This short owned my week.ksrymy wrote
Too Many Cooks (Chris "Casper" Kelly, 2014 10/10
A humorous parody of 1980s American television. But really, it is far more than that. Is it a meditation on the cyclical nature of the inherent evilness of mankind? Is the machete murderer an anti-hero saving us from the clichés and tropes of terrible, predictable TV shows? Who knows? All I know is that this is as close to a masterpiece as I've seen a modern short film come.
Last Seen Movie - The Latest Movie You Have Seen; ratings
Re: Last Seen Movie - The Latest Movie You Have Seen; rating
"How's the despair?"
Re: Last Seen Movie - The Latest Movie You Have Seen; rating
Too Many Cooks (Chris "Casper" Kelly, 2014 10/10
A humorous parody of 1980s American television. But really, it is far more than that. Is it a meditation on the cyclical nature of the inherent evilness of mankind? Is the machete murderer an anti-hero saving us from the clichés and tropes of terrible, predictable TV shows? Who knows? All I know is that this is as close to a masterpiece as I've seen a modern short film come.
Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House (H. C. Potter, 1948) 5/10
An advertising agent's move out to the country is plagued when his dream house is fraught with problems. This film didn't live up to the promise of its cast. Cary Grant, Myrna Loy, Melvyn Douglas, Reginald Denny, and Jason Robards are all incredibly stuffy and boring. If this was the first film you'd have seen them in, you'd be surprised they're capable of being humorous in other films. I'm not sure how this crawled into the AFI 100 Funniest Comedies list either. As the title mildly suggests, the film is bland. There aren't many visual gags and there isn't enough verbal sparring to keep the film really interesting. A perfectly mediocre film.
The Color Wheel (Alex Ross Perry, 2011) 9/10
A nervous aspiring broadcast journalist enlists her obnoxious brother to help her move her belongings out of her ex-professor/ex-boyfriend's place. This film is as obnoxious as it is real and brilliant. This is probably the best mumblecore film I've ever seen. The script is a poignant one wrapped in the cloak of Cassavetes with a violently spinning ball of wry humor tethered to it. Carlen Altman and Alex Ross Perry's words ring very true as the conversations are made up of speeches such as those endless talks we have where the only goal of our words is to keep ourselves awake as well as very realistic talk between siblings. Maybe the most impressive part of it all is that this mumblecore film doesn't take itself incredibly seriously - in most other mumblecore I've seen, the actors seem so incredibly smug on camera even if that's not what they're trying to portray. Perry and Altman's performances here are very naturalistic ones. A film I won't be forgetting soon.
I'm No Angel (Wesley Ruggles, 1933) 5/10
A female lion tamer garners fame and notice which enables her to flirt with rich men to achieve the life she wants. I'm torn here - Mae West's schtick is so incredibly smug and annoying yet so captivating and entrancing. Here, she does her usual stuff with a screenplay that I wish I could throttle. I really need to compile a list of otherwise great films that deteriorate into boring, uninspired courtroom scenes at the end because that seems to be the favorite kind of film Hollywood put in in the '30s. Mae West is alright and Cary Grant finally seems to be coming into his own acting here. A merely okay picture.
She Done Him Wrong (Lowell Sherman, 1933) 6/10
A nightclub owner and singer's vicious criminal lover escapes from custody and is determined to see her not knowing she hasn't been exactly faithful during his absence. What kind of a woman is Mae West? She's an otherworldly presence. Her growling voice, stoicism, and unconventional beauty make her perfect for this role. The biggest surprise to me was that she wrote this all (the stage play, at least). I had zero knowledge of her writing talents. The film itself is good, lightweight fun with a good musical number here and there. It's a quick watch and surely one worth seeing whether it be for the great double entendres or West's gorgeous gowns.
Bombshell (Victor Fleming, 1933) 7/10
A sexy Hollywood actress tries several different things to change her image, so the studio's PR man tries to keep up with it all. Again, I find Jean Harlow to be uninspired and flat; however, the film's best offering in terms of acting is easily Lee Tracy as the quick-witted PR man a step ahead of Harlow. He leaves fresh ashes behind him whenever he moves onscreen. It's a great comedic performance that is quite the opposite, though not as great, as Robert Williams' in "Platinum Blonde" two years back as far as leading men opposite Jean Harlow go. Frank Morgan is great in a small supporting bit. The film's screenplay is actually very dry and biting as it has Harlow parody not only Clara Bow but herself with vitriol and gnashing teeth. It has its claws out at all times whether it's through wry, insider humor or funny little gags. A film for film lovers as it makes endless references to the films of this time ("Norma Shearer and Helen Hayes never got anything that sweet said to them - not even in their best pictures!") I'd say the film would be better with someone more talented than Harlow, but who better to cast?
The House on 56th Street (Robert Florey, 1933) 3/10
A chorus girl is charged with murdering an old flame when he commits suicide. Melodramatic trash. Kay Francis is better than this. A sloppy script and poor supporting performances make this extremely forgettable. When someone like Ricardo Cortez is boring, you know the picture is failing.
Mirror (Andrei Tarkovsky, 1975) 10/10
A man in his forties, also on his deathbed, remembers his childhood as well as Russia's goings-on. I'm not going to pretend that I understand what this film means because it's a very personal film only Andrei and Arseny Tarkovsky could understand completely. I do know, however, that I was profoundly moved by this walking, lucid dream of a film. It may be the most beautiful film I've ever seen especially in regards to the cinematography. This and "The Colour of Pomegranates" have confirmed for me that the Russians, moreso than anyone else, can translate film into poetry (and vice versa). I'm really speechless about this film.
The Toll of the Sea (Chester M. Franklin, 1922) 8/10
A young Chinese woman marries an American military officer who gets remarried once he goes back to America. The film doesn't try to be anything other than "Madama Butterfly," and it's a great adaptation. I prefer it to the Sylvia Sidney version from 1932. Anna May Wong gives one of her best performances as Lotus Flower; she's very subtle which is something I value above most things in silent film. She doesn't get extremely animated which makes her performance more tragic. Frances Marion's script is good even though it's full of very stereotypical Chinese pieced-together English. The two-strip Technicolor is gorgeous - granted, it's highly revamped because technology was better in 1985 when it was discovered and pieced together. Even considering that, it's a really beautifully-photographed film full of inspired moments.
The Emperor Jones (Dudley Murphy, 1933) 8/10
An ambitious chain gang member escapes custody and uses his bravado and ruthless ambition to become the leader of a Caribbean island. Aside from 1962's "Long Day's Journey into Night," this is the best adaptation of a Eugene O'Neill play that I've seen. Usually, these adaptations come off as incredibly stagey and stale, but this one is just brimming with lifeblood and this is almost all due to the incredible work of Paul Robeson. He has a song or two to sing (and he's great) but his acting is simply marvelous. The film ends on a twelve-minute monologue ripped directly from the play as Brutus runs through the jungle terrified. It's a real tour-de-force performance all the way through. The costuming is splendid too. A real treat and a great release by the Criterion Collection.
REWATCH: Dinner at Eight (George Cukor, 1933) 5/10
A neurotic wife plans a dinner party for several of society's upper crust whose lives are unraveling leading up to feast itself. I thought maybe a second viewing would turn me onto this, but it certainly hasn't. This film is incredibly stagey not necessarily in that it is very talkative but that the acting and extreme body language is far too theatrical to be believed on film. Even worse is the screenplay which actually expects me to care about these people's woes; the only person I really cared about was Lionel Barrymore and that's probably because it reminds me of his great work in "Grand Hotel" not because his character here is any good. Marie Dressler does a good job in a comical role, and this is the first time I've thought Jean Harlow was anything more than mediocre. Billie Burke would have been great if it weren't for her over-excited tour guide hands accompanying all her words.
Maybe the film's biggest weakness is its inability to juggle both comedy of manners and melodrama. These transitions are jolting and amateur.
Footlight Parade (Lloyd Bacon, 1933) 5/10
A struggling producer tries to adapt musicals for movie-going audiences. Normally, bad or mediocre acting throws me right out of a film, but, for some reason, this film works okay without it. While the story starts too many subplots that end up being tangible or unused and the acting is poor, the film's all-around atmosphere and music are great. Honestly, the only thing worth talking about is Busby Berkeley's stunning choreography. The entire "By a Waterfall" sequence is breathtaking, and it commands every bit of attention you have to give. But, once again, the rest of the film cannot make up for it.
Design for Living (Ernst Lubitsch, 1933) 10/10
Two men, a painter and a playwright, fall in love with a free-spirited woman who critiques their work, but they all enter a gentleman's agreement to never sleep with each other. This is, without a doubt, my favorite Lubitsch. It's the first film I've seen from him (chronologically) where Gary Cooper actually gives a performance worth noting; he doesn't sit and dial his lines in and, instead, actually seems to live a little. He is, however, far inferior to Fredric March who is a total delight as the neurotic playwright. Other than "I Married a Witch," I don't think I've seen any Fredric March comedies, so it's a shame he didn't do more (or that I haven't seen more); he's a very, very funny man. But even with March doing excellent work, this has to be Miriam Hopkins' career-best turn. She's funny, charming, manipulative, and just freakishly sexy. It's one of the absolute best pre-Code performances, and performances in general, that I've seen. Incredible.
Apart from the showcase of acting, the costumes are pleasant to look at, the sets are really well-done, and the script is sharp and snappy. A really, truly great film
The 400 Blows (François Truffaut, 1959) 10/10
A young boy starving for attention turns to petty crime. Nary a better film on coming-of-age has been made. François Truffaut's crisp, loose framing and focus on emotion really captures what it's like to be an adolescent again. Truffaut has made a brilliant character in Antoine, and Jean-Pierre Léaud could not look and be more perfect for the role. The script itself is very simple which allows for Truffaut to sweep us away into a daze of fury, angst, apathy, sadness, and even a little joy. The final scene on the beach is a flurry of emotion so brilliantly shot and edited that I am at a loss for words (as cheesy as that is). I'm finally glad to say I've seen this masterpiece.
A humorous parody of 1980s American television. But really, it is far more than that. Is it a meditation on the cyclical nature of the inherent evilness of mankind? Is the machete murderer an anti-hero saving us from the clichés and tropes of terrible, predictable TV shows? Who knows? All I know is that this is as close to a masterpiece as I've seen a modern short film come.
Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House (H. C. Potter, 1948) 5/10
An advertising agent's move out to the country is plagued when his dream house is fraught with problems. This film didn't live up to the promise of its cast. Cary Grant, Myrna Loy, Melvyn Douglas, Reginald Denny, and Jason Robards are all incredibly stuffy and boring. If this was the first film you'd have seen them in, you'd be surprised they're capable of being humorous in other films. I'm not sure how this crawled into the AFI 100 Funniest Comedies list either. As the title mildly suggests, the film is bland. There aren't many visual gags and there isn't enough verbal sparring to keep the film really interesting. A perfectly mediocre film.
The Color Wheel (Alex Ross Perry, 2011) 9/10
A nervous aspiring broadcast journalist enlists her obnoxious brother to help her move her belongings out of her ex-professor/ex-boyfriend's place. This film is as obnoxious as it is real and brilliant. This is probably the best mumblecore film I've ever seen. The script is a poignant one wrapped in the cloak of Cassavetes with a violently spinning ball of wry humor tethered to it. Carlen Altman and Alex Ross Perry's words ring very true as the conversations are made up of speeches such as those endless talks we have where the only goal of our words is to keep ourselves awake as well as very realistic talk between siblings. Maybe the most impressive part of it all is that this mumblecore film doesn't take itself incredibly seriously - in most other mumblecore I've seen, the actors seem so incredibly smug on camera even if that's not what they're trying to portray. Perry and Altman's performances here are very naturalistic ones. A film I won't be forgetting soon.
I'm No Angel (Wesley Ruggles, 1933) 5/10
A female lion tamer garners fame and notice which enables her to flirt with rich men to achieve the life she wants. I'm torn here - Mae West's schtick is so incredibly smug and annoying yet so captivating and entrancing. Here, she does her usual stuff with a screenplay that I wish I could throttle. I really need to compile a list of otherwise great films that deteriorate into boring, uninspired courtroom scenes at the end because that seems to be the favorite kind of film Hollywood put in in the '30s. Mae West is alright and Cary Grant finally seems to be coming into his own acting here. A merely okay picture.
She Done Him Wrong (Lowell Sherman, 1933) 6/10
A nightclub owner and singer's vicious criminal lover escapes from custody and is determined to see her not knowing she hasn't been exactly faithful during his absence. What kind of a woman is Mae West? She's an otherworldly presence. Her growling voice, stoicism, and unconventional beauty make her perfect for this role. The biggest surprise to me was that she wrote this all (the stage play, at least). I had zero knowledge of her writing talents. The film itself is good, lightweight fun with a good musical number here and there. It's a quick watch and surely one worth seeing whether it be for the great double entendres or West's gorgeous gowns.
Bombshell (Victor Fleming, 1933) 7/10
A sexy Hollywood actress tries several different things to change her image, so the studio's PR man tries to keep up with it all. Again, I find Jean Harlow to be uninspired and flat; however, the film's best offering in terms of acting is easily Lee Tracy as the quick-witted PR man a step ahead of Harlow. He leaves fresh ashes behind him whenever he moves onscreen. It's a great comedic performance that is quite the opposite, though not as great, as Robert Williams' in "Platinum Blonde" two years back as far as leading men opposite Jean Harlow go. Frank Morgan is great in a small supporting bit. The film's screenplay is actually very dry and biting as it has Harlow parody not only Clara Bow but herself with vitriol and gnashing teeth. It has its claws out at all times whether it's through wry, insider humor or funny little gags. A film for film lovers as it makes endless references to the films of this time ("Norma Shearer and Helen Hayes never got anything that sweet said to them - not even in their best pictures!") I'd say the film would be better with someone more talented than Harlow, but who better to cast?
The House on 56th Street (Robert Florey, 1933) 3/10
A chorus girl is charged with murdering an old flame when he commits suicide. Melodramatic trash. Kay Francis is better than this. A sloppy script and poor supporting performances make this extremely forgettable. When someone like Ricardo Cortez is boring, you know the picture is failing.
Mirror (Andrei Tarkovsky, 1975) 10/10
A man in his forties, also on his deathbed, remembers his childhood as well as Russia's goings-on. I'm not going to pretend that I understand what this film means because it's a very personal film only Andrei and Arseny Tarkovsky could understand completely. I do know, however, that I was profoundly moved by this walking, lucid dream of a film. It may be the most beautiful film I've ever seen especially in regards to the cinematography. This and "The Colour of Pomegranates" have confirmed for me that the Russians, moreso than anyone else, can translate film into poetry (and vice versa). I'm really speechless about this film.
The Toll of the Sea (Chester M. Franklin, 1922) 8/10
A young Chinese woman marries an American military officer who gets remarried once he goes back to America. The film doesn't try to be anything other than "Madama Butterfly," and it's a great adaptation. I prefer it to the Sylvia Sidney version from 1932. Anna May Wong gives one of her best performances as Lotus Flower; she's very subtle which is something I value above most things in silent film. She doesn't get extremely animated which makes her performance more tragic. Frances Marion's script is good even though it's full of very stereotypical Chinese pieced-together English. The two-strip Technicolor is gorgeous - granted, it's highly revamped because technology was better in 1985 when it was discovered and pieced together. Even considering that, it's a really beautifully-photographed film full of inspired moments.
The Emperor Jones (Dudley Murphy, 1933) 8/10
An ambitious chain gang member escapes custody and uses his bravado and ruthless ambition to become the leader of a Caribbean island. Aside from 1962's "Long Day's Journey into Night," this is the best adaptation of a Eugene O'Neill play that I've seen. Usually, these adaptations come off as incredibly stagey and stale, but this one is just brimming with lifeblood and this is almost all due to the incredible work of Paul Robeson. He has a song or two to sing (and he's great) but his acting is simply marvelous. The film ends on a twelve-minute monologue ripped directly from the play as Brutus runs through the jungle terrified. It's a real tour-de-force performance all the way through. The costuming is splendid too. A real treat and a great release by the Criterion Collection.
REWATCH: Dinner at Eight (George Cukor, 1933) 5/10
A neurotic wife plans a dinner party for several of society's upper crust whose lives are unraveling leading up to feast itself. I thought maybe a second viewing would turn me onto this, but it certainly hasn't. This film is incredibly stagey not necessarily in that it is very talkative but that the acting and extreme body language is far too theatrical to be believed on film. Even worse is the screenplay which actually expects me to care about these people's woes; the only person I really cared about was Lionel Barrymore and that's probably because it reminds me of his great work in "Grand Hotel" not because his character here is any good. Marie Dressler does a good job in a comical role, and this is the first time I've thought Jean Harlow was anything more than mediocre. Billie Burke would have been great if it weren't for her over-excited tour guide hands accompanying all her words.
Maybe the film's biggest weakness is its inability to juggle both comedy of manners and melodrama. These transitions are jolting and amateur.
Footlight Parade (Lloyd Bacon, 1933) 5/10
A struggling producer tries to adapt musicals for movie-going audiences. Normally, bad or mediocre acting throws me right out of a film, but, for some reason, this film works okay without it. While the story starts too many subplots that end up being tangible or unused and the acting is poor, the film's all-around atmosphere and music are great. Honestly, the only thing worth talking about is Busby Berkeley's stunning choreography. The entire "By a Waterfall" sequence is breathtaking, and it commands every bit of attention you have to give. But, once again, the rest of the film cannot make up for it.
Design for Living (Ernst Lubitsch, 1933) 10/10
Two men, a painter and a playwright, fall in love with a free-spirited woman who critiques their work, but they all enter a gentleman's agreement to never sleep with each other. This is, without a doubt, my favorite Lubitsch. It's the first film I've seen from him (chronologically) where Gary Cooper actually gives a performance worth noting; he doesn't sit and dial his lines in and, instead, actually seems to live a little. He is, however, far inferior to Fredric March who is a total delight as the neurotic playwright. Other than "I Married a Witch," I don't think I've seen any Fredric March comedies, so it's a shame he didn't do more (or that I haven't seen more); he's a very, very funny man. But even with March doing excellent work, this has to be Miriam Hopkins' career-best turn. She's funny, charming, manipulative, and just freakishly sexy. It's one of the absolute best pre-Code performances, and performances in general, that I've seen. Incredible.
Apart from the showcase of acting, the costumes are pleasant to look at, the sets are really well-done, and the script is sharp and snappy. A really, truly great film
The 400 Blows (François Truffaut, 1959) 10/10
A young boy starving for attention turns to petty crime. Nary a better film on coming-of-age has been made. François Truffaut's crisp, loose framing and focus on emotion really captures what it's like to be an adolescent again. Truffaut has made a brilliant character in Antoine, and Jean-Pierre Léaud could not look and be more perfect for the role. The script itself is very simple which allows for Truffaut to sweep us away into a daze of fury, angst, apathy, sadness, and even a little joy. The final scene on the beach is a flurry of emotion so brilliantly shot and edited that I am at a loss for words (as cheesy as that is). I'm finally glad to say I've seen this masterpiece.
"Men get to be a mixture of the charming mannerisms of the women they have known." - F. Scott Fitzgerald
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Re: Last Seen Movie - The Latest Movie You Have Seen; rating
Little England (2013) Pantelis Voulgaris 8/10
Night Will Fall (2014) Andre Singer 8/10
The Immigrant (2013) James Gray 4/10
Living is Easy with Eyes Closed (2013) David Trueba 4/10
Tammy (2014) Ben Falcone 4/10
Love, Rosie (2014) Christian Ditter 4/10
Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films (2014) Mark Hartley 6/10
The Secret Path (2014) Richard Mansfield 1/10
Sofia's Last Ambulance (2012) Ilian Metev 5/10
Manuscripts Don't Burn (2013) Mohammad Rasoulof 5/10
My Mistress (2014) Stephen Lance 1/10
The Decent One (2014) Vanessa Lapa 6/10
Repeat viewing
Sophie's Choice (1982) Alan J. Pakula 6/10
Night Will Fall (2014) Andre Singer 8/10
The Immigrant (2013) James Gray 4/10
Living is Easy with Eyes Closed (2013) David Trueba 4/10
Tammy (2014) Ben Falcone 4/10
Love, Rosie (2014) Christian Ditter 4/10
Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films (2014) Mark Hartley 6/10
The Secret Path (2014) Richard Mansfield 1/10
Sofia's Last Ambulance (2012) Ilian Metev 5/10
Manuscripts Don't Burn (2013) Mohammad Rasoulof 5/10
My Mistress (2014) Stephen Lance 1/10
The Decent One (2014) Vanessa Lapa 6/10
Repeat viewing
Sophie's Choice (1982) Alan J. Pakula 6/10
"I want cement covering every blade of grass in this nation! Don't we taxpayers have a voice anymore?" Peggy Gravel (Mink Stole) in John Waters' Desperate Living (1977)
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Re: Last Seen Movie - The Latest Movie You Have Seen; rating
Your original takes are closer to the contemporaneous opinions of the day here than you probably know.ksrymy wrote:The General (Clyde Bruckman & Buster Keaton, 1927) 10/10
A Confederate engineer tries to steal his train back from Union spies. Another film I did not like upon first viewing, but, this time, I saw it with a different score and appreciated it endlessly. Keaton is hilarious - the scene with the cannon car goes down as one of my favorites in movie history. An excellent movie with stunts and danger galore.
Steamboat Bill, Jr. (Charles Reisner & Buster Keaton, 1928) 5.5/10
A dunce joins the deck of his manly father's steamboat. Any scene involving the actual boat itself is pretty impressive, but, aside from it, the film is rather dull. Keaton's stony demeanor does not fit his character at all, and the intertitles are poorly done.
Keaton has been revered for as long as I can remember, and rightly so, but his best work was in the mid-1920s. It's only since the advent of home video that the more readily available The General and Steamboat Bill Jr. have come to be regarded as highly as they are now. Mordant Hall, the pre-eminent critic of his day, writing in the New York Times in February, 1927, said of The General, "This is by no means so good as Mr. Keaton's previous efforts. Here he is more the acrobat than the clown, and his vehicle might be described as a mixture of cast iron and jelly." He was even more dismissive of Steamboat Bill Jr. in May, 1928, calling it "A Gloomy Comedy."
Re: Last Seen Movie - The Latest Movie You Have Seen; rating
Nightcrawler (Dan Gilroy, 2014) 10/10
An unemployed thief finds his penchant for recording all he can of crime scenes. Holy cow! I do not think I'm premature when I call this the "Network" of this era. Big political channels aside, the film does an incredible job inspecting exactly what local news channels strive to air. "If it bleeds, it leads" says one of the stringers early in the film. The film showcases the fearmongering that gets ratings in a too-real way.
At the heart of this all is Jake Gyllenhaal whose Louis Bloom is the most frightening and entrancing sociopath put to film possibly ever (noting, of course, that Hollywood loves itself a good psychopath because that's what sells - "if it bleeds, it leads"). His work is intense, unnerving, and very darkly humorous. There's a part at a Mexican restaurant with Bloom opposite Nina, played wonderfully by a restrained, refined Rene Russo, that is definitely among the year's best-written scenes. And even with Gyllenhaal being the sun at the center of this film, Russo really does a magnificent job of playing against, and with, him. I'd say this film is both of these two's career best work. "Brokeback Mountain" and Jack Twist are obviously iconic in millennial cinema, but this is the role for which Gyllenhaal should be remembered. Also rounding out a great cast is Bill Paxton as Gyllenhaal's grimy competition.
The score is great and when coupled with the entire atmosphere of the film it is really quaking and powerful stuff.
I'm absolutely taken with this film. I need to see this again and soon.
Blue Ruin (Jeremy Saulnier, 2014) 8/10
A beach bum's life is thrown into turmoil after he learns the man who killed his parents is being released from jail. I don't quite understand what everyone is saying when they've seen this story before; yes, it's a revenge film, but, holy cow, did this one feel fresh and vibrant. One of my biggest pet peeves is how amateur riflemen, in films, are able to become military-grade snipers by the end of the film. Here, Macon Blair's Dwight is an amateur the whole film through and it creates some really shining comedic scenes in this otherwise grim thriller - Fargoesque, I guess you'd call it. And Blair gives a good, full-bodied performance never breaking character and becoming a badass like most films would resort to. The script is really smart in that regard (and many others).
Jeremy Saulnier's unwavering confidence in his direction is not only admirable but impressive for a newcomer; and, even then, it would be an incredible achievement for any director. The film plays out beautifully. It never becomes dull and has one of the best opening scenes of recent times - it is very emblematic of Dwight and the film itself. A very good film.
You're Next (Adam Wingard, 2011) 8/10
A group of masked, crossbow-wielding killers target a large family dinner at a fixer-upper house. This is the closest thing to giallo that America has ever made. What a freaking thrill! It's refreshing to see a horror film that not only toys with the tropes of the genre like a kid with a magnifying glass and an ant, but it's refreshing to see it not take itself so seriously. The reason it's so close to giallo is because of the sheer amounts of blood and absolutely crazy, creative deaths. What other horror film uses a crossbow more than once? What other horror film uses a blender so spectacularly? I don't know how this got passed over, but this is bound to become either a cult classic or a film critics will rediscover and love ten years from now.
And also, Sharni Vinson's Erin has to be the most badass "final girl" in all of horror history. Instead of exiting through a window because the killer is about to reach her, she pretty much long jumps out of the house. She's incredibly smart and tough. Is she the greatest of the "final girls?" I'd say Ripley in the first "Alien" is the greatest with Sidney Prescott in the "Scream" series in second, but, man, Erin just kicks bloody ass the whole time.
Also, if you've ever had to sit through a horrible family dinner, this film might be either a familiar fantasy or a damning, too familiar critique.
He Who Gets Slapped (Victor Sjöström, 1924) 9/10
A brilliant scientist whose intellectual property is stolen by his greedy patron resorts to becoming a clown whose schtick is being slapped by all the other clowns. I'm at a bit of a loss for words initially. First off, this film is absolutely insane. I mean, there are tiger attacks in it, for goodness' sake! Naturally, I was rather taken with Lon Chaney's performance which, I think, is better than his performance in the similar "Laugh, Clown, Laugh" (even though that performance is also brilliant). And unlike the 1928 film just mentioned, I think there's a very pungent stench of sadness that finds itself in the airs around this film. It gets into your eyes and stings and this is largely because of Chaney's work. Even in the first part of the film when he's an inventor and the film is struggling to find its footsteps, Chaney is fantastic. He always developed his characters so incredibly well whether it's with HE here, Alonzo the Armless in "The Unknown," or Quasimodo, Chaney could really evolve his characters into something beautiful or worse the way I haven't found another actor can.
And Victor Sjöström is a director I need to see plenty more by. His confident, unwavering direction here is a great asset. He gets a lot out of his cast and leaves several shots that will sear themselves into your brain.
Also, of all the silent films I've ever seen, this one has undoubtedly the greatest intertitles I have ever seen. They are poetic, inspired, realistic, and moving.
The Phantom Carriage (Victor Sjöström, 1921) 10/10
A legend tells that if the last person to die in a year is a great sinner, s/he must be the strict master Death's servant. There are a handful of films that owe so, so much to this film whether it be every Ingmar Bergman film, "The Shining," "It's a Wonderful Life," or many others. Sjöström gives a tour de force performance as David Holm as well as a strong performance behind the camera. It could be said that the script is predictable, but that's only because we've seen in it so many films that followed this one. This is truly one of the most influential films I can think of.
But that's not really what I focused on in the film. What really grabbed my attention was how incredibly complex and intricate this early film is. There are flashbacks within flashbacks, an intriguing storyline, and lots of double-exposure shots. The film really goes all out to become something unforgettable - it's easy to see why Ingmar Bergman embraced this film so much.
Dead of Night (Albert Cavalcanti, Charles Crichton, Basil Dearden, Robert Hamer, 1945) 7/10
Several travelers tell of their stories of the supernatural as darkness falls on the day. After seeing this, you can almost see exactly what films and television have stolen from this - I'm fairly confident every single one of these, save for the golfing story, has been a "Twilight Zone" episode.
It feels weird to talk about this film as a whole, so I'll do a little bit on each story.
"The Hearse Driver" was short, sweet, simple and has a really great practical stunt involving a double-decker bus. I wish this has been fleshed out maybe ten minutes more because it had a lot of potential.
"The Christmas Party" was alright even though it's, possibly, the most widely told and, therefore, predictable ghost story ever. Still, there are some good performances in it.
"The Haunted Mirror" was probably the story that frightened me the most. It's nothing revolutionary in terms of creativity and originality, but Ralph Michaels and Googie Withers play great off one another and the section's climax is pretty thrilling.
"The Golfing Story." Sigh. Where to begin... This was obviously intended to be the comedic relief of the picture. My major problem is that the film needed no comedic relief in any tense. It would have benefited from this section's being cut. And it's not that it ruins the mood, it's that the jokes and gags don't hold up in the slightest. This was the portion of the film I found myself thrown out of the suspension of disbelief that the film had enveloped me in. I stared at the time waiting for this dreadful part to end.
At least we follow up with a terrifying Michael Redgrave giving a great (as usual) performance. While the whole "dummy controls the ventriloquist" thing is way lame and overused nowadays (the "Goosebumps" series, Batman comics, and films like "The Beaver" come to mind), the film handles it alright but this is mostly due to Redgrave's full-bodied performance.
Most people claim the dummy segment as the film's best part, but I'd argue that the linking narrative, the sections between the stories, is actually the best much like "The Canterbury Tales." The relationships forming between the characters is natural and really interesting. The best dialogue from the film comes from these sections.
And what an ending. Holy cow!
The Mask of Fu Manchu (Charles Vidor, Charles Brabin, 1932) 6/10
Fu Manchu races English explorers to the mask and sword of Genghis Khan which will give him control of the Asian population. Glorious, glorious camp. The yellow peril! Kill the white men! This film is nuts! And that's without mentioning the hundred or so men killed by a giant lightning gun. Boris Karloff has good fun playing the ridiculous title character, but the best of all is Myrna Loy as Fu Manchu's insane, nymphomaniac who lets out orgiastic screams of delight during a whipping scene. There's also a torture scene involving a bell that is quite cool too. While the dialogue and story are all very poor, the outrageous levels of camp coupled with the set and costume designs makes this a very, very fun experience.
Witchfinder General (Michael Reeves, 1968) 7/10
An Englishman travels the land persecuting witches for his own political gain. The reason Vincent Price movies are so safe when it comes to horror is because there's always a little nudge in your side reminding you how silly and hammy it all is and then you get to a film like this and are horrified. Price's grim, absolutely humorless performance is terrifying. The film is morbid, painstaking, and deeply unsettling. Whether it's because of the graphic violence or rape scene which shows so much more than other films of this time did. I don't know what else to say about this film. The editing was nice and slow to keep the mood going and the costuming was great, but, man, this movie isn't going to leave my head for a while.
Cairo Station (Youssef Chahine, 1958) 9/10
A gimpy newspaper peddler obsesses over a woman who sells drinks at a train station; she jokingly entertains the idea of a relationship even though she's in love with another man. This is a very smart film with excellent acting and direction by Youssef Chahine who creates a really visceral and monstrous character. The film is very much influenced by the Italian neo-realists in its direction. Hind Rostom gives the best performance of the film as the brassy, loud watergirl; she is very much a prototype for a character like Saraghina in Fellini's "8 1/2." And with an ending like a shot to the chest, it's a film you won't soon forget.
Parents (Bob Balaban, 1989) 8/10
A young suburbanite boy in the '50s slowly comes to suspect that his parents are cannibals. Holy cow, this film is awesome on so many levels. First, I do not think I can classify it under any particular genre; it's very much a horror film, but it is also one of the funniest films I've seen recently. It may be one of the best films ever made about how children see adults and, specifically, their parents. Randy Quaid gives a great menacing turn as the typical, hardass father from that era and Mary Beth Hurt channels every advertisement from the time to make her polished, sweet mother even better. And while the actor who plays the lead boy is good, it's London Juno Mills-Cockell who really steals the kid parts as Sheila. A very mature performance from such a young lady. But even best of all is Sandy Dennis as the put-upon school psychologist. Dennis turns a small, bland role into the best role in the film. An absolute delight by one of the best.
There are several memorable scenes, a ton of great vibrant colors used practically in the sets and effectively in the visuals. It's really quite a fun film to look at as well as examine. This is fabulous.
Liebelei (Max Ophüls, 1933) 8/10
A cavalry lieutenant plans on ending his affair with a baroness when he meets the daughter of an acclaimed violinist. Max Ophüls gives us a peek at what amazing talent would develop over the next two-plus decades. Even here, he uses expert framing and movement to capture the intricacies of the human emotion running rampant in this film. Had the film been in color, it would be even more astonishing. The performances are great but nowhere near the best Ophüls has directed. A film any director would be happy to have made in their early period. The birth, or, maybe, blossoming, of one of the true masters of cinema lies in this film.
REWATCH:The Private Life of Henry VIII (Alexander Korda, 1933) 4/10
The familiar tale of the wives of King Henry VIII and his struggle for an heir. I used to think this was a good film, but, holy cow, it is the most hamfisted film I've seen in years. The costumes even seem really basic and uninspired. Charles Laughton just does a lot of laughing and yelling in a caricature portrayal; there's absolutely no substance to it. The best part of the film is easily Elsa Lanchester whose Anne of Cleves is head and shoulders above the firmament of the rest of the film. She is the shining part of the film far and away. I'm not sure whether Alexander Korda's direction is at fault or what, but this film is nowhere near as great as it's made out to be. At least the set pieces are nice.
The Story of Temple Drake (Stephen Roberts, 1933) 3/10
A neurotic, skanky socialite gets kidnapped by a group of mobsters hiding in a rural Mississippi house. Another perfect example of how Faulkner cannot be translated well onto the screen. Whether it's this, James Franco's horrid "As I Lay Dying," or the schlocky "The Sound and the Fury" with Yul Brynner," the man's wonderful style is not one for cinema. Even then, the film falls apart rather quickly. All the acting by the mobsters is incredibly cliché and overdone. Miriam Hopkins does alright in the role; the problem is that she doesn't make it juicy enough. I never once believed these men wanted to sleep with her because Hopkins makes Temple Drake seem so odd and unsavory.
And other than the fact that the film is the moralistic equivalent of a nosy person in a supermarket telling you how to discipline your children, the film decides to do the worst thing ever and add in a courtroom scene at the end. No good, non-courtroom-drama film has ever ended with a scene in a courtroom. It completely takes away from the climax and allows the ham and cheese to settle into the turd sandwich the film tries so hard not to be.
Mad Love (Karl Freund, 1935) 8/10
A surgeon obsessed with a pianist's wife grafts a murderer's hands onto her husband's crushed then amputated wrists. This is very interesting to compare to the 1924 version of "The Hands of Orlac" by Robert Wiene with Conrad Veidt. Veidt gives a very visceral, memorable performance. For this film, though, the hands go on one man, but the madness is transferred into another. The madness is put into, and absolutely nailed, by Peter Lorre in his first American film. His bald, dead-eyed, mad Dr. Gogol is a startling creation. Lorre plays with doctor with such an overwhelming sense of exhaustion which is something we never see in a villain until the final scenes. Lorre really conveys how much he loves and obsesses over this woman through that alone. And while Frances Drake and Colin Clive are merely okay, the film isn't hindered by their mediocre turns. Also, Karl Freund has such an incredible eye for the camera; he was always a cinematographer at heart. A good, creepy film.
The 400 Blows (François Truffaut, 1959) 10/10
A young boy starving for attention turns to petty crime. Nary a better film on coming-of-age has been made. François Truffaut's crisp, loose framing and focus on emotion really captures what it's like to be an adolescent again. Truffaut has made a brilliant character in Antoine, and Jean-Pierre Léaud could not look and be more perfect for the role. The script itself is very simple which allows for Truffaut to sweep us away into a daze of fury, angst, apathy, sadness, and even a little joy. The final scene on the beach is a flurry of emotion so brilliantly shot and edited that I am at a loss for words (as cheesy as that is). I'm finally glad to say I've seen this masterpiece.
An unemployed thief finds his penchant for recording all he can of crime scenes. Holy cow! I do not think I'm premature when I call this the "Network" of this era. Big political channels aside, the film does an incredible job inspecting exactly what local news channels strive to air. "If it bleeds, it leads" says one of the stringers early in the film. The film showcases the fearmongering that gets ratings in a too-real way.
At the heart of this all is Jake Gyllenhaal whose Louis Bloom is the most frightening and entrancing sociopath put to film possibly ever (noting, of course, that Hollywood loves itself a good psychopath because that's what sells - "if it bleeds, it leads"). His work is intense, unnerving, and very darkly humorous. There's a part at a Mexican restaurant with Bloom opposite Nina, played wonderfully by a restrained, refined Rene Russo, that is definitely among the year's best-written scenes. And even with Gyllenhaal being the sun at the center of this film, Russo really does a magnificent job of playing against, and with, him. I'd say this film is both of these two's career best work. "Brokeback Mountain" and Jack Twist are obviously iconic in millennial cinema, but this is the role for which Gyllenhaal should be remembered. Also rounding out a great cast is Bill Paxton as Gyllenhaal's grimy competition.
The score is great and when coupled with the entire atmosphere of the film it is really quaking and powerful stuff.
I'm absolutely taken with this film. I need to see this again and soon.
Blue Ruin (Jeremy Saulnier, 2014) 8/10
A beach bum's life is thrown into turmoil after he learns the man who killed his parents is being released from jail. I don't quite understand what everyone is saying when they've seen this story before; yes, it's a revenge film, but, holy cow, did this one feel fresh and vibrant. One of my biggest pet peeves is how amateur riflemen, in films, are able to become military-grade snipers by the end of the film. Here, Macon Blair's Dwight is an amateur the whole film through and it creates some really shining comedic scenes in this otherwise grim thriller - Fargoesque, I guess you'd call it. And Blair gives a good, full-bodied performance never breaking character and becoming a badass like most films would resort to. The script is really smart in that regard (and many others).
Jeremy Saulnier's unwavering confidence in his direction is not only admirable but impressive for a newcomer; and, even then, it would be an incredible achievement for any director. The film plays out beautifully. It never becomes dull and has one of the best opening scenes of recent times - it is very emblematic of Dwight and the film itself. A very good film.
You're Next (Adam Wingard, 2011) 8/10
A group of masked, crossbow-wielding killers target a large family dinner at a fixer-upper house. This is the closest thing to giallo that America has ever made. What a freaking thrill! It's refreshing to see a horror film that not only toys with the tropes of the genre like a kid with a magnifying glass and an ant, but it's refreshing to see it not take itself so seriously. The reason it's so close to giallo is because of the sheer amounts of blood and absolutely crazy, creative deaths. What other horror film uses a crossbow more than once? What other horror film uses a blender so spectacularly? I don't know how this got passed over, but this is bound to become either a cult classic or a film critics will rediscover and love ten years from now.
And also, Sharni Vinson's Erin has to be the most badass "final girl" in all of horror history. Instead of exiting through a window because the killer is about to reach her, she pretty much long jumps out of the house. She's incredibly smart and tough. Is she the greatest of the "final girls?" I'd say Ripley in the first "Alien" is the greatest with Sidney Prescott in the "Scream" series in second, but, man, Erin just kicks bloody ass the whole time.
Also, if you've ever had to sit through a horrible family dinner, this film might be either a familiar fantasy or a damning, too familiar critique.
He Who Gets Slapped (Victor Sjöström, 1924) 9/10
A brilliant scientist whose intellectual property is stolen by his greedy patron resorts to becoming a clown whose schtick is being slapped by all the other clowns. I'm at a bit of a loss for words initially. First off, this film is absolutely insane. I mean, there are tiger attacks in it, for goodness' sake! Naturally, I was rather taken with Lon Chaney's performance which, I think, is better than his performance in the similar "Laugh, Clown, Laugh" (even though that performance is also brilliant). And unlike the 1928 film just mentioned, I think there's a very pungent stench of sadness that finds itself in the airs around this film. It gets into your eyes and stings and this is largely because of Chaney's work. Even in the first part of the film when he's an inventor and the film is struggling to find its footsteps, Chaney is fantastic. He always developed his characters so incredibly well whether it's with HE here, Alonzo the Armless in "The Unknown," or Quasimodo, Chaney could really evolve his characters into something beautiful or worse the way I haven't found another actor can.
And Victor Sjöström is a director I need to see plenty more by. His confident, unwavering direction here is a great asset. He gets a lot out of his cast and leaves several shots that will sear themselves into your brain.
Also, of all the silent films I've ever seen, this one has undoubtedly the greatest intertitles I have ever seen. They are poetic, inspired, realistic, and moving.
The Phantom Carriage (Victor Sjöström, 1921) 10/10
A legend tells that if the last person to die in a year is a great sinner, s/he must be the strict master Death's servant. There are a handful of films that owe so, so much to this film whether it be every Ingmar Bergman film, "The Shining," "It's a Wonderful Life," or many others. Sjöström gives a tour de force performance as David Holm as well as a strong performance behind the camera. It could be said that the script is predictable, but that's only because we've seen in it so many films that followed this one. This is truly one of the most influential films I can think of.
But that's not really what I focused on in the film. What really grabbed my attention was how incredibly complex and intricate this early film is. There are flashbacks within flashbacks, an intriguing storyline, and lots of double-exposure shots. The film really goes all out to become something unforgettable - it's easy to see why Ingmar Bergman embraced this film so much.
Dead of Night (Albert Cavalcanti, Charles Crichton, Basil Dearden, Robert Hamer, 1945) 7/10
Several travelers tell of their stories of the supernatural as darkness falls on the day. After seeing this, you can almost see exactly what films and television have stolen from this - I'm fairly confident every single one of these, save for the golfing story, has been a "Twilight Zone" episode.
It feels weird to talk about this film as a whole, so I'll do a little bit on each story.
"The Hearse Driver" was short, sweet, simple and has a really great practical stunt involving a double-decker bus. I wish this has been fleshed out maybe ten minutes more because it had a lot of potential.
"The Christmas Party" was alright even though it's, possibly, the most widely told and, therefore, predictable ghost story ever. Still, there are some good performances in it.
"The Haunted Mirror" was probably the story that frightened me the most. It's nothing revolutionary in terms of creativity and originality, but Ralph Michaels and Googie Withers play great off one another and the section's climax is pretty thrilling.
"The Golfing Story." Sigh. Where to begin... This was obviously intended to be the comedic relief of the picture. My major problem is that the film needed no comedic relief in any tense. It would have benefited from this section's being cut. And it's not that it ruins the mood, it's that the jokes and gags don't hold up in the slightest. This was the portion of the film I found myself thrown out of the suspension of disbelief that the film had enveloped me in. I stared at the time waiting for this dreadful part to end.
At least we follow up with a terrifying Michael Redgrave giving a great (as usual) performance. While the whole "dummy controls the ventriloquist" thing is way lame and overused nowadays (the "Goosebumps" series, Batman comics, and films like "The Beaver" come to mind), the film handles it alright but this is mostly due to Redgrave's full-bodied performance.
Most people claim the dummy segment as the film's best part, but I'd argue that the linking narrative, the sections between the stories, is actually the best much like "The Canterbury Tales." The relationships forming between the characters is natural and really interesting. The best dialogue from the film comes from these sections.
And what an ending. Holy cow!
The Mask of Fu Manchu (Charles Vidor, Charles Brabin, 1932) 6/10
Fu Manchu races English explorers to the mask and sword of Genghis Khan which will give him control of the Asian population. Glorious, glorious camp. The yellow peril! Kill the white men! This film is nuts! And that's without mentioning the hundred or so men killed by a giant lightning gun. Boris Karloff has good fun playing the ridiculous title character, but the best of all is Myrna Loy as Fu Manchu's insane, nymphomaniac who lets out orgiastic screams of delight during a whipping scene. There's also a torture scene involving a bell that is quite cool too. While the dialogue and story are all very poor, the outrageous levels of camp coupled with the set and costume designs makes this a very, very fun experience.
Witchfinder General (Michael Reeves, 1968) 7/10
An Englishman travels the land persecuting witches for his own political gain. The reason Vincent Price movies are so safe when it comes to horror is because there's always a little nudge in your side reminding you how silly and hammy it all is and then you get to a film like this and are horrified. Price's grim, absolutely humorless performance is terrifying. The film is morbid, painstaking, and deeply unsettling. Whether it's because of the graphic violence or rape scene which shows so much more than other films of this time did. I don't know what else to say about this film. The editing was nice and slow to keep the mood going and the costuming was great, but, man, this movie isn't going to leave my head for a while.
Cairo Station (Youssef Chahine, 1958) 9/10
A gimpy newspaper peddler obsesses over a woman who sells drinks at a train station; she jokingly entertains the idea of a relationship even though she's in love with another man. This is a very smart film with excellent acting and direction by Youssef Chahine who creates a really visceral and monstrous character. The film is very much influenced by the Italian neo-realists in its direction. Hind Rostom gives the best performance of the film as the brassy, loud watergirl; she is very much a prototype for a character like Saraghina in Fellini's "8 1/2." And with an ending like a shot to the chest, it's a film you won't soon forget.
Parents (Bob Balaban, 1989) 8/10
A young suburbanite boy in the '50s slowly comes to suspect that his parents are cannibals. Holy cow, this film is awesome on so many levels. First, I do not think I can classify it under any particular genre; it's very much a horror film, but it is also one of the funniest films I've seen recently. It may be one of the best films ever made about how children see adults and, specifically, their parents. Randy Quaid gives a great menacing turn as the typical, hardass father from that era and Mary Beth Hurt channels every advertisement from the time to make her polished, sweet mother even better. And while the actor who plays the lead boy is good, it's London Juno Mills-Cockell who really steals the kid parts as Sheila. A very mature performance from such a young lady. But even best of all is Sandy Dennis as the put-upon school psychologist. Dennis turns a small, bland role into the best role in the film. An absolute delight by one of the best.
There are several memorable scenes, a ton of great vibrant colors used practically in the sets and effectively in the visuals. It's really quite a fun film to look at as well as examine. This is fabulous.
Liebelei (Max Ophüls, 1933) 8/10
A cavalry lieutenant plans on ending his affair with a baroness when he meets the daughter of an acclaimed violinist. Max Ophüls gives us a peek at what amazing talent would develop over the next two-plus decades. Even here, he uses expert framing and movement to capture the intricacies of the human emotion running rampant in this film. Had the film been in color, it would be even more astonishing. The performances are great but nowhere near the best Ophüls has directed. A film any director would be happy to have made in their early period. The birth, or, maybe, blossoming, of one of the true masters of cinema lies in this film.
REWATCH:The Private Life of Henry VIII (Alexander Korda, 1933) 4/10
The familiar tale of the wives of King Henry VIII and his struggle for an heir. I used to think this was a good film, but, holy cow, it is the most hamfisted film I've seen in years. The costumes even seem really basic and uninspired. Charles Laughton just does a lot of laughing and yelling in a caricature portrayal; there's absolutely no substance to it. The best part of the film is easily Elsa Lanchester whose Anne of Cleves is head and shoulders above the firmament of the rest of the film. She is the shining part of the film far and away. I'm not sure whether Alexander Korda's direction is at fault or what, but this film is nowhere near as great as it's made out to be. At least the set pieces are nice.
The Story of Temple Drake (Stephen Roberts, 1933) 3/10
A neurotic, skanky socialite gets kidnapped by a group of mobsters hiding in a rural Mississippi house. Another perfect example of how Faulkner cannot be translated well onto the screen. Whether it's this, James Franco's horrid "As I Lay Dying," or the schlocky "The Sound and the Fury" with Yul Brynner," the man's wonderful style is not one for cinema. Even then, the film falls apart rather quickly. All the acting by the mobsters is incredibly cliché and overdone. Miriam Hopkins does alright in the role; the problem is that she doesn't make it juicy enough. I never once believed these men wanted to sleep with her because Hopkins makes Temple Drake seem so odd and unsavory.
And other than the fact that the film is the moralistic equivalent of a nosy person in a supermarket telling you how to discipline your children, the film decides to do the worst thing ever and add in a courtroom scene at the end. No good, non-courtroom-drama film has ever ended with a scene in a courtroom. It completely takes away from the climax and allows the ham and cheese to settle into the turd sandwich the film tries so hard not to be.
Mad Love (Karl Freund, 1935) 8/10
A surgeon obsessed with a pianist's wife grafts a murderer's hands onto her husband's crushed then amputated wrists. This is very interesting to compare to the 1924 version of "The Hands of Orlac" by Robert Wiene with Conrad Veidt. Veidt gives a very visceral, memorable performance. For this film, though, the hands go on one man, but the madness is transferred into another. The madness is put into, and absolutely nailed, by Peter Lorre in his first American film. His bald, dead-eyed, mad Dr. Gogol is a startling creation. Lorre plays with doctor with such an overwhelming sense of exhaustion which is something we never see in a villain until the final scenes. Lorre really conveys how much he loves and obsesses over this woman through that alone. And while Frances Drake and Colin Clive are merely okay, the film isn't hindered by their mediocre turns. Also, Karl Freund has such an incredible eye for the camera; he was always a cinematographer at heart. A good, creepy film.
The 400 Blows (François Truffaut, 1959) 10/10
A young boy starving for attention turns to petty crime. Nary a better film on coming-of-age has been made. François Truffaut's crisp, loose framing and focus on emotion really captures what it's like to be an adolescent again. Truffaut has made a brilliant character in Antoine, and Jean-Pierre Léaud could not look and be more perfect for the role. The script itself is very simple which allows for Truffaut to sweep us away into a daze of fury, angst, apathy, sadness, and even a little joy. The final scene on the beach is a flurry of emotion so brilliantly shot and edited that I am at a loss for words (as cheesy as that is). I'm finally glad to say I've seen this masterpiece.
"Men get to be a mixture of the charming mannerisms of the women they have known." - F. Scott Fitzgerald
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Re: Last Seen Movie - The Latest Movie You Have Seen; rating
Before I Go To Sleep (2014) Rowan Joffe 1/10
Tusk (2014) Kevin Smith 2/10
X-Men Days of Future Past (2014) Bryan Singer 2/10
The Outrageous Sophie Tucker (2014) William Gazecki 6/10
Kill the Messenger (2014) Michael Cuesta 4/10
Pride (2014) Matthew Warchus 6/10
Repeat viewings
The Onion Field (1979) Harold Becker 8/10
Deliverance (1972) John Boorman 7/10
Mysterious Skin (2005) Gregg Araki 10/10
Rita, Sue and Bob Too (1987) Alan Clarke 7/10
Rolling Thunder (1977) John Flynn 7/10
The Deer Hunter (1978) Michael Cimino 8/10
Tusk (2014) Kevin Smith 2/10
X-Men Days of Future Past (2014) Bryan Singer 2/10
The Outrageous Sophie Tucker (2014) William Gazecki 6/10
Kill the Messenger (2014) Michael Cuesta 4/10
Pride (2014) Matthew Warchus 6/10
Repeat viewings
The Onion Field (1979) Harold Becker 8/10
Deliverance (1972) John Boorman 7/10
Mysterious Skin (2005) Gregg Araki 10/10
Rita, Sue and Bob Too (1987) Alan Clarke 7/10
Rolling Thunder (1977) John Flynn 7/10
The Deer Hunter (1978) Michael Cimino 8/10
"I want cement covering every blade of grass in this nation! Don't we taxpayers have a voice anymore?" Peggy Gravel (Mink Stole) in John Waters' Desperate Living (1977)
Re: Last Seen Movie - The Latest Movie You Have Seen; rating
The one line in this that always cracks me up is, "A naked American man just stole my balloons."ksrymy wrote:An American Werewolf in London (John Landis, 1981) 9/10
Two American backpackers are attacked by a werewolf the locals refuse to mention. While there isn't a whole lot under the surface, this is a violent, gory, hilarious outing with a lot of potential replayability.
Re: Last Seen Movie - The Latest Movie You Have Seen; rating
ksrymy wrote:Il sorpasso (Dino Risi, 1962) 10/10
During the summer of '62, a timid law student is whisked away through Rome and Tuscany by a macho and capricious man. The film is odd in that is follows all the tropes of a typical road movie, but it is so much more than that. We meet both men's families, see what's plaguing them into prolonging their trip, and witness the dazzling chemistry between them even though they're polar opposites. And yet, even with all these usual boxes to check off for the genre, director Dino Risi adds some kind of secret ingredient to the mix to make it each of the tropes absolutely unforgettable. Whether it's something as simple as the infectious, repeated riff of a car horn or something as complex as a deteriorating relationship, Risi injects a real passion into it all so it never gets stale.
This is, however, not all due to Risi because Vittorio Gassman and Jean-Louis Trintignant are absolute revelations. Trintignant, whenever he's able to in his roles, plays shy and meek unbelievably well for someone who has so much screen presence. And Gassman is astounding; the man is dripping with pure machismo and charisma here. One of the finest foreign comedic (and dramatic, for what it's worth) performances I've laid eyes on.
Admittedly, I'm too new to the commedia all'italiana to truly appreciate it for what it is, but after I take more in, I'm sure "Il sorpasso" will be an even better treat the second time around.
Now, THIS is a masterpiece. And, yes, one of the best examples of that now-deceased genres, the commedia all'italiana. Vittorio Gassman's is one of the best performances by an Italian actor in that decade, the 60s - which is full of great performances by Italian actors, by the way.
But then we had writers then. I was lucky enough to personally know the great Rodolfo Sonego who, while not credited, wrote the first draft of the story (it was originally intended for Alberto Sordi in Gassman's role). He used to say that the international English title of the movie, The Easy Life, had been the inspiration for the title Fonda & Hopper later gave to their (also road) movie, Easy Rider.
This is also probably the only time in film history that an actor was cast because he looked like his stand-in, and not vice versa. The shooting had already begun, but Gassman's co-star had not been chosen yet. Risi, the director, had a vague idea that he should be blondish and not too tall, and had already selected the stand-in and done some long-shots with him and Gassman. Only a few days later Risi finally met Jean-Louis Trintignant and found that he actually was perfect for the part - and for his stand-in. Ah, the golden age of Italian cinema..!
Re: Last Seen Movie - The Latest Movie You Have Seen; rating
Il sorpasso (Dino Risi, 1962) 10/10
During the summer of '62, a timid law student is whisked away through Rome and Tuscany by a macho and capricious man. The film is odd in that is follows all the tropes of a typical road movie, but it is so much more than that. We meet both men's families, see what's plaguing them into prolonging their trip, and witness the dazzling chemistry between them even though they're polar opposites. And yet, even with all these usual boxes to check off for the genre, director Dino Risi adds some kind of secret ingredient to the mix to make it each of the tropes absolutely unforgettable. Whether it's something as simple as the infectious, repeated riff of a car horn or something as complex as a deteriorating relationship, Risi injects a real passion into it all so it never gets stale.
This is, however, not all due to Risi because Vittorio Gassman and Jean-Louis Trintignant are absolute revelations. Trintignant, whenever he's able to in his roles, plays shy and meek unbelievably well for someone who has so much screen presence. And Gassman is astounding; the man is dripping with pure machismo and charisma here. One of the finest foreign comedic (and dramatic, for what it's worth) performances I've laid eyes on.
Admittedly, I'm too new to the commedia all'italiana to truly appreciate it for what it is, but after I take more in, I'm sure "Il sorpasso" will be an even better treat the second time around.
Cold in July (Jim Mickle, 2014) 7/10
A local family man becomes the victim of hell-bent revenge and something much larger after he accidentally kills a home intruder. This down-south potboiler doesn't quite know what it wants to be, but its ambitions are big and handled, for the most part, very well. The film starts as a "Straw Dogs" revenge tale, suddenly shifts to something weirdly and effectively (but not horribly) different, and continues where it left off albeit with characters switching roles. There are plenty of great twists in the narrative to keep the two-hour film from getting tedious.
One of the weaker aspects was the casting of Michael C. Hall who feels too urban for the role, but, despite that, he does an admirable job. Sam Shepard really gets the meatiest part of the film and turn an otherwise one-note role into something dark and contemplative.
The film is very obviously influenced by "Drive" whether it is due to the great electronic score by Jeff Grace or the bloody, violent fight scenes. Yet, the film still doesn't feel stale. Jim Mickle proves himself to be a threat on the horizon for the all new filmmakers.
One Hour with You (Ernst Lubitsch & George Cukor, 1932) 7/10
A married couple both feel strongly attracted to separate people. Of all the Maurice Chevalier I've consumed, this is my favorite role of his. All that charm and charisma of which I've spoken previously is magnified here dozens of times. He revs up the charm in his fourth-wall speeches and songs especially. His ability to stay in character when singing makes him one of the best musical film performers of all-time. And, on a positive note, Jeanette MacDonald isn't bad here. She's cute and funny and her singing isn't unnecessarily operatic. Roland Young does great work in support proving he is one of the best overlooked actors of this period. The costumes are nice and the script is a lot better than most Lubitsch musicals'. A delight.
The Haunted House (Edward F. Cline, 1921) 7/10
A bank teller deals with counterfeiters, a stick-up, and a troupe of actors who converge in a "haunted" house. This isn't Keaton's best work, but it still has several funny parts. For a film titled "The Haunted House," it sure doesn't spend much time there. The glue bit at the bank is really funny but goes on a little too long. The haunted house gags are really funny, and, man, Keaton's stunts and spry agility are just unbelievable. The weakness in the film is the acting troupe plotline. It is entirely arbitrary and, honestly, not very funny. Really, though, this is a nice little short.
Rain (Lewis Milestone, 1932) 5/10
A devout minister struggles to convert a prostitute on the run. Roul Walsh and Gloria Swanson's "Sadie Thompson" from 1928 is far superior to this. Joan Crawford tries her best Garbo impersonation and it fails miserably. She needs to try and make her own character or, at least, channel Swanson's performance from four years earlier. Walter Huston is good in a role that John Barrymore did better years earlier. Still, the set pieces are nice and the small, supporting roles from actors like Guy Kibbee give this film a little life.
After Tomorrow (Frank Borzage, 1932) 7/10
Two young people in love must deal with their polar opposite mothers who infringe upon their decision to marry. Charles Farrell is great as always under the direction of premier American humanist Frank Borzage. Marian Nixon does her best job to be Janet Gaynor, but, alas, only Gaynor can play a role like this so well. What's most impressive are the mothers in support. Josephine Hull is great as a mother struggling with the empty nest of her future; she only has a handful of scenes, and, yet, she's the most memorable character I'd say. And she's so abrasive and grating on the brain which can be seen as either a strong or weak acting choice (though I'd say strong). But the best role (also featuring the film's best acting) is Minna Gombell's. As the mother who regrets marrying and having a child early in her life and scared her daughter will follow suit, she exudes such a steely exterior with her body language showing very well what's imploding beneath. Her scenes with her ill husband are heartbreaking and her revelation(s) is/are unforgettable. Gombell is the real star of the picture.
Flesh (John Ford, 1932) 7/10
A female con artist becomes the apple of a talented German wrestler's eye as she takes him to America and gets him involved in the rackets. Wallace Beery does an admirable job with what little dialogue and heavy accent is demanded of him. He makes a three-dimensional character that is really quite beautifully-written. But I can't really talk about Beery much more because Karen Morley is absolutely astonishing in this film. She's manipulative, wry, cunning, and, yes, even sympathetic. Morley balances all of these with a quiet gusto that I found very impressive. And Morley had quite a year in 1932 - she was great in support in "Are You Listening?" and "Scarface." Who would have ever figured the most compelling character in a wrestling/sports racketeering film would be the love interest? I'd say it's so successful because of Morley's performance and because her role isn't shoehorned in like it is in most other films. A great early film by American master John Ford.
This Is the Night (Frank Tuttle, 1932) 8/10
To stymie his lover's husband's suspicions, a man hires an out-of-work woman to pose as his wife as they all travel to Venice. Yet another in the "feels like Lubitsch but is not directed by Lubitsch" film series. This charming, sweet comedy uses its entire cast for all they're worth. Cary Grant, in his silver screen debut, is smooth as ever, and you can really see how he improved upon that role in his later films. Charlie Ruggles is a hoot; he has several physical gags (a couple involving ladders) that got me to laugh out loud. Roland Young is great as the meek lover doing everything he can to make sure Cary Grant stays in the dark. Best of all is Thelma Todd who oozes class, charm, and a little hysteria in, probably, her best role so far. The only weak link is Lili Damita who is mannered and struggles with her character's accent. With a sharp script and gorgeous set pieces, this film is a delight for anyone who needs a laugh.
American Madness (Frank Capra, 1932) 7/10
An important bank trustee fights for the little man but must deal with a robbery and his wife's affair at the same time. While the film is minor Capra, it does have a lot to say on American greed and money during the Depression. The cast does a great job with one another; it's a very dialogue-heavy film but it doesn't feel as overbearing as some of the other talkative films of this period do. Kay Johnson does some great work in support as Walter Huston's wife, and Pat O'Brien has a couple really great scenes with her. But, as usual when he's in a picture, Walter Huston steals the film away fleshing out a really complex character. And even though the film never seems to stop talking, Huston has several brief moments where his body language and facial expressions speak louder than Robert Riskin's words.
Also, the shots of the robbery and its aftermath are really quite something. The overhead shots are astounding and shows Capra's special touch with the camera instead of just placing eye-level to everyone hustling about. The entire sequence, really, is quite well-done.
The Beast of the City (Charles Brabin, 1932) 7/10
A by-the-book police chief uses his corrupt brother to watch over a platinum blonde associated with a vile gangster. What a whirlwind of pre-Code shock and awe! Walter Huston gives a great, tough guy performance and breaks out of the one-note role the script calls for to create a very interesting character. Tully Marshall and Jean Hersholt do very well in support. I wish I could say the same for Jean Harlow who really doesn't have a lot to do and doesn't really do it well; maybe not "well" but there's certainly no inspiration behind it. But the film offers several juicy bits such as Harlow shimmying on Huston and an incredible gunfight. The sound quality of this film astonishes me for being as early as it is. A good film that, as the intro reads, chooses to glorify the lawmen instead of the crooks as this era of film loved a good gangster flick.
An American Werewolf in London (John Landis, 1981) 9/10
Two American backpackers are attacked by a werewolf the locals refuse to mention. While there isn't a whole lot under the surface, this is a violent, gory, hilarious outing with a lot of potential replayability. The performances are all great, especially that of Griffin Dunne who delivers an excellent darkly comic turn. And how can one not mention Rick Baker's stunning work. This film has to have the most impressive transformation sequence since Rouben Mamoulian's "Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde" back in 1931, and, honestly, I don't think I've seen a better one since "Werewolf." This is a testament to practical effects. John Landis is able to take the humor under this all, run with it, and really tie it in with the violence to make an excellent film. And what a killer (and very obvoius) soundtrack!
Our Hospitality (John G. Blystone & Buster Keaton, 1923) 8/10
A city man returns to an Appalachian homestead bequeathed to him only to stumble into a generations-long family feud. The stunts in this film are absolutely incredible. The waterfall scene at the end is a technical marvel right up there with Harold Lloyd's famous cling-on in "Safety Last!". The first half of the film does drag a little bit though the train ride there has a few great gags and shows a lot of inspiration that would, eventually, go into the making of "The General." In no way is it Buster Keaton's best work, but it is easily one of his most entertaining. A funny film for anyone who likes silents, really.
Once in a Lifetime (Russell Mack, 1932) 6/10
The story of people in a film studio making the transition from silent to sound. A smart, talkative comedy with an incredible cast is the best aspect here. Jack Oakie as a complete maroon is a great casting choice, and Aline MacMahon is given the chance to shine in the lead, and, boy, does she ever! She gets her usual smart quips in as she does in most of her roles, but, with the role very much a leading one, she gets a chance to have all the best lines for herself in a bold fashion. MacMahon really cracked me up. Sidney Fox is pretty dull, but she had some good moments. A good, funny comedy that I'm sure I'll revisit in the future.
During the summer of '62, a timid law student is whisked away through Rome and Tuscany by a macho and capricious man. The film is odd in that is follows all the tropes of a typical road movie, but it is so much more than that. We meet both men's families, see what's plaguing them into prolonging their trip, and witness the dazzling chemistry between them even though they're polar opposites. And yet, even with all these usual boxes to check off for the genre, director Dino Risi adds some kind of secret ingredient to the mix to make it each of the tropes absolutely unforgettable. Whether it's something as simple as the infectious, repeated riff of a car horn or something as complex as a deteriorating relationship, Risi injects a real passion into it all so it never gets stale.
This is, however, not all due to Risi because Vittorio Gassman and Jean-Louis Trintignant are absolute revelations. Trintignant, whenever he's able to in his roles, plays shy and meek unbelievably well for someone who has so much screen presence. And Gassman is astounding; the man is dripping with pure machismo and charisma here. One of the finest foreign comedic (and dramatic, for what it's worth) performances I've laid eyes on.
Admittedly, I'm too new to the commedia all'italiana to truly appreciate it for what it is, but after I take more in, I'm sure "Il sorpasso" will be an even better treat the second time around.
Cold in July (Jim Mickle, 2014) 7/10
A local family man becomes the victim of hell-bent revenge and something much larger after he accidentally kills a home intruder. This down-south potboiler doesn't quite know what it wants to be, but its ambitions are big and handled, for the most part, very well. The film starts as a "Straw Dogs" revenge tale, suddenly shifts to something weirdly and effectively (but not horribly) different, and continues where it left off albeit with characters switching roles. There are plenty of great twists in the narrative to keep the two-hour film from getting tedious.
One of the weaker aspects was the casting of Michael C. Hall who feels too urban for the role, but, despite that, he does an admirable job. Sam Shepard really gets the meatiest part of the film and turn an otherwise one-note role into something dark and contemplative.
The film is very obviously influenced by "Drive" whether it is due to the great electronic score by Jeff Grace or the bloody, violent fight scenes. Yet, the film still doesn't feel stale. Jim Mickle proves himself to be a threat on the horizon for the all new filmmakers.
One Hour with You (Ernst Lubitsch & George Cukor, 1932) 7/10
A married couple both feel strongly attracted to separate people. Of all the Maurice Chevalier I've consumed, this is my favorite role of his. All that charm and charisma of which I've spoken previously is magnified here dozens of times. He revs up the charm in his fourth-wall speeches and songs especially. His ability to stay in character when singing makes him one of the best musical film performers of all-time. And, on a positive note, Jeanette MacDonald isn't bad here. She's cute and funny and her singing isn't unnecessarily operatic. Roland Young does great work in support proving he is one of the best overlooked actors of this period. The costumes are nice and the script is a lot better than most Lubitsch musicals'. A delight.
The Haunted House (Edward F. Cline, 1921) 7/10
A bank teller deals with counterfeiters, a stick-up, and a troupe of actors who converge in a "haunted" house. This isn't Keaton's best work, but it still has several funny parts. For a film titled "The Haunted House," it sure doesn't spend much time there. The glue bit at the bank is really funny but goes on a little too long. The haunted house gags are really funny, and, man, Keaton's stunts and spry agility are just unbelievable. The weakness in the film is the acting troupe plotline. It is entirely arbitrary and, honestly, not very funny. Really, though, this is a nice little short.
Rain (Lewis Milestone, 1932) 5/10
A devout minister struggles to convert a prostitute on the run. Roul Walsh and Gloria Swanson's "Sadie Thompson" from 1928 is far superior to this. Joan Crawford tries her best Garbo impersonation and it fails miserably. She needs to try and make her own character or, at least, channel Swanson's performance from four years earlier. Walter Huston is good in a role that John Barrymore did better years earlier. Still, the set pieces are nice and the small, supporting roles from actors like Guy Kibbee give this film a little life.
After Tomorrow (Frank Borzage, 1932) 7/10
Two young people in love must deal with their polar opposite mothers who infringe upon their decision to marry. Charles Farrell is great as always under the direction of premier American humanist Frank Borzage. Marian Nixon does her best job to be Janet Gaynor, but, alas, only Gaynor can play a role like this so well. What's most impressive are the mothers in support. Josephine Hull is great as a mother struggling with the empty nest of her future; she only has a handful of scenes, and, yet, she's the most memorable character I'd say. And she's so abrasive and grating on the brain which can be seen as either a strong or weak acting choice (though I'd say strong). But the best role (also featuring the film's best acting) is Minna Gombell's. As the mother who regrets marrying and having a child early in her life and scared her daughter will follow suit, she exudes such a steely exterior with her body language showing very well what's imploding beneath. Her scenes with her ill husband are heartbreaking and her revelation(s) is/are unforgettable. Gombell is the real star of the picture.
Flesh (John Ford, 1932) 7/10
A female con artist becomes the apple of a talented German wrestler's eye as she takes him to America and gets him involved in the rackets. Wallace Beery does an admirable job with what little dialogue and heavy accent is demanded of him. He makes a three-dimensional character that is really quite beautifully-written. But I can't really talk about Beery much more because Karen Morley is absolutely astonishing in this film. She's manipulative, wry, cunning, and, yes, even sympathetic. Morley balances all of these with a quiet gusto that I found very impressive. And Morley had quite a year in 1932 - she was great in support in "Are You Listening?" and "Scarface." Who would have ever figured the most compelling character in a wrestling/sports racketeering film would be the love interest? I'd say it's so successful because of Morley's performance and because her role isn't shoehorned in like it is in most other films. A great early film by American master John Ford.
This Is the Night (Frank Tuttle, 1932) 8/10
To stymie his lover's husband's suspicions, a man hires an out-of-work woman to pose as his wife as they all travel to Venice. Yet another in the "feels like Lubitsch but is not directed by Lubitsch" film series. This charming, sweet comedy uses its entire cast for all they're worth. Cary Grant, in his silver screen debut, is smooth as ever, and you can really see how he improved upon that role in his later films. Charlie Ruggles is a hoot; he has several physical gags (a couple involving ladders) that got me to laugh out loud. Roland Young is great as the meek lover doing everything he can to make sure Cary Grant stays in the dark. Best of all is Thelma Todd who oozes class, charm, and a little hysteria in, probably, her best role so far. The only weak link is Lili Damita who is mannered and struggles with her character's accent. With a sharp script and gorgeous set pieces, this film is a delight for anyone who needs a laugh.
American Madness (Frank Capra, 1932) 7/10
An important bank trustee fights for the little man but must deal with a robbery and his wife's affair at the same time. While the film is minor Capra, it does have a lot to say on American greed and money during the Depression. The cast does a great job with one another; it's a very dialogue-heavy film but it doesn't feel as overbearing as some of the other talkative films of this period do. Kay Johnson does some great work in support as Walter Huston's wife, and Pat O'Brien has a couple really great scenes with her. But, as usual when he's in a picture, Walter Huston steals the film away fleshing out a really complex character. And even though the film never seems to stop talking, Huston has several brief moments where his body language and facial expressions speak louder than Robert Riskin's words.
Also, the shots of the robbery and its aftermath are really quite something. The overhead shots are astounding and shows Capra's special touch with the camera instead of just placing eye-level to everyone hustling about. The entire sequence, really, is quite well-done.
The Beast of the City (Charles Brabin, 1932) 7/10
A by-the-book police chief uses his corrupt brother to watch over a platinum blonde associated with a vile gangster. What a whirlwind of pre-Code shock and awe! Walter Huston gives a great, tough guy performance and breaks out of the one-note role the script calls for to create a very interesting character. Tully Marshall and Jean Hersholt do very well in support. I wish I could say the same for Jean Harlow who really doesn't have a lot to do and doesn't really do it well; maybe not "well" but there's certainly no inspiration behind it. But the film offers several juicy bits such as Harlow shimmying on Huston and an incredible gunfight. The sound quality of this film astonishes me for being as early as it is. A good film that, as the intro reads, chooses to glorify the lawmen instead of the crooks as this era of film loved a good gangster flick.
An American Werewolf in London (John Landis, 1981) 9/10
Two American backpackers are attacked by a werewolf the locals refuse to mention. While there isn't a whole lot under the surface, this is a violent, gory, hilarious outing with a lot of potential replayability. The performances are all great, especially that of Griffin Dunne who delivers an excellent darkly comic turn. And how can one not mention Rick Baker's stunning work. This film has to have the most impressive transformation sequence since Rouben Mamoulian's "Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde" back in 1931, and, honestly, I don't think I've seen a better one since "Werewolf." This is a testament to practical effects. John Landis is able to take the humor under this all, run with it, and really tie it in with the violence to make an excellent film. And what a killer (and very obvoius) soundtrack!
Our Hospitality (John G. Blystone & Buster Keaton, 1923) 8/10
A city man returns to an Appalachian homestead bequeathed to him only to stumble into a generations-long family feud. The stunts in this film are absolutely incredible. The waterfall scene at the end is a technical marvel right up there with Harold Lloyd's famous cling-on in "Safety Last!". The first half of the film does drag a little bit though the train ride there has a few great gags and shows a lot of inspiration that would, eventually, go into the making of "The General." In no way is it Buster Keaton's best work, but it is easily one of his most entertaining. A funny film for anyone who likes silents, really.
Once in a Lifetime (Russell Mack, 1932) 6/10
The story of people in a film studio making the transition from silent to sound. A smart, talkative comedy with an incredible cast is the best aspect here. Jack Oakie as a complete maroon is a great casting choice, and Aline MacMahon is given the chance to shine in the lead, and, boy, does she ever! She gets her usual smart quips in as she does in most of her roles, but, with the role very much a leading one, she gets a chance to have all the best lines for herself in a bold fashion. MacMahon really cracked me up. Sidney Fox is pretty dull, but she had some good moments. A good, funny comedy that I'm sure I'll revisit in the future.
"Men get to be a mixture of the charming mannerisms of the women they have known." - F. Scott Fitzgerald
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Re: Last Seen Movie - The Latest Movie You Have Seen; rating
So obviously you need to chime in on our "this movie is overrated" discussion.Precious Doll wrote: Whiplash (2014) Damien Chazelle 1/10
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Precious Doll
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Re: Last Seen Movie - The Latest Movie You Have Seen; rating
Oculus (2014) Mike Flanagan 5/10
Face of Love (2013) Arie Posin 5/10
The Tale of Princess Kaguya (2013) Isao Takahata 6/10
Fury (2014) David Ayer 4/10
Hector and the Search For Happiness (2014) Peter Chelsom 4/10
This Is Where I Leave You (2014) Shawn Levy 4/10
Burning Bush (2013) Agnieszka Holland 7/10
Whiplash (2014) Damien Chazelle 1/10
Repeat viewings
The Shout (1978) Jerzy Skolimowski 7/10
Class Relations (1984) Daniele Huillet & Jean-Marie Straub 7/10
Hair (1979) Milos Forman 7/10
Face of Love (2013) Arie Posin 5/10
The Tale of Princess Kaguya (2013) Isao Takahata 6/10
Fury (2014) David Ayer 4/10
Hector and the Search For Happiness (2014) Peter Chelsom 4/10
This Is Where I Leave You (2014) Shawn Levy 4/10
Burning Bush (2013) Agnieszka Holland 7/10
Whiplash (2014) Damien Chazelle 1/10
Repeat viewings
The Shout (1978) Jerzy Skolimowski 7/10
Class Relations (1984) Daniele Huillet & Jean-Marie Straub 7/10
Hair (1979) Milos Forman 7/10
"I want cement covering every blade of grass in this nation! Don't we taxpayers have a voice anymore?" Peggy Gravel (Mink Stole) in John Waters' Desperate Living (1977)
Re: Last Seen Movie - The Latest Movie You Have Seen; rating
Chaplin sings "Swing Little Girl" over the opening of "The Circus."Greg wrote:This reminds me that I saw just the opening credits of a Chaplin film on TCM. Even though it is a silent, you hear Chaplin singing during the credits. Does anyone know what movie this is?
"Men get to be a mixture of the charming mannerisms of the women they have known." - F. Scott Fitzgerald
Re: Last Seen Movie - The Latest Movie You Have Seen; rating
Apropos, the full-length video of Chaplin's City Lights can be found here on YouTube:ksrymy wrote:Edit: also, there are a ton of pre-Code films online that can be viewed for free because of copyright issues or the public domain.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eb6hatLQ9Y4
I plan to watch it when I have the time.
This reminds me that I saw just the opening credits of a Chaplin film on TCM. Even though it is a silent, you hear Chaplin singing during the credits. Does anyone know what movie this is?
Re: Last Seen Movie - The Latest Movie You Have Seen; rating
That and we'll order pretty much order anything someone asks for.Greg wrote:ksrymy, as you work at a university library, are many of the films you watch from the videos that are available at your library?
Edit: also, there are a ton of pre-Code films online that can be viewed for free because of copyright issues or the public domain.
"Men get to be a mixture of the charming mannerisms of the women they have known." - F. Scott Fitzgerald
Re: Last Seen Movie - The Latest Movie You Have Seen; rating
ksrymy, as you work at a university library, are many of the films you watch from the videos that are available at your library?