WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?

[MichiganJ]

Watched a few Barbara Stanwyck films:

The Bitter Tea of General Yen (1933) A Frank Capra film with no corn, BTGY is pretty exciting at the beginning and then turns into a smart romance (if one doesn't apply too much logic). Stanwyck is terrific, and Nils Asther is good, too, despite the "yellow face". A terrifically smarmy Walter Connolly steals every scene he's in.

Remember the Night (1940) A film I'd never seen before, but will certainly see again. Wow, just wasn't expecting too much and am surprised at how much I loved this film. Fred MacMurray is terrific as the DA prosecuting Stanwyck for shoplifting and then falling in love with her. There's a movie-plausible reason that the two end up on a long drive through the midwest to stay at his mother's place in Indiana, and, as one might expect from a Preston Sturges script, they meet plenty of interesting people on the way. For me this was an undiscovered classic.

The File of Thelma Jordon (1950) Another film that was new to me and it is another gem, but this time it's a film noir. Best to not say more except for this warning: As I'm cleaning out the DVR (for all the Kurosawa coming up next month), I watched this with TCM host Robert Osborne's opening comments. BIG MISTAKE. Uncharacteristically he gives away key plot points that happen well into the film. Oh, well. The film is still terrific and quite adult in it's approach to marriage. Shout out to Joan Tetzel for a fine performance.

Witness To Murder (1954) Hard to see Stanwych as a victim, but she pulls it off well in the Hitchcock-esque thriller. Maybe a little too much like Hitchcock (especially Rear Window with a Vertigo climax) but still great fun. George Sanders is the villain (giving nothing away here), so, how can you loose, right?

[ChiO]

Maybe a little too much like Hitchcock (especially Rear Window with a Vertigo climax)

However, to WITNESS TO MURDER's credit, it was released on April 15, 1954. REAR WINDOW was released on August 1, 1954. The similarities are uncanny.

[MichiganJ]

However, to WITNESS TO MURDER's credit, it was released on April 15, 1954. REAR WINDOW was released on August 1, 1954. The similarities are uncanny.

You're not kidding! I was thinking they might make a good double feature, but they may be too similar.

[feaito]

Today I watched a first-rate Drama "The Hill" (1965), directed by Sidney Lumet and with a sterling cast lead by Sean Connery; one of the very best films I've seen lately. It was thoroughly recommended to me by a friend. Hard to take at times, but very well done and scripted. Life in a military prison in Northern Africa, run with an iron fist by Harry Andrews (magnificent), whereas the Commander of the prison is a mere decoration and is constantly visiting bars and brothels, while Andrews is the real master of the place, until an extremely mentally unbalaced staff soldier arrives to this lunatic asylum and begins to do his thing with a group of newly-arrived inmates. Sterling performances by a great cast: Ossie Davis, Ian Bannen, Jack Watson, Michael Redgrave, Roy Kinnear (George's pal from the "George & Mildred" British TV Series) et al. Deftly directed, set, paced, etc. My wife and I were left with a feeling of anguish after watching all the unfairness and the atrocities some of the prisoners had to endure.

[charliechaplinfan]

It's my dad's favorite film, he'll be glad to know it's found a new fan.

[MikeBSG]

I took my son and daughter to see "Percy Jackson: The Lightning Thief" yesterday.

My son has read all five novels in this series and really enjoyed this movie. It is very well-done. The three young leads are very attractive, and Uma Thurman is superb as Medusa. (She gives her something of a Norma Desmond style.) Overall, the tone is lighter than the Harry Potter movies. I don't know if Fox will continue with this series, but I have to say that I got a kick out of this one.

(Also, I'm getting a bit fed up with reviewers who downgrade every movie that Chris Columbus directs. I'm not going to say that he's a great director, but I liked his two Potter films and this one, and I think some reviewers are just being lazy.)

[feaito]

It's my dad's favorite film, he'll be glad to know it's found a new fan.

What a coincidence Alison! Have you seen it? It's quite tough.

[charliechaplinfan]

No I haven't, my parents rarely recommend any films, I really should watch it. Dad's other favorite film is Yankee Doodle Dandy, now I have watched that with him and am in complete accord with him.

[klondike]

Alison, you've given me a great idea!
I'm going to kick off a new thread about our father's favorite films!
Hmmmm, but where to put it??

[jdb1]

Klonny, your considering the appropriate venue will give me time to think. My father loved movies and was very knowledgeable about them. I'll have to give some careful thought as to what his favorite might have been.

Might I also suggest that when we post on your new thread, we indicate the date of birth, and possibly the national origin of our fathers (since quite a few of us have parents who were alive in the classic film era) -- it would be interesting to see if such factors colored the daddies' choices.

And what about Mom?

[klondike]

Klonny, your considering the appropriate venue will give me time to think. My father loved movies and was very knowledgeable about them. I'll have to give some careful thought as to what his favorite might have been.

Might I also suggest that when we post on your new thread, we indicate the date of birth, and possibly the national origin of our fathers (since quite a few of us have parents who were alive in the classic film era) -- it would be interesting to see if such factors colored the daddies' choices.

And what about Mom?

Tarnation, Jude, every time I get me a single bright idea, you expect me to sit down & think about it, like some silverplate college gradjooit!
Still, though, every point you just made has merit, and no mistake!
What does every one else say?

[moira finnie]

It sounds like fun to write about our fathers' favorite movies but what about our mothers?

[Ann Harding]

Yesterday I saw A Serious Man (2009) the latest film from the Coen Brothers. It takes us to Middle-West America in the 60s in a traditional Jewish family (probably similar to that of the Coen Brothers). The father is teaching physics at the local university. His life seems to be a succession of blows and nightmares. A Corean pupil wants to bribe him to get a better grade, his children are unruly, his wife wants to divorce him and his brother is dependent on him. As usual with the Coen Brothers, we get a really hilarious view of this poor man's life. His constant visits to various rabbis to get some advice turns into some kind of surreal trips. One of them talks only about carparks and another one tells him the most hair-raising story about teeth being engraved with an hebrew message...! The film ends with a cliffhanger that suggests that this poor guy's life is going to get even worse. I always enjoy the Coen Brothers' films because they have impeccable casting (of unknown actors), good scripts and a wicked sense of humour. This one was no exception and it's a really good entertainment.

[charliechaplinfan]

Alison, you've given me a great idea!
I'm going to kick off a new thread about our father's favorite films!
Hmmmm, but where to put it??

That's a great idea for a thread. My father likes few films and my mother none at all, I don't know where I get it from, I'll look forward to others contributions.

I watched Faces which I've discussed in more detail on the Cassavettes thread. I'll just say that it's my second foray into Cassavettes films, I find the first half infuriating because I can't get a proper handle on what's happening and then I find the second half gripping because I finally have got some kind of handle on what is going on. I come away from the film imagining I've missed 50% of what is going on. It's not every day fare for me because of the brain power it entails but nice for a change.

[feaito]

It gets me so mad when I lost a long -written- post and it happens to me so frequently and It's all my fault; I'm always ruining this...but oh well. Well I had babbled at length about seeing "Inglourious Basterds" (2009) and how much a nephew and I had enjoyed it when we saw it. I'm not in the mood of recalling all I had said and writing it all over again, but I must say that I think that in general women won't like this film. I loved it, in spite that I'm not a Tarantino fan per se (I did like "Pulp Fiction" (1994) many years ago) and i think it's very well set, directed and acted.

Last night I also re-watched "Kika" (1993) by Almodóvar. Another film which blends drama with black humor, although here there is a bigger amount of humor. Colorful characters. Enjoyable, but definitely not for all tastes and it may hurt some people's sensibilities.