 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Much Ado About Nothing (Kenneth Branagh, 1993) 9/10
Perfectly joyful movie. One of the best Shakespeare adaptations of all time.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Much Ado About Nothing (Kenneth Branagh, 1993) 8/10
Perfectly joyful movie. One of the best Shakespeare adaptations of all time.
I actually went the cinema to watch this and enjoyed it (surprising myself).
|
|
|
|
|
|
Much Ado About Nothing (Kenneth Branagh, 1993) 8/10
Perfectly joyful movie. One of the best Shakespeare adaptations of all time.
I actually went the cinema to watch this and enjoyed it (surprising myself).
Yeah, the movie is just a joy from beginning to end, every actor must have had a blast. They were all great. Michael Keaton was certainly over the top as Constable Dogberry, but that is true to Shakespeare as well, who sometimes had these off-beat storylines and characters in his plays, so they had something "for everybody". And Keanu Reeves cast against type as the movie's stone faced main antagonist was also really good.
And a speaking (and singing) part for Patrick Doyle, who fittingly played Balthasar, the court's musician. It's a minor role, sure, but an important one and more than just a cameo.
|
|
|
|
|
|
I was impressed from the off- close ups of horses galloping hooves and Doyles music.
All together now- hey nonny nonny. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
Posted: |
Feb 29, 2024 - 4:21 AM
|
|
|
|
By: |
Graham Watt
(Member)
|
DARK PLACES (1973) 5/10
Catching up slowly with films which "should be" up my street but which I never saw. So, DARK PLACES. Robert Hardy goes mad (or was he always?) trying to find a hidden fortune somewhere behind the walls of an old dark house. He's also getting "taken over" (or something) by the "spirit" of a painting on the wall - the previous owner no less, who just coincidentally looks just like Robert Hardy. Others interested in finding the money are a wooden Christopher Lee, a saucy-as-usual Joan Collins and a bored looking Herbert Lom. Jane Birkin is on hand as nasty former-owner's bit on the side.
The reliable Don Sharp directs, but it's hardly inspiring stuff. It could easily have been made in the '30s, so stolid and well-worn is the storyline. Robert Hardy bites off more than he can chew, looking baffled throughout and going on amusing shouty fits. He put me in mind of a combination of Richard Briers and Ernie Wise, a bit like a little boy in his schooly jumper. Passable, but should have been more fun, or at least a bit more gripping. Best moment comes from Christopher Lee after finding out that Joan Collins (who plays Lee's sister) has been saucy with Robert Hardy. "You dirty little slut!" he shouts, forgetting that she's his sister and at the age of 40 she can do what she wants.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: |
Feb 29, 2024 - 11:25 PM
|
|
|
|
By: |
Bob DiMucci
(Member)
|
DRIVE-AWAY DOLLS (2024) – 6/10
After “Jamie” (Margaret Qualley) is tossed out of their shared Philadelphia apartment by her lover “Sukie” (Beanie Feldstein), she teams up with friend “Marian” (Geraldine Viswanathan) to visit Jamie’s aunt in Tallahassee. Since neither girl has a car, the two go to a car transport agency, which matches people needing transportation with car owners who need their cars driven from one city to another. Unfortunately, agency owner “Curlie” (Bill Camp) mistakes the girls for someone who had just called asking about taking a car to Tallahassee, and gives them a car that has a very important attaché case hidden in the trunk. Soon, two goons (Joey Slotnick and C.J. Wilson) are tracking the girls to retrieve that case. Meanwhile, Jamie is taking a very circuitous route to Florida, making numerous detours to visit every lesbian bar she knows along the way.
This set-up sounds ripe for a Coen Brothers movie. But here, only Ethan Coen is making the trip, in his first directorial effort without his brother Joel. His writing partner this time is his wife, Tricia Cooke. As is usual in these types of quirky films, everything depends upon the characters and the actors portraying them—there are no big action sequences, romances, or high drama to distract us.
Naturally, the pair of travelers are mismatched. Jamie is the free spirit, willing to try anything, while Marian is content to stay in motel rooms reading Henry James novels. Being from the South, Jamie sports a drawling cornpone accent, which some reviewers have found off-putting, but which I thought was the essence of her character. The quiet Marian, on the other hand, just constantly looks constipated.
The pair of pursuing goons are also mismatched. “Arliss” (Slotnick) is a loquacious smart-aleck, always berating partner “Flint” (Wilson) about his tendency to use violence to get what they want rather than reasoned dialogue. Arliss’ nonstop chatter is funny the first time, but rapidly loses its humor through repetition.
Eventually, pursuers catch up with pursued, but not before the girls find the attaché and discover what is so special about it. Along the way, we are treated to a little lesbian sex and plenty of girl-on-girl making out. Compared to some Coen Brothers films, the violence is rather tame. Matt Damon and Miley Cyrus make cameo appearances in the film.
This is a very mild film—mildly funny, mildly violent, mildly sexy, mildly outrageous (is that an oxymoron?). If it ran any longer than its 84 minutes, it would also be mildly boring.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MANIAC (1934) 5/10
Now here's a rarity which I find almost impossible to rate. It's a 50-minute exploitation sex-horror movie, and I have since learned (I had a feeling while watching it too) that it's been classed as possibly the worst film ever made. It's loosely based on Poe's "The Black Cat", with cutaways to portentous inter-titles which speak of the dangers provoked by mental illness. There are also incongruous scenes of girls chatting in a kind of dressing room, sporting nice underwear. And real "tits oot for the lads" too. All "sort of" held together by a mad scientist story, certainly the worst acted mad scientist story I've seen. He really does go "BWAAHAHAAHAAHAHAHAHAHA!"There are also scenes of real cats and dogs getting injured and probably killed fighting each other.
Dwain Esper is the director. I knew nothing about this man, but now I'm intrigued. He's apparently THE father of exploitation cinema. I might seek out his HOW TO UNDRESS IN FRONT OF YOUR HUSBAND next. Or perhaps not.
I'm giving this a 5 because I was open-mouthed in amazement throughout. But it could easily be a 0, or a 10.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
From 1934...really???
|
|
|
|
|
|
From 1934...really???
Yes, Ms. Gurdy. I'm reading two of Jonathan Rigby's superlative film books concurrently ("American Gothic" and "Euro Gothic" - I unfortunately missed out on his "English Gothic", which would have given me a better overview of the history of genre cinema internationally), and he mentions that the director got by the censor by exhibiting his films in sideshows and burlesque houses. Rigby also states his opinion - "Incoherent, inept, not far from demented but genuinely trangressive for its time."
|
|
|
|
|
|
It's on YouTube and I love naked/semi-naked wimmin from 1934, so...
|
|
|
|
|
|
It's on YouTube and I love naked/semi-naked wimmin from 1934, so...
I'll be interested to see the rating you give it. Our first 0? A 10? Choose your Tube upload carefully - go for the FuzzyVision one, not the ExtraFuzzyVision one.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Press? That reminds me...I have pressing business!!
Thankfully, I managed to watch that ^ 51 minute film in about...20.
I think David Lynch would like it.
Parts of it reminded me of ERASERHEAD.
The acting, script and editing were particularly...interesting.
But I did learn a bit about mental health 
0 / 10
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
