What did you watch this week (03/09-09/09)

I have three submissions of good movie entertainment :

A Bronx Tale --- an interesting collaboration of talent between the two leading stars. Chazz Palminteri wrote it and De Niro produced and directed it. It's obvious both actors were in their element with this story of a boy growing up too fast in a tough, predominantly Italian/American NY neighborhood in the 60's. 8/10

The China Syndrome --- just couldn't resist a rewatch of this great thriller of post Atomic Age lingering angst. Solid performances by Jane Fonda and Michael Douglas but Jack Lemmon was superb as a dedicated employee becoming progressively more conflicted with the subterfuge of his employer. 8/10

The General's Daughter --- A good whodunit which ultimately also becomes a very sad story. Travolta has some really great wisecracking lines in this and there's a memorable scene of some good banter between him and James Woods. 8/10

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I watched two movies this week...

Colossal (2016)
https://moviechat.org/tt4680182/Colossal
This is ten percent sci, twenty percent fi
Fifteen percent korean monster by the bye
Five percent action, fifty percent drama
And a hundred percent rom-com, cuz remember it's a chick-flick at heart

Wonder Woman (2017)
https://moviechat.org/tt0451279/Wonder-Woman
She is ten percent Cap, twenty percent Thor
Fifteen percent concentrated power of Vision
Five percent Hawkeye, fifty percent 'Ron-Man
And a hundred percent reason to remember DC

I didn't watch any movies in the last few weeks, but I watched several this week.

Identity (US, 2003)
A series of unfortunate circumstances causes a group of strangers to wind up at the same hotel on a stormy night, where a psychopath begins picking them off one by one. Sounds pretty generic, but there is an unusual twist to this one. Still, I wasn't very enamored with it. But that might be partly because I watched this movie on the same day I got some terribly bad news, which may have tainted the experience. Others may like it better.

House on Haunted Hill (US, 1999)
An eccentric amusement park mogul invites a group of strangers to a party at an abandoned former asylum which is said to be haunted, due to the torture and murders which had taken place in it. He offers each of them a million dollars if they spend the night and survive. This movie is a remake of a classic horror film from 1959, but far inferior to it; the only thing I liked about it was Geoffrey Rush, one of my favorite actors, who is also the main reason I watched it. For the life of me I can't understand why an actor of his caliber agreed to be in this.

Gamera (Japan, 1965)
Another Japanese monster movie about the dangers of nuclear weapons. In this one, a group of scientists are in the Arctic when a conflict occurs between American and Soviet aircraft in the area, resulting in an accidental nuclear explosion. The explosion releases a giant turtle monster from beneath the Arctic ice, which the Inuit call Gamera, as the scientists learn from a chieftain. After destroying the scientists' research ship, Gamera disappears back under the ice, later appearing again off the coast of Japan. Destruction ensues. It sounds a bit silly, but it was well-made and I quite enjoyed it.

To be continued.

Kaibutsu (Japan, 2013) [English translation: "Monster"]
This is kind of an unknown TV movie. Tired detective Kozai is looking forward to being reassigned away from murder cases, when he learns of a rising young political star named Dojima, who also happens to be a former suspect in a child abduction/murder case that Kozai investigated. Kozai knows he's guilty and is infuriated to see him getting away with it and succeeding in life, and takes it upon himself to bring him down. Kozai soon comes across a woman who claims to also have been abducted by Dojima as a child, and he arranges a confrontation between them to expose his crimes. In the process Dojima is accidentally killed, and Kozai is forced to take extreme measures to cover up what happened, enlisting the help of a sociopath to dispose of the body. This sets off a process that leads everyone involved down a road that brings out the demons in all of them.

My Cousin Vinny (US, 1992)
Two college boys from New York end up in the wrong place at the wrong time and are arrested for murder while passing through Alabama because they match the description of the culprits. Facing the death penalty if convicted, one of them calls in his lawyer cousin, Vinny, to defend them, unaware that Vinny's only been practicing for 6 weeks and has absolutely no experience in court. Vinny, played brilliantly by Joe Pesci, comes down with his fiance and their New York manners and he proceeds to make a mess of the entire situation, butting heads with the judge and continually flubbing the defense. I can't really say why this movie works, but it does. It's both funny and clever. One of the best movies I've seen in a while.

The Confession-L'aveu -1970-Yves Montand, Simone Signoret,- Based on a true story. In the movie a vice minister of
foreign affairs is put in prison. He is mentally and physically tortured as well as are several of his colleagues.
The Soviets are looking for them to admit to treason. This an extremely powerful film. It gives a great glimpse
into what happened during this time. I also think it is probably as real today as it was back then.-8.5

The Birds- Hitchcock, what can you say-7.5

King Rat-1965- George Segal, Tom Courtenay. Takes place in a POW camp in WW2. George Segal is the man who
can make things happen. Buying, selling and dealing with the enemy. Always been a favorite of mine.7.5

Man Who Knew Infinity-2015- Dev Patel, Jeremy Irons-True story of Indian mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan.
Possibly one of the greatest minds ever to have lived. Takes place in the early 1900's. The relationship between
Ramanujan and Professor G.H. Hardy played by Irons. The suffering and racism that Ramanujan had to endure.
A lot of his theories are still used to this day. Excellent-8

Patterns-1956-Van Heflin, Everett Sloane, Ed Begley . A terrific movie about the cutthroat world of big business. Even
back then. A new man is brought aboard to take the place of a founder of the company. -8.5

Ballad of Nayrama-Narayama bushikô-1983-Japanese. Takes place in the 19th century in a small village where on
their 70th birthday people make the journey to Narayma. Which is basically a mountain where they go to die.
At 70 the main character still has all her teeth. She is looked upon as evil because with all her teeth she would
be able to eat more food and take food from the village. This is tradition. In order for the people to survive this
tradition has been established. Still relevant today. -8.5

Twin Peaks The Return. It was typical Lynch: brilliant, tense, mysterious, unexpected, and for every question they answered, they posed three more. I LOVED it, and hope we get a season four, hopefully not 25 years from now!



😎



"What year is this?"

A Room With a View-1985-Maggie Smith, Helena Bonham Carter. Stellar cast and story highlight this movie.
Romance, comedy, drama this movie has it all. -7.5

So Big-1953-Jane Wyman, Sterling Hayden. Story of a woman raising her son with hardships after her husband dies. Laughs and tears.-7

Trouble With Harry-1955-John Forsythe, Shirley MacLaine- A Hitchcock comedy. A good story with a great cast-7.5

Love Nest-1951- A disappointing comedy drama about a couple who buy a run down apartment building. Marilyn
Monroe has a very small role-6

Beau Brummel-1954-Stewart Granger, Elizabeth Taylor, Peter Ustinov- Story of an officer who befriends the prince of Whales. He becomes famous for brining a certain type of trousers to the UK. Not horrible.-6

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance-1962-James Stewart, John Wayne, Vera Miles-Lee Marvin
One of my favorite westerns of all time. Although it could be argued it more about the end of the old west.
Some consider this one of Fords best if not the very best.-8.5

I haven't seen Phibes for awhile but that sounds about right.
Preacher season 1 is awesome. Almost finished season 2.