The journey into film noir continues with the recommendations from my Great Movies – 100 Years of Film for my screening of The Big Sleep. Alan Ladd is Ed Beaumont, the right hand man, and best friend of corrupt politician Paul Madvig (Brian Donlevy). When Madvig shuts down a gangster, Nick Varna (Joseph Calleia)…
Category: Did You See That?!? (Tv & Film)
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies IMAX (2014) – Peter Jackson
The last (or latest) trip to J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle Earth opened this weekend and, of course, being a fan of the world, I had to check it. The IMAX 3D presentation I saw, was in the higher frame rate presentation, and I was eager to see how it looked and felt. I walked out…
Extraterrestrial (2014) – The Vicious Brothers
I quite enjoyed the Vicious Brothers previous efforts – Grave Encounters and Grave Encounters 2, and were curious how they took on subject matter that really unnerved me, so I dug into Extraterrestrial, which is currently available on VOD and iTunes, and had a look. Whereas with Grave Encounters I felt they took on…
The Maltese Falcon (1941) – John Huston
Humphrey Bogart stars in this classic film noir that is the first recommendation from the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book for my screening of The Big Sleep. Dashiel Hammett’s book comes to life under the direction of John Huston, who also penned the adapted screenplay, with gumshoe Sam Spade (Bogart) finding…
The Big Sleep (1946) – Howard Hawks
The first title in the Crime and Thriller chapter of the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book is this wonderful classic based on Raymond Chandler’s book, adapted by William Faulkner, Leigh Brackett and Jules Furthman, it is directed by Howard Hawks and features Humphrey Bogart as Chandler’s hardboiled detective Phillip Marlowe. The…
Kite (2014) – Ralph Ziman
Last week, Anchor Bay entertainment released Kite to DVD, directed by Ralph Ziman and starring India Eisley, Callan McAuliffe and Samuel L. Jackson, this action flick is based loosely on the Japanese anime of the same name. I love an action flick with a strong ass-kicking female in the lead, so I happily signed…
Frank (2014) – Lenny Abrahamson
Michael Fassbender is the titular Frank in this amusing and entertaining dark comedy that is being released to DVD and Blu-Ray today from Magnolia Home Entertainment. The film follows a young, would-be musician, Jon (Domhnall Gleeson), and how he becomes involved in a rather eccentric pop band that is fronted by Frank, who never…
Marty (1955) -Delbert Mann
Ernest Borgnine stars as the titular Marty in this wonderful film recommended in the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book following my screening of On The Waterfront. This is a gem of a film, lovely in its simplicity and honesty, and I can hear the echoes of it in my own life….
The Lost Weekend (1945) – Billy Wilder
Ray Milland and Jane Wyman star in this first recommendation from Great Movies – 100 Years of Film following my viewing of On The Waterfront. And wow… $10 went a long way back in 1945! This one took Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay, and Milland too Best Actor at the Oscars that year,…
Funny Girl (1968) – William Wyler
I was completely charmed by this one. That’s twice Streisand has wowed me when I thought she wouldn’t. Clocking in at two and a half hours, this is the final musical recommendation to go with my screening of The Jazz Singer for the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book. Babs is Fanny…
The Mind Reels 