Tartuffe (F.W.Murnau, 1926)
On just about any other director's resume this would be a major standout. On Murnau's it gets comparatively obscured. Fine comic performances from Caligari stars Lil Dagover & Werner Krauss, and especially from the first Best Actor Oscar winner Emil Jannings.
8/10
Edited By rain Bard on 1225961848
Last Seen Movie - The Latest Movie You Have Seen; ratings
Broken Arrow (1950; Delmer Daves) 6/10
Once-famous western--with James Stewart as a Civil War vet who helps broker peace with Apache leader Cochise (Jeff Chandler, Oscar nominated but bland)--doesn't hold up: stiff, choppy, only occasionally entertaining.
Once-famous western--with James Stewart as a Civil War vet who helps broker peace with Apache leader Cochise (Jeff Chandler, Oscar nominated but bland)--doesn't hold up: stiff, choppy, only occasionally entertaining.
"...it is the weak who are cruel, and...gentleness is only to be expected from the strong." - Leo Reston
"Cruelty might be very human, and it might be cultural, but it's not acceptable." - Jodie Foster
"Cruelty might be very human, and it might be cultural, but it's not acceptable." - Jodie Foster
Wonder Boys
9/10
...I understand detractors now a little more. This is my umpteenth viewing of the film and it remains such a pleasurable experience but it does wrap up very tidily (although I adore the ending) and some of the parts have an uneasiness to them. But the direction is wonderful, the cinematography makes bold hand held choices and remains one of the most gorgeously shot comedies of the decade, the soundtrack, costume design, and editing are pretty perfect, and I pretty much continue to love the heck out of the thing. I read a review by Theo Panayadis (sp?) who said that he wishes there were more movies like this one, just not this one per se. Just like this is fine by me.
(BTW - it was raining like Pittsburgh in Los Angeles, and damn near dressed like Grady Tripp while watching in PJ's and ugly ass robe.)
Before Sunrise - 9/10
...actual rating is 8/10 b/c the parts are really quite unengaging at times, some of their banter and encounters are really rather twee. What works in this movie is how it's been subsequently transformed by 'Before Sunset' into a living memory. 'Before Sunrise' was a movie that feels amazingly now but now it's very incredibly past as well. It's very serendipitous that it works so well as both. A wonderful time.
9/10
...I understand detractors now a little more. This is my umpteenth viewing of the film and it remains such a pleasurable experience but it does wrap up very tidily (although I adore the ending) and some of the parts have an uneasiness to them. But the direction is wonderful, the cinematography makes bold hand held choices and remains one of the most gorgeously shot comedies of the decade, the soundtrack, costume design, and editing are pretty perfect, and I pretty much continue to love the heck out of the thing. I read a review by Theo Panayadis (sp?) who said that he wishes there were more movies like this one, just not this one per se. Just like this is fine by me.
(BTW - it was raining like Pittsburgh in Los Angeles, and damn near dressed like Grady Tripp while watching in PJ's and ugly ass robe.)
Before Sunrise - 9/10
...actual rating is 8/10 b/c the parts are really quite unengaging at times, some of their banter and encounters are really rather twee. What works in this movie is how it's been subsequently transformed by 'Before Sunset' into a living memory. 'Before Sunrise' was a movie that feels amazingly now but now it's very incredibly past as well. It's very serendipitous that it works so well as both. A wonderful time.
"How's the despair?"
Mourning Becomes Electra (1947; Dudley Nichols) 4/10
Laughably pretentious adaptation of Eugene O'Neill's play about a doomed family at the end of the Civil War. Stolid direction and campy, over-the-top performances.
Laughably pretentious adaptation of Eugene O'Neill's play about a doomed family at the end of the Civil War. Stolid direction and campy, over-the-top performances.
"...it is the weak who are cruel, and...gentleness is only to be expected from the strong." - Leo Reston
"Cruelty might be very human, and it might be cultural, but it's not acceptable." - Jodie Foster
"Cruelty might be very human, and it might be cultural, but it's not acceptable." - Jodie Foster
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barrybrooks8
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HarryGoldfarb
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Mamma Mia! 6/10
A film that had everything to be loved by me, however, for some reason I was disappointed. Maybe my expectations were too high and the film clearly didn't live up to them. Or simply, it is a regular film. Entertainig? Yes, indeed. But uneventful in the end. Better acted than directed (actually, Phyllida Lloyd, if she's as good as people say in directing plays, she should stick to it cause when it comes to directing movies the woman has no talent), the film could have been way better. It feels rushed and disconnected. "Lay all your love on me" could have been a truly good scene, the definite romantic one, but in the end it was like they were trying too hard to make it everything: they tried to make it funny, romantic, intimate, corny, flamboyant, theatrical, choreographed, camp (specially camp) and in the end I didn't know what to do with it.
Of course I had a good time watching the film, as I said, it was entertaining to some level, but I wasn't satisfied by it. Thank god for Julie Walters and Christine Baranski, along with this relaxed Streep, they are the best of the film.
And by the way, let's keep Pierce Brosnan away (far, far away) from a singing part!
A film that had everything to be loved by me, however, for some reason I was disappointed. Maybe my expectations were too high and the film clearly didn't live up to them. Or simply, it is a regular film. Entertainig? Yes, indeed. But uneventful in the end. Better acted than directed (actually, Phyllida Lloyd, if she's as good as people say in directing plays, she should stick to it cause when it comes to directing movies the woman has no talent), the film could have been way better. It feels rushed and disconnected. "Lay all your love on me" could have been a truly good scene, the definite romantic one, but in the end it was like they were trying too hard to make it everything: they tried to make it funny, romantic, intimate, corny, flamboyant, theatrical, choreographed, camp (specially camp) and in the end I didn't know what to do with it.
Of course I had a good time watching the film, as I said, it was entertaining to some level, but I wasn't satisfied by it. Thank god for Julie Walters and Christine Baranski, along with this relaxed Streep, they are the best of the film.
And by the way, let's keep Pierce Brosnan away (far, far away) from a singing part!
"If you place an object in a museum, does that make this object a piece of art?" - The Square (2017)
The Changeling (1980; Peter Medek) 8/10
Genuinely chilling horror/thriller with George C. Scott as a grieving composer who moves into a mansion with a very unhappy spirit. Taut, atmospheric direction, terrific score.
Genuinely chilling horror/thriller with George C. Scott as a grieving composer who moves into a mansion with a very unhappy spirit. Taut, atmospheric direction, terrific score.
"...it is the weak who are cruel, and...gentleness is only to be expected from the strong." - Leo Reston
"Cruelty might be very human, and it might be cultural, but it's not acceptable." - Jodie Foster
"Cruelty might be very human, and it might be cultural, but it's not acceptable." - Jodie Foster