Wed - February 25, 2004

Witness for the Prosecution (movie)


This film has many surprises, most coming in the last few minutes!

Witness for the Prosecution (1957) is another great Billy Wilder film. The story is based on a play by Agatha Christie. It's one of those films that if you tell someone the ending, you ruin the whole film experience for that person. Remember the end of Citizen Kane (1941)? Same deal here. In fact as the credits roll at the end, an announcer reminds the audience not to reveal the ending.

Unfortunately, this was Tyrone Power's last film. He passed away soon after its completion.

The film is set in London and most of the action takes place in a British courtroom. Charles Laughton plays an aging and ailing barrister defending a murder suspect (Tyrone Power). Marlene Dietrich plays the suspect's German-born wife. This film has lots of twists and turns and is very entertaining. I will not say much more than that. You have to watch it!

Posted at 07:57 AM    

Sun - February 22, 2004

Sabrina (movie)


This another great movie from Billy Wilder, Humphrey Bogart, Audrey Hepburn, and William Holden.

Sabrina (1954) is wonderful film about growing up, finding out who you are, and falling love. Sabrina, played by Hepburn, is a chauffeur's daughter that fell in love with the son of the family for which her father works. David, played by William Holden, is the ultimate rich playboy kid. He falls in love with every pretty girl that comes along. David works for his older brother Linus, played by Humphrey Bogart, in the family business. Linus runs the entire family empire. Sabrina has been in love with David since she was a little girl. Linus is all business, except when it's time to "get rid" of Sabrina to save the family from the scandal sheets.

It's a fun film. Billy Wilder works his magic again with this classic.

Posted at 04:04 PM    

Tue - February 3, 2004

Sunset Blvd. (movie)


This is an excellent film. I am still impressed by the work of Billy Wilder.

Sunset Blvd. (1950) is disturbing look at Hollywood. Norma Desmond (played by Gloria Swanson), a former silent movie star, exploits a down-on-hi-luck screenwriter, played by William Holden, to edit her script that will return her to the screen and her fans. She falls in love with him. She gets creepy fast too.

The neat part is to see so many real silent movie stars and directors in the picture. Buster Keaton and Cecil B. DeMille have cameo roles. Even Max, the butler, is the former famous movie director, Erich von Stroheim.

The main theme in this movie is that opportunism has its consequences. Everyone seems to exploit everyone else. Perhaps, that's the way it is with Hollywood.

It did not win the Oscar for Best Picture, possibly because of the hard stab it took at Hollywood itself.

Posted at 12:31 AM    

Thu - January 29, 2004

Anything Else (movie)


Another Woody Allen film with wit and weird people.

Anything Else (2003) is Allen's latest work as writer and director. I enjoyed the film, but I wouldn't call it his very best work.

Woody Allen plays school teacher and part-time writer that constantly spouts off strange theories and philosophies. Jason Biggs plays Jerry, an aspiring writer in love with Amanda. Christina Ricci stars as Amanda, the "ultimate nightmare girlfriend."

It's an OK show with the usual Woody Allen jokes. Check it out.

Posted at 12:43 AM    

Fri - January 23, 2004

Deconstructing Harry (movie)


Another weird film from Woody Allen.

Deconstructing Harry (1997) is a strange story about a writer who incorporates the people in his life into his stories. Of course, the family and friends portrayed in the stories are never happy about what is written about them or the secrets he reveals.

This film has another all-star cast which I won't name for space reasons.

An interesting film editing technique used were these quick cuts either a fraction of second ahead or a repeating fractions of seconds. I am sure there is a name for that, but I don't you would call it.

Posted at 10:42 AM    

Wed - January 21, 2004

Bullets Over Broadway (movie)


Gangsters, hoodlums, and... theater!?

Bullets Over Broadway (1994) is another great Woody Allen written and directed movie. It seems that you can always tell which ones are his. That's not to say that his movies are predictable. Nay, nay. Woody Allen extends the art form in new and entertaining ways.

Bullets has an all-star cast and some really great dialogue in the usual Woody Allen style. Jennifer Tilly plays a bad actor whose boyfriend is a mob boss, played by Joe Viterelli. In order to make his girlfriend happy, the boss finances a play written by John Cusack's character. The problem is that she is not a good actor and her appointed bodyguard, Chazz Palminteri, helps improve the play in several unique ways.

Posted at 12:45 PM    

Mon - January 12, 2004

Cannibal! The Musical (movie)


Before South Park, there was Alfred Packer: The Musical (1996) (aka Cannibal! The Musical).

You either love or hate Trey Parker and Matt Stone.

Childish humor? Yes. Socially unacceptable? Yes, of course. It's from Troma.

This movie is based on the story of Alfred Packer. It's a Colorado story that most people have never heard. The movie portrays Alfred Packer as a hapless guide who gets his party lost in the Colorado mountains in the winter. Of course, there is no food and eventually some people are eaten.

The best part of this movie is the singing and dancing in the tradition of Oklahoma! (1955).

Note: Even though the more violent scenes were removed this is not a movie for young children.

Posted at 11:28 AM    

Thu - November 6, 2003

1941 (movie)


Another wacky comedy from Spielberg, Zemeckis, Gale, Candy, Aykroyd, Belushi, and... Treat Williams?

1941 (1979) is a weird big-budget film from Spielberg. I thought the funny part was the way Californians prepared for a Japanese attack. Of course, the Japanese sub with Christopher Lee (as a German Naval officer) on board was pretty silly too.

I gave it four stars.

Posted at 10:31 AM    

Deceiver (movie)


A pretty good show about a guy setting up two cops for the murder of a friend.

This is another movie in the "grab all of the Tim Roth movies on NetFlex" phase I went through. We'll overlook the fact that these movies were placed on the list over a year ago now. I am still not sure what came over me. Probably, Reservoir Dogs (1992).

I thought this was an interesting show. Tim Roth plays Wayland, a rich kid that suffers from Temporal Lobe Epilepsy under investigation for murdering a prostitute. The cops, played by Chris Penn and Michael Rooker, attempt to use polygraphic interrogation (a lie detector) to determine whether Wayland murdered the girl, played by Renee Zellweger.

I gave it four stars (out of five).

Posted at 10:24 AM    

Sun - October 26, 2003

A Mighty Wind (movie)


Another great mockumentary from Guest and Levy.

I love all of the other mockumentaries in the series. If you haven't seen This is Spinal Tap (1984), Waiting for Guffman (1996), or Best in Show (2000), run to your local supplier of movies and get them all. You won't be disappointed.

A Mighty Wind (2003) is one of my new favorites. It's about a hilarious reunion concert of three folk music groups. Each group and every person acts strange and has unique characteristics that are just fascinating to watch.

On a strange and sad note, my girlfriend does not like these movies. I can't figure out why. I find these funny because you really have think about what the characters are saying. Some of it you have to think hard about to really get it. I guess some people hate to trying to find the non-obvious funny parts. It's probably a similar thing for people who don't get Dennis Miller because they don't understand what he's talking about. (I think Dennis Miller is hilarious too.)

Posted at 05:57 PM    

Four Rooms (movie)


Four weird, interconnected stories featuring Tim Roth as a Bellhop?!

I like Tim Roth, but this movie was weird. Four Rooms (1995) contains four segments written and directed by separate people. I only recognized two of them off the bat: Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez.

Tim Roth plays Ted, a goofy bellhop, stuck in four weird predicaments. He does a good job in this role though the performances of the other actors is mediocre and often bad.

"The Misbehavers" is an enjoyable segment with Antonio Banderas directed, of course, by Robert Rodriguez.

Other notable people in the segments include: Ione Skye, Madonna , and Bruce Willis (uncredited).

Posted at 05:56 PM    

Mon - October 20, 2003

Cross of Iron (movie)



Cross of Iron. Hmmm... Let me think about this. Director Sam Peckinpah. World War II. Violent? You betcha.

So far, I have seen probably four Peckinpah movies total. All have been very violent.

James Coburn does a good job as Corporal (later Sergeant) Steiner. One of my favorite actors, James Mason, is in this one too, though he doesn't do a very good German accent. Maximilian Schell plays a Prussian aristocrat, turned evil slime ball, desperate to get the Iron Cross anyway possible.

I give two stars (out of 5).

Posted at 11:15 PM