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Reviews
The Hot Spot (1990)
Amazing Film Noir Collaboration
Reading how the original cast was not available makes me wonder how they could have done better?
Don Johnson is so slimy, good looking, cool and dangerous that he makes Robert Mitchum look ho hum in his film noir ventures.
Jennifer Connely is about as fresh faced and incredibly beautiful as a 19 year old could be anywhere. Her nude scene on the beach is probably worth the price of this DVD. This was in her "busty" days.
Virginia Madsen is incredibly, boldly sexy as the kind of girl your mother told you to avoid. But you can't.
The film revolves around this trio as Johnson drifts into town, gets a used car job, gets seduced by the trashy wife of the older owner, starts an affair with Jennifer Connelley, robs a bank, kills a blackmailer, and ends up pondering it all.
I won't go into specifics. But the story is pure classic film noir directed by Dennis Hopper. So just enough strange blended with fantastic over the top performances by Barry Corbin and others in the cast.
Johnson's best movie performance. Madden's almost best (see LONG GONE where she plays Dixie Lee Box).
Great character actors and a great film to watch. Wasn't successful at box office but should have been.
Hard people, hard reality, hard knocks. I gave it 10 stars because it was that interesting.
If you love Noir, here's a color Noir that will absolutely not disappoint.
Watch it in HD.
Blow-Up (1966)
Pretentious Crap
I read the reviews by the film "experts" who find this overblown up Blow Up as a masterpiece of subtle film making. Then I watch this film for the fifteenth time attempting to gain the knowledge to access this as a masterpiece. It is a masterpiece, a masterpiece of idiotic imagery that reflects snobbish "art film" aficionados to discover different meanings when in fact the illusion of this film is how artsy the famed director can get and then laugh at the people trying to give depth to it in reviews.
Going back to the time it was made it was a success only because it featured models, nudity and a charming actor in David Hemmings. The "plot" of Hemmings, playing s photographer who seems to relish in undressing underage girls and driving around in his Rolls Royce convertible, centers on some photos he snaps of Vanessa Redgrave and an older man at a park. After he shoots the pictures Redgrave wants them back. She even turns up at his house. Takes her top off. And he gives her a roll of film which is really another roll.
He develops his film and blows up the pictures to see images of s gun and a possible murder attempt or murder.
People reviewing the film seem to miss the clues at the end of the picture of what he really saw and how it was blended into the photos. But instead the reviewers wallow around about the fake tennis game, whether he saw a body or not, and what was the real reality. Damn. It's right there in the last five minutes of the film.
Now my comments will enrage the fandom of this picture looking for what I saw and trying to reconcile it into their interpretations of the film.
SPOILER ALERT
I wrote about this film and read about it 25 years ago in s film school. Capturing the students thoughts on surrealism and what in their minds was real or illusion in the film. I then called out for those that thought this was an intellectual test to define the film from the director. Their theories were like other reviews praising this film. But three other students seeing it for the first time were puzzled. Finally one of them said, "the whole answer, if there is one, is in the last five minutes."
I won't reveal that concept in detail. Because unless you like a meandering unexplainable story that has a sum less than its parts you won't like this.
Film snobs. Get real.
Christmas with the Kranks (2004)
Enjoyable
People criticize this film for a lot of reasons. Some vald. But to me I think the quality of the cast and some of the gags all result in a fun to watch holiday movie that is both enjoyable as a seasonal film and as just a light comedy.
Sure some of the situations are contrived. And sure, some of the gags are predictable, but it has enough laughs and a Strong supportiing cast that flushes out enough family fun that we enjoy it a time of year.
The novel this was based on was written in 2001 by John Grisham and was on the NY TIMES best seller list. The film doesn't follow that book to the letter but the film goes for more over the top gags.
Jamie Lee Curtis is both the weak link and the Christmas junkie in the film. She shouts and laughs weirdly throughout the film as a simpleton , but on the other hand she plays nicely off Tim Allen's more subdued character.
Tim wants to skip Christmas and take a cruise since their daughter won't be there because of a peace corps assignment. For some reason everyone in town, is especially upset that they are skipping Christmas. A little over the top. But the main problem is they won't be participating in the neighborhood decorating collective.
Anyway one thing leads to another. And bedlam persists when plans have to change.
Overlook the obvious pitfalls and enjoy some of the comedic moments brought to you by Allen and a cast including Cheech Marin and Dan Ackrpyd.
Gentlemen Marry Brunettes (1955)
Oh God This is awful
How can you not like Jeanne Crain and Jane Russell in a movie? Crain is one of my favorite actresses but she looks tired here and Russell looks confused on how to play the part.
I don't believe either of them sing their own songs and Scott Brady as their manager is dubbed as well. Unfortunately Rudy Valle sounds like himself and adds a bit but Alan Young does his own singing and adds a comic touch.
What gives this even four stars are great songs no matter who has sung them.
The song and dance numbers are horrible. The jungle sequence is in bad taste at best.
A mid fifties musical gone wrong.
See if u can spot the one song Crain actually sings herself?
This movie is why musicals died.
Spring Breakers (2012)
Incredibly bad
I've always been a fan of mindless spring break movies. There are girls, beaches, bars and funny practical jokes. Nothing serious. Just entertainment.
So, that said, despite the nudity and the former Disney stars that do brighten up the film, Spring Breakers is one of the most ridiculously I'll-planned and executed movies of all time and creation.
Don't expect this to be fun. It's crude, one terrible scene after another, even a three way in the pool looks ridiculous.
There is no reason for this movie to live. There are four girls led by Selena Gomez as the "good girl" who keeps being good as she does cocaine, drinks to extremes and gets arrested with the other three hotties, including Vanessa Hudgens, for their debauchery.
They are bailed out by James Franco who plays a scum bag drug dealer who leads the girls to join his gang and basically have sex with. He would have never appealed to this group. Never. Best thing is they wear bikinis throughout, worst thing, it doesn't matter.
The story is not really a story, lines are repeated, the action is tidiculous.
This is not a movie meant for laughs. I don't know what it's meant for, nor do I care.
It's a scumbag movie that fails to entertain on any level. Too bad to be enjoyed as a bad movie. I won't even go over the plot or any details. You can NOT watch it on your own.
If I could give minus stars I would go -5. Interesting film techniques keep it from being even lower.
Rent or buy something better. Which makes you choice just about any film.
Broadway Melody of 1940 (1940)
Dance Baby Dance
OK, much has been said about this movie's wooden acting. Those that at that are right. I'll never understand how George Murphy ever was a star, much less the governor of California? And even Astaire seems awkward in his lines with Powell. Then take all that together and dump it in the garbage, because the dance sequences here featuring Powell, Astaire and Murphy are so great that who will ever care about the plot or the acting? Not me. Not you after seeing this incredible film.
First off you can begin with Cole Porter music. Begin The Beguine was resurrected out of an old Porter musical flop. If Porter had staged this song on Broadway with Eleanor Powell and Fred Astaire it might still be running.
Powell works well with both Murphy and Astaire and with bunches of dancing sailors. She is a spectacular solo artist and goes step to step with Astaire. Geez these tap routines are magnificent.
Corny and old. Dismissive story. Wooden acting. Add up in this case to s tremendously entertains movie that included Cole Porter songs and great hoofing by Astaire, Powell and yes Murphy.
Tap tap your way into seeing this movie.