Lousy Smarch weather!
I guess the big movie I finally caught up with last month was GONE WITH THE WIND. It was pretty much exactly as good as I expected with some unexpectedly impressive performances making the overlong tale worth seeing. I've always been a fan of Olivia de Havilland but in this film her fantastic work made the pain of Vivien Leigh's whining bearable. I realize the character of Scarlett is supposed to be a pain in the ass but DAMN! Rarely have I wanted to reach into the screen and slap someone quite so often as I did with her. But now I've crossed GWTW off my list and can move on others that are hopefully less loooooonnnnnggg!
On the television front I've continued watching CAPRICA and actually gotten to the point of enjoying it. I have one more episode to see but I've found myself caught up in the soap opera-ness of it all. I'm also enjoying the return of FLASH FORWARD but I can see we won't have a second season since the ratings have fallen off a cliff. It's all right. I know I'm strange. I watched episodes of TIME TUNNEL and VOYAGE BENEATH THE SEA in March as well.
And a word to the wise- if you love genre movies see NOT QUITE HOLLYWOOD as soon as possible. Easily one of the most entertaining documentaries about film I've ever seen it sent me scrambling to track down a dozen or more Australian horror and action movies I had never even heard of before this great movie told their tales. Invaluable stuff!
NIGHT OF THE HOWLING BEAST (1975)- 7 (rewatch)
THE CORRUPTION OF CHRIS MILLER (1973)- 8 (very good Spanish thriller)
GONE WITH THE WIND (1939)- 7 (amazing if far too long- the last scene is a minus as well)
16 BLOCKS (2006) – 8 (rewatch)
THE MASK OF FU MANCHU (1932)- 8 (rewatch)
PERCY JACKSON: THE LIGHTENING THIEF (2010)- 5 (not bad fantasy film)
WOMEN OF DEVIL’S ISLAND (1962)- 5 (never believable period WIP film- but I enjoyed it)
THE POSSESSION OF JOEL DELANY (1972)- 6 (well acted thriller)
BATTLE BENEATH THE EARTH (1967)- 5 (OK cold war sci-fi tale)
TWISTED NERVE (1968)- 8 (amazing thriller)
42ND STREET (1933)- 7 (Busby Berkley Broadway fun)
SYMPATHY FOR LADY VENGEANCE (2005) – 8 (not as brilliant as OLDBOY- but what is?)
DEATHSTALKER (1983) – 4 (fun in a bad way)
ALICE IN WONDERLAND (2010)- 6 (should have been better)
CEMETERY WITHOUT CROSSES (1968)- 8 (excellent spaghetti western)
8 ½ (1963)- 8 (amazing look at a middle aged man and everything that means)
WORLD’S GREATEST DAD (2009)- 8 (great dark comedy)
ERIK THE VIKING (1965)- 4 (silly, dumb and poorly directed)
DEADLY FRIEND (1986)- 2 (starts bad and gets progressively worse as it goes along)
BATTLE GIRL: LIVING DEAD IN TOKYO BAY (1992)- 4
LA CASA DE LAS MUERTAS VIVIENTES (1972)- 6 (Spanish giallo)
NOT QUITE HOLLYWOOD (2008)- 9 (excellent documentary- had me running for paper & pen)
JUSTICE LEAGUE: CRISIS ON TWO EARTHS (2010)- 7
THE BLACK TORMENT (1964)- 6 (pretty good period chiller if a bit slow)
MIDNIGHT IN THE GARDEN OF GOOD & EVIL (1997)- 6
DAUGHTER OF THE MIND (1969)- 7 (sharp TV movie with a stellar cast)
THE VENGEANCE OF THE MUMMY (1973)- 7 (Naschy mummys it up)
NIGHTMARES (1980)- 6 (Australian slasher/giallo)
2 comments:
Yes, DEADLY FRIEND is just all kinds of bad.
I have to admit to having a real soft spot for MIDNIGHT IN THE GARDEN OF GOOD AND EVIL. I'm sure a lot has to do with the fact that I first watched it right before I visited Savannah. I think the film's languid pace (a common complaint against it) perfectly captures the feel of the town, and I think Eastwood nailed the eccentric charms of the city. But, I'll be the first to admit that some of the plot devices for the sake of "dramitization" are a bit far-fetched and convenient, and some of the performances are uneven (due in part to the use of some of the actual Savannians appearing as themselves). But, I think Spacey is terrific, and the chemistry between The Lady Chablis and John Cusack is a lot of fun. I'll admit that I find myself re-watching the film every couple of years because it just works a particular spell on me despite its flaws. What the heck, I even stayed in the same bed-and-breakfast that ol' Clint stayed in while he made the film (not intentionally, it just worked out that way LOL )
The film's fatal flaw for me is that its so in love with Chablis that it wanders off telling her tale and letting her be all that when it has NOTHING to do with the story being told. Jesus. Edit!
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