On the set: Fritz Lang and Marilyn Monroe
Tuesday, 3 November 2015
The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
Two imprisoned men bond over a number of years, finding solace and eventual redemption through acts of common decency.
Drawn-out, but never boring and always touching buddy story, the movie manages to revive some old and almost forgotten Hollywood virtues, basically an interesting story well told.
On renewed viewing: Still agree with my old assessment, a modern-day fairy tale.
Halliwell*: "A melodrama of wasted lives and male bonding with a twist ending, more enjoyable for the performances than the narrative, which veers unpredictably between toughness and sentimentality."
Maltin**1/2: "Widely praised film is well crafted but terribly overlong, and (like much of Stephen King's non-horror writing) hollow and predictable."
The Final Countdown (1980)
A modern aircraft carrier is thrown back in time to 1941 near Hawaii, just hours before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
On the surface a silly time-travel story wasting talent and presenting bad special effects; in reality it's a commercial for the U.S. Navy.
Halliwell*: "Quite an enjoyable bit of schoolboy science fiction, but containing no more body than an episode of Twilight Zone. The ending, as so often, is impenetrable."
Maltin***: "Familiar but satisfying fantasy yarn; perfect TV fare although better viewed in widescreen."
Reeker (2005)
Strangers trapped at an eerie travel oasis in the desert must unravel the mystery behind their visions of dying people while they are preyed upon by a decaying creature.
Chaotic horror movie leaves you wondering throughout what's going on; the Carnival of Souls-like resolution hardly helps and is in no way the surprise it's obviously intended to be.
4 mosche di velluto grigio (1971)
A musician is stalked by an unknown killer who's blackmailing him for an accidential killing of another stalker.
Early Dario Argento giallo that already reveals the director's trademarks: atmosphere and style get preference over the logic of a convincing plot, imaginative set pieces, suspenseful and blood-curdling sequences, a pop soundtrack slightly off-kilter to the ongoings on screen - and everything highly entertaining.
Maltin**: "Unabsorbing psychological murder-mystery with performers who walk through their roles in a very disinterested fashion."
Sunday, 1 November 2015
Girls in the Night (1953)
A family's efforts to move out of a slum area into a better neighborhood is hampered when their son is accused of the murder of a local blind beggar.
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