Movie Night: Bela Lugosi Meets a Brooklyn Gorilla.

Review #535: Bela Lugosi Meets a Brooklyn Gorilla.

Cast
Bela Lugosi (Dr. Zabor), Duke Mitchell (Himself), Sammy Petrillo (Himself), Charlita (Nona), Muriel Landers (Saloma), Al Kikume (Chief Rakos), Mickey Simpson (Chula), and Cheeta (Ramona the Chimp) Directed by William Beaudine (#463 - Billy the Kid versus Dracula)

Review
The title alone tells all you need to know about the film. Lugosi's in it, and there's a gorilla, though the only one from Brooklyn is actually one of the main characters who just happened to be from Brooklyn who is transformed into a gorilla half way through. The title came because the producer decided it would be foolish not to exploit Bela Lugosi's appearance in the film. When the only way to attract people to watch your movie is by shamelessly put the actor's name in the title, there isn't much hope. The only other reason this film was made was take advantage of the success of Dean Martin-Jerry Lewis films at the time, made (of course) on a cheap budget. Is the movie funny? Laughable to look at, but not really funny. Lugosi looks tired, though maybe he's tired of Petrillo's screaming, or the fact that he agreed to a movie with a gorilla in it. Maybe it's Petrillo's voice that bugs me so much, because it always sounds like wailing, which gets tiresome quickly. It is sad to see Lugosi be in a film as low as this, in a film that feels so soulless and so rushed. There are many words you could use to describe this movie: Stupid, rushed, idiotic, campy, non-funny, insolvent, irrelevant, but my favorite one is: Bad. While it may be easy to find, it's hard to tell if you want to find it. Take this film...forget it, you don't want to take the risk. The movie won't get a 0 because I do have some pity for Bela Lugosi. The only question you can ask about this movie is which is better, the next film on this week, or this film? What is the next film, you ask? Glen or Glenda. Stay tuned.

Overall, I give 1 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Scared to Death.

Review #534: Scared to Death.

Cast
Bela Lugosi (Prof. Leonide), George Zucco (Dr. Joseph Van Ee), Nat Pendleton (Bill Raymond), Molly Lamont (Laura Van Ee / Laurette La Valle), Joyce Compton (Jane Cornell), Gladys Blake (Lilybeth), Roland Varno (Ward Van Ee), and Douglas Fowley (Terry Lee) Directed by Christy Cabanne.

Review
The movie claims to be filmed in "natural color", and while it may seem utterly ridiculous to market especially in the title card, the movie doesn't look that bad, though even if it was in black in white, this would still be a mediocre film. The movie has a premise that could either be seen as creative or entirely useless. And what's the premise? The character that was scared to death narrates (I put that one loosely, given that all is speaking brief lines while just lying on the table) over the film, complete with really silly screamy music that occurs every time the corpse narrates (The narration lasting about 30 seconds)...and after it ends, which makes me wonder why didn't they just have narration over the film itself, and not these stupid interruptions that aren't long enough to be called interruptions. Lugosi is hamming up to the max, and hey, he's not the villain here, though he does have a short sidekick, which is really bizarre because it doesn't really add anything to this shoe string plot. The actors look like they don't care, and the film's plot is so ludicrous that you'll be begging for it to end by the half way mark. It's a strange, but ultimately useless film that shows its age, and it's lack of scares. It actually would work better as a comedy, but even that sounds too generous. For the next film on Bela Lugosi Week, we'll be dwelling into...the 1950's.

Overall, I give it 4 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Devil Bat.

Review #533: The Devil Bat.

Cast
Bela Lugosi (Paul Carruthers), Suzanne Kaaren (Mary Heath), Dave O'Brien (Johnny Layden), Guy Usher (Henry Morton), Yolande Donlan (Maxine), Donald Kerr (One-Shot McGuire), Edward Mortimer (Martin Heath), Gene O'Donnell (Don Morton), Alan Baldwin (Tommy Heath), and John Ellis (Roy Heath) Directed by Jean Yarbrough.

Review
The Devil Bat isn't much to marvel at, but it entertains cheaply and effectively, getting the job done, I suppose. Lugosi is the villain once again, and while it may feel familiar at this point, he certainly seems to be enjoy the role, and I like his performance, over-the-top, yet satisfying. The rest of the cast do an alright job, they work well with Lugosi at times. The direction is decent, given that this is a film about a killer bat that kills people who are sprayed with a "special scent", so as long as the movie doesn't veer off the sane rails, it works. And yes, this is another film available due to it falling into the public domain. A fun fact is that this was released by Producers Releasing Corporation, a small, but busy studio that made films fast and cheap, and they seemed to put care into this film, with satisfactory horror that's enough to entertain for a hour and such. Lugosi does a fine job and is one of the reasons to watch this film, along with the mild, but decent scares. For our next film on Bela Lugosi Week, it's another from the 1940s...

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Death Kiss.

Review #532: The Death Kiss.

Cast
David Manners (Franklyn Drew), Adrienne Ames (Marcia Lane), Bela Lugosi (Joseph Steiner), John Wray (Detective Lieutenant Sheehan), Vince Barnett (Officer Gulliver), Alexander Carr (Leon A. Grossmith), Edward Van Sloan (Tom Avery), Harold Minjir (Howell), and Barbara Bedford (Script Girl) Directed by Edwin L. Marin (#503 - A Christmas Carol (1938))

Review
The point of this week is not just to review Lugosi, but also to give some of his films a bit more recognition, such as this public domain film from 1932. The movie starts out okay, not too shabby. It quickly sets the plot up, essentially a murder mystery, with an interesting tile sequence hat may be the best scene in a short movie. Lugosi doesn't really have much screen time, more of a supporting role that lets Manners take over, which is sort of disappointing, because Lugosi was a distinct actor even when he didn't speak. Bela Lugosi, David Manners (John Harker) and Edward Van Sloan (Van Helsing) are reunited, one year after all three were in Dracula (#071), and while they may not have much interaction, it is  at least interesting enough to be a fun fact to note. And if you're wondering, no the movie is not a horror film. As much as the title sounds like one, it's really just the title of the film within the film in which the murder happens. The movie itself flows okay, it veers between mystery thriller and comedic idiocy. It just feels standardized and not exactly exciting. It does have some moments of brilliancy, such as the idea of having the film revolve around a studio and the film projector being mysteriously filled with acid just as the murderer is about to be revealed but it doesn't save the movie. The film isn't awful, it's just not that good, and if you came for Lugosi, you will be disappointed. Next time, I will be delving into the 1940s for Part Three of Bela Lugosi Week.

Overall, I give it 5 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Murders in the Rue Morgue.

Review #531: Murders in the Rue Morgue.

Cast
Bela Lugosi (Doctor Mirakle), Sidney Fox (Mademoiselle Camille L'Espanaye), Leon Ames (Pierre Dupin), Bert Roach (Paul), Betty Ross Clarke (Mademoiselle L'Espanaye), Brandon Hurst (Prefect of Police), D'Arcy Corrigan (Morgue Keeper), Noble Johnson (Janos), and Arlene Francis (Streetwalker) Directed by Robert Florey.

Review
I'm very familiar with Bela Lugosi already, with his work in (#071) Dracula, (#183) Plan 9 from Outer Space, (#260) The Wolf Man, (#274) White Zombie, and (#470) Mark of the Vampire. A theme week is 7 reviews of a subject in 7 days (Such as Robot Week with #086-#092, Harry Potter Week with 8 reviews from #117-#124, and the last one until this, Dreamworks Animation Week, from #160-#166), and I'm starting with the earliest Lugosi film I could find on short notice, and end...with his last speaking role. Murders in the Rue Morgue was (loosely) based off a short story by Edgar Allen Poe (notable for being the first detective story), with a few more of his works being adapted by Universal in the following years as part of their Universal Monsters line. Lugosi doesn't do that bad of a job, he certainly has a level of lunacy for this character, and it works well. The rest of the cast do fine and all, they aren't too overdramatic, and while Lugosi nearly steals the show, the cast don't do that bad. This film was sadly butchered upon original release from 80 minutes to 61 minutes by the studio, the deleted scenes apparently being cut due to being deemed too disturbing, and while the film does feel hacked off, the camera angles and the way of filming make up for it just enough. This is a disturbing, but entertaining film that lets Lugosi have his moment. Tune in next time for another one of Lugosi's films from 1932.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Alien.

Review #530: Alien.

Cast
Tom Skerritt (Dallas), Sigourney Weaver (Ripley), Veronica Cartwright (Lambert), Harry Dean Stanton (Brett), John Hurt (Kane), Ian Holm (Ash), Yaphet Kotto (Parker), and Bolaji Badejo (The Alien) Directed by Ridley Scott (#100 - Blade Runner)

Review

Alien has its shares of influences such as (#519) The Thing from Another World or (#331) It! The Terror from Beyond Space, but beneath all that is a wonderfully dark masterpiece. The set design by Ron Cobb and Chris Foss is really well done, it doesn't distract from the movie, but it is wonderful. The alien (and other accompanying elements) by H. R. Giger works so well because the design doesn't look like a suit for somebody to be in, it's a big and long suit that is so unconventional and yet so cool looking. Ridley Scott does a good job directing, his best decision in this film is not showing all of the Alien throughout most of the film, which keeps the suspense and terror of the Alien intact. The actors (insert your John Hurt as the War Doctor reference here, which I won't do out of choice in the name of peace and sanity...oops.) are well suited for a film like this, especially Sigourney Weaver, who certainly can act with terror all around her. Even Bolaji Badejo does a good job, his movements of the Alien from inside the suit are more natural looking and menacing. This is a tense and effective horror film that would later have three sequels and a...film in the same universe as Alien but not a prequel. Whatever the case, Alien is still a terror to behold 35 years later.

Overall, I give it 10 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Mildred Pierce.

Review #529: Mildred Pierce.

Cast
Joan Crawford (Mildred Pierce Beragon), Jack Carson (Wally Fay), Zachary Scott (Monte Beragon), Eve Arden (Ida Corwin), Ann Blyth (Veda Pierce Forrester), Butterfly McQueen (Lottie), Bruce Bennett (Albert Pierce), Lee Patrick (Maggie Biederhof), and Moroni Olsen (Inspector Peterson) Directed by Michael Curtiz (#125 - Casablanca and #416 - Yankee Doodle Dandy, and #505 - The Adventures of Robin Hood)

Review
Mildred Pierce is a classic film noir (Which is why this film is in the National Film Registry, along with other films such as The Maltese Falcon, D.O.A, and other various films) that also manages to be a very gripping drama. Joan Crawford has a powerful performance as Pierce, she makes the movie whole, and she gives her all to make this more then just a film noir. The other actors are good, they certainly work well with Crawford, and they are also fun to watch. Ann Blyth is really effective at her acting in this film, especially with a character so brutal. Curtiz does a fine job directing and the film itself never has a bump or a sluggish moment in it, and the ending is certainly satisfying.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Bright Road.

Review #528: Bright Road.

Cast
Dorothy Dandridge (Jane Richards), Philip Hepburn (C.T. Young), Harry Belafonte (School Principal), Barbara Randolph (Tanya), Maidie Norman (Tanya's Mother), Rene Beard (Booker T. Jones), Howard McNeeley (Boyd), and Robert McNeeley (Lloyd) Directed by Gerald Mayer.

Review
While only lasting 69 minutes, Bright Road manages to strike a chord and makes a big impression with such a small budget that some big budget films can't even do. The actors consist of mostly kids, but Dorothy Dandridge does a fine job in a lead role, and Hepburn does an alright job in what seems to be (according to IMDb) his only film role. Belafonte has a good ballad song that stands out and the film has a good deal of passion for its subject and it certainly is a fine film to watch, not too shabby all in all.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer.

Review #527: The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer.

Cast
Cary Grant (Richard Nugent), Myrna Loy (Margaret Turner), Shirley Temple (Susan Turner), Rudy Vallee (Tommy Chamberlain), Ray Collins (Dr. Matt Beemish), Harry Davenport (Thaddeus Turner), Johnny Sands (Jerry White), and Don Beddoe (Joey) Directed by Irving Reis.

Review
The title certainly got me interested in this film, trying to figure out what exactly a Bobby-Soxer was. Apparently it (according to Wikipedia) is a 1940s sociological coinage describing the often very zealous fans of Swing music, often young adults, or in this movie, Shirley Temple. If your like me, you probably didn't know Shirley Temple made films in her teenage years (that or like me you didn't watch any of her films prior to this and only know her due to commercials trying to sell her films to people watching at home), and she doesn't do a bad job, and while her character could be regarded as annoying at times, she is okay either way. Cary Grant is charming and is certainly very entertaining, and Myrna Loy works well with Grant as well. The rest of the cast do well, and there are good laughs with this film, it has a clever way with fun, and this is a film that while unusual with its pairing, is a good film.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy.

Review #526: Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy.

Cast
Will Ferrell (Ron Burgundy), Christina Applegate (Veronica Corningstone), Paul Rudd (Brian Fantana), Steve Carell (Brick Tamland), David Koechner (Champ Kind), Fred Willard (Edward Harken), Vince Vaughn (Wes Mantooth), Chris Parnell (Garth Holliday), Fred Armisen (Tino), and Kathryn Hahn (Helen) Directed by Adam McKay.

Review
This film never seems to miss a beat and never stops in a relentless, but fun loving approach for comedy. Ferrell does a fine job, never letting go on trying to make us laugh, and his look (especially that bushy mustache) only seems to contribute to a over the top, but domineering performance. Applegate and Ferrell seem to go well together and have some chemistry, even when they fight each other. The rest of the cast do a good job, and Carell makes an impression even when he isn't talking. It's a decently crafted film that never seems to stop going on its approach, making more than missing on attempts at comedy, and it (unlike films like...#525 - Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls) is enjoyable to watch, in all of its bizarre, but coherent manner. It's a silly, but memorable film that seems to be quoted from even to this day. Stay classy, San Diego.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls.

Review #525: Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls.

Cast
Jim Carrey (Ace Ventura), Ian McNeice (Fulton Greenwall), Simon Callow (Vincent Cadby), Maynard Eziashi (Ouda), Bob Gunton (Burton Quinn), Damon Standifer (Wachati Chief), and Sophie Okonedo (Wachati Princess) Directed by Steve Oedekerk.

Review
I thought the first film (#148 - Ace Ventura: Pet Detective) wasn't all too bad. It had its moments that worked and while of course it could have been better, it wasn't that bad. The sequel though, just stinks. Ventura was mildly enjoyable in the first, but in this film, the patience and level of joy wears thin, really, really fast. It seems that the movie itself thinks its pretty funny, it laughs at its own jokes, but if you ever were wondering why this is the only sequel to a film starring Carrey in which Carrey reprised his role, this is why. Carrey seems to just be trapped in the role, and while he certainly seems to be trying, the movie can't make up for being so tiresome, yet so short. The cast isn't awful, but they seem to want to watch Carrey act as Ventura then make an impression. It doesn't have much of the spark, if any of the original, and it is somewhat forgettable. Maybe it's better for others who have better patience then I do, but I just didn't find much to enjoy.

Overall, I give it 4 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: D.O.A. (1950).

Review #524: D.O.A.

Cast
Edmond O'Brien (Frank Bigelow), Pamela Britton (Paula Gibson), Luther Adler (Majak), Lynn Baggett (Mrs. Phillips), William Ching (Halliday), Henry Hart (Stanley Phillips), Beverly Garland (Miss Foster), and Neville Brand (Chester) Directed by Rudolph Maté.

Review
D.O.A. is certainly unique in its approach and also relatively easy to find due to it being in the public domain (Examples of movies in the public domain being Night of the Living Dead, Carnival of Souls and most notably, It's a Wonderful Life), and also being short to watch that also makes it a hidden gem. The actors do a fine job in a film noir that takes its own approach to entertain and bewilder, the mystery isn't inherently obvious nor overly complicated, it stands in the middle and it pays off relatively well. O'Brien stands out well, and Mate directs nicely enough. The movie has moments of brilliance (Such as O'Brien's character going to the Police station and reporting his own murder or when he finds out why he is even involved in this), and it certainly does not die on arrival.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: It Happened at the World's Fair.

Review #523: It Happened at the World's Fair.

Cast
Elvis Presley (Mike Edwards), Joan O'Brien (Diane Warren), Gary Lockwood (Danny Burke), Vicky Tiu (Sue-Lin), Yvonne Craig (Dorothy Johnson), H. M. Wynant (Vince Bradley), and Kam Tong (Walter Ling) Directed by Norman Taurog.

Review
To begin with, today is what would've been Elvis Presley's 79th Birthday, so I decided to watch one of his movies. And...here it is. It's hard to say much about this film. Why? It's just not...interesting to talk about. Granted, the fact it was filmed in Seattle on the site of the Century 21 Exposition is certainly noteworthy (to me anyways), and the film at least takes some of its time to show off Seattle (Such as the Seattle Center, the Monorail and my favorite, the Space Needle), which is nice. Then...there's the film itself. The story isn't really interesting and while Elvis tries to spruce up the film, he can't save the movie, neither can his supporting cast. It's a mediocre film that seems to distract you more with Elvis' singing (and Elvis does at least try to sing well) then entertain with story. Is it a bad film? No, but it isn't any good either. If you really want to see some Elvis films, I'd probably stick to Jailhouse Rock (#327) instead. Happy Birthday, Elvis.

Overall, I give it 5 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Muppets.

Review #522: The Muppets.

Cast
Jason Segel (Gary), Amy Adams (Mary), Chris Cooper (Tex Richman), Steve Whitmire (Kermit the Frog/Beaket/Statler/Rizzo the Rat/Link Hogthrob/The Muppet Newsman/Lips), Eric Jacobson (Miss Piggy/Fozzie Bear/Animal/Sam the Eagle/Marvin Suggs), Dave Goelz (Gonzo/Dr. Bunsen Honeydew/Zoot, Beauregard/Waldorf/Kermit Moopet), Bill Barretta (Rowlf the Dog/The Swedish Chef/Dr. Teeth/Pepe the King Prawn/Bobo the Bear/Beautiful Day Monster/Mahna Mahna/Behemoth/Fozzie Moope/Muppet Gary/Whatnot Hobo), Peter Linz (Walter), David Rudman (Scooter/Janice/Miss Poogy/Wayne, Nigel the Conductor/Bobby Benson), Matt Vogel (Floyd Pepper/Camilla the Chicken/Sweetums/'80s Robot, Lew Zealand/Uncle Deadly/Crazy Harry/Rowlf Moopet), Rashida Jones (Veronica), Jack Black (Himself), Alan Arkin (Muppet Studios Tour Guide), Bill Cobbs (Grandfather), Zach Galifianakis (Hobo Joe), and Jim Parsons (Human Walter) Directed by James Bobin.

Review
It had 12 years since the release of Muppets From Space (#377), and in that span the Muppets were confined to television specials only (Okay, okay, I admit to watching A Muppet Christmas: Letters to Santa when I was younger, it wasn't bad, but I don't remember watching any other special), until this film. I wanted to end this so called Muppet Trilogy of mine with this film because the first part of the trilogy began with the first, and so it only made sense to finish with the most recent (Muppets Most Wanted hasn't been released..yet.), and...this is a good Muppet film. It has its moments of fun, and Walter is a welcome addition for the Muppets, the human cast is interesting because Segel and Adams work alright together, and Cooper is pretty funny, and "Man or Muppet" is probably the most memorable song of the film along with being a really fitting one for a film like this. The Muppets are fine as usual and while not every joke works, the film still has enough passion for its subject to work. I hope you like this trilogy of Muppet films, as I enjoyed watching these films, and I hope you do as well.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Muppets Take Manhattan.

Review #521: The Muppets Take Manhattan.

Cast
Jim Henson (Kermit the Frog, Rowlf the Dog, Dr. Teeth, The Swedish Chef, The Muppet Newsman, Waldorf, Baby Kermit, Baby Rowlf, Ernie), Frank Oz (Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Animal, Sam the Eagle, Baby Piggy, Baby Fozzie, Bert, Cookie Monster), Jerry Nelson (Floyd Pepper, Crazy Harry, Camilla the Chicken, Pops, Lew Zealand, Bear), Richard Hunt (Scooter, Janice, Statler, Baby Scooter), Dave Goelz (Gonzo the Great, Chester the Rat, Bill the Frog, Zoot, Penguin, Jim the Dog, Baby Gonzo), Steve Whitmire (Rizzo the Rat, Gill the Frog), Louis Zorich (Pete), Juliana Donald (Jenny), Lonny Price (Ronnie Crawford), and Art Carney (Bernard Crawford) Directed by Frank Oz.

Review

While The Muppets Take Manhattan may not be as magical as The Muppet Movie, it certainly has enough gas to chug to the finish line and it does have its moments of shine. The Muppets, as usual, are entertaining. They sing well and they mesh well with each other and the human cast. It has its standard fare of cameos (Such Art Carney, Liza Minnelli, John Landis), but I suppose at this point it makes perfect sense. The movie's plot is not exactly original (A group (or a person, take your pick) trying to make it big on Broadway), but the Muppets manage to make the most of it, the songs are nicely done and there is never a dull moment in the film. It's not great, but this film does have enough Muppet power (whatever that means) to drudge along just fine.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Muppet Movie.

Review #520: The Muppet Movie.

Cast
Jim Henson (Kermit the Frog, Rowlf the Dog, Dr. Teeth, Waldorf, and the Swedish Chef), Frank Oz (Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Animal, Sam the Eagle, and Marvin Suggs), Jerry Nelson (Sgt. Floyd Pepper, Crazy Harry, Robin the Frog, Lew Zealand, Camilla the Chicken and Blue Frackle), Richard Hunt (Scooter, Statler, Janice, Sweetums and Beaker), Dave Goelz (Gonzo the Great, Zoot, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, Nigel the Conductor, and Doglion), Charles Durning (Doc Hopper), Austin Pendleton (Max), and Scott Walker (Snake Walker) Directed by James Frawley.

Review
Ah yes, the movie that started the Muppet film franchise, which has had 7 films released in a 35 years span, with an 8th coming this year. Usually I'd ask if this a good flick to watch, but I think we both know the answer: Yes, of course. The Muppets are entertaining, especially when they sing. The puppetry is good and all, but the real show stoppers are the many voices and characters the Muppets bring to the table. But that's not all the movie has, it also seems to have endless cameos (Bob Hope, Edgar Bergen, Mel Brooks, Dom Deluise and last but not least, Orson Welles), good songs (such as Rainbow Connection) and a good deal of imagination with fun, there is never a dull moment to get in the way of the pace and it always keeps itself fresh and well. It's no wonder why there were more Muppet movies after this, and I'm going to continue that with another Muppet film soon.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Thing from Another World.

Review #519: The Thing from Another World.

Cast
Margaret Sheridan (Nikki Nicholson), Kenneth Tobey (Captain Patrick Hendry), Robert Cornthwaite (Dr. Arthur Carrington), Douglas Spencer (Ned Scott), James Young (Lt. Eddie Dykes), Dewey Martin (Crew Chief Bob), Robert Nichols (Lt. Ken 'Mac' MacPherson), James Arness (The Thing), and William Self (Corporal Barnes) Directed by Christian Nyby.

Review
The movie (produced under Howard Hawks' Winchester Pictures Corporation) shows promise and it lives up to it. The title sequence is excellent, because it has a certain interest in mind and intrigues you in. The actors do fine, and James Arness does impressive as the Thing's body (I do wonder how scary the movie would be with Thing from The Addams Family), and the movie itself doesn't have too many hokey moments, it has its moments of tension and suspense, such as the end sequence, and the last line is slightly chilling. The movie (I guess it's a cliche to remake movies over 40 years old I suppose) has been remade, one by John Carpenter in 1982, and the other in 2011, but this on its own is a decent movie.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Hang 'Em High.

Review #518: Hang 'Em High.

Cast
Clint Eastwood (Jed Cooper), Inger Stevens (Rachel Warren), Ed Begley (Captain Wilson), Pat Hingle (Judge Adam Fenton), Ben Johnson (Dave Bliss), Charles McGraw (Ray Calhoun), Ruth White (Peaches Sophie), Bruce Dern (Miller), Alan Hale Jr. (Matt Stone), Arlene Golonka (Jennifer), James Westerfield (Prisoner), and Dennis Hopper (The Prophet) Directed by Ted Post.

Review
I had reviewed the Dollars Trilogy that starred Clint Eastwood and directed by Sergio Leone (#015 - The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, #017 - A Fistful of Dollars, #019 - For a Few Dollars More), and the success of the trilogy led to this film, one that Eastwood's business manager (Irving Leonard) described as a cross between Rawhide and Leone's westerns, and I can see why. But how is the film? It's okay. Eastwood is raw but intriguing, and Stevens delivers a contrast despite not having too many scenes, only near the end does she get her chance to shine. Begley and Hingle are good, but it seems the one who is really memorable despite having once scene is Dennis Hopper, he sticks out and rambles, and he certainly made an impression on me for his one scene. The film is raw at times and somewhat interesting and while it may take its time, it's an alright film and it is a film you could watch if you're still reeling from Leone's masterful Trilogy, take this for what it's worth.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Be Cool.

Review #517: Be Cool.

Cast
John Travolta (Chili Palmer), Uma Thurman (Edie Athens), Vince Vaughn (Roger "Raji" Lowenthal), Cedric the Entertainer (Sin LaSalle), Harvey Keitel (Nick Carr), Christina Milian (Linda Moon), André Benjamin (Dabu), Dwayne Johnson (Elliot Wilhelm), Robert Pastorelli (Joseph "Joe Loop" Lupino), Paul Adelstein (Hyman Gordon), and Arielle Kebbel (Robin) Directed by F. Gary Gray.

Review
I was in my living room, when a sudden urge came into me (No, it was not to eat more chicken), and it led me to pick Be Cool to review. So, like a fool, I decided to watch it. Hours later, I think I'll regret watching this film. It is not a bad film, it is a disappointing film that seems to either try way too hard (Multitudes and multitudes subplots) or try too little (Such as some of the acting), all springing into a lifeless "comedy" that seems to care about its cameos more then its actual actors. Travolta does okay, but his cast seems to not have any life in them, it seems the only one who cares enough to make an (positive) impression is Dwayne Johnson, who has some charm and likability even with a bad afro. The rest of the cast either range from okay (Cedric the Entertainer, who always seems to be fun to watch, but he's the only one in this film that is okay) to not really memorable (Milian, who is plagued by all the subplots) to just plain awful (Vince Vaughn, a baffling, yet lame choice), and they never click. It seems the comedy is overridden by the subplots and characters, which are endless and mostly annoying, in that order. Get Shorty was a fun flick that used the actor to their best talent. Be Cool uses their star power instead, and the film suffers because of it. Comparing these film would be impossible as this review would be 50 lines long, but I will close this review out by wondering if this film's true title was Sell Out.

Overall, I give it 3 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Unknown (1927).

Review #516: The Unknown.

Cast
Lon Chaney (Alonzo the Armless), Norman Kerry (Malabar the Mighty), Joan Crawford (Nanon Zanzi), Nick De Ruiz (Antonio Zanzi), John George (Cojo), and John St. Polis (Surgeon) Directed by Tod Browning (#071 - Dracula and #470 - Mark of the Vampire)

Review

I get to revisit Lon Chaney, and watch Joan Crawford in arguably one of her breakout movies. What she said about Chaney in this film is certainly interesting, saying that she learned more about acting from watching Chaney work than from anything else in her career. Chaney certainly shows a lot of facial expression that carry their own emotion. He and Paul Desmuke (the armless double for this film) go well together in the scenes required for this film, he gets a chance to shine, doing that effectively. Crawford certainly shines, even with a limited role, but she works fine with Kelly. The film may run short and may be disturbing, but it's an impressive and an intense film that is fun to watch.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars. 

Movie Night: Star Trek: The Motion Picture.

Review #515: Star Trek: The Motion Picture.

Cast
William Shatner (James T. Kirk), Leonard Nimoy (Spock), DeForest Kelley (Leonard McCoy), James Doohan (Montgomery Scott), Walter Koenig (Pavel Chekov), Nichelle Nichols (Uhura), George Takei (Hikaru Sulu), Stephen Collins (Willard Decker), and Persis Khambatta (Ilia) Directed by Robert Wise.

Review
This review was delayed a week as other films took this film's place on the reviewing spectrum, that and Santa Claus Conquers the Martians sounded better to review on Christmas. Since this is a new year, it only makes sense to finally publish this review. Enjoy and welcome to the beginning of Season 4.

Out of the seven Star Trek films I've watched (#009 - Star Trek (2009), #225 - Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, #226 - Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered County, #246 - Star Trek: Generations, #299 - Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, #337 - Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, #492 - Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home), Star Trek II was the best of them all, and for some, the first. Then there's this film, the first that started it all, and...the one with the nicknames. It is often called The Motionless Picture, The Slow Motion Picture, The Motion Sickness...and the names make perfect sense. The movie isn't awful, but it is so slow. The movie tries to hide the mediocre acting by showcasing many special effects (Along with some awful costumes that make them look more like yoga instructors then a space crew), which are fine and sometimes spectacular, but the effects can't save the movie from padding them out to the point where even 2001: A Space Odyssey would be merciful. Shatner does okay, but it seems like he's going through the motions, Nimoy is slightly better, it's usually fun to see Kelley and Nimoy bicker at each other. With 2001, I could forgive it because while it also took its time, it was an extraordinary film that was subject to much interpretation. The other Star Trek films (And to a lesser extent, the fifth one) were more subdued, more focused on the characters and their interaction along with the story. This film sticks out like a sore thumb, and it's no wonder why none of the events (along with throwing out the pale costumes) were ever mentioned again. It's an okay film.

Overall, I give it 6 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Our Man Flint.

Review #514: Our Man Flint.

Cast
James Coburn (Derek Flint), Gila Golan (Gila), Lee J. Cobb (Lloyd Cramden), Edward Mulhare (Malcolm Rodney), Rhys Williams (Doctor Krupov), Peter Brocco (Doctor Wu), Benson Fong (Doctor Schneider), and Michael St. Clair (Hans Gruber) Directed by Daniel Mann.

Review
James Coburn certainly looks the part, he's tall, suave, and cool, and he seems to mesh well with everyone. The film attempts to parody James Bond (There were a few parodies like Get Smart and films released to get in on the spy craze, such as The Silencers, with Dean Martin), and it does so rather successfully, and this was years before Austin Powers tried to do this (That film series would later use the telephone ring tone from this film), and Coburn is interesting to watch, and Lee J. Cobb also has his moments, especially when trying to comprehend all of this madness. The story isn't bad and the comedy has its moments (I like that the acronym for the organization Flint works for is ZOWIE), it's a film that also seems to showcase its locations, rather quite well. It may be debatable on if this is any better then Austin Powers, nut what's not debatable is that this is a fun film that is certainly the best way to end the year. Happy New Years to all, and I will see you in 2014.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Spies Like Us.

Review #513: Spies Like Us.

Cast
Chevy Chase (Emmett Fitz-Hume), Dan Aykroyd (Austin Millbarge), Steve Forrest (General Sline), Donna Dixon (Karen Boyer), Bruce Davison (Ruby), Bernie Casey (Colonel Rhombus), William Prince (Keyes), Tom Hatten (General Miegs), Frank Oz (Test Monitor), and Charles McKeown (Jerry Hadley) Directed by John Landis (#328 - Trading Places, #410 - Coming to America)

Review
Meant as a homage to the Road to... film series (that starred Bing Crosby and Bob Hope, who even makes a cameo), Chase and Aykroyd are paired up for the first time and they do okay, they certainly pair up well together, I suppose. The film around them...doesn't. It's a mediocre story with barely funny jokes that amount to a few laughs. Dixon does okay, and the rest of the cast is okay (Frank Oz being the more memorable for me even if he has only one scene), but the jokes are mediocre and why there are a few cameos along the way (Such as B. B. King, Ray Harryhausen and Terry Gilliam), the film still can't get past the mediocrity line, and it certainly pales in comparison to Trading Places or even Coming to America. The film is okay and while it may miss more then it hits, it at least tries, so I guess that makes sense.

Overall, I give it 6 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Thunderbird 6.

Review #512: Thunderbird 6.

Cast
Peter Dyneley (Jeff Tracy), Sylvia Anderson (Lady Penelope Creighton-Ward), Shane Rimmer (Scott Tracy), Jeremy Wilkin (Virgil Tracy / Hogarth), Matt Zimmerman (Alan Tracy / Carter), David Graham (Gordon Tracy / Brains / Aloysius Parker), John Carson (Captain Foster), Keith Alexander (John Tracy / Narrator), Gary Files (The Hood / Steward Lane), Christine Finn (Tin-Tin), and Geoffrey Keen (James Glenn) Directed by David Lane.

Review
I knew nothing about how "Supermarionation" looked on screen until this film. Supermarionation is (apparently) a filming process that combines scale models and special effects with marionette puppet characters, which is what the series Thunderbirds (and a few other series) used, created by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson. They both produced and wrote the film, which is a sequel to Thunderbirds Are Go (both films being commercial failures with mixed reception). Now I'm going to be a bit short with these puppets and outright say this film just isn't that interesting to watch. While I admire the Andersons' attempt to make these dummies look less ridiculous, the film that is built around them is just mediocre in plot, short on excitement (The Thunderbird 6...is an old bi-plane. I know it makes some sense to have a link to the past in the apparent future, but this still counts as a cop out.), and just not much fun, unless you count making fun of the big eyed, big headed little puppets. The voice acting is fine (not so wooden, if you will), though had I known anything about the characters before watching this, I probably wouldn't- Scratch that, I'd still be making fun of Captain Foster, or as I like to call him, Evil Man With A Moustache, who joins Ed Rooney, Ming the Merciless and White Goodman in the Evil Men With A Moustache Club, or EMWMC for short. I doubt that kids will spring much interest into the film, and while it does finally show some life at the end, for others its too little, too late. It may be okay for some, but it's just a show of boredom for me. Not sure if it was worth the $1.86 I spent to buy this movie though.

Overall, I give it 4 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Three Caballeros.

Review #511: The Three Caballeros.

Cast
Clarence Nash (Donald Duck), José Oliveira (José Carioca), Joaquin Garay (Panchito Pistoles), Aurora Miranda, Carmen Molina, Dora Luz, Sterling Holloway (Narrator - The Cold-Blooded Penguin), Frank Graham (Narrator), and Fred Shields (Narrator) Directed by Norman Ferguson, Clyde Geronimi (#178 - Peter Pan and #373 - Cinderella), Jack Kinney, Bill Roberts and Harold Young.

Review
The first thing I noticed is that Donald the Duck's birthday is on Friday the 13th. No wonder he encounters so much misery. This is the 7th Disney film (And the 2nd package film for Disney in the 1940s, along with Saludos Amigos, Make Mine Music, Fun and Fance Free, Melody Time, The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad), and it is a very colorful film to say the least, flashes of blue, green, red, pink, and so much more, making for a bright showstopper that has a good deal to show and say, with a few short stories and a few songs along the way. It's fun to watch and certainly fun to look at as well, Donald, Jose and Panchito are a very nice trio that do indeed make the best of their pairing. The fact that it runs only 70 minutes either hinder or helps the film, either because you want more adventure, or it keeps the film stay fresh and contained, making it relatively easy to watch and a treat as well.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Father of the Bride.

Review #510: Father of the Bride.

Cast
Spencer Tracy (Stanley T. Banks), Joan Bennett (Ellie Banks), Elizabeth Taylor (Katherine Banks), Don Taylor (Buckley Dunstan), Billie Burke (Doris Dunstan), Leo G. Carroll (Mr. Massoula), and Moroni Olsen (Herbert Dunstan) Directed by Vincente Minnelli (#405 - The Reluctant Debutante)

Review
Spencer Tracy is always fun to watch, how he acts towards events in the character's life, like what he does in this film. He at first is skeptical about his daughter's soon to be marriage, but at the end he is accepting of his daughter growing up. Tracy interacts well with the rest of the cast, especially with Taylor, the two interact well as father and daughter, especially when Tracy sees Taylor in her wedding dress for the first time, shown on 3 mirrors no less, which is probably why the shot and the scene work so well. Bennett is also effective, and Taylor (while not being in the film too much), is fine. The film has some chuckles and it never slows its pace, making for a quick, but effective film that would inspire a sequel the following year, and a remake with its own sequel.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Roman Holiday.

Review #509: Roman Holiday.

Cast
Gregory Peck (Joe Bradley), Audrey Hepburn (Princess Ann), Eddie Albert (Irving Radovich), Hartley Power (Hennessy), Harcourt Williams (The Ambassador), Margaret Rawlings (Countess Vereberg), Tullio Carminati (General Provno), Paola Borboni (the Charwoman), and Laura Solari (Secretary) Directed by William Wyler.

Review
Since I am on holiday break, I've had time to review, and I figured that reviewing a movie with Holiday in the title made sense, and so I could watch a movie with Audrey Hepburn in it. Hepburn seems to give off an aura of polite, but effective acting, she has a distinct look and manner, going well with Gregory Peck, who is entertaining to watch. The whole movie has moments of brilliance, like when Peck puts his hand in the Mouth of Truth, or even when just showing the Spanish Steps, which certainly are scenic (given that this film was filmed entirely in Italy), and help carry the tone of the film, a laid back but fun film to watch. The supporting cast is decent, they don't detract from the film nor distract from it, and the scenery is nice to look at, examples being the two I just mentioned. It's a fine flick that is a good treat to watch.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Shall We Dance.

Review #508: Shall We Dance.

Cast
Fred Astaire (Peter P. "Petrov" Peters), Ginger Rogers (Linda Keene), Edward Everett Horton (Jeffrey Baird), Eric Blore (Cecil Flintridge), Jerome Cowan (Arthur Miller), and Ketti Gallian (Lady Denise Tarrington) Directed by Mark Sandrich.

Review
This is my first film review of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, and what better way to do it then with one of their collaborations together (As they did ten films in 16 years), so that was a good sign, and I needed one after all the things that happened on Christmas (Santa Claus Conquers the Martians, Time of the Doctor, etc...), and this film is very cheerful indeed. Fred Astaire has so much grace, with his dancing and singing, he takes it all in stride, like a professional. Ginger Rogers also does a good job, dancing well with Astaire and being so charming, the two pair off well each other, which is probably why they made so many films with each other. The film is certainly charming and the dance sequences are interesting to watch and fun to look at, the supporting cast do well enough to keep the boat afloat, the film has a surprising length at almost 2 hours, but it certainly doesn't try to pad itself out, and it is an entertaining musical which is always nice. Happy Boxing Day and Happy Kwanzaa, everyone.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Santa Claus Conquers the Martians.

Review #507: Santa Claus Conquers the Martians.

Cast
John Call (Santa Claus), Leonard Hicks (Kimar), Vincent Beck (Voldar), Bill McCutcheon (Dropo), Victor Stiles (Billy), Donna Conforti (Betty), Chris Month (Bomar), Pia Zadora (Girmar), Leila Martin (Momar), Charles Renn (Hargo), and James Cahill (Rigna) Directed by Nicholas Webster.

Review
Back when I reviewed (#310) Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, I mentioned this particular film, saying only this: "In a way, I could be generous to this film [Home Alone 2] given that originally I was going to review Santa Claus Conquers the Martians, but I backed out of sheer horror 15 minutes in". Yeah, I was being lazy last year, and Home Alone 2 was barely better. But anyways, Santa Claus Conquers the Martians has become a cult classic ranging from being riffed on MST3K, to being made into a musical, to being novelized, all that for a 80 minute public domain film. So how is the actual film? Delightfully awful. I went into this film under the belief it would be horrendous, because why else is it always discussed under awful Christmas films? The acting isn't entirely awful, John Call makes for an interesting portrayal of Santa, I don't think I've had a movie with Santa in which he lets television crews into the North Pole, but I digress. McCutcheon isn't half bad, evoking some of the childlike quality that seems to make up Christmas. The film may be in color, but this is the prime example that color doesn't make a movie better. The film is easy to make fun of, either for its production values (or there lack of), the strange laughter scene, or the fact that Santa doesn't really conquer the Martians, he teaches them a lesson, but the point is that even with all that, the film is mostly watchable and short as well, and while there are other, better Christmas films around, this one is bad enough to work on a day like this. Movies I received as gifts this Christmas: Roman Holiday, Starman, Thunderbird 6, The Spy Who Loved Me, Tango and Cash, and Father of the Bride. Merry Christmas everyone.

Overall, I give it 3 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Bullitt.

Review #506: Bullitt.

Cast
Steve McQueen (Frank Bullitt), Robert Vaughn (Walter Chalmers), Jacqueline Bisset (Cathy), Don Gordon (Delgetti), Simon Oakland (Captain Sam Bennett), Norman Fell (Captain Baker), Robert Duvall (Weissberg), Georg Stanford Brown (Dr. Willard), Justin Tarr (Eddy), and Carl Reindel (Carl Stanton) Directed by Peter Yates.

Review

Bullitt is notable for one thing, and it must be mentioned first, and it's the car chase. A car chase that goes around San Francisco, between McQueen and the two hit men (played by Paul Genge and Bill Hickman), and the chase is the defining moment of this film, the part everyone who watches the film remembers. The editing (by Frank P. Keller) contributes to the chase because it gives the chase an even greater feel of excitement, the chase sequence is a classic that has undoubtedly inspired many others. While the film has that sequence, it's the only sequence, which is welcome by me, as McQueen does a fine job as Bullitt, Robert Vaughn pairs well with McQueen, as does Jacqueline Bisset, as she has a good effective scene with McQueen over what he does an hour in the film. The film takes its time, but the payoff is good enough to make you forget the wait. I've wanted to review this film for months (sadly not doing it on this film's 45th Anniversary date), and it seems that now, on Christmas Eve was the best time to review it. Speaking of which, there will be a review on Christmas Day, so be ready, viewers.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Adventures of Robin Hood.

Review #505: The Adventures of Robin Hood.

Cast
Errol Flynn (Robin Hood), Olivia de Havilland (Maid Marian), Basil Rathbone (Sir Guy of Gisbourne), Claude Rains (Prince John), Patric Knowles (Will Scarlett), Eugene Pallette (Friar Tuck), Alan Hale Sr. (Little John), Herbert Mundin (Much), Melville Cooper (High Sheriff of Nottingham), Una O'Connor (Bess), and Ian Hunter (King Richard the Lionheart) Directed by Michael Curtiz (#125 - Casablanca and #416 - Yankee Doodle Dandy) and William Keighley (#501 - The Man Who Came to Dinner)

Review
This is the first film I've reviewed that starred Errol Flynn, along with the first of Olivia de Havilland, and they both are impressive, especially when they are paired together in scenes. Flynn is quite the adventurer and he does an extremely great job in the action scenes and the swashbuckling. Basil Rathbone (who I wanted to talk about in more detail when I eventually got to reviewing The Hound of the Baskervilles) is an effective adversary, getting a good fight with Robin at the end, but also being a good foil as well. Claude Rains lurks around as a fine villain that while not having a fight scene, is still a useful villain. The rest of the cast are effective at entertaining, especially Herbert Mundin, who while not given much to do, makes an impression, at least for me anyways. The action is excellent and the Technicolor give the film a colorful, yet memorable look. This is a well made, excellent adventure film that hasn't dated much, if at all.

Overall, I give it 10 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Christmas in Connecticut.

Review #504: Christmas in Connecticut.

Cast
Barbara Stanwyck (Elizabeth Lane), Dennis Morgan (Jefferson Jones), Sydney Greenstreet (Alexander Yardley), Reginald Gardiner (John Sloan), S.Z. Sakall (Felix Bassenak), Robert Shayne (Dudley Beecham), Una O'Connor (Norah), Frank Jenks (Sinkewicz), Joyce Compton (Mary Lee), and Dick Elliott (Judge Crothers) Directed by Peter Godfrey.

Review
Ah yes, another Christmas film, but this time not involving Santa or Scrooge, but with Barbara Stanwyck (and Connecticut to a similar extent) instead. This is my first foray into a film with Stanwyck in it, and she does a pretty fine job, she has her share of dramatic moments, but she also has her share of laughs, helped with the pairing of her and Dennis Morgan, along with Sydney Greenstreet, whose mannerisms and way of speaking help make his lines fun to listen to. The Christmas spirit is certainly present here, with loads of warmth and happy cheer...and good looking food. The film is certainly welcome in a Christmas season like this, snow and all.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: A Christmas Carol (1938).

Review #503: A Christmas Carol.

Cast
Reginald Owen (Ebenezer Scrooge), Gene Lockhart (Bob Cratchit), Kathleen Lockhart (Mrs. Cratchit), Terry Kilburn (Tiny Tim Cratchit), Barry MacKay (Fred), Lynne Carver (Bess), Bunny Beatty (Martha Cratchit), June Lockhart (Belinda Cratchit), John O'Day (Peter Cratchit), Leo G. Carroll (Marley's Ghost), Lionel Braham (Spirit of Christmas Present), Ann Rutherford (Spirit of Christmas Past), and D'Arcy Corrigan (Spirit of Christmas Future) Directed by Edwin L. Marin.

Review

Once again, I'm reviewing A Christmas Carol film (#075 - Scrooged, #076 - Scrooge (1951), #079 - A Christmas Carol (1984), #498 - The Muppet Christmas Carol), with actors like Bill Murray in a mediocre comedy, Allister Sim in a fine telling of the story, George C. Scott rather effectively playing Scrooge, to Michael Caine with Muppets. So with all of the other Christmas Carol films around, how is this? It's an okay film, but it feels really cut down. It lasts only about 70 minutes, it omits the part about Scrooge's past romance and Want and Ignorance are sorely missing, most likely due to wanting a family film, as I'm sure many families will enjoy the scene where Scrooge sees his own grave, truly a happy scene. The actors are fine though, Lockhart is okay, certainly a bright and energetic figure. While Reginald Owen isn't necessarily great, he does bring a presence that carries the film to a short, but mostly sweet finish line. Out of all the Christmas Carol films I've reviewed, this isn't the best one by any means, but if you want something short and mostly sweet, this is the one for you.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Man of the House.

Review #502: Man of the House.

Cast
Tommy Lee Jones (Roland Sharp), Vanessa Ferlito (Heather), Monica Keena (Evie), Kelli Garner (Barb), Christina Milian (Anne), Paula Garcés (Teresa), Anne Archer (Molly McCarthy), and Cedric the Entertainer (Percy Stevens) Directed by Stephen Herek.

Review
I like Tommy Lee Jones, he's a good actor who can be serious (#202 - Volcano, #176 - The Fugitive), but he also has a side for comedy, whether unintentionally (#217 - Batman Forever), or his own way of pairing well with Will Smith (#211 - Men in Black and #212 - Men in Black II), and for once, Jones has a whole cast to deal with. But is it any good? I'd best stick to (#097) Small Soldiers, if I were you. It's not the cast that brings the film down, it's just the cliches that bog an okay idea to begin with. It feels like the film has a checklist of cliches to fulfill: Quirky cheerleaders? Check. Stoic character who warms up to everyone over time? Check. College comedy? Check. Texas pride and Longhorn references? Check. The film itself is okay, but this isn't anything too special. If you like Tommy Lee Jones, it might work alright, but even so, that isn't much to go on, but oh well.

Overall, I give it 4 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Third Year Anniversary.

       I had originally started Movie Night on a site called Star Pirates on December 20, 2010, and I had a decent amount of success with the reviews. But after a while, I decided to make a blog with the reviews from the Star Pirates site posted here, I decided to edit the Schedules on the reviews posted as they were originally posted on the SP site, albeit now on my blog. After some editing to the revies and adding labels and making the design of the blog up to a mostly respectable look, the blog is something I feel proud about. It has been 3 years and over 500 Reviews, but we (I and you readers) have done it. I am eternally grateful to all of you, and I hope that this blog thrives for three more years.

Movie Night: The Man Who Came to Dinner.

Review #501: The Man Who Came to Dinner.

Cast
Monty Woolley (Sheridan Whiteside), Bette Davis (Maggie Cutler), Ann Sheridan (Lorraine Sheldon), Richard Travis (Bertram H. Jefferson), Jimmy Durante (Banjo), Grant Mitchell (Ernest W. Stanley), Billie Burke (Daisy Stanley), Reginald Gardiner (Beverly Carlton), Elisabeth Fraser (June Stanley), George Barbier (Dr. E. Bradley), and Mary Wickes (Nurse Preen) Directed by William Keighley.

Review
Based on the comedy play of the same name, The Man Who Came to Dinner tries its best, and while it doesn't always succeed, it certainly hits more than it misses. Monty Woolley certainly is the big attraction of the film, and while he certainly is an odd fellow to watch, he is at least moderately funny to watch. Bette Davis is our leading actress, reportedly wanting the role solely due to wanting to play a comedic role for once, and she does a decent job at it. The rest of the cast is all well and good, and Durante is frantic, but effective. The film starts a bit slow, but it has its fun, and while it could be more, it's well enough, I suppose.

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Metropolis.

Review #500: Metropolis.

Cast
Brigitte Helm (Maria and Robot), Alfred Abel (Joh Fredersen), Rudolf Klein-Rogge (Rotwang), Heinrich George (Grot), Fritz Rasp (The Thin Man), Theodor Loos (Josaphat), and Erwin Biswanger (Georgy) Directed by Fritz Lang (#333 - M)

Review
What can I say but...wow. Metropolis is an science fiction epic, probably one of the first of its kind. It's a film from Germany with a storied history, as it originally ran for 153 minutes when first shown, but it was cut down in later showings due to censorship. The film had lost scenes for over 80 years, with a negative of the original cut later found in Argentina just a few years ago, and that was the version of the film I watched, which lasted almost (but not exactly) 2 and a half hours long. And it is tremendous. Tremendous in scope, tremendous in the effects and tremendous in itself. You could argue its one of the best films ever made because of its story, the tremendous effects and its lasting memorability that is the Maschinenmensch. It's a silent film that transcends just being a silent film, if that even makes sense. The actors may be odd in their movements, but they do at least work well with the film. What I found amusing is the contemporary reviews of this, with statements like "The pity of it is that this unimaginative, incoherent, sentimentalizing, and make-believe film, wastes some very fine possibilities." You know who said that? H. G. Wells himself, who was responsible for many novels...and Things to Come, which itself felt like Metropolis. Another criticism came from Lang himself, who said "Anyway, I didn't like the picture – thought it was silly and stupid – then, when I saw the astronauts: what else are they but part of a machine? It's very hard to talk about pictures—should I say now that I like Metropolis because something I have seen in my imagination comes true, when I detested it after it was finished?" It was a misunderstood film that rose up decades after its release, with enough care to restore this, and I applaud them. This is an outstanding achievement for the science fiction genre and film itself. Thank you to all who read these reviews, the old timers and the new comers, thanks.

Overall, I give it 10 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans.

Review #499: Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans.

Cast
George O'Brien (The Man), Janet Gaynor (The Wife), Margaret Livingston (The Woman From the City), Bodil Rosing (The Maid), J. Farrell MacDonald (The Photographer), Ralph Sipperly (The Barber), and Jane Winton (The Manicure Girl) Directed by F. W. Murnau (#256 - Nosferatu)

Review
This has been a film I've had on my to review list, and I've held it off for until the near correct moment. And what better time then the review before...you know what. F. W. Murnau is once again the director, and he does a really great job directing. The cinematography by Charles Rosher and Karl Struss manages to create a very effective tone, a beautiful one at that. The actors act their emotions well, and they certainly need to, with the limited amount of inter titles, which is certainly unique, and good because having a film constantly explained with titles and not letting the film do it, is welcome by me. The film has excellent visuals, with a story that feels like a fairy tale, and that's a nice thing. Is it one of the best films ever? Maybe not, but it certainly has a case for it. However there is one more case for the silent era, a big grand epic, coming tomorrow, reviewed here on Movie Night.

Countdown to 500 Reviews: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

Overall, I give it 10 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Muppet Christmas Carol.

Review #498: The Muppet Christmas Carol.

Cast
Michael Caine (Ebenezer Scrooge), Dave Goelz (The Great Gonzo as Charles Dickens, Waldorf as Robert Marley, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, and Betina Cratchit), Steve Whitmire (Kermit the Frog as Bob Cratchit, Rizzo the Rat, Beaker, Bean Bunny, Belinda Cratchit, Beetle, and Lips), Jerry Nelson (Tiny Tim Cratchit, Statler as Jacob Marley, Ma Bear as Ma Fozziwig, Ghost of Christmas Present, Lew Zealand, and Mr. Applegate), Frank Oz (Miss Piggy as Emily Cratchit, Fozzie Bear as Fozziewig, Sam the Eagle as Headmaster of Junior High Graduates, Animal and George the Janitor), David Rudman (Peter Cratchit, Old Joe, Swedish Chef), Jessica Fox (Ghost of Christmas Past) and Steven Mackintosh (Fred) Directed by Brian Henson.

Review
I've reviewed movies based on the story A Christmas Carol (#076 - Scrooge (1951) and #079 - A Christmas Carol (1984)) before, but this one is a little different, as the Muppets (Last seen by me in #377 - Muppets from Space) intervene in the process, certainly making for a unique adaptation. Michael Caine, while not as good as say George C. Scott, does make a decent Scrooge who is entertaining enough, and he pairs off well with the Muppets. Speaking of which, the Muppets are really entertaining, especially The Great Gonzo and Rizzo, who pair well off each other all throughout the film. The story flows well and the characters are all fine and dandy, and this certainly is a fine way to spend a weekend near Christmastime. Countdown to 500 Reviews: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2...

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Deck the Halls.

Review #497: Deck the Halls.

Cast

Danny DeVito (Buddy Hall), Matthew Broderick (Steve Finch), Kristin Chenoweth (Tia Hall), Kristin Davis (Kelly Finch), Alia Shawkat (Madison Finch), Dylan Blue (Carter Finch), Sabrina Aldridge (Ashley Hall), Kelly Aldridge (Emily Hall), Josh Hayden (Ben Hall), and Jorge Garcia (Wallace) Directed by John Whitesell.

Review

Deck the Halls...is just awful. It makes Christmas with the Kranks seem tolerable, it makes the Miracle on 34th Street remake seem like a better alternative, it makes fruitcake look like a tasty treat, whatever comparison I use, nothing equates to what Deck the Halls really is: Awful. The plot itself is just...I can't really comprehend it enough to explain, but how does one equate trying to make your house visible from space to be a Christmas film? Also how does one make the film so unlikable? I don't know, but the filmmakers did it, they made an awful Christmas film with characters ranging from near unlikable to bland. What I mean is that the characters that get the most screen time are the least likable, such as the two main leads and the ones that don't get screen time are too bland to care about, such as the children. DeVito isn't awful, but I'd stick to Twins instead. At least he had a fine partner to pair off with in that film, unlike Matthew Broderick, who just doesn't work well with him. Chenoweth isn't bad, and Davis is mild, but not awful. This is one of the worst ideas for a Christmas film as instead of focusing on spending time with the family (and getting mediocre gifts you hopefully won't re wrap next year), the film focuses on...getting a house visible from space. Yes, racking up your electrical bills and nearly driving your family away from you is truly worth it. This is simply the fruitcake of Christmas film, the movie you watch to truly be depressed about Christmas. Ernest Saves Christmas had more dignity (and entertainment value) then this, but if I keep talking about this film, I will go insane. There are much better ways to spend your Fridays, reviewing Deck the Halls is not one of them. Countdown to 500 Reviews: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3...

Overall, I give it 2 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause.

Review #496: The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause.

Cast
Tim Allen (Santa Claus/Scott Calvin), Martin Short (Jack Frost), Elizabeth Mitchell (Mrs.Claus/Carol Calvin), Judge Reinhold (Neil Miller), Wendy Crewson (Laura Miller), Liliana Mumy (Lucy Miller), Alan Arkin (Bud Newman), Ann-Margret (Sylvia Newman), and Spencer Breslin (Curtis the Elf) Directed by Michael Lembeck (#318 - The Santa Clause 2)

Review
The first film (#313 - The Santa Clause) was at least enjoyable, not too bad for a Christmas film. The sequel was mediocre, predictable, felt sort of forced (but I guess workable), and should have ended the series right there. But of course, they made a third film, and naturally, it is about as forced and tired as you would expect. Most of the cast returns, with of course one new addition, Martin Short, and boy does he try to make this film less forgettable...mostly failing. I can't blame him though, I blame the mostly unfunny script that traps him with such mediocre lines like "I invented chill!" and "Excuse me... Did you just accuse me of being skillful and delicious?", but oh well. Allen doesn't really do any better, but with a film so forced, it makes some sense. Even the effects look mediocre, not really noteworthy or terrible, just meh. This is a poor "conclusion" to the film series that probably didn't deserve to be a film series, and a Christmas film you could skip. Countdown to 500 Reviews: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4...

Overall, I give it 3 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Home Alone 3.

Review #495: Home Alone 3.

Cast
Alex D. Linz (Alex Pruitt), Olek Krupa (Peter Beaupre), Rya Kihlstedt (Alice Ribbons), Lenny Von Dohlen (Burton Jernigan), David Thornton (Earl Unger), Haviland Morris (Karen Pruitt), Kevin Kilner (Jack Pruitt), and Marian Seldes (Mrs. Hess) Directed by Raja Gosnell.

Review
I reviewed the first two films (#304 - Home Alone and #310 - Home Alone 2: Lost in New York) last December, and while the first film was an enjoyable warming film, the second felt more like a cartoon, undermining the spirit of the film. The third film? It has no defining quality that the previous two films already had. Alex D. Linz is our new hero, and he's an okay actor, though I seriously question how a little kid can make all these contraptions ranging from a trampoline over a frozen pool to a box of books falling on a person hitting them exactly on the head triggered by a thin rope. Half of these gags look they would be life threatening then just a simple injury, like the dumbbells hitting a person's head (which makes the brick to the head in Home Alone 2 sound normal), and so on and so on. The film doesn't really have any funny lines, just slapstick, which doesn't work too well. It feels stiff and awkward, it's a tired franchise trying to make one last gasp work, with or without Macaulay Culkin. John Hughes once again returns to write, but it isn't up to par, maybe he was burned out, given that he would only write four more films after this, in a span of 10 years where his career before that had 19 in 15 years. It isn't even really a Christmas film, there is snow and a few lights, but never any actual Christmas trees. The villains in this film aren't even intimidating or memorable, unlike the Wet Bandits, they seem to be missing a few gears in their head, but I suppose they are meant to be like cartoon characters, no bandit could be this dumb. In the end,  the first two are superior, and this one is more of a retread then any good. Countdown to 500 Reviews: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5...

Overall, I give it 4 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Public Enemy.

Review #494: The Public Enemy.

Cast
James Cagney (Tom Powers), Jean Harlow (Gwen Allen), Edward Woods (Matt Doyle), Joan Blondell (Mamie), Donald Cook (Mike Powers), Leslie Fenton (Nails Nathan), Mae Clarke (Kitty), and Beryl Mercer (Ma Powers) Directed by William A. Wellman (#349 - Wings)

Review
Originally Edward Woods was going to be the main character, until it was decided that Cagney was more effective in the lead role, and it's not hard to see why. Cagney has a distinctive voice for the role and stature, which works especially well for a gangster film. The film itself may seem dated, but it is certainly an interesting look into the criminal world. The rest of the actors are good, and Cagney pairs off well with Woods, which is a fine surprise. The scene most refer to as the most memorable is the grapefruit scene as Cagney smashes it into Mae Clarke's face, leaving in a huff. It certainly is a powerful scene, and it must've been really surprising back in 1931. This film certainly shows its age, given the sound, the use of live ammunition in one scene, but despite that, the film manages to get its point across, about the criminal underbelly of small time gangsters, that can be in any town, any where. Countdown to 500 Reviews: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6...

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Witches of Eastwick.

Review #493: The Witches of Eastwick.

Cast
Jack Nicholson (Daryl Van Horne), Cher (Alexandra Medford), Susan Sarandon (Jane Spofford), Michelle Pfeiffer (Sukie Ridgemont), Veronica Cartwright (Felicia Alden), and Richard Jenkins (Clyde Alden) Directed by George Miller (#380 - Mad Max and #392 - Happy Feet)

Review
I woke up in the morning, realizing it was my birthday today, and in light of that, I decided to not only begin the new month with watching a movie, but a movie I've wanted to watch for a long while, and since I had time on my hands and couldn't think of a movie that actually dealt with birthdays, I watched this. The film itself is mostly enjoyable, and Jack Nicholson (as usual) steals the show. He seems to be born to play this role, he has a good deal of manic energy and scenes to use them in. Cher does an good job, pairing well with Nicholson. Sarandon and Pfeiffer are good, the trio seem to mesh well together. The rest of the cast are alright, and the story is balanced. The climax of the film has been criticized for being overdone or ridiculous in the past, but I don't really hate the climax that much, maybe it's because it just feels right, and I wouldn't know how the climax could be improved on anyway. The film has its ups and downs of lunacy, but it is enjoyable nonetheless. Happy birthday to me. Countdown to 500 Reviews: 10, 9, 8, 7...

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.

Review #492: Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.

Cast

William Shatner (James T. Kirk), Leonard Nimoy (Spock), DeForest Kelley (Leonard McCoy), Catherine Hicks (Gillian), George Takei (Hikaru Sulu), Walter Koenig (Pavel Chekov), James Doohan (Montgomery Scott), Nichelle Nichols (Uhura), Jane Wyatt (Amanda Grayson), Mark Lenard (Sarek), and Robin Curtis (Lt. Saavik) Directed by Leonard Nimoy (#337 - Star Trek III: The Search for Spock)

Review

The fourth film closes out the arc left from the last two films, and it does a rather successful job of that, as Nimoy directs once again. For once, there is no clear cut villain, and it's a welcome approach, and it leaves a lot of room for the crew to have their own scenes, and it certainly works, because the film has a good deal of hilarity. Granted the story is...odd, but it certainly is unique, and it digs a way to be enjoyable. The acting is good, especially from Nimoy, who has his own chance to shine, but my favorite scene is when he's on the bus with Kirk and this punk rocker plays his loud music until Spock gives him a nerve pinch. The animatronics by ILM on the whales look really good, and the directing by Nimoy is excellent, and this is probably the best Star Trek film since the second one. It's a shame the fifth one (#225, directed by William Shatner) was so awful, but oh well, at least this one is a treat to watch. Countdown to 500 Reviews: 10, 9, 8...

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Jingle All the Way.

Review #491: Jingle All The Way.

Cast
Arnold Schwarzenegger (Howard Langston), Sinbad (Myron Larabee), Phil Hartman (Ted Maltin), Rita Wilson (Liz Langston), Jake Lloyd (Jamie Langston), Robert Conrad (Officer Hummell), Martin Mull (D.J.), and James Belushi (Mall Santa) Directed by Brian Levant.

Review
The first and (thankfully) only Christmas film that Arnold Schwarzenegger did, Jingle All The Way is the perfect way to depress your Christmas, and is a great way to waste 90 minutes of your life. The film likes to have action that barely makes any sense, especially with the jet pack, but my "favorite" part is the brawl with the Mail Santas, but seeing Schwarzenegger beat some...fraudulent mall santas is enjoyable. Speaking of which, Schwarzenegger looks like he just walked into the film at random, and to be fair, he technically did, joining production 9 months prior to production, but at least he is memorable, especially with his line deliveries, with such lines like "Who told you you could eat my cookies?" and Put that cookie down!", but I digress. But of course, Sinbad is around to...pester the audience, I suppose. Hartman isn't given much to do other then play a smarmy character, and the rest of the cast isn't much better, but what do you expect from a film that cares about hammering the commercial aspects of Christmas then plot/characterization? Turboman this, Turboman that, the film hammers in the point that apparently people will trample each other for...a toy. I already knew that, but I guess showing love for your son in the form of a toy is the most magical part of Christmas, next to the relatives fighting and the fruitcake. If you are really, really hard pressed to find a Christmas film to watch...I still wouldn't recommend it.

Overall, I give it 3 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery.

Review #490: Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery.

Cast
Mike Myers (Austin Powers, Dr. Evil), Elizabeth Hurley (Vanessa Kensington), Seth Green (Scott Evil), Robert Wagner (Number 2), Mindy Sterling (Frau Farbissina), and Michael York (Basil Exposition) Directed by Jay Roach (#133 - Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me and #134 - Austin Powers in Goldmember)

Review
What better way to get over a turkey/ham hangover from Thanksgiving feasting then to finish reviewing the Austin Powers trilogy...with the first film, but even reviewing them in order isn't important, given that all these films could just be watched in any random order (excluding playing them backwards) and still make some sort of sense. The film is alright, some of the jokes work, and others don't as much. Myers is mlidly engaging, and Hurley is good, pairing off Myers decently. I don't know if it's better then its sequel or not, but I'll take this film over Goldmember anyday, and while it sometimes can be awkward (There's a cameo by Tom Arnold...playing a cowboy. No, I am not joking.), it at least is alright to watch if you've got 90 or so minutes to use up. Countdown to 500 Reviews: 10...

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Bon Voyage, Charlie Brown (and Don't Come Back!!)

Review #489: Bon Voyage, Charlie Brown (and Don't Come Back!!)

Cast
Arrin Skelley (Charlie Brown), Daniel Anderson (Linus van Pelt), Patricia Patts (Peppermint Patty), Casey Carlson (Marcie), Bill Melendez (Snoopy, Woodstock), Pascale De Barolet (Pierre), Annalisa Bortolin (Sally Brown), Michelle Muller (Lucy van Pelt), and Roseline Rubens (Violette Honfleur, Patty, Violet) Directed by Bill Melendez (#295 - A Boy Named Charlie Brown, #298 - Snoopy, Come Home, and #424 - Race for Your Life, Charlie Brown)

Review
This is the fourth and last Peanuts film (for now), and a trip to other countries is certainly a new premise, and the focus of the film is never veered off course, it's an alright film that while being a bit short (70 minutes), it is entertaining. The voices (save for the everlasting Melendez, who directed and appeared in all four films) are new once again and they do an alright job with the characters we all know and love. The animation is decent, a bit better then Race for Your Life, Charlie Brown, and while it isn't too impressive, it's standard for a franchise like this. For once, adults are featured in this film, and while it may sound weird (though hearing that wa-wa-wa through this film would've annoyed me to know end) to hear adults, it at least makes sense to the plot. While it's not the best Peanuts film to watch, it's probably a little better then the last two, but in the end, all four of these films are recommended by me, because they certainly are good ones to grow up with. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.


Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.