Saturday, August 12, 2017
First Lines: Robert Erskine Childers - The Riddle of the Sands
I have read of men who, when forced by their calling to live for long periods in utter solitude - save for a few black faces -, have made it a rule to dress regularly for dinner in order to maintain their self-respect and prevent a relapse into barbarism.
Tonari no Totoro (1988)
When two girls move to the country to be near their ailing mother, they have adventures with the wondrous forest spirits who live nearby.
Wonderful anime fantasy with some quite surreal, but harmless elements; however, its appeal is obviously intended for a small toddler audience.
Maltin***1/2: "Gentle, infectious animated tale...Beautiful art direction and excellent English-language treatment make this a treat for small children an parents; older kids may chafe at the story's leisurely pace. Wait till you see the 12-legged cat-bus!"
Friday, August 11, 2017
Message to Love: The Isle of Wight Festival (1996)
Feature documentary film of the Isle of Wight Festival 1970.
Excellent and thorough documentary of a festival on the verge of chaos doesn't avoid some uncomfortable insights and still manages to include some great music.
Maltin***: "Top-notch documentary...Priceless footage of rock acts, including Hendrix and The Doors' Jim Morrison just before their deaths."
Top Gun (1986)
As students at the United States Navy's elite fighter weapons school compete to be best in the class, one daring young pilot learns a few things from a civilian instructor that are not taught in the classroom.
Reagan Era (and fascistoid) gung-ho as slick entertainment; only watchable, if your mind is turned off.
Halliwell (no star): "A feast of hardware and noisy music; not much story."
Maltin**1/2: "Contrived beyond belief, with dogfights that play like video games, and total lack of sexual chemistry between the two leads...but slickly calculated to please '80s audiences (and fans of ever-smiling Cruise). Edwards, as Cruise's sidekick, steals the show."
Thursday, August 10, 2017
First Lines: Arthur Conan Doyle - The Hound of the Baskervilles
Mr. Sherlock Holmes, who was usually very late in the mornings, save upon those not infrequent occasions when he was up all night, was seated at the breakfast table.
Wednesday, August 9, 2017
The Breakfast Club (1985)
Five high school students meet in Saturday detention and discover how they have a lot more in common than they thought.
Unusual
teenage drama staged as a one-room ensemble play; some moments are
silly and unnerving (they're teens, after all), but otherwise a quite
impressive movie.
Halliwell (no star): "Abysmal apologia for loutish teenage behaviour."
Tuesday, August 8, 2017
The Cat Concerto (1947)
Jerry is determined to disrupt Tom's concert while Tom fights him with the piano without missing a single note.
Tom & Jerry episode is an animated masterpiece marrying music and motion - and humour; modern-day music clip directors should learn something here.
First Lines: Joseph Conrad - Heart of Darkness
The Nellie, a cruising yawl, swung to her anchor without a flutter of the sails, and was at rest.
Monday, August 7, 2017
The Shadow Dancer (2005)
An aspiring young writer tracks a literary titan suffering from writers block to his refuge in rural Italy and learns about life and love from the irascible genius and his daughters.
If you like your clichés wholesale, this is the movie for you; otherwise, it's actually well made, and the cast make it mildly entertaining.
