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The Frighteners (1996, Peter Jackson), the director’s cut
Fun–which is appropriate since director Jackson referred to this extended version as “The Director’s Fun Cut”–slapstick horror comedy about a ghost hunter (Michael J. Fox) who finds himself having to deal with actually dangerous ghosts, instead of just the amusing kind. Along the way he romances Trini Alvarado and battles a crazy FBI agent (Jeffrey… 📖
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Interrupted Melody (1955, Curtis Bernhardt)
Interrupted Melody is an interesting example of economic storytelling. The film covers about ten years, has a number of strong character relationships, but moves gently through all of it. It’s got moments where there isn’t any dialogue, just the look between characters, it’s got a great love story–and, even better, a great struggling marriage. Director… 📖
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Angel Baby (1995, Michael Rymer)
Outstanding drama about John Lynch and Jacqueline McKenzie, who both have schizophrenia, meeting, falling in love, and trying make a life together, contending with their treatment and Lynch’s concerned/disapproving family. Wonderful performances from Lynch and McKenzie, great script and direction from Rymer. Rymer establishes a wonderful sense of empathy, never letting the characters become pitiable… 📖
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The Call of Cthulhu (2005, Andrew Leman)
Spectacular adaption of 1928 H.P. Lovecraft horror story done as a silent film, without any CGI, made in the CGI era. Lots of great, inventive filmmaking and an outstanding adaptation (by Sean Brannery) into the silent film medium. It’s well-worth a look. DVD, Streaming.Continue reading → 📖
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Denise Calls Up (1995, Hal Salwen)
Comedic, tragic look at love in the (very mid-1990s) call waiting era. A group of New Yorkers try to make plans to hang out, hook up, and everything else but can never seem to manage to get off their phones long enough to actually meet each other in real life. Great cast, with Alanna Ubach… 📖
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French Cancan (1955, Jean Renoir)
Profoundly boring story of the creation and opening of the Moulin Rouge. Well-acted, with Jean Gabin in the lead, just completely pointless. The film’s a series of conflicts and resolutions without any rising action, the opening as a backdrop–no idea if it’s historically accurate, but it would be nice to have some drama. Or a… 📖
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Bat*21 (1988, Peter Markle)
Disappointing “serious” war action movie about lieutenant colonel Gene Hackman shot down behind enemy lines in Vietnam with no one willing to save him except helicopter pilot Danny Glover. Wooden dialogue, bad music, and director Markle shoots close-ups when they should be long shots and vice versa, but it could be a lot worse. Both… 📖
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The Red Shoes (1948, Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger)
Absolutely gorgeous, tedious mix of ballet and film–the twenty minute ballet sequence is twenty of the most beautiful minutes ever on film–but it’s a dramatic wreck. The script has a version of the Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale playing out in a ballet company as it stages the same fairy tale. Moira Shearer’s dancing is… 📖
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Asako in Ruby Shoes (2000, Lee Je-yong)
Spectacular comedic, romantic drama about Korean Lee Jung-jae falling for a Japanese webcam girl (Tachibana Misato) and because it’s the movies (and the year 2000), he’s not a creep and she likes him. Great script from director Lee, phenomenal performances from the leads. Tachibana probably wins if its a contest but actor Lee is great… 📖
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Kagemusha (1980, Kurosawa Akira)
Good, if impersonal, Kurosawa epic about thief (Nakadai Tatsuya) getting recruited to impersonate a warlord (also Nakadai). Complications, obviously, ensue. Kurosawa seems beholden to historical accuracy at the expense of natural drama. The film’s so packed with information, it could even use some more run time (as is, it’s over two and a half hours).… 📖
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La Haine (1995, Mathieu Kassovitz)
Mostly outstanding night in the life picture about three young men, one White (Vincent Cassel), one Black (Hubert Koundé), and one Arab (Saïd Taghmaoui); the city is rioting after police assault one of their peers. Writer-director Kassovitz never gets preachy, impressive given it’s shot in atmospheric black and white, but he does get predictable, constraining… 📖
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The Ice Storm (1997, Ang Lee)
Excellent drama set on one winter weekend in 1970s Connecticut about two families and the various ways they’re connected, through infidelity, lust, and tragedy. Great performances from the cast–Kevin Kline, Joan Allen, Sigourney Weaver, and Jamey Sheridan are the parents, Tobey Maguire, Christina Ricci, Adam Hann-Byrd, and Elijah Wood are the (teenage or older) kids.… 📖
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Groundhog Day (1993, Harold Ramis)
Outstanding, high concept comedy about misanthrope weatherman Bill Murray going to a small-town to cover the titular holiday, only to discover he can’t ever leave–he’s repeating the same day over and over and over again. Great Murray performance. Really smart script (by director Ramis and Danny Rubin). DVD, Blu-ray, Streaming.Continue reading → 📖
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Sin City (2005, Frank Miller and Robert Rodriguez), the extended version
Exasperatingly over-stylized adaptation of the Frank Miller comic has a bunch of good performances and a bunch of bad ones. The three stories–which are cut together in the regular version, separate in this extended version–range in quality big-time. As “Hard R” film noir… it comes off more like PULP FICTION with CW Network actors. Clive… 📖
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Star Wars (1977, George Lucas)
Two hours of glorious, unrelenting sci-fi adventure as desert planet orphan Mark Hamill discovers he’s really a space wizard and teams up with interstellar smuggler Harrison Ford and old man space wizard Alec Guinness to save princess Carrie Fisher from the evil Darth Vader (David Prowse, voiced by James Earl Jones). Revolutionary special effects, an… 📖
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Of Human Bondage (1946, Edmund Goulding)
Slow-moving (but nothing compared to the W. Somerset Maugham source novel) and quite good adaptation about existentially miserable Paul Henreid, who–despite becoming a medical doctor–can’t get over his club foot, which sets him on a course of self-destruction involving a common waitress, played by Eleanor Parker. Phenomenal performance from Parker, good one from Henreid, great… 📖
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The Tales of Hoffmann (1951, Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger)
Absolutely gorgeous staging of Jules Barbier opera is completely lacking, dramatically speaking. Powell and Pressburger do color German expressionism, which–again–looks great. They also haven’t got any interest in making a film out of the opera. Might be more of a success if you’re in the mood to watch an opera and not, you know, a… 📖
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Match Point (2005, Woody Allen)
Woody Allen goes London with this excellent (but just a thriller) thriller about tennis instructor Jonathan Rhys-Meyers who marries up (to Emily Mortimer) but starts cheating with his new brother-in-law’s girlfriend (Scarlett Johansson). Rhys-Meyers and Johansson are both excellent. Impeccably executed, with a great British supporting cast and healthy nods to the old Ealing comedies.… 📖
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Go (2001, Yukisada Isao)
Initially derivative, then good story of Korean teenager Kubozuka Yôsuke growing up in Japan and suffering racism. Lots of good stuff with the family and the friends, with the romance and the comedy coming in a distant third (and fourth). But then all of a sudden the romance gets good. Sometimes rocky–even through the denouement–but… 📖
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The Golden Coach (1952, Jean Renoir)
Beyond tedious story of traveling actress Anna Magnani getting into romance and intrigue in colonial Central America. Boring direction, poorly drawn characters. Plus Renoir’s got the international cast speaking English (for unity?), which brings in a bunch of other problems, particularly with Magnani’s performance and what Renoir does with it. DVD, Streaming.Continue reading → 📖
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The Rainmaker (1997, Francis Ford Coppola)
The Rainmaker‘s got some beautiful stuff in it. My history with it is somewhat sorted… I discovered it on DVD, then abandoned it–and have now rediscovered it. I can’t remember what my last problem with it was–probably the same as my current one–but I was selling DVDs and needed cash. It’s not perfect and has… 📖
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Godzilla: Final Wars (2004, Kitamura Ryuhei)
Toho’s last Godzilla entry before an extended break is homage to the seventies take on the monster with lots of monsters, lots of wrestling, lots of monsters wrestling. Sadly very long fight scenes and way too much reliance on wanting CGI. Director Kitamura doesn’t seem to have any interest in the giant monsters, which is… 📖
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Blind Horizon (2003, Michael Haussman)
Decent, albeit predictable thriller about Val Kilmer waking up with amnesia and surrounded by shady characters. Plus he’s got a wife (Neve Campbell) he can’t remember; she doesn’t like the waitress, played by Amy Smart, who’s been helping Kilmer out. Definitely needs a better title–there are no horizons, no one’s blind–but strong performances from everyone,… 📖
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The China Syndrome (1979, James Bridges)
Should be good (or at least better) disaster thriller about news reporter Jane Fonda and her rugged cameraman (Michael Douglas, who also produced, in a risible performance) happening upon an nuclear power plant “event” coverup involving plant supervisor Jack Lemmon. Great supporting performance from Wilford Brimley, waste of both Lemmon and Fonda’s time. Director Bridges… 📖
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Gone in Sixty Seconds (2000, Dominic Sena), the director’s cut
Pretty good car chase action movie with cops vs. car thieves in fast cars. Great cast (save Christopher Eccleston and Angelina Jolie). At least she’s more mediocre than bad. Lead Nicolas Cage never visibly counts the paycheck; Giovanni Ribisi’s great. Ostensible director’s cut adds little–certainly not where it needs help; instead, there’s some padding and… 📖
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After the Thin Man (1936, W.S. Van Dyke)
Direct sequel to THE THIN MAN spends the first act reminding the audience why they love Nick (William Powell) and Nora (Myrna Loy) so much before getting into the mystery part, which involves Nora’s wealthy family. Some classic set pieces, some hilarious jokes–especially ones involving Powell trying to cope with his in-laws–and a dynamic murderer… 📖
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Some (2004, Chang Yoon-hyun)
Rookie cop Go Soo already has his hands full with drug dealers then comes across TV reporter Song Ji-hyo, who may or may not be able to tell the future, and the two find themselves trapped in increasingly dangerous (and ominous) situations. Cute and occasionally lighthearted, the film still manages to be violent and threatening.… 📖
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The Game (1997, David Fincher)
Dreadful thriller has poor old me millionaire Michael Douglas getting the ultimate birthday gift from estranged brother Sean Penn: a live action role-playing game, just one with femme fatales (Deborah Kara Unger–or is she), killer clowns (or is it), and inevitable car chases. Lousy performance from Douglas. Good one from Penn but it’s not enough.… 📖
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Black Narcissus (1947, Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger)
One of a kind picture from Archers Powell and Pressburger–in terms of story and visuals–about Deborah Kerr’s group of nuns establishing a convent in the Himalayas. They soon find themselves in conflict with nature and each other, as the pristine environment invokes various feelings–jealousy, pride, lust, love–all while constrained by their vocation and location. Great… 📖
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Speak (2004, Jessica Sharzer)
Pretty good adaptation of Laurie Halse Anderson’s young adult novel features a great performance from Kristen Stewart as a high school freshman struggling in the aftermath of a sexual assault. Some strong direction from Sharzer. The short running time hurts it. DVD, Streaming.Continue reading → 📖
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Joint Security Area (2000, Park Chan-wook)
Ineptly executed decent idea–soldiers on either side of the Korean border becoming pals and how wrong things go. Director Park sentimentalizes more than directs. Some of the acting makes it bearable, though far from all of it. DVD.Continue reading → 📖
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Sneakers (1992, Phil Alden Robinson)
Delightful comedic thriller has Robert Redford leading a group of high tech security experts who run afoul of Redford’s old hippie pal/nemesis Ben Kingsley. Great performances throughout (from an awesome, varied supporting cast), wonderful direction from Robinson, and a lovely, playful James Horner score. 126 minutes of expertly executed fun. DVD, Blu-ray, Streaming.Continue reading → 📖
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Dead of Night (1945, Alberto Cavalcanti, Charles Crichton, Basil Dearden and Robert Hamer)
Mildly amusing horror anthology. The characters are too thin, the stories aren’t really uncanny enough, and the bridging sequence is a big time narrative cheat. Basil Radford and Naunton Wayne appear in one of the segments as non-copyright infringing analogues to their LADY VANISHES characters. DVD.Continue reading → 📖
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Gremlins (1984, Joe Dante)
Amusing special effects spectacular about evil little monsters wrecking havoc on a small town at Christmas. Chris Columbus’s script is shockingly slight, but the acting, directing, and special effects offset that deficiency. Zach Galligan’s a great lead and Hoyt Axton’s excellent as his father. DVD, Blu-ray, Streaming.Continue reading → 📖
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Antarctic Journal (2005, Yim Pil-sung)
Middling but inoffensive Korean supernatural thriller about an Antarctic expedition; pretty soon expedition members start dying off one by one. Beautiful New Zealand locations, fine direction, and okay plotting can’t overcome weak characterizations or the script’s emotional cheapness. The acting is better than the writing needs or deserves. DVD (R3).Continue reading → 📖
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Sling Blade (1996, Billy Bob Thornton), the director’s cut
Sometimes lovely film about developmentally disabled Thornton (who stars, writes, directs) getting out of the mental hospital he’s been in since killing his mother and her lover as a child. He soon bonds with 12-year old Lucas Black, who’s experiencing his own traumas. Way too long, way too many montages. Embarrassing-to-the-production bad performance from Dwight… 📖
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My Name is Nobody (1973, Tonino Valerii)
Fun but creatively lazy comedy Western about aging lawman Henry Fonda teaming up with amateur gunslinger Terence Hill to take on “The Wild Bunch.” Sergio Leone came up with the story, produced the picture in some uncredited but important capacity, and even directed some scenes. Or just one. He can’t doesn’t save it. In addition… 📖
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The Philadelphia Story (1940, George Cukor)
Just okay class comedy gets by on Cary Grant’s considerable charm as he tries to win ex-wife Katharine Hepburn back before she gets married again. Thin characters and stagy adaptation limit Hepburn most (Jimmy Stewart’s manifestly miscast). The rushed finish doesn’t help things either. Some nice direction from Cukor, though never in the pacing. DVD,… 📖
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Coogan’s Bluff (1968, Don Siegel)
Arizona sheriff’s deputy Clint Eastwood goes to New York in pursuit of fugitive Don Stroud; his macho demeanor causes friction with New York cop Lee J. Cobb as well as sizzles with probation officer Susan Clark. More a character study than an action/thriller, though the Hollywood hippies stuff doesn’t age well. Nice performances from Eastwood… 📖
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Bringing Out the Dead (1999, Martin Scorsese)
Singular motion picture recounting three nights of New York paramedic Nicolas Cage’s life and experiences on the job. Amazing on all counts–the lead performances from Cage and Patricia Arquette, the showy supporting ones from everyone else. Marc Anthony stands out as a frequent “customer.” Once frequent Scorsese scripter Paul Schrader adapted Joe Connelly’s novel, which… 📖