The Great, Big, Quarantine Catch Up

I'm not going to get political or anything on here but, with much of the world shut down it's safe to say that I've had a bit more time on my hands than usual. Now, with so much time I have been able to catch up on some T.V. shows that I had pushed to the back burner and luckily Nintendo has blessed the world with the gem that is Animal Crossing: New Horizons. However, that doesn't mean I haven't been watching a whole bunch of movies. It's been a little while since my last post (again the world is in a weird place right now) and I thought it might be an interesting change of pace to do an overview of what movies I've watched lately. 

Of course, being stuck inside it's been the perfect opportunity for a few marathons. This past weekend rewatched the three Godfather films. The first two are obviously considered great movies but, I'm starting to gain more appreciation for the often disregarded third film in the trilogy... It's still not great but, I liked it more since the last time I saw it a few years ago. I also went on a little bit of a Tim Burton kick for a few days and rewatched some of his early films. Beetlejuice, Batman, Ed Wood, Edward Scissorhands... these are all good movies and got me thinking "What happened to Tim Burton? All he makes is crap now". Maybe that'll end up being the topic of a separate post in the future. 

In terms of movies that I hadn't seen before, I finally got around to watching Rocketman. I didn't have time to see it when it was in theaters last year but, better late than never. When the movie goes into big musical numbers it's a lot of fun but, the rest of the time it's a pretty paint-by-numbers biopic. Overall, liked it and it's probably in that 3.5 out of 5 range for me. I also watched Mirrors 2. I never saw the first Mirrors but I found this one in a bargain bin and with the quote on the back of the blu-ray case " They can't run... they can't hide... the can't even look in the mirror!" Well, that's all I needed. It's a schlocky horror movie. Not good but, I had fun with it. Another horror movie I decided to watch was The Exorcism of Molly Hartley. It's far from the worst exorcism movie I've seen (that honor is held by Exorcism of the Dead) but, I still wouldn't recommend this one. Turning away from horror, I finally watched a film that had been sitting in the stack of movies on my desk for months, Machine Gun Preacher. The film is based on a true story about an ex-biker gang member who starts helping poor kids in Africa. It's fine. The title is way better than the movie.

Finishing up, here are a few miscellaneous favorites that I've rewatched over the past few weeks. I highly recommend all of these so if you're like me, stuck at home waiting for the world to go back to normal, these are some solid films to help pass the time. 

- Field of Dreams, a feel good movie and there's no real baseball on T.V. right now. 

- Gone with the Wind, it's an all-time classic and the 4hr-runtime isn't a big deal when there's nothing else going on. 

-Top Gun... I just really like this one.

- The Wolf of Wall Street, Martin Scorsese movies are always worthwhile.

- Spartacus, like Gone with the Wind, it's a long one but, worth it. 

- The Muppets from 2011. Good songs, and funny jokes. A perfect distraction.

- The Man Who Knew Too Much, I personally prefer the 1956 version with James Stewart and Doris Day but, the 1934 original is a great movie as well. 

-And finally Moon. It's great, I love it, and more people need to see it.

Today's Movie: The Manchurian Candidate

Based on the 1959 Richard Condon novel, 1962's The Manchurian Candidate is a fantastic suspense film. It boasts a strong cast consisting of Frank Sinatra, Janet Leigh, Laurence Harvey, Angela Lansbury, and James Gregory all of whom are solid in the movie.

The film is about a U.S. Army platoon that is captured during the Korean War and whose members are brainwashed by communists. Once the soldiers return home all of them seem to be strangely speaking quite highly of Sergeant Raymond Shaw (played by Laurence Harvey) a guy they never particularly liked and who, unbeknownst to them and everyone else, has been brainwashed to be an assassin. Frank Sinatra's character, Major Ben Marco, is the one who starts to put the peices together and relizes what happened him and the rest of the platoon. Then it's a race against time to try and stop Shaw from assasinating a prominent political figure.

Overall, this is a classic movie with a compelling story and an ending that I really like. This is one that I definitely recommend. There was a remake in 2004 starring Denzel Washington, Meryl Streep, and Liv Schreiber which is a fine movie but, not nearly as good as the original in my opinion.

I give this one a 5 out of 5

The Ghost and the Darkness

This one was recommended to me recently, and the plot sounded so interesting that it immediately jumped to the top of my watch-list.

Released in 1996, The Ghost and the Darkness is about the construction of a railway bridge in East Africa that is being delayed by two man-eating lions that have been picking off the workers. After several failed attempts by the construction engineer (played by Val Kilmer) to kill the lions, a world-renowned big-game hunter (played by Michael Douglas) is brought in to help. It's not long before it is revealed that these lions aren't so much hunting for food, but rather for sport. Perfect for any one that enjoys a good 'the hunter becomes the hunted' type of story.

The film has some really tense build ups with good payoffs, it's paced very well, and it's overall a very interesting story. However, it isn't perfect. Kilmer's acting is a bit uneven, and there are a few scenes that probably could've either been reworked to add to the tension or cut out entirely. Also, the Sir Robert Beaumont (played by Tom Wilkinson), who sends Kilmer's character to Africa in the first place, is a really one-dimensional character. He's essentially just there to be a jerk and tell Kilmer that the bridge needs to get done.

 

I'm tempted to give this one some bonus points because I really like the cast and I'm a big fan of late 19th century/early 20th century period-pieces, but I try to make these reviews as objective as possible and you can find faults in this one if you're looking for them.

Overall, while it isn't perfect, I did really enjoy it and recommend checking it out.

3.5 out of 5.

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A look back at 'The Firm'

 

Released in 1993, The Firm is an entertaining thriller based on a best-selling John Grisham novel.

Despite boasting a solid cast consisting of actors like Tom Cruise, Gene Hackman, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Holly Hunter, and Ed Harris, I think this is an under-seen and probably under-appreciated movie. 

At approximately 2 1/2 hrs. it does drag a tad at a couple of points, but the plot is interesting and the acting is good.

 

The film is about a young lawyer named Mitch (played by Cruise) who accepts a too-good-to-be-true a job with a law firm in Memphis. He very quickly learns that the firm is involved in all sorts of shady activities including laundering money for the Mafia. Of course, the more Mitch looks into these dealings the more the higher ups at the firm grow suspicious. Pretty soon the FBI is also contacting Mitch hoping that he'll be their "man on the inside" feeding them the information needed for an ongoing investigation. Stuck between what the firm will do to him if they find out, and what the FBI will do if he refuses to cooperate results in an intriguing, tension-filled film.

 

Overall, while the movie isn't a masterpiece, I do think it's good. If you haven't seen it, or at least haven't seen it for a while, I recommend giving it a watch.

It's a solid 4 out of 5.

 

Today's Movie: Cape Fear

Today's review is Cape Fear. (the 1991 Martin Scorsese remake, not the 1962 one)

 The plot here is simple but effective: A convict named Max Cady (played by Robert De Niro) has recently been released from prison after serving a 14yr sentence. His lawyer all those years ago was Sam Bowden (played by Nick Nolte) who, was so appalled by Cady's crime, that he buried evidence that might have lightened the sentence or even lead to an acquittal. So, Max is out to get his revenge on Sam, stalking and threatening him, his wife Leigh (played by Jessica Lange), and his 15yr old daughter Danielle (played by Juliette Lewis). Sam files a restraining order, hires a private investigator, pays a few goons to beat Cady up, and even tries fleeing on a houseboat... but it doesn't seem like anything can stop Max Cady.

Even though the original in 1962 was directed by John Lee Thompson, Martin Scorsese opted to give his version a very Hitchcockian feel. This makes the film an interesting hybrid of ideas and influences, and a pretty unique Scorsese picture. Aside from some pacing and camera angles, the music is the same Bernard Herrmann score from the original and the opening credits were done by Saul Bass (both men collaborated with Alfred Hitchcock on a few of his most famous films). 

Overall, I wouldn't call this one my favorite Scorsese movie, or even my favorite Scorsese movie featuring Robert De Niro, but it's a suspenseful thriller and all of the acting solid. I typically argue against remakes but, this is one of the examples of a remake done right.

I give this one a 4 out of 5.

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10 James Stewart Movies Everyone Should See

There aren't many actors that have filmagraphy that boast as many great films as James Stewart. I've previously written list like this about Sean Connery, John Travolta, Alfred Hitchcock, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Tom Hanks, and Chuck Norris, and easy part in creating this particular list was that I had so many quality films to choose from. Anyone who frequents this blog or has talked with me about movies knows I'm a huge fan of James Stewart and, unfortunately, there were so many good choices that I had to leave a lot of films that I really enjoy off of the list. Like all previous entries this isn’t necessarily a ‘Top 10’ but rather a list of films that is both some of my personal favorites and that I think best represent the person’s career.

#10 Rope -1948

"... You've murdered! You choked the life out of a fellow human being who could live and love as you never could, and never will again!"

You're going to find a couple of James Stewart-Alfred Hitchcock collaborations on this list, but that's bound to happen when an on-screen legend and one of cinemas best directors work together on a handful of films. This one is about two college friends who commit a murder just to see if they can get away with it. It's a simple plot done so well that it is, in my opinion, one of the great psychological-thrillers.


#9 The Spirit of St. Louis -1957

"The idea of committing suicide never crossed my mind except when I took this cigar"

There probably wasn't anyone more fit to play American icon Charles Lindbergh, than perhaps the greatest 'American every man' actor James Stewart. This biographical film focuses on the time leading up to Lindbergh's historic trans-Atlantic flight, as well as the flight itself. And even as someone with very little interest in aviation history, I still think this is a really interesting and entertaining movie.

 

#8 The Stratton Story -1949

 "I'm through gambling. Well, I found out what it's like to lose, and what it's like to win. Why keep at it?" 

This is one of my favorite Baseball movies (maybe I'll write a piece on all of those sometime). Stewart plays Monte Stratton, and it's the true story of a pitcher for the Chicago White Sox in the 30's who has his leg amputated after accidentally shooting himself in an offseason hunting accident, but against all odds plays ball again. It's a great film.

#7 The Man from Laramie -1955

"I figure this place owes me somethin' and I'm gonna make it pay" 

 James Stewart was in a number of Westerns over the course of his career, but while some of his most famous ones How the West was Won and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance are both really good films, they also starred Western legend John Wayne. This one is 100% a James Stewart picture and I honestly think it's just as good.

#6 The Shop Around the Corner -1940

"I think people who like to smoke candy and listen to cigarettes will love it"

I'm not usually the biggest fan of romantic-comedies but this film about two shop employees that can barely stand each other but, without realizing it, are falling in love through letters as eachother's anonymous pen pal is a really fun movie. Both James Stewart and Margret Sullavan are really good, and Felix Bressart cracks me up.

#5 Mr. Smith Goes to Washington -1939

"...You think I'm licked. You all think I'm licked. Well I'm not licked. And I'm gonna stay right here and fight for this lost cause. Even if this room gets filled with lies like these. And the Taylors and all their armies come marching into this place. Somebody will listen to me" 

What can I say about this one? It's an all-time classic, well written, well directed, the whole package... but most of all, and this isn't something I claim very often, this is an important movie. On the surface it's just a film about an idealistic young Senator who goes to Washington D.C. and learns about corruption. It's both inspirational and cynical in many ways. I first saw it in school as a kid and, even though it's not always easy to get kids to sit and watch a black & white movie about government, I think it's something everyone should see at least once.

#4 Rear Window -1954

"...she didn't know she was going on a trip and where she was going she wouldn't need any luggage"

Look on any Alfred Hitchcock or James Stewart "Best of" list and you'll find this one near the top, it's a masterpiece. Stewart plays a photographer who, because of a broken leg, is confined to his apartment for a bit. So, he spends his days curiously watching his neighbors through his back window, but things get really interesting when he suspects one of those neighbors of being a murderer. It's a must-see especially if you like really suspenseful movies

#3 It's a Wonderful Life -1946

"What is it you want, Mary? What do you want? You want the moon? Just say the word, and I'll throw a lasso around it and pull it down"

This one also made a 10 Christmas movies everyone should see list I wrote (you can check out that article here) and it's not just a great Christmas movie or just a great James Stewart movie, it's one of the all-time great films period.


#2 Harvey -1950

"Years ago my mother used to say to me, she'd say...'In this world, Elwood, you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant.' Well, for years I was smart. I recommend pleasant. You may quote me."

Harvey is not the most critically acclaimed film on this list but, for me, it couldn't come in any lower than the #2 slot. Stewart is fantastic as Elwood Dowd, one of my all-time favorite characters across film history. There are very few actors that can play a man who's best friend is an invisible 6'-3 1/2" tall rabbit and still come off so genuine and sincere that you find yourself thinking that the people who don't believe in Harvey the rabbit are the one's with a problem.

#1 Vertigo -1958

"You shouldn't keep souvenirs of a killing. You shouldn't have been that sentimental."

I could go on and on about this one, but I'll keep it simple and if you want more check out a piece I wrote called "The Greatness of Vertigo". This is one of those films and performances where everything works and, no matter how many times I've seen it, the movie always sucks me in.

Honorable Mentions: The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962) , The FBI Story (1959), Broken Arrow(1950), Bell Book and Candle (1958), The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956), An American Tail: Fievel Goes West (1991)


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A Look Back At: Apollo 13

"Houston, we have a problem"

 

Released in 1995 and based on real events, Apollo 13 is one of those rare movies that I recommend to anyone and everyone who hasn't seen it.

If you are one of those who is not familiar with the film, it focuses primarily on the crew of NASA's Apollo 13 mission which was supposed to land on the moon. However, after an oxygen tank explosion, the astronauts aboard soon find that their spacecraft is low breathable air, experiencing power failure, and the mission is no longer to land on the moon but to make it back to Earth alive. It's one of those movies where even though you know how it ends, it's still a thrilling road to get there and it's very rewatchable as well.

 In addition to being a very compelling story, the film really succeeds on pretty much every level. Ron Howard who directed the film did a great job, the cinematography is really good, James Horner's score compliments the film perfectly, and the movie it's full of exciting moments, drama, tension, and humor. Add into that some great acting: this is one of the best performances of Tom Hanks' career (This one took the #3 spot on my "10 Tom Hanks Movies Everyone Should See" list that I posted in October) but, in addition to him, Gary Sinies, Kevin Bacon, Ed Harris, Bill Paxton, and all the other actors in the film are all really solid.

Again, I highly recommend this one and I'd put it up there with some of my very favorite space-based films. I give this one a 5 out of 5.

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A Look Back At 'Psycho' (1960)

One of Alfred Hitchcock’s great cinematic masterpieces (and I would even argue his best) is 1960’s Psycho. I had previously placed it on my ’10 Movies to Watch in October’ list (which you can check out here: http://onlyinthemoviesblog.blogspot.com/2016/10/10-movies-to-watch-in-october.html) but I still felt like I should have given it a little more of a in-depth review.

 This is not only a great psychological horror film but a great film overall, with iconic moments, a great score, solid acting (particularly Anthony Perkins) and wall-to-wall suspense. It’s spawned a couple of sequels, a remake, and TV show. Much like Hitchcock urging theater owners not to let people to enter the theater late, because it would ruin the experience, I’ll give the setup and end it there just in case anyone reading this has not seen the movie.

The Film starts out in Phoenix, Arizona. During a hotel rendezvous while on her lunch hour, a secretary at a real estate office named Marion Crane (played by Janet Leigh) discusses with her boyfriend, Sam Loomis (played by John Gavin), why they can’t afford to get married because Sam is in pretty substantial debt. When Marion returns from lunch, a client comes by the office and drops off a $40,000 cash deposit for a property. Her boss asks her to deposit the money in the bank, and she asks him if she can take the rest of the afternoon off afterwards. But, she doesn’t go to the bank and instead decides to steal the money to give to Sam. So, Marion heads out of town and toward California where Sam lives. That evening, she pulls over on the side of the road and falls asleep, only to be awakened in the morning by a state trooper. He asks her a couple of questions and is suspicious about her nervous behavior but lets her to drive on anyway. Shaken by the run-in with the officer, Marion stops at a dealership and trades in her car for another and then continues on her way.

Later during her travels, it starts raining pretty heavily so she decides to stop for the night at the Bates Motel where she meets Norman Bates and the whole film take a sudden and violent turn.

Like I stated earlier, I think this is one of the all-time great films and it’s always especially good to watch around Halloween. So, if you’re one of the few who hasn’t seen it -or- if you just haven't watched it in a while, go check it out. You’ll be glad you did.

I give this film a 5 out of 5.

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...and for some more good reads check out this Book, Video game, and Comicbook blog:
Boredenthusiast.blogspot.com 

Tonight’s Movie: Snowbeast (1977)

Tonight felt like a good night for a cheesy B-movie.

Right from the get-go, a young woman is killed by a mysterious beast on the slope at a ski resort. As if the death of a skier isn’t enough, the annual Winter Festival is about to begin raising the potential for more attacks. There are a few more deaths and a couple of guys that work for the resort, go out looking for the Snowbeast.

There is also a skeptical Sheriff who serves no real purpose in the movie other than to claim that there is no monster, and that all these people were killed by a crazed grizzly bear.

The actual monster isn’t seen much in the film. We get footprints, growls from off-screen, a lot of POV shots from the Snowbeast’s perspective, brief glimpses of a paw here and there, and people talking about a Bigfoot-like creature in the forest. All of this is used to build up the suspense, and it works fairly well until you actually do see the monster. This creature’s appearance is pretty laughable, but again, you don’t see it that much. 

The acting isn’t great, but it could’ve been much worse and aside from a couple of dull scenes the film moves along at a decent pace. There are a few cringe-worthy lines of dialogue and the way the beast is killed at the end is pretty anti-climactic.

Overall, while not a great movie by any stretch, it is entertaining. 

I give this one a 1.5 out of 5

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10 Alfred Hitchcock Movies Everyone Should See

     

          I've already looked at Sean Connery, John Travolta, and Arnold Schwarzenegger in these '10 Movies Everyone Should See' pieces. So, I thought today it would be fun to look at an iconic Director's career, and my all-time favorite Director is Sir Alfred Hitchcock. As in previous posts, this isn't meant to be a ranking of a person's films but instead, a list of films that I think best represent a person's career and are some movies that like the title suggests"Everyone Should See".

1)      Psycho  -1960

I think most film lovers have a favorite Hitchcock film and this one is mine (narrowly edging out the #2 film on this list ‘Vertigo’). Norman Bates (played by Anthony Perkins) is a fantastic character, I love the music, the pacing, the cinematography, and the plot draws me in even though I’ve seen the film countless times.

2)      Vertigo -1958

I’ve already written an article on why this is a masterpiece so I won’t go into this one too much. It’s a great psychological thriller about fear and obsession. It’s also often regarded as Hitchcock’s best work, and for that alone it’s worth checking out.

3)      Rebecca -1940

This film has an eerie, haunting quality, and it’s full of mystery that really draws you in. It also has the distinction of being Hitchcock’s first American film and it did win ‘Best Picture’ at the 1941 Academy Awards.

4)      Rear Window  -1954

Photographer L.B. Jefferies (played by James Stewart) is recovering from a broken leg with nothing better to do than to look out the back window at the people in the apartments across the courtyard from his own. Then one night he hears a woman scream and soon realizes that one of his neighbors (played by Raymond Burr) may be a murderer. This was the second pairing of James Stewart and Alfred Hitchcock (the first being ‘Rope’) and they hit a home run with this one.

5)      North By Northwest –1959

Whether it’s the scene where Cary Grant running down a dirt road while being shot at by a plane or the chase scene atop Mt. Rushmore, this movie is a fun ride from start to finish.

6)      The Lady Vanishes –1938

An English tourist (played by Margaret Lockwood)is traveling by train in Europe. She meets a kind elderly woman on the train and they talk for a bit. A little later, it seems that the old woman has disappeared from the train, and all of the other passengers deny having ever seen her. From there the search is on for clues that may lead to the missing woman.

7)      The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog -1927

This silent film is one of Hitchcock’s earliest, and actually one of my favorites. In the film there is a ‘Jack the Ripper’ type serial killer on the loose and after the most recent murder, a strange man who matches the description of the killer happens comes to town. Could he be the killer or is this just a coincidence?

8)      Marnie -1964

This one also made it onto my ’10 Sean Connery Movies Everyone Should See’ list and for a similar reason; it’s a damn good movie. However, because Sean Connery would play more iconic roles (like James Bond) and Hitchcock would make more memorable films, this is underrated and often forgotten classic.

9)      Rope -1948

This is one I recommend to people constantly. Just for the thrill of it, two guys murder one of their friends, put the body in a chest in the middle of their living room, and then hold a dinner party with the body still in the room. It’s such a simple, yet suspenseful movie.

10)   The Birds -1963

This might not be one Hitchcock’s strongest film but at the same time it is remarkable how good he was able to make a movie that’s about birds attacking a small seaside town. Also, Tippi Hedren is fantastic.

Honorable Mentions: Frenzy (1972), The 39 Steps (1935), The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956), To Catch a Thief (1955)


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