Friday, 13 January 2017
Volver (2006)
After her death, a mother returns to her home town in order to fix the situations she couldn't resolve during her life.
A sometimes humorous, sometimes quite dark exploration of women's lives in Spain; the female ensemble is excellent, and Almodóvar manages to tell a complex tale in a very light tone without losing any depth.
On renewed viewing: I still agree with my initial opinion.
Maltin***1/2: "Lively, colorful Almodóvar mixture of comedy, drama, emotion, and mysticism clicks with its opening shot and never lets up. It also gives Cruz an extraordinary screen showcase."
Thursday, 12 January 2017
The Andromeda Strain (1971)
A group of scientists investigate a deadly new alien virus before it can spread.
Science fiction in the full sense of the word: an instant classic! Its aesthetics, especially the split-screen, may seem a bit dated, but they do fit the topic well.
On renewed viewing: again, it's pure science fiction.
Halliwell**: "Solemn and over-detailed but generally suspenseful thriller, with a sense of allegory about man's inhumanity to man."
Maltin**1/2: "Overlong sci-fi thriller..."
Psychotronic/Michael Weldon: "An excellent big-budget technological thriller...With great special effects by Douglas Trumbull and an exciting climax with James Olson vs. a computerized laser beam. A pretty terrifying look at the future (present?)."
Wednesday, 11 January 2017
Airport (1970)
A bomber on board an airplane, an airport almost closed by snow, and various personal problems of the people involved.
The movie that started the 70s series of all-star disaster movies and one of the best; sturdily produced, old-fashioned, with multiple plotlines, suspense, melodrama and some comic relief.
Halliwell***: "Glossy, undeniably entertaining, all-star version of a popular novel, with cradboard characters skilfully deployed in Hollywood's very vest style."
Maltin***1/2: "GRAND HOTEL plot formula reaches latter-day zenith in ultraslick, old-fashioned movie that entertains in spite of itself...Plastic performances dominate, with down-to-earth Kennedy, touching Stapleton, and nervous Heflin standing out."
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