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Reviews
The First Valentine (1989)
A charming, powerful story
Despite its obvious low budget, The First Valentine is quite memorable and well-directed. The sets and costumes are of excellent quality, fitting nicely with the style of much more expensive Roman Empire films. The script is insightful and straightforward, not wasting time on too many subplots or too much melodrama. Despite a few moments of overacting, the cast does an excellent job of conveying the simple story and winning over the hearts of the audience. Even the framing storyline (while extremely 1980s-stereotypical) is charming and feels appropriate to the subject material. The handling of Saint Valentine's story and the legends surrounding his death may not be entirely historically accurate, but the story has its own charm and uses the familiar Valentine's Day message effectively.
You won't find many traditional, accurate historical Valentine's Day movies (especially not those that are entirely appropriate for the entire family), but this one fits the bill and is quite memorable.
Matlock: The Dame (1991)
A classy, refreshing episode!
This episode certainly breaks the Matlock mold, and in unique, classy fashion. Sheree Wilson's villainess is confident, calculating, and timelessly beautiful. Her plan to kill her husband is pretty run-of-the-mill, but her bold characterization breathes some new life into the tropes. The choice to film in black-and-white was a brilliant one, lending an old-movie charm to the episode. Of course, Andy Griffith is a delight playing Ben Matlock's foxy father Charlie, whose sleuthing abilities Ben clearly inherited. Pay attention to the subtle little callbacks to Andy's character on TAGS - you can't miss some of those classic Andy Taylor-isms in Griffith's fatherly character.
Though of course hardcore fans will miss Matlock's typical courtroom shenanigans, I found this episode to be a fun switch-up featuring some excellent acting and a lovely change of scenery.
The Princess Bride (1987)
If there ever was a truly ICONIC film, this is it!
There's a reason that you'll rarely find a person who (a) has never seen this movie or (b) doesn't like it. That reason is that this movie is basically perfect in every way. It's a pleasure to watch no matter how many times you've seen it.
Possibly the most quotable film ever made, "The Princess Bride" features brilliant dialogue which fits the mold of a dreamy fairytale while simultaneously poking fun at it. The sarcasm, the satire, and the anachronisms are sprinkled throughout a solid plot, but all the expected tropes are present as well - a dashing hero, a beautiful heroine, a ruthless villain, and a collection of quirky side characters. The film functions equally well as a comedy and a fairytale. You'll roar at the humor, swoon at the love story, and cheer at the adventure.
Brilliant as the dialogue is, it's really the characters and their actors who make the film such a classic. Cary Elwes is everything a fantasy hero should be - handsome, daring, witty, romantic, and a little overconfident. He and the stunning Robin Wright have incredible onscreen chemistry (which reportedly was not solely reserved for onscreen, either). Buttercup may not be the sassy heroine girls of today expect, but she is still a strong character who simply lights up the screen.
Mandy Patinkin truly steals the show as Inigo Montoya, the (almost) unbeatable Spanish swordsman who is obsessed with avenging his father. His character arc is undoubtedly one of the best ever shown onscreen, and his famous speech - I don't even need to include it here; we all know it - never loses its zap, especially during the climactic swordfight. Also wonderful is Andre the Giant as the gentle colossus Fezzik. Fezzik and Inigo's friendship is just as powerful as the love story between Westley and Buttercup, and Andre the Giant's sweetness and simplicity is a highlight of the film.
One simply cannot overemphasize the cast and characters here. Chris Sarandon is a spineless but evil mastermind as Humperdinck, Christopher Guest is delightfully nonchalant as the cruel Count Rugen, and Wallace Shawn's perpetually exasperated Vizzini is unforgettable despite his smaller role. Billy Crystal and Carol Kane are hysterical as Miracle Max and his shrieking wife Valerie. Mel Smith's albino hacks and rasps out his trademark sardonic humor. Peter Cook's all-too-brief appearance as The Impressive Clergyman is one of the funniest sequences ever captured on film. Even the King and Queen are memorable.
The beautiful scenery, perfect musical score, lovely costumes, daring stunts, and unique filming style only contribute to this masterpiece. The film makes good use of its 100 minute runtime, never spending too much or too little time on any one portion. Other than a few mild references, it's a film that even kids can watch over and over and never wear their parents out. As for me, "The Princess Bride" is a go-to flick for any occasion, especially a date night!
If I could rate it higher than a 10, I would. My favorite film of all time, with little competition. It's never too self-aware or too lost in its own element; the film commits to its story and its brand of humor without ever making a fool of itself. Everything comes together perfectly to create a film that is pure entertainment. The word "iconic" is overused when talking about films, but if any movie deserves that title, it's "The Princess Bride."
The Phantom of the Opera (1990)
The best version of Phantom of the Opera you're going to see.
There are few films which manage to capture a sense of magic and mystery at the beginning of their runtime and maintain that same sense throughout the rest of the film. This is one of them, however, and it never disappoints, no matter how many time you see it. The acting is inspired, the music and sets are stunning, and the storyline and character development are some of the best you'll find.
Christine Daae (Teri Polo) is a young French country girl with an angelic yet untrained singing voice, and she meets the womanizing Count de Chagny (Adam Storke) by chance. He sends her to the Paris Opera House to get singing lessons from his old friend Gerard Carriere (Burt Lancaster), but Carriere has just been replaced by the greedy Alain Choleti (Ian Richardson) and his screeching wife Carlotta (Andrea Ferreol). Christine goes to work in the opera house, hoping for a chance to become a singer, and soon begins taking secret lessons from a mysterious "maestro" in a mask (Charles Dance). This maestro turns out to be the famed Phantom of the Opera, who has haunted the opera house for years and remains a total mystery. The film follows Christine, Carriere, de Chagny, and the Phantom as they discover their unlikely connections and struggle against the inevitable end of life as they know it.
"She thought she loved me. And she did, but only for a moment. Still, a moment like that is worth living for."
Charles Dance is simultaneously charming, terrifying, hopeful, tragic, and morbidly humorous in his role as the Phantom, aka Erik. He never overacts or underacts, simply delivers his lines in a way that makes you believe he truly is "bereaved of light," as he says. Watch his subtle facial expressions beneath the mask and the casual way he speaks; it seems he was born for this role. His dramatic flair and brilliant dialogue make him an unforgettable Phantom, far superior to any other in my opinion.
Burt Lancaster is best known for his roles as gangsters and hard-boiled protagonists when he was young, but he shows an incredible amount of dignity and kindness in this role. His relationship with Erik is one of the best parts of the film, and the scenes they share are poignant and solid. Lancaster's eyes almost seem to tell a story of their own, one that seems to overshadow each event that unfolds as if he has already lived this story many times and knows how it will end. Undoubtedly, this is one of Lancaster's greatest roles.
Teri Polo and Adam Storke are more noticeably American than Lancaster, but they still carry their roles well. Polo is an absolutely lovely presence in the film, though her acting is better in some scenes than in others. Her double role as Christine and Belladova is nicely performed, though occasionally a bit confusing. Storke could have used more sympathetic characterization, but he still manages to be endearing and convincing. The love story between Christine and the Count pales in comparison to the passion displayed between Erik and Christine, but then, we don't watch it for them, do we?
In supporting roles, Ian Richardson, Andrea Ferreol, and Jean-Pierre Cassel are equally engaging and important to the story. Richardson and Ferreol are an oddity in villainous couples, in that they seem genuinely fond of one another despite their constant conniving, selfishness, and incompetence. Ferreol's performances onstage during the operas are hilarious, as is Richardson's simple delivery of, "Your bucket!" Cassel is a foxy yet honest inspector brought in to hunt down the Phantom, and his presence is welcome in every scene he appears in. Other minor performances - Jean Rougerie as the kindly curator Jean-Claude, Jacques Mars as the bellowing opera star playing Mephisto, and the silent actor playing a young Gerard - are beautifully done as well.
Highlights of the film include the gorgeous opening credit sequences at the Paris Opera House; the first encounters of Christine and the Phantom; the comedic moments during rehearsals for Faust; Christine and Carlotta's singing duel at the Bistro; Carlotta's unfortunate rodent problem; Gerard's storytelling of Erik's past; Erik's complete shift in personality during his breakdown; the final conversation between Gerard and Erik; the absolutely unforgettable climax between Christine and Erik; and of course the tragic yet fitting ending.
Don't miss seeing this one - it's a treat that only seems to grow more beautiful over the years.