Movie Night: Scrooge (1935).

Review #672: Scrooge.

Cast
Seymour Hicks (Ebenezer Scrooge), Donald Calthrop (Bob Cratchit), Robert Cochran (Fred), Mary Glynne (Belle), Garry Marsh (Belle's husband), Oscar Asche (Spirit of Christmas Present), Marie Ney (Spirit of Christmas Past), C.V. France (Spirit of Christmas Future), and Philip Frost (Tiny Tim) Directed by Henry Edwards.

Review
Yes, another adaptation of A Christmas Carol. But this time it's the 1935 film version, the first sound film based on the tale (after numerous stage versions and a silent film adaptation in 1913, which also had Hicks as Scrooge). This isn't my first foray into adaptations of the novel (#075 - Scrooged, #076 - Scrooge (1951), #079 - A Christmas Carol (1984), #498 - The Muppet Christmas Carol, and #503 - A Christmas Carol (1938), but somehow this has managed to be forgotten, probably lost in a sea of these adaptations that are on TV, as opposed to this film, though this film is in public domain, so there's that. What makes this film unique from the other versions? The ghosts aren't seen. They are merely shapes (except for the Spirit of Christmas Present), more non-real than the others. Whether that's a good thing or not is up to you. The atmosphere of the movie is at least well made, it certainly does feel festive with a touch of dark mood. Hicks is at least effective when it comes to portraying a miserable character such as Scrooge. Is it the best version? No, but it is fine enough for a film like this. The movie manages to tell its story effectively enough (77 minutes), cutting a few things but not anything too crucial. Overall, this is a movie that does a pretty good job at being entertaining and being a decent movie to watch come Christmastime (which seems to be coming closer), alongside the dozens of other picks. It was good to end November on a high note (and on a streak), and now comes December...and my birthday.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Night the World Exploded.

Review #671: The Night the World Exploded.

Cast
Kathryn Grant (Laura Hutchinson), William Leslie (Dr. David Conway), Tristram Coffin (Dr. Ellis Morton), Raymond Greenleaf (Gov. Chaney), Charles Evans (Gen. Bortes), and Frank J. Scannell (Sheriff Quinn) Directed by Fred F. Sears (#255 - The Giant Claw and #265 - Earth vs. the Flying Saucers)

Review
When it comes to attractive titles for films that get your eye, this is the key attraction. Just include the word "explode", "invade", "mutant" or "space" in the title, and there you go, you've got a 50's sci-fi movie. But at least the plot is normal enough, with some imagination put into the way the world...almost explodes. I guess it does explode in the sense that earthquakes keep popping up. Of course "The Night the World Had Earthquakes" is a little long, so there you go. The actors are passable, they don't overact (which is good), and at times Grant and Leslie do have some good chemistry together. The movie is at least entertaining and it only lasts about an hour, which really makes it less risky to watch. I mean, if it was over two and a half hours long and had polarizing reception, I'd worry a bit (I think you know what film I'm referencing). Take the movie for what it is: (possibly) classic time spending fun.

Overall, I give it 6 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Cliffhanger.

Review #670: Cliffhanger.

Cast
Sylvester Stallone (Gabe Walker), John Lithgow (Eric Qualen), Michael Rooker (Hal Tucker), Janine Turner (Jessie Deighan), Rex Linn (Richard Travers), Leon Robinson (Kynette), Craig Fairbrass (Delmar), Gregory Scott Cummins (Ryan), and Denis Forest (Heldon) Directed by Renny Harlin (#012 - Die Hard 2)

Review
Honestly, this sounds like something that could've been made in the 40's/50's, especially with the cliffs. But hey, some idea did stay original in the 90's, all you needed to do is add an action star and a villain with a cool accent and boom, you've got a winner. Stallone is entertaining enough, I guess when you co-write the screenplay, you can seem just fine (the "Premise by John Long" credit notwithstanding), but there you go. Lithgow is at entertaining enough as a villain, though he only gets one fight with Stallone...which lasts about 3 minutes. For some reason, my favorite actor in this film is Rex Linn. I don't know, maybe it's his exasperated expression, or his killer mustache (insert your CSI: Miami joke here). The cliff action is pretty fun though, you can enjoy it and still have a laugh anyway. You can be a good action/adventure film and yet still have some laughs with it (not necessarily at it), I especially like the scene where Linn's looking for a case of money...and the tracker leads him to a rabbit. Yes, he shoots at the bunny. And yes, he misses as the bunny runs away. This actually drives his character to go crazy. What's even more funny is the fact the original scene had the bunny dying before Stallone (personally) changed it due to crowd reaction. You want some entertaining action and a decent enough film? Then this is for you.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Home Sweet Home.

Review #669: Home Sweet Home.

Cast
Jake Steinfeld (Killer), Vinessa Shaw (Angel Bradley), Peter De Paula (Mistake Bradley), Don Edmonds (Harold Bradley), Charles Hoyes (Wayne), David Mielke (Scott), Leia Naron (Gail), and Lisa Rodríguez (Maria) Directed by Nettie Peña.

Review
Yes, a Thanksgiving horror film. Why? Because why not. After all, what better way to be thankful for stuff (and a stomachache from the food) than a slasher movie with a bunch of unknown actors? But hey, holiday themed horror films aren't that new, with Christmas and Halloween being the big focus (Leprechaun, and April Fool's Day notwithstanding), and I'm sure that I'll come across them again soon. But let's get back to this film, and its...slasher villain. It seems the makers of this film thought you could make a villain who just laughs. Steinfeld at least looks strong and muscular (here's a strange fact, he is a fitness advocate and the founder of the National Lacrosse League) for the part, but his laughing all throughout makes me laugh more than be scared. The characters are just what they are, characters slated to die. Here we've got our characters who romance each other, the kid character, and lastly the comic relief character, who has a guitar this time. And yes, his name is actually Mistake. I can think of one other name that sounds worse, and that name is Practice. The movie is at least quick with the deaths, though when your movie last 83 minutes (which seems short even for horror films), you kinda have to. What I'm disappointed in most is the lack of turkey. Heck, I wish the villain was a giant turkey (or someone dressed up as it), because then I could make turkey puns. But I'll just have to settle with Eli Roth's "Thanksgiving" trailer from Grindhouse instead. The story is thin, and to be honest I have no idea why the killer went to the Bradley house, but I can't really stress over it, I have other Thanksgiving stuff to deal with. Have a great day everyone, and enjoy the food (cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie, biscuits, biscuits with turkey in the middle, etc.), and the family too.

Overall, I give it 3 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Cat-Women of the Moon.

Review #668: Cat-Women of the Moon.

Cast
Sonny Tufts (Laird Grainger), Victor Jory (Kip Reissner), Marie Windsor (Helen Salinger), William Phipps (Doug Smith), Douglas Fowley (Walt Walters), Carol Brewster (Alpha), and Suzanne Alexander (Beta) Directed by Arthur Hilton.

Review
You're probably wondering if the Cat-Women in the title have tales or do anything cat-like. Sadly, no, which means I can't do any effective cat puns, which would've been fun, especially during the fights (a cat fight, you might say *rim shot*). But that aside, what we have here is a sci-fi flick from the 50's that apparently had such a good story that it would be remade five years later with Missile to the Moon. Is it any good though? With 50's flicks, you could be entertained in a variety of ways, even if the movie isn't that good. Heck, the fact that these Cat-Women are the last of their civilization is sort of creative. The rubber spider on the other hand makes me giggle. The acting is fine (William Phipps is in it, more notable for his work as Prince Charming in Cinderella - #373), they certainly carry their lines well enough. The movie isn't bad, it's pretty passable. You could do better (or worse, if that's your preference) with this time of month, and I know my picks for the rest of the month (and the month I love most) will probably be better (and worse) than this, but as someone once said, it is what it is.

Overall, I give it 6 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Freshman.

Review #667: The Freshman.

Cast
Harold Lloyd (Harold Lamb), Jobyna Ralston (Peggy), Brooks Benedict (The College Cad), James A. Anderson (The College Hero), Hazel Keener (The College Belle), Joseph Harrington (The College Tailor), and Pat Harmon (The Football Coach) Directed by Fred C. Newmeyer and Sam Taylor.

Review
When people think of Harold Lloyd, they think of him dangling from the clock tower in Safety Last, or his work in Grandma's Boy (which I'll review in the future), or his role in The Freshman, which is what I'm covering. Lloyd's career could've been stopped before he gained his fame; in 1919 he lost a finger and a thumb in an accident, with a prosthetic glove concealing the damage. But he did not let that stop him. The Freshman was Lloyd's highest grossing silent feature, and it's easy to see why. His character (Harold, also known in the movie as Speedy) is so likable. Lloyd's character isn't a random passerby who happens to pop in, he's a character whose purpose is given depth. You emphasize with him and his plight, which makes it easier to laugh at his naiveness. The gags are slight but easy to recognize, the movie has a lot of fun with the situation Harold sets himself in. My favorite gags involves Harold speaking to the crowd...while a kitten comes out of his sweater. The characters are easily describable given their character names, but at least they act their parts convincingly, especially Benedict, who is easy to dislike, and for good reason. The romance between the main leads is sweet and brief enough to work. The football action at the end is particularly noteworthy because we get to see how football was over 80 years ago. The action was filmed at the Rose Bowl (with crowd shots at Cal Memorial Stadium), and the football action is about as wild and silly (with Lloyd) as it can get. It certainly is a good way to end the film. The movie is like a gift basket, sweet and entertaining for a short period of time (about 70 minutes), and that's probably why this movie is still a great hit with others. I highly recommend this film (along with other silent movies with Keaton and Chaplin) for a good way to spend a day, especially on Thanksgiving.

Overall, I give it 10 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: RoboCop (2014).

Review #666: RoboCop (2014).

Cast
Joel Kinnaman (Alex Murphy/Robocop), Gary Oldman (Dr. Dennett Norton), Michael Keaton (Raymond Sellars), Samuel L. Jackson (Pat Novak), Abbie Cornish (Clara Murphy), Jackie Earle Haley (Rick Mattox), Michael K. Williams (Jack Lewis), Jennifer Ehle (Liz Kline), Jay Baruchel (Tom Pope), Aimee Garcia (Jae Kim), John Paul Ruttan (David Murphy), and Patrick Garrow (Antoine Vallon) Directed by José Padilha.

Review
It's not better than the original film. But I think we all knew that already. But at least it tries to be a decent movie. Whether or not it succeeds is up to the viewer. The movie's at least better than RoboCop 3 and up to the level of RoboCop 2, which I guess is a success. It's really hard to live up to the original film, especially for a remake/reboot, but at least it looks they tried to make a decent film. To be fair, I'd recommend renting the film. The acting is passable, the highlights being Michael Keaton and Samuel L. Jackson, they make the film seem less basic, and they are pretty entertaining also. Kinnaman is not bad, while at times he feels flat; the emotional aspect of the character is at least explored a little, though it's really hard to beat Peter Weller's portrayal. The movie is probably more enjoyable when not being compared to the original, but then again that's really hard to not compare. The action is fine, though the fact that it's toned down due to the PG-13 rating does hinder its effect. I guess it helps make the film have more chance at profit, but who didn't watch the original film when they were a teen? Heck, I watched the original for the first time when I was 13, though that's a product of my dad's love of buying movies. But enough about my recollections, back to the review.  At least the tone of the film feels different, and the suit looks...pretty good. While they first show the suit with grey/silver as the main color, it actually looks better in black. It looks more robotic and less human like. While it may seem like the human drama drags it down at times and sometimes it feels odd, but I guess in the end it works...sort of. Much like the last film reviewed here (Star Trek: Into Darkness), it's a toss-up. Pick your poison.

Overall, I give it 6 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Star Trek Into Darkness.

Review #665: Star Trek Into Darkness.

Cast
Chris Pine (James T. Kirk), Zachary Quinto (Spock), Benedict Cumberbatch (Khan), Simon Pegg (Scotty), Karl Urban (McCoy), Zoe Saldana (Uhura), Peter Weller (Alexander Marcus), Alice Eve (Dr. Carol Marcus), John Cho (Sulu), Anton Yelchin (Chekov), and Bruce Greenwood (Christopher Pike) Directed by J.J. Abrams (#009 - Star Trek and #149 - Super 8)

Review
Eh, it's been a while (10 months, 22 days to be exact) since I've done a Star Trek film (#515 - Star Trek: The Motion Picture), so why not do the most recent film. The first film (of the reboot series) wasn't bad, though it's not like it was a great piece of work, and you find that out during this film. It's not that this film is bad, it just feels like one step forward but one-and-a-half steps back. The effects are at least good, though those lens flares really get in the way on occasion, which almost gets in the way of actors trying to convey their scenes. The acting is fine, though I really didn't buy that Eve's character being Weller's daughter, maybe it's the lack of time they have together, but at least Weller is stellar despite limited time. Cumberbatch is pretty good, but it's the character I have an issue with. By making him play Khan, the film limits his motives in a sense. The original Khan had a motive of revenge and was great at portraying it. This Khan has more a touch of generic than revenge. Even when Cumberbatch cries it feels forced. It's not a bad performance, it's just flawed writing. The story is at least somewhat decent...until it rehashes Wrath of Khan's last half hour. Well, almost. Just because you have the villain from Wrath of Khan doesn't mean you have to emulate it, it's unnecessary and just makes the movie seem unsure of itself, like it wasn't confident with itself. At least the movie has its moments, any scene with Simon Pegg is brilliant, he brightens the movie, if only briefly. Your opinion on the movie will probably rest on what you think of Abrams as a director and/or Khan. It's a toss-up, basically.

Overall, I give it 6 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Airplane!

Review #664: Airplane!

Cast
Robert Hays (Ted Striker), Julie Hagerty (Elaine Dickinson), Leslie Nielsen (Dr. Rumack), Peter Graves (Capt. Clarence Oveur), Lloyd Bridges (Steve McCroskey), Robert Stack (Capt. Rex Kramer), Lorna Patterson (Randy), Stephen Stucker (Johnny), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (Roger Murdock), Frank Ashmore (Victor Basta), and Jonathan Banks (Gunderson) Directed by David Zucker, Jim Abrahams (#028 - Hot Shots! and #375 - Hot Shots! Part Deux), and Jerry Zucker.

Review
I knew I would eventually review this film, I just didn't know it would take so long to do so. It was worth the wait. When it comes to slapstick and having efficient gags, this is the movie people refer to for reference. But what also helps the movie is the fact the gags mesh with the story and not just outright overwhelm it. The movie is silly and also really, really, fun to watch. It's a breeze to watch, and watching how the actors react to all of this (hint: not very well) also helps. My favorite character isn't really a character, it's Otto, the inflatable balloon. It's just so amusing watching Otto, especially at the end, when he inflates...all by himself, with a inflatable girlfriend to boot. Hays and Hagerty do a fine job complimenting each other, their best scene is when they dance disco, or maybe I'm just amused of how people danced to disco (as opposed to now). Nielsen is a highlight as well, if it was anyone else playing that role, surely (see what I did there) the lines wouldn't be so memorable. The movie has dozens of gags, along with brief appearances by Ethel Merman (playing Ethel Merman) and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar...as a pilot. What I like is how the music sounds so serious, which is really funny given the tone, all due to Elmer Bernstein. The movie is quick and effective, and it's a good way to spend 90 minutes, along with being a really fun experience.

Billy...have you ever been in a Turkish prison?

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Them!

Review #663: Them!

Cast
James Whitmore (Sgt. Ben Peterson), Edmund Gwenn (Dr. Harold Medford), Joan Weldon (Dr. Pat Medford), James Arness (FBI Agent Robert Graham), Onslow Stevens (Gen. O'Brien), Sean McClory (Maj. Kibbee), Chris Drake (Trooper Ed Blackburn), and Sandy Descher (Ellinson girl) Directed by Gordon Douglas

Review
Them! was one of the first films released dealing with nuclear created monsters, which were a big thing in the 1950s (that and alien invaders), with a unique opening credits sequence to boot. The words practically glow against the black and white background and rightfully so. The insects used for this film are giant ants, which for me is terrifying enough (swarms of ants are already creepy, imagine a swarm of GIANT ants), but hey. The sounds that the ants make is also pretty chilling. The characters are fine, they serve the purpose of advancing the story without being annoying, though seeing Edmund Gwenn is enjoyable. The effects are brilliant to watch, they especially look good underground when the lights aren't as lit, which makes them look more menacing. I like how the movie just flows well with itself, it doesn't get too convoluted, it has its moments of terror along with moments of action, and the sewer scene at the end is pretty good. What we have here is a finely crafted sci-fi film that helped popularize the nuclear monster/bug era.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Beneath the Planet of the Apes.

Review #662: Beneath the Planet of the Apes.

Cast
James Franciscus (Brent), Kim Hunter (Zira), Maurice Evans (Dr. Zaius), Linda Harrison (Nova), Charlton Heston (Taylor), David Watson (Cornelius), Paul Richards (Mendez), and James Gregory (General Ursus) Directed by Ted Post.

Review
The original Planet of the Apes (#347) was a great look into what could bring man's downfall and our level of power that could be used against us, while providing a great twist ending. The sequel is not quite as good. Charlton Heston is not our main star this time, it's James Franciscus who takes over, and sadly he isn't really that exciting as a lead. Heston in his brief scenes is better only because I'm reminded of how Heston had a certain charm to him, a undefinable way of making you care about him immediately. The movie slogs around at points, such as in the beginning, when you realize you're stuck with Brent and Nova (a mute) as your main characters, with brief moments of Heston to spruce things up. The effects are alright, though that nuclear bomb being gold really makes it so off putting. The random blazes of fire that springs up comes it at a close second for weirdest thing in the movie, though. At this point, the plot has reached heights of near absurdity, and combined with everything in this movie, it makes for a strange and uneven experience. At least the ending tries to be a big surprise, but instead of being a good ending, it just makes you hit your head that it ended so abruptly. Especially given the fact there were three sequels to this, which just makes the ending even more moot. Take this film with a grain of salt and...judge for yourself.

Overall, I give it 6 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Are We There Yet?

Review #661: Are We There Yet?

Cast
Ice Cube (Nick Persons), Nia Long (Suzanne Kingston), Aleisha Allen (Lindsey Kingston), Philip Daniel Bolden (Kevin Kingston), Jay Mohr (Marty), M. C. Gainey (Al), and Tracy Morgan (Satchel Page Bobblehead) Directed by Brian Levant (#491 - Jingle All The Way and #577 - Beethoven)

Review
It's been almost ten years since this film was made, and in that span a sequel and a television series was made following this movie's...success. I guess this was made in an age where anyone thought they could do a family film no matter what they were before (Such as Vin Diesel with The Pacifier or Dwayne Johnson with The Game Plan), but whatever. This is classified as a "Christmas film" by Wikipedia, but I would compare this to giving your distant relative a fruitcake the day after Christmas. It seems this movie was made with good intentions, but it ultimately fizzles into boredom. The characters seem like they'll make a connection to you, but really you're just going through the motions and wondering how much longer it'll last. At least Ice Cube is decent, though he can't save a movie with stale jokes. The kids may seem nice, but really they just get on your nerves, and while later scenes try to make them look more sympathetic, it doesn't work. It's fitting that the movie has a bobble head in it that talks, because at this point, anything goes. It's a forgettable movie that bores you to the point where you truly wish it was Thanksgiving, because then you could go to your relative's house and forget all about it. And then remember it again after too much turkey.

Overall, I give it 4 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Sleeping Beauty.

Review #660: Sleeping Beauty.

Cast
Mary Costa (Princess Aurora / Sleeping Beauty), Eleanor Audley (Maleficent), Verna Felton (Flora - The Red Fairy and Queen Leah), Barbara Jo Allen (Fauna - The Green Fairy), Barbara Luddy (Merryweather - The Blue Fairy), Bill Shirley (Prince Phillip), Taylor Holmes (King Stefan), Bill Thompson (King Hubert), and Marvin Miller (The Narrator) Directed by Clyde Geronimi (#178 - Peter Pan, #373 - Cinderella, and #573 - The Three Caballeros), Les Clark, Eric Larson, and Wolfgang Reitherman (#250 - The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh and #598 - The Rescuers)

Review
Sleeping Beauty was given such a middling reaction (and little profit) that it was the last fairy tale Disney film made for 30 years. But now the movie has a legacy and is now called a classic (being re-released a few times does help), so time does change. The movie is astonishing to say the least. The movie looks beautiful to watch, the way that it is animated and how the backgrounds look so colorful and detailed. I like how the three fairies are colored, it's not just a simple red-green-blue schemes, the way that it is colored makes the difference. The cast is pretty decent, with Audley standing out, mostly because of the character she plays. Sleeping Beauty herself is alright, but her screentime is limited, focusing more on the villain/fairies. Speaking of which, Maleficent is awesome. Her design and her voice are so delightful to watch, she manages to be more interesting than Sleeping Beauty herself, which is probably why they made a movie about it...55 years later (not exactly late for Walt Disney Studios), but at least the movie is still fun to watch. The songs are alright, and the movie flows quickly enough at 75 minutes to never really drag on, it's easily watchable and easily enjoyable for anyone, with a cool villain to headline it all.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: True Grit (2010).

Review #659: True Grit (2010).

Cast
Jeff Bridges (Reuben J. "Rooster" Cogburn), Hailee Steinfeld (Mattie Ross), Matt Damon (LaBoeuf), Josh Brolin (Tom Chaney), Barry Pepper (Ned Pepper), Domhnall Gleeson (Moon), Bruce Green (Harold Parmalee), and Ed Lee Corbin (Bear Man) Directed by Joel Coen and Ethan Coen.

Review
I knew that one day I'd eventually watch a film by the Coen brothers, it wasn't intentional for it to be almost four years after this show started, it just happened that I didn't. But now I'm rectifying a mistake, in a sense, and with a recent Coen movie, which just happens to be True Grit. Based off the 1968 novel by Charles Portis, True Grit attempts to be like its namesake and succeeds. What I like about the movie is Jeff Bridges. He is so interesting to watch in this role, even at Cogburn's lowest point, Bridges manages to be so effective at making you feel empathy for him, and it's just so fun to watch him interact with nearly any actor in this film. Steinfeld is really effective at playing such a hardened child, it's interesting to watch the movie from her perspective and watch her progression throughout the movie. The rest of the cast is good, I like how Matt Damon practically blends into the role, and his interaction with Bridges is pretty fun to see. One of my favorite scenes is a scene with an actor who is the movie for only one scene, and that is Ed Lee Corbin...as a Bear Man. Watching him act while wearing a bear suit while talking to Bridges is really amusing and oddly memorable. The movie is a tale more about the journey and the progression of revenge on a person than the revenge itself (Brolin is only in the last half of the movie), I like how gritty the movie can get, I especially like how well made the movie is, there isn't a scene in the movie that is badly made. This is a movie with many redeeming features, two of them being Bridges and Steinfeld, who really make the movie even better. The fact that it runs under two hours probably isn't a selling point for most, but I'll use it solely because sometimes a Western can be a breeze to go through. But hey, watch it for Bridges. Or the Bear Man.

Overall, I give it 10 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Poor Little Rich Girl.

Review #658: The Poor Little Rich Girl.

Cast
Mary Pickford (Gwendolyn), Madlaine Traverse (Gwendolyn's Mother), Charles Wellesley (Gwendolyn's Father), Gladys Fairbanks (Jane), Frank McGlynn, Sr. (The Plumber), Emile La Croix (The Organ Grinder), Marcia Harris (Miss Royale), Charles Craig (Thomas), and Frank Andrews (Potter) Directed by Maurice Tourneur.

Review
This is the earliest film I've covered on this show, beating out Mickey and Back to God's Country (1918 and 1919 respectively) just barely. And it just so happens that this is the first film with Mary Pickford covered here as well. Who is Mary Pickford, you may ask? One of the most important stars in the silent film era. For example, she was one of the original investors in United Artists (along with Charlie Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks and D.W. Griffith), and this was after she had already made her own film company to distribute her films. And in this film, she does a wonderful job...playing a 11 year old. The 25 year old Pickford looks so small compared to the other actors, which helps give an illusion of youth. Her aura of wild energy and manner of comedy make for a really entertaining performance. The movie is practically lifted by her performance, while the story sounds repetitive at times (she tires to have fun, they later ruin it), the comedy is mildly decent enough to help outweigh boredom. My favorite scene is where Pickford's character believes her father deals with bears at his job, even imagining them huddling around her dad. That, and when the servants tell her of the bears that could attack her if she walks alone. Try telling someone your job has bears in it, and see how they react. The movie is at least entertaining enough to justify its 70 minute length, which makes for a brief but decent time.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Laura.

Review #657: Laura.

Cast
Gene Tierney (Laura Hunt), Dana Andrews (Mark McPherson), Clifton Webb (Waldo Lydecker), Vincent Price (Shelby Carpenter), Judith Anderson (Ann Treadwell), and Dorothy Adams (Bessie Clary) Directed by Otto Preminger.

Review
I had bought this movie for $2.99 at a Blockbuster only three weeks ago, and I knew I would review this eventually, preferably before the year ended. And given the movie's 70th anniversary just passed last month, it makes good sense to review it now to start off another month. Clifton Webb is brilliant. I like how his facade of insults and strange charm actually serves the movie well. I like how Gene Tierney and Dana Andrews interact with each other, they seem to just have an instant connection and it makes an already pretty decent movie a little better. This is the earliest Vincent Price film I've seen him in, and for once it's not a horror film, it's refreshing to watch him play a supporting character who seems much more at home. The movie flows efficiently enough, lasting less than 90 minutes yet revealing details not all at once and letting you get slowly interested as the tale is weaved along. Film noirs are usually enjoyable, and this is no exception. It manages to leave you guessing while also being riveting.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night Redux: Halloween (1978)

Review #068 - REDUX: Halloween.

Cast
Donald Pleasence (Dr. Sam Loomis), Jamie Lee Curtis (Laurie Strode), Nancy Kyes (Annie Brackett), P.J. Soles (Lynda van der Klok), Charles Cyphers (Sheriff Leigh Brackett), Kyle Richards (Lindsey Wallace), Brian Andrews (Tommy Doyle), John Michael Graham (Bob Simms), Nick Castle (The Shape), and Nancy Stephens (Marion Chambers) Directed by John Carpenter.

Review
I originally reviewed this movie on October 30, 2011, watching it on television. I remember it being entertaining to watch back then, for me movies are entertaining when you can just sit back and talk about how the movie works. Two years later, I decided to revisit this movie, which had been appearing on TV once again. Out of all the movies in the Halloween franchise, this is the best of them all, it also could be considered one of the best horror films of all time. The movie isn't perfect by any means; the beginning has a few choppy dialogue scenes where it feels really cliche, especially from P.J. Soles, who just keeps saying "totally". But the movie overcomes it with some really chilling music that makes the boring scenes more interesting. I especially love when the characters are talking and Myers suddenly appears out of nowhere, while the music adds a layer of depth. Of course it helps that the movie is also frightening with its death scene, showing little blood but using lighting and perspective to make for a truly chilling movie. My favorite scene is after one of the deaths as Myers looks at the body and tilts his head. It really is a perfect scene.

Donald Pleasence does a wonderful job as Loomis, explaining the motives (or there lack of) for Myers but also saying his lines in a tone of voice that fits the movie's tone, which is fright. Curtis is a really good screamer and a good actress here as well, she's the most interesting character to watch. Special mention goes to Nick Castle, who is the one most famous for playing Michael Myers (The Shape), though he wasn't the only one who played him, there were several others who did stunt work, but Castle is the most notable, and he would later become a movie director in his own right, with films such as The Last Starfighter and Major Payne. The movie takes its time, letting you get interested into what happens next, and it has one of the best endings that leaves you waiting for more. This is an essential movie for October, or for any month when you're looking for a scare.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.