Waitress. In which a waitress foolishly gets pregnant by her a****** husband, then begins a relationship with her doctor, who seems nice enough, but because he's a man he turns out to be another a******.
I just saw this one myself, and I can see where you're coming from, JD. The character of the husband could have had a tail and swung from trees, and there's definitely a "sisters are doin' it on their own" vibe to this movie. I guess I just wasn't in the target audience for this one. That said, Keri Russell is as lovely as ever; and it's horrible that writer/director Adrienne Shelly (who also played Dawn the mousy waitress) was murdered before the film's release.
Mario Bava's stylish adaptation of the popular Italian fumetto (or comic). My brother and I watched this again the other night and while the plot and dubbing are a bit awkward at times, the film's stylish cinematography, wild sets, and unique score by Ennio Morricone are not to be missed.
The audio commentary by John Phillip Law and Bava biographer Tim Lucas is full of interesting facts about the movie and Bava's filmmaking techniques. The insights into Bava's filmmaking style, the extent to which the movie was faithful to the comics, and why there never was a sequel are particularly interesting.
The widescreen DVD is widely available for around 10 bucks; an absolute steal at that price.
and it's horrible that writer/director Adrienne Shelly (who also played Dawn the mousy waitress) was murdered before the film's release.
That was awful. The circumstances that led to her death were just bizarre. I remember seeing it announced as a suicide on Defamer, but then the truth emerged. She was lovely. I used to have a serious crush on her when she was making those Hal Hartley films back in the late 80's.
LoeffelholzThe United States, With LovePosts: 8,998Quartermasters
"Shoot 'Em Up"
A really, really dumb movie. Fun at times, funny in others...but dumb. The music was good, as well, and the performances weren't bad. Clive Owen and Paul Giamatti did the best humanly possible with the material they were given. Monica Bellucci is as lovely as ever, but I was embarrassed for her.
The one thing that kept going through my mind, over and over again, as I watched it: "This script got produced."
I know it's intended as OTT camp, and intended to be played for laughs...but for me it just didn't work. Of course, it could simply be that I'm too much of a Philistine to appreciate genius when I see it...but damn, this one is dumb.
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
Last few movies seen were as follows: Sweeney Todd with the awesome Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham-Carter, Juno (very good) and Rambo (still cool to see Stallone in the headband and long hair kicking a*s)
Balls of Fury, apparently an attempt to see if a comedy can go a full 90 minutes without inspiring a laugh. Not even Christopher Walken in an ensemble seemingly inspired by Gary Oldman's Dracula does the trick. Avoid unless repeated shots to the groin is your idea of side-splitting comedy.
This has a great concept; young man discovers he can teleport... except the execution is so poor and the lead actor (Hayden Christensen) is so flat that the film just feels incredibly pointless and not particularly exciting. I would not recommend this film.
"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
An absolutely awful 1983 spy flick- despite the leads (Michael Caine, Laurence Olivier) and several Bond alumni either behind the camera (Terence Young, Peter Hunt) or in front of it (Charles Gray, Vladek Sheybal, Anthony Dawson, Peter Burton, Yuri Borienko). Wretchedly written, disjointedly directed, badly budgeted.
I recently saw this for a second time, and I remain convinced that this is a masterpiece. It is a beautiful, heartbreaking but also heartwarming film, with extraordinary performances (Hal Holbrook has received a much deserved Oscar nomination while Emile Hirsch is incredibly unlucky not to have been Oscar nominated) and a wonderful screenplay courtesy of Sean Penn. Interestingly, I think the screenplay was better than the direction, although that too IMO is very good.
Sean Penn is one of the greatest actors of all time however Into The Wild should ensure his place in cinematic history as a director. A wonderful film, I was delighted to see it again after having seen the extremely disappointing Jumper. Anyway, I would most certainly recommend it to anyone, however be warned, you might need to take a hanky.
"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
LoeffelholzThe United States, With LovePosts: 8,998Quartermasters
"Hot Fuzz"
I laughed quite a bit througout this one---some very solid comedic supporting work from the likes of Jim Broadbent, Edward 'The Equalizer' Woodward, and of course Timothy Dalton, who clearly had a blast with this material.
Very fun; recommended for the stout of heart B-)
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
Always good, and surprising how fine an actor Sly is/was, held his own against Brian Dennehy very well. Dennehy, playing the nasty small-town sheriff, was just right: cocky but never quite learning from his experience, ready to bring it on again...
I suppose it's like Deliverance in reverse.
In fact the bum note is Richard Crenna, for me. He seems to have wandered in off an episode of The A-Team, with his pat speeches: "He'll have you running, he's a master of guerilla warfare, you don't stand a chance etc etc" reminding me of the line Indiana J gives to the villain in The Last Crusade about Denhom Elliot...
Ironically, in spite of its reputation, this is a movie I've watched with my mum, whereas the latest Rambo, forget it!
"This is where we leave you Mr Bond."
Roger Moore 1927-2017
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
Mario Bava's stylish adaptation of the popular Italian fumetto (or comic). My brother and I watched this again the other night and while the plot and dubbing are a bit awkward at times, the film's stylish cinematography, wild sets, and unique score by Ennio Morricone are not to be missed.
The audio commentary by John Phillip Law and Bava biographer Tim Lucas is full of interesting facts about the movie and Bava's filmmaking techniques. The insights into Bava's filmmaking style, the extent to which the movie was faithful to the comics, and why there never was a sequel are particularly interesting.
The widescreen DVD is widely available for around 10 bucks; an absolute steal at that price.
Where? I've heard good things about this movie and would love to find it. Where in particular did you obtain your copy?
I'd love to purchase the comic as well if at all possible. B-)
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
"Jackass 2.5" nuff said, great for a laugh and "We own The Night" with Joaquin Phoenix and Mark Wahlberg, pretty good for a typical, 1 brother is a cop on the side of good, 1 brother engulfed in the Russian drugs trade type storyline!
Never fear the event
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
A heartfelt and moving film with top performances by Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman. Even though the film deals with a painful topic (death), the script is thoughtful, witty and life-embracing.
Highly recommended 8/10
"Well, he certainly left with his tails between his legs."
Sly doing what he does best !
Gorier than the previous three and quite loud - but it was a big boys action adventure - although I felt shortchanged as I thought the film was a bit short, just under 1.5 hrs, I would have expected two.
Some lady walked out towards the end in the final battle scene - what did she think she was coming to see - some Aniston/Lopez/Bullock flick about a bridesmaid trying to find her man!
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
This Is SPINAL TAP (1984)
Last night I put this DVD in because I hadn't seen it in years and it still makes me laugh. It's not only a cult classic but one of Director Rob Reiner's better films IMO.
I've noticed that younger generations find the humor a little too subtle for their tastes preferring perhaps for the dumbed down toilet jokes of today but my 10 year old son sincerely thought that it was hilarious and wanted me to replay it...my wife just didn't get it at all but knowing her, that's not surprising. )
It also helps to have grown up during the music era of the 70s to actually "get it".
Actor Christopher Guest stole the movie to me as Nigel Tufnel and him being a native New Yorker, did a very convincing Brit accent. Only actor Harry Shearer seemed to be jumping in and out of his dialect throughout.
If you can, please check this film out and make your own judgement; it's really good but like anything else, may not be for everyone.
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
LoeffelholzThe United States, With LovePosts: 8,998Quartermasters
Last night I put this DVD in because I hadn't seen it in years and it still makes me laugh. It's not only a cult classic but one of Director Rob Reiner's better films IMO.
I've noticed that younger generations find the humor a little too subtle for their tastes preferring perhaps for the dumbed down toilet jokes of today but my 10 year old son sincerely thought that it was hilarious and wanted me to replay it...my wife just didn't get it at all but knowing her, that's not surprising. )
It also helps to have grown up during the music era of the 70s to actually "get it".
Actor Christopher Guest stole the movie to me as Nigel Tufnel and him being a native New Yorker, did a very convincing Brit accent. Only actor Harry Shearer seemed to be jumping in and out of his dialect throughout.
If you can, please check this film out and make your own judgement; it's really good but like anything else, may not be for everyone.
Rogue, have you checked out the commentary track by McKean, Guest and Shearer? What a scream... )
This one remains my absolute favourite of all Rob Reiner films...a comedy classic.
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
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
Last night I put this DVD in because I hadn't seen it in years and it still makes me laugh. It's not only a cult classic but one of Director Rob Reiner's better films IMO.
I've noticed that younger generations find the humor a little too subtle for their tastes preferring perhaps for the dumbed down toilet jokes of today but my 10 year old son sincerely thought that it was hilarious and wanted me to replay it...my wife just didn't get it at all but knowing her, that's not surprising. )
It also helps to have grown up during the music era of the 70s to actually "get it".
Actor Christopher Guest stole the movie to me as Nigel Tufnel and him being a native New Yorker, did a very convincing Brit accent. Only actor Harry Shearer seemed to be jumping in and out of his dialect throughout.
If you can, please check this film out and make your own judgement; it's really good but like anything else, may not be for everyone.
Rogue, have you checked out the commentary track by McKean, Guest and Shearer? What a scream... )
This one remains my absolute favourite of all Rob Reiner films...a comedy classic.
Are you kidding, Loeff? I was in tears. )
A classic indeed. {[]
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
The last three films I watched could be featured in an International Film Festival--well, here in the good ol' US of A, that is. They are:
From Germany: Der Leben das Anderen (The Lives of Others), which I feel is nothing short of a masterpiece, a beautiful testament to the power of art and humanity to overcome political oppression.
From France: La Vie en Rose. Marion Cotillard deserves every accolade she's received for her perfomance as Edith Piaf. Although she looks nothing like the Little Sparrow, you believe her, and you admire her guts and determination. She also ages believably from a 20-year-old to a 47-year-old so wracked with cancer that she looks 80. Despite some biopic glossiness, well worth seeing.
And, from the UK: Pierrepoint, which we Yanks saddled with the ludicrous and innacurate subtitle, The Last Hangman (duh--he was the last hangman in his FAMILY, not in all of Britain!). Timothy Spall, who can do no wrong, is excellent as the man who preserves the solemnity and dignity of his frightful job, becomes an unwilling celebrity when his activities as the executioner of the defendants at the Nuremberg trials become public, and turns into a scapegoat when public opinion turns against capital punishment. A moving examination of the human costs of socially sanctioned execution--and not just on those who are executed.
This is a 1958 musical with Louis 'Kamal Khan' Jordan, Leslie Caron and Maurice Chevalier. Some of it musically a bit similar to My Fair Lady, in particular the 'spoken' songs in the manner of Rex Harrison done by Jordan in similarly exasperated manner, indeed the story is similar as she has to learn to become a lady, or a courtesan as the age depicted.
Not sure 'Thank Heaven for Leetle Girls' is one you could get away with using these day...
I had my Mum and Dad round today so we watched that, then tried La Dolce Vita which was a bit low key in comparison, watching some p**** teaser prance about Rome getting the blokes going. Blah! Also lasted three hours, so we quit after the first hour, not knocking the film, just wasn't up for it then.
"This is where we leave you Mr Bond."
Roger Moore 1927-2017
LoeffelholzThe United States, With LovePosts: 8,998Quartermasters
edited February 2008
"Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry"
The last time I'd seen this one was back in '74, when it was in first-release, and I was a wide-eyed pre-teen ...
Essential '70s cinema kitsch---a cult-classic take on car chase Americana, as directed by Brit John Hough (TV's 'The Avengers,' cinema's 'The Legend of Hell House). The very hot (and equally British) Susan George turns in an eerily credible performance as an American white trash princess, and Peter Fonda channels his inner...Peter Fonda...as a would-be race car driver who, with the help of his mechanic, robs $150,000 from a supermarket (managed by an uncredited Roddy McDowall! ), and then spends the next hour in a high-speed chase. Vic Morrow is the requisite cop who won't give up.
Great car chase action; all filmed 'practically,' with no under-cranked or 'sped up' footage, and lots of extemporaneous improvisation from the actors. It's not high art, but it is guilty fun...and the ending...
...is of the EXTREMELY SUDDEN variety---now an almost laughable cliche which owes everything to Arthur Penn's 'Bonnie and Clyde.'
93 minutes in a time capsule from 1974. I enjoyed it B-)
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
LoeffelholzThe United States, With LovePosts: 8,998Quartermasters
edited March 2008
"The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford"
Very impressive film, IMO. Writer-Director Andrew Dominik adapts Ron Hansen's novel into a 2 3/4-hour film which---while long---never lost its momentum for me. Casey Affleck's creepily poignant Bob Ford is really the focus of the picture, and his evolving feelings about his idol Jesse James disturbingly recalls similar things leading up to the death of other celebrities...John Lennon comes to mind. Ford begins by idolizing James, then becomes disillusioned by (and subsequently obsessed with) the infamous gunslinger and outlaw.
Brad Pitt is also excellent as James, who ultimately becomes haunted and driven by mistrust and paranoia as members of his last 'gang' begin to turn on him. He manages to be both very frightening and somewhat pitiable as he loses (or, perhaps, surrenders) control over his fate.
Good turns also by Sam Rockwell and Mary-Louise Parker, with a brief but excellent appearance by Sam Shephard as Jesse's older brother Frank---but the biggest hoot was a cameo by political guru James Carville as the governor of Missouri B-) A surprisingly nice bit of acting from the Serpent-Head, whom I like better as an actor than as a politico
An excellent film---much more a drama than a conventional 'action' western, but all the better for its realistic examination of violence and its results. 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
Not even Charlize Theron in a catsuit could save this one. I never saw any of the MTV animated shorts, so you can't say I'm biased. This was just plain uninteresting. The characters kept talking about how they were being oppressed but I never saw anything that warranted a revolution.
And I don't plan on watching it again to see if there was something I missed.
A terrific musical comedy featuring Jane Russell and the legend herself; Marilyn Monroe. Monroe, who IMO was better in this than in Some Likes It Hot, shows that while there are actresses today who are superior at their craft and better looking, there aren't really any who are movie stars in the way that she was. She had this transcendent quality that IMO very few actresses today have, and what can I say, she was a goddess.
Anyway, as I said, the film itself is great. It's extremely funny, has a few incredibly fun songs (such as Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend'), and and I would truly recommend it to anybody who either appreciates 50's musicals or the works of Marilyn Monroe.
"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
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
edited March 2008
It was a Charles Bronson night for me:
DEATH WISH 4: The Crackdown
Call it what you will but this flick is enjoyable. Honestly, after the first one, they really had no business making anymore but c'mon it's Bronson starring and to me means guaranteed action. Upon repeated viewings, one would find this picture sort of comical in places; I find myself laughing quite a bit at many parts in it. It's clearly the work of a once great action star on the decline but Charles gets a pass with me. B-)
Mr. Majestyk
This film is more of a Bronson classic to many but it is also unintentionally funny. It seemed that anything that came out of actor Al Lettieri's mouth had me cracking up but he can play a good bad guy in most things he's in.
I can even remember the commercials for this film as a child where they were tieing it in the with Ford pickup truck. I remember Ford having a good year behind this...
ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST
Still arguably the best western out there to me with The Good, The Bad & The Ugly running closely behind. One of Bronson's best films. I've got to purchase the soundtrack for this one though... B-)
"You brought two horses too many..."
Such an underrated yet cool line still.
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
This film is more of a Bronson classic to many but it is also unintentionally funny. It seemed that anything that came out of actor Al Lettieri's mouth had me cracking up but he can play a good bad guy in most things he's in.
I can even remember the commercials for this film as a child where they were tieing it in the with Ford pickup truck. I remember Ford having a good year behind this...
Mr. Majestyk is one of my and my brother's favorites; Bronson at his coolest and surrounded by a very colorful cast. Paul Koslo makes for one really gutless sleazeball as Bobby Kopas and Al Lettieri is great as Frank Renda, the crook who bites off more than he can chew when he runs afoul of Bronson, the world's most dangerous melon picker. )
If you're in a Bronson mood, I'd also strongly recommend The Mechanic, a very different kind of Bronson movie wherein he plays an assassin with a variety of issues who takes Jan Michael Vincent under his wing. A very dark film with some good action, solid performances and genuinely surprising plot twists.
Comments
I just saw this one myself, and I can see where you're coming from, JD. The character of the husband could have had a tail and swung from trees, and there's definitely a "sisters are doin' it on their own" vibe to this movie. I guess I just wasn't in the target audience for this one. That said, Keri Russell is as lovely as ever; and it's horrible that writer/director Adrienne Shelly (who also played Dawn the mousy waitress) was murdered before the film's release.
Mario Bava's stylish adaptation of the popular Italian fumetto (or comic). My brother and I watched this again the other night and while the plot and dubbing are a bit awkward at times, the film's stylish cinematography, wild sets, and unique score by Ennio Morricone are not to be missed.
The audio commentary by John Phillip Law and Bava biographer Tim Lucas is full of interesting facts about the movie and Bava's filmmaking techniques. The insights into Bava's filmmaking style, the extent to which the movie was faithful to the comics, and why there never was a sequel are particularly interesting.
The widescreen DVD is widely available for around 10 bucks; an absolute steal at that price.
That was awful. The circumstances that led to her death were just bizarre. I remember seeing it announced as a suicide on Defamer, but then the truth emerged. She was lovely. I used to have a serious crush on her when she was making those Hal Hartley films back in the late 80's.
A really, really dumb movie. Fun at times, funny in others...but dumb. The music was good, as well, and the performances weren't bad. Clive Owen and Paul Giamatti did the best humanly possible with the material they were given. Monica Bellucci is as lovely as ever, but I was embarrassed for her.
The one thing that kept going through my mind, over and over again, as I watched it: "This script got produced."
I know it's intended as OTT camp, and intended to be played for laughs...but for me it just didn't work. Of course, it could simply be that I'm too much of a Philistine to appreciate genius when I see it...but damn, this one is dumb.
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
This has a great concept; young man discovers he can teleport... except the execution is so poor and the lead actor (Hayden Christensen) is so flat that the film just feels incredibly pointless and not particularly exciting. I would not recommend this film.
An absolutely awful 1983 spy flick- despite the leads (Michael Caine, Laurence Olivier) and several Bond alumni either behind the camera (Terence Young, Peter Hunt) or in front of it (Charles Gray, Vladek Sheybal, Anthony Dawson, Peter Burton, Yuri Borienko). Wretchedly written, disjointedly directed, badly budgeted.
I recently saw this for a second time, and I remain convinced that this is a masterpiece. It is a beautiful, heartbreaking but also heartwarming film, with extraordinary performances (Hal Holbrook has received a much deserved Oscar nomination while Emile Hirsch is incredibly unlucky not to have been Oscar nominated) and a wonderful screenplay courtesy of Sean Penn. Interestingly, I think the screenplay was better than the direction, although that too IMO is very good.
Sean Penn is one of the greatest actors of all time however Into The Wild should ensure his place in cinematic history as a director. A wonderful film, I was delighted to see it again after having seen the extremely disappointing Jumper.
I laughed quite a bit througout this one---some very solid comedic supporting work from the likes of Jim Broadbent, Edward 'The Equalizer' Woodward, and of course Timothy Dalton, who clearly had a blast with this material.
Very fun; recommended for the stout of heart
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
Always good, and surprising how fine an actor Sly is/was, held his own against Brian Dennehy very well. Dennehy, playing the nasty small-town sheriff, was just right: cocky but never quite learning from his experience, ready to bring it on again...
I suppose it's like Deliverance in reverse.
In fact the bum note is Richard Crenna, for me. He seems to have wandered in off an episode of The A-Team, with his pat speeches: "He'll have you running, he's a master of guerilla warfare, you don't stand a chance etc etc" reminding me of the line Indiana J gives to the villain in The Last Crusade about Denhom Elliot...
Ironically, in spite of its reputation, this is a movie I've watched with my mum, whereas the latest Rambo, forget it!
Roger Moore 1927-2017
Where? I've heard good things about this movie and would love to find it. Where in particular did you obtain your copy?
I'd love to purchase the comic as well if at all possible. B-)
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Amazon has it available as a special order purchase (arriving in 9-14 days) at $9.98
http://www.amazon.com/Danger-Diabolik-John-Phillip-Law/dp/B000228EJA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1203530048&sr=1-1
You might also get lucky by checking out a Best Buy or Circuit City in your area.
Looks like I'm headed there this afternoon. Thanks, Tony. B-)
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
A heartfelt and moving film with top performances by Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman. Even though the film deals with a painful topic (death), the script is thoughtful, witty and life-embracing.
Highly recommended 8/10
Sly doing what he does best !
Gorier than the previous three and quite loud - but it was a big boys action adventure - although I felt shortchanged as I thought the film was a bit short, just under 1.5 hrs, I would have expected two.
Some lady walked out towards the end in the final battle scene - what did she think she was coming to see - some Aniston/Lopez/Bullock flick about a bridesmaid trying to find her man!
Last night I put this DVD in because I hadn't seen it in years and it still makes me laugh. It's not only a cult classic but one of Director Rob Reiner's better films IMO.
I've noticed that younger generations find the humor a little too subtle for their tastes preferring perhaps for the dumbed down toilet jokes of today but my 10 year old son sincerely thought that it was hilarious and wanted me to replay it...my wife just didn't get it at all but knowing her, that's not surprising.
It also helps to have grown up during the music era of the 70s to actually "get it".
Actor Christopher Guest stole the movie to me as Nigel Tufnel and him being a native New Yorker, did a very convincing Brit accent. Only actor Harry Shearer seemed to be jumping in and out of his dialect throughout.
If you can, please check this film out and make your own judgement; it's really good but like anything else, may not be for everyone.
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Rogue, have you checked out the commentary track by McKean, Guest and Shearer? What a scream...
This one remains my absolute favourite of all Rob Reiner films...a comedy classic.
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
Are you kidding, Loeff? I was in tears.
A classic indeed. {[]
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
From Germany: Der Leben das Anderen (The Lives of Others), which I feel is nothing short of a masterpiece, a beautiful testament to the power of art and humanity to overcome political oppression.
From France: La Vie en Rose. Marion Cotillard deserves every accolade she's received for her perfomance as Edith Piaf. Although she looks nothing like the Little Sparrow, you believe her, and you admire her guts and determination. She also ages believably from a 20-year-old to a 47-year-old so wracked with cancer that she looks 80. Despite some biopic glossiness, well worth seeing.
And, from the UK: Pierrepoint, which we Yanks saddled with the ludicrous and innacurate subtitle, The Last Hangman (duh--he was the last hangman in his FAMILY, not in all of Britain!). Timothy Spall, who can do no wrong, is excellent as the man who preserves the solemnity and dignity of his frightful job, becomes an unwilling celebrity when his activities as the executioner of the defendants at the Nuremberg trials become public, and turns into a scapegoat when public opinion turns against capital punishment. A moving examination of the human costs of socially sanctioned execution--and not just on those who are executed.
This is a 1958 musical with Louis 'Kamal Khan' Jordan, Leslie Caron and Maurice Chevalier. Some of it musically a bit similar to My Fair Lady, in particular the 'spoken' songs in the manner of Rex Harrison done by Jordan in similarly exasperated manner, indeed the story is similar as she has to learn to become a lady, or a courtesan as the age depicted.
Not sure 'Thank Heaven for Leetle Girls' is one you could get away with using these day...
I had my Mum and Dad round today so we watched that, then tried La Dolce Vita which was a bit low key in comparison, watching some p**** teaser prance about Rome getting the blokes going. Blah! Also lasted three hours, so we quit after the first hour, not knocking the film, just wasn't up for it then.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
The last time I'd seen this one was back in '74, when it was in first-release, and I was a wide-eyed pre-teen
Essential '70s cinema kitsch---a cult-classic take on car chase Americana, as directed by Brit John Hough (TV's 'The Avengers,' cinema's 'The Legend of Hell House). The very hot (and equally British) Susan George turns in an eerily credible performance as an American white trash princess, and Peter Fonda channels his inner...Peter Fonda...as a would-be race car driver who, with the help of his mechanic, robs $150,000 from a supermarket (managed by an uncredited Roddy McDowall!
Great car chase action; all filmed 'practically,' with no under-cranked or 'sped up' footage, and lots of extemporaneous improvisation from the actors. It's not high art, but it is guilty fun...and the ending...
93 minutes in a time capsule from 1974. I enjoyed it B-)
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
Just finshed about 10 minutes ago.
very good 1965 bond film all should know it
Very impressive film, IMO. Writer-Director Andrew Dominik adapts Ron Hansen's novel into a 2 3/4-hour film which---while long---never lost its momentum for me. Casey Affleck's creepily poignant Bob Ford is really the focus of the picture, and his evolving feelings about his idol Jesse James disturbingly recalls similar things leading up to the death of other celebrities...John Lennon comes to mind. Ford begins by idolizing James, then becomes disillusioned by (and subsequently obsessed with) the infamous gunslinger and outlaw.
Brad Pitt is also excellent as James, who ultimately becomes haunted and driven by mistrust and paranoia as members of his last 'gang' begin to turn on him. He manages to be both very frightening and somewhat pitiable as he loses (or, perhaps, surrenders) control over his fate.
Good turns also by Sam Rockwell and Mary-Louise Parker, with a brief but excellent appearance by Sam Shephard as Jesse's older brother Frank---but the biggest hoot was a cameo by political guru James Carville as the governor of Missouri B-) A surprisingly nice bit of acting from the Serpent-Head, whom I like better as an actor than as a politico
An excellent film---much more a drama than a conventional 'action' western, but all the better for its realistic examination of violence and its results. Highly recommended.
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
Not even Charlize Theron in a catsuit could save this one. I never saw any of the MTV animated shorts, so you can't say I'm biased. This was just plain uninteresting. The characters kept talking about how they were being oppressed but I never saw anything that warranted a revolution.
And I don't plan on watching it again to see if there was something I missed.
A terrific musical comedy featuring Jane Russell and the legend herself; Marilyn Monroe. Monroe, who IMO was better in this than in Some Likes It Hot, shows that while there are actresses today who are superior at their craft and better looking, there aren't really any who are movie stars in the way that she was. She had this transcendent quality that IMO very few actresses today have, and what can I say, she was a goddess.
Anyway, as I said, the film itself is great. It's extremely funny, has a few incredibly fun songs (such as Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend'), and and I would truly recommend it to anybody who either appreciates 50's musicals or the works of Marilyn Monroe.
DEATH WISH 4: The Crackdown
Call it what you will but this flick is enjoyable. Honestly, after the first one, they really had no business making anymore but c'mon it's Bronson starring and to me means guaranteed action. Upon repeated viewings, one would find this picture sort of comical in places; I find myself laughing quite a bit at many parts in it. It's clearly the work of a once great action star on the decline but Charles gets a pass with me. B-)
Mr. Majestyk
This film is more of a Bronson classic to many but it is also unintentionally funny. It seemed that anything that came out of actor Al Lettieri's mouth had me cracking up but he can play a good bad guy in most things he's in.
I can even remember the commercials for this film as a child where they were tieing it in the with Ford pickup truck. I remember Ford having a good year behind this...
ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST
Still arguably the best western out there to me with The Good, The Bad & The Ugly running closely behind. One of Bronson's best films. I've got to purchase the soundtrack for this one though... B-)
"You brought two horses too many..."
Such an underrated yet cool line still.
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Mr. Majestyk is one of my and my brother's favorites; Bronson at his coolest and surrounded by a very colorful cast. Paul Koslo makes for one really gutless sleazeball as Bobby Kopas and Al Lettieri is great as Frank Renda, the crook who bites off more than he can chew when he runs afoul of Bronson, the world's most dangerous melon picker.
If you're in a Bronson mood, I'd also strongly recommend The Mechanic, a very different kind of Bronson movie wherein he plays an assassin with a variety of issues who takes Jan Michael Vincent under his wing. A very dark film with some good action, solid performances and genuinely surprising plot twists.