents of a small, remote Italian village in 1977 are sharecroppers who know nothing of the outside world and are perpetually in debt at the hands of the woman who owns the estate. Lazzaro is a young and simple man who gets caught up in a fake kidnapping plot at the behest of the spoiled son of the landowner. This leads to a big change for the village and villagers.
Obvious Child (2014) - 7/10 - Donna (Jenny Slate) is a stand up comic who is struggling to make a living, but finds herself pregnant after a one night stand. She decides to have an abortion, but struggles to tell her mom and the man she had a one night stand with, even though he seems interested in starting a relationship. Slate was pretty good here and I also liked Jake Lacy as Max.
To All the Boys I've Loved Before (2018) - 7/10 - Lara Jean is a 16 year old girl whose older sister is moving away to college. Lara Jean has had crushes on a few boys over the years, including her sister's (recent) ex-boyfriend, and has written secret love letters that she keeps hidden in her room. Her younger sister decides one night to mail these out and it makes a big change in Lara Jean's life. This is kind of formulaic, but it was still fun, due in large part to Lana Condor as Lara Jean.
Me and You and Everyone We Know (2005) - 7/10 - A shoe salesman separates from his wife and gets a small apartment to share with his two sons. A slightly odd artist takes an interest in the man and tries to start a relationship. There are a few other subplots, including following the two sons when they are on their own. It's fairly low-key, but I liked it.
Priest (1994) - 6.5/10 - A young priest has to deal with a number of issues, including a girl who tells him about her father's incestuous behavior under the seal of the confessional. The priest also has to deal with his own secret homosexuality. The film isn't bad, but I thought it was a bit too blunt/obvious in its messages.
The Cuenca Crime (1980) - 6.5/10 - A woman searches for her son after he didn't return from selling his sheep. Rumors are spread that two local men killed him for his money. Nothing much comes of this for a couple of years until an eager new judge pushes the matter and torture is used to extract confessions.
Mikey and Nicky (1976) - 6.5/10 - Nicky (John Cassavetes) is on the run after stealing from a mob boss. He looks to his old friend MIkey (Peter Falk) for help. While Cassavetes and Falk gave good performances, the story just didn't seem all that interesting much of the time.
The Breath (2009) - 6/10 - A unit of Turkish soldiers need to defend a relay station against their Kurdish enemies. The enemy is led by a man known as The Doctor who remains somewhat mysterious and out of sight throughout most of the film, heard over the radio/phone from time to time. There are some nice bits here and there and the acting isn't bad, but the story and style didn't really appeal to me.
Marianne and Juliane (1981) - 6/10 - Marianne and Juliane are sister who were very close growing up. They each care about women's rights, but have taken different paths as adults. Juliane is a reporter and tries to influence the government and society through her stories. Marianne has become part of a terrorist group that uses bombings and other tactics to try and get what they want. Juliane's life is upended when her sister is arrested and thrown into prison. I found the flashback scenes to their growing up more interesting than the 'present day' scenes. This is a fictionalized account of a true story.
You Were Never Really Here (2017) - 6/10 - Joaquin Phoenix plays a veteran who specializes in rescuing girls who have gone missing. He is also doing with his own personal traumas. He is hired by a senator to rescue the senator's daughter who was taken by a human trafficking ring. There's certainly plenty of violence as he goes about his business. I liked the second half more than the first half.
By the Bluest of Seas (1936) - 6/10 - Two sailors are shipwrecked on an island in the Caspian Sea near a fishing village. They make themselves useful by working for the the fishing boats. Each sailor falls in love with the same woman which causes some minor tension. The acting is kind of stilted at times and it seems to be a cross between silent film and talking film with intertitles at various points.
Appropriate Behavior (2014) - 6/10 - Shirin is a bisexual Persian-American who is getting over a recent breakup with her girlfriend and is afraid to tell her parents about her sexual orientation. She seems filled with self-pity and has a number of (generally short) relationships. She also gets roped into teaching a filmmaking class to disinterested 5 year olds. The film is occasionally mildly amusing
D'Est (1993) - 6/10 - Chantal Akerman turns her camera to life in Eastern Europe after the fall of the Iron Curtain. There is no narration or dialogue (apart from an occasional word or two caught in passing). Some parts were kind of interesting, but there were too many scenes of people just standing around waiting, whether it was for a streetcar, a train, or perhaps to get milk, bread, and toilet paper from a store. At close to two hours, that got pretty old.
Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel (2009) - 5.5/10 - Dave ends up in the hospital so Alvin, Theodore, and Simon end up in the care of his nephew as the chipmunks are enrolled in high school. A rival female chipmunk group comes on the scene as a contest approaches that could raise money needed for the school's music program. It isn't a great film, but it was a lot more entertaining than I expected and about on par with the first film.
The Legend of Suram Fortress (1985) - 5/10 - This is an adaptation of a Georgian fable. It looks nice, but I didn't care for it.
The Herd (1978) - 5/10 - Two families have had a blood feud going for some time. It seemed to be settled somewhat when the daughter of one family married a son of the other family, but the couple have had bad luck in terms of health and having children. Now the feud is on with the father wanting to expel his daughter-in-law. The couple set out on a long journey to sell their sheep, but are met with misfortune. I didn't enjoy this one very much.
Re: Last Seen Movie - The Latest Movie You Have Seen; ratings
I have both Driver and Cruz on my own list for the year. In fact Cruz in lead â la Lily Gladstone. She has quite a prominent role in the film and a certain section of the plot hinges importantly on Cruz. Yes, pity the film was ignored by the Academy.Big Magilla wrote: ↑Mon Mar 18, 2024 3:39 amAgree, the sense of doom is pervasive even if you don't know the outcome of the 1957 Mille Miglia. The film, which is easily Mann's best since The Insider, gives Adam Driver a role that is Al Pacino in The Godfather trilogy comparable, and Penélope Cruz her best role ever, certainly her best in English by far. I think the film's biggest problem was opening on Christmas Day - it's not a Christmas movie, and Christmas Day releases if they don't immediately take off are pretty much branded flops. However, there's no reason the film shouldn't have done better with critics and Oscar voters.Reza wrote: ↑Mon Feb 19, 2024 11:23 am
Ferrari (Michael Mann, 2023) 8/10
There is clearly a sense of doom and gloom that prevades across this film. Could be why a film by Michael Mann failed to get the attention it deserved. It is a look-in at the life of Enzo Ferrari (Adam Driver) - Italian motor racing driver and entrepreneur, the founder of the Scuderia Ferrari Grand Prix motor racing team, and subsequently of the Ferrari automobile marque - a life that is filled with conflict and sadness. The screenplay covers the period during 1957 when he prepares his racing team for the Mille Miglia, an open road, endurance-based race lasting one thousand miles. His life is in a chaotic mess - the Company is facing financial ruin, marriage to his wife (Penélope Cruz) has all but collapsed - both are grieving over the death of their only son a year before and she is fed up with his string of affairs - and his mistress (Shailene Woodley) is pressurizing him to give his name to their illegitimate son. He needs his wife, who holds half the shares in the Company, to hand them over to him so he can negotiate a deal with Ford - she agrees but at a huge cost that not only involves the business but also the matter with his bastard son. Meanwhile during the race he has to contend with his temperamental and flamboyant drivers - British racing car driver Peter Collins (Jack O'Connell) whom he admires and treats like family, Italian racing driver Piero Taruffi (Patrick Dempsey) who wins the Mille Miglia, and the playboy sex symbol Spanish aristocrat, racing driver, Alfonso de Portago (Gabriel Leone), who was famously having an affair with the ex-wife of Tyrone Power - actress Linda Christian, who famously kissed him before the Mille Miglia which got labeled the "kiss of death" as during the race his renowned Ferrari 335 S crashes near the village of Guidizzolo when a tyre burst while driving along a dead straight road at 150 mph, killing him, his navigator, and nine spectators. Ferrari is blamed by the media for de Portago's lethal accident. Superbly produced film brilliantly recreates the era. The casting of American actors is a tad suspect - Driver is coldly aloof in his portrayal which I thought was the right touch to this complex self-absorbed man. Although Shailene Woodley is badly miscast in the thankless and underwritten role of the mistress, the film comes to life with a powerhouse performance by Penélope Cruz who looks ravaged throughout - a woman deeply grieving the loss of her son and marriage but totally in control of her business acumen as she negotiates with her husband completely to her own advantage and which he has the sense (and maybe deep affection) to completely agree to. Mann superbly stages the gritty racing scenes which are riveting, full of dread and suspense, and he captures the beauty of the iconic red vehicles with their bright yellow trademark logo as they growl their way across the winding roads.
The film definitely deserved at least two Oscar nominations for Cruz in the week supporting actress category and the film's sound. It should have also been a contender for visual effects, cinematography, and editing. Five nominations would have been about right and probably would have happened if the film didn't have the stigma of being a flop like Napolean which managed three Oscar nods anyway.
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Big Magilla
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Re: Last Seen Movie - The Latest Movie You Have Seen; ratings
Agree, the sense of doom is pervasive even if you don't know the outcome of the 1957 Mille Miglia. The film, which is easily Mann's best since The Insider, gives Adam Driver a role that is Al Pacino in The Godfather trilogy comparable, and Penélope Cruz her best role ever, certainly her best in English by far. I think the film's biggest problem was opening on Christmas Day - it's not a Christmas movie, and Christmas Day releases if they don't immediately take off are pretty much branded flops. However, there's no reason the film shouldn't have done better with critics and Oscar voters.Reza wrote: ↑Mon Feb 19, 2024 11:23 am
Ferrari (Michael Mann, 2023) 8/10
There is clearly a sense of doom and gloom that prevades across this film. Could be why a film by Michael Mann failed to get the attention it deserved. It is a look-in at the life of Enzo Ferrari (Adam Driver) - Italian motor racing driver and entrepreneur, the founder of the Scuderia Ferrari Grand Prix motor racing team, and subsequently of the Ferrari automobile marque - a life that is filled with conflict and sadness. The screenplay covers the period during 1957 when he prepares his racing team for the Mille Miglia, an open road, endurance-based race lasting one thousand miles. His life is in a chaotic mess - the Company is facing financial ruin, marriage to his wife (Penélope Cruz) has all but collapsed - both are grieving over the death of their only son a year before and she is fed up with his string of affairs - and his mistress (Shailene Woodley) is pressurizing him to give his name to their illegitimate son. He needs his wife, who holds half the shares in the Company, to hand them over to him so he can negotiate a deal with Ford - she agrees but at a huge cost that not only involves the business but also the matter with his bastard son. Meanwhile during the race he has to contend with his temperamental and flamboyant drivers - British racing car driver Peter Collins (Jack O'Connell) whom he admires and treats like family, Italian racing driver Piero Taruffi (Patrick Dempsey) who wins the Mille Miglia, and the playboy sex symbol Spanish aristocrat, racing driver, Alfonso de Portago (Gabriel Leone), who was famously having an affair with the ex-wife of Tyrone Power - actress Linda Christian, who famously kissed him before the Mille Miglia which got labeled the "kiss of death" as during the race his renowned Ferrari 335 S crashes near the village of Guidizzolo when a tyre burst while driving along a dead straight road at 150 mph, killing him, his navigator, and nine spectators. Ferrari is blamed by the media for de Portago's lethal accident. Superbly produced film brilliantly recreates the era. The casting of American actors is a tad suspect - Driver is coldly aloof in his portrayal which I thought was the right touch to this complex self-absorbed man. Although Shailene Woodley is badly miscast in the thankless and underwritten role of the mistress, the film comes to life with a powerhouse performance by Penélope Cruz who looks ravaged throughout - a woman deeply grieving the loss of her son and marriage but totally in control of her business acumen as she negotiates with her husband completely to her own advantage and which he has the sense (and maybe deep affection) to completely agree to. Mann superbly stages the gritty racing scenes which are riveting, full of dread and suspense, and he captures the beauty of the iconic red vehicles with their bright yellow trademark logo as they growl their way across the winding roads.
The film definitely deserved at least two Oscar nominations for Cruz in the week supporting actress category and the film's sound. It should have also been a contender for visual effects, cinematography, and editing. Five nominations would have been about right and probably would have happened if the film didn't have the stigma of being a flop like Napolean which managed three Oscar nods anyway.