(ph: Edward Steichen)
Thursday, 9 September 2021
Aliens (1986)
The planet from Alien (1979) has been colonized, but contact is lost so a
rescue team with impressive firepower is sent to investigate.
Sensible sequel to a sci-fi classic and upping the ante on suspense and
action, although there are some silly moments (alien mother riding the
elevator).
On re-watching: A step down from the original, more focused on action, but it certainly delivers the goods.
Halliwell*: "Frightening but mechanical sequel with none of the half-assed poetry of the original."
Maltin***1/2: "Intense, exciting sequel directed by Cameron the same way
he did THE TERMINATOR - once it gets going there's just no letup!
Weaver is sensational in compelling leading role."
Wednesday, 8 September 2021
The Party Crashers (1958)
An unruly teenage gang gets their kicks by crashing square teen parties around town.
Sunday, 5 September 2021
Wild (2014)
A chronicle of one woman's one thousand one hundred mile solo hike undertaken as a way to recover from a recent personal tragedy.
Compelling and at times powerful personal travelogue convinces with Witherspoon's strong performance, competent direction and good landscape cinematography.
Saturday, 4 September 2021
Alien (1979)
After a space merchant vessel receives an unknown transmission as a distress call, one of the crew is attacked by a mysterious life form and they soon realize that its life cycle has merely begun.
Superbly directed and highly suspenseful sci-fi thriller, the decrepit spaceship design and especially the truly abhorrent creation of the alien still influence sci-fi and horror movies to this day.
On re-watching: a classic of its genre that reveals new details on every new viewing.
Halliwell****: "Deliberately scarifying and highly commercial shocker. On its own terms, a classic of suspense - and art direction."
Maltin***1/2: "Space-age horror film reverts to 1950s formula, but unfolds at a deliberate pace, populates the story with interesting, colorful characters, and plants its (genuine) shock moments with exceptional skill. Imitated but seldom equaled."
Friday, 3 September 2021
One-Eyed Jacks (1961)
After robbing a Mexican bank, Dad Longworth takes the loot and leaves his partner Rio to be captured but Rio escapes and searches for Dad in California.
Superior Western offers a psychologically complex revenge story with great performances and beautiful cinematography, but is not always coherent in its characterizations, and the romance is not quite convincing.
Halliwell (no star): "Grossly self-indulgent Western controlled (unwisely) by its star, full of solemn pauses and bouts of violence."
Maltin***: "Fascinating but flawed psychological Western...Visually striking, and a rich character study, but overlong."
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