Star Wars The Force Awakens (2015)

I went to see Star Wars: The Force Awakens last Sunday afternoon and enjoyed it so much that I went to see it a second time yesterday in 3D!

Before I saw it for the first time, I thought I knew what was going to happen because I had listened to a podcast from Pop Culture Leftovers where the hosts attempted to piece together the entire movie after a careful dissection of every second of the trailers and every rumor that had come out thus far, including some dubious production photo/script "leaks" (click here to listen to that episode).

They got alot right, but they also got a bunch of things WRONG, and the movie was so much better than I expected.

The visual effects were dazzling and the acting was great, especially by the two new young leads, Daisy Ridley and John Boyega - their real names even sound like they belong in the Star Wars universe.

The movie never felt like a rip-off of the original 1977 classic, even though there were plenty of homages to that movie throughout, right down to cameo appearances by aliens and robots from that movie, which I didn't mind at all.  All of the new characters were interesting, including the new villain Kylo Ren, who aspires to be just like his grandfather Darth Vader.

The only thing I didn't like about the experience was that it felt like SO MANY character and plot details are left unanswered, and that it'll be a 2-year wait until the next movie! Oh well, it's Ok though. One of the marks of a great movie is that it leaves you wanting more after it is over.

With Harrison Ford, Max Von Sydow, Oscar Issac.

Rocky 1-5, Rocky Balboa, and Creed

To celebrate the release of Creed this fall, I rewatched all of the Rocky movies on Blu-Ray. here's my take on each one, with my favorites being the original Rocky, Rocky III, and Rocky Balboa (followed by Rocky II, V, Creed, and IV).

Rocky (1976)
On this re-watch, what stuck out to me the most was how lonely Rocky is, and how he really doesn't have any family. Even on Thanksgiving Day, he has no where to go except by Paulie and Adrian's. He keeps a photograph of his parents in his apartment, but we don't learn much about them or the details of his growing up. It made me want to see a movie about a young Rocky growing up; maybe someone will make that movie one day. Another thing that I hadn't noticed before is a photo of Paulie in his younger days when he was in the Navy.

Rocky II (1979)
Picks up immediately after the last movie, and we get a rematch between Apollo Creed and Rocky. In the meantime Rocky gets a job hauling meat and raising a newborn son after marrying Adrian. His proposal in the zoo by the tiger cage is classic: "I was wondering if you wouldn't mind marrying me too much?" One of my favorite parts of the movie is when Mickey has Rocky chase a chicken, which Rocky does with Donnie Creed in Creed (2015).


Rocky III (1982)
Great montage in the beginning showing how Rocky becomes champion of the world, set to the "Eye of the Tiger" song. Then Rocky prepares to fight Clubber Lang (Mr. T) and is trained by Apollo when Mickey dies. Fun movie and it's great to see Apollo and Rocky become friends. There's a private fight at the end of the movie between them, and we as the audience never learn who won until 2015's Creed, when Rocky reveals that Apollo won. I also love the painting at the end of the movie, which ends up in Rocky's restaurant in Rocky Balboa and Creed. We assume that it was painted by Paulie. I also had forgotten that this was the movie where the "Rocky" statue was unveiled. Wow - that's been up for over 30 years!

Rocky IV (1985)
My least favorite of all the films, but it is still fun to watch especially the final fight between Rocky and the Russian boxer played by Dolph Lundgren. I didn't like the actor that played Rocky's son; he just isn't convincing to me that he's the son of Rocky and Adrian.


Rocky V (1990)
I like this movie, and it really does feel like an early 90s film thanks to the soundtrack. Rocky has to deal with some health issues and is faced with retirement. But a young boxer comes to visit him seeking a mentor, and Rocky slips into the "trainer" role for the first time. I also liked the subplot involving Rocky and his "rocky" relationship with his son (played very good by Sage Stallone, rest in peace). Another subplot involves Rocky losing all of his wealth and having to sell off everything in an auction. It seems almost unbelievable that these types of things can happen to a superstar, but sadly it does happen---for example, Burt Reynolds recently had to do the same thing due to his many debts. I liked the streetfight at the end too, even though we don't get Rocky in the ring.  Another thing I liked is the flashback scene with Rocky and Micky, which is really sentimental but gives us a little bit more of a glimpse into their relationship.

Rocky Balboa (2006)
This movie is the most sentimental of all the Rocky movies, but that's exactly why I love it. The final fight scene is cool, but what I love the most about the movie is all the other stuff happening leading to that fight. For starters, we learn that Adrian died, and that Rocky started a restaurant business and named the restaurant after her. The restaurant looks like an awesome place to visit, by the way. Rocky even allows his old rivals to come and work there part time. I like how a minor character from the first movie - "Little Marie" - steps back into Rocky's life and we get to see what became of her. Finally, it's interesting to see how Rocky's son doesn't follow in his father's footsteps. Instead, he works for a corporate firm in downtown Philly, which is exactly what Rocky wanted to do in Rocky II. After the events of Rocky V, it's not surprising that the son doesn't become a boxer.

Creed (2015)
Not a bad film; and it's packed with an emotional punch. I enjoyed it and would watch it again, even if its story seems very similar to the original 1976 Rocky and a little bit of 1990's Rocky V as Rocky becomes the trainer and doesn't box. Michael B. Jordan gives a good performance as "Donnie" Creed - who seeks mentorship from Rocky and calls him "uncle". Early on in the movie we see Donnie working in an office - and getting a promotion even - but decides to become a fighter full time. I liked the relationship that blossoms with the girl he meets in his apartment, and how he helps Rocky deal the health issues he's facing. My favorite scene in the movie happens right before the final fight sequence--when Rocky and his training team walk out to the ring from the locker room with Donnie. It's a long walk that takes maybe a minute or two but the camera shows them as if we are following right behind them the entire way. That's a cool shot; the cinematography in general is very good. It's also nice to see Rocky at work in his restaurant again. One of the saddest moments in the entire film is when Rocky explains to Donnie that his son had no interest in boxing, moved out of town, and started a new life in Vancouver. It made me think that Rocky is so alone in the world, without much of any family nearby. And here comes Donnie, who becomes a long lost "son" who is almost like the boxer"son" that Rocky always wanted. And sure enough, I left the theater wanting to see more of this saga. And surely more Rocky! Maybe another movie? If that happens, I would definitely go see it.  It would be really cool if we get to see Rocky's son again, and maybe be introduced to Rocky's grandson (or daughter).

Bullitt (1968) and The Peanuts Movie (2015)

I really enjoyed Bullitt, with Steve McQueen playing the title role, who is cool and slick. 

I like the way the blogger at Just Hit Play describes the movie:

It is a smart, stylish cop drama/thriller that gets better with each viewing. For starters, it was filmed in San Francisco, setting the stage for Dirty Harry, McQ and a whole cop genre to move into the city. It is an ideal backdrop for the story; a polished, good-looking city that is nonetheless hiding secrets. The score from Lalo Schifrin is a good mix of quiet, soothing jazz and faster-paced, more traditional yet still exciting musical cues. The style in an almost documentary-like fashion reflects some of the French crime thrillers that I’ve really come to appreciate, giving ‘Bullitt’ a different edge more than just the same old, same old cops and robbers story.

• Full  blog post about Bullitt from Just Hit Play here 

What was really interesting is that in one scene, a hospital is shown, and a Peanuts calendar is on the wall. It was really interesting to see that Snoopy and the Peanuts comics were already a cultural landmark back in 1968.

Incidentally, I also did see  The Peanuts Movie (2015), a brand-new computer animated iteration, and I really liked it; it wasn't bad. It wasn't the best movie ever but it captured the feeling of the original television and film characters. It's really a different kind of animation than the South Park or Family Guy series.

A packed crowd for screening of It's A Wonderful Life

Last Sunday, the main movie theater in downtown Park Ridge, IL (The Pickwick) was screening It's A Wonderful Life, which is one favorite movies. The event was unique because it was sponsored by a local bank and there was no admission charge. Very nice gesture by the bank, I may add. Surely Potter isn't in charge there.

I thought it would be cool to see the movie again on the big screen (it would've been my 3rd or 4th time), so I made some plans to attend.

I was running a few minutes late (only 12-15 minutes) and figured it wouldn't be a big deal since I figured most people would be at home watching TV.

To my surprise, the theater stopped letting people in by the time I got there. A sign was put up on the door saying the theater (which seats about 1,400) was filled to maximum capacity.

Mr Potter turned me down

Wow. I couldn't believe it, and had no idea so many people would come to this. I was glad to see the turnout, though. After all, it's a 70 year old movie.

Spoiler-free video review of SPECTRE from Calvin

I haven't yet seen the latest Bond film yet (prior commitments this weekend) but I am planning to see it next weekend, and after that will have a review up on the blog.

In the meantime here's a video post from my favorite 007 video blogger, Calvin, who enjoyed the film. If he liked the new Bond film, then I will likely as well.

The suspense continues.....

The Black Cauldron (1985) and The Great Mouse Detective (1986)

My local library had two Disney movies from the 1980s, and I was curious to see if they still held up after 30 years.

The Great Mouse Detective I saw in the theaters when it first came out when I was 10 years old. I remember liking the commercials and the poster with the big dog -- I can just imagine someone in Disney marketing saying "let's focus on the big dog - no one wants to see a movie about rats and mice".  Funny how after almost 30 years I don't remember one thing about the movie at all - not even what the dog did.  I wish I could l say that all my memories came back to me after re-watching it last week, but they didn't. The beer drinking and the dancing French maid mice went way over my head. Maybe I fell asleep in the theater.  My favorite part was when the Sherlock mouse calculates a way of escaping from the mousetrap set up by Ratigan (Vincent Price). I also really liked the old-timey song that played during the escape, which I found out was co-written by Henry Mancini; I didn't appreciate his contribution to the film when I was 10.

Here's a neat blog post about this movie from  Classic Film and TV cafe https://www.classicfilmtvcafe.com/2021/09/great-mouse-detective-film-review.html

The other one I watched was The Black Cauldron. This was a first-time watch for me. Something about the movie back in 1985 didn't capture my interest, even if it was meant to be a "boy" movie instead of a "girl"/princess movie. Maybe it was the high-fantasy aspect. I was never a big fan of the genre; never got into Hobbit or Lord of the Rings either. But since those movies have been so popular as well as Game of Thrones. Cauldron might be big a hit if released today.

I enjoyed the movie, despite the corniness of some of the characters including the furry short guy, a real moocher if there ever was one, always looking for "munchies and crunchies" (food). I like how he redeems himself in the end. I also liked the main hero, a young pig farmer who has a magical pig that can predict the future.  And I liked the harp player who bickers with his harp. The princess was OK; she had some sort of floating, glowing glass ball or "bauble" that serves no purpose; I kept waiting for that thing to pay off but it never did. She also had her own theme music which sounded alot like one of the pieces from Ghostbusters. I then learned that Elmer Bernstein was the same composer for both movies. Many of the musical sounds in Black Cauldron sound like those in Ghostbusters, but that's not a negative thing.  The villain is pretty scary, too.

Misery (1990)

The two lead stars of Misery - James Caan and Kathy Bates - recently reunited for a photoshoot for the annual "Reunions" issue of Entertainment Weekly.

Here's a link to the story and video clip from "The Today Show", featuring the two stars reminiscing about their time on the film:

http://www.today.com/popculture/misery-loves-company-kathy-bates-james-caan-reunite-discuss-1990-t49286

I recently re-watched this movie after almost 20 years, and was surprised how well the movie holds up and is able to thrill even after seeing it three separate times.  Also featuring small roles by the late Richard Farnsworth and the late Lauren Bacall, who are both very good in this.

If you haven't seen this movie before, I recommend it for a good Halloween watch.

Stagecoach (1939) and Bend of the River (1952)

This past summer I watched two great westerns, both of them involving journeys through dangerous terrain.

First, Stagecoach from 1939. Numerous characters with various personalities and backgrounds are forced to travel together, including a prostitute (Claire Trevor) and John Wayne who loves her despite her background. Thomas Mitchell won the Oscar for Outstanding Supporting Actor as the drunken doctor. He's hilarious especially all his banter with Donald Meek who plays a whiskey salesman. Then there's Andy Devine as the stage driver; he has some of the funniest lines. And then there's a funny scene when the stagecoach makes a stop at the way station and Meek is startled by an Apache and screams "is that a savage?" The Mexican innkeeper says, "Yes, that's my wife. She's a little savage". LOL There have been a few other versions made after this one as well. Directed by John Ford.

Another blog review from Wide Screen World (June 2020):

Then I caught up with Bend of the River at a local revival screening. I always enjoy seeing a Jimmy Stewart film on screen. Set in the 1840s/Gold-Rush era, Jimmy plays a cowboy with a checkered past who's hired to lead a group of settlers (including Julie Adams) westbound. During the journey, the wagon train survives a harsh indian attack and we meet a friend of Jimmy's played by Arthur Kennedy, who romances Julie and steals her away from Jimmy (but not for too long!).  The movie starts to get a bit more complicated when the group stops in Portland and we meet a gambler played by Rock Hudson; the biggest laugh from the crowed in the theater came when Rock eschews the flirtations from a female admirer. In the second act of the film, the wagon train has to deliver loads of food to a new settlement for the winter, and few of the hired hands (including Harry Morgan) conspire to make off with the goods. It's an exciting movie, but not as much comedic relief as Stagecoach. The character providing the most comic relief comes from Stepin Fetchit who plays a riverboat assistant. In the end, Jimmy redeems himself in the eyes of anyone who found him untrustworthy, including Julie's dad, who disapproved of him until the very end. Shot on location in Oregon. Also starring Francis Bavier ("Aunt Bea"). Directed by Anthony Mann.

A blog post from Just Hit Play here

Sicario (2015)

Sicario is an excellent new crime thriller currently in theaters. The main star is Emily Blunt, I enjoyed her performance in last year's Edge of Tomorrow. She plays an FBI agent who teams with Josh Brolin and Benecio del Torio to take down a Mexican drug lord. The scenes on the streets and on the roads in Juarez Mexico are very realistic and impressed me. I was reminded of the time years ago when I was in El Paso and crossed the border into Juarez; I didn't come across anything as dangerous as what was shown in the movie but certainly it could have happened. I love how the film is edited and shot by cinematography Roger Deakins; he creates so many great compositions that I want to see the movie again just to watch the photography. There is a great deal of mystery behind an apparent family man, who appears only from behind at the beginning of the film, but may be a dirty cop -- or someone else we're not expecting him to be.

Z (1969), State of Siege (1971), and The Confession (1970) by Costa-Gavras

This past summer I caught up with three excellent political thrillers directed by Costa-Gavras. All of them I highly recommend. They are among some of the best films I've seen this year or any year.

The first movie is Z from 1969. I remember watching this years ago when I was in high school but I was too young to understand what what going on. Now that I am older it makes so much more sense and it is very relevant today as it was then. It's called "Z" because Z represents the idealism and events surrounding the character portrayed by Yves Montand, a prominent peace activist beloved by all who oppose the radical martial law of the society. Those in the military and government want him and his followers silenced and/or killed. Early on in the film, Z is mortally wounded, but we - the audience -don't know how exactly, because the government spins the incident as "an accident". The mystery unfolds as the film progresses, but it's more than a mystery. It's an exploration into how various people and groups react and overreact in the aftermath of a crisis, and how so much is covered up by the government and the media. It's hard to describe the rest because there is so much going on with so many interesting characters, suspects, and twists. One of the most interesting characters to watch is the young lawyer assigned to investigate the case played by Jean-Louis Trintignant. Once you see this film you will not soon forget it. Also starring Irene Pappas. 2 Oscar wins: Best Foreign Language Film, Best Film Editing. Nominated for Best Picture and Director. Read Roger Ebert's 4-Star review: http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/z-1969

Another blog post about this movie from Michael's Movie Palace here ->
50th anniversary tribute from Silver Screen Modes.

The next movie is State of Siege from 1971, which is just as good if not better than Z. Mr Montand is in the film again, this time playing an American ambassador in South America who has been kidnapped by a left-wing militant organization, something of a young person's movement against government corruption and abuse of power. The opening scenes - remarkably realistic - show a massive, militaristic manhunt unravel on the streets. Then, all of a sudden, the ambassador is found dead, the search is over, and things quiet down, and an elaborate state funeral takes place. This isn't a spoiler though, because the rest of the film brilliantly shows us the circumstances behind Montand's death. We are shown what happened after the zealots apprehended him and bring him to a remote, undisclosed location. He's questioned by left wing activists, who do not intend to kill him, even though fate would dictate otherwise. The most memorable character from the film is a veteran news reporter played by O.E. Hasse, who reminded me of Walter Cronkite; the reporter is present at all the major press conferences and always asking the toughest questions. Suspicious of the official statements, he does a bit of questioning and investigating on his own.

The third movie is perhaps the most intense of all, The Confession from 1970, which can be seen as a story of survival. Mr. Montand is in the film again, and this time, he's tortured and imprisoned for reasons neither we nor his character understand at first. As the film progresses, we learn that he used to be an active member of a Communist party, but now has settled into a more bourgeoisie lifestyle, much to the dismay of his more militant Communist kidnappers. While he's imprisoned, he is forced to confess to things that are not true for political reasons. He is stubborn, though, and will not confess. In the meantime, his wife (portrayed by the lovely Simon Signoret) wants nothing more than her husband freed. The Confession is not an easy film to watch as many scenes show a blindfolded Montand horribly mistreated and depraved of food and water. It's another well-made and thought-provoking film that puts you int he shoes of a prisoner and makes you think what you would do in his case. The ending will last long in your memory.

Desperate Journey (1942)

The TCM channel aired this adventure a few months ago during a tribute to Raymond Massey. The movie is about a group of bomber pilots stranded in WWII Germany when their plane gets shot down. Among the airmen are Errol Flynn and a comical Ronald Reagan who declares he's "half American, half Jersey City". He has a few other funny lines in the movie such as "How come every time you wake me up I'm on a date with Ann Sheridan?". 

I liked Alan Hale's character, a man in his 50s who dyed his hair to look younger and lied about his age so he could serve. The others tease him about being the oldest in the group and call him "grandpa".

There's a good interrogation scene with Reagan and Massey who plays a Nazi general.

Interestingly, Massey was in another movie with some similarities to this one: The 49th Parallel/The Invaders (1941) in which Nazis are stranded in Canada and Massey plays a good guy.

 Directed by Raoul Walsh. Music by Max Steiner. Also with Arthur Kennedy and Nancy Coleman as a member of the German resistance. Available on DVD.

2015 Honorary Oscars announced

The Oscars announced today on Twitter that this years Honorary Awards will be going to only three recipients: Director Spike Lee, Actress Gena Rowlands, and for Humanitarian efforts Debbie Reynolds, who also has a legacy of enduring film performances spanning 65 years.

I recently watched two more films starring Gena Rowlands, and will have reviews of them posted soon.

Details about each honoree can be found here at the New York Times and People.com

Locke (2014)

This year, Tom Hardy made a big impression on the big screen as the new Mad Max in Mad Max Fury Road (I have not yet seen it). And last year he gave another impressive performance in a smaller film, one that hasn't been seen by too many people, I don't think. I was interested in checking it out after hearing good reviews of the film and his performance; the entire film takes place with Hardy's character - Locke (his last name...can't remember his first name) - talking on the phone! It is never dull or boring, even with Hardy being the only character we see for 90 minutes. The cinematography and editing are impressive...I was convinced I was in the car with him the whole time. We do hear the voices of the people he talks to on the speakers - every character is somehow connected. For example, there are Locke's sons who want their dad home to watch a game on TV.  Then his wife calls him several times, upset. Locke has to call his boss several times to patch up something at work. His co-worker is furious with him for reasons I won't mention here. Then there's the woman Locke had an affair with - she's in the hospital and scared; Hardy tries to calm her down. It's a really compelling "race against the clock" type of film, and I would recommend it. Can't think of any other film I could compare it with.

Read a blog post by Bobby Rivers about this movie here.

Read a blog post review by Surrender to the Void:

Surrender to the Void: Locke (thevoid99.blogspot.com)

The Wolfpack (Documentary, 2015)

The 6 brothers, all cinephiles

The Wolfpack is a new documentary about how 6 brothers from NYC ( the titular "wolfpack") slowly emerge from their sheltered, zombie-like existence (they do call themselves zombies, and even dress like them for cosplay). For most of their lives, these young, bright kids are prohibited from leaving their housing project by their overprotective (and questionable) parents. The boys' only entertainment is watching movies and re-enacting them -- movies such as The Nightmare Before Christmas, Pulp Fiction and The Dark Knight (apparently not Hamlet, Macbeth, or anything by Shakespeare or Neil Simon).

The film also features some brief interviews with the parents, especially the dad, who loves to watch old TV shows like The Honeymooners. It's a really strange but a true story, and disturbing at times, especially when we learn that the father has been physically abusive (he took Ralph Kramden's line "Bang Zoom" too literally).

This doc feels right at home with other "reality/lifestyle" TV shows like the Kim Kardashian show or Honey Boo Boo; everything shown on camera is observational rather than investigative. The director doesn't pry too deep in their lives, nor asks difficult questions we may want to know about the family -- such as their cost of living arrangements and details about the physical abuse the mother and children had to put up with from the alcoholic father, who appears on camera briefly and envisions himself as an enlightened hippy.

One of the more interesting things about this whole story is not included in the film - the story about how the director - Crystal Moselle)- became interested in her subject matter. Apparently one day she happened to stumble upon the brothers in a park as they were acting out scenes from a Quentin Tarantino film. The family soon let her in the apartment, and she began her quest to put together a film about this quirky family. I give her credit for the film and for getting the family to appear on camera.

Gloria (1980) by Cassavetes and Trucker (2008)

At the beginning of Gloria, a young boy escapes from the mob after his entire family is killed; the killers want the boy, too, but Gloria (Gena Rowlands) steps in to protect him.

The movie was filmed entirely on location in New York, which is almost a third main character.  At one point I caught of glimpse of a Barnes and Noble bookstore, which was neat to see. And in the subway there's a billboard for a radio station with Kenny Rogers' picture on it (he was a big deal in that period of time).

It took some getting used to the actor who plays the orphan. As I understand, the child was not a professional actor, and not the best actor, either. Apparently he "won" a "Razzie" for Worst Supporting Actor that year, unfortunately.  It really does feel like the child was miscast, and he usually feels unprepared and unmotivated to act or deliver his lines. However this might have been a smart casting choice on the part of director John Cassavetes. Since the character's entire life is shaken to its core in a matter of minutes, there's an edge to the boy, and after awhile I got used to him.

In Peter Bogdanovich's book "Movie of the Week", Peter talks about how John Cassavetes - the film's writer-director - originally wanted Peter to direct and Barbra Streisand to star. Barbra didn't want to do it because she didn't think anyone would believe her in the role.

Gena is great Gloria, a complex character that is fascinating to watch. There's a touching scene in the middle of the film when Gloria takes the young boy to a cemetery and teaches him the importance of saying goodbye. She says to him (paraphrasing), "Your parents are not here, but you can still talk to them here. Pick any stones - those look like nice ones. Say whatever comes to your heart". The scene made me break down emotionally. Gloria cares about the boy even though she's connected with the mob herself.  She has a sense of decency.  The ending of the film is also a tearjerker.

I also watched another movie with a similar mother-son theme, Trucker from 2008. It stars Michelle Monaghan as a young trucker who is reluctantly reunited with her 10 year old son when the father becomes terminally ill.  After a number of arguments, the two both learn to accept each other. This film also has a few heartbreaking scenes including one involving the sick dad (Benjamin Bratt) trying to explain to his son he is going to die.  I recommend this movie, which co-stars Nathan Fillion as an unhappily married man who loves Michelle.

Here's a 2023 review of this movie from the blog Laura's Misc Musings. 

Another review from Flickers In Time (blog)

Ben-Hur (1959) and seeing it on a big screen

This past April I went to see Ben Hur at the Pickwick Theater in Park Ridge IL. I tried to imagine myself as a film goer of 1959 seeing this up on the screen for the first time. The lavish sets and cinematography really are nothing but impressive. Experiencing that chariot race again reminded me that none of it was done with CGI.

The Pickwick Theater in Park Ridge, Illinois opened in 1928

"Ben-Hur" started at 7 PM, and left the theater at about 11 PM

Now Showing: "Ben Hur". 

I've always been curious about the film's subtitle "A Tale of the Christ". This subtitle made a bit more sense to me on this rewatch, seeing how the entire film leads up to the final miracle of Christ.  In the Bible a number of Christ's miracles are mentioned, including healings; what's not told are the life stories of those people that were healed, such as the blind man for example. This movie is an attempt to dramatize one of those families touched by the Christ. 

The Third Man (1949)

One of my favorite movies is The Third Man. In the film, an American writer (Joseph Cotten) tries to unravel his friend's mysterious death in a corrupt post-WWII Vienna run by all four Allied forces. The friend, named "Harry Lime", is played by Orson Welles.

This is one of those movies where I always seem to forget how it ends and what becomes of Harry Lime.

This movie always gets better and better every time I watch it.

I never owned a copy of the film, so recently I purchased the film on Blu Ray from my local Barnes and Nobles. It comes with a terrific commentary and is loaded with special features. My favorite is the short documentary about the real Third Man Museum in Vienna. Not surprising, most of the visitors who attend are Americans.

• More about this movie from Cinema Catharses here
• More from Greenbriar Picture Show here

Classic Stars, Final Big-Screen Performances 1985-2015

These were the last times we saw our favorite classic stars from the 1920s-60s perform on the big screen. They have all passed on now. RIP

This list covers wide-release, theatrical movies from the last 30 years, and does not include television work or made-for-TV movies. 

1985
Bob Hope, Spies Like Us
Van Johnson, The Purple Rose of Cairo

The Purple Rose of Cairo

1986

Jackie Gleason, Nothing In Common

Jane Wyatt, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home

John Carradine, Leon Ames, Maureen O'Sullivan, Peggy Sue Got Married

Peggy Sue Got Married

1987

Karl Malden, Nuts

Dorothy Lamour, Creepshow 2

Ann Southern, Lilian Gish, Bette Davis in The Whales of August

The Whales of August also starred Vincent Price

1988
Mel Blanc Who Framed Roger Rabbit (Voice over work)

1989
Eddie Albert, The Big Picture
Audrey Hepburn, Always

Always was directed by Steven Speilberg and was a remake of A Guy Named Joe

Burt Lancaster, Field of Dreams

Field of Dreams (1989)

1990

Mike Mazurki, Dick Tracy
Troy Donahue, Cry Baby
Ralph Bellamy, Pretty Woman

Pretty Woman (1990)

Vincent Price, Edward Scissorhands

Edward Scissorhands (1990)

1991

Richard Widmark, True Colors

Phil Harris, Rock-A-Doodle (Voiceover work)

Jimmy Stewart, An American Tail: Fievel Goes West (Voiceover work)

Producer Steven Speilberg was thrilled that Jimmy Stewart accepted the role of Wylie Burp

Gregory Peck and Martin Balsam, Cape Fear (1991)

Cape Fear was directed by Martin Scorcesse and also starred Robert Mitchum

1993

Harry Carey, Jr. Tombstone
Art Carney, Last Action Hero
Tony Curtis, Naked in New York
Buddy Ebsen, The Beverly Hillbillies
Herbert Lom, Son of the Pink Panther

1994
Gene Kelly, Lena Horne, Cyd Charisse, Howard Keel, June Allyson in That's Entertainment III
George Burns, Radioland Murders
Jack Palance, City Slickers 2
Dub Taylor, Maverick
Jessica Tandy, Camilla
Katherine Hepburn, Love Affair

Love Affair was directed by Warren Beatty

Don Ameche, Corrina Corrina

Corrina, Corrina (1994)

1995
Alec Guiness, Mute Witness
Pat Buttram, A Goofy Movie (Voiceover work)
Jean Simmons, How To Make An American Quilt
Hope Lange, Just Cause

1996
Ben Johnson, The Evening Star (1996)
Hume Cronyn, Marvin's Room (1996)
Silvia Sidney, Mars Attacks! (1996)
Shelly Winters, Portrait of a Lady (1996)

The Portrait of a Lady also starred Nicole Kidman and Barbara Hershey

1997

Teresa Wright, The Rainmaker

Donald O'Connor, Out to Sea

Out to Sea also starred Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau

Robert Mitchum Dead Man (1997)

Dead Man also starred Johnny Depp

1998
Janet Leigh, Halloween H0

Halloween H20 also starred Leigh's real life daughter, Jaime Lee Curtis

John Gielgud, Elizabeth

Elizabeth also starred Cate Blanchett

1999
Ray Walston, My Favorite Martian
Red Buttons, The Story of Us
Gloria Stuart, The Love Letter

2000
Walter Matthau, Hanging Up
Jack Lemmon, The Legend of Bagger Vance
Patricia Neal, Cookie's Fortune (2000)

Cookie's Fortune was directed by Robert Altman

2001

Robert Stack, Recess: School's Out (Voiceover work)

Anne Bancroft, Heartbreakers

Charlton Heston, Planet of the Apes (2001)

Planet of the Apes was directed by Tim Burton

Ann Miller Mulholand Drive

Marlon Brando The Score

The Score also starred Robert DeNiro and Edward Norton

2002
Rod Stieger, Poolhall Junkies

2003

Kevin McCarthy, Looney Tunes: Back in Action

John Forsythe, Charles Angels 2

Peter Ustinov, Luther

Luther (2003)

Ricardo Montalban, Spy Kids 3D: Game Over

Spy Kids 3D was directed by Roberto Rodriguez

2004 Ossie Davis, She Hate Me
2005 Don Knotts, Chicken Little (Voiceover work)
2006 Paul Newman, Cars (Voiceover work), James Garner, The Ultimate Gift
2007 Cliff Robertson, Spider Man 3, Theodore Bikkel, The Little Traitor
2008 Leslie Neilsen, Superhero Movie
2009 Lynn Redgrave, Confessions of a Shopaholic, Rod Taylor, Inglourious Basterds
2010 Dennis Hopper, Alpha and Omega (Voiceover work), Ernest Borgnine, Red, Eli Wallach, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps
2011 Jill Clayburgh, Bridesmaids
2012 Peter O'Toole, For Greater Glory, Lauren Bacall, Ernest and Celestine (voiceover work), Ruby Dee, A Thousand Words
2013 Leonard Nimoy, Star Trek Into Darkness
2014 Mickey Rooney A Night At the Museum 3, Christopher Lee, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

Watch the trailer for Creed, coming this fall

I'm more excited for this movie to come out. Seeing Sly Stallone in the trainer role seems to be good casting and a natural progression for the character. I think Michael B Jordan will be great in it - he was so good in Fruitvale Station a few years ago. 

The Sunshine Boys (1975)

I first watched this movie on television about 25 years ago, and it was a pleasure to watch it again for the first time in so many years. It's still a very funny film and I found myself laughing many times throughout. I love the character that Walter Matthau brings to life - an old vaudevillian comedian who will not give up acting, even if it means working in commercials. It sort of reminded me of when Betty White and Abe Vigoda did a Snickers commercial a few years ago for the Super Bowl.

Richard Benjamin plays the nephew who is trying to reunite the old man with his old comedy partner played by George Burns.

Some modern productions of The Sunshine Boys  update the characters to be pioneer TV stars rather than vaudevillians, which I suppose works just as well. But in the original play and this film, the whole vaudeville thing really works well. George Burns was an actual vaudevillian, so he was absolutely perfect for the role as Matthau's partner. When this movie came out in the 1970s, we still had vaudeville stars still living, but today there aren't any around anymore. Mickey Rooney was probably the most famous vaudevillians still living until he passed away this year.

I like Burns' line when he says to Matthau, "You know...I don't think we get along too good". That really sums up the movie in a way. The two comedians are able to reunite, and in a way say their last goodbye, realizing they are better off going their separate ways. I love the movie because it portrays two people who can't get along, but really love each other - sort of like a family member or friend you use to have, but just can't be with them too often. Such a great story, and great humor by Neil Simon.

It'd be cool to see this show performed live on stage.

Reaction to new 007 Spectre trailer

I enjoyed the latest video podcast from James Bond YouTuber Calvin Dyson - check out his channel here.   He talks about the latest trailer for Spectre and is really excited about it. I am really looking forward to this movie as well, having enjoyed the previous film.  Hopefully Calvin will have another video up soon where he dissects the trailer in more detail. Check out the video below -




In case you haven't seen the full trailer, check it out here....

Force Mejeur (2014)

Force Mejeur is one of the most unforgettable films I've seen in recent years, and its ending kept me thinking about it well after I left the theater. In the film, a family - mom, dad, and two young children - go on a skiing trip in the French Alps, hoping to enjoy a few days of fun. After a fear-inducing avalanche occurs, we begin to see what may or not be the beginning of the end of the couple's marriage. The couple's arguments are often fused with dark comedic elements, and at times I was reminded me at times of George & Martha from Virginia Woof.  In one of the film's best sequences, another couple comes stops by their hotel room to intervene and help provide an objective ear. There are also more scenes of people brushing their teeth and peeing than in any other movie I can remember. This is a movie that could be set anywhere - in any setting, any country. Even in the Jurassic World park. But the ski slope setting is perfect, though. On one hand, it adds to the film's literal and figurative "coldness". Also, I only went skiing once in my life (I fell down a hill and never went again!), so I never enjoyed the kind of skiing this family does. Skiing for this family is like going to the beach or the pool for other families. I loved looking at all of the beautiful snow-covered landscapes. I hope you are able to have the chance to view this though-provoking film, one of the best in recent years.

New trailer for "Hunger Games: Mockingjay 2" is out

The new trailer for Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 is out.

I'm so looking forward to this movie; the last movie was one of the best in the series in my opinion.

 Here is the trailer in case you have not seen it yet


 

Summer Rental (1985)

Summer Rental came out 30 years ago in the summer of 1985. I only saw it for the first time recently, and liked it. John Candy is amusing in it as a Chicago dad who takes his wife and two kids (one is Joey Lawrence) to Florida.

They rent a beach house and predictably, some things go wrong, which brought to mind a Jimmy Stewart movie called Mr Hobbs Takes a Vacation (1962), which this is sort-of like.

The movie ends with the family entering a sailing race with the help of a pirate played by Rip Torn. It is worth seeing if you are curious about the other films in John Candy's filmography.

Run Lola Run (1999)

Synopsis: A young woman with punkish red-dyed hair gets a call from her boyfriend in desperate need of money to pay someone off. It's not fully explained, but his life is threatened if he doesn't pay it back by a noon. High noon.

The young woman - whose father is a wealthy banker - frantically runs around the city trying to get the money before something happens to the BF. (She must really love him, though he seems like a loser to me). And yes, she tries to get it from dear old dad, who may or may not be having an affair.

Every time Lola gets to her destination, the film "resets" itself from the beginning in order to show the viewer a different outcome, which makes you think about which version is the "real" one and which version you like best. There's so much running in the film that it can make you exhausted.

An interesting experimental film intercut with some animated sequences. I saw this movie when it first came out in 1999, and enjoyed it, but since then I had forgotten what happened. It was fun to watch it again, but I couldn't help but wonder why Lola couldn't contact any one else to round up the money. Not as many friends as George Bailey in It's A Wonderful Life - remember what happens in the end, the main character has all his friends provide money.  

Also interesting - these are days before cell phones, so there's no cell phone use. Could be a different movie if made today. Still excellent and suspenseful. 

Here is an interesting review from Deep Focus Lens on this film: