WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?

[CineMaven]

I enjoyed Martin Scorsese's "THE WOLF ON WALL STREET" immensely. ( I liked it better than "American Hustle." ) For a three hour movie, it felt more like ninety-minutes. I didn't feel the length at all. It was energizing, fast-moving and very very excessive. The movie felt like it was directed by a much younger man. It had muscle. The more you get the more you want I s'pose. I loved seeing the NYC locations, many of which I recognized and been around. ( The docked yacht where DiCaprio attempts bribery was filmed in Battery Park. ) DiCaprio was just great here, and I think an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor should go to his boy Jonah Hill. ( At least he deserves a nomination for those teeth - no really, Hill did a good job as DiCaprio's sidekick. ) Wealth, women and drugs beyond their wildest dreams were the menu of the day. Good cop vs. Bad broker. Drugs past its expiration date. Loyalties and betrayals. I loved the scene where they had to sail during raging storm at sea. But for me, my favorite scene was when these old drugs the boys took, finally kicked in. DiCaprio getting to his car was like Dick Powell trying to stand up after being shot full of drugs in "Murder, My Sweet." I was pulling for him to try to get to Hill before he spilled the beans on a wiretapped phone. I thought the best movie of last year was "Twelve Years A Slave" but "The Wolf..." certainly deserves recognition.

[MikeBSG]

Yes, Jonah Hill did a great job as DiCaprio's best friend. It seems like Hill gets a lot of "best friend" roles (I had to think of "Moneyball" when he showed up in "Wolf of Wall Street") but Hill does new and interesting things with the role here.

One of my favorite scenes in "Wolf" was when DiCaprio invites the FBI guy on his boat and then in trying to prove he isn't afraid he is being looked at by the FBI promptly shoots himself in the foot repeatedly. It nicely foreshadowed how DiCaprio had a chance to cut a deal and walk away but talked himself out of it (or let his adrenaline talk him out of it.) I can't really remember another scene in which the "hero" does something stupid, unless it's Warren Beatty in "McCabe and Mrs. Miller" when he refuses to sell.

[Rita Hayworth]

The 12 Angry Men on TCM



It's one of those days that you just can't sleep at all ... Last night on TCM - I watch the Courtroom Drama - The 12 Angry Men - Starring Henry Fonda and Company and this is the 3rd or 4th time that I seen it and I just never get tired of it. It's a classic of a movie of which no names - Just Juror #1 to Juror #12 and that's it. The beauty of this film is simple, inexpensive, and its delightfully made to make you think about the drama that unfold here. That's the beauty of this film. I just loved The 12 Angry Men. One of my favorites ...

[Rita Hayworth]

Tora, Tora, Tora - War Anthology/Documentary




After 12 Angry Men ... on one of 8 Encore Channels that I have ... I watch this movie next and I never get tired of watching it and its a drama itself and its quite accurate too. It's has a great cast led by Sô Yamamura who played Admiral Yamamoto (pictured here) and its one of my rare years that I went to movie theatres a lot - the 2nd one was PATTON starring George C. Scott and this one as well ... both Tora, Tora, Tora and PATTON both came out the same year and its was a rare treat for me to see movies on the big screen that year and my family at that time didn't see a lot of movies - so that is why I watched this movie this morning and it's a joy to watch.

I get goosebumps at the end of this movie when Sô Yamamura as Yamamoto said this ...

The quote is portrayed at the very end of the 1970 film Tora! Tora! Tora! as:

"I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve."

This what made this movie good ...

[RedRiver]

When it comes to contained character drama, it doesn't get any better than TWELVE ANGRY MEN. If there's such a thing as a perfect movie, this is one of them!

[CineMaven]

Yes, Jonah Hill did a great job as DiCaprio's best friend. It seems like Hill gets a lot of "best friend" roles (I had to think of "Moneyball" when he showed up in "Wolf of Wall Street") but Hill does new and interesting things with the role here.

He was hilarious. He's not considered "Hollywood good-looking" enough to be more than "the best friend." And I see he's received a very well-deserved Oscar nod for Best Supporting Actor. He was very good. I'd love to see him in a drama.

One of my favorite scenes in "Wolf" was when DiCaprio invites the FBI guy on his boat and then in trying to prove he isn't afraid he is being looked at by the FBI promptly shoots himself in the foot repeatedly. It nicely foreshadowed how DiCaprio had a chance to cut a deal and walk away but talked himself out of it (or let his adrenaline talk him out of it.) I can't really remember another scene in which the "hero" does something stupid, unless it's Warren Beatty in "McCabe and Mrs. Miller" when he refuses to sell.

He's like those guys who are winning at the casino table...and cannot walk away. DiCaprio gave a great performance. He's nominated for an Oscar as well. But my money's on Chiwetel Ejiofor for "12 Years A Slave."

When it comes to contained character drama, it doesn't get any better than TWELVE ANGRY MEN. If there's such a thing as a perfect movie, this is one of them!

Great movie. I can't think of twelve actors today who could compete with the performances in the Fonda film. Hey!!! Has anyone thought of re-making this movie with WOMEN?

[ChiO]

I kept thinking, "Jonah Hill and Phllip Seymour Hoffman should do a Buddy film."

[JackFavell]

A really DARK buddy film. That would be swell.

[CineMaven]

I kept thinking, "Jonah Hill and Phllip Seymour Hoffman should do a Buddy film."

A really DARK buddy film. That would be swell.

I like the idea of them in a film together. I see them as father and son.



I think I'd like to see it be a comedy though. Phillip needs to laugh. I haven't seen him smile since "TWISTER."

[MikeBSG]

Today I watched "The Sunshine Boys" (1975) directed by Herbert Ross.

I had never seen this before. Largely because I've never been taken with George Burns. I'd never shut off the TV because he was on, but I never sought out anything he was in.

This movie really took me by surprise. I liked it. It was funny but "real" and when it was over I had to look up to see if it had been a play first or was an original screenplay, because it seemed to move and flow naturally and not break into separate acts.

Loved Walter Matthau in this. He was funny both in the old vaudeville way and in a more modern way, and when he needed to be serious, he could do that too.

This movie reminded me of "Limelight," particularly the Keaton-Chaplin team-up part of that film. You have the two in the dressing room, the act, and then a crisis backstage.

It seems like Herbert Ross is nearly forgotten today, but I have to say that I remember a lot of his movies with fondness: "Play It Again, Sam," "The Seven Per Cent Solution," "The Goodbye Girl," "Pennies from Heaven," "Steel Magnolias."

[norfious]

Despite having this avatar from the film for a long time, I only just yesterday was able to watch Condemned! (1929).

I was initially thrilled to see a prison film with Ronald Colman, as I am quite interested in prison films and their role as propaganda and social commentary. I knew that the main plot of the film was that of a romance, rather than of prison life, but I was hoping for a bit more in that area.

While it was a fun, sometimes thrilling film, the acting was surprisingly worse than I expected, though I guess I should take into consideration that it was a very early talkie, and acting styles were in transition at that point. I would like to see more films from this "transitional" period, though, for comparison.

[RedRiver]

Has anyone thought of re-making this movie with WOMEN?

TWELVE ANGRY WOMEN? That would be a horror film!

[norfious]

Has anyone thought of re-making this movie with WOMEN?

TWELVE ANGRY WOMEN? That would be a horror film!

That is a fascinating thought. Indeed, most people would take it to just be a display of cattiness. It is interesting how, in 12 Angry Men, it is very much a power struggle for many of the characters, which is a traditionally masculine trait and it is therefore acceptable and thrilling. I wonder how perceptions would change even if the cast was just mixed?

[movieman1957]

Where would Jack Warden's female counterpart be in a hurry to go? The theater I guess.

[MikeBSG]

Today I watched "Easy Living" (1937) directed by Mitchell Leisen and written by Preston Sturges.

I had heard about this movie for years, and I have to say that it did live up to my expectations. The Automat scene is very funny. (There seemed to be a surprisingly large amount of physical comedy in this film, moreso than in the average screwball comedy.) On a personal note, I loved when Louis, the hotelier, was showing off the Imperial suite to Jean Arthur. Going through the kitchen, he pointed out that it had a "gasbox." (A gas-operated refrigerator) "It runs on gas, but I don't believe it."

(The house I grew up in had a gas refrigerator in the basement. I didn't believe it either.)

While I was underwhelmed by Ray Milland, I have to say that Edward Arnold and Jean Arthur were in top form. I loved watching them, and I kept seeing Arnold's character as a dress rehearsal for Eugene Palette in "The Lady Eve."

Very glad I finally saw this one.