Babylon (2022)

Set in 1926 Hollywood, the film follows four characters as film transitions from the silent movies to the sound era: a big film star (Brad Pitt), an ambitious starlet (Margot Robbie), a Mexican immigrant (Diego Calva) and a black trumpet player (Jovan Adepo). Written and directed by Damien Chazelle (LA LA LAND), this three hour plus epic is a polarizing film. One tends to either love it or hate it and I fall into the love it category. Much of the criticism towards the movie is aimed at its excess but that excess is the very thing that I love about the film. It reminds me why I fell in love with the movies in the first place. Chazelle's film is almost a loving goodbye to the movies as we knew it because post pandemic, they will never be the same again. Sorry but Netflix, Hulu, Youtube etc. and your 55" monitor are not the movies. Performances are excellent especially from Pitt, Robbie, Adepo and Jean Smart as a gossip columnist. It's an overwhelming experience. The only nitpick I have is that Justin Hurwitz score as good as it is can't help but sound like LA LA LAND revisited. With Li Jun Li,  Lukas Haas, Olivia Wilde, Katherine Waterston and Eric Roberts.

Pretty Maids All In A Row (1971)

A high school student (John David Carson) is obsessed with sex although he's still a virgin. The school's counselor (Rock Hudson) takes the boy under his wing and steers him toward a sexy substitute teacher (Angie Dickinson) in the hopes it will solve his problem. Meanwhile, some nubile student nymphets start turning up dead. Could there be a connection? Based on the novel by Francis Pollini (adapted for the screen by STAR TREK's Gene Roddenberry) and directed by Roger Vadim (AND GOD CREATED WOMAN). Wretched in every sense of the word! This was during the period when Hollywood wanted to be "with it" so free love and flower power became Hollywood's new mantra. As I've always said, nothing dates a movie faster than topicality. The morality or ethics of teachers having sex with their students is never addressed. Oh, did I mention the movie is a comedy? And the serial killer even gets away and possibly lives happily ever after although it's suggested that Telly Savalas as the detective on the case intends to pursue the murderer further. The film's theme song is sung by the squeaky clean The Osmonds! Did they read the script before they agreed to record the song? Curiously, Quentin Tarantino is a big fan of the movie. Go figure! With Roddy McDowall, Keenan Wynn, Brenda Sykes and William Campbell.

Cheyenne (1947)

A gambler (Dennis Morgan) on the run accepts a deal from a Wells Fargo agent (Barton MacLane). His freedom in exchange for capturing a notorious bandit called The Poet. Directed by Raoul Walsh (WHITE HEAT). Walsh has directed some genuine classics but he's also directed a lot of "director for hire" movies, too while under contract to Warners. This modestly entertaining western is on the routine side, nothing memorable about it whatsoever yet entertaining enough to merit one's attention should you come across it. Walsh had directed many westerns with major stars like Clark Gable, Robert Mitchum, Errol Flynn, Joel McCrea etc. but here he has to make do with the affable but generic Dennis Morgan. Walsh fares better with his two leading actresses, Jane Wyman and Janis Paige. Wyman had been under contract to Warners since 1940 but they rarely gave her interesting roles. She proved her acting chops outside of Warners with THE LOST WEEKEND (1945) at Paramount and THE YEARLING at MGM (which got her an Oscar nomination). The next year, Warners gave her JOHNNY BELINDA and she moved up to the A list (winning an Oscar didn't hurt). Western fans should find enough to enjoy here but it's not original enough to make it noteworthy. With Arthur Kennedy, Bruce Bennett and Alan Hale Sr. 

Mr. Klein (1975)

Set in 1942 Nazi occupied France, an art dealer (Alain Delon) makes a tidy profit buying up paintings from desperate Jewish clients. But when he is mistaken for a Jewish man with the same name, he finds himself plunged into a Kafkaesque nightmare. Directed by Joseph Losey (THE GO BETWEEN). What should have been a tight and intense thriller of mistaken identity suffers from Losey's flaccid direction. It's a variant of Hitchcock's THE WRONG MAN with a touch of Polanski's THE TENANT but Delon's protagonist is a vile human being so we're not invested in his fate. One waits in vain for him to empathize with the plight of the Jews as the collaborative Vichy government rounds them up and carts them off to concentration camps. But he's an insensitive boor only concerned with proving he is not a Jew. The movie's ending is meant to be ironic but it makes no logical sense unless Delon's character is dumb and foolish. It's not without interest and very well acted, I'll give it that. A missed opportunity. With Jeanne Moreau, Michael Lonsdale, Suzanne Flon, Juliet Berto and Massimo Girotti.

Tangier (1946)

Set in the North African city of Tangier, a cafe dancer (Maria Montez) from Madrid uses her entertainer persona as a cover for her real mission. To track down and kill the Nazi war criminal who killed her father and brothers. Directed by George Waggner (THE WOLF MAN), this B&W mystery thriller was an attempt to spotlight Maria Montez in something other than the exotic Technicolor Arabian and Pacific island maidens that made her a box office favorite. Those films weren't very good but at least they were a lot livelier than this tired piece of nonsense. Without the Technicolor to highlight her beauty, Montez isn't very interesting as an actress. Worse yet, they've given her a cipher of a leading man, Robert Paige. In one scene, Paige says "That's my problem. No personality!" and it's the most honest thing in the movie. He makes Jon Hall and Turhan Bey (Montez's usual co-stars) seem positively scintillating! With Sabu, Preston Foster, Louise Allbritton, Kent Taylor, J. Edward Bromberg and Joan Shawlee.  

Starflight One: The Plane That Couldn't Land (aka Starflight One) (1983)

The first hypersonic transport is flying from Los Angeles to Australia with a plane load of diverse passengers. But when a rogue rocket explodes, its debris smashes into the hypersonic flight and it finds itself pushed out of the planet's atmosphere into outer space where it orbits the Earth. Directed by Jerry Jameson (AIRPORT 77), this made for television disaster movie with a touch of sci-fi is loaded down with with boring characters spouting hideous dialogue. The technical aspects of bringing down the plane are not without interest but who cares what happens to the generic passengers. Characters are briefly introduced and then we never see them again! Most of the successful theatrical disaster movies had big stars (Newman, McQueen, Hackman, Heston etc.) but actors like Lee Majors as the plane's pilot and Hal Linden as the plane's designer just don't cut it. The only character I had the remotest empathy for was Tess Harper as Majors' cuckolded wife. The visual effects by John Dykstra (STAR WARS) are good but overall, it's a cliche ridden AIRPORT wannabe. The large cast includes Lauren Hutton, Ray Milland, Michael Sacks, Robert Webber, Gail Strickland, Jocelyn Brando and George DiCennzo. 

Fearless Fagan (1952)

When a circus clown (Carleton Carpenter) is inducted into the army, he brings his beloved pet lion Fagan along and hides him in a forest near the army base. When the lion is exposed by an unsympathetic actress (Janet Leigh) visiting the base, he must find a home for the lion or risk the lion being put down. Directed by Stanley Donen (7 BRIDES FOR 7 BROTHERS), this true story (with lots of leeway for dramatic license) was based on a Life magazine article called FEARLESS FAGAN FINDS A HOME. Here, Fagan gets to play himself and he's a movie natural. The kiddies may be amused by it but I suspect it's rough going for most adults, even animal lovers like myself. It descends into sentimentalism toward the end. Carpenter scored in TWO WEEKS WITH LOVE singing Abba Dabba Honeymoon with Debbie Reynolds so MGM attempted to build him up by bumping him up to leading man roles but the public didn't bite. With Keenan Wynn, Richard Anderson, Barbara Ruick and Ellen Corby.

The Casino Murder Case (1935)

A detective (Paul Lukas) receives an anonymous letter stating that the son (Donald Cook) of a wealthy woman (Alison Skipworth) is in danger if he appears at his uncle's (Arthur Byron) casino that night. Based on the novel by S.S. Van Dine and directed by Edwin L. Marin (TALL IN THE SADDLE). Paul Lukas takes over the role of gentleman detective Philo Vance following Warren William's turn in THE DRAGON MURDER CASE (1934). The mystery tends to be meandering but it's one of the better Philo Vance entries in the franchise. It takes awhile to get used to Lukas' Hungarian accent which often obscures some of the tart dialogue but he's surprisingly engaged considering his miscasting. As Vance's romantic interest, the young Rosalind Russell is attractive but she seems overqualified for such a generic "the girl" role. But the rest of the cast are good including Eric Blore, Isabel Jewell, Louise Fazenda, Leo G. Carroll and William Demarest. 

The Counterfeit Traitor (1962)

Set during WWII, an American born businessman (William Holden), now a Swedish citizen, is essentially blackmailed by British agents into spying for them on his business trips to Nazi Germany. He must pass himself off as a Nazi sympathizer which has repercussions on his marital and personal life. Based on the non fiction book by Alexander Klein and directed by George Seaton (AIRPORT). An interesting real life tale of espionage is very well acted (especially by Holden) but Seaton's lethargic pacing almost does the movie in. This should be a lean and taut spy film but Seaton treats it as if it were an epic (it runs near 2 1/2 hours) and we get too much unnecessary details and an overabundance of establishing scenic shots which makes it hard to sustain interest. The authentic locations (Germany, Sweden, Denmark) give the film some much needed atmosphere and Alfred Newman's score is an asset. With Lilli Palmer, Hugh Griffith, Klaus Kinski, Werner Peters, Wolfgang Preiss, Ingrid Van Bergen and Eva Dahlbeck (wasted though I suspect she ended up on the cutting room floor).

Ticket To Paradise (2022)

After graduating from college with a law degree, a young girl (Kaitlyn Dever) goes to Bali for a vacation and falls in love with a young seaweed farmer (Maxime Bouttier). They plan to get married which disturbs her divorced parents (Julia Roberts, George Clooney), who can't stand each other. They form an uneasy truce and travel to Bali, ostensibly for the wedding but in reality, to break up the impending marriage. Directed by Ol Parker (MAMMA MIA! HERE WE GO AGAIN), this is the fifth film pairing of Clooney and Roberts. The film was a hit proving Roberts and Clooney still have the star power to bring audiences into theatres and one shudders to think of the movie without them. The pair justify the film's existence. It's a generic romantic comedy, not very good and the reason to see it are the stars. Their combined star power and comedic timing doesn't make the movie any better but it does make the movie watchable. The film looks great with the Queensland coast of Australia standing in for Bali thanks to cinematographer Ole Birkeland's wide screen lensing. With Billie Lourd and Lucas Bravo.

Rien Ne Va Plus (aka The Swindle) (1997)

A father (Michel Serrault) and daughter (Isabelle Huppert) operate as small time con artists preying on traveling businessmen but staying under the radar by taking no more than their victims can afford. But when the daughter hooks a big fish (Francois Cluzet) linked to international money trafficking, they find themselves over their heads. Written and directed by Claude Chabrol (LE BEAU SERGE), this is a clever black comedy where you never know who's swindling who as five million Swiss francs are at stake. Huppert and Serrault are wonderful and appealing actors which is a good thing because the grifters they are playing are unlikable and morally reprehensible, enough so that I couldn't find much sympathy for them even when they were in great danger of losing their lives. The only real flaw I found in the film is that the "corporation" they were swindling were too razor sharp in their understanding of con artists to fall victim to the final scam that occurs. Other than that a fun and towards the end, a very intense experience. With Jean Francois Balmer and Henri Attal. 

Pete's Dragon (1977)

Set in New England in the early 1900s, an orphan (Sean Marshall) is running away from his abusive family with the assistance of a dragon, who is able to render himself invisible. He hides out in a cave on the seashore where he is found by the lighthouse keeper's daughter (Helen Reddy), who takes the boy under her protection. Based on the short story PETE'S DRAGON AND THE U.S.A. by Seton I. Miller and S.S. Field and directed by Don Chaffey (JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS). The film received mixed reviews although the animation was praised which I find surprising because the animation (the dragon is the only animation in the movie) seems simplistic to me. This was a big budget Disney family musical but it doesn't look it. The film is full of rear projection shots and one is constantly cognizant of the actors reacting to something that isn't there when they were filming but animated in. It's also heavily sentimental. On the plus side, the songs by Oscar winners Al Kasha and Joel Hirschhorn (best song, The Morning After from THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE) are very good and Onna White's (OLIVER!) choreography is lively. Disney was hoping for another MARY POPPINS type success but the film's grosses were disappointing though it still turned a small profit. With Mickey Rooney, Shelley Winters, Red Buttons, Jim Dale, Jim Backus and Jane Kean.

The Mad Miss Manton (1938)

While walking her dogs at three in the morning, a rich Manhattan debutante (Barbara Stanwyck) discovers a dead body in an abandoned building. But when the police arrive, the body has disappeared! So she gathers up her gal pals and together they plot to solve the crime. Directed by Leigh Jason (OUT OF THE BLUE), this attempt at screwball comedy fizzles after a promising beginning. The first of three films they did together, Stanwyck and Henry Fonda (as a newspaper editor) would fare much better in the screwball department three years later in THE LADY EVE. The problem lies with the script which is often incoherent with the actors working overtime to convince us they're having a fun time. Only Hattie McDaniel as Stanwyck's maid (what else?) seems to have a sense of comic timing (the only time I laughed out loud was when McDaniel threw water in Fonda's face) and steals what's worth stealing which isn't much. It's not a terrible film but such a disappointment with the talent involved. Still, the film was a modest hit! With Sam Levene, Penny Singleton and John Qualen.

The Hours (2022)

In 1923 London, the writer Virginia Woolf (Joyce DiDonato) is struggling with the opening line of her novel, MRS. DALLOWAY. In the late 1990s, a book editor (Renee Fleming) is planning a party for her friend Richard (Kyle Ketelsen), who is dying of AIDS. In 1949 Los Angeles, a housewife (Kelli O'Hara) dreads dealing with her duties as a wife and mother. Based on the acclaimed novel by Michael Cunningham and directed by Gary Halvorson (the film) and Phelim McDermott (the opera). The idea to turn Cunningham's novel (made into the 2002 Oscar winning film) into an opera was inspired! Comparisons to the book and film are irrelevant. What music brings to this complex work is exhilarating. Kevin Puts' sublime score accompanied by Greg Pierce's precise libretto is a thing of beauty. Opera on film can be problematic, usually because the performances are too exaggerated for film. They may have beautiful voices but they're not really actors. Luckily in Fleming, O'Hara and DiDonato we have three strong actresses who bring depth and naturalism to their performances, not just their superb voices. Kudoes to Yannick Nezet Seguin's conducting and the orchestrations are stunning. Yes, it's a film of the Metropolitan Opera production rather than reconceived as a movie but it's still one of the best movies I've seen all year. You don't have to be an opera lover to be enthralled by this production. With William Burden, Sean Panikkar and Denyce Graves. 

Jigsaw (1962)

After discovering a dismembered woman's body in a secluded beach house, a pair of Brighton detectives (Jack Warner, Ronald Lewis) painstakingly assemble a jigsaw puzzle of clues to track down her murderer. Based on the novel SLEEP LONG MY LOVE by Hillary Waugh and directed by Val Guest (THE DAY THE EARTH CAUGHT FIRE). The book was set in Connecticut but since this is a British film, they changed the location to the Brighton seacoast. I'm always delighted when I discover some obscure (to me anyway) cinematic gem and this police procedural is a winner. Almost documentary in its approach (there is no film score), director Guest doesn't give us any movie pyrotechnics. No car chases, shoot outs or fist fights! Instead, a detailed look at the minutiae involved in solving a crime. Sound boring? Not a bit! As a murder mystery fan, I found it absorbing and the killer's identity came as a complete surprise. It's not the kind of film where the performances take center stage but Yolande Donlan as a woman who had a one night stand with the killer stands out. Highly recommended. With Moira Redmond, Michael Goodliffe and John Le Mesurier. 

The Light At The Edge Of The World (1971)

On a bleak coast on the tip of South America, a lighthouse keeper (Kirk Douglas) leads a lonely existence. But when a sadistic and murderous pirate (Yul Brynner) and his thugs take over the island in order to sabotage the lighthouse and purposely lead ships to crash on the shore while they kill and plunder, the lighthouse keeper hides in a cave and struggles to survive. Based on the novel by Jules Verne (AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS) and directed by Kevin Billington (RISE AND FALL OF MICHAEL RIMMER). I've not read the Verne source material but I've read several Verne novels so I feel safe in stating that it's highly unlikely that the ample sex and graphic violence present in the movie are in his novel. I don't know who thought Billington, whose previous work includes the 1968 romance INTERLUDE, was the man to direct an epic pirate adventure. It's overlong with very little excitement to be had. With one exception, Brynner's band of cutthroats are all played as leering apes, they're laughable cliches. The one exception is Jean Claude Drouot's transvestite buccaneer who leers but isn't played as an ape, he's still vicious but he's pretty. Filmed in Spain, it's a good looking film thanks to Henri Decae's (LE SAMOURAI) wide screen lensing. With Samantha Eggar, Renato Salvatori and Fernando Rey.

Behind The High Wall (1956)

A group of convicts break out of prison, kidnapping the warden (Tom Tully). However, when a car crash kills everyone but the warden and a garage mechanic (John Gavin) forced to drive the getaway car, the warden takes the escapees' loot ($100,000) leaving the innocent mechanic to take the blame. Directed by actor (GUNGA DIN) turned director Abner Biberman (GUN FOR A COWARD). Nothing works in this misfire of a noir crime film. While it's nice to see character actor Tom Tully in a rare leading role, his character is so morally reprehensible that any empathy goes out the window yet Gavin's innocent dupe is so dumb (not to mention poorly acted) that I stopped caring about the fate of his character early on. Betty Lynn as Gavin's faithful girlfriend grates on one's nerves too and their scenes together are unpleasant. That leaves a wasted Sylvia Sidney as Tully's wheelchair ridden wife to hold our interest. The ludicrous ending had me rolling my eyes. All in all, a real stinker. With John Larch, Ed Kemmer and John Beradino.

Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983)

An anthology of four films, three based on episodes of the classic TV show and one an original. All four films are bookended by a prologue and epilogue: 1) a bigot (Vic Morrow) suddenly finds himself transported to different eras of time where he is a Jew persecuted by Nazis, a black man chased by the Ku Klux Klan and a Vietnamese hunted by American soldiers. Directed by John Landis (ANIMAL HOUSE), this is the weakest of the four. Predictable and preachy and heavy handed. It's almost impossible to watch without thinking of the horrific and senseless on set tragedy that killed Vic Morrow and two Vietnamese children. No movie is worth a life and certainly not this one! 2) an old man (Scatman Crothers) moves into an "old folks" home and encourages the residents to stay young at heart. Directed by Steven Spielberg, this is yet another condescending to senior citizens for comic effect. Does any elderly lady long for the days she could play hopscotch? How many senior gents dream of playing kick the can again? Sentimental twaddle. 3) a young woman (Kathleen Quinlan) encounters a young boy with terrifying powers. Directed by Joe Dante (GREMLINS), this is several notches above the first two segments. A nice performance by Quinlan and some imaginative visuals. 4) As an airliner hits some turbulence in a storm, a passenger (John Lithgow) freaks out when he claims to see a man on the wing of the plane. Directed by George Miller (THE ROAD WARRIOR). Now, we're cookin'. This is a terrific rollercoaster ride anchored by an excellent performance by Lithgow. Miller keeps the tension building while Jerry Goldsmith's score wreaks havoc. Worth viewing for the last two segments. With Dan Aykroyd, Albert Brooks, Kevin McCarthy, Abbe Lane, Patricia Barry, Eduard Franz, Billy Mumy, Priscilla Pointer and William Schallert. 

The Green Cockatoo (1937)

After witnessing the murder of a racketeer (Robert Newton), a young woman (Rene Ray) is pursued by both gangsters and the police. She is aided by a Soho entertainer (John Mills), who is the brother of the victim. Based on a story by Graham Greene (THE THIRD MAN) and directed by William Cameron Menzies ((THINGS TO COME). Despite the impressive names of Graham Greene and William Cameron Menzies in the credits, this is a routine thriller with noir-ish overtones. The most interesting thing about it is the young John Mills in an atypical role playing a tough little thug who works as a song and dance man in a seedy Soho nightclub. It's the kind of part Cagney would have played if this was shot at Warners around the same time. He's very good but unfortunately he's saddled with the wispy and wimpy Rene Ray for a leading lady and they don't give off any sparks. With Charles Oliver and Frank Atkinson.

Strangers In The Night (1944)

A wounded soldier (William Terry) in the South Pacific during WWII corresponds with a young woman he's never met while recuperating. When he's well enough, he goes to visit her but while he is enthusiastically greeted by her mother (Helene Thimig), the girl is nowhere to be found. Directed by Anthony Mann (BEND OF THE RIVER). Though he wouldn't fully bloom artistically until the 1950s, this low budget B programmer is full of Gothic touches and noir-ish atmosphere (including a portrait which hovers over the proceedings as much as the portrait in LAURA) which demonstrate Mann's assured ability to elicit mood and solid performances. Quite an accomplishment considering the so called mystery is no mystery at all and it uses a ploy frequently used in other books and films (notably a famous Edward Albee play). Still, fans of the genre should enjoy it well enough. The second tier cast do fine work. With Virginia Grey and Edith Barrett.

Nope (2022)

Following their father's (Keith David) sudden death, a Hollywood horse wrangler (Daniel Kaluuya) and his sister (Keke Palmer) begin observing unexplained phenomena on their vast Southern California ranch. Their attempts to corral the phenomena takes them down an obsessive rabbit hole. Written and directed by Jordan Peele in his third feature film. Despite some script problems, this makes it three for three for the Oscar winning Peele. It's the most visually ambitious of Peele's films so far and the influence of Spielberg's CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND is obvious. I've read several critical interpretations of the film themes and I'm not so sure I buy any of them. Granted, Peele has more on his mind than mere sci-fi spectacle but anything more concrete is evasive. There's talk of a sequel but as much I liked NOPE (and I liked it a lot), I hope they leave it alone. Michael Abels' score contributes much to the film's intensity. With Steven Yeun, Michael Wincott, Brandon Perea and Donna Mills.

Airplane! (1980)

Traumatized by a tragedy where the plane he was flying killed several people during the war, an ex-fighter pilot (Robert Hays) is forced to take over flying an airliner when the flight crew succumbs to food poisoning. Loosely based on the 1957 film ZERO HOUR (a far better film than this parody would lead you to believe) and directed by Jim Abrahams, David and Jerry Zucker. This satire of disaster movies was a huge sleeper hit in 1980 and spawned a sequel in 1982. Time has not been kind to the film and what seemed hilarious in 1980 often seems sophomoric today (arguably, it was sophomoric in 1980). It's unlikely younger audiences will recognize some of the references and gags which were topical in 1980 (does anyone under 40 remember Howard Jarvis? Anita Bryant?) and unless one knows who Barbara Billingsley is (the mom in LEAVE IT TO BEAVER), will the jive act seem as funny? Of course, some of the gags still work quite well but overall, it's hit and miss in 2022. Faring best is Leslie Nielsen whose deadpan deliveries ("Don't call me Shirley") opened up a whole new comedy career for him and remains the funniest actor in the picture. The huge cast includes many familiar faces including Julie Hagerty, Robert Stack, Lloyd Bridges, Ethel Merman, Kenneth Tobey, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Peter Graves, Maureen McGovern, Joyce Bulifant, James Hong and Stephen Stucker whose performance used to be considered funny.

Echec Au Porteur (1958)

A courier (Serge Reggiani) to drug traffickers resolves to start a new life with his girlfriend (Jeanne Moreau). So that they can make a fresh start, he agrees to take on one more job for a large sum of money. He's transporting a soccer ball full of drugs or so he thinks. In reality, the ball is really a bomb set to go off at ten o'clock. When the ball is stolen by a kid (Bertrand Borie), the race is on for a police inspector (Paul Meurisse) to find the ball before it explodes. Based on the novel by Noel Calef and directed by Gilles Grangier (LE DESORDRE ET LA NUIT). This intense little known thriller was never released in the U.S., just Europe. If it had been released in America, it might have had a better reputation. Despite some illustrious names in the cast (Moreau, Reggiani, Meurisse), it's really an ensemble film with no central protagonist. Grangier isn't a particularly well known director in the States but I've really liked the movies I've seen of his. Here, he keeps the suspense quotient high and tight down to the last minutes. A recently restored version of this was shown at last year's (2021) Cannes film festival. With Gert Frobe, Reggie Nalder and Simone Renant. 

The Other Side Of Midnight (1977)

Set in 1939 France, a young girl (Marie France Pisier) and an American pilot (John Beck) fall in love. He is called back to the United States but he promises he will come back and they will be married. But he doesn't come back and soon WWII arrives. Based on the best selling novel by Sidney Sheldon (BLOODLINE) and directed by Charles Jarrott (ANNE OF THE THOUSAND DAYS). Sheldon's 600 pages of pulp trash has been adapted into a three hour movie as if it were a great piece of literature and nothing must be left out. So we get things like two endless romantic montages, one with Beck and Pisier and one with Beck and Susan Sarandon as his wife. I cringed for Pisier, who gets to do a graphic abortion on herself as well as various sex acts. But at least she and Raf Vallone as an Onassis type millionaire bring some authenticity to their roles. Beck is a total cipher and Sarandon needs a good script in order to be effective. Her kewpie doll act worked in ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW but here, it just makes her performance look lazy. It's too long and clunky to be fun trash like VALLEY OF THE DOLLS and Sheldon is no Jacqueline Susann. On the plus side, there's Fred J. Koenekamp's (PATTON) handsome location shooting in Greece and a lush underscore by Michel Legrand. With Clu Gulager, Christian Marquand, Michael Lerner, Charles Cioffi, Howard Hesseman and Dimitra Arliss.

Sunset Boulevard (1950)

A down on his luck screenwriter (William Holden) is fleeing men who are trying to repossess his car because he's behind in his payments. In an attempt to hide, he pulls into the driveway of what appears to be an abandoned old decaying mansion. But far from being deserted, it is occupied by a former silent film star (Gloria Swanson) and her butler (Erich von Stroheim). Directed by Billy Wilder, this stinging valentine to the movie business has a reputation as one of the all time great Hollywood films and deservedly so. It tempers the acid with doses of dark humor but make no mistake about it, this isn't a comedy (though some have referred to it as a black comedy). Everything is first rate from John F. Seitz's atmospheric B&W noir-ish lensing to Franz Waxman's evocative Oscar winning score. After an impressive debut in GOLDEN BOY (1939), you'd think Holden's career would have soared but he never quite got on the A list but SUNSET made him a bona fide star and he remained one until his death. Swanson is nothing short of magnificent here but it's essentially a one note performance (not her fault, it's the way the part is written) but she plays that one note impeccably and she gets one of the greatest mad scenes in movie history. With Nancy Olson, Jack Webb, Fred Clark, Cecil B. DeMille, Hedda Hopper, Buster Keaton and Yvette Vickers. 

Hit The Ice (1943)

A gangster (Sheldon Leonard) mistakes two photographers (Bud Abbott, Lou Costello) for the hit men hired to cover him and his gang while they rob a bank. However, the police think the photographers are the bank robbers so they are forced to go on the lam until they can prove their innocence. Directed by Charles Lamont (SALOME WHERE SHE DANCED), this is one of Abbott and Costello's better vehicles. Both are in top form and the movie highlights some of their better routines like the piano gag and the packing the suitcase scene. While Abbott & Costello provide the laughs, we're given two sets of lovers: a doctor (Patric Knowles) and a nurse (Elyse Knox) and a band leader (Johnny Long) and a singer (Ginny Simms) to provide the romance between the gags. Simms performs several numbers including the kitschy The Slap Polka. Fans of the duo should be delighted with this one. With Marc Lawrence and Joe Sawyer.

Christmas On The Square (2020)

Set during Christmas time, a wealthy but embittered woman (Christine Baranski) returns to the small town where she grew up. But it's not to celebrate the season but to evict the townspeople so she can sell the town to a corporation who wants to build a mega mall. Enter an angel (Dolly Parton) who hopes to change the woman's mind. Based on the musical play by Dolly Parton and choreographed and directed by actress turned director Debbie Allen. This variant on Dickens' A CHRISTMAS CAROL is about as fresh as a community theatre's annual Christmas play. But like (most) community theater, it's not very good but its earnestness and eagerness to please makes one overlook a lot of things. It's lucky to have Baranski as the central protagonist as she miraculously manages to cut through the treacle, others aren't so fortunate. Dolly Parton's songs are often quite lovely (especially when sung by her) but the less said about Debbie Allen's choreography the better. Still, if you're in the mood for a family friendly Christmas movie, you could do worse. It won the Emmy for best television movie so someone liked it. With Treat Williams, Jenifer Lewis, Josh Segarra and Jeannine Mason. 

I Live My Life (1935)

While vacationing in Greece, a wealthy Manhattan socialite (Joan Crawford) meets an archaeologist (Brian Aherne) excavating for artifacts. There is an immediate attraction between the two but to the girl, it's just a lark and she returns home. For the archaeologist, it's much more serious and he follows her to New York. Based on the short story CLAUSTROPHOBIA by A. Carter Goodloe and directed by W.S. Van Dyke (THE THIN MAN). I've always preferred the MGM Crawford of the 1930s to the Warners Crawford of the 1940s. She's sassy and vibrant here and holds the screen like a true star. Unfortunately, screwball comedy isn't her forte and after a promising start, the movie doesn't take off but circles the runway till it comes to its abrupt finish. The characters have nothing in common and much is made of their different lifestyles and how they wouldn't fit into each others lives. Instead, we get a tacked on happy ending anyway but we'll never see the sequel where they split up after a year. But the public liked it enough to put it into the profit column. With Frank Morgan, Aline MacMahon, Eric Blore, Jessie Ralph, Arthur Treacher, Esther Howard and Hedda Hopper. 

Lubie Nietoperze (aka I Like Bats) (1986)

An attractive vampire (Katarzyna Walter, who looks and sounds eerily like Jean Seberg) is content to work in her aunt's (Malgorzata Lorentowicz) curio shop while not feeding on various sleazebags. But when she falls for a handsome psychiatrist (Marek Barbasiewicz), she discovers that no affliction is more horrific than love. Co-written and directed by Grzegorz Warchol, an actor turned director, perhaps best known for Kieslowski's THREE COLORS: WHITE. This little known Polish blend of black comedy and gothic horror is amusing. I don't think Warchol is much interested in the horror aspects of the movie as much as a quasi feminist take on how love can rob us of our individuality, of what we're meant to be. Anyway you look at it, this is a batshit (pun intended) crazy vampire movie, more akin to LOVE AT FIRST BITE than COUNTESS DRACULA. With Jonasz Kofta and Jan Prochyra.

The Diamond Wizard (1954)

Set in London, an American federal agent (Dennis O'Keefe) is on the trail of some crooks who stole a million dollars from a U.S. treasury vault. He joins forces with Scotland Yard in his search for a missing atomic scientist (Paul Hardtmuth) since the two cases may be tied together. Based on the novel RICH IS THE TREASURE by Maurice Procter and directed by Dennis O'Keefe and Montgomery Tully. Filmed in 3D, by the time the movie was ready for release, the 3D craze had died down and except for one showing in 3D, it was released flat in both England and the U.S. It's an unexceptional B crime film, modestly enjoyable in its pulpy way but not something that lingers with you. I tried watching the film in 3D but I'm not a fan of 3D and it was giving me a headache so I switched to 2D after about ten minutes. The fiery conflagration that ends the film portends the finale of KISS ME DEADLY which came the following year. With Margaret Sheridan, Philip Friend, Gudrun Ure, Eric Berry and Francis De Wolff.

Peter Von Kant (2022)

A renowned film director (Denis Menochet) is recovering from his latest love affair when his actress friend (Isabelle Adjani, looking fantastic) introduces him to a young Arab boy (Khalil Gharbia) she met on a recent voyage from Australia to Europe. Immediately attracted to the boy, the director seduces him with the promise of being in his next movie and as the months pass, he becomes more and more possessive of the boy, who's been sleeping with others. A loose remake of Rainer Werner Fassbinder's BITTER TEARS OF PETRA VON KANT and directed by Francois Ozon (8 FEMMES). Ozon switches the gender of Fassbinder's Petra to Peter but thematically and in structure it's not all that different from Fassbinder's movie. At first, the love sick Peter garners our sympathy as his boy toy manipulates him but eventually his dark side exerts itself. His sadistic treatment of his male secretary (Stefan Crepon) and a brutal outburst to his best friend (Adjani), his mother (Hanna Schygulla, who appeared in Fassbinder's original film) and daughter (Aminthe Audiard) robs him of any sympathy. Sure, love is cruel and it can devastate us to our very core but that's no reason to take it out on those who love you most. The movie is not only a homage to Fassbinder's film but also to Douglas Sirk's lush Technicolor melodramas.

The Forms Of Things Unknown (1964)

Two women (Vera Miles, Barbara Rush) kill a blackmailer (Scott Marlowe) by poisoning him at a lake. They place his body in the trunk of the car but a storm forces them to take shelter at a secluded mansion in the forest. It is there where they must deal with the fact that he might not be dead after all. Written by Joseph Stefano (Hitchcock's PSYCHO) and directed by Gerd Oswald (A KISS BEFORE DYING). Originally a pilot for a TV show called THE UNKNOWN which never happened and filmed with two different endings. Instead, it was shown as part of THE OUTER LIMITS TV series. As a pilot, it was allotted a bigger budget and longer filming time and was fortunate enough to have Conrad Hall (IN COLD BLOOD) as its cinematographer. As to the film itself, it's well acted (but not by Scott Marlowe) and the stylish B&W imagery of Hall gives it an off kilter schizophrenic quality which adds to the horror. With David McCallum and Sir Cedric Hardwicke.   

Where Is Kyra? (2018)

A middle aged divorcee (Michelle Pfeiffer) moves into her mother's (Suzanne Shepherd) Brooklyn apartment while she tries to get work. But when her mother dies, she finds herself without a lifeline as she spirals deeper into debt and finds her life spinning out of control. Directed by Andrew Dosunmu, this is one depressing film. This is accented by Bradford Young's (SELMA) dimly lit cinematography (even when it's day, it looks like night) and anchored by a potent performance by Pfeiffer in the title role. Pfeiffer's Kyra is a loser and she goes all the way with it, never asking us for our pity as she grasps at anything that might save her but it's useless. She's one of life's born losers and worst of all, when she goes down, she takes some good people with her. A must see for Pfeiffer's brave performance. It's a pity that the film isn't as good as her but one has to admire Dosunmu for his uncompromising view. With Kiefer Sutherland and Sam Robards.

Celui Qui Doit Mourir (aka He Who Must Die) (1957)

Set in a Turkish occupied Greek village shortly after WWII, the townspeople set off to do their Passion Play, an event that occurs every seven years. But this year, with the arrival of refugees whose town has been decimated by the Turks leaving them homeless, the Passion Play takes on a reality it never had before. Based on the novel CHRIST RECRUCIFIED by Nikos Kazantzakis (LAST TEMPTATION OF CHRIST) and directed by Jules Dassin (NEVER ON SUNDAY). While it takes awhile for the film to get its rhythm going, it ends as a powerful look at the corruption of contemporary Christianity. If Christ came back, he would be crucified again but this time by the so called Christians. Its relevance in today's society has never been more apparent as right wing "Christians" engage in the the most un-Christian behavior. Handsomely shot in B&W CinemaScope by Gilbert Chain and Jacques Natteau, it's a true ensemble film with excellent performances. The large cast includes Melina Mercouri, Maurice Ronet, Gert Frobe, Pierre Vaneck, Jean Servais, Roger Hanin, Fernand Ledoux, Nicole Berger, Gregoire Aslan and Rene Lefevre.