Last Seen Movie - The Latest Movie You Have Seen; ratings

[Reza]

@BigMagilla

It was a review after many years.

[Big Magilla]

Young Bess (George Sidney, 1953) 8/10

Princess Elizabeth (Jean Simmons), daughter of King Henry VIII (Charles Laughton) who would later go onto become the virgin Queen Elizabeth I, falls in love with Thomas Seymour (Stewart Granger) who in turn is in love with the King's sixth wife Catherine Parr (Deboarah Kerr). Soap opera Tudor style is based on the bestselling historical novel by Margaret Irwin. The somewhat fictional story follows the tempestuous young girl's early life as she is shuttled between court and virtual imprisonment at Hatfield House at the whim of her despotic father while he keeps getting married - Laughton returns briefly to the part which had won him an Oscar way back in 1933. The film was also an occasion for both Granger and Simmons - then married to each other - to act together on screen. This was one of Simmons' most memorable roles and Granger's favorite film. Exquisitely produced at MGM the film's production and costume design received Oscar nominations.

Surprised it took you so long to get around to this one, unless it was a re-showing.

Also of note is the rare casting of Deborah Kerr in a supporting role (as Catherine Parr) during her career peak, three years after starring opposite Granger in King Solomon's Mines and six years after starring in Black Narcissus in which Simmons had a supporting role. Also in it was Kathleen Byron, the mad nun from Black Narcissus as Ann Seymour. Surviving cast member Rex Thompson who played the ill-fated King Edward, later played Kerr's son in The King and I. An under-rated film, this is the one Simmons should have gotten an Oscar nomination for when her votes were split between this and the other two films for which she won the NBR award, The Actress and The Robe.

[Reza]

Belfast (Kenneth Branagh, 2021) 8/10

Branagh's loving ode to the Belfast of his childhood. A wistful look (in monochrome) at life of a Protestant family living in a mixed neighborhood with Irish Catholics. The story is seen through the eyes of a delightful 9-year old boy (Jude Hill) - as he goes about his business being a kid. We see him at school in class with a crush on a fellow student, his interactions with his granddad (Ciarán Hinds), grandma (Judi Dench), his wayward dad (Jamie Dornan) who works far away in London and visits during the weekend and his lovely willowy and long-suffering mum (Caitriona Balfe) as she worries about her husband's back taxes and gambling debts. There are delightful moments at the cinema as the family watch "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" and "One Million Years B.C." in glaring colour. The story also weaves in the "troubles" as hooligans create religious differences with violent riots witnessed in full fury by the child and his family. Funny, sad and frightening episodes all gell together to create vivid moments in the child's life which Branagh and the sound department help to create by having the camera swoop down to the level of the boy's height as he listens in on snippets of grown-up conversations - some of which he understands and some which confuse and frighten him. Superbly acted film is a lot like John Boorman's "Hope and Glory" where the story was also propelled through the eyes of a young boy during the Blitz in London. Great use of music by Van Morrison on the soundtrack and a lovely moment where Dornan serenades Balfe with song and they dance together.

The Last Duel (Ridley Scott, 2021) 6/10

It took me a while to get used to three full-blooded American actors playing frenchmen from the 14th century but then if I can believe certain other actors fly through the air and climb up walls I can most certainly put aside the old notion that only Brits should be allowed to play in historical epics of the European kind. Scott's epic historical saga - an important cultural legend in France - is about the last "judicial" duel permitted by the French king and the Parliament of Paris. Duels to settle honour were commonplace but this was the last one that was decreed by royal command to settle a dispute. That dispute was over a rape. Marguerite de Carrouges (Jodie Comer), a french noblewoman, confesses to her husband Jean de Carrouges (Matt Damon with a hideous hairdo), a French knight, that in his absence she was raped by their neighbour and his erstwhile friend Jacques Le Gris (Adam Driver) who in turn denies he attacked her. The screenplay (by Nicole Holofcener, Damon & Affleck) attempts to provide a modern #MeToo relevance to the story as the rape of the woman is seen and repeated from different perspectives offering variations on the events from the point-of-view of each of the three central characters not unlike in Kurosawa's "Rashomon". The two men start out as friends but get into a dispute over property received as dowry with the King's cousin (a platinum blonde, Brit-accented Ben Affleck given to constant mutterings of the word "fuck" and indulging in endless orgies) siding with the alleged rapist. The hilarious medieval belief was that a woman could only conceive if she has an orgasm during sex. The lady gets pregnant soon after her rape and the duel is to decide whether the baby's father is the husband or the friend. If the husband kills the rapist during the duel then it proves that the rape occurred. If instead he dies then his wife will be stripped and shorn and burnt at the stake for lying. The woman, no matter how rich or noble, is basically treated like chattel. Sex is something to be endured by a woman while the husband gropes, pokes and comes. Pleasure is the last thing on her mind during the sexual act. The alleged rapist, claiming to be in love with the woman, forces himself onto her but clearly believing in his mind that it is consensual despite hearing her protest and struggle. Surrounding this central theme of sex without consent, which has a strong whiff of soap opera, Scott harks back to his film "Gladiator" with scenes of gut-wrenching violent battles as soldiers in heavy armour clank and kill. Erratic overlong film has outstanding production values with only Jodie Comer a standout amongst the cast.

Curtain Up (Ralph Smart, 1952) 7/10

A tatty little provincial theater is the backdrop for a group of actors trying to rehearse a play. The director (Robert Morley) is very critical of the play and decides to cut pages of dialogue which he feels is superflous much to the horror of the play's author (Margaret Rutherford) who unexpectedly arrives and tries to take charge. The two memorable leads, who come with their very distinct and familar acting tics, set the tone for the inevitable clash. Meanwhile the actors all have problems of their own which does not endear them to either the sarcastatic director or the indignant author. Morley and Rutherford, both hilarious institutions, lead a great cast of supporting actors - lovely Kay Kendall as the leading lady with an alcoholic womanizing husband, Michael Medwin as a twit trying to get laughs from the dialogue when there's none in the play, Joan Rice as the ingenue who thinks maybe acting is not for her and Stringer Davis as her father the vicar. Whacky threadbare plot is held quite firmly by the shenanigans of both Morley and Rutherford.

Young Bess (George Sidney, 1953) 8/10

Princess Elizabeth (Jean Simmons), daughter of King Henry VIII (Charles Laughton) who would later go onto become the virgin Queen Elizabeth I, falls in love with Thomas Seymour (Stewart Granger) who in turn is in love with the King's sixth wife Catherine Parr (Deboarah Kerr). Soap opera Tudor style is based on the bestselling historical novel by Margaret Irwin. The somewhat fictional story follows the tempestuous young girl's early life as she is shuttled between court and virtual imprisonment at Hatfield House at the whim of her despotic father while he keeps getting married - Laughton returns briefly to the part which had won him an Oscar way back in 1933. The film was also an occasion for both Granger and Simmons - then married to each other - to act together on screen. This was one of Simmons' most memorable roles and Granger's favorite film. Exquisitely produced at MGM the film's production and costume design received Oscar nominations.

The Redhead from Wyoming (Lee Sholem, 1953) 6/10

In the midst of a range war over cattle a fiery redhead (Maureen O'Hara), who is part business woman and part stage performer, comes across two men. Her former boyfriend (William Bishop) who not only swindled her years before but plans to swindle everyone on his way to the governorship and the saddle tramp sheriff (Alex Nicol) who loves the redhead. Nothing new but action-packed film with lovely O'Hara always a good enough reason to sit through a western.

[gunnar]

Come and See (1985) - 9/10 - During WWII, a boy leaves his village to join the resistance and fight the invading German army in Byelorussia. He encounters many horrors that quickly terrorize and age him. It's an excellent anti-war film.

Always a New Beginning (1974) - 7/10 - Glenn Doman and the Institutes for the Achievement of Human Potential are shown here. Doman developed methods to work with young children who were unable to walk due to brain injuries and get them to progress to the point where they could walk. He found that it also helped in other areas so he began looking into brain development. The film shows visits to numerous countries and people as part of this research, including multiple places in Africa, South America, Asia, and elsewhere. It was interesting.

Balseros (2002) - 8/10 - Back in 1994, many Cubans tried to reach the United States via homemade rafts. Some made it, some died, some had to turn back, and some got taken to Guantanamo. This film follows a number of these individuals and the families that they leave behind. They show how those that make it to the U.S. adjust to life there. They also check in with them again five years later. It's a pretty good film.

Born Into Brothels: Calcutta’s Red Light Kids (2004) - 8/10 - Zana Briski is a British photographer who was in Calcutta photographing the prostitutes there when she befriended their children who also lived in the brothels. She started teaching them photography and tried to help them get into boarding schools so that they would have more opportunities for education and choices once they grew up. It's a good film and was a lot more upbeat than I thought it would be. The kids were interesting and really seemed interested in the photography.

Genocide (1982) - 8/10 - Simon Wiesenthal introduces and Orson Welles narrates (along with Elizabeth Taylor at times) this film about the Holocaust and the events leading up to and after the genocide. I've seen a number of other films on the subject that are also good. This one has a nice score and does a few different things such as split screens and having multiple images.

[gunnar]

March of the Penguins (2005) - 7.5/10 - Every year, emperor penguins walk a long distance from the sea to find a mate, breed, and care for their egg/chick if they are lucky. They go for a long period without food during the Antarctic winter. This film has really nice cinematography and is narrated by Morgan Freeman.

Serengeti Shall Not Die (1959) - 8/10 - This nature documentary has a lot of really nice shots of animals and the land in the Serengeti. A plane and jeep painted like zebras are used to track the animal migration of the various herds and to battle poachers. It's a nice film, though unfortunately the cinematographer died in an accident on location.

Operation Homecoming: Writing the Wartime Experience (2007) - 7/10 - Veterans of Iraq, Afghanistan, and other wars relate their experiences and the stories that that they wrote about their time there. The stories are reenacted through live action and with drawings.

Walls of Fire (1971) - 6/10 - Ricardo Montalban narrates this documentary about Mexican mural painting, focusing on the careers of three highly regarded artists - José Clemente Orozco, Diego Rivera and David Alfaro Siqueiros. Siqueiros plays a more prominent role since he was the only one of the three alive when this was filmed and we get to see the construction of his March of Humanity exhibit. The artists are clearly talented, but the style of art really didn't appeal to me for the most part. I found the film a bit boring.

Street Fight (2005) - 8/10 - The last 100 days before the 2002 Newark Mayoral election between longtime incumbent Sharpe James and relative newcomer Cory Booker Is documented here. James used police to intimidate those who favored Booker. He also denied access to the filmmaker. It was a good film.

Cutie and the Boxer (2013) - 7/10 - The film looks at a married Japanese-American couple who have been married for about 40 years and are both artists. Ushio turns 80 and creates some of his art by putting on boxing gloves, dipping them in paint, and punching a canvas. Noriko is about 20 years younger and she has created cartoon images with Cutie and a character named Bullie that represent her and her husband. Their marriage has been filled with struggle, poverty, and love. Noriko is asserting herself more as an artist now than when she was younger. I thought it was interesting seeing the old footage from the 1970s/early 1980s with the couple. It was a decent film.

Which Way Home (2009) - 8.5/10 - A film crew follows a number of migrant children as they travel from Central America and southern Mexico to try and reach the United States. They ride on freight trains and encounter a number of dangers along the way and not all of them make it. I thought it was very well done.

[gunnar]

The Other Half of the Sky: A China Memoir (1975) - 7.5/10 - In 1973, Shirley MacLaine took a somewhat diverse group of women to China as part of a cultural exchange. They were accompanied by a film crew consisting of four women to document their journey. At first, the people in China were not sure what to make of these foreigners, but they soon became friends, The group got to interact with many people, see a lot of sights, and get to know the way many of the Chinese people lived. They also got to ask questions about a number of topics to see how life in China was different or the same as life in the U.S. It was interesting and I especially enjoyed seeing the various activities rather than the question and answer sessions.

Sound and Fury (2000) - 8/10 - This documentary is about a family where one son (Peter) is deaf and his wife (Nita) and three kids are also deaf. His brother (Chris) is hearing, but has a wife (Mari) who is a child of deaf adult. Chris has infant twin boys where one of the twins is deaf. He and his wife look into getting a cochlear implant for their son, but Mari's parents are against it. Peter's oldest child (5 year old Heather) asks about getting a cochlear implant, but Peter and his wife are afraid that she will lose her deaf culture. Peter's mother pushes for the implant. There is a lot of debate and conflict here as the two families have to decide what to do. It was pretty well done. I also watched the short documentary that updates the situation six years later.

Murnau’s 4 Devils: Traces of a Lost Film (2003) - 7/10 - This film uses stills, excerpts from the script, and storyboards along with narration to recreate this lost film about four orphans who become circus trapeze artists. There were some interesting bits of information as well. I hope that a print of the original version of the film turns up some day.

A Queen is Crowned (1953) - 5/10 - Laurence Olivier narrates the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II and the associated parades. There is a lot of colorful pageantry and it is somewhat interesting from a historical perspective, but the film itself is pretty boring.

For All Mankind (1989) - 8/10 - This film is narrated by Apollo astronauts and uses actual footage from missions to the moon during the 1960s and 1970s. I thought it was pretty cool.

Daughter from Danang (2002) - 8/10 - Heidi Bub was born in Vietnam in 1968 to a Vietnamese mother and an American father. She was part of Operation Babylift when she was six years old and ended up adopted by a single mother in Tennessee where she became fully Americanized. She sought more information about her birth mother 22 years after her adoption and was able to locate her. A film crew accompanied her on a visit to Vietnam to reunite with her mother, siblings, and other family. Things don't go totally as expected and this is a pretty good film.

Crèvecoeur (1955) - 6/10 - A young French lieutenant arrives in Korea to serve in a French battalion of UN forces. He is initially assigned as a liaison officer to the Americans, but is later given his own command and has to lead his men in battle. It didn't really seem like a documentary, but was labeled as such. The film itself was only so-so.

There is a documentary challenge on another film site that I follow so I'll be busy catching up on a lot of Oscar nominated documentaries this month.

[Reza]

The Circle (James Ponsoldt, 2017) 3/10

A techno-thriller devoid of any thrills. Young girl (Emma Watson) gets a job at a powerful internet company - The Circle - and soon finds herself amongst the company's innermost circle, the co-founder (Tom Hanks), who takes a shine to her and persuades her to go "live" via 24-hour camera so viewers can watch her every move at any given time. Of course she gets private time when in the loo although she invades the privacy of her parents (Bill Paxton and Gleanne Headley) when she looks in on them and they are having sex which goes out live to all her viewers much to her parents' polite annoyance. The tricky evil of the tech company - getting people to expose their lives while upbending privacy laws - falls flat as the screenplay follows this boring girl - Watson was nominated for a Razzie as worst actress of the year - who wanders in a trance-like state without realizing the ramifications of the experiment she is involved with. The screenplay starts out by making it clear that this girl is a brainiac so for her to not get what she is doing as something wrong makes the whole story implausible. When she manages to turn the tables on her boss the smiley-faced Hanks merely mutters "we are so fucked". The element of danger and suspense is totally missing hence it makes for a rather dull film with nowhere to go.

Passing (Rebecca Hall, 2021) 8/10

Neither Tessa Thompson nor Ruth Negga can pass for white women yet both play characters, in this exquisite adaptation of Nella Larsen's novel, who do. One moreso than the other. A light-skinned black woman (Tessa Thompson) with a black husband (André Holland) and two young sons runs into a platinum blonde childhood friend (Ruth Negga) at a local hotel in New York. She is not only passing herself off as white but also happens to be married to a white man (Alexander Skarsgård) who not only hates black people but is also unaware of his wife's true ancestry. Hall, who is herself of mixed ancestry, took on this project to settle whatever demons were plaguing her own mind about colour and race. The central concept of "passing" for white remains sort of suspended in the air as the plot takes off on other tangents - the black couple trying to explain racial slurs to their two confused boys, the husband wanting to leave racist America and settling down abroad away from violence and the wife growing suspicious of her husband's growing interest in the flighty friend who seems to be fed up of her white husband and appears to be on the verge of moving back to a life in black Haarlem. Actually none of these topics gets a full run-through as the plot moves in a dream-like haze flitting from scene to scene - Eduard Garu's stunning black and white cinematography helps to achieve the dreamy mood of the characters and the plot. Despite the film's low budget the production and costume design are visually elegant giving the film a marvelous period sheen. The entire cast is impressive with Negga a standout as the bold and dramatic head-turner who seems to be equally comfortable whether living a lie in a white world or getting downright rambunctious in her own black world.

A Boy Called Christmas (Gil Kenan, 2021) 7/10

Little Nikolas (Henry Lawful), fed up with his nasty babysitter aunt (Kristen Wiig), sneaks off with his pet mouse in search of his woodcutter father who has gone on a quest to bring back hope in order to win money in return from the King (Jim Broadbent). Using a map he discovers inside the hat his late mother (she was devoured by a bear - like all good kids' stories death is always presented in the most horrific of manner) left him he treks off in the snow in search of the kingdom of Elfhelm. A reimagining of the Santa Claus story is built around another babysitter (Dame Maggie Smith), grand aunt to three African-American kids (its 2021 so we are in the usual "diversity" territory) who no longer believe in or celebrate Christmas (their mother is also dead while dad is in a confused quandy), so she tells them the bedtime story of little Nikolas as a means to prove the importance of Santa and Christmas. Meanwhile we get to go on the magical journey and meet a reindeer, a troll and a winged pixie and get to see the origin of various Christmas customs built around lessons of kindness and courage. Charming film for kids and grownups who still have the fire of childhood burning inside them. All others who puke at the sight of cute kids and magic may refrain from entering this kingdom of schmaltz. Dame Maggie is her usual vinegary self which makes all her moments on screen count.

[gunnar]

tick, tick... BOOM! (2021) - 7.5/10 - It's 1990 and Jonathan Larson is a struggling writer trying to get his rock musical produced and he's about to turn 30. This is years before Rent would become a huge hit. Andrew Garfield is excellent as Larson and the supporting cast is pretty good. I also liked many of the songs, but I did feel that the film dragged a bit from time to time. It's still a good film, though.

[Reza]

Song of the Islands (Walter Lang, 1942) 3/10

Spectacular color in a corny studio-bound film set in tropical Hawaii where everybody repeats "aloha" ad-nauseum. Pretty Betty Grable - blonde hair, pink cheeks and white teeth - falls in love with a stranger (Victor Mature). When she discovers he is there to buy out the property of her father (Thomas Mitchell) the relationship flounders. Jack Oakie is around trying to be funny but proving to only be a nuisance. Lots of songs and dances where Grable gets to wear grass skirts gyrating her hips while showing brief glimpses of the famous million dollar legs. Yet another hit at the boxoffice after which the studio kept making more musicals with Grable.

Roughshod (Mark Robson, 1949) 8/10

A rancher (Robert Sterling in a white hat) and his teenage brother (Claude Jarman Jr.) lead a small herd of horses towards a farm where they hope to settle. They are chased by a cold-blooded killer (John Ireland in a black hat) and his two henchmen just escaped from prison. Complicating the journey is an encounter with four stranded saloon women led by their worldly madam (Gloria Grahame). A love-hate relationship develops between the two just when the killers arrive for the obligatory shootout. Excellent noir western is beautifully shot by Joseph Biroc on location in California with Grahame, Myrna Dell, Jeff Donnell and Martha Hyer all memorable as the ladies of easy virtue - one runs off with a man, one returns pregnant to her parents, one has a deadly encounter with the three killers and one manages to find respectablilty in the eyes of the one she loves. Sterling is tight-lipped throughout but has great chemistry with Jarman Jr., who is a delightful presence throughout. Robson skillfully sustains tension during the cat and mouse chase sequences using the night's darkness to create eerie silhouettes. Ireland creates a chilling character who disposes off his victims with casual viciousness. A sleeper.

The Thrill of Brazil (S. Sylvan Simon, 1946) 6/10

Fast paced but predictable B-Musical does not step away for a second from an indoor set - so all we know we could be in Timbuktu and not Brazil - with nary a fake sight of old Rio. Snappy divorced couple - a revue producer (Keenan Wynn) and his former wife and star (Evelyn Keyes) - meet up again and its a scramble to see how much that hate returns to love and they inevitably get back together. Tap dancing second lead (Ann Miller) is in love with the producer while he has his eyes only on the ex-wife he can't wait to get back. Allyn Joslyn is the chump who is about to get married to the ex-wife and is prevented from doing so. With all the non-stop music, dance and song - Tito Guízar sings three - one almost misses the fact that this is a remake of "The Front Page" / " His Girl Friday", minus the newspaper setting ofcourse. Silly but fun. Ann Miller steals every scene with her spectacular hoofing.

Song of Surrender (Mitchell Liesen, 1949) 7/10

A naive waif (Wanda Hendrix) finds her life with a much older husband (Claude Rains) changes dramatically after she discovers the music of Enrico Caruso and the loving attention by a visitor (Macdonald Carey) from New York. Her controlling husband forbids her to listen to the music but she continues to in secret when he is away attending his conventions. A brief night out for a meal, a glass of champagne and dancing with her friend changes her perspective about life but she is forced to take a drastic step after being accused of adultery in church by her jealous husband. Formulaic plot is delicately handled by Liesen with Hendrix heartbreaking as the sad woman who finds brief happiness through music. Rains has played this role before but through sheer dint of his voice and mesmerizing screen presence manages to make it all seem fresh. The film's ironic ending is perfectly plotted.

Sombrero (Norman Foster, 1953) 5/10

Odd mixture of comedy and drama is also often very silly but a handsome cast, Mexican locations and Ray June's color cinematography makes it bearable. MGM puts its Latino / Italian contract actors to good use in this adaptation of the 1945 book "Mexican Village" by Josefina Niggli - a collection of 11 short stories. The plot revolves around two feuding villages and three pairs of star-crossed lovers caught in between. A wealthy young man (Vittorio Gassman), dying of a brain tumor, gives up his peasant lover (Yvonne De Carlo) and forced by duty and class position to marry a socially acceptable lady (Nina Foch) approved by his father. Meanwhile the boistrous village prankster (Ricardo Montalban) carries on an affair with the daughter (Pier Angeli) of a rich man from the rival village. The third couple is a poor candy peddler (Rick Jones) who falls in love with the pretty sister (Cyd Charisse) of a famous matador (José Greco) who has weird incestuous feelings for her. Montalban sings, Greco dances the flamenco and Charisse performs a solo dance which are memorable moments in what is otherwise a rather tedious overlong film with far too many unfunny moments of Montalban being endlessly chased by the villagers.

711 Ocean Drive (Joseph M. Newman, 1950) 7/10

Convoluted but atmospheric B-noir sees the rise of a telephone repairman (Edmobd O'Brien) by using his knowledge of electronics to help a bookie set up a betting operation. When his boss is murdered he steps in and greed and the love of his partner's wife (Joanne Dru) leads him into the inevirable path of destruction. The film's memorable climax is set on and around the Hoover dam. The two stars are both very good.

South of St. Louis (Ray Enright, 1949) 4/10

Three Texas ranchers and close buddies - each wear signature bells on their spurs - seek revenge when their ranch is burnt down by a sneering guerilla raider (Victor Jory). The Civil War is raging and one friend (Douglas Kennedy) joins the Confederate army, another (Joel McCrea) leaves his fiancé (Dorothy Malone), takes up with a saloon girl (Alexis Smith) and goes into partnership with the third friend (Zachary Scott) as gunrunners. Striking color is the film's only saving grace in what is pretty much a dreary film.

[gunnar]

King Richard (2021) - 8/10 - This is a pretty solid film about Richard Williams and the early tennis years of Venus and Serena Williams. Will Smith is very good in the title role, but Aunjanue Ellis is just as solid as Oracene Williams. Saniyya Sidney and Demi Singleton are also good as Venus and Serena with Sidney having a larger role as the older of the two sisters. In many ways it's a fairly standard sports biopic, but it manages to be pretty entertaining as well.

[gunnar]

The Secret in Their Eyes (2009) - 7/10 - A retired legal counselor decides to try and write a book based on a rape/murder case from 25 years earlier. He meets up with his former boss, a woman that he was in love with, but was unable to act on his feelings. The film flashes back to the case for much of the film. I thought it was good, but not great.

[gunnar]

O Quatrilho (1995) - 6/10 - Two newly married couples decide to pool their resources and purchase a farm in Brazil early in the 20th Century. They live in the same large house and build a mill. Angelo is practical and married to Teresa, who wants romance. Massimo seems cultured, but has a wandering eye and is married to Pierina who is practical. Their lives get upended when Teresa and Massimo fall for each other. It was a decent film, though perhaps a bit too plain and straightforward, sort of like Angelo and Pierina.

[Reza]

King Richard (Reinaldo Marcus Green, 2021) 6/10

Sports film, true story, African-American biography which falls in the "against all odds" genre of stories. Richard Williams (Will Smith), a tennis enthusiast with a brood of daughters, vows to make his daughters Venus and Serena into tennis champions. And he does. Using an assortment of unconventional methods he succeeds in creating two huge stars in the world of tennis. The film, of course, is really about Will Smith and how the star - who received $40 million for the film - is being prepped to win his first Oscar after years of being a very successful movie star. The difference between Smith and Tom Cruise is that the latter is stuck in an action groove while the former alternates his crash-bang films with smaller films all about the heart. So we get to see Smith win his Oscar come spring while Cruise and his smirk will need to learn the tricks of the Oscar trade in order to win one for himself. Also shining as Smith's wife and the girls' equally tough mother is Aunjanue Ellis. Heartwarming inspirational but unnecessarily overlong tennis tale is not really my cup of tea but I'm perfectly fine with the idea of the uber-cool Smith as an Oscar winner.

Stand By For Action (Robert Z. Leonard, 1942) 4/10

The first naval war film made by MGM during WWII. The story is set in the Pacific on a beat-up old ship lying derelict since the last War which is put into order after Pearl Harbor is bombed and sent out to protect convoys of allied ships from Japanese attacks. The ship is run by an up-from-the-ranks Commander (Brian Donlevy) who clashes with his well-connected Harvard educated Masterman (Robert Taylor). The Admiral (Charles Laughton) who puts together these two in charge of the old vessel is a combination of a strict blowsy martinet and a fussy maiden aunt. Laughton certainly rises to the challenge giving an amusing performance. Walter Brennan is the old crew member from the ship's previous tenure who wants to enlist in this war as well. Lots of action, back projection and special effects which were nominated for an Academy Award. Slow dull film.

White Feather (Robert D. Webb, 1955) 5/10

Handsome production in Cinemascope and in stunning color unfortunately has a bland script although mostly based on historical fact. The United States government and the Cheyenne sign a peace treaty whereby the Indians agree to move from their hunting grounds so the white settlers can move in and prospect for gold. An Army Colonel (John Lund) and a land surveyor (Robert Watch) are in charge of ensuring a peaceful settlement. When the daughter (Debra Paget) of the Indian Chief (Eduard Franz) decides to dump her fiancé (Hugh O'Brien) and move in with the white surveyor she is ostracised by her father and her tribe. Her former fiancé and brother (Jeffrey Hunter) threaten the peace process when they challenge the army and refuse to leave their land. Good cast is wasted in slow film.

[gunnar]

Son of the Bride (2001) - 8.5/10 - Rafael spends a lot of his time running the restaurant he took over from his parents. This leads him to neglect a number of his family relationships at times. He has a company interested in purchasing the restaurant, but is hesitant to sell. Life events lead to him reconsidering his priorities. I enjoyed this one a lot.

[gunnar]

Wild Tales (2014) - 8/10 - Six stories are told here that generally center on revenge in this Argentinian black humor film. I liked most of the stories, though I don't think the one with the hit and run quite fit with the rest and I didn't really buy the ending of the tow truck story. Still, it is an entertaining film and moves at a pretty good pace.