Modern films are welcome as well as classic films and those from any other viewing mediums. All comments, recommendation
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PygmyLion — 2 years ago(November 25, 2023 04:54 PM)
I watched
Man's Castle
last week and enjoyed it.
One thing I noticed was how lovingly Loretta Young looked into Spencer Tracy's eyes. Perhaps, it was a little beyond acting though, as from IMDB:
Loretta Young and Spencer Tracy began a tumultuous affair that lasted about a year. Young ended the relationship when she wasn't granted absolution because she was dating a married Catholic.
——
Thinking about Loretta Young movies, I was noticing that the Loretta Young movie,
The White Parade
(1934) was nominated for an Academy award in 1935. I doubt if I will ever get to see it as Wikipedia reports that:
The only surviving print is located at the UCLA film archive. The print is in rough shape; several frames are out of alignment, at times, while the whole picture looks bleached out and very fuzzy. As well, near the end of the film, a sign pops up indicating "reel 7".
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_White_Parade -
spiderwort — 2 years ago(November 25, 2023 09:29 PM)
MAN'S CASTLE is a personal favorite. I'm a big fan of Frank Borzage's direction, and I think this is one of his best efforts. And, yes, you are right about Tracy and Young. But the ironic thing is that Tracy was a Catholic, too, which is why he lived "in sin" with Katherine Hepburn for all those decades.
And I'm not at all familiar with THE WHITE PARADE. Sounds interesting, but we'll probably never get to see it. I'll keep an eye out for it, though. Who knows, it could be restored one of these days. -
EdwardVP — 2 years ago(November 25, 2023 02:08 PM)
VICTIM (1961)
Dirk Bogarde plays a budding QC who takes on the dastardly blackmailers who are preying on the London homosexual community. Some of the outlawed gay men have been driven to suicide. Bogarde's character risks his career and marriage because of his own secret sexuality.
THE STRANGE AFFAIR OF UNCLE HARRY (1945)
George Sanders plays a shy bachelor whose life is ruled by his two sisters. Their needs come first. Particularly the younger sister who enjoys playing the invalid and who covets the family home. She does her best to keep the avuncular-type Sanders' character a bachelor. -
spiderwort — 2 years ago(November 25, 2023 09:34 PM)
I think VICTIM is a terrific film with a wonderful performance by Dirk Bogarde and excellent direction by Basil Deardon. It was ground-breaking in its day. I'd highly recommend it for that reason alone, but it has a lot to offer beyond that.
Haven't seen THE STRANGE AFFAIR OF UNCLE HARRY, but it sounds interesting. I'll keep an eye out for it. I'm a big fan of the director, Robert Siodmak. -
PygmyLion — 2 years ago(November 25, 2023 05:27 PM)
The Bad and the Beautiful
(1953) - Kirk Douglas, Lana Turner, Dick Powell, Barry Sullivan, Gloria Grahame, Walter Pidgeon - Douglas is a ruthless movie producer, who has landed on bad times and tries to get 3 former associates - Turner an actress, Powell a writer, and Sullivan a director to work with him - but through flashbacks we see why none of them will. Grahame earned a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for a rather short part as Powell's southern belle wife. - 8
Macao
(1952) - Robert Mitchum, Jane Russell, William Bendix, Gloria Grahame - 7
The Glass Wall
(1953) - Vittorio Gassman, Gloria Grahame - Gassman plays a refugee from Europe, who has been a stole away on a ship bringing refugees from Europe. He has no papers though and hopes to find a US soldier he helped during the war. - 7
Four's a Crowd
(1938) - Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Rosalind Russell, Patric Knowles, Walter Connolly - the plot of this comedy is not very good, but I enjoyed watching the cast in their roles - 7
on 11/25
To Hot to Handle
(1938) - Clark Gable, Myrna Loy, Walter Pidgeon, Walter Connolly, Leo Carrillo - Gable and Pidgeon are rival newsreel photographers and Myrna Loy is a pilot in this adventure/comedy. - 7 -
spiderwort — 2 years ago(November 25, 2023 09:41 PM)
I'm a big fan of Minnelli's THE BAD AND THE BEAUTIFUL. I think it's one of the best Hollywood film stories, with its great cast, script and direction.
And although it's not a great film by any means, I really enjoyed MACAO, because I'm a huge fan of of both Robert Mitchum and Jane Russell. I'll watch everything they're in, together or apart. But they were always great together. And they stayed good friends through the years. I give them a lot of credit for that.
Haven't seen the other two films, but the casts are inviting. I'd probably enjoy FOUR'S A CROWD the most.
@PygmyLion
I see you added TOO HOT TO HANDLE. I don't think it's a great film, but it's certainly one that I always enjoy seeing, with its great cast and quite entertaining story. -
FreeHugs — 2 years ago(November 25, 2023 09:50 PM)
I watched:
Caught 1949 6/10 This was just okay,but didn't do much for me.
Deadline - U.S.A. 1952 6/10 Bogart's performance carries the film and makes it worth watching.
Holiday Hotline 2023 7/10 I liked the actors and the story. This was a tasty treat and not a turkey!
The Harder They Fall 1956 8/10 Humphrey Bogart is excellent in this well written film that packs a punch.
Storm Warning 1951 8/10 Ginger Rogers, Doris Day and Ronald Reagan star in this gripping and compelling film about a woman who witnesses the Klan murder a journalist. Rogers does a great job and Day and Reagan provide good support. The film is well written and fast paced, building to a powerful climax. Recommended.
The Dark Past 1948 5/10 I like the actors, but the film is too slow, too talky and just not very interesting. A couple good moments though.
Leo 2023 7/10 I thought Adam Sandler did a good job voicing the title lizard. I'm not sure why this is a musical though or if it really needed to be, but it has enough cute moments and a few laughs to make it worthwhile. Some of the songs are pretty good, but others don't feel genuine to the characters and story. Storywise, not everything works. The overprotective drone storyline doesn't really fit and the substitute teacher's arc isn't completely effective or believable. At times, it feels like the film doesn't quite know what it wants to be or who it is aimed at, but it was entertaining enough to keep me amused. And I can't quite decide if the design of the kindergarteners was hilarious or disturbing (or both), but those kindergarteners certainly are…something.
The Velveteen Rabbit 2023 7/10 This was sweet and cute.
A Season for Family 2023 7/10 I liked this. There are some sweet, heartfelt moments.
How to Fall in Love by Christmas 2023 6/10 Actors were fine, story was okay. A little slow and not as Christmasy as I would have liked, but still watchable.
Insurance Investigator 1951 5/10 I found this fairly slow and mediocre.
Holiday Road 2023 8/10 This was fun with some lovely sweet moments. I really liked the ensemble cast. One of the better cast of characters in a Hallmark film.
Key Witness 1947 6/10 An inventor of novelty items (John Beal) is falsely accused of murder and steals the identity of a dead man. This is tagged as film noir on imdb, but it clearly is not noir. It's more of a light drama with a couple mild noir elements. It is still somewhat interesting with decent performances. Not noir, but still might be worth watching.
The Big Shot 1942 6/10 Bogart elevates the film. It's alright overall, but with some good moments and Bogart gives it extra kick.
The Two Mrs. Carrolls 1947 6/10 Bogart and Stanwyck are good, but the story isn't that interesting and not everything works as well as it should. -
spiderwort — 2 years ago(November 25, 2023 09:56 PM)
Haven't seen a lot of those, but of those I have seen, THE HARDER THEY FALL and STORM WARNING are my favorites. I wanted to like THE TWO MRS. CARROLLS, because of the cast, but, like you, I don't think it works as well as it should. Would like to see THE VELVETEEN RABBIT, if I can find it – and the time to watch it. Thanks for the recommendation.
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ZolotoyRetriever — 2 years ago(November 26, 2023 03:36 AM)
Down to the Sea in Ships
(1922), silent romantic drama film about a 19th-century Massachusetts whaling family. Directed by Elmer Clifton, the film stars William Walcott, Marguerite Courtot, and Clara Bow. The film's title comes from Psalm 107, verses 23–24. The film features a number of at-sea scenes of a sail-rigged whaling ship engaged in the hunt for, and eventual capture and on-board processing of, a large sperm whale. Great movie (along with 1926's
The Sea Beast
) to watch while reading Herman Melville's famous whaling novel,
Moby Dick
. -
Rufus-T — 2 years ago(November 26, 2023 06:55 AM)
Fallen Angel (1945)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0037691/
I forgotten that I have saw this before. I gave a relatively low rating last time. Now I see why. Just a poorly written movie. I lowered my original rating.
Detective Story (1951)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0043465/
Mostly took place in a police precinct, like a play. Focus mostly on a Javert like detective. Started out a bit slow, but gotten into some very captivating moments. Some outstanding performance including Lee Grant's Oscar nominated film debut.
The Fallen Idol (1948)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0040338/
Seeing through the eyes of a child while his parents were away, he witnessed the conflict between the couple who are his caretakers. Outstanding
Born to Kill (1947)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0039211/
There were some good moment, but some nonsensical part of the story kind of ruined it.
The Dark Corner (1946)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038453/
Lucy before I Love Lucy, playing a secretary tried to help her detective boss who was being framed. Clifton Webb again excellent at playing an cynical villain.
The Killer (2023)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1136617/
Interesting movie about an assassin going about his business while narrating his approach in voice over. Not as much of an action film as one may expect, but mostly a movie about the character. Very well-crafted and stylish looking too.
D.O.A. (1988)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094933/
Awful remake of the 1949 movie.
Ministry of Fear (1944)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0037075/
Hitchcock like Fritz Lang movie about a man caught in an uncovering of a Nazi plot. Very engaging story.
The Holy Mountain (1926)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0016953/
Two skier friends fall for a dancer, forming a love triangle. Story was a bit dull, but some very beautiful scenes of the alpine and the dancing girl played by Leni Riefenstahl, the director of Triumph of the Will.
Faust (1926)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0016847/
Very good adaptation of the Goethe play of a devil buying the soul of an old man by giving him youth.
The Roaring Twenties (1939)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0031867/
High energy movie about the criminal activities during the prohibition era, which former soldier of WWI led the speakeasy business.
The Big Heat (1953)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0045555/
A detective dug himself a hole when trying to determine if a cop committed suicide or was murdered. Another good Fritz Lang movie. -
spiderwort — 2 years ago(November 26, 2023 02:51 PM)
Haven't seen all of these, Rufus, but of those I have seen my favorites are THE FALLEN IDOL, THE DARK CORNER, MINISTRY OF FEAR, THE ROARING TWENTIES, and THE BIG HEAT.
Would love to see FAUST, huge Murnau fan that I am. And also Riefenstahl's THE HOLY MOUNTAIN. I know her as a great documentary filmmaker (politics aside), so it would be interesting to see her work as a narrative filmmaker. Maybe one of these days I can see both. Can't count on it, but maybe. Sigh. . . -
Rufus-T — 2 years ago(December 05, 2023 05:41 AM)
spider, If you haven't seen it and are able to get hold of it, I highly recommend the documentary
The Wonderful, Horrible Life of Leni Riefenstahl
. It was made while she was still around, so you'll get interview and perspective from herself. If I remember correctly,
The Holy Mountain
was the time when she learned her film skills from her boyfriend (or mentor) then. Arnold Fanck, I believe. Leni Riefenstahl was mainly a dancer at that time. -
spiderwort — 2 years ago(December 05, 2023 03:00 PM)
Thanks, Rufus. I'll see if I can find it when time permits. I think she was a genius of a filmmaker, politics aside, as I said. And her life, as I recall, was quite interesting, too. I'm sure I'd love any documentary about her, especially one in which she herself appears. So I especially I look forward to seeing this one. Thanks again for the recommendation.
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unex — 2 years ago(November 27, 2023 01:37 PM)
Underworld (1927) - Story of the two types of dominance, brute strength and intimidation versus skill and competence embodied in a sanguine choleric gangster and a melancholic phlegmatic drunk/lawyer. I like seeing exaggerated characteristics of people in silents. Makes the stories seem mythic.
Chicago (1927) - Based on the play that inspired the musical that became the hit 2003 film which I never saw. Obviously this version isn't a musical but the soundtrack did start to annoy me. I think the same song was playing for almost the entire film. There maybe was another song for a brief period. I liked the movie. -
spiderwort — 2 years ago(November 27, 2023 07:00 PM)
I've been meaning to see these for years, unex, but just haven't gotten around to it. Maybe one of these days. I'm a big fan of Josef von Sterberg and UNDERWORLD has a great reputation. Really need to see that one. And I know CHICAGO from having seen a later version, ROXIE HART, which I enjoyed. But it would seem that your 1927 version is probably the one to see. I wasn't a fan of the 2003 version. It was well-done, but there wasn't one character I could get invested in enough to care about.
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Sophienoire — 2 years ago(November 27, 2023 05:23 PM)
Rebecca
(Alfred Hitchcock, 1940) 9/10 (rewatch)
Honestly, it became everything at once as soon as it ended. Rebecca has taken a place in my chest and refuses to crawl out.
A haunting, mystical and gothic psychological suspense melodrama with a thick atmosphere, a wonderful lead performance and character portrayal by Joan Fontaine, and just exceptional direction from the great Hitchcock. Gets more immersive and tense by every minute. Shout out to Judith Anderson as well for her performance, she often gave me the chills. The titular Rebecca is dead and never seen, but the ghost and soul of her feels omnipresent and still haunts the narrative, the characters and the entire Manderlay. Opening and ending are both stunning. Some of Hitchcock's very finest work in my opinion.
The Turning Point
(William Dieterle, 1952) 7/10
The Kefauver Committee's hearings on organised crime were the inspiration for this film noir. William Holden, in particular, was great as a cynical newspaper reporter. The story had a good pace and good dialogue. The exciting ending takes place at a crowded arena during a boxing fight.
This was Alexis Smith's best film role and the film debut of Carolyn Jones who left quite an impression during her 5-minute scene.
The Creator
(Gareth Edwards, 2023) 8/10
Visually beautiful and often funny, The Creator scratched a lurking original science-fiction itch. I really like John David Washington in a space suit.
the sound of your racing heart -
spiderwort — 2 years ago(November 27, 2023 07:07 PM)
I love REBECCA, Sophienoire. One of Hitchcock's best, and his first Hollywood film, a little less "Hitchcockian" than his normal style, but still totally captivating. Great script, performances, and direction.
Regret to say I haven't seen the other two (not sure how I missed THE TURNING POINT), but I will keep an eye out for them. But it's hard to go wrong with REBECCA, one of the great Hollywood classics (and I'm not even a fan of Joan Fontaine!).