Movie Night: What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?

Review #105: What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?

Cast
Bette Davis (Jane Hudson), Joan Crawford (Blanche Hudson), Victor Buono (Edwin Flagg), Maidie Norman (Elvira Stitt), Anna Lee (Mrs. Bates), B. D. Merrill (Liza Bates), Marjorie Bennett (Dehlia Flagg), and Dave Willock (Ray Hudson) Directed by Robert Aldrich.

Review
The film is a thriller and an excellent drama with Bette Davis doing a great job as the twisted Baby Jane (even if she looks like Betty White...). Anyway, the film delivers slight chills (Not like a horror film...A good one anyway) It's stunning, it's madness, and it's wonderful for it. The mystery develops over the film, and at the end it delivers it with a twist that's not so Shamalyan at all in the sense that it makes a good end for a good film. Hard to believe this is the first film I've seen on Davis or Crawford's. And I didn't regret seeing it one bit.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: East of Eden (1955)

Review #104: East of Eden.

Cast
Julie Harris (Abra Bacon), James Dean (Caleb Trask), Raymond Massey (Adam Trask), Richard Davalos (Aron Trask), Burl Ives (Sam the Sheriff), Jo Van Fleet (Cathy Ames/Kate Trask), and Albert Dekker (Will Hamilton) Directed by Elia Kazan.

Review
The film is based on the classic novel of the same name by John Steinbeck, even if it's only the last 80 pages, but still a good film nonetheless. Dean steals the show with his acting, his first out of three sadly. In fact, this was the only film released when he was alive. The film is a good parallel to the Cain and Abel story strangely enough. It's got good acting, good atmosphere, and a good plot to keep it going in this tragic, but satisfying film.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Romeo + Juliet (1996)

Review #103: Romeo + Juliet.

Cast
Leonardo DiCaprio (Romeo Montague), Claire Danes (Juliet Capulet), Brian Dennehy (Ted Montague), John Leguizamo (Tybalt Capulet), Pete Postlethwaite (Father Lawrence), Paul Sorvino (Fulgenio Capulet), Diane Venora (Gloria Capulet), Paul Rudd (Dave Paris), and Vondie Curtis-Hall (Captain Prince). Directed by Baz Luhrmann (Moulin Rouge!)

Review
Well, well, well, look what we have here. This is a "modern retelling of the classic story by William Shakespeare. And it is not a great retelling really. The casting is allright, especially with Romeo and Lawrence. However, at points it gets silly and stupid, such as the beginning scene, in which shouting is the only thing heard (And guns, so there ya go) It's a weird little film that uses the same dialouge from the play, cuts things out (such as the servent scene and others), and yet doesn't feel like a retelling. It feels like someone wanted to make Romeo and Juliet, but they were too lazy to just use the city of Verona, so they just used Verona Beach and messed around with the naming. It doesn't satisfy the modern audiance much in terms of making it big extravagence, and it doesn't impress the buffs of the play, making this an odd experiment that's point was...I don't know. Maybe it was to jump start plans for Hamlet 2000...

Overall, I give it 5 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.

Review #102: Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.

Cast
James Stewart (Jefferson Smith), Jean Arthur (Ms. Simmons), Claude Rains (Joseph Paine), Edward Arnold (Jim Taylor), Thomas Mitchell (Diz Moore), and Guy Kibbee (Hubert Hopper). Directed by Frank Capra (#319 - It's A Wonderful Life and #456 - It Happened One Night)

Review
This film is a classic that is well acted and well done. James Stewart is the best in this film, he plays such an innocent naive man who evolves into a man who defends himself even in times of doubt and exhaustion. Arthur does great too, playing a woman who has been corrupted by greed, but she comes to come back full circle. But the one who makes his moments is Rains as the antagonist of this film. He's evolved once from a man who cared and compromised into a machine of himself. The film teaches lessons and makes it's case in a informative format. It truly is a great film after 73 years.

Overall, I give it 10 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Glory.

Review #101: Glory.

Cast
Matthew Broderick (Colonel Robert Gould Shaw), Denzel Washington (Private Silas Trip), Morgan Freeman (Sergeant Major John Rawlins), Cary Elwes (Major Cabot Forbes), Cliff De Young (Colonel James Montgomery), Andre Braugher (Private Thomas Searles), Jihmi Kennedy (Private Jupiter Sharts), Alan North (Governor John Albion Andrew), and John Finn (Sergeant Major Mulcahy) Directed by Edward Zwick.

Review
This film is based on the 54th Infantry, led by Robert Gould Shaw, as it was the first all African American regiment in the Civil War. The film is told by Shaw's perspective, and it is a good film. The acting is good, especially from Washington (earning a Best Supporting Oscar for it) and Freeman (one of his many roles that he does great in). The film is grand with its locations, its battles, and especially its musical score, which is booming and perfect for a movie like this. The film has one flaw that some do point out. The flaw is that they focus on Shaw more, rather then the Regiment itself for about half the film. The purpose should be focusing on the Regiment, not just the man leading it, but I suppose the point was to have a unifying arc, and Shaw fits the bill. If you want a film dedicated to the Regiment, or interested in seeing a movie to honor the men and women who died in war for Memorial Day, or you just want to see a fragment of the Civil War, then this film is for you.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Blade Runner.

Review #100: Blade Runner.

Cast
Harrison Ford (Rick Deckard), Rutger Hauer (Roy Batty), Sean Young (Rachael), Edward James Olmos (Gaff), M. Emmet Walsh (Harry Bryant), Daryl Hannah (Pris Stratton), William Sanderson (J. F. Sebastian), Brion James (Leon Kowalski), Joe Turkel (Dr. Eldon Tyrell), Joanna Cassidy (Zhora Salome), James Hong (Hannibal Chew), and Morgan Paull (Dave Holden) Directed by Ridley Scott.

Review: 
Welcome fellow viewers redirected to this review due to clicking the link from the review of the sequel, Blade Runner 2049. There have been some edits made to make it feel a bit more natural, as opposed to how it was back in 2012. The original review will be included on the bottom of this edit (in italics) for anyone curious to see the differences.

This is a film that is different from other 1980s entertainment flicks (such as The Empire Strikes Back, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and Aliens), in that it is a neo-noir that is certainly mysterious and alluring at the same time due to its visuals while also being an incredibly entertaining science-fiction film. The version that I watched is The Final Cut (with a 117 minute run-time), which Scott had complete artistic and editorial control, as opposed to the original release cut, which had voice-overs by Ford. In any case, he seems to just blend into this environment as well as one would expect from him that lends itself to making for a useful experience. The rest of the cast is also commendable, such as Hauer, particularly near the climax. The visuals are good, with fine cinematography by Jordan Cronenweth that certainly spans itself all over the film. It may not seem as fast as other films of its time, but it definitely resonates with you on numerous levels, whether emotional or intellectual. This is a classic that certainly stands out from other science-fiction or neo-noir movies, having a distinct style and influence that still stands today. The story is adapted from Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, by Phillip K. Dick, who has had numerous stories of his adapted into movies (such as Next, Paycheck, The Adjustment Bureau, Total Recall, and Minority Report). This film has been changed from the original 1982 version (that was forced on Scott by the studio), and that's a good thing as this version is more of Scott's vision that shows how good a director he is.

This is a film that is different from other 80s flicks (Empire Strikes Back, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Aliens) as it relies on it's visual side and undertones to speak a story and not just action or...voiceovers (The version I was watching is The Final Cut) Anyway, the acting is good, especially from Harrison Ford. He really blends in, as he tries to do something different from previous films. I won't remember him as much as I do Han Solo or Indiana Jones, but I at least will remember him as an alright character. The visuals are good, with good cinematography all over the film. This is a classic that why it may not be exact and like every other film, it is still a good film. This film has lasted just about 30 years, and like Tron it has gotten better with age. The story is adapted from Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, by Phillip K. Dick, who has made many books that have been adapted into films (Next, Paycheck, The Adjustment Bureau, Total Recall, and Minority Report) This film has been changed from the original version, and that's a good thing as this version is more of Scott's vision that shows how good a director he is. And so this ends the 100th Review. I thank all who have read these reviews, and I hope for 100 more.

And so this ends the 100th Review. I thank all who have read these reviews, and I hope for 100 more.

Overall, I give it 10 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Mutiny on the Bounty (1935).

Review #099: Mutiny on the Bounty.

Cast
Charles Laughton (Captain Bligh), Clark Gable (Fletcher Christian), Franchot Tone (Byam), Herbert Mundin (Smith), Eddie Quillan (Ellison), Dudley Digges (Bacchus), Donald Crisp (Burkitt), Henry Stephenson (Sir Joseph Banks), Francis Lister (Captain Nelson), and Spring Byington (Mrs. Byam) Directed by Frank Lloyd.

Review
Greetings fellow readers who clicked the link from the review of The Man Who Laughs, which referenced this review due to the (MS Paint) created square that displays this as the 99th review having a color scheme that was replicated for the aforementioned review in honor of it being the 999th. In any case, enjoy this review from 2012.

First off, let me say that this is a good film. It is lavish in the sense that there's many actors and such, with some being the focus, such as Gable and Laughton's characters. The acting is good, not too shabby. The historical accuracy may not be totally accurate, but then again it is based on a novel that already messed up the history of the real life events. Compare that to the 60s version of the same name with Marlon Brando, or the Mel Gibson's The Bounty, or even Errol Flynn's In Wake of the Bounty... The film is well-done, with Gable (reviewed previously by me in #094 - The Misfits) and Laughton being the main big winners here. It like I said is a good film, even with the remakes and the age of the film, being over 75 years old. Countdown: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 3, 2, 1.

Overall, I give it 10 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Tron.

NOW SUPERCEDED: https://movienightcentral.blogspot.com/2022/07/redux-tron.html 

Review #098: Tron.

Cast
Jeff Bridges (Sam Flynn/CLU), Bruce Boxleitner (Alan Bradley/Tron), David Warner (Ed Dillinger, Sark, Master Control Program), Cindy Morgan (Dr. Lora Baines/Yori), Barnard Hughes (Dr. Walter Gibbs/Dumont), and Dan Shor (Ram). Directed by Steven Lisberger.

Review
So as I was asking for review ideas, and this won over Blade Runner 3-2. Now does this mean anything? Probably. Or not. Anyway, this film is dazzling to the eyes, like 2001 was in 1968. The film has allright acting with a good storyline that has undertones to it. Of course this was when Disney actually did things like this (#92 - The Black Hole) Of course, I must mention the effects. Wow, they're great. They are featured most of the film, and they keep you entertained. It's a classic that was once overlooked, but it is now getting the respect it deserved. Here's to 30 years of it, and to hopefully 30 more. Of course there was a sequel, but let's not talk about it. End of Line. Countdown is now: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2...

Overall, I give it 10 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Small Soldiers.

Review #097: Small Soldiers.

Cast
Gregory Smith (Alan Abernathy), Frank Langella (Archer), Kirsten Dunst (Christy Fimple), Tommy Lee Jones (Chip Hazard), Phil Hartman (Phil Fimple), George Kennedy (Brick Bazooka), Jim Brown (Butch Meathook), Ernest Borgnine (Kip Killigan), Clint Walker (Nick Nitro), Bruce Dern (Link Static), Kevin Dunn (Stuart Abernathy), Ann Magnuson (Irene Abernathy), Jay Mohr (Larry Benson), David Cross (Irwin Wayfair), and Denis Leary (Gil Mars) Directed by Joe Dante.

Review
This is a bit similar to Gremlins (#096), with our lead hero releasing the villans to the world, destroying things, and ultimately losing to another toy/gremlin. But the film does try to distance itself a little, with action and slight laughs all over the film. It may be a little dark, but compare it to Gremlins, which had microwaved heads and more. This is just a cherry to that cake, really. It has excellent effects with good voice acting and standard acting that entertains you for two hours (Make that 1:50). It's not a great film, but it at least is enjoyable. Countdown: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3...

Overall, I give it 6 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Gremlins.

Review #096: Gremlins.

Cast
Zach Galligan (Billy Peltzer), Phoebe Cates (Kate Beringer), Hoyt Axton (Rand Peltzer), Frances Lee McCain (Lynn Peltzer), Corey Feldman (Pete Fountaine), Frank Welker (Stripe and Mogwai), Howie Mandel (Gizmo), Keye Luke (Grandfather), John Louie (Grandson), Dick Miller (Murray Futterman), Jackie Joseph (Sheila Futterman) Directed by Joe Dante (#007 - Looney Tunes: Back in Action)

Review
The film is thrilling after it begins innocently enough with little mogwai and such. The acting is standard, but we know we really are here for. The gremlins. The gremlins are excellent in effects and personality. It's a dark film, especially when the lead actress delivers why she doesn't celebrate Christmas. It's interesting when you see the Gremlins and the characters duke it out rather then see the beginning, but never the less it's still an interesting film to watch. We are close to 100 Reviews. Countdown: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4...

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Wall Street.

Review #095: Wall Street.

Cast
Michael Douglas (Gordon Gekko), Charlie Sheen (Bud Fox), Daryl Hannah (Darien Taylor), Martin Sheen (Carl Fox), John C. McGinley (Marvin), Terence Stamp (Sir Larry Wildman), James Karen (Harry Lynch), Hal Holbrook (Lou Mannheim), Sean Young (Kate Gekko), and James Spader (Roger Barnes) Directed by Oliver Stone.

Review
This film is a classic, pure and simple. Sheen and Douglas play each other off so well, with Douglas being the main man here, doing an excellent job, especially with his "Greed is good" Stone mixes so many things from different periods of time to get them all matched into respective characters. The one single flaw is Daryl Hannah. I don't know why, but her acting here is...Dull. I know she plays basically a lackey to Gekko, but couldn't they at least make her do a better job at it? The film is excellent in value that makes you interested and a little bit smarter at the end. We are close to 100 Reviews. Countdown: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5...

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.