jescue Reviews

They All Kissed the Bride (1942)

reminded me a bit of nick and nora charles aka the thin man in some ways

[10/10 · 22 May 2008]

a really fun movie. lots of stuff going on in each scene. a joy to watch. very good pacing. tight script.

joan is really really excellent in this comedic role. i am a fan of joan crawford (i like her more with more study) but not a huge fan relative to some other classic stars. so in other words she stands out more then usual in this role. very sexy looking in some of the gowns also as a bonus.

melvyn douglas is also a hoot in this.

the banter between douglas and crawford is believable and a LOT OF FUN. it has a touch of the screwball comedy mixed in with plenty of other comedy.

an acting and comedic tour de force.

supporting cast is quite solid, the story a lot of fun.

worth your time to seek out.

regards, jsq

The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)

camera work by a 12 year old in heat??? or a jiggle cam teenager????

[5/10 · 5 August 2007]

the movie WOULD have been a 9 out of 10, like the 2 earlier titles from this series.

i am not sure if they ran over budget and hired a 12 year old "in heat" or if they got a teenager with a jiggle cam.

robert ludlum should raise the cameraman's salary?? did he pay them with a burger and fries? was this guy a real professional camera man?

the story, characters, action scenes (what you could see of them without all the constant wiggling of the camera and darkness) were otherwise well done.

did some amateur "auteur" think using a hand-held camera and constantly moving it, even on stills and close ups of characters in non action settings has something to do with movie making.

the camera technique used on this film was really hot stuff in the mid 70's for low budget porno movies when the first hand held cameras came out and it was exciting and new to see a scene shot differently, at least in the 70's it was realized that wiggling a camera constantly detracted from a movie, not enhanced it.

also the lighting, small tip for the movie staff, when the sun goes down you need to remember that one single candle is not enough light for a modern movie. once again, spend a few dollars on a technology called a light bulb, they were invented about a 130 years ago but i guess your staff might not have heard of the technology yet. also works well in dark rooms.

once again, 9 out of 10 for the first two movies from this series, this only gets a 5 due to the terrible film and lighting work.

Pan-Americana (1945)

Audrey long is awesome, why did she not get better roles

[9/10 · 26 September 2006]

this movie is a romantic romp. eve Arden, Audrey long, Robert benchley and Phillip terry (joan Crawford's 4th husband) star in this romance set in various tropical settings. the best part is discovering b movie actress Audrey long. Audrey married Leslie charteris (author of the Simon templar "the saint" novels) in the early 1950's and evidently retired after a successful, approximately 10 year, career as a lead in mostly b movies. Audrey really shines in this movie and it really gives pause as to why she did not prosper in the film industry. like most actors and actresses, never getting the one great breakout role prevents them from stardom. she was a total babe. the rest of the cast is doing a very good job and the movie has a nice and varied Latin setting to complement the stars of the film. also look for Jane Greer in her first film role, in a small part.

Undercover Blues (1993)

if you like nick and Nora Charles - you will enjoy this movie

[10/10 · 23 July 2006]

an awful lot of fun. it is a shame they did not make a sequel the chemistry of quaid and turner reminds me of Bruce Willis and Cybill Shepard in moonlighting and nick and Nora Charles as played my William Powell and Myrna Loy in " the thin man" series of classic husband and wife comedy romance and danger.

quaid always delivers a good performance but he excels in this with a comedic flair that is delivered with superb and appearing effortless timing. turner is solid. Stanley tucci is excellent as a local hoodlum and even the chief spy is well cast. a great romp.*******enjoy. this is a fun movie.

National Lampoon's Animal House (1978)

the finest movie on college humor ever made

[10/10 · 21 April 2006]

the finest movie on college humor ever made. also one of the most entertaining comedies ever made. virtually every scene has something going on in the background, pay close attention to each scene for a rewarding fresh look. well executed and perfectly acted. tight and right script. became the most successful comedy of all time upon initial release and for good reason.

it is hilarious. the cast was a tour de force of newcomers and unknowns. many went on to prosperous careers. landis did a great job of directing, katie "karen allen" is massively underrated and should have had a huge career, after later doing indiana jones she kinda choose some poor career choices in terms of box office success. worth watching every few years to keep yourself young.

The Strange Love of Martha Ivers (1946)

acting tour de force with great film noir plot

[10/10 · 22 February 2006]

this movie is one of those lost gems. barbara stanwyck and kirk douglas do a great job but they are not the reason this is a great gem. van heflin (of shane) and lizabeth scott are superb and in some ways overshadow kirk douglas in his screen debut and stanwyck. lizabeth smolders and pouts her way to perfection, what a babe!!. lizabeth should have been a huge star especially in the film noir genre. both van heflin and lizabeth scott are massively underrated and typically not remembered. that is a shame since they both were fine actors, that is the present generations loss. the plot is superb and throws some nice curves that keeps you on your toes.

Tension (1949)

great film with some fine acting and script in forgotten film noir gem

[10/10 · 22 February 2006]

cyd charrise in a non dancing role. she is a total babe and takes a medium size part and delivers the goods as a girl that believes in her man. the cast in this movie is superb. the plot is well written and contains some nice twists. besides excellent performances by all of the main cast the supporting staff are also perfect especially the lead detective. if you want to see cyd looking radiant and innocent, this is a great pic.

lloyd gough has a key but small part in this movie, fans of the green hornet will remember him as being on the newspaper staff for bret reed's newspaper.

audrey totter, a joliet, illinois gal is tough as nails, just like the "steel city" she hails from. does a great job in her role. she was a powerful and convincing actress.

Blond Cheat (1938)

screwball comedy with stunningly playful Joan fontaine

[8/10 · 8 November 2005]

screwball comedy with stunningly beautiful and playful Joan fontaine. the movie is great on several levels. hilarious concept, Joan ends up being collateral for a loan because of the earrings shes wearing, but their is a twist! fun romance with ingénue Joan fontaine showing what a hot babe she was. kittenish and fun romp for Joan as she makes the movie.

tcm is great at pulling out movies you would never get a chance to see that have real value. if you are a Joan fontaine fan this is a must see. watch her playful banter with the leading man. she exudes pure sex appeal.

the writing for the movie is pleasingly fresh. it holds up well and surprises with its plot twists and turns. the leading man is a bit lightweight but the rest of the cast is solid.

The Thin Man (1934)

one of the finest comedy teams ever, romance and mystery with high society

[10/10 · 13 October 2005]

myrna loy was a total babe, voted the woman men of the 1930's most wanted to marry! mainly because of her characterization of nora charles in the thin man series. nick charles is played by debonair and witty william powell, certainly one of the most underrated actors of any era. a true star pairing. this movie is meant to be watched with friends and family, hilarious movie with a lot of plot twists. one of the best motion pictures ever made. you will see why it spawned 5 additional successful sequels. i saw this movie for the first time over 30 years ago and have watched it 5 or 6 times since.

each time i pick up more of the excellent script and acting. the cast is superb with the exception of the role of mimi.

it isn't often you get a chance to watch perfection of an art and a fresh approach. this movie provided this at is inception and continues to live up to this high standards today as well, still fresh and fun after all these years.

Footsteps in the Dark (1941)

a well crafted mystery and a touch of romance and light comedy thrown in for good measure, a hidden gem

[10/10 · 3 May 2005]

a hidden gem, shows the wide variety of skills errol flynn possessed but was not given credit for until much later. errol could really act, he had an excellent comedic touch and really makes this well written mystery a lot of fun. brenda marshall is her usual gorgeous self, shes a dream. the mystery is well crafted and this was good enough that they should have done a sequel. errol was type cast by the studio as a the prototype "super man" and "action hero", which he did better then anyone. what the studio prevented was errol doing comedy and other roles which he was marvelous at. the few comedy roles he was allowed to do in his career are superb. his star was brighter then most, but hidden by studio hacks were many of his varied talents.

Never Say Goodbye (1946)

a fine romantic comedy

[10/10 · 15 April 2005]

a fine romantic comedy. errol flynn shows what a deft touch for comedy he possessed. a talent that probably shows some of his true prankster self. the comedic writing on this film is excellent. eleanor parker does a nice job as flynn's ex wife whom errol is trying to win back. eleanor is also easy on the eyes. the sets exude 1940's glamour and style where appropriate.

flynn's comedic timing and wit are displayed to full effect here, watch his double takes, his ability to verbally counter punch with a snappy comeback or act the straight man, and his total believability and sincerity where required, this guy could act! it is a shame errol did not get a chance to do more roles like this throughout his career, he was multi-talented to the extreme. if you enjoyed "it happened one night" with gable and colbert or some of the william powell and myrna loy comedies you will enjoy this.

well paced and lots of laughs. a lost diamond of a movie.

The Chicken Chronicles (1977)

this movie is a coming of age riot!, loads of laughs and strong cast

[10/10 · 2 March 2003]

my wife and i pull this movie out every time we need a good laugh, the cast is especially strong, phil silvers is actually the weak link, gutenberg, his girl friends and branscom richmond are superb as are other supporting cast members. its not really a teen flick for teens alone but also appreciated by people who want to reminisce about days gone by. set in the ultra upscale los angeles suburbs, it gives a fun look at what the "rich kids" do with their free time.