50/50.

Review #825: 50/50.

Cast
Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Adam Lerner), Seth Rogen (Kyle Hirons), Anna Kendrick (Katherine McKay), Bryce Dallas Howard (Rachael), Anjelica Huston (Diane Lerner), Serge Houde (Richard Lerner), Andrew Airlie (Dr. Ross), Matt Frewer (Mitch Barnett), and Philip Baker Hall (Alan Lombardo) Directed by Jonathan Levine.

Review
It's not so much that the movie has a good balance of comedy and drama, it's that it handles its subject matter with enough sensibility to be more than one might expect. The writing (by Will Reiser, who had also had cancer, with his experience being the basis for the screenplay) is what helps the film gain ground almost immediately, with the actors having good chemistry with each other. Gordon-Levitt is excellent, showing a range of emotions without an ounce of insincerity, and he is a likable (if not perfect, but understandable) lead. The scenes with him and Rogen are handled pretty well, having some laughs (including the shaving scene), but also some fine scenes of drama, especially near the end. Kendrick is enjoyable to watch (while one could question her decisions as a therapist, the suspension of disbelief is enough to alleviate for this film), having a quirky charm that works nicely (I also know someone who has a bit of stuff on the car floor whenever I hitch a ride with them, though some of that is school stuff). While her and Gordon-Levitt have some decent scenes together, the movie thankfully doesn't try to refocus as a love story near the end, keeping itself focused but also keeping true to these characters, without coming off as strange as something like The Bucket List (#640) was. There's a decent supporting cast, with my favorites being Frewer and Baker Hall, who (while not in the movie for long) provide some dry elements that fit well with the film. Before I repeat myself over and over again, I'll just say that it's a nice movie that keeps itself balanced, with an excellent cast being the forefront alongside a well handled plot.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Redux: Batman (1966).

Redux Review #177: Batman.

Cast
Adam West (Bruce Wayne / Batman), Burt Ward (Dick Grayson / Robin), Lee Meriwether (Catwoman/Miss Kitka), Cesar Romero (The Joker), Burgess Meredith (The Penguin), Frank Gorshin (The Riddler), Alan Napier (Alfred Pennyworth), Neil Hamilton (Commissioner James Gordon), Stafford Repp (Chief Miles O'Hara), and Madge Blake (Aunt Harriet Cooper) Directed by Leslie H. Martinson.

Review
The original review gave the rating as a 6/10, but I felt in hindsight that it likely deserved a slightly more improved rating. While I could have just simply fixed the rating without much fanfare, I thought it made more sense to make a redux review instead, with a little bit of waiting to get the review to sync up with the 50th Anniversary of the movie's release. Interestingly enough, this film was released six months after the television series had premiered. In any case, I hope you enjoy this redux review. There will be a new review tomorrow, BTW.

Obviously, one must look at the time this was made as context for a movie that is wonderfully campy much like the show that it came from. For its time, the show (and the movie) are enjoyable in what they aspire to be, fun for all and without an ounce of awful pandering. They both aimed for entertainment and succeeded. Sure, it may seem ridiculous, but that's part of the fun. West and Ward have excellent chemistry together (as one would expect), and the Rouges Gallery (Meriwether, Romero, Meredith, Gorshin) also have an exuberant amount of charm as villains. The colors are bright and vibrant, such as with the Batcave. There are a good deal of silly elements from shark-repellent bat-spray (with rubber shark included) to Alfred wearing a mask while on a stakeout in the Batmobile, but it all feels welcome and is charming enough. It's a well crafted movie at about 105 minutes, not just being like a two-parter from the show. It manages to keep itself cohesive enough, and the fight scene at the end with the Dynamic Duo and the villains is entertaining enough, with everyone getting in on the fun. On its own, this is a movie wonderful in its cheesiness.

The 1989 film (and its sequel) shaped Batman in film to be darker than this film's interpretation (and more like the comics), with that mode still being the dominant form to this day. Batman Forever (but especially Batman & Robin) tried to emulate the show (in a sense), but the tacky artificial nature of the two films (more so for the latter) were not as fun as the original. Even after a half century, this movie, while not a high caliber film, succeeds in being what it wants to be for everyone, with a undeniable charm of its own.

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

Talk About a Stranger.

Review #824: Talk About a Stranger.

Cast
George Murphy (Robert Fontaine Sr), Nancy Davis (Marge Fontaine), Billy Gray (Robert 'Bud' Fontaine Jr.), Lewis Stone (William J. Wardlaw), Kurt Kasznar (Dr. Paul Mahler, aka Matlock), and Anna Glomb (Camille Wardlaw) Directed by David Bradley.

Review
I suppose you could classify this as a film noir. There are some shots in the film that are noteworthy to watch, but on the whole it is at best an okay movie. Gray is the main one the movie focuses on, and while at times he does okay at showing anguish, the rest of the time he comes off as either annoying or mean spirited, but then again this is a child actor we're talking about. There really isn't any mystery to it, coming off as a slog even at 65 minutes. I guess the lesson one could learn is how people aren't always what they appear to be (which you could learn in a book from fifth grade), but I think a better one would be to not go on a vendetta type of investigation and vandalize people's stuff just because you don't like them. The movie could be summarized like this: Mysterious guy moves into town. Kid's dog dies soon after. Vendetta investigation ensues. Kid finds his dog wasn't murdered. The end. Obviously there's a part about trying to keep the citrus from freezing, but it isn't much to talk about (also: while one could summarize almost any movie with a few sentences, I'm trying to demonstrate why I didn't particularly care for this film). There isn't much in terms of mystery (compelling mystery, anyway), or much of a lively cast (Murphy and Davis are manageable, but not given much to do), but if you're looking for a 50's film, I guess it works, though I could not get into it.

Overall, I give it 6 out of 10 stars.

Zaat.

Review #823: Zaat.

Cast
Marshall Grauer (Dr. Kurt Leopold), Wade Popwell (The Monster), Paul Galloway (Sheriff Lou Krantz), Gerald Cruse (Marine Biologist Rex Baker), Sanna Ringhaver (INPIT Agent Martha Walsh), Dave Dickerson (INPIT Agent Walker Stevens), and Archie Valliere (Deputy Sheriff) Directed by Don Barton.

Review
The movie begins with a monologue by the main character, the mad scientist who wants to become one with the fish (or something to that extent) to create a underwater society and it certainly seems to set the tone of a strange kind of film. That, and the folk song that plays during the opening credits. Zaat (also known as Blood Water of Dr. Z, Hydra, and Attack of the Swamp Creatures, with the latter two being bootleg titles) was written, produced, and directed by Don Barton, who filmed the movie in Jacksonville, Florida, where he lived. After around 10 minutes of monologue and seeing him walk around a lab (or a basement, but who knows), he finally gets around to transforming into "Zaat", which is about as exciting as this sentence. Obviously, the suit for this sea creature hybrid could not possibly look that great....but man is it ridiculous to look at. It looks like something out of a schlocky TV show, with splotches of green fur for some reason. They might have been better off editing the movie so you don't see the monster. The footage of the real life fish manages to make look even more ridiculous, but the way the person in the suit stumble around is even more silly. I don't know how, but somehow the transformation sequence (and the ensuing scene where he swims around in his new form) manage to be boring to watch, seemingly having little energy, which seems to be the big key thing about this movie. One of the scenes has the monster get revenge on someone that wronged him before, with shots of fish cut into the scene, which only makes this scene even more jumbled.

It's clear the movie was made cheaply, but I still can't believe how unbelievably ridiculous it is, and one can't really see the effort if they are teetering on the edge of boredom like I was. So much time is spent with Grauer and his random monologues that border on hypnotic or dull, that we don't really get much from the rest of the cast, and the attack scenes aren't any better. The way the movie is lighted and filmed come off as unappealing to the eye, approaching the levels seen in films like Monster A-Go-Go (#756)...but that film didn't have a part an hour in where a bunch of youths sing folk music for included in the movie for no real reason at all. The movie may seem silly, but it barely lets you laugh too much, resembling the person at a party who tries to be serious on a topic he doesn't much know about (in this case: how to make a fun movie) who trudges on despite the flaws in his argument without letting you laugh out of pity. It actually isn't until 20 minutes before the movie ends that the heroes figure out who was the one in question behind the murders, because...it didn't occur to them, I suppose. This would've probably better off if if had been made in the 50's than the 70's (because I suppose the monster wouldn't look so weird in black and white), but even then this isn't much of a movie to begin with, and even the ending is a downer. Turning the movie off after it ends doesn't usually give any emotion for me, but this time around I felt glad about finally being done. If you like schlocky films, this most likely will be in your alley, but I am just glad to be done with a film as weird as it gets.

Overall, I give it 1 out of 10 stars.

Where the Boys Are.

Review #822: Where the Boys Are.

Cast
Dolores Hart (Merritt Andrews), Paula Prentiss (Tuggle Carpenter), Yvette Mimieux (Melanie Tolman), Connie Francis (Angie), George Hamilton (Ryder Smith), Jim Hutton (TV Thompson), Rory Harrity (Franklin), Frank Gorshin (Basil), Chill Wills (Police Captain), and Barbara Nichols (Lola Fandango) Directed by Henry Levin.

Review
Where the Boys Are is a movie that is moderately entertaining while also handling its plot threads fairly enough. Hart is a fine lead, managing to have chemistry with the others in the cast, especially Hamilton, and their scenes (the first starting with the latter marking a ? mark in the sand) are nice enough. As for the other three leads, Prentiss is alright, with her scenes (especially with Hutton) being relatively fine; Francis, while not given too much to do is at least okay, and she even sings the title song; Mimieux is fine, with she doing well in the climax that certainly surprises but also feels realistic, as shocking as it is. From his first scene (mentioned above), Hamilton has a certain type of watch ability that never really wavers. Hutton is goofy at times, but he is certainly is likable enough. There is at least some humor in it, with one scene involving somebody getting into a water tank, which as it goes on gets to be pretty amusing. It's not exactly anything great, but it is a nifty 60's movie that has enough beach and a semblance of decently crafted plot to be fairly entertaining.

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear.

Review #821: The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear.

Cast

Leslie Nielsen (Lieutenant Frank Drebin), Priscilla Presley (Jane Spencer), George Kennedy (Captain Ed Hocken), O.J. Simpson (Detective Nordberg), Robert Goulet (Quentin Hapsburg), Richard Griffiths (Dr. Albert S. Meinheimer/Earl Hacker), Jacqueline Brookes (Commissioner Anabell Brumford), Anthony James (Hector Savage), Lloyd Bochner (Terence Baggett), and Tim O'Connor (Donald Fenswick) Directed by David Zucker.

Review
It's strange, I did not really notice that the 25th Anniversary of this film was 13 days ago until doing this review. Happy 25th.

The original film (#599 - The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!) was fast-paced slapstick slapstick comedy that worked exceptionally well, with Nielsen being a particular highlight in part due to his comedic timing. With the second (and a half) film, you could say mostly the same thing, just with a few diminishing returns. Simply put, if you enjoyed the first film, you'll at least like the second film a little. Even though the movie seems a bit more predictable with the jokes, there are at least enough gags that work, with a pace of 85 minutes that fits enough. Nielsen and Presley do well enough again, with a gag spoofing "Ghost" being pretty funny. The supporting cast is well enough, with Goulet and Griffiths being decent enough additions, having good chemistry with Nielsen when needed. I wish I could say more, but take my word for it: It's okay, but if one had to pick between the two Naked Guns, take the original. It at least is a decent comedy sequel, as opposed to other comedy sequels (#402 - Rush Hour 3, #496 - The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause, and #698 - Airplane II: The Sequel), so take this movie for what it's worth.

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

Modern Times.

Review #820: Modern Times.

Cast
Charlie Chaplin (A Factory Worker), Paulette Goddard (Ellen Peterson, The Gamin), Henry Bergman (Café Proprietor), Tiny Sandford (Big Bill), Chester Conklin (A Mechanic), Al Ernest Garcia (President of the Electro Steel Corp), Stanley Blystone (Gamin's Father), and Richard Alexander (Prison Cellmate) Directed by Charlie Chaplin (#353 - Monsieur Verdoux, #599 - The Kid, #600 - City Lights, #759 - The Gold Rush, and #775 - Shoulder Arms)

Review
This was the first movie Chaplin did with dialogue and sound effects, though it is only used prominently for scenes at the factory, with his character remaining silent, save for one song (sung entirely in gibberish) at the end of the film, with inter titles used throughout the movie, at a time when sound films had become the norm. The Little Tramp (the character that Chaplin played in a good deal of his films, though it wasn't usually listed as such in the credits) had a charm that Chaplin felt would be lost if the character ever spoke on screen. From this point on, his films would be in sound, sans the Tramp. As for this movie, Chaplin once again excels at his own brand of slapstick comedy, with the drama aspects (with regards to the time this was made) being balanced well enough to make for a really influential movie that still fits even 80 years later. Chaplin always managed to make his character an easy one to root for, while still being easy to have a laugh for the things he gets into, such as when he tries to keep up with an assembly line, with hilarious results. Watching him on screen is always a treat, and the supporting cast is excellent, with Chaplin and Goddard having good chemistry together; Garcia and Bergman (two regulars of Chaplin films) are also pretty good highlights. The themes of the movie (namely the rise of the industrialization in a modern world) are weaved in excellently, managing to be told alongside the comedy without any troubles. I can't tell which Chaplin film (of the six featured on Movie Night) is the best at this moment, but Modern Times is certainly another Chaplin film that is perfectly handled with a dynamic that he did excellently. The movie ends with an uncertain future for the two characters, but there is at least a gleam of hope, even in what seems to be the most hopeless of times.

Overall, I give it 10 out of 10 stars.

Battle Beyond the Stars.

Review #819: Battle Beyond the Stars.

Cast

Richard Thomas (Shad), Robert Vaughn (Gelt), John Saxon (Sador), George Peppard (Space Cowboy), Darlanne Fluegel (Nanelia), Sybil Danning (Saint-Exmin), Sam Jaffe (Dr. Hephaestus), Jeff Corey (Zed), Morgan Woodward (Cayman of the Lambda Zone), Marta Kristen (Lux), Lynn Carlin (Nell), Earl Boen (Nestor 1), and John Gowens (Nestor 2) Directed by Jimmy T. Murakami.

Review

It's no coincidence that I decided to pick this on July 7th. Roger Corman was behind the production of what was intended as "The Magnificent Seven (itself a remake of Seven Samurai) in outer space", with Robert Vaughn (one of the original Seven) even appearing as one of the mercenaries. Fun fact: George Peppard had apparently been considered for The Magnificent Seven (#427), but Yul Brynner was chosen as the lead instead. James Cameron did the special effects (such as the models) for the film, which are relatively decent for a B-movie like this. Battle Beyond the Stars devotes a good deal of its run-time to the recruitment to save the planet Akira, finally getting around to a battle between the two around an hour in a movie that just lasts over 100 minutes. When it does get to the action, Battle Beyond the Stars is certainly entertaining enough, appealing to anyone willing to overlook the cheesiness of it all, much like with Starcrash (#755), though this film is arguably better in quality. The cast is certainly interesting to watch; Thomas is a decent lead, though he does take some time to get used to. Vaughn (in the brief time he appears in) is interesting to watch, playing essentially the same role as he did in Magnificent Seven. Saxon (who merely wanted to live forever) is quirky enough as the villain, though he really doesn't get enough screen-time, apart from the end. Peppard is a fun enough kind of cowboy, with a few effective one-liners in him. Obviously the story and feel of the film is a bit familiar, but it has enough ridiculous aspects of cheese and charm to work on at least some level, depending on the kind of mood / preference one is up for. 

Apologies for the delay, internet troubles.

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

Rambo: First Blood Part II.

Review #818: Rambo: First Blood Part II.

Cast
Sylvester Stallone (John Rambo), Richard Crenna (Col. Samuel Trautman), Charles Napier (Marshall Murdock), Steven Berkoff (Lt. Col. Podovsky), Julia Nickson (Co-Bao), Martin Kove (Ericson), George Cheung (Lt. Tay), and Andy Wood (Banks) Directed by George P. Cosmatos.

Review
It really has been a long time since I reviewed a Rambo movie (#025 - First Blood), hasn't it? It wasn't entirely intentional, it just got lost in the shuffle over nearly 6 years and over 700 reviews later, but here it is, to end this Independence Day doubleheader. The movie was written by James Cameron, though Stallone also provided significant input as well. In a nutshell, it's a movie that for me is moderately entertaining, but not as good as the first film. It's an action movie without much in the way of developed characters, but it satisfies anybody looking for some action, while not insulting their intelligence too much. There is some sort of fun in seeing specialized arrows blowing up stuff. Rambo is Rambo, with Stallone excelling as the action hero he was in the 80's, purely simple. There isn't too much for the supporting cast to do, but Crenna and Stallone do have some good brief scenes with each other, along with him and Nickson. I really can't complain all too much about a movie that is simple, but to the point in its intentions, with Rambo having a little monologue at the end that does at least bookend the movie well enough. It's not a bad 7/10 movie, and I'm sure others enjoy it more than I do (which I can respect), so take it for what it's worth.

I hope you enjoyed this doubleheader for Independence Day, as I did watching these movies and writing these reviews.

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

Suddenly.

Review #817: Suddenly.

Cast
Frank Sinatra (John Baron), Sterling Hayden (Sheriff Tod Shaw), James Gleason (Peter "Pop" Benson), Nancy Gates (Ellen Benson), Kim Charney (Peter Benson III), Paul Frees (Benny Conklin), Christopher Dark (Bart Wheeler), Willis Bouchey (Agent Dan Carney), and Paul Wexler (Deputy Slim Adams) Directed by Lewis Allen.

Review
On Independence Day, I figured it would make sense to review a film noir with Frank Sinatra (playing the villain) and set in a small town named Suddenly, which is set up for a visit but also a possible ambush. Sinatra is introduced less then 20 minutes into the film, and from there he certainly fits the crazed role nicely. The small town is captured nicely, along with the nature of the characters inside this town, such as Hayden and his towering presence. It's interesting to see that the main villain and the sheriff were both veterans of the War (with the mother being a widow as well), which had only ended 9 years prior, and the two even exchange in a bit of banter over where they served about 10 minutes before the movie ends. Suddenly manages to keep a quick pace at 75 minutes, not overstaying its welcome, thanks to a cast that does a fine job at acting their roles out. Gates is alright, even if her overprotective character may seem a bit overreaching (not letting her kid go to a troop meet?) at times. Suddenly is a fairly decent movie that works as a quick thriller with a decent cast to boot as well.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Crimes of the Future.

Review #816: Crimes of the Future.

Cast
Ronald Mlodzik (Adrian Tripod), Jon Lidolt, Tania Zolty, Jack Messinger, Paul Mulholland, William Haslam, and William Poolman. Directed by David Cronenberg.

Review
The 2nd part of this celebration on Canada Day ends with Crimes of the Future, the first time a David Cronenberg film has been featured on Movie Night. The movie was directed, written, produced, edited and shot by Cronenberg, born in Toronto. I can't say I remember the last time I watched an experimental film, complete with a bunch of unknown actors and Mlodzik as our narrator in a movie that certainly relies on imagery more than anything. But the main question is if the movie is any good? I suppose it all comes down to what you feel about watching something a bit different than the usual sci-fi fare. It lasts just barely over an hour, but to some it may feel much longer, depending on the amount of patience one has for something that is strange in its own right.

I'm not in the camp of going for movies just because they aren't in the mainstream, but I'm also not in the camp of outright rejecting something that doesn't appeal to everyone. I try to go into all the movies I see with at least some sort of open mind, and though I do admittedly differentiate in reviews of certain movies from time to time, there is an attempt to try and understand the effort taken in movies, even ones like this. The cinematography (also by Cronenberg) is decent, sometimes showing the strangeness of a world that may already be doomed. It's a twisted movie, with a mindset that does not skew towards what it wants to be, as strange and sad as it may be. If you are into movies of the experimental / art house genre that try to be something really different, you might be for it. I can't make myself give this a positive review, but it is at least a movie with effort.

And with this ends another Movie Night on Canada Day. It is not my native country, but I felt that since it was close to my nation's Independence Day, it only made sense to try and include some Canadian films into the mix of the American celebration three days later. I hope you enjoyed the reviews.

Overall, I give it 6 out of 10 stars.

Starship Invasions.

Review #815: Starship Invasions.

Cast
Robert Vaughn (Professor Allan Duncan), Christopher Lee (Captain Rameses), Daniel Pilon (Anaxi), Tiiu Leek (Phi), Helen Shaver (Betty Duncan), Henry Ramer (Malcolm), Victoria Johnson (Gazeth), and Doreen Lipson (Dorothy) Directed by Ed Hunt.

Review
Another year, another Canada Day to celebrate. I've done reviews dedicated to Canadian films before (#406 - Whispering City, #407 - Why Shoot the Teacher?, #408 - Goin' Down the Road, #409 - The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz, #607 - Back to God's Country, #608 - Tomorrow Never Comes, and #722 - The Changeling), but this time I decided to pick one a bit different from the previous bunch - a sci-fi film (also known as Project Genocide in the UK, with War of the Aliens and Alien Encounter being the two titles of the movie before being renamed to the one seen above). It was filmed in Toronto about UFO's, with First Canadian Place (the tallest skyscraper in Canada) being featured in one scene. Believe it or not, this is a hokey kind of sci-fi film, with telepathic aliens, a suicide device used as a superweapon, and multiple shots of ships looking like hubcaps. It only makes sense for all the aliens to be telepathic, because without it they would have to speak with each other, instead of just being dubbed in the booth, so Lee is sadly relegated to just being silent, save for his voice from time to time. Vaughn certainly fits into the movie well enough, not being over-the-top or underplayed, even in a movie without much standout acting.

I have to admit, a group called the "Legion of the Winged Serpent" is pretty unique sounding, even if it's just a bunch of aliens in black garb, apparently descendants of transplanted humans, whatever that means. There is something strange about all these proceedings, maybe it's the random suicides (by the device, but still random), or the way the plot moves. At least it's not a simple invasion movie, though the merging of UFO accounts (such as the garb and robot design) really mesh weirdly with the Intergalactic League of Races and their pyramid in the ocean of the Earth. I find it funny they made a Galactic Treaty about not attacking Earth, when the Serpents just ignore it anyway. The movie runs quickly enough at around 90 minutes, and while it is a hokey kind of sci-fi film released on the heels of Star Wars, but there is a certain charm to the ridiculous nature of a movie that tries to mesh a bunch of aspects together to make for a movie best suited for being watched with a little bit of ribbing along the way.

Overall, I give it 6 out of 10 stars.