What To See Next

(c) A.J. Malouin 2007

Last updated Tuesday, 09 October 2007. 23.49 hours.

Caryl & Al see upwards of nine (9) films and movies each and every week. It is not likely they can therefore give in-depth reviews of everything they see. Some of their viewings in 2007 will have to be therefore only covered in the thumb-nail reviews you read below. See only the films which at least one of them has rated a “9” or better (“1” being the best rating they can give a movie, and “31” being the worst.)
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1408
(Rating: Walked out on at the 20-minute mark by Caryl, and a pass by Al.)
Reviewed under the archive for June, 2007.

2 OU 3 CHOSES QUE JE SAIS D’ELLE [TWO OR THREE THINGS I KNOW ABOUT HER]
(Rating: 17 by Al)—Ah, Godard. (Women’s) naked breasts are not enough to pump Huge interest into these philosophical dissertations upon a hooking housewife and the short-comings of the Parisian government, the dual “d’elle” [“her”] protagonists of the title. In French, with English subtitles.

51 BIRCH STREET
(Rating: 11 by Al)—In the beginning? We are allllll thinking, “What is this guy doing as a documentary filmmaker? He cannot even point a bleeding camera in the right direction!” By the end of the thing, however, we are allllll quiet, reflecting on our own lives with our own families. The impetus for this film was the director’s discovery that, three months after his mother’s death, his father announced that he was getting married and moving to Florida to and with a secretary of his whom he knew 30 years or so earlier. What is going on? That’s the first question. The second question is: should the filmmaker and his siblings read the 25-plus years of journals that their mother has left behind? Soooooo, how well do we know our own family? All in all, “51 Birch Street” is “A slow turning, but we learn to sway,” as John Hiatt sang.

THE ACADEMY AWARD(R) NOMINATED SHORT FILMS
(Rating: 11 by Al)—In a great thumping of the average, the five nominees for the Oscar in Animated Shorts and the five nominees in for the Oscar in Live-Action Shorts from 2007 are molded together in a ketchupy meat loaf with toooo much loaf and not enough meat.

ALL THE PRESIDENT’S MEN
(Rating: 4 by Al.)
Remember the more-innocent days of corruption in the highest circles of America’s government?? Superbly paced and superbly acted by Redford and Hoffman, this film stands up perfectly as an example of paranoia well-founded.

THE ANIMATION SHOW 3
(Rating: 3 by Al)—Wellllllll, Al saw this Big-Screen came the tour came through his town. Now we’ll have to rent it. Reviewed on the blog, under the archive for February, 2007.

AWAY FROM HER
(Ratings: 4 by Caryl and 4 by Al.)
A lovely film about the end of life-long relationships, and the beginnings of the new ones that take their place as the frailties of old age set in for good. Reviewed on the blog under the archive for June, 2007.

BABEL
(Ratings: 4 by Al and 6 by Caryl)—Morocco! Tokyo! Mexico-hyphen-California! The treasures of the entire world are laid at our feet in this fabulous interlocking story demonstrating once again that we are all in this thing together. At the end of the day (and film!) Rinko Kikuchi shows us a much more talented time in 2006 than Jennifer Hudson EVER will. (Sometimes) stupid Academy!!! (says Al.)

BAMAKO
(Rating: 12 by Al)—In Bamako, Mali, a mock trial takes place over the issue of debt in struggling African nations. These poor, emerging nations annually pay 30-45% of their total GNP to the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and others, in loan repayment. These nations therefore have to ignore the basic social, educational, and transportation requirements of their citizens. The trial takes place in the courtyard of a private home, and is interwoven with the story of a married couple, Mele and Chaka, whose marriage may be breaking down. In the middle of the film, Danny Glover appears on a Mali TV program about Western gunslingers called “Death in Timbuktu,” a place, curiously, that’s also in Mali. The plight of people in Africa’s poorest nations is told here in an elegant straight-forward manner. BAMAKO is well worth seeing but a bit difficult to follow, in the court scenes especially, because it is in French and Bambara, with English subtitles

THE BAREFOOT CONTESSA
(Rating; 8 by Al)
Humphrey Bogart as Harry Dawes, disillusioned Hollywood writer and director. Ava Gardner as Maria Vargas as the object of everybody’s affections. Edmond O’Brien in an Oscar-winning role as publicity agent Oscar Muldoon. Hollywood looks inward on itself in movie written by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, just before he dived into the ill-starred “Cleopatra.” Some of the dialogue doesn’t hold up here over the decades since 1954, yet some of it, internal and external, remains priceless.

BLOOD DIAMOND
(c) AJMalouin 2007
(Rating: 8 by Al) (In our rating system, “1” is Best, “31” is Worst.)
(2006/USA. Directed by Edward Zwick.)
Teenage men who go to drool at Jennifer Connelly often make it too Hard and slippery and noisy to notice what a superb acting performance she Always turns in. Connelly does it here, again. Likewise, those who thought Leonardo DiCaprio should have drowned for real during the latest re-telling of “Titanic” will be mortified at their own stupidity after seeing just how good DiCaprio is in this film. He has grown some, lately. Furthermore, “Blood Diamond” is sooooo PC with its message about Conflict Diamonds. Good Show! (2 hr 23. Rated R in the USA for strong violence and language. In English. With Jennifer Connelly as Maddy Bowen, Leonardo DiCarprio as Danny Archer, Djimon Hounsou as Solomon Vandy, Kagiso Kuypers as Dia Vandy, and Arnold Vosloo as Colonel Koetzee, among others.)

BOB & CAROL & TED & ALICE
(Rating: 8 by Al)—With its values-inspiring denouement wherein the guys show us that they’d really rather behave like Pat Boone than like Robert Downey, Jr. (which is not to judge Anyone with that statement, we promise you,) this hipie-hoppered film still holds up well.

BOBBY
(Ratings: 4 by Caryl and 16 by Al)—Seen in early 2007, to mixed reactions. Reviewed on the blog, under the archive for January, 2007.

BREACH
(Ratings: 1 by Caryl and a pass by Al)—Caryl calls this a “must-see!” movie, but it was one that caused a breast between Caryl and Al. Reviewed on the blog under the archive for February, 2007.

BUSTER KEATON RIDES AGAIN
(Rating: 6 by Al)
Deep in the back-washering of his career, Buster Keaton is called upon to make another of his famous dead-pan looks, physically harrowing comedies. A film crew films the film crew. Keaton’s career is revisited, and the depth of his comedic genius is again displayed both on the screen and in the planning. Once, when he was a five-year-old, his vaudevillian father apparently silenced a heckler by throwing Buster at the heckler. A standing order to the cameraman in all Keaton films was apparently “Keep shooting until Buster yells ‘Cut!’ or is killed.” Wonderful stuff, this documentary.

THE CABLE GUY
(Rating: 4 by Al)—A recommended rental. For those who think Jim Carrey is a plastic-faced prat-faller (and there are SO many of us like that, out there), this movie will come as an interesting surprise. Carrey here stretches something Besides his face, and gives us a stunning, terrifying, sympathetic portrayal of an isolated man.

EL CANTANTE
(Rating: 25 by Caryl, and a pass by Al)
Caryl reports that the music is very good, period. Nothing else at all did she like about this movie.

CASINO ROYALE
(Ratings: 3 by Caryl and 11 by Al)—James Bond is very good, and very human. Regrettably, though, that’s Never what Al dreamed about when he dreamed about being James Bond. Al dreamt of something more cool, collected, sophisticated and witty. Dreams never die but the world’s view of James Bond has changed.

CATCH AND RELEASE
(Rating: 25 by Caryl)—Obviously a movie to avoid. Reviewed on the blog, under the archive for January, 2007.

CHATS PERCHES [THE CASE OF THE GRINNING CAT]
(Rating: 8 by Al)—Suddenly, in Paris, in 2000, a series of bright-yellow grinning cats began appearing mysteriously on the walls of buildings, often at dizzying heights among the rooftops. Writer/director Chris Marker tracks the mystery and light-heartedly tries to identify the source of grinning kitty-cats, all the while commenting on the social, political and cultural headlines in the city during that period. A delightful documentary, narrated voice-over in French, with English subtitles.

COCOON
(Rating: 9 by Al)—A 1985 entertainment that is still entertaining today, thanks to fabulous performances by the young and “old” alike, including Don Ameche, Wilford Brimley, Hume Cronyn, Brian Dennehy (leader of the Aliens, and a guy Al met in a Chicago blues bar!), Jack Gilford, Steve Guttenberg, Maureen Stapleton, Jessica Tandy, Gwen Verdon, and Tahnee Welch (the Alien love interest!)

COLOR ME KUBRICK
(Rating: 14 by Al)
Reviewed under the archive for April, 2007.

DADDY’S LITTLE GIRLS
(Ratings: 20 by Caryl and a pass by Al)—Two people who are worlds apart (mechanic who also drives a limo and a high-powered woman attorney) meet, overcome their obstacles, and fall in love. Caryl callt it “not one of Terry Perry’s best.” Reviewed on the blog, under the archive for March, 2007.

DEAR JULIETTE
(Rating: 19 by Al)
Every year, distraught, star-crossed, or simply heart-broken lovers send thousands of letters to this simple address: Juliette, Verona, Italy. Each and every one of the letters gets answered by The Juliette Club. Fascinating premise; mediocre execution.

THE DEPARTED
(Ratings: 1 by Caryl and 11 by Al)—The remake and retrospective that won Scorsese two Oscars in 2007, probably for work he did 15-20 years ago.. Reviewed on blog, to mixed reviews, under the archive for October, 2006.

LA DOUBLURE [THE VALET]
(Ratings: 7 by Al and 10 by Caryl.)
Reviewed on the blog under the archive for June, 2007

DR. STRANGELOVE OR: HOW I LEARNED TO STOP WORRYING AND LOVE THE BOMB.
(Rating: 2 by Al)—Still an almost Perfect entertainment, rewarding at soooo many levels!!!

DREAM GIRLS
(Ratings: 5 by Caryl and 12 by Al)—Very Good, if you like this sort of thing: musicals on film. Review blog-posted under the archive for February, 2007.

THE ELEPHANT MAN
(Rating: 6 by Al.)
Under the disguise of incredible deformity beats the soul of a man who is all too human and as brilliant as any of us.

ESCARPMENT BLUES
(Rating: 9 by Al)
(2006/Canada. Directed by Andy Keen.) Humans everywhere are eating the Earth. We and our millions are Really headed toward killing it. Sarah Hammer’s 2005 “I Love The Escarpment Tour” was undertaken on foot (hiking!) and by boat (kayaking!) to play in very-local halls and theatres as both protest and canary-in-the-mine-shaft as to what large quarry operations were doing to Canada’s Niagara Escarpment. Not a great documentary, but a great message— and acoustic music and beautiful voices that issue forth as if from angels. In this case, angels who looking out for the planet we are destroying. (1 hr 01. Not rated in the USA. With Jay Euringer as himself, Spencer Winston Evans as himself, Julie Fader as herself, and Sarah Harmer as Sarah, among others.)

EVAN ALMIGHTY
(Rating: 5 by Caryl as movie for the entire family, 30 by Caryl as an entertainment for a sophisticated adult, and a pass by Al.)
Reviewed 1n the archive for June, 2007.

EVENING
(Ratings: 3 by Al, and 22 by Caryl.)
Reviewed on the blog under the archive for July, 2007.

FAH TALAJ JONE [TEARS OF THE BLACK TIGER]
(Rating: 8 by Al)—Here’s an over-the-top Thai cult film that’s a combination of love-story-gone-bad and Western shoot-em-up. This film is loud, over-acted, exuberant, and saturated with amazing photography in yummy pastels. Dialogue in Thai, with English subtitles. A bit tedious in spots, but well worth watching!

FAUTEUILS D’ ORCHESTRE [AVENUE MONTAIGNE]
(Rating: 5 by Al)—This is a sweet, inspiring story of intersecting lives in the wealthier section of Paris (France.) People on the verge of Big Changes in their lives meet in and around a cafe where a young woman has just earned a temporary job as its first female wait-person. Charming, funny, and life-affirming as only the French can do it. Al liked it a lot in the Second and Third acts, crying much more often than he usually does at such events. Look out! This film is mostly in French, with American subtitles, and in some little American with no subtitles

FIRED!
(Rating: 15 by Al)—Woody Allen fired the director of this film from one of his plays. Unfortunately, however, Allen didn’t issues the restraining orders that would have prevented this director from making a tedious, repetitive documentary about Being Fired. Several famous people make appearances, and not 20 minutes of it is worth watching.

THE FOG OF WAR
(Rating: 4 by Al)—Rent it NOW, as those who do not study history are bushwhacked to repeat it.

FOREVER
(Rating: 7 by Al)
(2006/Netherlands. Directed by Heddy Honigman.)
“Which way to Jim Morrison?” …Or to Oscar Wilde, Marcel Proust, Frederick Chopin, Maria Callas, or any other of the 300,00 souls buried in Paris’ world-famous Pere Lachaise cemetery? It takes a map to find anyone here. In a beautifully photographed documentary, the living come here to visit with and to “worship” the dead, who include the ordinary as well as extraordinary. Reviewed under the archive for May, 2007. (1 hr 37. No rating in the USA, that we could find. In English and French, with American subtitles.)

FOUR-EYED MONSTERS
(Rating: 2 by Al)—Seen by Al on the big screen in celebration of its DVD release. Beautiful, visually stunning story of two 20-something New Yorkers trying to find love while going out on what they call “the anti-date.” Brilliant entertainment!!! (says Al.)

FRACTURE
(Rating: 9 by Al.)
(2007/USA. Directed by Gregory Hoblit.)
Ted Crawford is a fast-living, fast-driving crafty, old aircraft-stress engineer married to the much-younger Jennifer. Crawford really doesn’t think his wife should be having a love affair, but Rob Nunally, a police detective, is Very Much in favor of her having it, since he’s The Other Man. The three of them meet at Ted Crawford’s house under tragic circumstances which Crawford has planned out brilliantly. The People’s Prosecutor, Willy Beachum, takes on the resulting trial as his one last hurrah before heading off to begin an incredibly lucrative job in the private sector. The result is a brilliant, engrossing, stylishly riveting entertainment— one that has only a few fractures in it. (None of which we’ll mention until you’ve seen the movie.) With its Fabulous art direction, cinematography, and (for the most part) scripting, this is a movie you’ll love to watch. Reviewed on the blog under the archive for May, 2007.. (1 hr 52. Rated R in the USA for language and some violent content. With Billy Burke as Rob Nunally, Cliff Curtis as Detective Flores, Embeth Davidtz as Jennifer Crawford, Ryan Gosling as Willy Beachum, Anthony Hopkins as Ted Crawford, Rosamund Pike as Nikki Gardner, David Strathaim as Joe Lobruto.)

FREEDOM WRITERS
(Ratings: 4 by Caryl and 7 by Al)—This movie will tug at your Heart, whether you want it to or not. Reviewed on blog, under the archive for January, 2007..

THE GOOD SHEPHERD
(Ratings: 2 by Caryl and 11 by Al)—Reviewed on the blog under Archive for January, 2007, this movie created a fire fight of a political argument between Caryl and Al right after they viewed it together.

HAIRSPRAY
(Rating: 5 by Caryl and a pass by Al.)
Caryl callt this film “enjoyable fun, an old-fashioned musical.” She said that most people would like it, even though it was clogged up by of the politics of the time, and was VERY boring in places.

HALF NELSON
(Rating: 1 by Al)—Rent it now! Al’s Number One film of 2006. Reviewed on blog under the archive for October, 2006.

HARDWOOD
(Rating: 6 by Al)—Basketball as a means of understanding Life? We don’t know. Sports as a metaphor for Life itself? Wellllll, okay…if that’s where you are. In this brilliant documentary, writer/director Hubert Davis examines his relationship with his father Mel, who was a member of The Harlem Globetrotters exhibition basketball team. After leaving his wife and family, Mel moved to Vancouver (Canada) to live with Davis and his mother. The film is divided into three segments: Love, betrayal and redemption. What more could we ask for??

THE HOLIDAY
(Ratings: 6 by Caryl and 18 by Al)—Permaybe the difference in ratings is because this is A Chick Flic, and Al is not. Reviewed on the blog, under the archive for January, 2007.

IKIMLER [CLIMATES]
(Rating: 7 by Al)—Relationships! Who can understand them? A lackluster Professor and his younger lover part ways after a Holiday on which he seems more interested in Ancient Ruins with Bedroom Viewings. Later, back at home, he has a change of heart and goes trampering after his former mistress after she has left town. But…Will she reciprocate? A beautiful, heart-warming, Very human film. Warning: This is a Turkish film, with American subtitles!!!

AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH
(Ratings: 9 by Al & a pass by Caryl)—Reviewed on blog under Archive for August, 2006. Now that it has won a 2007 Oscar for “Best Documentary Feature,” there’s another reason to see it— in addition to the fact that it’s an alarming film about how quickly time is running out to save Planet Earth, the only Home we have.

INLAND EMPIRE
(Rating: 2 by Al)—It’s out there in theatres now…and it’s Out There! David Lynch’s hypnotic new project is 2 hours 52 minutes long— and not three of those minutes are anything other than Fantastic. Laura Dern shows us depths of the human soul played out on her delicious facial expressions. Dern plays a fading movie star who, after landing the coveted lead in a new movie, has a big chance at a comeback. It’s only during rehearsals that she finds out that the project may be hexed, cursed, haunted and/or doomed by the outcome of an earlier project which used the same script. As she dwells on this, her imagination starts to get the best of her— and we get the best of her imagination!!! It’s a David Lynch film, so don’t expect linear. The images, the dialogue, the dreamy sequences all pile up in a tsunami of very-satisfying film. Rent “Inland Empire” NOW!

INTERVIEW
(Ratings: 8 by Al and 16 by Caryl.)
Reviewed on the blog under the archive for August, 2007

IRAQ IN FRAGMENTS
(Rating: 3 by Al)—See this film in a theatre. It won awards for best documentary director, editing, and cinematography at Sundance— the first time that has happened!!! It’s a film unlike and better than any other on the issue of Iraq.

IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT
(Rating: 8 by Al)— Clark Gable, Claudette Colbert, and their Wall of Jericho between their beds in a shared motel room. Newspaper reporter Gable hits the story of the decade/century when he stumbles upon the runaway heiress Colbert in a small-town bus station. What more could you ask for than to watch this wonderful movie side-by-side with your sweetheart? The fireworks, the laughs, the lovely group song on the bus ride, the set piece about hitch-hiking, the happy denouement that we can see coming a hundred miles off are, one and all, a delicious way to bring any watching couple even closer to coupling.

JONESTOWN: THE LIFE AND DEATH OF PEOPLE’S TEMPLE
(Rating: 9 by Al)—This film starts out as a light-hearted— laughable even— description of the frailties in human beings that caused them to look upon Jim Jones as their Big Brother, father, financial advisor, lover, Minister or Savior. By the time the film ends in Guyana, however, the laughter has turned to horror, and our hearts are broken in ways that may never be repaired.

LA MOME [LA VIE EN ROSE]
(Ratings: 5 by Caryl and 6 by Al)
Reviewed on the blog under the archive for July, 2007.

EL LABERINTO DEL FAUNO [PAN’S LABYRINTHl
(Ratings: 1 by Al, and a pass by Caryl)—Franco’s Spain in 1944: a surreal view of the reality, seen mostly through the eyes of a young girl. Gritty and Totally Wonderful! Reviewed on the blog under the archive for February, 2007. (In Spanish, with American subtitles.)

THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND
(Ratings: 2 by Caryl and 3 by Al)—Gritty and mesmerizing!!! Reviewed on blog under the archive for October, 2006.

DAS LEBEN DER ANDEREN [THE LIVES OF OTHERS]
(Ratings: 2 by Caryl and 2 by Al)—Don’t miss seeing this film!!! Through September, one of Al’s 12 best of the year. Reviewed on the blog under the archive for March, 2007.

LITTLE CHILDREN
(Ratings: 4 by Al and 10 by Caryl)—Now available for rental. Reviewed in-theatre on blog under the archive for November, 2006.

LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE
(Ratings: 4 by Al & 8 by Caryl)—See it, please! Reviewed on blog under the archive for December, 2006.

THE LOOKOUT
(Rating: 9 by Al.)
Reviewed under the archive for April, 2007

LOVABLE
(Rating: 7 by Al.)
A lovable, heart-wrenching documentary film about people in love, out of love, and quite simply without love. Reviewed on the blog under the archive for May, 2007.

MADAME DE… [THE EARRINGS OF MADAME DE…]
(Rating: 6 by Al)—Here is one of the lushest films ever made, shot in 1953 and set in Paris in the early 20th century. Director Max Pohuls saturated every single frame of his black-and-white film with lavish costumes, stunning furniture, glittering jewelry, richly coloured tapestries, and, in general, STUFF. Stunning to look at, especially in-theatre, the film is built around the rather pedestrian story of a pair of earrings which Madame de…(her real and true name is not even that important, according to the director) receives as a wedding present from her husband and later pawns to pay off Certain Debts. As a film, MADAME DE soooooo sacrifices Story and Content for Style that it became the rallying point for film critic Andrew Sarris’ Auteur Theory…about which we need know nothing in order to enjoy the lushness of this film. Warning: In (Bush-unfriendly) French, with American subtitles.

MAFIOSO
(Rating: 8 by Al)
(1962/Italy. Directed by Alberto Lattuada.)
A brilliant film made in 1962, and still brilliant today. Laughable, poignant, warm-hearted and cold-blooded, MAFIOSO tells the story of a successful northern Italian small-time executive who has escaped his Sicilian roots to reap rewards in the industrialized world. When he brings his successful family back for a 12-day Holiday in Sicily, however, he finds— with stunning, chilling results— that his big-time success is no insulation against the village traditions his childhood in Sicily has imprinted on his soul. (1 hr 45. Not rated in the USA. With Ugo Attanasio as Don Vincenzo, Norma Bengeli as Marta, Cinzia Bruno as Donatella, Gabriella Conti as Rosalia, Katiusca Piretti as Patrizia, Alberto Sordi as Antonio Badalamenti, and Armando Tine as Dr. Zanchi.)

MARIE ANTOINETTE
(Ratings: 9 by Al and 31 by Caryl)—It’s the loverly Child Queen of The French Revolution, gone modern. Caryl thought this the most boring film EVER. Al was totally intrigued. No one loses their head on- or off-screen and the art direction, costumes and photography are soooooo delicious the viewer wants to climb right into the film.

MISS POTTER
(Rating: 7 by Al)—Very Good, for what it is: a fantastic story about stories which a twice-married spinster wrote about bunny rabbits and other similar creatures. Toooooo warm (and fuzzy!) to be a Rambo movie.

MON MEILLEUR AMI [MY BEST FRIEND]
(Ratings: 4 by Caryl and 4 by Al)
Charming and disarming, this film turns on the fragility of what it means to be a friend, and whether a friend is someone upon whom you can count, or is merely an acquaintance whom you see more often than other people. In French, with English subtitles.

MR. BEAN’S HOLIDAY
(Ratings: 18 by Caryl, and a pass by Al.) Caryl reports that you (or she) just *have* to laugh “when you see Mr.. Bean’s stupid little face and stupid little eyes.” Caryl laught through the first three-fourths of this entertainment…and then wondered why she was even watching it. “Not one of his best, and not a clever movie,” is how she put it. Al had a chance to view this thing, over the Atlantic, on his way back from the 55th San Sebastian International Film Festival. After 12 minutes, his choices were take off the headphones and begin reading… or find a way to jump out of the Air France 747.

MR. BROOKS
(Ratings: 15 by Caryl, and a pass by Al, so far.)
Reviewed under the archive for June, 2005.

MR. DEEDS GOES TO TOWN
(Rating: 14 by Al)—You know, we want to pull for Gary Cooper, as Longfellow Deeds, to sort out his screwball problems. The cornball stuff, however, that director Frank Capra and Capra’s criminally corny writer Robert Riskin put Cooper through makes us just want to Light Something On Fire. We therefore flambeau Cooper for taking on this project— but only because Cooper took on the direction of Capra and writing of Riskin, melodramatic monkey shiners the both of them.

MUSIC AND LYRICS
(Ratings: 10 by Caryl and a pass by Al)—If you adore Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore (and who doesn’t, excepting Al??) you’ll adore this. Reviewed on the blog, under the archive for February, 2007.

MY BEST FRIEND
(Ratings: 4 by Caryl and 4 by Al)
Charming and disarming, this film turns on the fragility of what it means to be a friend, and whether a friend is someone upon whom you can count, or is merely an acquaintance whom you see more often than other people. In French, with English subtitles.

MY DIFFERENT LIFE
(Rating: 13 by Al.)

NO RESERVATIONS
(Rating; 15 by Caryl, and a pass by Al)
“If you’ve seen the trailer, you’ve seen the movie,” says Caryl. A short movie which seemed long, and was totally predictable. (Al’s mommy’s posse, however, reports liking this movie.)

NOTES ON A SCANDAL
(Ratings: 3 by Al and 4 by Caryl)—An intense, riveting film full of fine performances, all around. In a perfect world, Judi Dench would have won the 2007 Oscar for “Best Actress” (says Al) for her terrifyingly wonderful performance in this film.

OCEANS’ THIRTEEN
*Not* reviewed under the archive for June, 2007.

THE OX-BOW INCIDENT
(Rating: 13 by Al)
(1943/USA. Directed by William A. Wellman.) There has been a mistake made, and the people trying to uphold Justice are the ones who made it. A half century and more after its creation, however, this 1943 film seems hopelessly maudlin and over-wrought. Hell yes, mistakes were made in this film’s “rush to judgment.” A bigger mistake, it seems, would be to rush out to rent it. (1 hr 15. Not rated in the USA. In Spanish and English. With Dana Andrews as Donald Martin, Henry Fonda as Gil Carter, Harry Morgan as Art Croft, Anthony Quin as Juan Martinez/Francisco Morez, and many others.)

THE PAINTED VEIL
(Ratings: 4 by Caryl and 4 by Al)—Getting over infidelity and a cholera epidemic in 1920s China. Well-acted and beautifully photographed, this film also has beautiful, beautiful scenery.

PARIS JE T’AIME
(Rating: 5 by Al, and a pass by Caryl.)
They’ve brought this charming little ensemble film about the people of Paris back into the art-house theatres in Caryl & Al’s part of the world. He says “See it if you can.” She says, “Don’t bother.” We reviewed “Paris Je T’aime” at length earlier on the blog. You’ll find that review under the archive for July, 2007

PARIS STORIES: THE WRITING OF MAVIS GALLANT
(Rating: 6 by Al.)

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: AT WORLD’S END
(Rating: 8 by Al.)
The end of a faltering series of events, we hope.

THE PRIME OF MISS JEAN BRODIE
(Rating: 9 by Al)
Maggie Smith won an Oscar for her role as Miss Jean Brodie, a woman self-proclaimed to be in her “prime,” but who, in reality, was probably a conniving and manipulative spinster afraid of commitment and much else. A stunning examination of the impact a teacher can have on a student’s life…and of the impact a student can have on a teacher’s life.

PUCCINI FOR BEGINNERS
(Rating: 11 by Al)—It’s those perky, pouting, preening, petting lesbian lovers, trying to meet their match, overcome their mistakes, sort it all out. Mostly, it’s just toooo cutely and self-absorbed to have any impact. Warning: In French, with American subtitles!!!

THE QUEEN
(Ratings: 2 by Caryl and 4 by Al)—Much more interesting that you would think it is from reading other people’s reviews.

THE RAPE OF EUROPA
(Rating: 14 by Al)—Subtitled and odious for the most part, this is a documentary about the systematic rape of European art museums by the Axis Powers during WWII. Americans are the Good Guys, played soooo heavy and ham-handedly that we want to run away and hide. Jewish personal art collections and the collections in museums across Europe are the victims.

RESURRECTING THE CHAMP
(Ratings: 15 by Caryl, and a pass by Al)
Any movie with Alan Alda, Josh Harnett, and Samuel L. Jackson in it *ought* to be a pleasurable enough way to spent a summer’s evening. Sadly, it is not. “You could miss it,” Caryl reports.

RIDE THE HIGH COUNTRY
(Rating: 3 by Al)
No one directs (American) Western films as well as Sam Peckinpah. This lovely film covers the last days of two over-the-hill cowboy gunslingers looking to score one last jackpot before riding off into the sunset. The last film done by Randolph Scott and Joel McCrea. Mariette Hartley in her first role, and Edgar Buchanan as the alcoholic Judge dispensing justice and chaos in a mountain mining camp. The story and dialogue are just about Perfect.

THE RULES OF THE GAME
(Rating: 2 by Al)—The 1939 film said by some reviewers to have inspired the entire career of Robert Altman, and probably that of Woody Allen, too. In French, with English subtitles. The larger your in-home rental screen, the more you’ll enjoy this classic mother of all ensemble films.

A SCANNER DARKLY
(Ratings: 2 by Al and 18 by Caryl)—Reviewed on blog under the archive for August, 2006, this is Al’s second-favorite film of 2006.

SPIDER-MAN 3
(Rating: 13 by Al.)
(2007/USA. Directed by Sam Raimi.) A disappointing, over-wrought, sausage-packing of an entertainment, thoroughly reviewed on the blog under the archive for May, 2007. (2 hr 20. Rated PG-13 in the USA for sequences of intense action violence. In English. With Bruce Campbell as a Maitre d’, James Cromwell as Captain Stacy, Kristin Dunst as Mary Jane Watson, James Franco as Harry Osborne/New Goblin, Topher Grace as Eddie Brock/Venom, Rosemary Harris as May Parker, Thomas Haden Church as Flint Marko/The Sandman, Bryce Dallas Howard as Gwen Stacy, Toby Maguire as Peter Parker/Spider-Man, Cliff Robertson as Uncle Ben Parker, J.K. Simmons as J. Jonah Jameson)

STARDUST
(Ratings: 11 by Al and 27 by Caryl)
Caryl & Al obviously disagreed substantially on the worth of this entertainment. We posted a small review of this movie under the archive for August, 2007, and we’ll *try* to post an expanded review soon.

SUNSHINE
(Rating: 6 by Al and a pass by Caryl)
The Earth’s sun is dying, and a space ship takes off towards it in the one last hope of resurrecting its energizing heat. The crew faces perilous odds and each other in achieving the mission. Pulsing in the background is the mystery of what happened to the previous mission which tried to resurrect the sun.

SWEET LAND
(Ratings: 4 by Caryl and 9 by Al)—Immigrants to Minnesota survive hardship, persecution and each other in this beautifully photographed, beautifully acted, but VERY slow-moving film.

THE TV SET
(Ratings: 9 by Al and 15 by Caryl.)

THE ULTIMATE GIFT
(Rating: 23 by Al)—Run Away! Run very far away!!! Reviewed on the blog, under the archive for April, 2007.

UNVEILED: MOTHER/DAUGHTER RELATIONSHIP
(Rating: 14 by Al)
The relationships of three mothers and daughters at the time of the daughters’ wedding are examined in this award-winning documentary. Not much of an amazing revelation is revealed in any of them.

AN UNREASONABLE MAN
(Rating: 12 by Al)—Ralph Nader, consumer advocate and progressive politician, has been shaking things up for decades. This film goes on for tooooo long about how Nader is responsible for the American aggression in, and invasion of, Iraq. Nader is blamed for this (by Boneheads!) because he ran for President (of the USA) as an independent, splitting the Democrats vote, and allowing Bush to win. The film also details the long and amazing list of consumer legislation that has resulted from Nader’s advocacy. An interesting film, but a bit longish.

VENUS
(Ratings: 13 by Al and 20 by Caryl) Al callt this movie “pornographic” (and not even in the best sense) and Caryl called it “disgusting.” Primarily a vehicle for a strong performance by the deteriorating Peter O’Toole, this is a movie in which no one and nothing is portrayed in a sympathetic or likeable manner. What motivates ANY of these characters, excepting the dirty old man (sorta) O’Toole plays, is a mystery to us. A totally avoidable experience.

VOLVER
(Ratings: 2 by Caryl and 2 by Al)—Al reports seeing it twice, and finding that the second viewing was even more rewarding than the first. In Spanish, with American subtitles.

WAITRESS
(Ratings: 9 by Caryl and 19 by Al,)
Reviewed on the blog under the archive for May, 2007

WEST SIDE STORY
(Rating: 1 by Al)
(1961/USA. Directed by Jerome Robbins and Robert Wise.) Still the almost Perfect movie entertainment. It starts with a story adapted from William Shakespeare (if that indeed is his real name,) builds with an incredible musical score by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and soars with choreography sooooo gorgeous and integral that the choreographer received credit as co-director. The opening shot of NYC alone is enough to tell us that we are in for a treat almost never equaled in the history of film entertainment. Find the biggest screen you can, and watch this film again immediately. (2 hr 32. In English.Rated “Approved” in the USA. With Richard Beymer as Tony, William Bramley as Officer Krupke, George Chakiris as Bernardo, Eliot Feld as Baby John, Tony Modente as Action, Rita Moreno as Anita, Ned Glass as Doc, Simon Oakland as Lieutenant Schrank, Russ Tamblyn as Riff, Natalie Wood as Maria, and many other terrific actors and dancers.)

THE WILD BUNCH
(Rating: 1 by Al)
No one directs (American) Western films as well as Sam Peckinpah. This lovely film covers the last days of an over-the-hill gang of cowboy thieves and robbers looking to score one last jackpot before riding off into the sunset. William Holden leads the gang, and Robert Ryan vows to track the gang down. Incredibly violent, “The Wild Bunch” is actually the most violent film ever committed. It’s well worth viewing time and time again, however, because the story and dialogue are Totally Perfect.

THE WILD PARROTS OF TELEGRAPH HILL
(Rating: 6 by Al.)
A gentle and lovely garden spot is created in the lovely and gentle confines of San Francisco, wherein a man makes it his life’s work to care for this flock of wild tropical parrots who have somehow arrived in this city.

THE WIND THAT SHAKES THE BARLEY
(Rating: 14 by Al.)
Arrrrrrrrgh, it’s not the best movie Al have ever seen. Reviewed under the archive for May, 2007.

WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION
Rating: 11 by Al)
(1957/USA. Directed by Billy Wilder.)
Leonard Vole is accused of murdering the rich old woman whom he has befriended. His wife Christine agrees to testify at his trial…but for the Prosecution! There are many twists and turns in this murder mystery. The real pleasure, however, comes from watching Sir Wilfrid interact with others, and with his nurse, Miss Plimsoll. (1 hr 56. Rated “Approved” in the USA. With Marlene Dietrich as Christine Vole, Elsa Lanchester as Miss Plimsoll, Charles Laughton as Sir Wilfrid, and Tyrone Power as Leonard Vole.)

YEAR OF THE DOG
(Ratings: 6 by Al and 20 by Caryl.)

YOU KILL ME
(Ratings: 2 by Al, and a pass by Caryl.)
Through the end of September, this was one of the 12 best films Al has seen this year. Reviewed on the blog under the archive for July, 2007.

ZWARTBOEK [BLACK BOOK]
(Rating: 21 by Al)—Please, oh please, oh please, spare us Stupid Movies like this one. Why the Detroit Film Theatre would choose to screen this unfunny cartoon is beyond Al. When he can get one or more DFT personnel alone in the cloakroom, where they won’t be embarrassed by what they say, Al will ask them just and specifically that. Theoretically a story about the Holocaust (and, truly, doesn’t The World GET that message by now, and shouldn’t we move on to, say, the Cambodian Killing Fields, or something?), WWII Holland this cartoon movie is actually a vehicle for a woman to show her breasts to us, either because she just wants to, or because The Evil People Have Forced Her To. The dialogue in this movie is LOL laughable. The action is sophomoric. We’ll trash this movie further, in all its full-blown insipidity soon. In the Meantime, we suggest you not give any credence, support, nor time to this stupidity. Warning: lots of subtitles—- and we wonder if the original language is really as dumbstupid as the American subtitles.