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Tuesday, June 16, 2009
The return of What Are You Watching?
Today is normally the day I would review the DVD releases, and there are two new titles that will rent very well: The Friday the 13th remake and Tyler Perry’s Madea goes to Jail. I have nothing to say about either one, and quite honestly, have no interest in either one, so I’ve done my duty by letting you know they’re out there. If you want em, have at em.
Moving on, I would like to resurrect a column in this blog space I tried to start some time back, called What Are You Watching? I’ll do my best to run this regularly on Tuesdays, and give it a chance to take off.
The concept is pretty simple. I will offer short reviews of movies I’ve seen on TV or DVD, and in theaters if I haven’t already given them a full review.
I invite you to do the same. Tell me what movies you’ve seen lately, whether they were old or new, or whether you saw them on the big or small screen. Even if it’s something you’ve seen a million times, that’s fair game too. Even if it’s a movie I’ve already covered, like The Hangover or Up, tell me what you thought of it. Anything goes.
So with that in mind, here’s what I’ve seen lately. With one exception, all are available on DVD.
The Brothers Bloom: Fans of this movie about con men and their elaborate schemes absolutely rave about it, while its detractors say its all style over substance. I fall somewhere in between.The writing and the visual style are so self-consciously showy that it comes off as too hip for the room. At the same time, some of the shots and story ideas are so imaginative, it’s hard to resist the energy. Who really saves the film is Rachel Weisz. She’s absolutely delightful as the mark Adrien Brody falls for, and she gives the film much-needed warmth. It’s playing at the Neon now. GRADE: B
The Children’s Hour: This William Wyler drama about Shirley MacLaine and Audrey Hepburn being accused of being lesbians absolutely wiped me out. An underrated must-see. You remember Brokeback Mountain? This movie covered that ground first, and just about as well. GRADE: A
Excalibur: John Boorman’s take on King Arthur and company is great fun; gloriously overheated. It’s certainly preferable to the dreadful film musical Camelot. GRADE: B+
The Electric Horseman: This Robert Redford/Jane Fonda romance ODs on the cheesy romance, but it’s endearing all the same. Fun to watch as a time capsule of Vegas in the 70s. GRADE: B
Nothing but the Truth: This fictionalization of the Valerie Plame story sometimes stacks the deck too high, as is writer-director Rod Lurie’s wont, but it’s still very powerful. Kate Beckinsale gives a career-best performance. GRADE: A-
Pygmalion: This 1938 version of the George Bernard Shaw play is supposed to be a classic, but I don’t rate it quite that high, mainly because I find Leslie Howard a bit of a wet blanket as a lead. It’s still better than My Fair Lady, though. GRADE: B
Robin and Marian: The movie shows us what might have happened with Robin Hood and Maid Marian after Robin Hood came back from the Crusades. It’s a bit slight story-wise, but with Sean Connery and Audrey Hepburn as the leads, it’s more than a little charming. GRADE: B+
Sherrybaby: Fairly standard drug addiction recovery drama gets a boost from a sterling performance by Maggie Gyllenhaal. GRADE: B+
They Were Expendable: John Ford’s take of PT boat crewmen in World War II ODs on sentiment, but gradually gains power as it moves along. And was there a cuter nurse than Donna Reed? No there, wasn’t. GRADE: A-
Throne of Blood: Kurosawa+Macbeth = Wow. GRADE: A+
Tsotsi: This drama about a criminal who softens when he accidentally kidnaps a baby won the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar a few years back. It certainly has its powerful moments, but I also found it dramatically obvious and overrated. GRADE: B
Unfaithfully Yours: Absolutely hilarious, acidic black comedy about a musical conductor (Rex Harrison) who imagines various dire fates for his wife (Linda Darnell) when she suspects he’s cheating on him. One of Preston Sturges’ best. GRADE: A
Your turn. Respond to any of my reviews or tell us what you’ve been watching. Give us recommendations for our Netflix queues/DVRs!
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