While the City Sleeps 1956

     This film is based on a real murder case that took place in 1946 and a novel written by Charles Einstein titled Bloody Spur.  William Heirens killed three women in Chicago.  He left a message in lipstick on the bathroom mirror after the second murder.  He wrote to police and asked them to catch him before he killed again.  He was called the lipstick Killer by the press.  Amos Kyne was a media mogul and his sudden death is creating a power struggle between his executives.  Reporter Edward Mobley wants to be the one to catch the killer and he also wants to prevent this media empire from going to the wrong person.  He becomes engaged to Nancy Liggett but he keeps making mistakes with their relationship.  Finally, Nancy is not even speaking to him!! 

     I knew it was Ida Lupino in this film.  She was in many films from 1933 to 1947.  In 1947 she left Warner Brothers and she began a new career as a director, writer and producer.  Good roles for women were hard to get and there was a LOT of competition between young actresses and established stars.  Most of her films were inexpensive melodramas and she switched to television.   She directed The Untouchables of 1959 and The Fugitive of 1963.  I didn’t know how this was going to play out in catching the murderer?  There was a LOT of tension since the viewer doesn't know if he will kill again or if he will be caught?  There was a LOT of fighting in the newsroom and they needed to get going on stopping the killer.  3 ½* (I liked this movie)     

100 min, Crime directed by Fritz Lang with Dana Andrews, Rhonda Fleming, George Sanders, Howard Duff, Thomas Mitchell, Vincent Price, Sally Forrest, John Drew Barrymore, James Craig, Ida Lupino, Robert Warwick, Mae Marsh, Ralph Peters, Sandra White, Larry J. Blake.

Note:  Imdb 7 out of 10, 89% critic 68% audience on Rotten Tomatoes, Eye For Film 3 1/2* out of 5*, Blu-ray.com 3 1/2* out of 5* with 25 ratings, Amazon 3.7, 38 reviews.

Special Note:  Filmed in Downtown and the Pacific Electric Subway Tunnel, Los Angeles, California but the story is supposed to have taken place in New York.  Howard Duff is in the role of Lt. Burt Kaufman and Ida Lupino is Mildred Donner.  In real life they are married but they have no scenes together.  They were married in October of 1951 and divorced in 1984.   The producers were set to distribute this film through United Artists but it was sold to RKO for $500,000 ($4.57M in 2017).  This was done to ensure a faster and wider release.  The original title was News Is Made At Night.   

Lost Horizon 1937

     This film is based on a novel by James Hilton.  The setting of film is 1935, diplomat Robert Conway is trying to rescue 90 Westerners in the city of Baskul, China.  Armed revolutionaries will soon be descending upon those who are left behind.  The passengers don’t know that the pilot has been replaced and the aircraft hijacked.  It runs out of fuel and crashes deep in the Himalayan Mountains.  The crash kills the pilot and the group is rescued by Chang and taken to Shangra-La.  This is an idyllic valley sheltered from the bitter cold mountains by on all sides.  The inhabitants are very content in their lives and the High Lama is their leader.  All of the new arrivals are anxious to return to civilization but they begin to love Shangra-La.  Robert Conway wants to stay but his brother George and Maria a woman he has met are determined and desperate to leave.  Robert is worried that George and Maria won’t make it out of the snow-covered mountains alive unless he goes with them.

     I thought this film was interesting and many times I wondered if the circumstances of where they were living were really true?  If it’s true, why would anyone ever want to leave?  It is also rumored that people don’t make it out if they try to leave?   The area of Shangra-La reminds me of Tibet.  James Hilton is also the writer of Goodbye, Mr. Chips, Random Harvest plus another 17 novels, 7 other novels were made into films.  3 ½* (I liked this movie)  

      

132 min, Adventure directed by Frank Capra with Ronald Colman, Jane Wyatt, Edward Everett Horton, John Howard, Thomas Mitchell, Margo, Isabel Jewell, H.B. Warner, Sam Jaffe.  

Note:  Imdb 7.8 out of 10, 92% critic 82% audience on Rotten Tomatoes, Empire Online 4* out of 5*, TCM average user rating 3.69 out of 5.

Special Note:  This film exceeded its original budget by more than $776,000 and it took 5 years to earn back its cost.  The approved budget was $1.25 million and this was the largest amount ever allocated to a project at this time.  It created a serious financial crisis for Columbia Pictures and damaged the partnership between Capra and Studio Head Harry Cohn.  It also strained the friendship between Capra and Robert Riskin, the writer of the screenplay.  Selected in 2016 for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being culturally, historically or aesthetically significant.  An eccentric millionaire built an exact copy of the Shangra-La Lamasery in Denver, Colorado and it still exists today.  The first cut ran for 6 hours and then was shortened to 3 ½ hours.  Re-shooting and re-cutting followed after a disastrous preview.  The film was again shortened for television viewing and 25 minutes of footage deleted.  UCLA tried to reconstruct the film but most of the cut footage was degraded and not usable.  Stills were added to fill in the missing scenes to follow the soundtrack.  Jane Wyatt was married to Ronald Reagan (California Governor 1967-1975, US President 1981-1989) between January 26,1940, they had two daughters but one lived only one day.  They adopted a third child a son and they divorced in 1949.  Reagan married Nancy Davis on March 4, 1952.  They had two children, a daughter and a son.  There is another film with the same title from 1973.

Murder on the Orient Express 1974

     The time of this film is the December 1935 departure of the Orient Express from Istanbul.  The train is full but Hercule Poirot needs to get back to London as soon as possible.  He is able to secure last minute passage in a compartment with the aide of his friend Signor Bianchi.  Signor is one of the directors of the train line and he will also be making the trip.  Several of the first class passengers are concerned about the presence of Poirot on the train.  One of the passengers asks Poirot to provide protection for him due to several recent death threats.  Later, this man is found murdered in his stateroom and he has received 12 stab wounds.  The train is unexpectedly stopped and delayed due to snow in a remote area of Yugoslavia.  The murderer may have wanted to leave the train but this won’t be possible until the track is cleared.  Poirot is on the case right away and the other passengers are cautioned not to disturb important clues left behind by the murderer.

     In 1929, a westbound Orient Express train was stuck in heavy snow for 5 days at Tcherkesskeuy and this is about 130km from Istanbul.  This incident inspired the setting of the book and this film.  Each actor who has played Hercule Poirot has brought different touches and a different look to his character.  My favorite is David Suchet, his voice is used in the Orient Express Video Game and he starred in 70 TV series episodes from 1989 to 2013.  The 2017 film with the same title has an Imdb rating of 6.5.   Both the 1974 and 2017 films have exactly the same story with different actors.  It’s difficult to say which film is the best??  All the characters seem to be unrelated in any way except by marriage or employment but is that really true?  It is living in high style to be traveling on the Orient Express at any time period!!  3 ½* (I liked this movie)

128 min, Crime directed by Sidney Lumet with Albert Finney, Lauren Bacall, Ingrid Bergman, Jacqueline Bisset, Jean-Pierre Cassel, Sean Connery, John Gielgud, Wendy Hillere, Anthony Perkins, Vanessa Redgrave.

Note:  Imdb 7.3 out of 10, 91% critic 79% audience, Roger Ebert 3*,  Amazon 3.9* out of 5* with 1592 reviews, Metacritic 63 out of 100 with 6 critics. 

Special Note:  Filmed in Doubs and Paris France; Hertfordshire England, UK; Istanbul, Turkey.  Agatha Christie attended the premiere of this film in November 1974 at the age of 84 years old.  It was the only film adaptation in her lifetime and that she was completely satisfied with.  She felt Albert Finney’s performance came closest to her idea of Poirot.  But, she was not impressed with the style of his mustache.  In this film, Poirot's hair is lavishly oiled, he wears a hairnet and a mustache guard when he sleeps?  Make-up required many hours before shooting each day.  Finney was also performing in a stage play at the same time as filming.  An ambulance picked him up still asleep at his house.  He was carefully transported in his pajamas so he wouldn’t wake up.  During the 30-minute commute to the studio, the make-up artist would begin the rough work on his face.  The fine detail work was completed at the studio while he was still sleeping.  The luxury food being inspected and carried aboard the train was stolen from the set just before shooting.  All the required food had to be repurchased in the middle of the night on location in Paris.

Blockers 2018

     Single mother Lisa Decker drops off her daughter Julie for her first day of kindergarten.  Right away, two other girls, Kayla and Sam, join Julie in front of the school.  They become friends for the rest of their school years.   Lisa meets their fathers, Kayla’s dad Mitchell and Sam’s dad Hunter.  They also become close friends throughout the school years.  Now it’s senior year and the girls are going to prom.  Lisa, Mitchell and Hunter see some of the texts the girls are sending to each other.  The subject matter leads them to begin following the girls instead of letting them go along with their plans for prom night.

     I thought this was funny and the parents get into more trouble than the girls!!  Lisa is in denial that she is going to really miss Julie.  She’s been worrying about the day Julie goes to college for 18 years.  Mitchell is overprotective and he wants to keep Kayla a little girl forever.  Hunter carries a lot of guilt because he feels he neglected Sam after his bitter separation from her mother.  I didn’t know how this was going was going to end?  3 1/2* (I liked this movie)

 

102 min, Comedy directed by Kay Cannon with Leslie Mann, John Cena, Ike Barinholtz, Kaathryn Newton, Geraldine Viswanathan, Gideon Adlon, Ramona Young, Graham Phillips, Miles Robbins, Jimmy Bellinger, Colton Dunn, Sarayu Blue, Gary Cole Gina Gershon, June Diane Raphael.

Note:  Imdb 6.2 out of 10, 83% critic 50% audience on Rotten Tomatoes, Roger Ebert 2 1/2*, Amazon 3.7* out of 5* with 351 reviews, Metacritic 69 out of 100 with 46 critics 6.1 out of 10 with 109 reviews, Common Sense Media 3* out of 5*, age 17+, positive 3*, role models 3*, violence 3*, sex 5*, language 5*, consumerism 2*, drinking drugs, smoking 4*, The Guardian 4* out of 5* Simran Hans.

Special Note:  Filmed in Atlanta, Georgia.  The hotel in the film is the Hyatt Regency in downtown Atlanta.  The original script had three fathers as the leads.  One father was changed to a mother with Leslie Mann in this role.  Gross was worldwide of $93 million with a production budget of $21 million for a profit of $72 million.

A Wrinkle in Time 2018

     This film is based on a book by Madeleine L’Engle published in 1961.  Thirteen-year-old Meg’s father Dr. Alex Murry is a well-renowned astrophysicist.  He was working on a new form of space travel and he disappeared.  Meg’s mother Dr. Kate Murry believes her husband teleported to another world?  Meg has a LOT of trouble with bullying in school.  She has a younger brother Charles Wallace and he tries to stand up for himself and also for Meg.  One evening, Charles Wallace welcomes Mrs. Whatsit into their home?  Meg reminds him that they are not allowed to let strangers into the house?  Mrs. Whasit informs them that their father was investigating a tesseract and this is a real type of space travel.  The next day, Meg and a classmate Calvin O’Keefe go to the house of Mrs. Who.  She speaks only in quotations and she knows Charles Wallace?  Calvin meets Meg and Charles Wallace in their backyard.  Mrs. Whatsit and Mrs. Who appear with another woman, Mrs. Which.  She is the oldest of the three women and she appears as a giant.  They say they are astral travelers.

     I have read the book A Wrinkle in Time and I think it’s much better than this movie!!  This film works for kids but the book satisfies both children and adults?  It was nice to see the three women in their makeup and costumes but self-visualization is more powerful than seeing them in this film!!   There were some reviewers that thought this film should not be PG rated because it’s scary and creepy in some scenes?  I had trouble keeping interesting and there was a LOT of unexplained confusion!!  2* (I didn’t like this movie)

109 min, Adventure directed by Ava DuVernay with Storm Reid, Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon, Mindy Kaling, Levi Miller Deric McCae, Chris Pine, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Zach Galifianakis, Michael Pena, Andre Holland, Rowan Blanchard, Bellamy Young David Oyelowo, Conrad Roberts.

Note:  Imdb 4.2 out of 10, 42% critic 29% audience on Rotten Tomatoes, Roger Ebert 2 ½*, Amazon 3* out of 5* with 664 reviews, Common Sense Media 3* out of 5*, age 10+, positive 4*, role models 4*, violence 3*, sex 1*, language 1*, The Guardian 2* out of 5* Wendy Ide.

Special Note:  The novel has 4.5* out of 5* with 3454 reviews on Amazon.  Filmed in Eureka, Santa Clarita, Los Angeles, California and Otago, New Zealand.  The theatrical release of this film was cancelled in several overseas countries (Belgium and Netherlands). There were mixed-to-negative critical reactions and a disappointing box-office in the US.  Instead, the release overseas was straight to Video-on-Demand unless it was thought to be profitable in certain countries.  Oprah Winfrey didn’t audition for her role.  She was texting Director Ava DuVernay and Ava mentioned a new release of A Wrinkle in Time.  DuVernay asked if she could work with Winfrey.  The gross was $132.7 million worldwide with $250 million spent on production and advertisement.  The gross needed to be at least $400 million to turn a profit.  The Disney Studio lost an estimated $86-186 million.

Kalinka 2016

     Another title for this film is In Your Name and his film is based on a true story.  Andre Bamberski’s daughter Kalinka passed away on July 10, 1982 in Germany.  She was 14 years old, she was visiting Andre’s former wife Dany and her new husband Doctor Dieter Frombach.  Andre asked for a copy of the autopsy report and he believes Dieter killed his daughter.  He spends 30 years of his life bringing Dieter to justice.  The different governments of France and Germany could not agree on prosecuting Dieter for many years.  It wasn’t until more people came forward and accused Dieter of wrongdoings that Dany finally believed Dieter murdered her daughter.

     I thought this was good and Andre finally received justice for his daughter but it was at a high cost.  He was dating Cecile but she finally left him because she knew he would never give up on this case.   She was 40 years old and she wanted to have a child but Andre would not consider the idea.  Andre’s father told him to think of his own life and also of Cecile.  Everything in his life was clouded by the injustice done to his daughter.  He also had a son but he didn’t seem to have enough room for his son and the case.  3* (This movie is OK)

97 min Bio directed by Vincent Garenq with Daniel Auteuil, Sebastian Koch, Marie-Josee Croze, Christelle Cornil, Lila-Rose Gilberti, Emma Besson, Christian Kmiotek.

Note:  Imdb 7 out of 10, 100% critic 92% audience on Rotten Tomatoes, Amazon 5* 1 review.  Filmed in Germany, France, Morocco. 

Seal Team, Season One 2017-2018:

     This series focuses on the missions and the lives of the elite Navy S.E.A.L.s.  They plan and execute the most dangerous and high-stakes missions asked of them by our country.  The men in Bravo Team are a sub-unit of the US Naval Special Warfare Development Group.  They are highly trained and always on call.  They plan, practice and undertake these dangerous missions worldwide.  Many times they are going into foreign countries where they are not allowed to be.  Sometimes they encounter teams from other countries also not allowed to be there.

     There are many mistakes in these episodes but usually only people who have served in the military notice them.  It can be in procedures, uniforms and weaponry.  They get in many tight situations, they need to keep their cool.  They need to have experience in many types of surveillance, combat and have knowledge of medical procedures.  I like Dita the dog!!  She saves the lives of the men and makes their missions easier with her training and her nose.  She’s a very valuable asset and she gets along with everyone on the team without any complaints!!  She can even climb a ladder!!  3 ½* (I liked this series)

TV series each episode 43 min, Action, 6 discs, 22 episodes, created by Benjamin Cavell with David Boreanaz, Max Thieriot, Jessica Pare, Neil Brown Jr., A.J. Buckley, Toni Trucks, Judd Lormand, Tyler Grey, Justin Melnick, Dita The Hair Missile Dog, Alona Tal, Dan Briggs.

Note:  Imdb 7 out of 10, 68% critic 81% audience on Rotten Tomatoes, Metacritic 57 out of 100 with 16 critics 5.2 out of 10 with 47 ratings, Amazon Video 4.1* out of 5* with 138 reviews, Common Sense Media 3* out of 5*, age 13+, positive 1*, role models 1*, violence 3*, language 2*.

Special Note:  Originally Jim Caviezel was set to play the lead character Jason but he dropped out.  David Boreanaz was also in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Bones. 

Love, Simon 2018

     This film was adapted from the book Simon vs.The Homosapiens Agenda.  Simon Spier is a popular high school senior but he has a secret that he has only shared with an unknown online friend.  Simon has no idea who is friend is and he goes by the name Blue.  Simon also doesn’t know if Blue knows who Simon is?  Simon has been nervous for a LONG time about telling anyone that he is gay.  He only talks to Blue about this online and he really doesn’t know if he wants to know who Blue is? 

     Teenage years are filled with growing pains in many different ways.  Simon wonders why gay people need to come out?   He feels like he needs to really find himself before he can tell other people about who he is?  There is a lot of peer pressure in this film and there are instances of bullying from other students.  3* (This movie is OK) 

110 min, Drama directed by Greg Berlanti with Nick Robinson, Jennifer Garner, Josh Duhamel, Katherine Langford, Alexandra Shipp, Logan Miller, Keiynan Lonsdale, Jorge Lendeborg, Jr., Talitha Eliana Bateman, Tony Hale, Natasha Rothwell, Miles Heizer, Joey Pollari.

Note:  Imdb 7.7 out of 10, 92% critic 89% audience on Rotten Tomatoes, Roger Ebert 3 ½*, Amazon 4.7* out of 5* with 587 reviews, Common Sense Media 4* out of 5*, age 13+, positive 5*, role models 4*, violence 2*, sex 3*, language 3*, consumerism 2*, Metacritic 72 out of 100 with 38 critics 8.2 of 10 with 228 reviews, The Guardian 4* out of 5* by Peter Bradshaw.  

Special Note:  Filmed in Atlanta, Georgia.  At the beginning of production Nick Robinson’s brother came out as gay.  Temple Hill Entertainment produced this film and they also adapted The Fault in Our Stars of 2014 and The Maze Runner of 2014 from young adult novels. 

The 15:17 to Paris 2018

     In the early evening of August 21, 2015,  a terrorist attack was thwarted on Thalys train #9364 bound for Paris.  Three Americans were traveling through Europe and they decided to visit Paris.  Spencer Stone, Alek Skarlatos and Anthony Sadler had become friends in middle school.  There were interested in guns and they were often sent to the principal’s office for behavior problems.  Spencer is in the Air Force, Alek is in the Army serving in Afghanistan and Anthony is now a college student.  They decide to see Europe together.  An American-born Frenchman notices that one of the restrooms has been occupied for an unusually long time?  Upon investigation, a terrorist runs out with an assault rifle!!

     Fortunately for themselves and the other passengers Spencer and Alek were in excellent physical shape because of their military training.  Once other passengers see the terrorist being subdued, they join in the effort with Anthony to further overwhelm the man.  The next step is treat one of the passengers with a neck wound.  Spencer is able to stop the bleeding and he has knife wounds on his head and neck.  The French paramedics come on board to treat their injuries.  The police also enter the train fully armed and they remove the unconscious terrorist.  Spencer, Alek and Anthony are playing themselves in this film.  In reality, I wondered how an entire film could be made from an attack with a short time span.  It was accomplished by starting from middle school.  There was an official ceremony with the President of France recognizing the three men as heroes of the French Republic for their gallantry and bravery.  3 ½* (I liked this movie)

94 min, Bio directed by Clint Eastwood with Alek Skarlatos, Anthony Sadler, Spencer Stone, Ray Corasani, Judy Greer, Jenna Fischer, Irene White, William Jennings, Bryce Gheisar, Stephen Matthew Smith, P.J. Byrne, Paul-Mikel Williams, Thomas Lennon, Tony Hale, Grant Weaver.

Note:  Imdb 5.1 out of 10, 24% critic 39% audience, Roger Ebert 2*, Amazon 3.5* out of 5* with 278 reviews, Common Sense Media 3* of 5*, age 14+, positive 3*, role models 3*, violence 4*, sex 2*, language 3*, consumerism 2*, drinking drugs & smoking 2*, Rolling stone 2 ½* out of 4* Peter Travers, Metacritic 45 out of 100 with 36 critics 4.8 out of 10 with 73 reviews.

Special Note:  Filmed in Atlanta, Georgia; Noord-Holland, Netherlands; Veneto and Lazio Italy; Brussels, Belgium; Vatican City; Paris France.

Big Fish & Begonia 2016

    There is another world within our world that is not seen by humans.  The beings there control time, tide and the changing of the seasons.  Chun turns sixteen and she is transformed into a dolphin to explore the human world.  When a vortex opens for Chun to return to her world, she is caught in a net.  A human boy drowns freeing her from the net.  She feels she must give him back his life because of his kindness and courage.  His soul is inside a tiny fish and Chun must nurture it to grow.  When the fish has grown enough, Chun must release him back to the sea.

     There is a LOT more to this story than what is on the surface since it is based on Chinese mythology.  There are many Chinese cultural differences not understood in Western cultures?  The animation is very beautiful and filled with color.  There were many times I wondered how this was going to turn out.  Would the ending be happy or would it be tragic instead?  I was drawn into the characters both human and animal.  3 ½* (I liked this movie)  

100 min, Animation directed by Xuan Liang and Chun Zhang with the voices of Guanlin Ji, Shangqing Su, Timmy Xu, Shulan Pan, Yuanyuan Zhang, Jiu’er, Lifang Xue, Jie Zhang, Xiaoyu Liu, Zhongyang Baomu, Yu Cheng, JB Blanc, Johnny Yong Bosch, Greg Chun, Todd Haberkorn.

Note:  Imdb 7.2 out of 10, 90% critic 73% audience on Rotten Tomatoes, Roger Ebert 3 ½*, Amazon 3.9* out of 5* with 20 reviews, Indie Wire Grade B-, Metacritic 72 out of 100 with 10 critics 7.3 out of 10 with 7 reviews, c/net 3.5* out of 5*, The Guardian 3* out of 5* Cath Clarke.

Special Note:  Filmed in Beijing, China.  This film became China’s second highest grossing locally produced animated feature.  It is the directorial film debut of Xuan Liang and Chun Zhang. 

A Walk in the Sun 1945

     This film is based on a novel by Harry Brown.  The setting is during the 1944 invasion of Italy by American servicemen.  A platoon lands, digs in and then makes its way inland to blow up a bridge.  The bridge is next to a fortified farmhouse and the tension and casualties begin to mount.  There are long quiet stretches of talking and then sharp random burst of violent action.  Those involved are also not able to see the big picture but only the here and now.

     I know this film has received many accolades but maybe I just didn’t see that movie??  I thought this was sappy and unrealistic??  Also, another review has pointed out that it's a good idea to read the book prior to watching the film??  2* (I didn’t like this movie) 

117 min, War directed by Lewis Milestone with Dana Andrews, Richard Conte, George Tyne, John Ireland, Lloyd Bridge, Sterling Holloway, Norman Lloyd, Herbert Rudley, Richard Benedict, Huntz Hall, James Cardwell.

Note:  Imdb 7.3 out of 10, 100% critic 77% audience on Rotten Tomatoes, Amazon 3.8* out of 5* with 73 reviews, TCM Leonard Maltin 3.5* out of 4* average user rating 4.35*.

Special Note:  Filmed in Agoura Ranch, Agoura and 20^th Century Fox Ranch, Calabasas, California.  Named one of the year’s ten best films by the National Board of Review.  This is the film debut of John Ireland and Robert Horton.  Producer Sam Bronston was forced to shut down production due to problems with creditors.  The project was taken over by Director Lewis Milestone and his company Superior Productions.  There is another film with the same title filmed in 2012. 

Libeled Lady 1936

     The chief editor of the New York Evening Star Newspaper is Warren Haggerty.  He has been delaying his marriage to Gladys Benton because of problems his newspapers are facing.  Connie Allenbury is a very wealthy woman but she files a $5 million lawsuit.  She is angry because the newspaper printed that she is a marriage-breaker and the accusations are false.  Warren arranges for Bill Chandler to marry Gladys and Bill will arrange for Connie to unknowingly break up their marriage.  This will cause her to drop the lawsuit.

     Every time there are romantic schemes like this one, they seem to get into a muddle for everyone, they fail or there is a different outcome??  There are a LOT of funny moments and especially when William Powell is trying to fish with Myrna Loy and her father played by Walter Connolly.  Powell has a how to book with him and he has to grab it before it floats down the river where Myrna and Walter are fishing.  I liked the hairstyles and makeup of the women and the clothing of this period.  I also liked the cars.    3 ½* (I liked this movie)

98 min, Comedy directed by Jack Conway with Jean Harlow, William Powell, Myrna Loy, Spencer Tracy, Walter Connolly, Charley Grapewin, Cora Witherspoon, E.E. Clive, Bunny Beatty, Otto Yamaoka, Charles Trowbridge, Spencer Charters, George Chandler, William ‘Billy’ Benedict.

Note:  Imdb 7.9 out of 10, 82% critic 89% audience on Rotten Tomatoes, Amazon 4.6* out of 5* with 84 reviews, TCM Leonard Maltin 4* of 4* average user rating 4.55*, Slant Magazine 2* of 4*, Three Movie Buffs 4*.

Special Note:  Filmed in Sonora and MGM Studios, Culver City, California.  After the passing of Jean Harlow in 1937, she was dressed in the gown she wore in this film.  She was buried in Glendale’s Forest Lawn Cemetery.  This film and the 1932 film Grand Hotel were the few pictures to receive an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture without receiving any other nominations?  The four stars in this film become close friends. William Powell gave up his usual habit of hiding out in his dressing room between scenes.  Spencer Tracey had a running gag he played on Myrna Loy.  He claimed that she had broken his heart when she recently married producer Arthur Hornblow Jr.  He set up a “I Hate Hornblow” table in the commissary reserved for men who claimed to have been spurned by Loy.  In a 1987 autobiography, Myrna Loy wrote that Libeled Lady was one of the best of the so-called screwball comedies.  This film earned $2.7 million at the box office with a net profit of $1,189,000.  There is another film with the same titled filmed in 2003.

Ferdinand 2017

     This film is based on a book written by Munro Leaf and Robert Lawson published March 31, 2011.  Ferdinand is destined to become a fearless fighting bull but now as a calf he is a young flower-loving pacifist living in Spain.  He pulls together his courage and escapes from a Spanish bull-training camp.  He leaves behind the other calves Bones, Guapo and Valiente.  He finds himself on little Nina’s idyllic and fragrant farm.  He has an unfortunate run-in with a busy golden bee and he’s sent back to the old Casa del Toro Academy.  He's being trained again to be a fighting bull.  The famous matador El Primero selects his worthy bull opponents for the arena at this academy.  Ferdinand is a mountain of muscles but can he continue to be a gentle giant?

     The other bulls want to be picked by El Primero but Ferdinand learns what really happens to the "lucky" bull chosen for the ring.  When he was returned to training, he learned that a Scottish bull named Angus and a silent but intimidating bull named Maquina have been added to the bull lineup.  Ferdinand tries to tell the other bulls what he knows but they won't listen!!  I thought this was interesting and good.  The film really brings the animals and people to life.  3 1/2* (I liked this movie)

 

108 min, Animation directed by Carlos Saldanha with the voices John Cena Kate McKinnon, Bobby Canavale, Jet Jurgensmeyer, Nile Diaz, Colin H. Murphy, Jeremy Sisto, Raul Esparza, Juanes, Jerrod Carmichael, Lily Day.

Note:  Imdb 6.7 out of 10, 71% critic 50% audience on Rotten Tomatoes, Amazon 4.6* out of 5* with 586 reviews, Metacritic 58 out of 100 with 20 critics 6.8 out of 10 with 71 reviews.

Special Note:  Filmed in Greenwich, Connecticut and Madrid, Spain.  The original Ferdinand The Bull was a Disney animated short first shown in 1938.  Nina and Ferdinand live in Ronda and it’s in the south of Spain. This village is known for having established the oldest bullring in the world in 1785.  Carlos Saldahna also directed three Ice Age films, two Rio films and Robots.  Koukoi Games released a mobile video gamed base on this film called Ferdinand: Unstoppabull.     

Unsane 2018

     Sawyer Valentini has moved away from her home town after the death of her father.  She has been stalked by a man, she needs to get away to a new area with new people and a new job.  Her mother is concerned about Sawyer and they try to talk on the phone every day.  Sawyer occasionally sees the face of her stalker in other men?  She makes an appointment with a counselor at Highland Creek Behavioral Center.  This starts to go bad when she learns she will be kept for seven days against her will.  She calls the police to be released but they see her signed release form and they aren’t able to do anything.  She will stay for seven days and she is forced to take daily medication.  She tried telling everyone that she wants to leave!!

     I was surprised that a person can be signed into a treatment facility after just meeting with a counselor?  One of the other patients tells Sawyer that the Center wants to keep her until her medical insurance refuses to pay anymore.  It doesn’t matter if she is really having enough mental instability to be kept for an extended period.  Once the money runs out, the patient has had a miracle cure!!  If Sawyer tries to protest her treatment, she is given more medication and put into restraints if they seem to be warranted.   3 ½* (I liked this movie) 

98 min, Thriller directed by Steven Soderbergh with Claire Foy, Joshua Leonard, Juno Temple, Jay Pharoah, Sarah Stiles, Marc Kudisch, Amy Irving, Colin Woodell, Myra Lucretia Taylor, Lynda Mauze, Azch Cherry, Polly McKie, Raul Castillo, Michael Mihm, Robert Kelly.

Note:  Imdb 6.4 out of 10, 80% critic 57% audience on Rotten Tomatoes, Roger Ebert 3*, Amazon 3.3* out of 5* with 242 reviews, Metacritic 63 out of 100 with 45 critics 6.3 out of 10 with 91 reviews, The Telegraph 2* of 5*, Common Sense Media3* out of 5*, age 16+, 2* positive, 3* role models, 4* violence, 1* sex, 4* language, 3* drinking, drugs, smoking.

Special Note:  Filmed in Summit Park Hospital, Pomona, New York; Mamaroneck Ave, Broadlawn Apartments and The Brazen Fox, White Plains, New York.  This film was shot entirely with an iPhone 7 Plus camera in 4KI using the app FILMiC Pro, shot in just 10 days and the budget was $1.2 million.  Worldwide gross was $12.3 million for a profit of $11.1 million minus production budget and advertising.

411.1 million.   The Summit Park Hospital was used for filming since it recently closed.  Juno Temple plays Violet and this is Juno’s real middle name. 

Odd Man Out 1947

     The setting of this film is in Ireland after WWII.  A clandestine Irish organization (the IRA) has been planning a hold-up that will give the group the funds needed to continue their activities.  Johnny McQueen is the leader of this group and he has been hiding out in a house since he escaped from prison.  He’s been staying with Kathleen and her mother in Belfast.  The other members of the group are advising Johnny to let someone else head up this hold-up?  Johnny has not been outside of this house for six months.  Johnny refuses and the hold-up goes bad.  Johnny is shot in the shoulder and he goes into hiding.  Johnny also killed a man when he was trying to get away.  The police have the town sealed up and they are looking in every corner for Johnny.

     Many of the citizens of Belfast would like to find Johnny McQueen.  His group wants to locate him and they know he has a shoulder wound.  Others are very interested in the reward offered for turning in Johnny.  The only luck Johnny seems to have is BAD luck!!  It never stops raining until it starts snowing and he’s been bleeding heavily.  3 ½* (I liked this movie)

116 min, Crime directed by Carol Reed with James Mason, Robert Newton, Cyril Cusack, F.J. McCormick, William Hartnell, Fay Compton, Denis O’Dea, W.G. Fay, Maureen Delaney, Elwyn Brook-James, Robert Beatty, Dan O’Herlihy, Kitty Kirwan, Beryl Measor, Roy Irving. 

Note:  Imdb 7.8 out of 10, 100% critic 87% audience on Rotten Tomatoes, Amazon 4.3* out of 5* with 98 reviews, Slant Magazine 4* out of 5*, Empire Online 5*, TCM Leonard Maltin 4*, user ratings 4.54* of 5*.

Special Note:  Filmed in Belfast, County Antrim, Northern Ireland; Broadway Market, Hackney, London and D&P Studios, Denham Studios, Denham, Buckinghamshire, England, UK.  Most of the cast was recruited from Dublin’s Abbey Theatre.  James Mason said this is his best career performance and his favorite of the Carol Reed films.  Originally, the lead role was offered to Stewart Granger but he turned it down.  He scanned the script and thought there wasn’t enough dialogue but he later thought he had made a mistake.  F.J. McCormick is a veteran Irish stage actor and he died of a brain tumor shortly after the release of this film.  This is the first British film to win the BAFTA award for Best British Film.  Included in the 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die edited by Steven Schneider.  This is the 15^th film directed by Carol Reed.

As Young as You Feel 1951

     John Hodges is 65 years old and he has been playing the piccolo in an orchestra but he is let go.  He did a piccolo solo and the conductor was not pleased by his actions!!  There was supposed to be a harp solo instead??  John learns that the Acme Printing Company where he works as a printer and the sponsor of the orchestra is owned by the parent company Consolidated Motors.  The only way for John to get his job back is to go visit the parent company.  He dyes his beard and hair darker because he wants to look younger.  The employees of think he’s the CEO of the parent company, Harold P. Cleveland?  He’s given a tour, the company president Louis McKinley promises to rescind the retirement policy and rehire all those affected by the policy in the last year!!  John is invited to give a speech to the local chamber of commerce.  He’s also invited to McKinley’s home for dinner. 

     This story is funny.  The employees that recognize John as a printer don’t know what to do or say about the mistake?  His daughter’s boyfriend is there and he wants a promotion.  He doesn’t know if he should say something or keep quiet?  He tries to convince employees that John is an imposter but they won’t listen.  The real Harold P. Cleveland sees information about the event he is supposed to have attended and he doesn’t know what to do about the situation?  The reviews of the speech were very positive?  3 ½* (I liked this movie)

77 min, Comedy directed by Harmon Jones with Monty Woolley, Thelma Ritter, David Wayne, Jean Peters, Constance Bennett, Marilyn Monroe, Allyn, Joslyn Albert Dekker, Clinton Sundberg, Minor Watson, Wally Brown, Russ Tamblyn.

Note:  Imdb 6.6 out of 10, 47% audience on Rotten Tomatoes, Amazon 3.8* out of 5* with 32 reviews, TCM Leonard Maltin 2.5* out of 4*, user rating 5* out of 5*.

Special Note:  Filmed at 20^th Century Fox Studios, 10201 Pico Blvd, Century City, Los Angeles, California.

Special Note:  Marilyn Monroe has a bit role as Harriet, the secretary for Louis McKinley.  I was surprised that Marilyn didn’t have a larger role?  Maybe it is because she had made 10 films previously from 1947 to 1951 and those could've also been bit roles?  Marilyn met her future husband Arthur Miller during production.  Constance Bennett was jealous of Marilyn and she joked that, “Now there’s a broad with a future behind her!”  This film was later remade for TV as The Great American Hoax in 1957.

Bramwell: First Season 1995

     The setting of this series is 1895 in England, UK.  Women were not expected to work outside of the home.  They were definitely expected not to know anything or work in the area of medicine.  They could be housewives, mothers, teachers and nurses but never a doctor.  Eleanor Bramwell works under the supervision of Sir Herbert Hamilton in a London hospital.  She becomes infuriated when a perfectly healthy young mother dies from surgery for the removal of her ovaries!!  This procedure is supposed to cure melancholia??  Because of her opinions, Eleanor is let go at the hospital.  She decides it’s time to make her mark in the field of medicine without the influence of Hamilton.  She is mocked by fellow male medical students and questioned by her father Doctor Robert Bramwell.  Lady Cora Peters is a friend of the family and she retracts her offer to give money for a ward in the hospital of Dr. Hamilton.  She gives her money to Eleanor instead for an infirmary called The Thrift.   Poor people will be served at The Thrift and they now get no care at the hospital overseen by Sir Herbert Hamilton.  They have a hospital with 6 beds and it's named for the its location on Thrift Street.  Eleanor begs Dr. Joe Marsham to work at the Thrift part-time.  He agrees as long as he can also operate to improve his skills.

     This series is very interesting and some of the medical procedures are the same as what we use today.  Many other treatments have tremendously improved with modern medicine.  Sir Herbert Hamilton is a teaching doctor but he’s a terrible physician!!  He’s very pompous and only his opinion and diagnosis mean anything.  Women need to be married and in the home not working.  They have no place in the medical profession!!  If they are impertinent enough to enter this profession, they definitely don’t know what they are doing!!!  3 1/2* (I liked this series) 

54 min each episode, 7 episodes created by Lucy Gannon, Harriet Davison, Tim Whitby with Jemma Redgrave, Ruth Sheen, David Calder, Kevin McMonagle, Keeley Gainey, Cliff Parisi, Michele Dotrice, David Shelley, Robert Hardy, Patrick Godfrey, Andy Linden, Nicholas Farrell.

Note:  Imdb 8.1 out of 10, Amazon 3.9* out of 5* with 31 reviews.

Special Note:  Filmed in Sarratt, Herfordshire, England, UK.

Blood Simple 1984

     Julian Marty is a bar owner in Texas.  He’s generally regarded as a bad character.  He hires shady private detective Loren Visser to stalk his wife Abby and one of his bartenders Ray. Marty wants to know if something is going on between Abby and Ray.  Loren brings back pictures and this is more than Marty wanted to know?  Marty is enraged and he hires Loren to kill both Abby and Ray.  He will pay Loren $10,000 to kill them and get rid of their bodies. 

     Marty doesn’t know or even think about the possibility of being double-crossed by Loren?  But, Loren doesn’t want any loose ends to be left behind!  If Loren kills both Abby and Ray there is still Marty with this knowledge about the murders?  Will Julian have buyer’s remorse and spill the beans one day or can he be trusted to keep quiet for a long time?  The $10,000 is very nice and just what Loren wanted!  What about Abby and Ray, do they in any way deserve to be murdered because Marty thinks he owns Abby?  The title is correct and people start to come unglued, especially Ray!!  3 ½* (I liked this movie)

99 min, Crime directed by Joel and Ethan Coen with John Getz, Frances McDormand, Dan Hedaya, M. Emmet Walsh, Samm-Art Williams, Deborah Neumann, Raquel Gavia, Van Brooks, Senor Marco, William Creamer, Loren Bivens, Bob McAdams, Shannon Sedwick, Nancy Finger.

Note:  Imdb 7.7 out of 10, 94% critic 88% audience on Rotten Tomatoes, Roger Ebert 4*, Amazon 4.1* out of 5* with 287 reviews, Slant Magazine 3* out of 4*, 82 out of 100 with 23 critics 8.5 out of 10 with 87 reviews.

Special Note:  Filmed in Pflugerville, Austin, Houston, Hutto and Round Rock, Texas.  The Coen brothers went door-to-door showing potential investors a two-minute trailer of this film.  They raised $750,000 in a little over a year.  The title is based on a phrase from the Dashiell Hammett novel Red Harvest.  Blood simple is a term coined to describe the addled and fearful mindset people are in after a prolonged immersion in violent situations.  A director’s cut was released in 2001 on the 15^th anniversary of this film.  This is the first film for Frances McDormand and the first film by the Coen brothers.  Frances and Joel Coen married the year this film was made.  They have a son, Pedro McDormand Coen and he was adopted from Paraguay in 1994.  Frances was the third and the youngest child adopted by her minister father Vernon McDormand and his wife Noreen.  She grew up in the suburbs of Pittsburgh.  The Coen brothers have made 24 movies between 1984 and 2018.  They have another production in the works (Dark Web) with the release date to be announced.

Tomb Raider 2018

     Lara Croft’s father Lord Richard Croft vanished from the face of the earth when she was 14 years old.  He was a very wealthy and eccentric adventurer.  Now Lara is a woman of 21 years old and she doesn’t have any focus or purpose.  Company officer Ana Miller is in charge of her father’s businesses and affairs.  She wants Lara to sign the papers legally declaring that Richard is dead and Lara can take over the global empire.  Lara does not want to concede that her father is dead even though it has been 7 years!!  Lara works as a  bicycle delivery woman and she is barely making ends meet.  Lara decides to go against her father’s wishes and travel to his last-known destination.  This is a fabled tomb on a mythical island possibly off the coast of Japan. 

     There is a LOT of action and if I did acting for a living, I would not want to wear the same clothes and be intensely dirty during most of the production!!  It is probably a new outfit every day but smeared with makeup instead of dirt??  This film is a Lara Croft origin story going back to how Lara became a tomb raider.  I especially liked the scenes with an ancient airplane spanning between two mountains and over a raging river!!  3 ½* (I liked this movie)       

118 min, Action directed by Roar Uthaug with Alicia Vikander, Cominic West, Walton Groggins, Daniel Wu, Kristin Scott Thomas, Derek Jacobi, Alexandre Willaume, Tamer Burjaq, Adrian Collins, Keenan Arrison, Andrian Mazive, Milton Schorr, Hannah John-Kamen, Peter Waison, Samuel Mak.

Note:  Imdb 6.4 out of 10, 51% critic 57% audience on Rotten Tomatoes, Roger Ebert 3*, Amazon 4.3* out of 5* with 1167 reviews, Metacritic 48 out of 100 with 53 critics 6.4 out of 10 with 473 reviews, Common Sense Media, age 14+, 2* out of 5*, positive 2*, role models 2*, violence 4*, sex 1*, language 3*, consumerism 1*, drinking, drugs, smoking 2*.

Special Note:  Filmed in Western Cape and Cape Town, South Africa; Wiltshire, London, Hertfordshire, England, UK.  The plot of this film is loosely based on the 2013 reboot of the video game series, Tomb Raider of 2013.  There are some minor elements of Crystal Dynamics’ rebooted video game sequel, Rise of the Tomb Raider of 2015.  In March 2018, Tomb Raider became the highest rated video game adaptation ever on the website Rotten Tomatoes.  One month later it was surpassed by Rampage of 2018.  Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer acquired the rights to the Tomb Raider film franchise from Paramount Pictures.  MGM let their film rights expire after Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life of 2003 failed at the box office.  Alicia Vikander was a fan of the video game series growing up.  She put a LOT of time, effort and training into preparing to play Lara.  She gained 12 pounds of muscle over four months prior to filming.  She wanted the character to be as realistic as possible, she did some of her own stunts and also the retakes.  Daisy Ridley, Emilia Clarke, Saoirse Ronan and Cara Delevingne were also in the running for the role of Lara.   

The Boss 2016

     Michelle Darnell is considered to be a female titan of industry.  Unfortunately, she is charged with insider trading and she serves a six-month prison sentence.  Upon her release she must immediately get back on the fast track.  Failure is not an option!!  She is determined to rebrand herself as America’s latest sweetheart despite her felony record.  There are many people with memories that are not so charitable towards Michelle.  They are not so quick to forgive and forget her ruthless treatment directed towards them.

     One of the lines spoken by McCarthy’s character is “Pity’s all you’ve got.  Pity’s your best friend.”  Michelle gets her hard center core from growing up in a church orphanage.  She doesn’t like to reveal this information and she sugarcoats it!!   There are some hilarious scenes in this film?  Especially when they are involve the Dandelion Girls cookie sales.  Claire Rawlings has a daughter Rachel and she is a member of a group selling cookies for fundraising.  Michelle convinces Claire to quit her day job and make batches of brownies at home.  This new group founded by Michelle will sell the brownies like the cookie sale program.  The brownies will cost more, the girls will get more of the profit and some of the funds will go toward their college education.  I think this film would have been better if the swearing and sexual innuendos were eliminated?  I think there are enough laughs with this type of behavior!!  3 ½* (I liked this movie)   

  

99 min, Comedy directed by Ben Falcone with Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Bell, Peter Dinklage, Ella Anderson, Tyler Labine, Kathy Bates, Cecily Strong, Mary Sohn, Kristen Schaal, Eva Peterson, Timothy Simons, Aleandra Newcomb, Annie Mumolo, Presley Coley, Dax Shepard.

Note:  Imdb 5.4 out of 10, 22% critic 38% audience on Rotten Tomatoes, Roger Ebert 1 ½*, Amazon 3.3* out of 5* with 1356 reviews, Metacritic 40 out of 100 with 39 critics 4.4* out of 10 with 102 reviews, Common Sense Media ratings, age 16+,  2* out of 5*, 2* positive, 2* role models, 3* violence, 3* sex, 4* language, 2* consumerism, 3* drinking, drugs, smoking.

Special Note:  Filmed in Chicago, Illinois and Atlanta, Morrow, Decatur, Georgia.  The original title was Michelle Darnell and her character is based on an old Melissa McCarthy stand up comedy routine.  McCarthy is married to Ben Falcone and their daughters are in this film.  Her older daughter Vivian Falcone plays 10 year-old Michelle in 1980.  Her younger daughter Georgette plays a background extra.  Kirsten Bell’s husband Dax Sheppard has a small cameo role.  They are also the parents of two daughters, Delta Bell Shepard and Lincoln Shepard.  Ben Falcone’s parents appear briefly in a fight scene as neighbors slamming their front door.  McCarthy and Falcone were previously in the TV series Mike & Molly.  There is a scene with Michelle giving a hand gesture to a building with the word Renault across the side.  This is the Trump Tower in Chicago.  Many people take selfies giving this gesture to this building.  The childhood clips of Michelle show her with dark brown or black hair.  She will later claim that red is her natural hair color?  I thought it was unusual and funny that Michelle wears very high turtlenecks throughout the entire film??  I thought it was to conceal any neck wrinkles she didn't want to reveal??