Vanilla is a product of Lussumo. More Information: Documentation, Community Support.
General: [Sticky] What's the last movie you've seen?
Bottom of Page-
On screen last night re-watched "The Red Shoes" (Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger, UK 1948), Everybody knows this masterpiece. 10/10
-
Cool Hand Luke - 8/10, although I expected to give this one a higher grade. On one hand the story and the movie are pretty realistic, but on the other there have been some things that I might criticise upon, such as guards' behaviour towards Luke until the end, anticipating the things he might not do and then judging these same things. Paul Newman is picture perfect and was the best choice for this stubborn, strong and beautiful young man.
-
"Wise Blood" (John Huston, USA 1979)
Very good black (very black) comedy, adapted from the book of Flannery O'Connor. The lost fight of a man against the religion he suffered when he was young. Like for Don Quichotte, we know the fight his lost because the only way to fight religion the hero find his to create a new religion (The church of Jesus Christ without Jesus Christ!!). It just shows his mind is completely perverted by religion, he don't know anything else and he can only have a religous reaction face to religion. The movie is also a sad and cynical and cruel vision of the deep south, the bussiness of religion but here Huston push cynicism to show us only losers, preachers who earns 4 buck a day not even enough money to survive... An excellent movie (even if made with low budget) with also a great Brad Dourif. 9,5/10 -
Possession (1981) - hum, what to say. I suppose I didn't understand the movie, because I was left speechless in the end, but not because of it geniosity. Well, I hope someone will explain me the core of this movie. 10/10 to Isabelle Adjani, to the suspense and claustrophobic feeling during the same movie, to the need to find out what was actually happening, but a low grade to the superfluous injection of some characters, Margit, Heinrich and his mother and their sick relationship, Bob's teacher. Why do we need them here and their overblown performances? I won't give this one a final grade, I will watch it again or in someone's company because I'm in desperate need of an explanation.
-
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof - excellent, beautiful story about a wealthy family and their problems, lies, power, money and love. A drama which can keep you occupied for almost two hours without blinking is a movie which deserves only the best grades. It' s not 100% masterpiece, but it's definitely very near, 9/10.
-
Il Caimano [The Caiman] (2006) 4/10
Finally someone dared to tackle Berlusconi, but the film is an unfocused mess and therefore completely powerless.
La Zona (2007) 6/10
Cynical story about law and order in a gated community in Mexico City. It starts off quite nicely with a burglary going wrong, but then it tries a bit too hard to show that Mexican society is despicable, corrupt and unscrupulous, which turns the thriller into something of a caricature.
Sound of Noise (2010) 7/10
Six guerrilla percussionists chased by a tone deaf policeman from a musical family in Malmö, Sweden: a totally weird film that's hard to pin down. Is it to be understood metaphorically? Is it a parody? Simply a comedy? It surely is different and playful and it has some cool musical sequences.
Kinamand [Chinaman] (2005) 7/10
Dull and indecisive Danish middle-aged plumber is left by his wife and agrees on an arranged marriage with a young Chinese immigrant. Nice romantic drama with a serious dose of Nordic understated humour and melancholy.
The Guard (2011) 8/10
Comedy about a foul mouthed and rather unfathomable cop in rural Ireland. Nicely outrageous and often hilarious.
Neds (2010) 8/10
Gritty coming of age drama about a talented Glasgow boy with a criminal brother and an alcoholic father, set in the early seventies. Can he escape his working class background? Grim, but also funny, powerful and entertaining. -
Akira Kurosawa's Dreams (1990) 7/10
Eight disconnected dream sequences dealing with the state of man (or something). It's sometimes moralistic, artsy and ponderous, but certainly also poetic and visually exciting.
Mah nakorn [Citizen Dog] (2004) 8/10
Country boy moves to the city and meets a girl. But apart from this story line everything is effortlessly unconventional in this playful, funny, whimsical and inventive Thai movie. The fun is everywhere: in the art direction, the cinematography, the voice over, the characters; and it makes up for the slightly tedious story.
Tomboy (2011) 9/10
After Naissance des pieuvres another fine film with a cast of mainly children, directed by Céline Sciamma. A tiny, intimate drama, perfectly performed.
Postia pappi Jaakobille [Letters to Father Jacob] (2009) 10/10
Intense, suspenseful and minimalist little Finnish film featuring a blind priest, a woman pardoned after twelve years in jail and a mailman. It's all about faith and trust - or the lack thereof. -
Jodaeiye Nader az Simin [aka A Separation] (2011, Asghar Farhadi, Iran)
An Iranian couple breaks up because of the decision to leave the country or to take care of a parent with Alzheimer's disease. When the wife moves out of the appartment a woman is hired to look after the patient during the day. She is stressed and cannot cope with the situation. This is when fate hits and the lives of two families takes a tragic turn.
I must say, I had very high expectations since there were so many good reviews and the movie won so many prices. Usually, this is bad, because the higher the expectations the more difficult for a movie to live up to it. But not in this case. This movie is unbelievably good. The screenplay is overwhelming, gripping and passionate. The cast is exceptional. I just can agree with all the critics: Go watch this movie! That's what cinema is all about. (9/10) -
Movies of the week-end...
"The Barbarians" (Ruggero Deodato, USA 1987)
This is a Cannon production. This should be enough to say. Indeed this one is really a So Bad that it's Good. The story of two muscular twins (The brothers Peter and David Paul, completly ridiculous) who want to free thier queen kidnapped by an evil man and his sorceress and get back a magic stone kept by a big dragon... This one is very funny because the two brothers are very ridiculous, they are really stupid in the movie, screaming like animals with incredibly pathetic dialogs... They become very funny indeed. A very good one for Z fans. 4/10 (for Z fans 9/10)
"Shanghai Express" (Josef von Sternberg, USA 1932)
Wonderfull movie dedicated to the beauty of Marlene Dietrich. Shanghai Lily (Marlene Dietrich) want to come back to Shaghai usin the train... The meets an ancient lover (Clive Brook) and a mysterious chinese man (Warner Oland). A classic with very strong eroticism. 9/10
"Il était une fois le diable - Devil Story " (Bernard Launois, France 1985)
Simply incredible... The worst french movie ever made. A couple of tourists lost in Normandy will be cursed and meet : a Nazi serial killer and his mother, a mummy, and a zombie ship... Simply Huge. Launois is definitively the French Ed Wood. 3/10 (for Z fans 10/10 and more)
"Anne of the Indies" (Jacques Tourneur, USA 1951)
Great pirates movie, the tragic story of Captain Anne Providence (Jean Peters, wonderful) the dreadfull captain of the pirate ship Sheeba Queen. But one day she saves a prisonner (Louis Jourdan) and fall in love with him. Indeed he will betray her, then she can't escape to her tragic destiny. The discover of her feminity will push her to the death. Very good movie mixing very well the action scenes and the more psychological ones. A great work on the music too with an artist of the genre Franz Waxman. Very good 8,5/10
"Dead End" (William Wyler, USA 1937)
Adaptation of a play of Sidney Kingsley (scandalous at that time). The story of 'Baby Face' Martin a famous criminal (Bogart) who decides to come back in the place he was born to see his mother and his youth's love. He meets the gangs of kids and has bad influence on them... especialy on Tommy, Drina's brother (Sylvia Sidney) a courageous girl who's tries to survive and bring up Tommy. But now she's on strike and earn no more money. At the same time Dave (Joel McCrea) a worker, recognize Martin but keeps silencious... Drina is in love with him but he only has eyes for Kay (Wendy Barrie) a rich girl of the area. But when Martin decides to kidnap a rich boy from the area things go wrong... Very nice movie (even if all filmed in studio and in one setting) with srrong social commitment in an area where poor people and new coming rich one lives just near. Even if the movie doen't give the reason of the social problems the separation is clear and the movie clearly show where good people are. And at the end there is no goodending, the Clases remain separated (almost more than at the beginning) and Tommy will go to jail even if as Drina says to the judge it's the place where they make criminals, therich judge won't forgive Tommy and even if Dave promise to help Tommy we know that he's few chances to win... A very good one 8,5/10
"Planet of Dinosaurs" (James K. Shea, USA 1977)
The ony movie of James K. Shea... and a masterpiece of the Z !! Incredibly kitsch story of the crew of a spaceship which crashes on an unknown planet inhabited with dnosaurs. Even if the animations of the monsters are very good the acting is terrible and the dialogs incredible. A very entertaining movie indeed for Z fans. 5/10 for Z fans 9,5/10 -
the others...
"He Who Gets Slapped" (Victor Sjöström, USA 1924)
One of the movies Victor Sjöström made in the US. The story of a sicentist (Lon Chaney) humilated by his sponcor who'll take his results and his wife... He decided to laugth and becomes a very famous clown "the one who gets slapped" He's secretly in love with the nice Consuelo (Norma Shearer). But one day he lears that his sponcor who abandoned his wife waqnt to marry Consuello... Now he doesn't laught anymore. Very nice and movin movie with a great Lon Chaney in one of his favourite role (He loves clown roles and will have another great one some years later in "Laugh, Clown, Laugh" in 1928). A good silent. 8,5/10
"Seven Thunders" (Hugo Fregonese, UK 1957)
A nice movie about a poorly known episode of WWII the destruction of a great part of the area of the Vieux Port of Marseille by the nazis because the area was an old one with lot of resuistants, criminals, deserters they couldn't catch. So the plac was completly destroyed and emptied from the inhabitant. In the movies two british soldiers Dave and Jim are hidden in the quarter by french resistance and his leader Salvatore (Marcello Pagliero) Dave fall in love with a pretty childish girl Lise (Anna Gaylor) after he saves her from a german soldier... At the same time a mysterious Dr Martout (James Robertson Justice) a mad killer murders all the people who are sent to him to escape to Spain and steal thier money. When the germans decide to destroy the area Jim and dave have no escape so Jim decides to go to Martout's place instead waiting for Salvatore... Nice movie filmed on location in Marseille (My home town!!). The directing of Fregonese is very fluent and clear as usual. The whole is very entertaining. 8,5/10 -
@RDPL55
The Barbarians was one of my favorite movies ever as kid.
Such a fun movie, so bad that it's good really fits to it.
...and I was so totally in love with Ismene that time. ♥
-
@Fireball !
Yes many pretty girls in that movie... One of the most important ingredient in such productions... ;) Really bad movies are sometimes very pleasant indeed...
this is the first movie of Eva LaRue and the only feature one... After that masterpiece she only made TV or video (we can easily understand...) ... Still very pretty indeed ;) -
Lo straniero (1967, Luchino Visconti)
Probably one of Visconti's most underrated movies. He masters to put Camus's novel l'étranger absolutely accurate on screen. Marcello Mastroianni plays a Meursault so out of this world it's frightening. It's absolutely a mystery to me, why this movie isn't shown much more. 8/10 -
@fungus
I saw it in Lyon's festival last year... Yes if it's almost impossible to adapt Camus's novel on screen, I think the movie of Visconti is good and Mastroianni is convincing. Anyway Visconti was very courageous to do this movie which is almost unknown... I really discovered it last year... -
Ich möchte kein Mann sein (1918, Ernst Lubitsch)
A bourgeois girl is fed up with the restrictions she has to take in society because she is a woman. She therefore dresses as a man and discovers in several comical situations that it's not easy to be a man either.
One of the early Lubitsch silence movies (about the same time as Die Austernprinzessin) from the german era. Not as sophisticated as later movies, but it's still a Lubitsch. It's a comedy about the war between sexes and the gender stereotypes are played very well. Very funny. 7/10 -
Duel - a TV movie by Steven Spielberg- I watched the original, shorter version and it were 71 minutes of pure terror. I was in the movie, I was in that car, with that poor man, I could feel his fear. Horror, paranoia and dread of this movie makes it a delight to watch, a true psychological thriller with all its components. Excellent, 9/10!!!
-
@lovelyT ! yes duel is very good...
-
Some movies thos last days...
"The Hands of Orlac" (Edmond T. Gréville, France/UK 1960)
Nice adaptation of the famous novel of Maurice Renard, this one is different from the classic "Mad Love" with Peter Lorre, especially because this one is more pervert and sansual and the directing of Gréville puts it clearly in relief... Mel Ferrer is quite convincing and christopher Lee as good as usual... A good Movie 8,5/10
"Viaje al centro de la Tierra" (aka "Fabulous Journey to the Center of the Earth") (Juan Piquer Simón, Spain 1978)
A poorly known adaptation of the famous novel of Jules Verne. This one is a bit camp and kitsch but is entertaining even if the rythm is a bit quiet... The special effects are very cool and funny. 6/10
"Whirlpool" (Otto Preminger, USA 1949)
Very good film-noir with great direction, and good acting of Gene Tierney and especialy José Ferrer as the mad Dr Korvo is impressive... 9/10
"The Lost Patrol" (John Ford USA 1934)
Nice movie as Ford liked to do. The story of an isolated group (a patrol of soldier in the desert) trapped in an oasis surrounded by an invisible fiend... Nice filming in the desert and in the setting of the oasis. A classic Ford movie 8,5/10
"Johnny Belinda" (Jean Negulesco, USA 1948)
Wonderfull drama of a doctor (Lew Ayres) who'll help a young deaf and dumb girl Belinda (Jane Wyman) to enter the world she was cut off. But one day Belinda is rapped by Locky (Stephen McNally) but don't say anything... But soon she's pregnant... Excellent acting (Jane Wyman will get an oscar) and very nicely filmed with a great sens of the use of the settings and the camera move. 9,5/10 -
"Csillagosok, katonák" (aka "the Red and the White) (Miklós Jancsó, Hungary, USSR 1968)
Impressive movie about the civil war in russia between the reds and the whites near the hungarian borders. Some hungarians helping the whitess... The director clearly denounce the power some circumstances give to someone, the way he uses this power to kill, humiliate... But this power is fugacious and soon, the hangman will become the victim of another one and so on... No heroes in this movie just people appearing, killing and then killed... A strange experiment with nice filmig. 8,5/19
"Trapped" (Richard Fleischer, USA 1949)
A nice film noir and the first personnal movie of Fleischer (dixit himself). A half-documentary about a cop who infiltrates a gang of forgers. The final persuit in the warehouse full of trains is especially good. 7,5/10
"Red Ensign " (Michael Powell, UK 1934)
An early Powell movie, a crisis-movie to support the effort of the nation. The stoy of a business and patriot man who'll do everything to save the naval dockyard industry even betray the woman he loves. 7/10
"Billy the Kid vs. Dracula" (William Beaudine, 1966)
You think it's a bad movie ? You're right. Simply ridiculous with John Carradine once more... 3/10
"A Lawless Street " (Joseph H. Lewis, USA 1955)
A very good western with Randolph Scott and Angela Lansbury. A marshall (Scott) and his wife (ALansbury) are separated but still in love but she won't come back if he doesn't retire... He has to clean the town before it... The screeplay is classic but the huge filming of Lewis make it really good 8/10 -
Les petits mouchoirs (2010) 6/10
It's not really a bad film, this portrait of a group of thirty and forty-something friends. But the problem is that they are all arrogant Parisian assholes (especially the men) and as a viewer you couldn't care less if they are miserable. More than that: it's something of a disappointment that only one of them dies during the film.
Äideistä parhain [Mother of Mine] (2005) 7/10
About a nine year old Finnish boy who is evacuated to neutral Sweden during WWII. Acting and cinematography are great, but the script gets too melodramatic in the second half of the film.
Jodaeiye Nader az Simin [A Separation] (2011) 9/10
Like Fungus said, this Iranian film is great. Something of a courthouse drama in which things get more complicated and exciting all the time, and for all people involved. Everyone gets entangled in each other's moral dilemmas. It's a bit talky, but dialogues, acting, cinematography and everything else is just wonderful. -
“Shûbun” (aka “Scandal”) (Akira Kurosawa Japan 1950)
Very interesting and always very actual movie about the power of a certain press, tabloids and scandal sheets… Great directing, great screenplay and dialogs and huge acting of Mifune and especially Takashi Shimura who is simply wonderful. A must to see. 9,5/10
"Les petits Mouchoirs" (Guillaume Canet, France 2010)
A typical product of french cinema, once more some middle aged and middle class frenchies... this well-nourished boring existential and love problems... can only make a boring film. I could not reach the end 4/10. -
"Experiment Perilous" (Jaques Tourneur, USA 1944)
Strange tales and mix of Melodrama, film noir and a touch of fantasy in this nice movie. The haunting atmosphere is stronger and stronger all along the movie, the acting is good except the main character... George Brent is George Brent... That's the biggest problem of the movies. Eddy Lamar is this time very good as the fragile Allida... A good one 8/10
"I Wake Up Screaming" (H. Bruce Humberstone, USA 1941)
Often considered as one of the first film noir it is certainly a good one with all the ingredients of the genre, flash-back, shadows, dark corners, dark characters, femme fatale... The cast here is very good Betty Grabble and the famous Carole Landis are wonderfull, Victor Mature too and Laird Cregar excellent as the mad and sick inspector... A good screenplay nice filming A very good Noir 9/10
"Cry of the City" (Robert Siodmak, USA 1948)
Another nice Noir by a specialist. The screenplay is also here very good and the acting too especialy Richard Conte, Victor Mature is her less convincing but not bad. Very good filming, nice atmosphere of little italy... A good movie 8,5/10
"Panique" (aka "Panic") (Julien Duvivier, France 1947)
Excellent french film noir directed by Duvivier just after he came back from Hollywood; Fed-up by the happy endings he had to film in the US he decided a black, very black movie. The tragic story of a man wrongly accused of a murder and pushed to death by the hate of the crowd. Only because he's different, cultivate and very sensible... A very cruel movie with a wonderfull acting of Michel Simon... A great one 9/10
"Becassine" (Pierre Caron, France 1940)
A cheap comedy adapted from the very famous eponymous french comic strip. Becassine is a Breton, she's a very stupid girl but very gentle and with his own logic and stubborn. The movie was made during war and could not be very engaged. And it is certainly not. It's not the best comedy you can see but it's sometimes very funny and camp. A curiosity (less than 5 votes on Imdb, including mine...!!) 7/10 -
Cronos - an interesting movie with an excellent story. I like the execution, it's very realistic, with no superfluous special effects, the main character, the old man was fantastic and the overall relation grandfather-granddaughter was the most powerful thing for me, although it's not in the centre of the movie. 7,5/10
-
Midnight in Paris (2011) 6/10
Sort of OK, but also predictable, smooth and unharmful.
Wonangsori [Old Partner] (2008) 6/10
Documentary about an 80-year old South-Korean farmer, his 40-year old ox and his permanently nagging wife. In a slow and repetitive story, they stumble towards their end. Not terribly exciting.
Wristcutters: A Love Story (2006) 7/10
A gentle, understated comedy about afterlife, with some clichés and some sweet and funny bits.
Primer (2004) 7/10
Obscure no-budget debut film about two nerdy guys in a garage accidentally inventing a time machine. The bad thing is that the technological mumbo-jumbo makes little sense and that the plot is an indecipherable puzzle - although all this can also be understood as parody. The good thing is that the film totally disregards all Hollywood conventions and beautifully manages to link form and content.
Another Earth (2011) 9/10
This movie has irritated many, especially those who expected some interesting science fiction plot. I liked it a lot for its atmosphere. It's a film about guilt, remorse and redemption, and the cinematography, the pace, the music and the sparsity of dialogue manage to get that across. It is not about that other planet that has suddenly emerged in the sky, although it is cleverly woven into the story.
The Man from Earth (2007) 9/10
Some people in a room and that's it, for the length of the entire film. There are some fine examples of this in the history of film, and this is one of them. At his improvised goodbye party a college professor claims he is 14.000 years old. His colleagues need to make up their mind about what to think of that. The subject is a bit too big to fit into the one night discussion, which leads to some superficiality, and there are some weak aspects (like the ending and the music), but it's a brave and very enjoyable little film. -
"Takers" (John Luessenhop, USA 2010)
Another movie with lot of action guns, violence lot of tough guys... of no interrest... 3/10 -
Fortunately many other good movies this week-end...
“Mr. Bug Goes to Town” (Dave Fleischer, Shamus Culhane, USA 1941)
Nice anime movie telling the story of an insect commuty living in a smal garden in town which must face the construction of a building... And a lve triangle between a gentel grasshopper and an evil beetle who love the same pretty bee... Very nice. The clash between the two worlds is well done and interresting indeed... 8/10
“The Painted Desert” (Howard Higgin, USA 1931)
Interessant westerns about the story of a man Bill Holbrook (William Boyd) divided between his two fathersBill and Jeff (he was found by the two cowboys as a baby). He was raised by Bill but the Jeff never forgive that. Many years later the hate is still very strong... But one day Bill jr discover a big mine on the land of Jeff and ask his father Bill sr to work with his old fiend... but he refuses and fired Bill jr who joins Jeff and fall in love with Mary (Helen Twelvetrees). Furthermore Rance (Clark Gable) one of Jeff employee is in love too and will make all his possible to enhance the war between the two men. Not bad at all 7,5/10
“El gran calavera“ (aka “The Great Mad Cap“) (Luis Buñuel, Mexico 1949)
A poorly known Bunuel mexican movie. The story of a rich man who lost his wife and then only think to make parties and drink... His family only consists in parasites. His brother is worried and decide to help him by using a trick with the help of the family. One morning after big party he wakes up in a poor room all his family lives in misery... They tell him he was unconsious during one year and that he lost all his money... he realize hat he did... but soon discover the trick but decide to maintain his family in this state of powerty... Very funny and full of cynicism as usual. 8,5/10
“Brief Encounter“ (David Lean, UK 1945)
First very personal movie of David lean and a nice melodrama well directed and well acted. The influence of Welles is present (the numerous flash-backs...) but a strong dose of romantism too. Some pregant themes appear here like the importance of trains in Lean movies (like in William Wellmann ones...) is here clear. A nice one 8,5/10
“Uchu kaiju Gamera” (aka “Gamerak”) (Noriaki Yuasa, Japan 1980)
Last of the 8 "classic" Gamera movies. This one is very poor but funny, sort of best of of all previous episodes. Facing an invasion from pirates from outer space Gamera must fight all the monsters he defeated previously with the help of three cute aliens... 5,5/10 -
“The Man Who Loved Cat Dancing” (Richard C. Sarafian, USA 1973)
Excellent but poorly known western of the great director of "Vanishing Point" and "Man in the wilderness" The love story of a couple, Burt Reynolds ans Sarah Miles, who will discover themselves pursued by the husband of Sarah... A long trip through desert, snowy mountains... The photography is huge, the rythm very peacefull and calm, with some short episodes of pure violence... A movie to discover 9/10
“Tarzan’s Triumph” (William Thiele, USA 1943)
First of the war effort of Tarzan. Here he have to fight a troup of Nazis who landed in his jungle... Funny especialy the last scene... 7/10
“Marked Woman” (Lloyd Bacon, Michael Curtiz, USA 1937)
Wonderfull melodrama. The story of a group of prostitutes who'll will finish to testify against the mafia's boss who torture one of them. Bete Davis is excellent in this movie. The most interresting is the social commitment. Here (like in pre-code movies) the prostitutes are not shown as bad girls and the most important is that it's clearly shown why they chose this way of life (to escape a porr 12 bucks-a-week famine job) and it's not condamned, just shown... And at the end no redemption... Bete Davis leaves the attorney (Bogart) and goes back with her friends and they leave... They were prostitutes at the beginning, they are still at the end. Very uncommon at this time. So a very good movie indeed. 9,5/10
“Die Jungfrauen von Bumshausen“ (aka “Run, Virgin, Run”) (Hans Billian, West Germany 1970)
A cheap and camp german erotic comedy. The story of a small village which has the highest rate of fertilyty of Germany... Even the old men are fathers of young childrens (they of course have very young and pretty wives) indeed the legend says that's due to a special hot wind from the south "the foehn"... When it blows the men have to go in the country to become more virile. But in fact this is the only young man of the village who visits the desperate houswives... The government sends an inspector and his pretty secretary to discover the secret of the village. At the same time the mayor's daughter come back and fall in love with the young guy... the wives must to something to keep the legend alive... Very cheap and camp for fans only 5/10
“I Was a Teenage Werewolf” (Gene Fowler Jr., USA 1957)
Not as bad as expected. A classic B movie mixing horror and teenage movies. One of the first role of Michael Landon as Tony the poor teenager who transform in werewolf victim of a mad doctor... 6,5/10
“Road House” (Jean Negulesco, USA 1948)
Very nice mix of melodrama and film noir. Very good screenplay (even if the last third is a bit less interresting) nice directing and very good acting of the three members of this mad love triangle Ida Lupino (rarely so beautifull and wonderful singer!!) Richard Widmark as the mad jealous guy and Cornel Wilde. Very good One 9/10.
That's all for the moment... -
- CommentAuthortheoffice911
- CommentTimeNov 14th 2011
@Antituur :
Blindness (2008) --> 3/10
Primer (2004) --> 4/10
Les petits mouchoirs (2010) --> 7/10
Hanna (2011) --> 7/10
Another Earth (2011) --> 7/10
The Town (2010) --> 7/10
Rango (2011) --> 7/10
Jodaeiye Nader az Simin (2011) --> 8/10
Midnight in Paris (2010) --> 8/10
The Man from Earth (2007) --> 8/10
La Cité de la Peur (1994) --> 10/10 (if you were a French 9 years old when this movie went out, you would have given it a 10/10 too lol ^^) -
@theoffice911 !!
And my movies ?? Nobody has anything to say about it... sad ;) -
Ha, theoffice, good to have you back in this topic! :-)
@RDPL55: for some reason you always seem to pick other movies than I do. ;-) -
@RDPL
Guess most of your movies aren't that well known. I've only seen "Cry Of The City" and "The Lost Patrol" myself (The DVDs of "Brief Encounter" and "The Red Shoes" are still lying around here somewhere). But "Whirlpool", "Dead End", "I Wake Up Screaming" and "He Who Gets Slapped" are on my To-Watch list.
And “Die Jungfrauen von Bumshausen“ is certainly a strange name for a movie. -
- CommentAuthortheoffice911
- CommentTimeNov 16th 2011
@RDPL55
Edge of Darkness (2010) --> 4/10
The Red Shoes (1948) --> 7/10
Brief Encounter (1945) --> 7/10
The Ox-Bow Incident (1943) --> 7/10
@sati
The Tree of Life (2011) --> 7/10
Drive (2011) --> 7/10
La piel que habito (2011) --> 7/10
@lovelyT
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958) --> 6/10
The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956) --> 7/10
The Night of the Hunter (1955) --> 7/10
Possession (1981) --> 7/10
Cool Hand Luke (1967) --> 8/10
12 Angry Men (1957) --> 10/10 -
"Deadline - U.S.A." (Richard Brooks, USA 1952)
Last night at our cineclub this nice movie about journalism, nice screenplay (brooks did it too) even if somewhat idealistic sometimes. Nice editing and acting of Bogart... supporting roles are olso well depicted (and some good references too McCarthysm...). A good One 8,5/10 -
"Compulsion" (Richard Fleischer, USA 1959)
On the same thema of Hitchcock's Rope and adapted from a real case. The story of two students who decided, convinced they are superior men, to commit the perfect murder. They kidnap and kill a young children but the made a mistake and arrested. A famous lawyer (played by Orson Welles) will try to save them from hanging... Nice filming, good use of ellipsis. 8,5/10 -
Things We Lost in the Fire (2007) 4/10
A kind, successful and loving husband and father who is killed when trying to stop a fight. Ooh, that's bad. And a good guy who is a drugs addict, tries to get clean, but relapses. Ooh, that's bad as well. And then combine the two, then it's really, really, bad. And then have everything developed along the predictable paths, with people crying a lot and loads of close ups. Then it's no longer bad, it's become melodramatic crap.
Tekkon kinkurîto [Tekkonkinkreet] (2006) 5/10
Absolutely wonderful graphics, but why do these anime stories always have to be so childish? And it's dragging on and on.
Buda as sharm foru rikht [Buddha Collapsed Out of Shame] (2007) 6/10
There are some irresistible elements in this film: a five year old girl, living in one of the caves alongside the site of the Taliban-dynamited Buddha statue, who one day decides she wants to go to school - which is not an obvious thing for girls in Afghanistan. The film then follows her on her, well yes, why not... her odyssey. Directed by the then 19-years old Iranian Hana Makhmalbaf it's not a mature film, however. It's a rather one-dimensional childish story. Nevertheless, it gives an idea of daily life in such a place and shows what years of war have done to the behaviour of children.
Izgnanie [The Banishment] (2007) 9/10
Plot and structure of the film have some weaknesses, but cinematography, acting, sound and locations are all superb, in this drama about a Russian couple in disarray. -
"G Men" (William Keighley, USA 1935)
The story of a young Lawyer (James Cagney) who don't earn money because he wants to remain honnest... A friend of him works for the FBI and want he to engage. But he doesn't want. But after his friend was killed by a mad thief Leggett (Edward Pawley excellent) he decides to engage... But his past soon arise and will cause him trouble. Typical product of the Warner of that time. Lot of action, ralisme ofcertain scenes, lot of violence in this one... A good gangster movie indeed 8,5/10
"Sans Quentin" (Lloyd Bacon, USA 1937)
Prison story make rarely good movies, but this one is not bad. An ex-marine (Pat O'Brien) becomes head warder in a big prison. He tries new methods that begins to give results, but the ex-head-warder becomes jealous and will cause him much trouble. At the same time the brother (Humfrey Bogart) of the girl he's in love is locked into the jail for robberry... Quiet interesting with lot of twists in action. 8/10
"Bullets or Ballots" (William Keighley, USA 1936)
Another gangster movie with Edward G. Robinson as a cop who will infiltrate an dangerous ring of racketeering... A classic story but the whole seems bark and sad... the acting of Robinson somewhat disenchanted contributes to this feeling. The acting of Bogart as the bad bad guy is very good too... And Joan Blondell is cute... Another good gangster movie fron the 30's... 8/10
"Follow Me Quietly" (Richard Fleischer, USA 1949)
A very good B film-noir with a great directing and acting. No time to lose (the movie is 60' and was filmed in 10 days) in this lettle jewel. A story about a serial killer hunted by a cop who gradualy try to merge his own personality with the one of the killer... the beginning of profiling indeed, he also try new methods (the dummy scene is spectacular) to try to catch this new kind of killer... Interresting 8,5/10
"Ghost of Dragstrip Hollow" (William J. Hole Jr., USA 1959)
A cheap comedy and teen-movie about guys an gals crazy about dragsters and mechanic... they have a club but are going to be fired. The grand mother of one girl propose to let them her old house... but it is supposed to be haunted... Very camp and cheap comedy for teenagers of the 50's... with rock'n roll and big cars... but very neat and gentle... those young savages are not very wild indeed... parents can sleep quietly... Typical product of those years teenage movies made mostly for parents to be reassuder ;) Worth of watching for all the allusions to old sci-fi and horror movies of the 50's. The end of the movie is quite similar to "How to make a monster" (1958) which wanted to cut-off with the past... Interresting even if most of the gags are a bit dated... 6/10
"And Then There Were None" (Rene Clair, USA 1945)
Good adaptation of the famous novel of Agatha Christie "Ten Little Niggers" (indeed from the play she wrote after the novel with a different ending adapted here) Clair succeeds in giving is own touch to a movie that was just a command. Some humour is typicaly of his invention, that is not present in the play. The cast is also awsome and greatly contibute to make the movie very entertaining and fascinating. A good whodunit movie 9/10
"Uchu kara no messeji" (Kinji Fukusaku, Japan 1978)
This sci-fi movie is clearly influenced by Star Wars but more funny and with more humour. It's quite entertaining and the special effects are not bad at all. Like Star Wars it's a bit too childish and clean but worth of watching... 6,5/10
That's all for today... -
"I Know Where I'm Going" (Michael Powell & Emeric Pressburger, UK 1945)
Impressive romance movie about a girl who must join his future husband on a small island in Scotland but who remain trapped in a small port with a young officer on leave. With this, they will fall in love. With this simple story Powwel and Pressburger make a wonderfull movie with very fine and sensible screenplay. The direction and photography are huge. The filming of the landscapes and the people are excellent. Very good acting too. 9,5/10
"Pursuit to Algiers" (Roy William Neill, USA 1945)
Another good adventure of the famous tandem Holmes/Watson. Here most of the intrigue takes place on a boat to Algiers where Holmes must bring back and alive a young prince. But some bad guys want exactly the opposite... Nice screenplay and acting as usual, very entertaining. 7,5/10 -
"Crime and Punishment" (Josef von Sternberg, USA 1935)
First adaptation of the famous novel of Dostoïvsky. Sternberg did'nt like yhis movie he was in obligation to do. But indeed it's not bad at all. Put in present time the movie becomes untemporal as it is indeed. Peter Lorre and Edward Arnold are excellent and Marian Marsh touching.. The directing is good and the photgeaphy sometimes impressive... A good one 8/10
"Jeopardy" (John Sturges USA 1953)
A small thriller with Barbara Stanwyck and Barry Sullivan, u couple of american tourists who decide to spend some holydays on an isolated beach... But by accident Barry is trapped by a big beam fallen on his leg... Barbara takes the car to bring back help but she meets a dangerous murderer escaped from jail... Good small B movie with lot of suspense and action... Barbara Stanwyck ready to do everything to save her husband as the tide is coming in... 7;5/10 -
@RDPL
Sternberg's version is certainly not the first adaption of crime and punishment. There have been others before e.g. Robert Wiene's "Raskolnikow" http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0014397/
As for "Pursuit to Algiers": Decent movie, but i think in that one you can see the budget constraints of the series pretty well. The best part of the movie was the beginning, when they are directed to go to Fishbone Alley and Watson doesn't understand the least bit of whats happening. -
@doooom, yes few budget makes this movie looks more like a whodunit than the others sherlock holmes... Mission to Algiers that we'll nerver see... :) But Iove Low budget movies...
Yesterday at our cineclub "His Girl Friday" (Howard Hawks, USA 1940)
well known Hawks comedy. Still very funny with an excellent Cary Grant. But everybody knows this classic movie. 10/10 -
@RDPL55, I totally agree with "I Know Where I'm Going". A way too less known Powell & Pressburger movie. Unfortunately, I did not have any luck with shots I wanted to upload from this film. Hopefully, you will be more successful.
-
"So Long at the Fair" (Antony Darnborough, Terence Fisher, UK 1950)
Another lost gem... A poorly known movie of the master of horror and perhaps one of his best. At Paris's international exhibition in 1896 a nice girl Vicki (Jean Simmons beutifull) and her brother coming from Naple and Marseille arrive to the Unicorn's hotel... The next morning Vicki's brother has completly disappear... Even his room doesn't exist anymore... nobody at the hotel remember him... she came alone they say. Even the police, the british consul don't believe her. As she try to find a witness, a young maid... the later die in an accident in front of Vicki's eyes. Completly desperate she find a letter from a young artist (Dirk Bogarde) addressed to his brother in her room... She will discover a terrrible secret. Very nice reconsitution of old Paris deliciously dated the crowdy and festive atmosphere enhance the impression of mystery and terror of Vicki. The movie looks like a strange and haunting "A woman disappear"... Gret movie to discover 9/10 -
Mr Nobody - I haven't seen a movie like this in a while. It touched every part of me and I loved its every second. 10/10
-
Some movies this week-end
"The Woman in Green" (Roy William Neill, USA 1945)
One of the weirdest Sherlock Holmes adventure, I've already commented. Very good and diabolik screenplay, good acting and some very nice filming in some scenes... à good one 8/10
"Slaughterhouse-Five" (George Roy Hill, USA 1972)
Strange Sci-Fi tales about a man whom spirit is able to travel through the time in his own life. After an airplane crash, Billy Pilgrim is know able to ravel in time and on an alien planet Tralfamadore... Very good filming for this strange tale. A movie to discover, an unusual sc-fi movie. 8/10
"Son of Frankenstein" (Rowland V. Lee, USA 1939)
Somptuous horror movie of the 30's. This sequel of Frankenstein is not bad at all. The screenplay is simple but the nice filming and the great work on the settings is very enjoyable. And the casting is huge some kind of all B stars : Boris Karloff, Basil Rathbone, Bela Lugosi, Lionel Atwill (excellent)... And if you wonder where Kubrick found the character of Dr. Strangelove... you just have to watch this moive... you'll have the answer. 8/10
"The Ghost of Frankenstein" (Erle C. Kenton, USA 1942)
Sequel of the previous one, it is a bit cheaper... Once more the story is simple but well filmed Bela Lugosi still there as the mad Ygor but Lon Chaney does the monter... Much entertaining 7/10
"Rocky Mountain" (William Keighley, USA 1950)
Very good western about a group of confederate soldiers (with captain Barstow (Eroll Flynn excellent as chief) send to California to try to make an army to help the south. But things will go wrong when the small troup save a beautifull girl from the indians... Huge filming on location, nice action scenes, the last charge of Flynn and his men is heroic... Nice photography. a very good Western 9/10
"The Gorgon" (Terence Fisher, UK 1964)
One of the last movie of the golden age of the Hammer, but certainly one of the most underated. Perhaps ecause it is somewhat premonitory with it's sadness and darkness. The mix of Carpathian and Greek mythology gives an amazing result, some kind of doomed tragedy like greek ones... All characters seem to know thier fate and don't even try to escape to it... Like the hammer itself ?? 9/10 -
the others...
"The Enforcer" (Bretaigne Windust, Raoul Walsh, USA 1951)
Nice noir with Bogart as attorney Fergusson who has only one witness to condamn a mad killer Mendoza (Everet Sloane frightening)... The witness terrified want to escape and die by accident... Fergusson and his men remember all the investigation in hope to find a clue they could have forget... Great movie with huge screenplay and good acting. Walsh is uncredited but the darkness and irony of some sequences could be explained... The final sequence is excellent... A very good noir 9/10
"The Uninvited" (Lewis Allen, USA 1944)
A very good phantom movie with true phantoms... Roderick and Pamela Fitzgerald (Ray Miland and Ruth Hussey) are brother and sister one day they discover a strange house and decide to buy it... They are surprised because the owner ald old sailor sells it very low price... the house is supposed to be haunted.... That fact reveals quickly true... But the stranger is that the grand daughter of the captain Stella (Gail Russell) seems completly attracted by the house... A very good screenplay a trio of actors very interresting and the presence of the rare actress Cornelia Otis Skinner make of this movie a little gem... 8/10
"The Street With no Name" (William Keighley, USA 1948)
William Keighley is a director to discover, often forgotten in cinema history he deserves a better place. Even if he did few movies most of then a good or very good. (see for example "G Men" or "Rocky Mountain"). This one is also very good. Made half-documentary this detailed investigation deals with a FBI agent who infiltrate a dangerous gang of thieves. The leader of the gang is very intelligent but very crual and vicious (Richard Widmark excellent) Very nice filming in a pure Noir Style... Impressive 9/10
"Calling Dr. Death" (Reginald LeBorg, USA 1943)
First of the six movies of the famous Serie "Inner Sanctum" this one tells the story of neurologist Dr. Steele losing his memories of the last few days, and is told that his wife has been brutally murdered... All the clues seems to be against him... Very clever screenplay and acting of Lon Chaney Jr. A pure B, very entertaining. 7,5/10
that's all for this week-end... -
What are you going to do when you have finished watching *everything*? Start all over again? Take on some other decades? ;-)
-
Fortunatly I won't watch "everything"... Perhaps then I'll watch movies made after 1980... They will be old enough for me ;)
-
I won't watch "everithing but at least those ones... ;)
"Berlin Express" (Jacques Tourneur, USA 1949)
Great film noir filmed in Germany just after the war... A group of people from different nations (French, Germans, American, Russian, English) must work together to find who killed an agent and kidnap an important diplomat... But soon it's clear that there is a traitor. Very good directing with a nice touch of mystery. 8,5/10
"L'enfer dans la peau" (aka "Sexus") (José Bénazéraf, France 1965)
Another strange movie of the great Bénazéraf, the father of french porn. In this one a rich girl is kidnapped by a band of thieves... But the prisonner is sometimes the most dangerous... Strange movie, reflexion on time and eternity. A mix of "Nouvelle Vague" filming and very strong erotism... A director to discover. Oh I forgot, the original soundtrack is made by Chet Baker himself... 8/10 -
- CommentAuthormarinaraujo
- CommentTimeNov 29th 2011 edited
Life in a Day - Very interesting documentary made of footage people around the world sent of what they were doing on July 24th, 2010. Even when it showed daily habits, it didn't get boring... actually, I felt like it showed the beauty hidden in everyday life. Great editing and soundtrack, should be checked out! 8/10
It's officialy available on youtube if anyone is interested http://www.youtube.com/user/lifeinaday -
"The Crimson Kimono" (Samuel Fuller, USA 1959)
Excellent movie mix of melodrama and film noir. A strip-dancer is assassinated... she was about to present a new "japanese" show... Two inspectors one caucasian, the other japanese are in charge. They find a young girl who saw a possible culprit, soon someone tries to kill her, she's now under thier protection and they both fall in love with her... Very good movie about a difficult subject at that time the interracial love and the racism connected with it. Fuller does it with lot of cleverness and tact and very fine analysis (see at the oppsite the pachydermic "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner"). Furthermore the fiming of Fuller is as usual very inventive and original. A great movie 9/10.
"Murder by Television" (Clifford Sanforth, USA 1935)
A very poor B movie with Bela Lugosi. An scientist creat a new system of TV transmission, but refusies to sell it and decide to create his own broadcast. But during the first presentation he's killed... But nobody can say how and by whom... A difficult case for the chief of police and his assistant. A very low budget whodunit, poorly filmed and acted. The screenplay is not so bad. 5,5/10
"British Intelligence" (Terry O. Morse, USA 1940)
A spy movie who takes place during WWI but with strong commitment with WWII... A weird play of spys double agent even triple !! The whole is entertaining and with good suspense. Boris Karloff is good as usual. A decent B. 7/10