Category: film

Just a place to list some of the films been watching not related to the Columbia list over the holidays
-Batman Returns ’92 Love this movie over the holidays a good time to watch it, got that creepy xmas Burton vibes. Burton does good creepy xmas style.
-Blues Brothers ’80 Awesome to watch cool action scenes car chases and music.
-We’re No Angles ’55 Humphrey Bogart, and first Gloria Talbot film. Eh pretty entertaining, many characters and lots going on. Bogart was pretty good.
-A Christmas Past. 1900s Silent film, was neat showed real igloos and reindeer and Santa crashes the sled. Interesting super old.

-Giant 1956. Continued from last year.Something bout this movie, its the alternated to what I know Cowboy film.

Wow ok fist post in a while.
Was in a Chemistry class, just vegged out some TCM, and Youtube compilations, Jackie Chan. Lots of TCM. Lots of sitcoms, Everybody Loves Raymond, pretty good. 2 and a Half Men always down with a quick laugh.
Some TCM were memorable, some not so much or only caught half of it.
On my break right now, wanted to get back to the Columbia 100 year movie list, I had actually bought this one some months ago, but something happened and missed watching regularly. I think this movies sort of depressing tone, wasnt in the mood to watch it right away. But now that I have I really enjoyed it.
Lets see its a psychological thriller. Its a mystery, Its a semi romance, its defintely a mystery, but not in the sense of a detective or a who dunnit, more of a blocked by mental anguis, no one can pin point the truth. The Doctor actor is pretty good hes straight faced during the whole thing. Hes a lobotomy specialist, but hes a human too and has feelings and a professional side lol. Its almost comical but he pulls it off well. Classic case of getting more money for the hospital you just have to lobotomize my dead sons girlfriend or partner in a sense. Then its a another classic case of Im not insane, or Im insane cause everyone tells me. The boss is like no, you do that surgery we need money! The family like lobotomize her so I can get that 50k in the will. The evil stepmother is played by Katherine Hepburn. You can allude to her being mad from just going off on a tangent of no sense when the doc asks her anything. The insane lady in question is other than miss Catherine, played by Elizabeth Taylor. So she plays the role well, damsell in distress a bit, loose cannon. Temptress, fainting, screamer, suicidal lonely loving. Pretty wide role actually. I think this is one of my first films with her. Although I know who she is and recognize her. Back to Katherine Hepburn, plays a rich snob type. With a ADHD attention span, hell bent on the lobotomy lol, which is kind of demented. Sadistic. Anyways, I thought the film was boring at first, and wondering what the deal was, psycho hospital, asylum, this story about the turtles and the birds, and the poetry, and Sebastian, thats a charter deceased, but still part of the film, only brought about in vague memories or second hand descriptions. A garden, playing with imagery and metaphors of God and life and death. Death itself in nature and imagery of skulls skeletons and angels. So the film was very creative in that sense, so I began to get more intrigued as to what actually happened. Because everytime the film would reveal a little, it would pull back, and cover it up again. Finally in the end, just a rush of the story as it was, it becomes pretty intense, and this is a story youve never heard before. Imagination runs a bit wild. So it ends nice, lol, can you imagine the lobotomy surgeon romantically with his patient, lol. Its not quite like that but for humours sake. So yeah was a ok movie, maybe shoulda put it on during Halloween, cause it was more of a thriller Horror than a xmas movie. So particular screams, and when she runs away from the doctor to end up being attacked and causing a riot in the lobotomized men section was creepy, and equally creepy as when she wanted to jump in the pit of lobotomized old women, makes for a classic asylum horror. Ah it was good different kind of movie. Not something I knew much about or was on my radar for films to watch so I like the Columbia 100 Year list, plus going through the years, I suspect wont be many more Black and White films coming up .
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Montgomery Clift was the doctor, passed away young. Method acting, using your own experiences to give depth and reaction to the character, guess it was a controversial method as opposed to classical. Hwy was a decent movie, not calling it the best but for the script writing acting, sets performances, story all pretty good. You know who esle I recognize looking at the cast now, is the nurse
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Mercedes Mccambridge from all the Kings Men

First Carl Reiner movie.
Enjoyed that.
Starring Glenn Ford, seen a few of his movies now.
Debbie Reynolds name rings a bell but now I guess thats my first of her movies too.

Its like a murder mystery comedy.
Theres some serious tones, anxiety. But also funny specially near the end. Glenn Ford had some good range.
Cause it was funny watching him all anxious, and then freaking out jumping all over the house for that pigeon.
Would probably watch that again. Just one of the recent films that caught my eye.
Was entertaining to watch, cause didnt know what was going on.
Didn’t recognize Carl Reiner till I looked up the movie but I guess he was Harlow the Lieutenant assistant or something.
Caught this on TCM
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Wow I guess Glenn Fords dad was in this one.
He was from Glenford Alberta. neat

Aug 24-25 2024

Grace Kelly Day on the TCM.
Ok didn’t know much about this actor.
Watched a couple good ones so far. ‘To Catch a Thief’ ’55
And just finished ‘Rear Window’ ’54

Catch a thief had Cary Grant, Rear window had James Stewart.
They are both Hitchcock film.
Personally I liked em both, like the host said to catch a thief was more playful, Rear Window was more suspense, gotta say I really like Rear Window, He got the Bart Simpson broken leg spying on all the neighbours and uncovering a murder. Its cool though because its just actors in a room, and the set is the back of an apartment complex, so theres lots going on. It was like a wheres waldo, your looking for clues and part of the action, so I gotta say that was a wicked movie, really enjoyed that. Grace Kelly herself I guess Hitchcock really liekd her as the leading lady, and shes been in a bunch of his movies, but she went on to be a princess for real in Monaco, and retired from movie making early. Still good movie day, really liked those 2. I guess I should check out Dial M for Murder.. Ill put it on the list.

Aug 23-24 2024

Never Heard of Robert Shaw till today, of course seen some of his movies, but didn’t know it was him.
Yea some I seen previously, Battle of Britain 69. Force 10 from Navarone 78, Battle of the Bulge 65.

Some new ones, The Sting 1973 That was really good probably my favorite today, had Paul Newmanm and Robert Redford, Robert Shaw played the bad guy mark.
The Luck Of Ginger Coffey 1964, interesting film set in Montreal, it was slightly stylish, but mostly boring., It was kinda artsy fartsy but not too much, more of a drab office, ghetto poor lookin montreal. I was happy to have seen it, but It didnt leave much of an impression on me. I was maybe hoping for a more Leonard Cohen Poetic style, and instead got a 60s office poor man. I think Im thinking of Mr Leonard Cohen 1965 lol.
Anyways thats teh film Ive seen before so I was kind of expecting that..
Moving on I saw the Taking of Pelham One two three, 1974, that was totally awesome. He plays another bad guy hijacking a train. That film included, Walter Matthau, which I know as Mr Wilson from Dennis the Mennis fame. And, a young Jerry Stiller! Which I know affectionally as Frank Costanza, or Arthur Spooner, Carrie Heffernan’s father from King of Queens. Hes a funny actor this time hes a serious transit cop, funy actually cause I know him well from later career but not so much this era.
Anyways the film is a fun heist movie I never seen before thought it was pretty cool. Robert Shaw does this crazy electrocution scene touching the third rail, had myself a little chuckle he was smoking and sizzling lol. Wasnt expecting that.
nah all in all some cool films and cool characters, hes known for more that that, but Thats my little experience with TCM today..
Now Im watching his last film Avalanche express. Its about Cold War some officer defecting to the West and they on a train action. Actually his last film and the director they both had heart attacks. Pretty much months apart. Mark Robson is a interesting personality, with background in Montreal, LA, 20th Century and RKO. Interestingly he edited some of Citizen Kane O. Welles. Another Character I recognize from Avalanche expree is Lee Marving, I think from Dirty Dozen. Maybe Paint your Wagon ? Big Red One sounds familiar, but don’t think I seen it entirely. Although am familiar with the Unit not so much ww1, but ww2, North Africa, Sicily, Dday, Vietnam. Anyways, hes just in a movie entitled that Unit. I think I remember learning about that in a ‘Nam Marvel Comic.

Aug 16 2024

Movie list:
Underwater! ’55
Double Dynamite ’51
Young Widow ’46
Montana Belle ’52
The Las Vegas Story ’52
Macao ’52
His Kind of Woman ’51
The French Line ’53
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes ’53
The Paleface ’48
The Outlaw ’43
The Fuzzy Pink Nightgown ’57
Hot Blood ’56

Nice whole day of Jane Russell.
Wow super sexy in the bad-girl roles.
I watched most of Macao, shes just a vixen on a boat. Funny how she steals the cash from the handsome gentleman almost gets him kicked out of the country after she tosses the wallet. End up giving the money back so he can bribe the Police Chief. Shes a singer.
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, even sexier in this role Its a musical, shes a singer. Um not sure much of the purpose of this movie, besides show off some sexy females in a musical setting lol, cause its all pinup style. Its interesting to watch though following a relay team, the showgirls go to France, men are all over them lol. Second time seeing this one but first time I didnt know who Jane Russell was.
Just watched ‘The Outlaw.’ Was really good. Doc Holiday Billy the kid, they both have a romance with Jane Russell, but shes a bad girl lol, bit of a love triangle there, but it all works out. Recognized Thomas Mitchell from a couple Capra films, Lost Horizon, Mr Smith Washington, and Its a Wonderful Life. So that was fun. Super Pin up really beautiful and good at playing a mean girl lol. Shes certainly not like Marilyn Monroe, shes got the sex appeal, but also like quite a bit of sass, and a evil eyebrow lol.
lol not sure how else I can describe what Ive seen so far. I wonder if she was on Johnny Carson Doesnt appear like I can easily find something.

Another TCM rando movie. It was Cary Grant day, and watched this picture. Was pretty funny. Cary Grant is a observer in the pacific. He gets marooned with a teacher played by Leslie Caron. Her 7 students. Cary Grant, he gets a bottle of Whisky after every successful confirmed report, but the teacher takes it away from him. Turns out pretty funny, the ladies take over the shack, and the student ransack all his belongings, but they end up lovers after all. Thought it was a good Cary Grant picture would watch again. Little bit of Gilligan vibes, and mostly funny not scary. Although some tense moments.

Caught most of this watching on TCM.
Was surprised to see Marlon Brando playing a German with short blonde hair like Eminem.
Was a neat epic movie following a few characters. Not much else to comment on although I thought it was interesting to see and watch caught it randomly on the TCM. Both the American and the German have a tough time although I think the American fairs a little better. One scene some Officers wife is coming onto Brandos character and he just loses it tossing her asides and storming out the building. I would watch it again as it seemed pretty good and I missed some parts, also was just reading the subtitles. But, generally like Brandos pictures, actually havent found one yet I didnt like.
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Oh Deam Martin was in this too didnt even know.

Just caught this on Turner Classic movies.
A younger Humphrey Bogart is a gangster pulling a heist at a Hotel.
He has a few lovers.
Anyways not much to say I was watching in passing he does the robbery things go wrong theres some wild car chases in this film. Like old antique cars lol, goning flying and bursting into flames.
Gangster gets caught in the news paper, makes a run for the mountains another car chase, and leads to a stand off at the mountain top. He gets sniped from behind from a officer that climbs up and flanks him. The dog is all sad. The gf all sad lol. I just wanted a place holder to show I seen this movie, I was especially impressed with the car scenes and how crazy they were. Its always wild to see the old cars get into crashes and crashing into trees and things. Its like watching an antique car go offroading at 100 km/h. Oh yea its because of Ida Lupino film features starring her. Shes quite good. Good looking actress. Lots of media she was in. This just probably the first film I ever seen with her in it. But, thanks to Turner Classic Movies get a bit of a showcase. Just don’t always pay attention the whole thing when its on TV and Im not ‘sitting down’ to watch a movie, but ITs still entertainment. Still working on the Columbia list, just side tracked with Olympics and a few other projects trying to get done this particular month. So happy to have cable again even for this particular channel, always something new and interesting (to me) on.

Just catching this on TV early morning.
Funny film.
Gotta love Mike Myers.
I think this is his movie after Wayne’s World 1.
But, released same year as Wayne’s World 2.
Funny actors was a staple growing up. & who can forget the Kanye And Mike Myers Bush doesnt care about black people. That was pretty funny moment from TV history I think it was during Katrina. This movie is pretty good 90s. Its got some silly jokes, the wedding scene is particularly funny. And, his parents. Just his comedy style its just great to see 31 year later. Its got a little Austin Powers themes as a character. Not much else to say watched this when it came out on VHS. Its a pretty entertaining movie would watch again. Its not too crude, its a comedy most anyone could watch. Comedy mystery. Slapstick sort of.