George Lazenby is a Venice sculptor whose young daughter is found murdered and he's damned straight going to find the piece of filth who committed the vile deed.
This disturbing and artistic early seventies gialli contains a wonderful Ennio Morricone score composed of school choirs. (I'd love to get this on cd)
A briskly paced and inquisitive murder mystery that deserves to be seen. Although the young child's death might be too much for some viewers. It angered me upon first viewing.
Lazenby's performance is edgy and sympathetic, though the English dubbing deters from this slightly, Adolfo Celi brings support to the cast as his employer and child actress Nicoletta Elmi, (whose familiar visage in the title role also appears in many a film of this ilk) are on hand as well.
I have seen this film myself. I bought it a few years ago on videotape; I couldn't get it on DVD. I have to say that this is one of the very few films I have found actually disturbing, to such an extent that I found it difficult to view the thing dispassionately. The way in which the little girl's death is handled, and the way other characters behave, make for very uncomfortable viewing. I remember the score being very haunting, although I have to say that I won't be watching the film again.
It's definitely not for everyone, the amoral characters, and as I mentioned earlier, death scene of the little girl bothered me. The latter p*ssed me off truth be told.
The one somewhat dampening aspect for myself was the fact I've seen this young actress in so many other films from that period, and she usually plays evil characters. (both Bava and Argento classics), so I knew it was only another acting gig. With that frame of mind I was able to overcome that harrowing first reel.
A briskly paced and inquisitive murder mystery that deserves to be seen. Although the young child's death might be too much for some viewers. It angered me upon first viewing.
Lazenby's performance is edgy and sympathetic, though the English dubbing deters from this slightly, Adolfo Celi brings support to the cast as his employer and child actress Nicoletta Elmi, (whose familiar visage in the title role also appears in many a film of this ilk) are on hand as well.
I've got this on DVD Alex. There's an excellent making of documentary on the film and Lazenby's involvement. Talking about haunting films about lost children, I finally saw another Bava film, Kill Baby Kill which I really liked. There is one sequence that was masterful, involving the hero meeting a little girl, only for her to run into a room, and emerge at the other end of the corridor, cue eerie laughter, as the hero tries to find her, then Bava closes in on a painting and reveals the truth about her identity. It's wonderful stuff. Visually stunning as well. The hero is played by an actor called Giacamo Rossi-Stuart, who I assume must be the father of the brilliant Kim Rossi-Stuart from Michele Soavi's Uno Bianco and Michele Placido's Romanzo Criminale.
LoeffelholzThe United States, With LovePosts: 8,998Quartermasters
edited May 2008
"I Am Legend"
Very nice work from Will Smith, and an enjoyable take on the writing of the great Richard Matheson, whose influence on my own work has been profound (especially his Incredible Shrinking Man).
I had already shown my sons the Charlton Heston classic The Omega Man, so they pretty much knew the story. I really enjoyed what they did with the victims of the supervirus in this one, and the production design was excellent. Most disturbing, perhaps, were the four animated shorts in the DVD extras, each of which show what's happening in other parts of the world as the virus spreads...
The sum total: not the 'feel-good' movie of the year , but highly recommended.
Check out my Amazon author page!Mark Loeffelholz
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
I've got this on DVD Alex. There's an excellent making of documentary on the film and Lazenby's involvement. Talking about haunting films about lost children, I finally saw another Bava film, Kill Baby Kill which I really liked. There is one sequence that was masterful, involving the hero meeting a little girl, only for her to run into a room, and emerge at the other end of the corridor, cue eerie laughter, as the hero tries to find her, then Bava closes in on a painting and reveals the truth about her identity. It's wonderful stuff. Visually stunning as well. The hero is played by an actor called Giacamo Rossi-Stuart, who I assume must be the father of the brilliant Kim Rossi-Stuart from Michele Soavi's Uno Bianco and Michele Placido's Romanzo Criminale.
I'm so glad you enjoyed it, John, it's one of my favorite visual gothic horror experiences ever! There's something about Bava films that I simply love and this one of the final from his golden age.
I hope you watched it in it's original Italian to fully soak the eerie vibes from the "Villa Graps"
The actor you mention has also played in many other films, including The Last Man On Earth with Vincent Price and The Night Evelyn Came Out Of The Grave. Good solid leading man material.
Don't forget the wonderful moment when he stumbles upon himself like a Twilight Zone episode, or that staircase!
Interesting trivia for you, the actor playing Melissa was actually a little boy.
PS: Watch The Whip And The Body next. With Chrisopher Lee and Dahlia Lavi. I know you'll like it!
It has everything a comic-book fanboy could wish for: action, great FX, characters which are easily identified with, nice humour, and just a little hint of romance. :v
Initially I had my doubts about Robert Downey Jr. in the lead but man he pulled it off with style.
There's no doubt in my mind this film will be one of the biggest blockbusters of the year. 4/5
"Well, he certainly left with his tails between his legs."
There's been a very lively discussion of the Iron Man movie in the thread specifically devoted to it. But for those who may not have visited that thread, I want to echo Brosnan_fan's comments: Iron Man is a great movie with a wonderful cast, some great action, and really imaginative effects. More than one critic has called it the comic book movie for people who don't necessarily like comic books and I trend to agree; the movie is smart, witty and accessible to a very wide audience; and anybody who likes a good action film should check it out.
For anyone who does decide to see it, try to check it out on a digital projection screen if at all possible as it really makes for a clean, vibrant and crystal clear picture.
Strictly speaking, the last movie I saw WAS Iron Man, but I dutifully posted my reaction in the proper place. Otherwise, last night I fired up the DVD player and watched Goya's Ghosts, a dreary film from the usually reliable Milos Forman. It didn't get much of a theatrical release, and you can see why: it's a bizarre and uncomfortable mix of light comedy and torture scenes (Natalie Portman seems to be developing a specialty in these), and the acting is mannered and dull. Michael Lonsdale fans can see him in a fairly substantial role, minus his trademark beard. But my advice is to catch him in something else.
Funny and sweet drama about a young man who is so withdrawn that he finds it impossible to form relationships. His family are worried about him, until he tells them that he has a new girlfriend. You can imagine their surprise when he introduces them to an anatomically correct life-sized love doll that he treats as if it were a real person. Still, they rally round him and the entire community goes along with the delusion, which is pretty funny, if a tad unbelievable. Especially considering there's a performance from an actress called Kelli Garner that is so damned lovely you long for Lars to open up and ditch the doll.
I decided it was time for a John Ford western, and since I had watched Ford's first US Calvary tale 'Fort Apache', I thought I would give this one a try. It has always been heralded as a classic, but honestly, for the life of me I can't determine why. I did not find it nearly as compelling as 'Fort Apache'. The characters seemed as disinterested in the plot as I was, parading (aimlessly, it seemed) through the desert and making oblique comments about what the Indian tribes happened to be doing at the moment. Where 'Fort Apache' gave the audience an insightful, and humorous, look into the calvaryman's life, 'Ribbon' seems to dress mannequeins with calvary uniforms and scrape together rejected dialogue and scenes from Ford's other westerns, making it a diluted and anemic effort IMO.
I do intend to see the third in Ford's Calvary pictures 'Rio Grande' and see how it measures up with the others.
This is unbelieably bad. It looks like it's been made on a budget of about £20. It's basically a bad Porn film but with hardly any porn.
I saw this the other night. It's nowhere near as funny as it should be. It's notable for being the first non-adult role for Jenna Jameson, but it hardly asks anything of her. I look forward to her next role in a remake of Jane Eyre.
I don't know what to say really. Big Michael Bay thing, I watched it to check out the Indiana Jones star who's in it. I was entertained, but then thought, why am I, an adult, watching this?
Which may account for the bawdiness of my response to highhopes' Raiders story.
Well, I've forgotton Sarah M already. It didn't seem that funny. Richard Curtis once described how on an early draft of Four Weddings, one plot line had Hugh Grant following Andie Macdowell on her honeymoon morbidly, until Curtis' wife pointed out how dismal that would be. But Forgetting is all a bit like that, as the dumpee (he looks like a fat Judge Reinhold) books a holiday to forget his ex, only to find she's there with her new beau, a pop star.
I couldn't believe he just wouldn't book out and return home. But they could have explained it by saying he'd renovated his house back home and the builders had got it wrong and trashed it so he couldn't return, and how his neurotic sister in law wouldn't let him kip over, or how he hated hotels. All that might have explained it and reaped comic reward in a series of vignettes.
Russell Brand I quite like but he wasn't so great in this, not bad but OTT as a thrusting pop star, none of them behave like that these days. It wasn't plausible from the outset.
It's a bit derivative of the classic Frasier, the dumpee's brother is even like Niles. However, shamefully the finale borrows from a Frasier episode to less effect
as the rival couples hear each other shagging through the walls of the hotel and try to top each other's performance, like in the Honolulu episode of Frasier, except there it was Frase' by himself shaking the four-poster bedstead, while the actual love rivals wandered past in full view, looking on bemused.
Nowhere near as good as 40 Year Old Virgin.
"This is where we leave you Mr Bond."
Roger Moore 1927-2017
LoeffelholzThe United States, With LovePosts: 8,998Quartermasters
edited May 2008
"The Naked City"
From 1948, probably one of the first examples of what has come to be known as the 'Police Procedural,' directed by Jules Dassin and starring Barry Fitzgerald and Don Taylor. When a beautiful model is found drowned in her bathtub, homicide detectives investigate the case---needless to say, the plot thickens, and jewelry theft also figures into things. There is a great (but subtle) scene where the detective in charge questions a witness...who turns into a suspect as he becomes trapped in lie after lie after lie...
A very cool examination of the inner workings of the police department; shot on location in New York City. Won Oscars for cinematography and editing, and nominated for screenplay. The voiceover narrative style is quite dated now...but otherwise recommended for its authenticity and story.
Check out my Amazon author page!Mark Loeffelholz
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
Funny and sweet drama about a young man who is so withdrawn that he finds it impossible to form relationships. His family are worried about him, until he tells them that he has a new girlfriend. You can imagine their surprise when he introduces them to an anatomically correct life-sized love doll that he treats as if it were a real person. Still, they rally round him and the entire community goes along with the delusion, which is pretty funny, if a tad unbelievable. Especially considering there's a performance from an actress called Kelli Garner that is so damned lovely you long for Lars to open up and ditch the doll.
I recently saw this film and I would have to agree with you that it is a terrific film. Gosling is fantastic and I think that the film does a great job of showing that simply because someone is different, it doesn't mean that there is something wrong with them.
"He’s a man way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a shoeshine. And when they start not smiling back—that’s an earthquake. and then you get yourself a couple of spots on your hat, and you’re finished. Nobody dast blame this man. A salesman is got to dream, boy. It comes with the territory." Death of a Salesman
Just got back from seeing this today with my brother and we both enjoyed ourselves quite a bit. Based on the 1960s Japanese cartoon of the same name, the film tells the story of the Racer family and their attempts at finding success as an independent family-held racing business in the midst of a sport overrun by corporate greed and race fixing.
The film has been savaged by the critics but I really don't think it deserves the drubbing it's taken. The cast is very solid: Emile Hirsch is very good as Speed, Christina Ricci (with those big, beautiful expressive eyes of hers) makes for a very solid Trixie, John Goodman & Susan Sarandon are great as Speed's loving and supportive parents. Paul Litt is good as Spritle although he takes up a little too much screen time for his own good. Chim Chim is every bit as funny as in the old shows. The best casting of all however has to be Lost's Matthew Fox as the mysterious Racer-X, one of the coolest characters from the cartoon. Dressed in black from head to toe, his face covered by a black mask and sunglasses, it would have been easy for him to come across as ridiculous. Instead, he turns the character into a real badass, both on and off the track, who can also be very sympathetic and supportive when he needs to be; a really first rate performance in my book. About the only cast-members who suffer a little are Kick Gurry as the underused Sparky, Speed's mechanic, and Roger Allam who goes a little over the top as the baddie Royalton.
I'm also a little mystified at the people who've derided the movie for being thin on plot. I'm not sure what they were watching because the movie I saw definitely did have a storyline and, if anything, it was a bit too convoluted at times with all the corporate intrigue, crosses, double-crosses and triple crosses.
The races in the film possess a visual style all their own. I've seen them compared to everything from Tron to Dick Tracy but I found the presentation to be wholly original and unlike anything previously presented on screen. With their gravity defying tracks that are more obstacle courses than race courses, they can get a bit frenetic, and at times it can be hard to keep up with all the action. One race scene near the end even gave me flashbacks to the Stargate sequence from 2001: A Space Odyssey. Far more fun was the intercontinental road race that takes place about half-way thru the movie; that really harkened back to the feel of the cartoon.
While the film is fun to watch and presents us with an extended family who genuinely care for one another, ultimately it will be fans of the old show who will get the most mileage from it. There are a lot of homages, references and scenes lifted straight out of the cartoons that brought a smile to my face because of the way they were so faithfully presented, but that kind of nostalgia will be lost on someone not familiar with the material.
In the end though, Speed Racer is an entertaining, lighthearted movie with some genuinely sincere performances. It's a positive rebound for the Wachowski brothers after their immolation of the Matrix franchise, a continuing source of bad blood for many moviegoers and probably one of the main reasons for this film's mediocre box office returns. My brother and I enjoyed it and we'll definitely be picking up the hi-def DVD when it's released.
Oh, and since this is a James Bond site, I should mention that there's also a little scene in the movie right out of YOLT.
The Assassination of Jesse James By the Coward Robert Ford. Now THIS is a damn good movie--Brad Pitt plays James as a psychopath: not a twisted, giggling one, but the kind who you fear will strike like a snake at the most petty provocation; and Casey Affleck is terrific as the smarmy Ford. The movie is somber and beautifully shot, bringing to mind ambitious and reflective westerns like Malick's Days of Heaven, Altman's McCabe and Mrs. Miller, and Winterbottom's The Claim. Well worth the 160-minute running time. Oh, and the film is based on a novel by Ron Hansen, who was a professor of creative writing at my university in the late '80s. I'm sorry I didn't take a class from him!
A black comedy about our fascination with serial killers from director extraordinaire John Waters.
A supposedly normal June Cleaver suburban housewife isn't all she appears to be. (Kathleen Turner). Absolutely hilarious from start to finish and Turner is inspiring. Highly recommended for those who don't offend easy.
LoeffelholzThe United States, With LovePosts: 8,998Quartermasters
edited May 2008
"Downfall"
A German language film from 2004 by Oliver Hirschbiegel, Downfall focuses on the final 10 days of the Third Reich in 1945, focusing primarily on the recollections of Traudl Junge, Hitler's 24 year-old personal secretary, who was present in the bunker beneath the Chancellory during the final days of the dictator's life. Bruno Ganz is brilliant as Hitler---eerily spot-on without descending into parody or caricature---and the picture shows how he maintained his grip on power even when there wasn't anything left to have power over.
Traudl Junge is portrayed by the exquisite Alexandra Maria Lara ( :x ) as a girl in way over her head as the situation in the bunker deteriorates.
Really remarkable, historically accurate, and at times deeply disturbing...
I found the scene where Goebbels' wife poisons their five children to be especially horrific...
...this is nevertheless an important film, which I highly recommend. There are lessons here that must be remembered.
Check out my Amazon author page!Mark Loeffelholz
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
When I first saw the cover of this film, I thought it was going to be an action film. I was completely wrong. Ben Campbell (Jim Sturgess), who I don't think I have seen in any other role was brilliant playing a shy genius pupil at MIT. Kevin Spacey is brilliant as his Prof and leader of their card counting after schools group, who go to vegas on teh weekend to win big money. The film shows how Ben's life changes and he is corrupted by the money and lifestyle out there.
Sad to see Romero crash and burn like this. He's made bad films before, but they weren't 'Dead' movies. I have had quite enough of films using amateur and handheld equipment to make them appear 'edgy.' All they are doing is making me feel sick. The only thing that comes close to any of the previous films is the last 2 minutes which are haunting and powerful. The homemade movie angle is a gimmick that has outstayed its welcome.
No, not the UFO song, it's a nicely paced time waster by Terence Young before he took on Bond. Leo Genn plays the owner of a Soho dance club with good ol' Chris Lee his right hand man. The main attraction/vehicle is the establishment's star attraction, A certain miss, "Midnight Franklin", played by super 50s and 60s sex symbol Jayne Mansfield.
I'd describe this as British noir with a healthy dose of Va Va Voom!
The plot is basically a rival club's attempts to derail the show, with some subplots involving some of the other dancers.
I recently saw this for the first time. It is a brilliant 50's French horror/thriller which revolves around the idea of replacing someone's face and giving them a new identity. It is an extremely influential film which has had an impact on Face/Off, Nip-Tuck and even inspired a song by Billy Idol!
The film is IMO absolutely magnificent, and quite scary although its shock value has probably lessened in the decades since its release. I would definitely recommend it, especially to those who love 50's French horror/thrillers!
"He’s a man way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a shoeshine. And when they start not smiling back—that’s an earthquake. and then you get yourself a couple of spots on your hat, and you’re finished. Nobody dast blame this man. A salesman is got to dream, boy. It comes with the territory." Death of a Salesman
Definitely, Dan. Eyes Without a Face is a classic. I own the rather expensive dvd from the Criterion collection and it's worth every penny. I've never seen the Cage/Travolta movie though, somehow I don't think I'm missing much Just my opinion.
Gave my disc of Them! a spin today. Man do I love this one. The greatest atomic bug movie of all time!
Prince Caspian - Kids are home from school so the whole family went to see the second film from the Narnia series. The two boys and I had seen the first film, but my wife and daughter had not so we had different perspectives to the movie. The boys and I enjoyed the movie, but thought the first one was better, while my wife and daughter thought Prince Caspian was very good, enjoying it despite not seeing the first one. What I thought this movie lacked was a little of the magic the first one had. The battle scenes are still good and rather inventive and all the actors are fine. The story does have some subtle religious overtones if you care to look for them, but doesn't hit you over the head with them. An enjoyable family film that continues the story, just not as magical as the first.
Saw trailers for Hancock, Kung Fu Panda, Mummy, Journey to the Center of the Earth and Wall-e. Wall-e looked like the best of the bunch.
Comments
The one somewhat dampening aspect for myself was the fact I've seen this young actress in so many other films from that period, and she usually plays evil characters. (both Bava and Argento classics), so I knew it was only another acting gig. With that frame of mind I was able to overcome that harrowing first reel.
Absoloutly hilarious, especially Sean William Scott (Stiffler!) Love the series and the endless comic lines.
I've got this on DVD Alex. There's an excellent making of documentary on the film and Lazenby's involvement. Talking about haunting films about lost children, I finally saw another Bava film, Kill Baby Kill which I really liked. There is one sequence that was masterful, involving the hero meeting a little girl, only for her to run into a room, and emerge at the other end of the corridor, cue eerie laughter, as the hero tries to find her, then Bava closes in on a painting and reveals the truth about her identity. It's wonderful stuff. Visually stunning as well. The hero is played by an actor called Giacamo Rossi-Stuart, who I assume must be the father of the brilliant Kim Rossi-Stuart from Michele Soavi's Uno Bianco and Michele Placido's Romanzo Criminale.
Very nice work from Will Smith, and an enjoyable take on the writing of the great Richard Matheson, whose influence on my own work has been profound (especially his Incredible Shrinking Man).
I had already shown my sons the Charlton Heston classic The Omega Man, so they pretty much knew the story. I really enjoyed what they did with the victims of the supervirus in this one, and the production design was excellent. Most disturbing, perhaps, were the four animated shorts in the DVD extras, each of which show what's happening in other parts of the world as the virus spreads...
The sum total: not the 'feel-good' movie of the year
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
I hope you watched it in it's original Italian to fully soak the eerie vibes from the "Villa Graps"
The actor you mention has also played in many other films, including The Last Man On Earth with Vincent Price and The Night Evelyn Came Out Of The Grave. Good solid leading man material.
Don't forget the wonderful moment when he stumbles upon himself like a Twilight Zone episode, or that staircase!
Interesting trivia for you, the actor playing Melissa was actually a little boy.
PS: Watch The Whip And The Body next. With Chrisopher Lee and Dahlia Lavi. I know you'll like it!
To sum this movie up in one word: Marvel-lous.
It has everything a comic-book fanboy could wish for: action, great FX, characters which are easily identified with, nice humour, and just a little hint of romance. :v
Initially I had my doubts about Robert Downey Jr. in the lead but man he pulled it off with style.
There's no doubt in my mind this film will be one of the biggest blockbusters of the year. 4/5
There's been a very lively discussion of the Iron Man movie in the thread specifically devoted to it. But for those who may not have visited that thread, I want to echo Brosnan_fan's comments: Iron Man is a great movie with a wonderful cast, some great action, and really imaginative effects. More than one critic has called it the comic book movie for people who don't necessarily like comic books and I trend to agree; the movie is smart, witty and accessible to a very wide audience; and anybody who likes a good action film should check it out.
For anyone who does decide to see it, try to check it out on a digital projection screen if at all possible as it really makes for a clean, vibrant and crystal clear picture.
Funny and sweet drama about a young man who is so withdrawn that he finds it impossible to form relationships. His family are worried about him, until he tells them that he has a new girlfriend. You can imagine their surprise when he introduces them to an anatomically correct life-sized love doll that he treats as if it were a real person. Still, they rally round him and the entire community goes along with the delusion, which is pretty funny, if a tad unbelievable. Especially considering there's a performance from an actress called Kelli Garner that is so damned lovely you long for Lars to open up and ditch the doll.
This is unbelieably bad. It looks like it's been made on a budget of about £20. It's basically a bad Porn film but with hardly any porn.
(0 stars)
The Weekend
A ultimate batchelor trip to Las Vegas. A film in the vein of American pie, just not as good and not as many good laughs.
**
I decided it was time for a John Ford western, and since I had watched Ford's first US Calvary tale 'Fort Apache', I thought I would give this one a try. It has always been heralded as a classic, but honestly, for the life of me I can't determine why. I did not find it nearly as compelling as 'Fort Apache'. The characters seemed as disinterested in the plot as I was, parading (aimlessly, it seemed) through the desert and making oblique comments about what the Indian tribes happened to be doing at the moment. Where 'Fort Apache' gave the audience an insightful, and humorous, look into the calvaryman's life, 'Ribbon' seems to dress mannequeins with calvary uniforms and scrape together rejected dialogue and scenes from Ford's other westerns, making it a diluted and anemic effort IMO.
I do intend to see the third in Ford's Calvary pictures 'Rio Grande' and see how it measures up with the others.
Will do Alex. That's two Bava films I've seen and both were wonderful, so I'm going to search out the rest of his work.
I saw this the other night. It's nowhere near as funny as it should be. It's notable for being the first non-adult role for Jenna Jameson, but it hardly asks anything of her. I look forward to her next role in a remake of Jane Eyre.
I don't know what to say really. Big Michael Bay thing, I watched it to check out the Indiana Jones star who's in it. I was entertained, but then thought, why am I, an adult, watching this?
Roger Moore 1927-2017
www.scottacademymartialarts.co.uk
Roger Moore 1927-2017
www.scottacademymartialarts.co.uk
Which may account for the bawdiness of my response to highhopes' Raiders story.
Well, I've forgotton Sarah M already. It didn't seem that funny. Richard Curtis once described how on an early draft of Four Weddings, one plot line had Hugh Grant following Andie Macdowell on her honeymoon morbidly, until Curtis' wife pointed out how dismal that would be. But Forgetting is all a bit like that, as the dumpee (he looks like a fat Judge Reinhold) books a holiday to forget his ex, only to find she's there with her new beau, a pop star.
I couldn't believe he just wouldn't book out and return home. But they could have explained it by saying he'd renovated his house back home and the builders had got it wrong and trashed it so he couldn't return, and how his neurotic sister in law wouldn't let him kip over, or how he hated hotels. All that might have explained it and reaped comic reward in a series of vignettes.
Russell Brand I quite like but he wasn't so great in this, not bad but OTT as a thrusting pop star, none of them behave like that these days. It wasn't plausible from the outset.
It's a bit derivative of the classic Frasier, the dumpee's brother is even like Niles. However, shamefully the finale borrows from a Frasier episode to less effect
Nowhere near as good as 40 Year Old Virgin.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
From 1948, probably one of the first examples of what has come to be known as the 'Police Procedural,' directed by Jules Dassin and starring Barry Fitzgerald and Don Taylor. When a beautiful model is found drowned in her bathtub, homicide detectives investigate the case---needless to say, the plot thickens, and jewelry theft also figures into things. There is a great (but subtle) scene where the detective in charge questions a witness...who turns into a suspect as he becomes trapped in lie after lie after lie...
A very cool examination of the inner workings of the police department; shot on location in New York City. Won Oscars for cinematography and editing, and nominated for screenplay. The voiceover narrative style is quite dated now...but otherwise recommended for its authenticity and story.
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
Just got back from seeing this today with my brother and we both enjoyed ourselves quite a bit. Based on the 1960s Japanese cartoon of the same name, the film tells the story of the Racer family and their attempts at finding success as an independent family-held racing business in the midst of a sport overrun by corporate greed and race fixing.
The film has been savaged by the critics but I really don't think it deserves the drubbing it's taken. The cast is very solid: Emile Hirsch is very good as Speed, Christina Ricci (with those big, beautiful expressive eyes of hers) makes for a very solid Trixie, John Goodman & Susan Sarandon are great as Speed's loving and supportive parents. Paul Litt is good as Spritle although he takes up a little too much screen time for his own good. Chim Chim is every bit as funny as in the old shows. The best casting of all however has to be Lost's Matthew Fox as the mysterious Racer-X, one of the coolest characters from the cartoon. Dressed in black from head to toe, his face covered by a black mask and sunglasses, it would have been easy for him to come across as ridiculous. Instead, he turns the character into a real badass, both on and off the track, who can also be very sympathetic and supportive when he needs to be; a really first rate performance in my book. About the only cast-members who suffer a little are Kick Gurry as the underused Sparky, Speed's mechanic, and Roger Allam who goes a little over the top as the baddie Royalton.
I'm also a little mystified at the people who've derided the movie for being thin on plot. I'm not sure what they were watching because the movie I saw definitely did have a storyline and, if anything, it was a bit too convoluted at times with all the corporate intrigue, crosses, double-crosses and triple crosses.
The races in the film possess a visual style all their own. I've seen them compared to everything from Tron to Dick Tracy but I found the presentation to be wholly original and unlike anything previously presented on screen. With their gravity defying tracks that are more obstacle courses than race courses, they can get a bit frenetic, and at times it can be hard to keep up with all the action. One race scene near the end even gave me flashbacks to the Stargate sequence from 2001: A Space Odyssey. Far more fun was the intercontinental road race that takes place about half-way thru the movie; that really harkened back to the feel of the cartoon.
While the film is fun to watch and presents us with an extended family who genuinely care for one another, ultimately it will be fans of the old show who will get the most mileage from it. There are a lot of homages, references and scenes lifted straight out of the cartoons that brought a smile to my face because of the way they were so faithfully presented, but that kind of nostalgia will be lost on someone not familiar with the material.
In the end though, Speed Racer is an entertaining, lighthearted movie with some genuinely sincere performances. It's a positive rebound for the Wachowski brothers after their immolation of the Matrix franchise, a continuing source of bad blood for many moviegoers and probably one of the main reasons for this film's mediocre box office returns. My brother and I enjoyed it and we'll definitely be picking up the hi-def DVD when it's released.
Oh, and since this is a James Bond site, I should mention that there's also a little scene in the movie right out of YOLT.
Will post review in another thread today...
Roger Moore 1927-2017
A black comedy about our fascination with serial killers from director extraordinaire John Waters.
A supposedly normal June Cleaver suburban housewife isn't all she appears to be. (Kathleen Turner). Absolutely hilarious from start to finish and Turner is inspiring. Highly recommended for those who don't offend easy.
A German language film from 2004 by Oliver Hirschbiegel, Downfall focuses on the final 10 days of the Third Reich in 1945, focusing primarily on the recollections of Traudl Junge, Hitler's 24 year-old personal secretary, who was present in the bunker beneath the Chancellory during the final days of the dictator's life. Bruno Ganz is brilliant as Hitler---eerily spot-on without descending into parody or caricature---and the picture shows how he maintained his grip on power even when there wasn't anything left to have power over.
Traudl Junge is portrayed by the exquisite Alexandra Maria Lara ( :x ) as a girl in way over her head as the situation in the bunker deteriorates.
Really remarkable, historically accurate, and at times deeply disturbing...
...this is nevertheless an important film, which I highly recommend. There are lessons here that must be remembered.
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
When I first saw the cover of this film, I thought it was going to be an action film. I was completely wrong. Ben Campbell (Jim Sturgess), who I don't think I have seen in any other role was brilliant playing a shy genius pupil at MIT. Kevin Spacey is brilliant as his Prof and leader of their card counting after schools group, who go to vegas on teh weekend to win big money. The film shows how Ben's life changes and he is corrupted by the money and lifestyle out there.
****
Sad to see Romero crash and burn like this. He's made bad films before, but they weren't 'Dead' movies. I have had quite enough of films using amateur and handheld equipment to make them appear 'edgy.' All they are doing is making me feel sick. The only thing that comes close to any of the previous films is the last 2 minutes which are haunting and powerful. The homemade movie angle is a gimmick that has outstayed its welcome.
No, not the UFO song, it's a nicely paced time waster by Terence Young before he took on Bond. Leo Genn plays the owner of a Soho dance club with good ol' Chris Lee his right hand man. The main attraction/vehicle is the establishment's star attraction, A certain miss, "Midnight Franklin", played by super 50s and 60s sex symbol Jayne Mansfield.
I'd describe this as British noir with a healthy dose of Va Va Voom!
The plot is basically a rival club's attempts to derail the show, with some subplots involving some of the other dancers.
I recently saw this for the first time. It is a brilliant 50's French horror/thriller which revolves around the idea of replacing someone's face and giving them a new identity. It is an extremely influential film which has had an impact on Face/Off, Nip-Tuck and even inspired a song by Billy Idol!
The film is IMO absolutely magnificent, and quite scary although its shock value has probably lessened in the decades since its release. I would definitely recommend it, especially to those who love 50's French horror/thrillers!
Gave my disc of Them! a spin today. Man do I love this one. The greatest atomic bug movie of all time!
Saw trailers for Hancock, Kung Fu Panda, Mummy, Journey to the Center of the Earth and Wall-e. Wall-e looked like the best of the bunch.