Best Movie-Viewing Experiences 2/5/16 - 17/5/16
FRANKENSTEIN (1931)
A MOVIE JUKEBOX
d: James Whale
CAST: Colin Clive; Boris Karloff; Mae Clarke; Dwight Frye
> even after all this time, this remains one of the very best of all horror movies, proving that great horror does not have to equal great gore; too many classic scenes to rhapsodise about, but special mention must be made of the creepy dungeon version of high-tech: lightning bolts & massive switches & creaky pulleys & things that go zap; undeniable flaw though: the build-up is told at a far-too-cracking pace, and even the tremendously gothic B&W cinematography can't entirely compensate; Colin achieves every actor's dream: amusingly OTT and yet still complements the material; great fun and a regular late-night play on the Jukebox
Award-Worthy Performances
Colin Clive; Boris Karloff
THE THREE BURIALS OF MELQUIADES ESTRADA (2005)
A SECOND VIEWING
d: Tommy Lee Jones
CAST: Tommy Lee Jones; Barry Pepper; Melissa Leo; Julio Cedillo; January Jones
> a powerful movie, interestingly told with flashbacks cut throughout; so much going on which swirls around the ethic of keeping a promise made to a friend, no matter what; a modern Western of sorts with similarities (locale; hardened people) to 1996's equally wonderful Lone Star; some confronting violence & graphic depictions of death mixed in with very dark humour; Tommy is at his performance-best in this film and his directorial flair is obvious; cameo from Levon Helm (The Band) as a blind & grizzled old man is poignant; possible future inductee of the Movie Jukebox
Award-Worthy Performance
Tommy Lee Jones
THE WEIGHT OF ELEPHANTS (2013)
A- FIRST VIEWING
d: Daniel Joseph Borgman
CAST: Demos Murphy; Angelina Cottrell; Matthew Sunderland; Catherine Wilkin
> nice little film set in smalltown New Zealand (South Island?); focusses on misfit, sensitive 10 year old boy who is already shouldering more than his share of Life burdens (run-off mum / no dad / mentally-ill & adored uncle / school-bully target); woven through is mystery of abducted children who may or may not be living next door; kept recalling To Kill a Mockingbird in its gentle depiction of children trying to comprehend adult horrors; absolutely superb performance by Demos - he's a real kid; the ending is a little forced, but that's all that's wrong with this gem (apart from its stupid title, that is)
Award-Worthy Performance
Demos Murphy
DANCE, FOOLS, DANCE (1931)
A- FIRST VIEWING
d: Harry Beaumont
CAST: Joan Crawford; Clark Gable; Cliff Edwards
> starts off as a Roaring Twenties socialite fest, then BOOM! Black Tuesday hits, and the film becomes a struggle-street shot of reality; watch Joan make the transition from airhead flapper to modern working girl; Clark is in another one of his 1931 tough-guy star-making performances; Joan is surprisingly moving in the lead role (except for her dancing, where she looks like a pair of spasming calipers); could have easily slid into the soap but the strong direction by Harry (especially in the action scenes) steers it true; shame about the sappy crappy happy ending though...it is to gag
Award-Worthy Performance
Joan Crawford
CROSS OF IRON (1977)
A- FIRST VIEWING
d: Sam Peckinpah
CAST: James Coburn; Maximilian Schell; James Mason; David Warner
> I thought this was supposed to be lousy (according to the film's initial critical reception), but that is just plain wrong; often reminded me of Tarantino (Inglourious Basterds is an obvious offspring) with its bloody killings and peculiar dialogue; unlike Tarantino though, there isn't a drop of humour in it; trademark Sam P slow-mo slaughter & destruction which turns violence into ballet; James is excellent as the weary hero, with Max playing a quivering, prejudiced stickler who is clearly off his Nazi rocker; director / cinematographer / editor team sure know their stuff: best-looking WWII film I've ever seen; a personal surprise
Award-Worthy Performance
James Coburn
MR TURNER (2014)
B+ FIRST VIEWING
d: Mike Leigh
CAST: Timothy Spall; Dorothy Atkinson; Marion Bailey; Lesley Manville
> I have no idea if this movie is an accurate portrayal of the man or even if accuracy is the film's intention; he comes across as a common-fellow genius who was a highly-commercial painter and a bit of a pig of a man (he even snorts and grunts); appropriately sumptuous-looking, the film presents Turner in his time without ever supplying much in the way of a psycho-explanation for his, er, idiosyncracies; this is a classic Timothy role, and the film holds your interest without much actually happening (the Mike Leigh method of storytelling)
Award-Worthy Performance
Timothy Spall
HOUSE BY THE RIVER (1950)
B+ FIRST VIEWING
d: Fritz Lang
CAST: Louis Hayward; Jane Wyatt; Lee Bowman; Ann Shoemaker
> minor Fritz Lang movie (and, let's be honest here...there really aren't that many major Fritz Lang movies) with his usual themes: sex & death; guilt as a brand; self-haunting & persecution; and shadows, lotsa shadows; some confronting images: a bloated cow going back & forth in the swollen river / a bagged corpse floating with wispy hair trailing in its wake; Louis means to be a repulsive sociopath but comes across more as a reptilian brat; the Jane character is a writer's literary device; more impressive is Lee as the far-too-obliging brother; this lust & murder tale is essentially well-told but a little on the turgid side
ACES HIGH (1976)
B+ FIRST VIEWING
d: Jack Gold
CAST: Malcolm McDowell; Peter Firth; Christopher Plummer; Simon Ward
> WWI fighter pilot movie, complete with excitingly staged aerial dogfights (is it even possible to make these boring?) and young men being directed to the slaughter by cynical old guys; could've done without the jovial military band music; never been much of a Malcolm fan (he always seems to be playing tamer versions of his "Clockwork Orange" persona... exception: when he played HG Wells in 1979's Time After Time); Peter does a good job as the dew-eyed newbie destined to learn the hard way; pretty standard cheerio / there's-a-good-chap British war movie which still manages to crank up a bit of entertainment while delivering the War is Bullshit message - as it bloody should
FLORENCE FOSTER JENKINS (2016)
B+ FIRST VIEWING IN-CINEMA
d: Stephen Frears
CAST: Meryl Streep; Hugh Grant; that guy from Big Bang Theory
> first read about Florence in the 1977 issue of The Book of Lists and thought that the woman must have been an urban myth, so unlikely was the story; well, bugger me, here is the film of her life; felt a little awkward laughing at the woman's singing after the film directs us to feel sorry for her (big health problems); Meryl impersonates her well but, like many other 21st Century Meryl performances, it comes across as something she has put on rather than something which she has brought out; Hugh, yet again, plays Hugh and, yet again, plays him perfectly; admittedly, I did enjoy myself: it is a lightweight, pleasant movie which is ideal for those don't-feel-like-anything-deep moods
THE CHAMP (1931)
B+ FIRST VIEWING
d: King Vidor
CAST: Wallace Beery; Jackie Cooper
> I watched the 1979 version of this tearjerker long before I saw this original and, like most filmgoers, I prefer this one (it leaves you with a bit more dignity); the two guaranteed bawling scenes work in both (unless you're a rock); Jackie is more a real kid than Ricky, and Vidor doesn't go for the Zeffirelli Arthouse stuff; Wallace is the usual unsubtle fat slob and his boxing style is of the horizontal-windmill variety (Raging Wombat?); the climactic fight is laughable (Wally's opponent grins throughout!); the kid's mother is a lousy consolation prize; still, there's something primal about the story, and little Jackie is terrific
Award-Worthy Performance
Jackie Cooper
Lesser Movie-Viewing Experiences 2/5/16 - 17/5/16
SCANNERS (1981)
B FIRST VIEWING
d: David Cronenberg
CAST: Steven Lack; Jennifer O'Neill; Patrick McGoohan; Michael Ironside
> 1960's Village of the Damned crossed with 1978's The Fury (but not as good as either); a violent splatterfest much beloved by gorehounds and thrillseekers and considered a classic by them; somehow manages to be slick and amateurish at the same time; soundtrack music is laid on way too thick; special effects (exploding heads & throbbing veins) are indeed special without being repugnant; while Patrick & Michael are perfect for this stuff, Steven & Jennifer are walking, talking voids...and, ruinously for the film, are the heroic lead couple; not really my cup of tea but, while it gets a bit silly at times, it's at least kinda fun
A FREE SOUL (1931)
B- FIRST VIEWING
d: Clarence Brown
CAST: Norma Shearer; Lionel Barrymore; Clark Gable; Leslie Howard; James Gleason
> Gawd...Norma Shearer is dreadful in this...all hand-wringing and eye-bulging and brow-knitting; she sinks any chance the movie had of being more than just a dated-as-soon-as-it-was-made melodrama; Lionel's drunk is more convincing than his doting father and crafty lawyer; his final big courtroom scene features a terrific legless tumble; the movie only picks up whenever Clark appears (he always played a great bastard...a man's man as they used to say...although in this his character's name is Ace Wilfong...only in movies...)
Award-Worthy Performance
Clark Gable
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Best Movie-Viewing Experiences 17/4/16 - 1/5/16
THE VERDICT (1982)
A MOVIE JUKEBOX
d: Sidney Lumet
CAST: Paul Newman; Charlotte Rampling; James Mason; Jack Warden
> classic redemption story (hopeless alcoholic lawyer gets one last chance to fight for the little guy and save his own soul in the process); Paul gives the performance of a lifetime as a stricken man who has thrown his life away - when he photographs the coma patient / client, the self-revulsion on his face is gut-wrenching; obstacles are constantly thrown in his way to prevent him from achieving real justice: big money, corruption & conspiracy, betrayal, self-defeat; a couple of unlikely plot twists mar things a little, but not injuriously so; one of the great courtroom dramas
Award-Worthy Performances
Paul Newman; James Mason
INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS (1978)
A- SECOND VIEWING
d: Philip Kaufman
CAST: Donald Sutherland; Brooke Adams; Jeff Goldblum; Veronica Cartwright
> the third-best remake of a certified "classic" movie (#1 = A Star is Born & #2 = His Girl Friday...of course); paranoia cranked up to the max; shifting the setting of the film from a small town to a big city suits the 70's and somehow makes it more plausible (there are weirdos everywhere in Sydney, I can tell you); I still prefer the original (and I'm sure most filmaholics would) for its pace, political subtext and initial impact; all actors are mighty fine in roles which could have easily just been run-and-scream performances; glad this finally shows us what happens to the original bodies once they have been replicated (the lack of which bugged me about the original); can you spot Robert Duvall?
SONS AND LOVERS (1960)
A- SECOND VIEWING
d: Jack Cardiff
CAST: Dean Stockwell; Trevor Howard; Wendy Hiller; Mary Ure; Ernest Thesiger
> I've always found D.H. Lawrence's novels to be tough going (turgid; guilt-ridden; flesh-obsessed) and, while I admire his way with language, I feel as if all I've read is an exquisite soap-opera; SAL as a movie is, naturally enough, enhanced by the B&W coaldust visuals (director Jack being one of the great cinematographers) and classy portrayal of working-class marriage by Trevor and Wendy; Dean, all grown up, is fine as the young man who wants to be an artist but is afflicted by shallowness; dawdles a bit but is emotionally rich
Award-Worthy Performances
Trevor Howard & Wendy Hiller
WINTER'S BONE (2010)
A- RE-EVALUATION / ORIGINAL GRADE: B
d: Debra Granik
CAST: Jennifer Lawrence; John Hawkes; Garret Dillahunt
> first time I watched this, I was going through a particularly awful life crisis...messed up on anti-depressants, sedatives and alcohol, I dismissed it as "too depressing" but "competently made" and that's all; clearheaded, this is a very affecting indie film about a teenage girl who really does have a reason to turn to drugs and alcohol...but she's too strong for that; trying to keep her rural Ozarks family together, Jennifer plays a great cinematic heroine, ably supported by John as her scary and tough uncle; beautiful dank textures in this film merge with a brutally cold story involving meth labs, self-sufficiency and casual violence
Award-Worthy Performances
Jennifer Lawrence; John Hawkes
CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR (2016)
B+ FIRST VIEWING IN-CINEMA
d: Anthony & Joe Russo
CAST: Chris Evans; Robert Downey Jr; Scarlett Johansson; Sebastian Stan; Don Cheadle
> yeah, yeah...another Marvel movie which is only okay; rift between Cap & Tony emotionally beats the one between Supes & the Bat; the bloody camera is too close up and shakes about too much YET AGAIN during the action sequences, obscuring the view and frustrating the bejeezus out of me; the airport scene is fantastic fun mainly due to the new characters (Ant-Man / Spidey / Panther); the Cap & Iron Man characters are wearing thin; not enough jokes (didn't the Russos watch Joss Whedon's Avengers movie?); speaking of which, The Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy and Iron Man remain the best of the MCU and probably always will as the franchise dwindles down from inspiration & risk into mere formula; good enough if you're a fan (which I remain...but they're starting to lose me...)
INHERIT THE WIND (1960)
B+ MOVIE JUKEBOX
d: Stanley Kramer
CAST: Spencer Tracy; Fredric March; Gene Kelly; Florence Eldridge; Claude Akins
> although Stanley throws his message on with a trowel, the movie is an enjoyable plough through the Scopes Monkey Trial (with a fair amount of dramatic licence deployed, I grant you); Fredric serves up the greatest course of ham ever...to the point of it being a perverse thrill; this is Spencer's greatest white hair / old man performance and he gives it full throttle: you can spot the relish invested in every sermony speech; under-valued is Florence in the impossible role as the devoted wife who knows her husband is actually only a well-intentioned windbag; a flawed film (the Ole Time Religion can be a bit much at times), but admirable
Award-Worthy Performances
Spencer Tracy; Florence Eldridge
YOLNGU BOY (2001)
B+ FIRST VIEWING
d: Stephen Johnson
CAST: John Sebastian Pilakui; Sean Mununggurr; Nathan Daniels
> three young Aboriginal lads (not quite men) flee from their Northern Australia community to avoid jail; essentially a quest movie - what does it mean to be a man?; traditional culture Vs modern ways; thieving, vandalism and petrol-sniffing shown as replacements for hunting, warring and belonging; never understood the need to wreck, regardless of motivation; film attempts to show the captive position these kids are in and how they can escape it; biggest flaw in the film: while you care about the three boys, you don't care about what happens next; still, a cultural eye-opening for a 56 year old white urbanite like myself
KNOCK ON ANY DOOR (1949)
B+ FIRST VIEWING
d: Nicholas Ray
CAST: Humphrey Bogart; John Derek; George Macready
> Bogie looks great / is great as jaded city lawyer trying to prevent an injustice; "mean streets" courtroom drama softened in the first half by flashback device - structured as series of vignettes rather than straight narrative which the story was strong enough to be; good kid becomes bad kid becomes reformed kid (via Love, of course); populated with interesting flaw-faced side characters; striking noirish B&W; surprise unconventional resolution blighted somewhat by big preachy speech at the end (apparently, urban crime is our own fault)
Award-Worthy Performance
Humphrey Bogart
MA & PA KETTLE AT THE FAIR (1952)
B+ MULTIPLE VIEWINGS
d: Charles Barton
CAST: Marjorie Main; Percy Kilbride; Lori Nelson
> I have fond memories of this movie series from when I was a kid - the films were regulars on the Channel 7 Saturday Movie Matinee, and if it was raining and I couldn't go down to the creek, I'd sit glued; the wafer-thin story is not much more than a structure to hang running gags on (Pa's bone-idleness & the abundant feral kids & the fixer-upperer farmhouse etc), but that's okay; Marjorie & Percy are a master comedy duo and absolutely perfect in these roles; dependably directed by Charles (he of Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein fame); this is #4 in the 9-part franchise and my favourite of the lot
Award-Worthy Performances
Marjorie Main & Percy Kilbride
Lesser Movie-Viewing Experiences 17/4/16 - 1/5/16
MIDNIGHT SPECIAL (2016)
B- FIRST VIEWING IN-CINEMA
d: Jeff Nichols
CAST: Michael Shannon; Joel Edgerton; Kirsten Dunst; Jaeden Lieberher
> a supremely earnest variation on the E.T. story; great intro scene is cinematic storytelling at its best...a boy has been kidnapped from a cult by his father, but there is something very weird about this kid...; then, somehow, it seems to slow down, despite regular actions and conflicts designed to move the plot along; Michael is increasingly coming across as a one-note actor - no complexity or shadings in his performance whatsoever; the others do their bit but could've been played by anyone really; even the kid is merely adequate; the grand sci-fi finale is ultimately silly rather than impressive; don't believe the hype
I'LL FOLLOW YOU DOWN aka CONTINUUM (2013)
B- FIRST VIEWING
d: Richie Mehta
CAST: Hayley Joel Osment; Gillian Anderson; Rufus Sewell; Victor Garber
> starts off as a nice mystery (guy who is a husband & father & physicist goes on a routine business flight and never returns), but turns into a time travel sci-fi tale; film tries too hard to make its fantasy premise feasible and gets bogged down in fake-rationality...shoulda just dropped it on us and carried on with telling the story, like comicbooks do; Gillian does a good job as the distraught wife while Haley struggles with a tough role and an always-present acting legacy; turns out that family is more important than the advancement of quantum mechanics... gee, who knew?; would've made a passable episode of the 1980's Twilight Zone
TURKEY SHOOT (1982)
E FIRST & LAST VIEWING
d: Brian Trenchard-Smith
CAST: Steve Railsback; Olivia Hussey; Michael Craig; Noel Ferrier
> godawful ozploitation flick; fascist dystopia (camp commandant is named Thatcher!) where political prisoners are hunted for sport; offensive allusions to the Holocaust; guns & explosions & somersaults in the air; gratuitous female-only nudity & excessive and cartoonish violence (heads blown off / amputations / impalings / immolation / etc); dialogue to cringe along to and an abrasive music soundtrack that clearly wants to cause you harm; many familiar Aussie TV faces from the 70's just earning a living; nobody bothers to act, and why should they?; meant to be watched in a drive-in after you've drunk a six-pack each, smoked a scoob, and are just about to pass around a flagon; I bet Quentin Tarantino is a fan
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