Well, last month I was lucky enough to see 4 movies! 1 per week, which is really great considering the month before I only found time for 1 movie, so I'm really happy about it

Anyway, 1 was a mediocre time-waster, 1 was good, and 2 were masterpieces.

Lets start with the bad one....

The Recruit (2003)

This is probably the greatest forum out there for Pacino fans, so I'll skip the plot summary you all know and get down to business:

I plead guilty. Pacino made me watch this film. I had others waiting in line, but I said what the hell, lets see what Pacino has to show us with this one, and it turned out to be nothing special at all. Been there, done that, just another time waster if you got nothing to do. The enitre movie is mediocre and Pacino dosent help much. Could easily been Donald Sutherland, Gene Hackman, or Ben Kingsley instead of Pacino. He just had the right character outline, nothing deep really.
And Colin Farrell, who the hell is that kid?
To sum things up, Pacino went "Neo-De-Niro" with this role, which means making mediocre mainstream movies.
This movie is what RRA would call BOMB


Now lets go on to the good movie...


True Confessions (1981/MGM)

De Niro and Duvall. 2 brothers. Priest and detective.
The background plot is somewhat based on the Black Dahlia case (murder victim Elizabeth Short from 1947).
De Niro and Duvall deliver great performances, theres no question about it, and alone that could make a masterpiece. On the other hand, the plot is really overshadowed by the brothers' performances. but then I cant really expect to learn much from an unsolved murder like the Black Dahlia...so I cant complain.
I also felt a bit of Godfather style in this movie. Maybe becasue one of the first scenes is a big party that introduces the characters, in the same way all 3 godfather movies do...maybe becasue De Niro resembles Michael in GF2 with his cold thoughtful stare, maybe becasue Duvall was misquoting a GF line as a joke, I think it was something like "May all your sons be...", and maybe becasue Duvall is Tom once again...I dunno, its really nothing, just that I kept thinking of the Godfather while watching this movie.

Anyway, a good movie, not an outstanding plot but with great performances, so check it if u can.
And if you want, read the book this movie is based upon : "True Confessions" by John Gregory Dunne(1977)

Time to move on to....masterpieces :

The Miracle Worker (1962/MGM)

This is the 5th time I watched this film, and I really dont know where to start....let me start by saying this movie is one of my top 10 movies of ALL TIME.
This is the story of Helen Keller and her teacher Annie Sullivan. How it all started. If you want to know what makes this movie so great, then let me tell you : Ann Bancroft, Ann Bancroft, Ann Bancroft! (RIP)
This is what Capo would call a "tour de force"
Her performance is way above anything you might expect, I just couldnt wait to see this movie again. Stunning. Simply stunning. And people remember Ann Bancroft for her Mrs. Robinson role in The Graduate ??? thats sad! She sould be remembered for this role, 1000 times better than The Graduate!

Is this the greatest Helen Keller film? - sure thing.
Is it the greatest female performance (Bancroft) of all time? - Yes,yes,Yes! See it for yourself, if you dont believe me.
The Miracle Worker not in the AFI list? - Blasphemy!
Not on IMDB list? - well, I stopped checking this one long time ago when Spider-Man 2 got in the top 250 list...how lame is that?
Patty Duke is also amazing in the role of Helen. I cant wait to see the 1979 film where shes playing Annie instead.

Was anyone here (TIS/SC/Turnbull etc) lucky enough to see the Broadway play (1959-1961) which was later made into the 1962 film ?

And to another masterpiece....

Wit (2001/HBO Films)

Damn!! I have so much to say about this precious little gem with the GREAT Emma Thompson, but I gotta go now. So it'll have to wait.

Have u seen the original movie with Glenn Ford (1956) ?