Movie Night: Cactus Flower.

Review #438: Cactus Flower.

Cast
Walter Matthau (Dr. Julian Winston), Ingrid Bergman (Stephanie Dickinson), Goldie Hawn (Toni Simmons), Jack Weston (Harvey Greenfield), Rick Lenz (Igor Sullivan), Vito Scotti (Señor Arturo Sánchez), Irene Hervey (Mrs. Durant), and Eve Bruce (Georgia) Directed by Gene Saks.

Review
This film is (sadly) connected with the grand atrocity Just Go With It, reviewed nearly 400 reviews ago, as that was a remake of Cactus Flower, which was also inspired Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya?, a 2005 film made in India which is probably way better than Just Go With It. Goldie Hawn makes her first starring role as a main lead, though her first movie appearance was in The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band. Hawn, who had previously been on Laugh-In, won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for this film, and I can see why. She's charming, she has talent and she's a very convincing actress and she stands her ground of being notable, especially at the likes of Matthau and Bergman. The actors are what that "remake" had nothing of: Funny. They convey the laughs, they aren't  too vulgar in their approach, and...this is has a good story to it (Being based off the play Fleur de cactus by Pierre Barillet and Jean-Pierre Grédy), which makes sense. Matthau and Bergman are very good, and when combined with Hawn and also Lenz, this makes a dynamic comedy that blows its remake into the graveyard of terrible remakes. I could say more, but half of what would be said would be further trying to prove that Adam Sandler can't make a funny 2000s comedy and that Goldie Hawn, Walter Matthau and Ingrid Bergman do a great job and the dialogue, which works well. So it's best to quit while I'm (probably) ahead.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco.

Review #437: Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco.

Cast
Michael J. Fox (Chance), Ralph Waite (Shadow), Sally Field (Sassy), Carla Gugino (Delilah), Sinbad (Riley), Tisha Campbell-Martin (Sledge), Michael Bell (Stokey), Robert Hays (Bob Seaver), Kim Greist (Laura Seaver), Benj Thall (Peter Seaver), Veronica Lauren (Hope Seaver), and Kevin Chevalia (Jamie Seaver) Directed by David R. Ellis.

Review
The previous film (#186 - Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey) was fine, a reasonably paced family film with good banter and pairing of Don Ameche, Michael J. Fox and Sally Field, with minimal, but not too little scenes about the family, and it made sure to not run on for too long. The sequel tries to do the same thing, but in someways, that is the major flaw of the film, it just feels like a rehash, only with minor differences. Sure there's a love interest, and...a dog gang, but this film, while okay at best, fails to surpass the original in quality. Fox is good, and Field is as well, and Waite does okay as a replacement actor, as Don Ameche had dies prior to the filming of the second film. The problem isn't exactly with the actors, it's more a problem with the script, which doesn't really go anywhere. It has fun moments, but it feels like it is trying either too hard or not enough. The scenery of San Francisco looks nice, and I imagine families would like it somewhat, but the first one is definitely better.

Overall, I give it 6 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Dead Men Walk.

Review #436: Dead Men Walk.

Cast
George Zucco (Dr. Lloyd Clayton / Dr. Elwyn Clayton), Mary Carlisle (Gale Clayton), Nedrick Young (Dr. David Bentley), Dwight Frye (Zolarr), and Fern Emmett (Kate) Directed by Sam Newfield.

Review
What? Oh sorry, I was busy trying to remember what I was watching earlier. All I remember is watching this 64 minute 1940s film, took a nap after watching it, and then watching some show to block this film out of my memory. The Powerpuff Girls don't do a very good job at that, unfortunately. I'd say something like "But at least this has some entertainment value right?", but this isn't really much in terms of entertainment. It ends quicker then it begins and it feels like a low budget Dracula at best. In fact, Dwight Frye is even in this, previously featured in Frankenstein, Dracula and The Maltese Falcon, and he's okay in this. The budget is low, as noticed when I keep hearing sound issues, such as their being a faint tap, which sounds like what happens on a record player. The film starts with some sort of book about "The History of the Vampires" being burned, which puzzles me because I'm wondering who would make such a book about that? The next book presumably would be The History of Zardar, the Clown Terror from Beyond Outer Space, or The History of the World, Part II. The actors are okay, and the film sometimes does have a creepy vibe, but it's mostly forgettable, yet very easy to find on the Internet.

Overall, I give it 5 out of 10 stars.

Intermission.

   I decided to take a break for reviewing yesterday, not wanting to burn out from all the reviewing. I also noticed the blog has reached 7K views, I wanted to give gratitude to anyone who actually reads the blog and the reviews. I also welcome anyone to comment on these reviews, the comment box is just right below the review, comment whatever you want relating to the review or whatever.

Thank you, and I assure you there will be more reviews this month and in August. Thank you for your time.

Movie Night: Mickey.

Review #435: Mickey.

Cast
Mabel Normand (Mickey), George Nichols (Joe Meadows), Wheeler Oakman (Herbert Thornhill), Minta Durfee (Elsie Drake), Laura La Varnie (Mrs. Geoffrey Drake), Lew Cody (Reggie Drake), and Tom Kennedy (Tom Rawlings) Directed by F. Richard Jones and James Young.

Review
Mickey is the earliest point of time in the 20th century to be reviewed here, over 90 years old, making it even older than say, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. This silent film was produced by Mabel Normand Feature Film Company, which would only make one film, and this is a rare case of a film company bearing the name of the person involved and then starring in the film (unless you count "Wiseau Films" in the discussion) as well. The actors try to convey emotions, but only Normand seems to the most convincing at that, and she does a fine job overall. The film itself is not really that much to it, and why it can give a chuckle, the story doesn't have that much meat to it, and this is more of a curiosity piece that a good film, but I'm sure silent film lovers will get a treat out of this.

Overall, I give it 6 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Mon Oncle.

Review #434: Mon Oncle.

Cast
Jacques Tati (Monsieur Hulot), Jean-Pierre Zola (Monsieur Arpel), Adrienne Servantie (Madame Arpel), Alain Bécourt (Gérard Arpel), Lucien Frégis (Monsieur Pichard), Betty Schneider (Betty), and Jean-François Martial (Walter) Directed by Jacques Tati.

Review 
Mon Oncle (which translates to "My Uncle" in English) is a first on Movie Night, it being the first film from France to be reviewed here, and the 10th world cinema film (with the exception of British films and Canadian films), and for once, a comedy film, whereas the others were either weird films and horror films. As for the film itself, it has its quirks and moments wrapped with little dialogue, making this easy to watch. It's an easygoing film, one with gags that do bring some chuckles. My favorite is the fountain that just can't start or stop sprinkling. The actors don't say a whole lot, Tati uses music and the movements to make a visual comedy, you could almost call this a silent film, and the music keeps the flow of the film going. The film runs about two hours, but the patience and the laughs you'll get from the film makes this worth it for anyone looking for a good laugh.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Angels in the Outfield (1951).

Review #433: Angels in the Outfield.

Cast

Paul Douglas (Guffy McGovern), Janet Leigh (Jennifer Paige), Keenan Wynn (Fred Bayles), Donna Corcoran (Bridget White), Lewis Stone (Arnold P. Hapgood), Bruce Bennett (Saul Hellman), and James Whitmore. Directed by Clarence Brown (#423 - A Woman of Affiars)

Review

Baseball films have been shown prominently (mostly), such as Cobb, The Jackie Robinson Story, 42, The Natural, The Babe, Major League, ...and The Babe Ruth Story. After I saw the heinously overly sweet "The Babe Ruth Story", I needed something, anything to watch to get it out of my head. And so I decided to watch Angels in the Outfield, and as the film kept going, I realized that while this film wasn't exactly jumping out of the cliche monsters that sometimes plague sports films, this has enjoyment written all over it. It's a kids film at heart yes, but the baseball action is fine, with the players not swinging awfully as Bendix, and this film does have its moments, such as when Douglas' character meets Leigh's, where Douglas gives a reply on a note card with "Boo!" after Leigh criticises his team. I don't know why, but that's what gets to me, and it's a unknown sort of spirit that makes this a passable film. 

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars. 

Movie Night: The Babe Ruth Story.

Review #432: The Babe Ruth Story.

Cast
William Bendix (George Herman "Babe" Ruth), Claire Trevor (Claire Hodgson Ruth), Charles Bickford (Brother Matthias), Sam Levene (Phil Conrad), William Frawley (Jack Dunn), Gertrude Niesen (Nightclub Singer), and Fred Lightner (Miller Huggins) Directed by Roy Del Ruth (#398 - The Maltese Falcon (1931)

Review
I've already reviewed a film based off Babe Ruth (#389 - The Babe), but this film managed to be released in Ruth's lifetime. How much of his lifetime? Long enough for him to see it before he died, as he would see the film three weeks before his death. In that respect, this film feels like it was rushed beyond oblivion with no care for the facts which stink more than a skunk. The Babe wasn't good because of awkwardness, its fallacy of history and a weak script.  But this? This is the anti-thesis of a sports film, this is a sugar coat of a film. How much of a sugar coat? Imagine a Twix candy bar deep fried in chocolate and then filled with sugar. It's so sickeningly sweet with its character that no amount of acting could help this film. And that's where the film keeps on dragging down, down, down. Part of the problem of The Babe Ruth Story is that while it has a sweet side, that's all it has. Bendix isn't even a good player when it comes to the baseball scenes, swinging very oddly and throwing very...weirdly, making John Goodman look great by comparison. Bendix portrays him very child-like, resembling Curly from the Three Stooges. The worst scene in the film is either the ending scene (where the child that he once met that apparently started walking after they met), that "Called Shot" scene (The myth being he called his shot before he hit a home run in the World Series - in the scene, his home run apparently saves a sick child), or when kids sing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" outside his hospital window. It's a disgrace to sports biopics that manages to make even "The Babe" look average by comparison. In two attempts to make a biopic about Babe Ruth, both times the films failed to do just one single purpose: Have a good Babe Ruth. You might as well read "The Babe and I" by Claire Ruth, a biopic by his wife. But oh well.

Overall, I give it 1 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Palm Beach Story.

Review #431: The Palm Beach Story.

Cast
Claudette Colbert (Geraldine Jeffers), Joel McCrea (Tom Jeffers), Mary Astor (The Princess Centimillia), Rudy Vallée (John D. Hackensacker III), Sig Arno (Toto), and Robert Dudley (Wienie King) Directed by Preston Sturges (#188 - Sullivan's Travels)

Review
The Palm Beach is a decent film, not as good as Sullivan's Travels, but it is entertaining, it does have a twist and it had good enough writing to keep the film in wrap. The actors are alright, and Joel McCrea is enjoyable, managing to switch emotions, he can be gruff, but he can also be funny, and that's always nice for an actor or an actress. Claudette Colbert is good, taking advantage of being one the lead roles very well. Sturges is a good director and he weaves his characters and setting to a good result, and while it doesn't last too long, it is fun while it is lasting, and I suppose that makes sense in the grand scheme of the film, which is just to make us laugh with a quick pace, romantics and all.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: 7 Faces of Dr. Lao.

Review #430: 7 Faces of Dr. Lao.

Cast
Tony Randall (Dr. Lao, Merlin, Pan, the Serpent, Medusa, Apollonius of Tyana, and the Abominable Snowman), Arthur O'Connell (Clint Stark), Barbara Eden (Angela Benedict), John Ericson (Ed Cunningham), Kevin Tate (Mike Benedict), Noah Beery, Jr. (Sam), Royal Dano (Casey, the Brutal Henchman), John Doucette (Lucas, the Henchman's Sidekick), Lee Patrick (Mrs. Howard T. Cassan, the Stuffy Matron), Minerva Urecal (Kate Lindquist, the Shrewish Wife), John Qualen (Luther Lindquist, the Meek Husband), and Frank Cady (Mayor James Sargent)  Directed by George Pal (#247 - The Time Machine)

Review
This is a weird sort of film, it feels like a fantasy film, but it sometimes feels like it tries to be a comedic film, and it also manages to try to show a cavalcade of stop motion effects, creating a jello mold of a film in which the main actor tries to flesh out 7 different characters. But does this film work as a whole? Eh...it depends. The directing for the most part is alright, George Pal (also notable for producing The War of the Worlds in 1953) does alright, and focus doesn't get too off focus. And while Randall does okay in his performances, it is a tour de force in the makeup department by William Tuttle as he even won an honorary Oscar for the makeup. The effects are alright, and the Serpent does look good. The rest of the actors are okay, not too bad, even if they are overshadowed by the effects and Randall, though probably unintentionally. The film is dated at some points and despite some questionable aspects, this is at least okay, and while it is a weird experiment in the amount of characters one actor or actress can play, I suppose it can't be too harmful. Take this film at your own risk.

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Wrong Box.

Review #429: The Wrong Box.

Cast
John Mills (Masterman Finsbury), Ralph Richardson (Joseph Finsbury), Michael Caine (Michael Finsbury), Peter Cook (Morris Finsbury), Dudley Moore (John Finsbury), Nanette Newman (Julia Finsbury), Peter Sellers (Dr. Pratt), Tony Hancock (Detective), and Wilfrid Lawson (Peacock) Directed by Bryan Forbes.

Review
The Wrong Box has oddball moments, notable late comedians and some laughs, and while sometimes it could be better, this is a tour de force of 60's star power, which either gives it appeal or makes it a bit dated. Anyway, the film does have its moments with some of the demises of the characters, one involving a duel that let's just say turns incredibly wrong. The main two actors are fine and Caine is good as always, but Cook and Moore steal the show, they bring an aura, a certain sort of bizarre charm, and it has a well effect indeed. The gags in the film are alright and while some might miss, there are some that hit the mark even to the day, not being that dated.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: A Fish Called Wanda.

Review #428: A Fish Called Wanda.

Cast
John Cleese (Archie Leach), Jamie Lee Curtis (Wanda Gershwitz), Kevin Kline (Otto West), Michael Palin (Ken Pile), Maria Aitken (Wendy Leach), Tom Georgeson (George Thomason), and Patricia Hayes (Mrs. Coady) Directed by Charles Crichton.

Review
It has been 25 years to the day that this film was released into theaters (U.S. and Canada theaters anyway, it wouldn't be released in the U.K. until months later for some reason), and it was a major hit when it first came out, with Kevin Kline garnering a Best Supporting Actor award at the Oscars and the film also had other various nominations, but enough about that, how is the film? It's pretty good. The actors do pretty well, and Kline does steal the show after a while, but Curtis and Cleese do manage to keep the focus going, and Palin slides in and does a well job, given his character and all. The story itself isn't lost to stupidity, or to disgusting gags with no point or too much vulgarity unlike some recent comedies, the story in this is coherent, it actually flows well without a misstep, the actors and the story matter, and the comedy comes in later, this movie could actually work as a drama, but the comedy is abundant enough to work as a comedy as well. And the film isn't dated, it could still be believable after 25 years, and when a film can do all that, clearly that is an accomplishment, which it was 25 years ago and still is today.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Magnificent Seven (1960).

Review #427: The Magnificent Seven.

Cast
Yul Brynner (Chris Adams), Eli Wallach (Calvera), Steve McQueen (Vin), Horst Buchholz (Chico), Charles Bronson (Bernardo O'Reilly), Robert Vaughn (Lee), James Coburn (Britt), Brad Dexter (Harry Luck), Vladimir Sokoloff (The Old Man), Jorge Martínez de Hoyos (Hilario), and Rosenda Monteros (Petra) Directed by John Sturges.

Review
The Magnificent Seven is a western style remake of the 1954 film Seven Samurai, which was directed by Akira Kurosawa, a legendary director who had directed 30 films in over 50 years of work. As for this film, the rights were bought for Seven Samurai, and Sturges was brought in to direct, with filming occurring in Mexico, and Elmer Bernstein composing the music score. As for my opinion on the film, it's a well made production. Brynner is effective, doing a fine job in one of the main roles. Eli Wallach is an effective villain, and when he and his bandits meet the Seven about an hour in, the scene is tense, but effective. But Steve McQueen nearly steals the show and while he does have too many lines, he is memorable in his role. The rest of the actors do very well, such as Charles Bronson, but especially James Coburn, who may not say much, but keeps a stone cold image that works well. The scenery is effective, given the tone of the film. This film is entertaining, with good directing by Sturges, and the music score by Elmer Bernstein is one of the best music scores made for film. It's a bittersweet film, and it is an excellent western.

Overall, I give it 10 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Major League.

Review #426: Major League.

Cast
Tom Berenger (Jake Taylor), Corbin Bernsen (Roger Dorn), Charlie Sheen (Ricky Vaughn), Margaret Whitton (Rachel Phelps), James Gammon (Lou Brown), Rene Russo (Lynn Wells), Bob Uecker (Harry Doyle), Wesley Snipes (Willie Mays Hayes), Charles Cyphers (Charlie Donovan), Chelcie Ross (Eddie Harris), Dennis Haysbert (Pedro Cerrano), and Andy Romano (Pepper Leach) Directed by David S. Ward.

Review
Major League may not bring too much of new things to the table that other sports films like The Natural or 42 have, but it has its own way of trying to reach the level of enjoyment that it mostly gets right. It has its moments of being funny, and while it is sometimes crude in approach, it is excusable because the characters are endearing after a while.  The actors are alright, Berenger and Bernsen do good, Sheen steals the show, but Bob Uecker of all people has memorable moments, even for an announcer, the one liners are memorable It feels dated at times, with the old, now demolished stadiums (Milwaukee County Stadium was used for filming, though it was used only because the stadium that is actually depicted (Cleveland Municipal Stadium) was too busy for filming), the uniforms and other such things, But this film has some charm, it feels close to home, there's always that team that just feels down on times, especially Cleveland teams, and while the idea of comeback is somewhat cliche, there's always something to try and make different about it, and while sports films do run into one another a lot, this breaks that mold, if only slightly.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Pacific Rim.

Review #425: Pacific Rim.

Cast
Charlie Hunnam (Raleigh Becket), Idris Elba (Stacker Pentecost), Rinko Kikuchi (Mako Mori), Charlie Day (Dr. Newton Geizler), Burn Gorman (Dr. Hermann Gottlieb), Ron Perlman (Hannibal Chau), Heather Doerksen (Sasha Kaidanovsky), Ellen McLain (Jaeger AI), Robert Kazinsky (Chuck Hansen), Robert Maillet (Aleksis Kaidanovsky), Max Martini (Herc Hansen), and Diego Klattenhoff (Yancy Becket) Directed by Guillermo del Toro.

Review
Pacific Rim is the third in my walks to my movie theater, and when the film started, the audience had grown from a handful to a near room full. After I left, I kept that in mind while trying to form my opinions into one singular review that didn't say the same thing over and over again. And what did I think of this film? It was pretty awesome. Was it a great film? No, but for 2 hours, it was entertaining, and yet it didn't feel like it had been too sacrificing in the characterization, in fact I liked the characters, they were written alright, and the actors were good, such as Hunnam, Elba, Kikuchi, and even the supporting cast. They were likable, they were useful and they all had a purpose in this film. But of course, the main thing about this film is the Jaegers and Kaiju, who are grand in scale, but grander when battling each other. The battle scenes look beautiful, and they bring an epic scale, truly grand in scale. This film is about 80% battling, 15% on characters and about 5% manic energy. It even manages to bring a chuckle or two out of me, and this did a far better job of spectacle than the Transformers films ever did. But nevertheless, this is a pretty good film. It may take spectacle over characterization, but really did anyone not expect that? My main reason for watching this was because of the fact I could see giant robots fighting monsters and not have it all be a great dream. Instead, it is brought to life by Guillermo del Toro, who does a wonderful job. Truly, this one deserves the hype, and it deserves a watch, for the grand spectacle and the fun that it delivers. Truly, I did not waste my money watching this.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Race for Your Life, Charlie Brown

Review #424: Race for Your Life, Charlie Brown.

Cast
Duncan Watson (Charlie Brown), Bill Melendez (Snoopy/Woodstock), Stuart Brotman (Peppermint Patty), Jimmy Ahrens (Marcie), Gail M. Davis (Sally Brown), Melanie Kohn (Lucy van Pelt), Liam Martin (Linus van Pelt), Greg Felton (Schroeder/Camp announcer), Kirk Jue (Bully), Tom Muller (Franklin/Another Bully), Jordan Warren (Another Bully), and Jackson Beck (Brutus) Directed by Bill Melendez (#295 - A Boy Named Charlie Brown and #298 - Snoopy, Come Home) and Phil Roman.

Review
Once again I'm reviewing a Charlie Brown movie, and I was satisfied with the last two, so what could go wrong here? As it turns out, this is an okay film that while feeling awfully short does have its moments. Once again the voice actors are different, except for Bill Melendez who is probably the only one to star in all of these Peanuts films, as the other actors are different, they being child actors and all. The child actors are alright, mostly consistent with their characterization, though Peter Robbins will always (for me anyways) be the definite Charlie Brown. Melendez does good, Snoopy and Woodstock always being a delight. It's alright in characters, but sometimes it makes you wonder why Charlie Brown hasn't gone insane or simply moved away from the seemingly destructive group of "friends" that manage to even ruin his leadership of a boat race, for pete's sake. The bullies are typical, bullying for no real reason and boasting ad nausea, but at least the ending satisfied me. The animation is okay, but it is a bit of downgrade from the last two films, but at least the story works alright (even though in one scene it is snowing even though they are in vacation) and it does have some laughs, even for a short (70 minute) length. Charlie Brown and Snoopy were usually my favorite characters, a "lovable loser" is a good one to like, though I always imagined he kicked that football, no matter what.

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: A Woman of Affairs.

Review #423: A Woman of Affairs.

Cast
Greta Garbo (Diana Merrick Furness), John Gilbert (Neville Holderness), Lewis Stone (Dr. Hugh Trevelyan), Johnny Mack Brown (David Furness), Douglas Fairbanks Jr. (Jeffry Merrick), Hobart Bosworth (Morton Holderness), and Dorothy Sebastian (Constance) Directed by Clarence Brown.

Review
In the six (#256, #261, #330, #349, #400, #415) previous 1920s films I've reviewed here, all of them have been silent films (either involving clowns, vampires, Caligari, a thief, Americans, or pilots), and they seem to run together somehow, a recurring theme. This film breaks that trend, this being a romantic drama, with newcomers for Movie Night, such as Greta Garbo (notable for doing 28 films before retiring at 35), John Gilbert (a notable silent film star who did have star in talkie films briefly), and Douglas Fairbanks, Jr, who was a film star much like his father, this being a fine opportunity to have reviewed father and son, which I can only remember one other time doing, with Michael and Kirk Douglas. Anyway, this film is enjoyable enough, and it flows well, not running too long or too short, and the actors do convey emotion pretty well, not failing in their attempts to convey the story rather than having the title cards do it for them. It's a noteworthy film that I do recommend to anyone who wants a good time regardless of the year it was made, which I suppose is enough.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Fortune Cookie.

Review #422: The Fortune Cookie.

Cast
Jack Lemmon (Harry Hinkle), Walter Matthau (William "Whiplash Willie" Gingrich), Ron Rich (Luther "Boom Boom" Jackson), Judi West (Sandy Hinkle), Cliff Osmond (Chester Purkey), Lurene Tuttle (Hinkle's mother), Harry Holcombe (O'Brien), Les Tremayne (Thompson), Lauren Gilbert (Kincaid), Marge Redmond (Charlotte Gingrich), and Noam Pitlik (Max) Directed by Billy Wilder (#106 - Some Like It Hot and #194 - Ace in the Hole)

Review
It was fun to watch the last two Billy Wilder films reviewed here, and so I came into watching The Fortune Cookie with a lot of optimism. I wasn't that disappointed. Lemmon and Matthau play off each other well, and it's usually fun to have actor reappear in these reviews, especially Matthau. Ron Rich does a good supporting job, likable and enjoyable. Judi West (who apparently only made two other films) is alright, and she works alright when combined with Lemmon, which I suppose is enough. There are fun moments, with some funny bits and most of that is generated either by Lemmon, Matthau or both combined, which works out pretty well, and it gives the film a bit more depth, along with warmth. It manages to override the 90 minute cliche of comedies, which I gladly endorse as long as the comedy works, which it does. It has its moments, and 2 hours isn't much to ask for, so I recommend to give this film a shot. You won't regret it.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Palm Springs Weekend.

Review #421: Palm Springs Weekend.

Cast
Troy Donahue (Jim Munroe), Connie Stevens (Gail Lewis/Jane Hoover), Ty Hardin (Doug Fortune), Stefanie Powers (Bunny Dixon), Robert Conrad (Eric Dean), Andrew Duggan (Police Chief Dixon), Jack Weston (Fred Campbell), Carole Cook (Naomi Yates), Jerry Van Dyke (Biff Roberts), Zeme North (Amanda North), and Bill Mumy ('Boom Boom' Yates) Directed by Norman Taurog.

Review
Welcome back everyone, it's morning time (for me and a good deal of others), and another review is at hand, this time I'm reviewing...a beach party film. Ah yes, the beach, where most go to avoid the sweltering heat to encounter sweltering sand, possible sea sickness and a long drive to and back. But hey, I guess anything goes in the 1960s, so I won't put it past them. The acting is okay, nothing too special, though it is interesting to note that Bill Mumy (famous for appearing in the classic Twilight Zone episode "It's a Good Life") is in this, and he's not too bad. The scenery looks nice for 1963, and there is some enjoyability involved and some sort of effort was made into this film, which I guess is enough for most. It's a beach party sort of film that is either enjoyable or middle of the road sort of thing. It has its shares of laughs and oddities all in all.

Overall, I give it 6 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Incredible Shrinking Man.

Review #420: The Incredible Shrinking Man.

Cast
Grant Williams (Scott Carey), Randy Stuart (Louise Carey), Paul Langton (Charlie Carey), Raymond Bailey (Dr. Thomas Silver), April Kent (Clarice), and William Schallert (Dr. Arthur Bramson) Directed by Jack Arnold.

Review
This film was based off the novel by the late Richard Matheson, who wrote the screenplay for this along with several films, novels and TV episodes such as The Pit and the Pendulum (1961), The Raven (1963), the novel I Am Legend and the 1964 version, Somewhere in Time, Duel, The Comedy Terrors, numerous Twilight Zone episodes...and Jaws 3-D. But nevertheless, The Incredible Shrinking Man benefits from a fine screenplay by Matheson, who keeps the plausibility levels high and the watchability even higher. The acting is alright, and Grant Williams is the best out of everyone in the film, we see the emotion he goes through, and it comes off as believable. The effects are the cornerstone of this film, and they look convincing, especially for the time this was made, and the scene where Williams' character is attacked by the cat is really good. This is a fine film, and I applaud Matheson for his work on this film.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Key Largo.

Review #419: Key Largo.

Cast
Humphrey Bogart (Frank McCloud), Edward G. Robinson (Johnny Rocco), Lauren Bacall (Nora Temple), Lionel Barrymore (James Temple), Claire Trevor (Gaye Dawn), Thomas Gomez (Richard "Curly" Hoff), Harry Lewis (Edward "Toots" Bass), John Rodney (Deputy Sheriff Clyde Sawyer), Marc Lawrence (Ziggy), and Dan Seymour (Angel Garcia) Directed by John Huston (#081 - The Maltese Falcon (1941), #094 - The Misfits, #224 - Casino Royale (1967)

Review
Once again I have the chance to review a film directed by John Huston, and one with Humphrey Bogart and Edward G. Robinson, who I loved in The Cincinnati Kid (#273), with Laura Bacall and Lionel Barrymore, who I last reviewed in America (not everyday you review a star who stars in silent and talkie films), so this was irresistible. And it did not disappoint. The main four (Bogart, Robinson, Bacall and Barrymore) all do respectable jobs, but Claire Trevor stands out among the rest, especially when she sings a capella in front of everyone, a moving scene. This film has a tense pace going, never letting go of its roots, having a climatic ending and a good directing job by Huston once again.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Blob (1958).

Review #418: The Blob.

Cast
Steve McQueen (Steve Andrews), Aneta Corsaut (Jane Martin), Earl Rowe (Lt. Dave), Olin Howland (Old Man), Stephen Chase (Dr. Hallen), John Benson (Sgt. Jim Bert), and George Karas (Officer Ritchie) Directed by Irvin Yeaworth.

Review
The Blob opens with probably the silliest of opening themes, and it doesn't really let up from there. It may feel familiar to other horror/sci-fi films (A (insert name here) from (insert name here) enters a small town by (way of transport - ???), (attacks/eats) people, and can only be stopped by (insert whatever here), the end), but unlike others, it's an independently made film (Which was released as a double feature with I Married a Monster from Outer Space), with Steve McQueen in his first leading role (though credited as "Steven McQueen"), who does an alright job. The rest of the actors do okay, though this film focuses more on the characters and the aptly titled blob, and I wonder if the cliche of not believing the person who tells you there's a monster until after they attack you is due to, gee I don't know, going alone and therefore being the only one to see it. Take the person you have with you and let them see the monster (and quietly gloat about it to the previous non believers later), but oh well. The special effects are okay, nothing too great, but they manage to fit a film with a title like this. The scene that probably most people remember is the Blob attacking the Colonial Theatre (while watching Daughter of Horror) as people quickly run out of the theatre, as the Blob oozes out. Its a film that has a somewhat hokey feel delivered fast and cheap, yet it has a irresistible charm, especially in color, which makes the reddish blob stand out more. Take it for what its worth.

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Powerpuff Girls Movie.

Review #417: The Powerpuff Girls Movie.

Cast
Cathy Cavadini (Blossom), Tara Strong (Bubbles), E.G. Daily (Buttercup), Roger L. Jackson (Mojo Jojo), Tom Kane (Professor Utonium), Tom Kenny (Mayor, Narrator, Li'l Arturo, Snake, Cha-Ching Cha-Ching, and Mitch Mitchelson), Jennifer Hale (Ms. Keane), Jennifer Martin (Sarah Bellum), and Jeff Bennett (Ace, Big Billy, Grubber, Baboon Kaboom, Go-Go Patrol, and Hacha Chacha) Directed by Craig McCracken.

Review
The Powerpuff Girls was admittedly a show that most people born around the 90's/2000's do remember (Unless of course there's a certain type of people who don't have the cable television to watch the show until much, much later), and the show even had its own film, with the original cast and everything. The film doesn't depend on people to watch the show because this film just so happens to be a prequel to the series. The actors and actresses from the show all reprise their roles for the film, which is a good thing. The film doesn't last too long at only 70 minutes, but this film at least makes a case for even needing to exist, and while it may have violence that could be debatable for criticism, there is effort made into making this, and the animation looks good, an improvement from the show, and that makes sense being on the big screen and all. It's a decent film that has its moments, for the most part.

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Yankee Doodle Dandy.

Review #416: Yankee Doodle Dandy.

Cast
James Cagney (George M. Cohan), Joan Leslie (Mary Cohan), Walter Huston (Jerry Cohan), Richard Whorf (Sam Harris), Irene Manning (Fay Templeton), George Tobias (Dietz), Rosemary DeCamp (Nellie Cohan), Jeanne Cagney (Josie Cohan), and Eddie Foy, Jr. (Eddie Foy, Sr.) Directed by Michael Curtiz (#125 - Casablanca)

Review

Patriotic in its approach and with newcomer to Movie Night - James Cagney, this is a grand attempt at making good patriotism and making a good biography. Cagney does an electrifying job, dancing, singing, acting, done with care and well refined. The rest of the actors including Walter Huston, do well, making a mark. The directing works, and the music and songs flow well, hitting the spot, and making for good entertainment. This film was released just after Pearl Harbor, in 1942, and I understand this gave a new boost of patriotism, which was well needed. Happy Birthday to the United States of America, which is 237 today.

Overall, I give it 10 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: America.

Review #415: America.

Cast
Neil Hamilton (Nathan Holden), Erville Alderson (Justice Montague), Carol Dempster (Nancy Montague), Charles Emmett Mack (Charles Montague), Lee Beggs (Samuel Adams), John Dunton (John Hancock), Lionel Barrymore (Capt. Walter Butler), Arthur Donaldson (King George III), Charles Bennett (William Pitt), Frank Walsh (Thomas Jefferson), Frank McGlynn Sr. (Patrick Henry), and Arthur Dewey (George Washington) Directed by D. W. Griffith.

Review

The first film to be reviewed with D. W. Griffith, America was at the last parts of his directing career, and this film wasn't much of a success in 1924. Is the film any good anyway? Sort of. The facial movements aren't bad, but Hamilton and Alderson doesn't exactly do the best job. The battle scenes are alright, and the film tries in the history department, looking decent. The film has a length that I imagine some audiences in 1924 might not have liked, over 2 hours at about 140 minutes, and sometimes it feels slow, but if you want a film that has some patriotism, this might be for you, even if it is a bit dated.

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Air Force One.

Review #414: Air Force One.

Cast
Harrison Ford (James Marshall), Gary Oldman (Egor Korshunov), Glenn Close (Kathryn Bennett), Wendy Crewson (Grace Marshall), Dean Stockwell (Walter Dean), Liesel Matthews (Alice Marshall), Elya Baskin (Andrei Kolchak), Levan Uchaneishvili (Sergei Lenski), David Vadim (Igor Nevsky), Andrew Divoff (Boris Bazylev), Ilia Volok (Vladimir Krasin), Paul Guilfoyle (Lloyd Shepherd), William H. Macy (Major Caldwell), and Xander Berkeley (Agent Gibbs) Directed by Wolfgang Petersen.

Review
In keeping with Independence Day, I decided to get another film off my back burner, which was this film. That and it is always fun to watch a film with Harrison Ford (Such as Blade Runner, American Graffiti, Star Wars Episode IV-VI, Raiders of the Lost Ark-Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, The Fugitive, and 42), so why not? And...it's pretty good. Ford once again manages to do an impressive job, reserved, but a stand out nonetheless. Gary Oldman (Who has been in 8 films reviewed here) is a decent villain, and as a contrast to The Fifth Element, he actually meets the main hero character, so I guess that's something. Glenn Close is alright, improved from her performance in (#383) The Natural. The rest of the cast is decent. The film flows well, not veering off too much in the silliness factor or the absurd zone, though I do wonder if the real Air Force One has escape pods for that situation. Petersen does an alright job directing a film such as this, and it is entertaining along with having a bit of drama to make a balanced, useful film for all.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Patriot.

Review #413: The Patriot.

Cast
Mel Gibson (Benjamin Martin), Heath Ledger (Gabriel Martin), Jason Issacs (William Tavington), Joely Richardson (Charlotte Selton), Chris Cooper (Harry Burwell), Tcheky Karyo (Jean Villeneuve), Rene Auberjonois (Oliver), Lisa Brenner (Anne Howard), Tom Wilkinson (Charles, Lord Cornwallis), and Peter Woodward (Charles O'Hara) Directed by Roland Emmerich (#193 - Independence Day)

Review
The Patriot boasts authenticity in costumes as they do look very nice, and very well made, the filmmakers even consulted the Smithsonian on advice, and it does look like there was real effort made into this film, especially given it's massive attempts at being a Revolutionary film, which isn't easy to do. This film manages to last over 2 and a half hours to try and tell a story that while sometimes veering into melodrama, does manages to be coherent. Whether this is a good film or not depends on what you want in this film. Action? The film has plenty of it, axes and weapon fights about. But if you want a film that has compelling villain that isn't one dimensional, you won't get that. It is not Issacs' fault, he's just the actor reading the lines that make this one dimensional character who is written to be evil without much thought to it. The rest of the actors are alright, and Mel Gibson tries his best. While this isn't a perfect film by any means, it manages to entertain, and it does a better job than Emmerich's previous film, Independence Day, so if you want some roaring action for July 4th and have time on your hands, I suppose this could work for you. Just take it in consideration.

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: With Six You Get Eggroll.

Review #412: With Six You Get Eggroll.

Cast
Doris Day (Abby McClure), Brian Keith (Jake Iverson), Pat Carroll (Maxine), Barbara Hershey (Stacey Iverson), John Findlater (Flip McClure), George Carlin (Herbie Fleck), Alice Ghostley (Molly), and Jamie Farr (Jo Jo) Directed by Howard Morris.

Review
This is a irony in away, my first review of a film with Doris Day, and this film happens to be the last film she ever did. And with that, if Day wanted to go out with a bang, she goes out with a courteous taking of a bow, with a smile. This is a decent with decent length and fine characters that do at least develop with some comedy that does works, this being a family comedy that does have some warmth to it. The actors are alright, not too bad, with Day being the best of them all, having a certain warmth along with a bit of depth. It's a fairly decent family flick that works alright and could feasibly be watched by families any time, any day, without much trouble.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Herbie: Fully Loaded.

Review #411: Herbie: Fully Loaded.

Cast
Lindsay Lohan (Maggie Peyton), Justin Long (Kevin), Matt Dillon (Trip Murphy), Michael Keaton (Ray Peyton, Sr), Breckin Meyer (Ray Peyton, Jr), Cheryl Hines (Sally), Jimmi Simpson (Crash), and Jill Ritchie (Charisma) Directed by Angela Robinson.

Review
I had put this film on the back burner for a while, trying to find some sort of reason to watch it, or an excuse not to watch it. And then I couldn't find a excuse not to watch it, so to get it out of my head and to also pass the time (or waste, which ever word you per fer), I decided to watch and review it. And...it's exactly what I thought it would be despite my childhood memories of it. I watched this occasionally years before I reviewed films, and the film had a quirky quality to it, but as I realize years later, this is a film that will probably connect with younger audiences, but it won't really connect with older (and sometimes but not always wiser) audiences. Lohan (who I last reviewed in #204 - Freaky Friday) isn't bad, though I do wonder how Justin Long keeps popping up here (Planet 51, Galaxy Quest, DodgeBall: A True Underdog Story, Alvin and the Chipmunks, Live Free or Die Hard), Dillon seems to ham it up playing the "villain", while Michael Keaton reminds me that even former Batmans need work. But in some ways, this film isn't helped or hurt by acting, it manages to be hurt by the level of absurdity, which I assume pleases the younger crowd. But my main questions throughout all of the film were this: Is Herbie...possessed? (And in that case would we need a car exorcist?) Is he alive? Does he eat? And why does it seem that he is a sentient being? Does he really need a driver at all? Why did he fall so far from fame? We do see a montage in the beginning, but it doesn't exactly explain why, it just shows us the earlier films were probably better than this. This is a mediocre film that tries hard to please some, and it that sense it works, but it'll baffle others.

Overall, I give it 6 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Coming to America.

Review #410: Coming to America.

Cast
Eddie Murphy (Prince Akeem/Clarence/Randy Watson/Saul), Arsenio Hall (Semmi/Morris/Mr. Brown/The Girl), James Earl Jones (King Jaffe Joffer), Shari Headley (Lisa McDowell), John Amos (Cleo McDowell), Madge Sinclair (Queen Aeoleon), Paul Bates (Oha), Eriq La Salle (Darryl Jenks), Allison Dean (Patrice McDowell), Frankie Faison (Landlord), Vanessa Bell (Imani Izzi), and Louie Anderson (Maurice) Directed by John Landis (#328 - Trading Places)

Review
Landis and Murphy once again team up, and once again they do well. The beginning of the film works really well, and Murphy does a fine combination with Hall, and the two also play multiple character that also generate laughs. James Earl Jones is a fine actor, and he can also generate some laughs, stopping me from making endless Star Wars jokes...for a moment or two. Headley is a decent lead actress, and she and Murphy make an alright film couple. I like the film, but sometimes it can get a bit too sappy on its romance, not too sappy but at least the film is enjoyable, and while it could be argued the film could be even better, this is arguably a classic and Eddie Murphy is a lot of fun. It has been 25 years, which is a welcome milestone for any film.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz.

Review #409: The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz.

Cast
Richard Dreyfuss (Duddy Kravitz), Micheline Lanctôt (Yvette), Jack Warden (Max Kravitz), Randy Quaid (Virgil Roseboro and Lenny Kravitz), Joseph Wiseman (Benjy Kravitz), Denholm Elliott (Peter Friar), Henry Ramer (Dingleman), Joe Silver (Farber), and Zvee Scooler (Grandfather) Directed by Ted Kotcheff (#025 - First Blood)

Review
To close out Canada Day, I decided to review this film from 1974 (After I decided reviewing Prom Night (1980) would be nonsensical), with familiar actor Richard Dreyfuss as the main lead. I already have watched Dreyfuss in American Graffiti and Close Encounters of the Third Kind, which were both good. This film is where Dreyfuss gets to shine even more, perfectly acting a character who (at least I hope) is perfectly unlikable (though ironically he believed his performance was terrible), in someways a parallel to Goin' Down the Road, both films cover the spirit of people trying to succeed in a cold-hearted world, with its small benefits and its disasters. Lanctot is alright, but Randy Quaid (Who I last saw in Independence Day, which wasn't exactly good) is better, he manages to blend well into the film, not going over the top, a subdued but fine performances as two characters. The rest of the cast are good, and it is always nice to see Denholm Elliott, no matter what he does. This is a well made film that manages to have really good scenery but even better filmmaking, a sad film that has biting comedy at times, but it does not veer from its course, keeping itself in check, and managing to be an excellent film. And that is the last film for Canada Day, I hope you enjoyed my attempt to give Canadian films some spotlight, because at least I did.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Goin' Down the Road.

Review #408: Goin' Down the Road.

Cast
Doug McGrath (Peter McGraw), Paul Bradley (Joey Mayle), Jayne Eastwood (Betty), Cayle-Lorraine Sinclair (Selina), Nicole Morin (Nicole), and Pierre La Roche (Frenchie La Roche) Directed by Donald Shebib.

Review
Can Canada succeed once again? (This is Part III of my four film review special for Canada Day 2013).

Goin' Down the Road feels like a documentary with its film style but it doesn't sugarcoat the characters, it doesn't try to overly happy, it nearly borders on depressing, but it is cohesive and it does manage to tell a useful story. The acting blends in with the film tone, rugged, but useful, This isn't a cheery little optimistic film; it tries to deliver lessons that uses Canada in the landscape to give more of a feeling and more of an edge to the film. The directing is alright, as this film flows well and it also runs well, not going on too long or too short. This is a really good film, and Canada should be proud of this film, for all that it is worth in its emotion and all of its pride, which is something to say about.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Why Shoot the Teacher?

Review #407: Why Shoot the Teacher?

Cast
Bud Cort (Max Brown), Samantha Eggar (Alice Field), Kenneth Griffith (Woods), Chris Wiggins (Lyle Bishop), Michael J. Reynolds (Bert Field), John Friesen (Dave McDougall), and Gary Reineke (Harris Montogomery) Directed by Silvio Narizzano.

Review
Filmed in Alberta with Canadian born Bud Cort starring along with Quebec born Silvio Narizzano directing, this comes right up my alley for Canada Day. So how is it? It's a decent film that starts off a bit slow but chugs hard with a lot of effort. Bud Cort is a good actor in this film and carries this film along for a good chunck of the film. While the scenery is nothing much to look at it, this film does have some comedy and a good dose of drama to keep itself in check, managing not to be too out dated but keeping itself in tone, not forgetting its roots, which is a good thing.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Whispering City.

Review #406: Whispering City.

Cast
Helmut Dantine (Michel Lacoste), Mary Anderson (Mary Roberts), Paul Lukas (Albert Frédéric) and John Pratt (Edward Durant) Directed by Fedor Ozep.

Review
Ah Canada, America's neighbors of the North (unless you live in Alaska), the creators of hockey, the second largest country in the world, home of ten provinces and three territories from British Columbia to Quebec. There are Canadians known for film, such as James Cameron, Norman Jewison, Jim Carrey, David Cronenburg, and Mary Pickford (the last two listed I will cover in more detail in reviews in the future), so in light of Canada Day, I decided to review a few Canadian films, and Whispering City...is one of them. Filmed in Quebec City and with a limited cast, A fun fact is that Whispering City was filmed in English and in French. The film itself runs at about 90 minutes and it flows okay, not going on for too long in dialogue, and the actors don't do too bad, doing alright in a noir from the north. It is kind of a curious film to watch as it is easy to find and   the scenery isn't too bad, especially when Montmorency Falls is shown, a crucial part in the film. This is a decent well manner film that tries hard and manages to be a success in its own right, for all that is and all that it is worth, which I suppose makes sense.

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.