The Thin Man 1934
5/5
I had heard about this movie and its sequels, but wasn't too interested in seeing it until I read a discussion about it on a message board. Curious, I decided to rent it without knowing a lot about it.
Having seen it, it's clear how many other husband-and-wife detective duos were modeled on this pair, but everyone else pales beside them. The dialog is snappy and often outright hysterical, their expressions are fantastic (esp. Loy's wrinkled nose), even Powell's constant drinking is funny when you take it in the context of the time. The story itself was a bit convoluted and at times difficult to follow (thank the author Dashiell Hammett), but other than the occasional bit of confusion as to who was who, a very interesting and engaging whodunit. The bit with the grabby broad's son's hat had both my son and I laughing so hard that we had to stop the DVD, and the scene in the bedroom with the gun and punch had to be rewound twice to make sure we'd seen what we'd thought we'd seen. Priceless!
If you're interested in movies of this era and/or genre, you don't want to miss this one. A true gem, well-written and wonderfully acted, highly recommended. I already can't WAIT for the next one to arrive.
Life Support 2007
4/5
I'm still on my kick where I'll watch just about anything with Queen Latifah in it, so this morning I finally got around to watching "Life Support" which I recorded from HBO. It's a based-on-the-true-story of an HIV-positive woman who works with an AIDS outreach group and how she deals with the problems in her life as well as how HIV/AIDS is affecting the black community.
The beginning was rather boring, to be honest, as it started out with an HIV support group, a dozen or so women all talking about how they got the disease, mostly about how stupid they were not to use condoms or to share a needle. But then the plot picked up, and very shortly had me drawn into this woman's life and problems. The situations are very realistic and relevant, and my two problems with the story/plot is that:
A. some of the sub-plots were NOT tied up, in fact it's never told if one of the main characters who is sick lives or dies.
B. emotions were openly manipulated in a noticeable and almost artificial manner several times, mostly by use of music.
Those was a bit irritating--I like everything neatly tied up whether or not that's realistic--but it wouldn't stop me from recommending this movie to anyone who is interested in it. It's not a film for everyone, but if you like realistic situations and how normal-yet-extraordinary people deal with them, this is a very good movie.
The cinematography and direction were absolutely outstanding, being filmed on location in Brooklyn and with a very gritty, realistic feel. Queen Latifah did, as always, a stunning job and played most of the movie with little to no makeup on and her hair pulled back into a ponytail, which really helped the realistic feeling. When I saw that her older daughter had been played by a girl who was doing her first movie I almost fell out of my chair; watch for Rachel Nicks, I'd bet she'll be making her mark soon. Her best friend was played very well by Evan Ross, Diana Ross' son, who is also fairly new to the acting game. Last but not least I have to mention Anna Deavere Smith who played Latifah's mother, the veteran of the cast and who brought a depth and intensity to her character that was just perfect. I immediately recognized her from "An American President" and "Dave" and was tickled to find her in this movie.
Overall, highly recommended as a dramatic character sturdy, just don't be too disappointed by the lack of closure to all the storylines.
Night at the Museum 2006
5/5
If you've seen the previews you pretty much know the movie but that isn't a downside; the film lives up to its promise--and then some.
This is probably one of the funniest family-friendly live action movies I've seen in years. There's nothing objectionable in it, yet it manages to be wildly funny and, in parts, edge-of-your-seat suspenseful.
Ben Stiller is one of the finest comedy actors around and the rest of the cast is just as good, and it's too bad he didn't have more screen time with Owen Wilson as they have great chemistry. Dick Van Dyke, Mickey Rooney, and Bill Cobbs were both hysterically funny yet kind of sad, although once they leave Ben alone in that museum without warning you don't like them as much (since we already know what happens). Robin Williams tones down his usual comedic wildness for a stunning turn as Teddy Roosevelt, quietly funny yet dignified. Worth special note are the actors who play the Roman leader and the Egyptian pharaoh, both were perfectly suited to their parts and made them even more believable. The other human actors were all good, although the CGI must be mentioned.
Those who know me know I'm NOT a fan of CGI, but it's incredibly well-done here and not overused. I think they did as much live action as possible and only used CGI when necessary, which makes for a much better-looking, realistic, and believable film. Overall, highly recommended for the whole family, although some intense parts may scare very small children.
The Last of the Blonde Bombshells 2000
4/5
This is a surprisingly well-made movie for a made-for-TV, in widescreen and not cheaply made. It has some rather colorful language, shall we say, and implied sexual hijinks, though there's nothing really objectionable in it other than the swearing which is done in a humorous way.
Judi Dench is, as always, absolutely perfect and her chemistry with Ian Holmes has to be seen to be believed. I wish there had been more screen time for Leslie Caron and Olympia Dukakis, two incredible ladies of film, but no one here puts a foot wrong. Both the older actresses and those who play them during WWII are spot-on perfect, and completely believable in every way.
The story itself is more or less predictable, though at times things happened in a way that caught me by surprise. A nice little stroll down Memory Lane with the nostalgia parts very well done and some guffaw-out-loud lines, mostly from Madam Dench but everyone pretty much gets a turn. Highly recommended if the story looks of interest to you--it won't disappoint.
Opal Dream 2006
3/5
I'm a huge fan of indies, especially those made in Australia and Great Britain. That said, I really, really wanted to like this movie and did up until the end, which I felt didn't wrap up the story fully. Knowing that there was a book I suspect that the scriptwriters may have assumed that viewers know what happened, but I haven't read the book so I was left hanging.
Other than my disappointment at the ending, however, this was a wonderfully made and acted film that tugged at the heartstrings with no artifice and had a cast of fascinating characters in an unusual setting. I would recommend it to anyone interested, just don't expect the ending to wrap up all parts of the story.
And despite the incorrect description and rather misleading reviews I've read, I didn't find anything about faith of any type in it here. It was more a story of a town coming together to help a little girl after badly misjudging her father.
Everyone's Hero 2006
1/5
Although I really wanted to like this movie as I'm a baseball and animation fan and it looks like an awesome voice cast, I found it to be surprisingly dull. I got about half an hour into it and dozed off--in the middle of the day. It reminded me a bit of "The Iron Giant"--one of my favorite animated films--but without the spirit and originality of that one. Very, very disappointing.
"Le Notti di Cabiria" (Nights of Cabiria) 1957
5/5
I've wanted to see a Fellini film for a while, and now I see why this one came most recommended as well as why it won so many awards and has such a good ranking in IMDb's Top 250 Films of All Time (#110). It's a flawlessly told story of the type of life that most people never think about, in the post-WWII years that brought prosperity for many but nothing more than continued poverty and suffering for even more. The restored scene that shows people living in caves outside Rome is just heartbreaking, but not surprising after you've seen how Cabiria and her fellow streetwalkers live.
I can't say enough about Giulietta Masina's performance, it is one of the finest I've ever seen on film. I watched the movie in Italian with English subtitles, and had no problem following the story even when I wasn't reading the subtitles. I totally lost myself in the film and was rather surprised to find myself in 2007 when it ended.
Technically this movie is amazing, done in black and white which makes the nights darker and more sinister and the occasional day scenes even brighter and more hopeful. Just about every moment of it is a treat to the eye, and it's one of those movies that every film student should be required to watch to see how it should be done. The suspenseful parts take you just far enough without dragging it out, and I did not see the ending coming although afterward it all made sense.
This is one not to miss if you're a student of film or the human condition; don't let the age of the movie or the fact that it's in b/w put you off. Definitely one I will own and watch over and over again.
Ratatoille 2007
5/5
First of all, let me say that if anyone is rodent-phobic, stay far far away from this movie. There is a disclaimer at the end stating that no rotoscoping was used in the making of this film, and that's important because certain scenes really did look like real rats, especially the scenes where groups of them are running away from the camera. Second of all, this is without a doubt Pixar's eighth home run in a row--absolutely stunning. I hadn't believed that the animation could get better after "Cars", but I was wrong--it did. The story is also far more original like the other Pixars, with a few unexpected twists and a good medley of ups and downs. I went to see this by myself despite the fact that I don't care to go to movies alone, but it's hard to feel "alone" when you're in a packed theater especially with a large amount of children. While I don't think this one was quite as funny as, say, the "Toy Story"s, it definitely held the children as well as the adults enthralled. There were a few tense moments or scenes that were probably over a smaller child's head, but I saw no restlessness in the dozens of children in the theater around me. This one IS best seen on the big screen, and I felt was well worth the nearly $9 I paid to see it. I hate to say which Pixar film is my favorite, so let's just say this one is up in the top 8, shall we? The short was very cute, but don't wait through the credits--for once they didn't do anything at the end.
Shrek the 3rd 2007
5/5
I can't understand where the bad reviews are coming from because while this installment isn't quite as good as the original "Shrek", it's definitely as worthy a sequel as the second one. The story isn't quite as strong, but it works well with the usual LOL gags and over-the-kids'-heads remarks. This is NOT one of those sequels where they just redo what was funny in the original, they carry it a step further and create a whole new story to continue the characters. The addition of Justin Timberlake and Eric Idle are just perfect, and the mixup between Donkey and Puss is a priceless situation that is put to good use. This film was better and more original than 90% of what I've seen come out of Hollywood in the last few years, and I'm ready to go see it again.
Music and Lyrics 2007
5/5
Although I'm not a fan of Hugh Grant or romance movies, I rented this due to a friend who saw it in the theater and highly recommended it mostly due to the snappy dialog, chemistry between Grant and Barrymore, and a good takeoff on the '80s pop bands. Since I trust said friend's opinion, I did rent it and certainly don't regret it. This was a fun little movie with no surprises but lots of heart. It does indeed have fantastic dialog and chemistry between the leads, and some very, very funny moments often due to both Grant and Barrymore's expression--if you don't laugh yourself silly when he stuffs an hors d'oeuvre into her mouth so she won't say something he doesn't want heard, you're a stronger person than I. Surprisingly good was Haley Bennett as Cora, the pop star who wants Grant's character to write a song for her. This was her first movie, and I see many more on the horizon. I also have to mention Brad Garrett, who doesn't have much screen time but certainly makes the most of it. This does remind me a bit of "Laws of Attraction" and "Hitch", but that's not a bad thing as I adore both movies. Just the remark about Cole Porter was worth seeing the whole movie for if you know anything about him. HIGHLY recommended.
