Today since there was nothing on that interested me, I cruised the movie channels and stopped on 'Stay'. After about 45 minutes, I was ready to change but was curious as to whether it would ever make any sense. Ryan Gosling (the Notebook), was a weird patient of psychiatrist Ewan MacGregor, and Naomi Watts was in there for a little window dressing. Finally at the end, I read the explanation in the cable guide and figured out what had gone on. While it was happening, I was completely in the dark, but one little sentence, cleared it up for me. It was a really weird movie, trying to be a little too artsy for my taste, believe it or not, no sex or violence but I couldn't find a connecting thread.
Someone who likes a deep psychological film might enjoy it. I normally do, but this was a little to off the wall for me, but I'm beginning to realize that this is what I'm going to get 95% of the time from Ryan Gosling, he seems to excel in them.
Anne
WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?
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markbeckuaf
- Posts: 48
- Joined: August 1st, 2007, 3:16 pm
Thank goodness for long weekends!!! Yay! I've been a watching fool!!
Been watching lots of pre-codes!
THE KID FROM SPAIN (1932), great little musical comedy with Eddie Cantor and Robert Young, and tons of great looking dames in scantily clad outfits (yowza for da pre-code era!!)--this was the only one of the pre-codes that was on TCM.
THE BITTER TEA OF GENERAL YEN (1933) Very different offering from director Frank Capra, psychological drama, with Barbara Stanwyck and Nils Asther.
BROADWAY BILL (1934) Another Capra film, this one a bit more like his usual stuff, it was funny, and made me cry too. He really did a great job of directing Myrna Loy, and Warner Baxter is always fine. Also check out Clarence Muse who gets a chance to do more than the usual stereotypical stuff here, and does it very well.
DANCERS IN THE DARK (1932) Great pre-code film, set in a dime a dance joint, with George Raft, Jack Oakie, and the marvelous Miriam Hopkins, who is always so stunning!
THE POWER AND THE GLORY (1933) Interesting character study, starring Spencer Tracy, and is said to have been an inspiration for CITIZEN KANE.
CITY STREETS (1931) Gary Cooper and Sylvia Sydney (wow!!!) star in this pre-code gangster flick. Also very interesting to see Paul Lukas and particularly Guy Kibbee in roles against type, evil bad gangster type dudes. Cool to see Coop as a gangster, though not typically!
GOD'S GIFT TO WOMEN (1931) Tough to believe Frank Fay in the title role as a wild playboy with hot dames on his arm at every turn, but maybe it's the "metrosexual" thing back in the early 30's though the term wasn't around then. Anyway, the dames come fast and furious, with the luscious Louise Brooks (who unfortunately doesn't have her trademark hairstyle, but the 'G' Girls twins do, thankfully!!! Yowza!!!), Joan Blondell, and the lovely Laura LaPlante!!! Wow!!
REMOTE CONTROL (1930) William Haines knock-off that displayed his comic style very well, also starring John Miljan as a gangster who poses as a radio spiritualist.
YOUNG AND BEAUTIFUL (1934) One of William Haines' final two films at the low-budget Mascot studios, it's actually quite a good film and for the first time I've seen my buddy precoder's WAMPAS girls!!! Yowza indeed!!! Excellent satire of hollywood to boot
And not a pre-code, but enjoyed the "Boston Blackie" flick, THE CHANCE OF A LIFETIME, mindless B mystery fun!
And just now, early Labor Day morning, watching some old faves on TCM---just finished watching the John Ford Documentary, now getting set for the noir, RAW DEAL, and the great Laurel and Hardy short, THE MUSIC BOX! Life is pretty darn good!
Been watching lots of pre-codes!
THE KID FROM SPAIN (1932), great little musical comedy with Eddie Cantor and Robert Young, and tons of great looking dames in scantily clad outfits (yowza for da pre-code era!!)--this was the only one of the pre-codes that was on TCM.
THE BITTER TEA OF GENERAL YEN (1933) Very different offering from director Frank Capra, psychological drama, with Barbara Stanwyck and Nils Asther.
BROADWAY BILL (1934) Another Capra film, this one a bit more like his usual stuff, it was funny, and made me cry too. He really did a great job of directing Myrna Loy, and Warner Baxter is always fine. Also check out Clarence Muse who gets a chance to do more than the usual stereotypical stuff here, and does it very well.
DANCERS IN THE DARK (1932) Great pre-code film, set in a dime a dance joint, with George Raft, Jack Oakie, and the marvelous Miriam Hopkins, who is always so stunning!
THE POWER AND THE GLORY (1933) Interesting character study, starring Spencer Tracy, and is said to have been an inspiration for CITIZEN KANE.
CITY STREETS (1931) Gary Cooper and Sylvia Sydney (wow!!!) star in this pre-code gangster flick. Also very interesting to see Paul Lukas and particularly Guy Kibbee in roles against type, evil bad gangster type dudes. Cool to see Coop as a gangster, though not typically!
GOD'S GIFT TO WOMEN (1931) Tough to believe Frank Fay in the title role as a wild playboy with hot dames on his arm at every turn, but maybe it's the "metrosexual" thing back in the early 30's though the term wasn't around then. Anyway, the dames come fast and furious, with the luscious Louise Brooks (who unfortunately doesn't have her trademark hairstyle, but the 'G' Girls twins do, thankfully!!! Yowza!!!), Joan Blondell, and the lovely Laura LaPlante!!! Wow!!
REMOTE CONTROL (1930) William Haines knock-off that displayed his comic style very well, also starring John Miljan as a gangster who poses as a radio spiritualist.
YOUNG AND BEAUTIFUL (1934) One of William Haines' final two films at the low-budget Mascot studios, it's actually quite a good film and for the first time I've seen my buddy precoder's WAMPAS girls!!! Yowza indeed!!! Excellent satire of hollywood to boot
And not a pre-code, but enjoyed the "Boston Blackie" flick, THE CHANCE OF A LIFETIME, mindless B mystery fun!
And just now, early Labor Day morning, watching some old faves on TCM---just finished watching the John Ford Documentary, now getting set for the noir, RAW DEAL, and the great Laurel and Hardy short, THE MUSIC BOX! Life is pretty darn good!
It's a pre-code world and we're living in it!
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feaito
Wow Mark!!
You have watched a lot of goodies!!! Mostly Pre-Codes, how heavenly!
Of the ones you listed I've only seen "Bitter Tea.." and "Broadway Bill" (both great).
Last weekend I watched four flicks:
"Babel" (2006). Absolutely engrossing, although downbeat film. Very well done. Nine stars out of ten.
"The Searchers" (1956). One of the best westerns ever. John Wayne is terrific. What a great pleasure to watch 1930s actress Dorothy Jordan as mature woman. Poetic, tough, touching... A masterpiece.
" The Haunting" (1963). Hadn't seen this one since I was 10 years old when I could not finish watching it, because I was overwhelmed by fear. Now I finished it. Julie Harris and Claire Bloom are outstanding.
"The Diary Of Ellen Rimbauer" (2004). Rather poor film based upon a Stephen King book. By far, the worst of the lot.
You have watched a lot of goodies!!! Mostly Pre-Codes, how heavenly!
Of the ones you listed I've only seen "Bitter Tea.." and "Broadway Bill" (both great).
Last weekend I watched four flicks:
"Babel" (2006). Absolutely engrossing, although downbeat film. Very well done. Nine stars out of ten.
"The Searchers" (1956). One of the best westerns ever. John Wayne is terrific. What a great pleasure to watch 1930s actress Dorothy Jordan as mature woman. Poetic, tough, touching... A masterpiece.
" The Haunting" (1963). Hadn't seen this one since I was 10 years old when I could not finish watching it, because I was overwhelmed by fear. Now I finished it. Julie Harris and Claire Bloom are outstanding.
"The Diary Of Ellen Rimbauer" (2004). Rather poor film based upon a Stephen King book. By far, the worst of the lot.
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movieman1957
- Administrator
- Posts: 5522
- Joined: April 15th, 2007, 3:50 pm
- Location: MD
I saw Pursued with Robert Mitchum and Teresa Wright. An orphaned boy is taken in by his dead father's lover (Judith Anderson) and raised as one of her own. He falls in love with his "sister" and tries to marry her. He also has problems with his "brother" that leads to a tragedy that tears apart the family. It has a little of everything. A little psycho-analysis to figure out Mitchum's boyhood nightmare. Robert even sings a little. Pretty good western.
Also, Gideon of Scotland Yard. A little known John Ford film made in England. (Caught it on TCM.) A kind of "day in the life" film that stars Jack Hawkins. Looks almost like a TV movie scenario. Interesting case amongst the tedious ones. (It seemed an awful long day.) Bits of Ford humor but no great shakes here. Interesting as a Ford curiosity.
Also, Gideon of Scotland Yard. A little known John Ford film made in England. (Caught it on TCM.) A kind of "day in the life" film that stars Jack Hawkins. Looks almost like a TV movie scenario. Interesting case amongst the tedious ones. (It seemed an awful long day.) Bits of Ford humor but no great shakes here. Interesting as a Ford curiosity.
Chris
"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana."
"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana."
Presenting Mary Astor
I've been playing catch-up all weekend with movies I had recorded previously. Dodsworth has become one of my all-time favorites, and to ice the cake, I just watched The Great Lie and Across the Pacific. Where Mary Astor missed in Maltese Falcon, she more than regained in Across the Pacific. Both she and Bogie seemed to be having such a good time on this and with each other. The dialog was witty, the plot made sense, and she looked terrific.
After hearing Mr O.'s comments after The Great Lie, I would like to think that Mary and Bette were good friends in real life. They seemed to really pull the best from each other.
Love these 3 day weekends!
Nancy
After hearing Mr O.'s comments after The Great Lie, I would like to think that Mary and Bette were good friends in real life. They seemed to really pull the best from each other.
Love these 3 day weekends!
Nancy
Hm last movie I saw was Key to the City (1950) with Clark Gable and Loretta Young. It was fairly entertaining but when I read on IMDB afterwards that it was Frank Morgan's last movie I was a bit sad. I always liked what i've seen of Morgan.
Anywho Gable and Young kept a fairly thin and so-so in humor movie going. I didn't know that Gable had fathered a child to her before they made this movie. I guess that's why the chemistry was so good. The best recurring bit to this comedy was every time Gable and Young got booked at the police station. James Gleason gave a lot of charm to those scenes as sgt. Hogan.
On a scale of 1-5 i'd give it a 2.5
Anywho Gable and Young kept a fairly thin and so-so in humor movie going. I didn't know that Gable had fathered a child to her before they made this movie. I guess that's why the chemistry was so good. The best recurring bit to this comedy was every time Gable and Young got booked at the police station. James Gleason gave a lot of charm to those scenes as sgt. Hogan.
On a scale of 1-5 i'd give it a 2.5
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Moraldo Rubini
- Posts: 1094
- Joined: April 19th, 2007, 11:37 am
- Location: San Francisco
- Contact:
Rocket Science
I just saw Rocket Science, a sardonic comedy about a stuttering high school student trying it figure it all out. The route he chooses is via the school's debate team. It's funny, touching, frustrating. Nicholas D'Agosto shines as the star debator who encounters an existential crises. This guy has charisma, and could be a star of the future. Lots of good performances, and a good score featuring the effective use of songs by the Violent Femmes. It was great to see character actress Margo Martindale amongst the cast. She was a bright spot as the star of the finale of Paris, Je T'aime (the 14th arrondissement).
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feaito
Good drama
On wednesday night I watched "On Dangerous Ground" (Thanks April!) a good "Noirish" Drama starring Robert Ryan and Ida lupino.
Since I hadn't read about its plot before and only had seen the original poster from the film I had the idea it was a 100% Noir film.
After watching it I felt I had seen two films, one set in the city and another in the country. The first half of the film makes you believe you are going to see a Film Noir and then it turns into a more conventional, although engrossing, drama. Frankly, notwithstanding Ms. Lupino's good performance, I liked better the first half; it seemed more real. The second part seemed to me more like a Bette Davis type of drama and had quite a different tone. At least I felt it that way. Robert Ryan and Ward Bond also give very good performances
Nevertheless I enjoyed the movie and I was on the verge of my seat for most of the second half that took place "up north" in the countryside. The cinematography and Nicholas ray's direction are excellent.
Since I hadn't read about its plot before and only had seen the original poster from the film I had the idea it was a 100% Noir film.
After watching it I felt I had seen two films, one set in the city and another in the country. The first half of the film makes you believe you are going to see a Film Noir and then it turns into a more conventional, although engrossing, drama. Frankly, notwithstanding Ms. Lupino's good performance, I liked better the first half; it seemed more real. The second part seemed to me more like a Bette Davis type of drama and had quite a different tone. At least I felt it that way. Robert Ryan and Ward Bond also give very good performances
Nevertheless I enjoyed the movie and I was on the verge of my seat for most of the second half that took place "up north" in the countryside. The cinematography and Nicholas ray's direction are excellent.
Last full movie I saw? ummm
In a Lonely Place (1950)
what a wonderful Bogie movie. He was truly disturbing as a bit of a nutcase. Originally the movie had him totally losing it. (i'm trying not to spoil it for others) but the director changed the ending.
Anyways this movie had a great supporting cast and Bogart was just chilling to look at. It's one of the better noirs i've seen.
In a Lonely Place (1950)
what a wonderful Bogie movie. He was truly disturbing as a bit of a nutcase. Originally the movie had him totally losing it. (i'm trying not to spoil it for others) but the director changed the ending.
Anyways this movie had a great supporting cast and Bogart was just chilling to look at. It's one of the better noirs i've seen.
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SSO Admins
- Administrator
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Just finished Ye Yan (The Banquet). This, like many Chinese historical pictures, is sumptuous and beautiful. Taking place at the end of the Tang dynasty, it's a loose adaptation of Hamlet, albeit with some significant changes to the story.
It has elements of wuxia, although it's not really of that genre and won't entirely please fans. The acting is superb, with Ziyi Zhang turning perhaps her most complex performance to date.
It's not a fast moving film, but builds tension slowly throughout.
It's worth watching for the cinematography alone. I think the Chinese are making the most lovely movies around today. Even the gore is more beautiful than disturbing. Plus, it has lots of closeups of Ziyi, who is IMO the most gorgeous woman that's ever lived.
Highly recommended. In Mandarin with English subtitles.
It has elements of wuxia, although it's not really of that genre and won't entirely please fans. The acting is superb, with Ziyi Zhang turning perhaps her most complex performance to date.
It's not a fast moving film, but builds tension slowly throughout.
It's worth watching for the cinematography alone. I think the Chinese are making the most lovely movies around today. Even the gore is more beautiful than disturbing. Plus, it has lots of closeups of Ziyi, who is IMO the most gorgeous woman that's ever lived.
Highly recommended. In Mandarin with English subtitles.
Last night, I watched "Lured," from 1947 and directed by Douglas Sirk.
It has Lucille Ball as a dancer in London who is used by the police to lure a serial killer out of hiding.
I thought it was okay. Boris Karloff was magnifcent as a "red herring," a dress designer who had gone utterly mad and was living in the past. No one could be as pathetic and as terrifying as Karloff.
George Zucco was very good as the policeman who kept watch over Ball. He proved very adept with comic relief.
However, the material made me wish for Hitchcock. There was a "shared guilt" thing between George Sanders and Cedric Hardwicke that Hitchcock would have put front and center, but which this film kept at the level of subplot. Also, there was a "I think the man I love is a murderer" scene that reminded me of "Suspicion," but only lasted about a scene or so.
So not a bad movie, but routine.
It has Lucille Ball as a dancer in London who is used by the police to lure a serial killer out of hiding.
I thought it was okay. Boris Karloff was magnifcent as a "red herring," a dress designer who had gone utterly mad and was living in the past. No one could be as pathetic and as terrifying as Karloff.
George Zucco was very good as the policeman who kept watch over Ball. He proved very adept with comic relief.
However, the material made me wish for Hitchcock. There was a "shared guilt" thing between George Sanders and Cedric Hardwicke that Hitchcock would have put front and center, but which this film kept at the level of subplot. Also, there was a "I think the man I love is a murderer" scene that reminded me of "Suspicion," but only lasted about a scene or so.
So not a bad movie, but routine.
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Moraldo Rubini
- Posts: 1094
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To Oz
Just saw Death at a Funeral, a dark screwball farce by ex-Muppet-man Frank Oz. The audience loved it; I thought, "meh". It had a couple of good laughs, mixed with a lot of predictability. Maybe I'm just not atuned to British comedy.
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markbeckuaf
- Posts: 48
- Joined: August 1st, 2007, 3:16 pm
Not too into what TCM is airing today, and watched football this morning (yep, I'm a fan), but now watching a very cool B-ish noir film, STRANGE IMPERSONATION, with hottie Brenda Marshall, William Gargan, and a cool supporting cast. Very interesting flick!
Last night I watched a B version of "Mike Hammer", MY GUN IS QUICK, the quality of my print kinda sucked, but I hung in there as the story was pretty cool. Off-putting soundtrack, but other than that, very hard-boiled. This Hammer was much different from the one in KISS ME DEADLY, moral vs. amoral.
I also watched (thanks to FCM!), THE GREAT PROFILE, with John Barrymore and the oh-so-sexy Mary Beth Hughes!!! That was a fun flick!
Tonight I'll try to stay up for the Silent Sunday Night feature, THE CAT AND THE CANARY (1927) with the luscious Laura LaPlante!!
Last night I watched a B version of "Mike Hammer", MY GUN IS QUICK, the quality of my print kinda sucked, but I hung in there as the story was pretty cool. Off-putting soundtrack, but other than that, very hard-boiled. This Hammer was much different from the one in KISS ME DEADLY, moral vs. amoral.
I also watched (thanks to FCM!), THE GREAT PROFILE, with John Barrymore and the oh-so-sexy Mary Beth Hughes!!! That was a fun flick!
Tonight I'll try to stay up for the Silent Sunday Night feature, THE CAT AND THE CANARY (1927) with the luscious Laura LaPlante!!
It's a pre-code world and we're living in it!
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feaito
I watched the following films during the past weekend:
"The Chase" (1966). A good drama set in a small Souther town, which features what I believe was Miriam Hopkins' last performance. The great cast includes Jane Fonda, Robert Redford, Marlon Brando, Angie Dickinson, James Fox, E.G. Marshall, Robert Duvall, Martha Hyer, Janice Rule, Jocelyn Brando and Henry Hull. Entertaining.
"Madame Bovary" (2000). Two Part TV Movie, starring Frances O'Connor. Good period atmosphere and not bad at all, but it somehow left me cold. I prefer the glossier 1949 Minnelli film.
"Smilin' Through" (1932). This film had been in my "Want" list since I was five or eight years old. It was one of my maternal grandparents most cherished and well remembered movies; they always spoke with high regard of it. In my country it was titled (in Spanish) "Love That Does Not Die". The film lived absolutely up to my very high expectations. It undoubtedly contains one of Norma Shearer's best and most sincere performances (along with "Barretts of Wimpole Street" and "Private Lives"). Fredric March has excellent rapport with Shearer. Leslie Howard is good as the embittered uncle. O.P. Heggie, Ralph Forbes and Beryl Mercer add fine support too. Elegant direction by Sidney Franklin. Superior to the 1941 remake. Miss Shearer looks ravishing as Moonyean Clare with that blonde wig.
"Jupiter's Darling" (1955). Another Widescreen film aired in Pan & Scan by TCM Latin. Mildly amusing musical with Esther Williams and Howard Keel. Keel's performance reminded me of his Petruccio in "Kiss Me Kate". Funny supporting role by Richard Haydn. George Sanders is wasted here.
"Bee Season" (2005). OK film starring Juliette Binoche and Richard Gere which struck me as a little bit pretentious.
"Closer" (2004). Good performances but ultimately unsatisfying film. I don't know what happens to me with some Mike Nichols films. I hated his "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?"; I could not stand the characters. "Closer" is a much more visually "appealing" film, but I could not connect with those selfish, self-centered characters. Clive Owen gives a standout performance though. Julia Roberts and Natalie Portman are also good. Jude Law is so-so IMO.
"The Chase" (1966). A good drama set in a small Souther town, which features what I believe was Miriam Hopkins' last performance. The great cast includes Jane Fonda, Robert Redford, Marlon Brando, Angie Dickinson, James Fox, E.G. Marshall, Robert Duvall, Martha Hyer, Janice Rule, Jocelyn Brando and Henry Hull. Entertaining.
"Madame Bovary" (2000). Two Part TV Movie, starring Frances O'Connor. Good period atmosphere and not bad at all, but it somehow left me cold. I prefer the glossier 1949 Minnelli film.
"Smilin' Through" (1932). This film had been in my "Want" list since I was five or eight years old. It was one of my maternal grandparents most cherished and well remembered movies; they always spoke with high regard of it. In my country it was titled (in Spanish) "Love That Does Not Die". The film lived absolutely up to my very high expectations. It undoubtedly contains one of Norma Shearer's best and most sincere performances (along with "Barretts of Wimpole Street" and "Private Lives"). Fredric March has excellent rapport with Shearer. Leslie Howard is good as the embittered uncle. O.P. Heggie, Ralph Forbes and Beryl Mercer add fine support too. Elegant direction by Sidney Franklin. Superior to the 1941 remake. Miss Shearer looks ravishing as Moonyean Clare with that blonde wig.
"Jupiter's Darling" (1955). Another Widescreen film aired in Pan & Scan by TCM Latin. Mildly amusing musical with Esther Williams and Howard Keel. Keel's performance reminded me of his Petruccio in "Kiss Me Kate". Funny supporting role by Richard Haydn. George Sanders is wasted here.
"Bee Season" (2005). OK film starring Juliette Binoche and Richard Gere which struck me as a little bit pretentious.
"Closer" (2004). Good performances but ultimately unsatisfying film. I don't know what happens to me with some Mike Nichols films. I hated his "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?"; I could not stand the characters. "Closer" is a much more visually "appealing" film, but I could not connect with those selfish, self-centered characters. Clive Owen gives a standout performance though. Julia Roberts and Natalie Portman are also good. Jude Law is so-so IMO.
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jdb1
I haven't seen this one, but your mention of O.P. Heggie in the cast piques my interest. Heggie is best-known as the blind man who befriends the Monster in "Frankenstein," but he was in quite a few movies in the 1930s. I saw him a while back in "Anne of Green Gables" (1934) as Matthew Cuthbert, the brother in the brother and sister pair who adopt Anne. His acting style was rather Old School, but he was very good and very sympathetic as Matthew. He died in 1936.feaito wrote: "Smilin' Through" (1932). This film had been in my "Want" list since I was five or eight years old. It was one of my maternal grandparents most cherished and well remembered movies; they always spoke with high regard of it. In my country it was titled (in Spanish) "Love That Does Not Die". The film lived absolutely up to my very high expectations. It undoubtedly contains one of Norma Shearer's best and most sincere performances (along with "Barretts of Wimpole Street" and "Private Lives"). Fredric March has excellent rapport with Shearer. Leslie Howard is good as the embittered uncle. O.P. Heggie, Ralph Forbes and Beryl Mercer add fine support too. Elegant direction by Sidney Franklin. Superior to the 1941 remake. Miss Shearer looks ravishing as Moonyean Clare with that blonde wig.