The Girl On The Train (2016)

A divorced alcoholic woman (Emily Blunt) has a hard time adjusting to life after her divorce. Every day on the train, she passes the house she lived in with her husband (Justin Theroux) who now lives there with his new wife (Rebecca Ferguson). Their neighbors are a young married couple (Haley Bennett, Luke Evans) that she fantasizes about. But when the neighbor (Bennett) goes missing and possibly murdered, she will unravel the horrific truth that has damaged her life. Based on the best selling novel by Paula Hawkins whose setting has been transferred from England to New Jersey and directed by Tate Taylor (THE HELP). The similarities to GONE GIRL are too strong to overlook. It's not as good but it's more than good enough. With three female protagonists (with Blunt in the title role having the lion's share of screen time), it's hard to get a grasp at the beginning as the three stories are juggled. It doesn't help that Ferguson and Bennett are similar types. But Blunt is terrific in her most complex role to date, her character is an unlikable mess and her own worst enemy. Of the men, Theroux as her ex-husband has the strongest part though you appreciate it more after the film is over. A solid thriller. With Allison Janney, Edgar Ramirez, Lisa Kudrow, Luke Evans and Laura Prepon. 

The Beguiled (1971)

Set during the Civil War, an injured Union soldier (Clint Eastwood) is taken in by a Southern girls school and nursed to health. But the scheming Yankee plays the women against each other and uses their sexual thirst to his own advantage as he plans to become the rooster in the chicken coop. But he underestimates the power and the fury of the female! Based on the novel by Thomas Cullinan and directed by Don Siegel (THE SHOOTIST). This really is a most amazing film to come out of 1971 Hollywood. Incest, menage a trois, graphic mutilation, sex with underage girls including a disturbing kiss planted by Eastwood on a 12 year old and a downbeat ending are all here and greenlighted by Universal pictures! One has to give Eastwood his due for taking on this unsavory role that went against his "image" and an opportunity to display his acting chops. Many a major Hollywood star would pass on such a role. The film is fortunate in having Geraldine Page and Elizabeth Hartman in the leading female roles who both bring a wealth of information to their characters that aren't always in their lines. The film is a Gothic psychological horror film at its core and Siegel doesn't hold back but he doesn't push it either.  With Mae Mercer (marvelous, she really should have done more acting), Jo Ann Harris, Darleen Carr, Matt Clark and Pamelyn Ferdin.

Ransom (1956)

The 8 year old son (Bobby Clark) of a wealthy industrialist (Glenn Ford) is kidnapped and a ransom for $500,000 is demanded. But when the father is told that there's only a 50/50 chance he'll get his son back alive even if the ransom is paid, he takes a shocking action that turns his wife (Donna Reed) and the public against him. Based on a 1954 episode of the United States Steel Hour with Ralph Bellamy in Ford's role and later remade in 1996 by Ron Howard with Mel Gibson in Ford's part. Directed by Alex Segal, this is an unusual thriller that focuses on the domestic aspect of the kidnapping and thereby affords a more in depth look at the characters. The kidnappers are never seen, just referred to and the 1996 film made the mistake of padding out the film with the kidnappers and thus taking out much of the tension and focus of the central story. Ford gives one of his best performances and this was Reed's last really good role before she became America's favorite TV mom. She goes from the perfect little suburban housewife to medicated mess hysterically unraveling before our very eyes. A nifty and intense thriller with a solid human element. With Leslie Nielsen, Juano Hernandez, Robert Keith, Juanita Moore, Mabel Albertson, Lori March and Alexander Scourby.

Aliens (1986)

The survivor (Sigourney Weaver) of a cargo ship is discovered by a salvage crew after drifting for 57 years in hibernation in space. The authorities disbelieve her story of an alien creature who killed her crew and necessitating her blowing up the multi million dollar spaceship. But when contact is suddenly lost with a colony of settlers now living on the moon where the alien eggs were first discovered, she is asked to accompany a crew of Marines to investigate. Written and directed by James Cameron, this was the first sequel to the classic 1979 Ridley Scott film. I know a lot of people who love it as much (if not more) as the first entry but while I greatly enjoy it, it's my least favorite of the four ALIEN films. On the plus side, there's a wonderful central Oscar nominated performance by Sigourney Weaver who brings a gravitas and emotional core to the film. Unfortunately, none of the other actors are her equal. Indeed, Cameron's dialogue is pretty bad. He gets a few comic zingers in but most of it is flat. Whereas the 1979 ALIEN was an intense piece of horror that grabbed you and twisted you into knots (when I first saw it theatrically it literally took 5 minutes before I was calm enough to start my car), ALIENS is essentially a WWII movie in outer space with a bunch of Marine grunts spouting cliched dialogue. Some of the action pieces are spectacular and the final battle between Weaver and the alien queen is a dilly and you won't be bored. With Michael Biehn, Paul Reiser, Bill Paxton (who's awful), Carrie Henn, Lance Henricksen and Jenette Goldstein.

La Chienne (1931)

Trapped in an unhappy marriage with a shrewish wife (Magdeleine Berubet), a cashier and amateur painter (Michel Simon) falls in love with a tramp (Janie Marese). Although she's not attracted to him, her brutish boyfriend (Georges Flamant) encourages her to become the cashier's mistress while soaking him for all his money. Based on the novel by Georges De La Fouchardiere and directed by Jean Renoir, this was remade in 1945 by Fritz Lang as SCARLET STREET. It's a rare instance where both films, the original and the remake, stand solidly on their own. Some of the performances in Renoir's film are different enough from Lang's remake are noticeable enough to make a slight difference. Flamant's pimp doesn't come across as vicious as Dan Duryea in the Lang film and Marese seems not as bright and less calculating than Joan Bennett's femme fatale. But Michel Simon is sublime, one can't help but feel sorry for this poor shapeless lump of a man who seems a born loser. Renoir avoids the cautious morality that was inevitable with the American remake. A murderer without a conscience? Unthinkable in a Hollywood film of the era. A skillfully rendered dark piece of irony with just a soupcon of humor. Marese was killed in an auto accident the year the movie came out, the car was driven by Flamant who plays her pimp. How creepy is that? 

Roxanne (1987)

The fire chief (Steve Martin) in a Northwestern small town has an abnormally large nose. He's overly sensitive about it and uses his sharp wit to offset any potential remarks. But when a beautiful astronomer (Daryl Hannah) moves into town, he's smitten. But she has eyes for the dim witted but muscular fireman (Rick Rossovich) who works with him. Loosely based on the classic 1897 play CYRANO DE BERGERAC by Edmond Rostand and adapted by Martin for the screen. The movie is charming and a reminder that Steve Martin was the best movie comic working in the 1980s and how appealing he was. Martin's comic ability was physical just as much as it was verbal and the spectacular nose renders him even more engaging. As the object of his affection, Daryl Hannah doesn't have to do much but be the blonde Amazon goddess that she is, who wouldn't fall in love with her? The small town (which is in British Columbia, not the U.S.) is a dream of a fairy tale village populated by eccentric quirky denizens. A comic gem that is also a mischievous romantic comedy. Directed by Fred Schepisi. With Shelley Duvall, Michael J. Pollard, Fred Willard, Shandra Beri and John Kapelos.

Hoodlum Empire (1952)

A reformed ex-gangster (John Russell) is subpoenaed to testify against his uncle (Luther Adler), a notorious crime boss in the racket business. Since his uncle is family, he plans to keep quiet. But his uncle's second in command (Forrest Tucker) is an unstable loose cannon who wants to silence the nephew before he can testify. This low budget programmer from Republic pictures is what was once referred to as "ripped from the headlines". The Kefauver hearings of 1950/51 was a special committee of the U.S. Senate investigating organized crime. Here, Brian Donlevy plays the senator heading the committee who served in WWII with the ex-gangster. It's a minor film, almost a footnote in the crime genre though there are elements of noir. Except for one deadly WWII flashback that slows down the film, it's an efficient piece of "B" movie making. Some of the acting is weak (Russell) or downright bad like Vera Ralston as his wife but she was married to the boss (Herbert J. Yates who ran Republic pictures). Best performances come from Adler and Claire Trevor doing another one of her bad girl with a heart of gold specialties. Directed by Joseph Kane. With Gene Lockhart and Richard Jaeckel. 

The Black Swan (1942)

The infamous Morgan The Pirate (Laird Cregar) is not only granted a pardon from King Charles II but he is made the governor of Jamaica! But when a renegade pirate (George Sanders) continues to pillage British ships, the new governor sends his best man (a scruffy looking Tyrone Power) to bring him back dead or alive. Based on the novel by Rafael Sabatini and directed by Henry King (CAROUSEL). Now this is a swashbuckler! Clocking in at a tight 85 minutes running time, director King crams the film with color (it won the Oscar for best color cinematography), action and romance. Power had already proven himself adept at Fairbanks like derring-do in THE MARK OF ZORRO (1940) and he doesn't disappoint here. Toss in a feisty Maureen O'Hara in glorious Technicolor and you have a terrific recipe for a grand entertainment. Some of Power's treatment of O'Hara is dubious by contemporary standards. He slaps her around and kidnaps her but she carries a pistol and bashes his head with a rock so it's not as if she's a tremulous damsel in distress. If lacking originality, it makes up for it with vigor and swagger. The lively underscore is by Alfred Newman. With Anthony Quinn, Thomas Mitchell, George Zucco and Fortunio Bonanova. 

Sweet Charity (1969)

A good hearted but not too bright dance hall  "hostess" (Shirley MacLaine) is a romantic and gullible when it comes to men who are constantly using her and then dumping her. But when she meets a rather conservative insurance actuary (John McMartin recreating his stage role), things look like they might change for the better. Based on the 1966 Broadway hit musical which in turn was adapted from the Federico Fellini film, NIGHTS OF CABIRIA. Although he had danced in and choreographed movies before, this was Bob Fosse's directorial film debut. While many consider this film Fosse's cinematic trial run for his next film CABARET (1972), that's unfair. While the film is not without its flaws and pretensions (like the overuse of freeze frames), it's a more than decent movie musical. It affords Shirley MacLaine (who started off as a dancer on Broadway) one of the few opportunities she had to show off her dancing skills in film. The songs by Cy Coleman and Dorothy Fields are wonderful and Fosse's choreography may be the most exciting since Jerome Robbins' WEST SIDE STORY 8 years earlier. If nothing else, we get to see the great Chita Rivera in her only major film role. Some TV versions have been known to show the film with an alternate "happy" ending which is blasphemous! With Ricardo Montalban, Paula Kelly, Barbara Bouchet, Stubby Kaye, Bud Cort and Sammy Davis Jr. as "Big Daddy".

Les Liaisons Dangereuses (2003)

Set in the Parisian high society of the early 1960s, a wealthy but ruthless woman (Catherine Deneuve) desires revenge on her ex-lover (Andrzej Zulawski) who is engaged to a much younger woman. To this end, she makes a bargain with another ex-lover (Rupert Everett) to seduce the virginal bride to be (Leelee Sobieski). He agrees but first he must make a conquest of the virtuous married woman (Nastassja Kinski) staying at his aunt's (Danielle Darrieux) villa. Based on the 1782 Pierre Choderlos de Laclos novel which has been adapted for the stage, screen and TV countless times including China and Korea and even a teen version CRUEL INTENTIONS (1999). Its tale of sexual power, depravity and amorality is almost irresistible in almost all its incarnations. At 4 1/2 hours, Josee Dayan's version done for French television takes a leisurely pace which allows for more detail, characterization and nuances. Sumptuously shot by Caroline Champetier with a nice underscore by Angelo Badalamenti and Jean Paul Gaultier doing Deneuve's costumes, it has the look of a major motion picture rather than a TV movie. The performances are solid all around with Deneuve and Everett perfectly cast. With Tedi Papavrami, Francoise Brion and Cyrille Thouvenin.

Telmisseomding (aka Tell Me Something) (1999)

Set in Seoul, South Korea, a police detective (Suk Kyu Han) under a cloud of suspicion for receiving graft is assigned to a serial killer case. Dismembered bodies are being found around the city but the pieces are all mixed up, the body parts don't all belong to the same person. The common link is a young woman (Eun Ha Shim) who knew all the victims romantically and is apparently being stalked by the killer. But is she an innocent victim or is she complicit in some way? Directed by Yun Hyeon Jang, this was a massive hit in South Korea though its success wasn't duplicated in the U.S. It's a variation of American films like SILENCE OF THE LAMBS and SE7EN but a little more crudely done. The gross factor keeps it from moving into more elevated terrain. It's done cleverly enough even to the point of planting a huge red herring at the beginning which I bought hook line and sinker. The most interesting character is a young female doctor (Jung Ah Yum) who's ambiguous and even when the film is over, you're not quite sure who she is/was and what her motivations are. I enjoyed it but it doesn't quite have the resonance that a great thriller should have. With Hang Seon Jang and Joon Sang Yoo. 

The Spoilers (1955)

In 1898 Alaska, claim jumpers are are attempting to legally rob miners of their rightful claims by filing claims with the newly appointed gold commissioner (Rory Calhoun). The town's glamorous saloon owner (Anne Baxter) takes in an interest in him because she has money invested in some mines and one gold miner (Jeff Chandler) in particular. Based on the 1906 novel by Rex Beach and directed by Jesse Hibbs (TO HELL AND BACK), this is the fifth film version of Beach's book. The most famous one is the 1942 version with Marlene Dietrich, John Wayne and Randolph Scott. I've never cared much for that version probably because of my antipathy toward Dietrich in general. I rather enjoyed this lively Technicolor concoction with Baxter at her most appealing especially in Bill Thomas's eye catching costumes. I'm usually bored with barroom brawls in westerns but the fight in this one which ends the film isn't as silly as most. Chandler remains a dominating screen presence and Calhoun is less bland than usual. No doubt western fans still prefer the 1942 but give this one a chance with an open mind. Nothing special but an entertaining genre piece. With John McIntire, Ray Danton, Barbara Britton, Wallace Ford and Carl Benton Reid.