Yesterday I watched part of James Cagney's Torrid Zone from 1940. He's always good, but I felt he was miscast. He played a tough guy plantation owner in South America, but his tough guy persona didn't transfer well. Also, I was distracted by the Panama hat he wore which made him seem almost squat.

Just imagine if WB had gotten their way and he had played Robin Hood instead of Errol Flynn.

Armageddon is Casablanca when compared to Transformers. But nevermind.

The whole "best movie ever" and "worst movie ever" discussions are really silly anyway. Because no man has ever seen even one tenth of all the movies out there. We're only exposed to a very limited collection of films, and even those who seek movies elsewhere and dedicate their lives to it, even they have a very limited knowledge. It should be "best movie I've ever seen" and "worst movie I've ever seen" instead.

Trapeze (1956) ****/*****

Burt Lancaster and Tony Curtis. Winning team. A year later they joined forces again to make the best movie I've ever seen, "The Sweet Smell of Success", but "Trapeze" is a good movie as well. It's a circus tale/love triangle with Lancaster the suffering mentor and Curtis as the young fresh hope, and things get complicated when a circus girl decides to join their act. The movie's dialogue is pretty clever and biting, fitting for a film noir at the time, only this movie is pretty colorful. It works perfectly, and the one thing that would be reason enough to watch it is those 2 actors together. Their chemistry is perfect.

Mystic River (2003) ***/*****

This movie is good, but far from being an oscar worthy. There's not a boring moment in there, and there are some fine moments too, but I couldn't find any greatness as well. Some things really bothered me about this movie, mainly the role of the women:

*****SPOILERS*****

1) Wife no.1 - Sean Devine's (Kevin Bacon) mysterious wife on the phone. Why was that necessary at all? it seems like an awful attempt at trying to add another layer to Bacon's personality, because without it there's not much to work with. He's a good detective and that's it. Are we supposed to feel confused about that woman and think that maybe she has anything to do with the murder? no we're not, and her moments in this movie are pretty much redundant.

2) Wife no.2 - Jimmy's (Sean Penn) wife. We see very little of her throughtout the movie and then she suddenly gets the most important scene at the end, when dealing with what her husband did. She did allright, the only problem is I wasn't even sure who she was before that scene. I think replacing those wife-on-the-phone moments with more of Jimmy's wife moments- would've made me appreciate that final scene a lot more, because I would've known a little more about that wife who obviously means a lot to her husband. It just came from nowhere.

3) Wife no.3- Dave's (Tim Robbins) wife. Even for a movie, that woman is unbelievable. Her telling none other than Katie's dad about her husband's guilt seems unrealistic and forced into this movie. Yes she needed to share it with someone, but no woman on earth in a similar position, would choose to share it with the father, no matter how close they are.

Overall, this movie is allright, but I don't agree with all the praise calling it a masterpiece.

"A Perfect World" and "Unforgiven" are still the best I've seen from Eastwood (as director).

Centurion
directed by Neil Marshall and starring Michael Fassbender (Quintus Dias), Olga Kurylenko (Etain), Dominic West (General Virulus).

This is a well made but somewhat empty historical drama about the fate of the Roman Ninth Legion which disappeared in 2nd century Scotland, which was Pict country. Obvious parallels can be drawn with Afghanistan. The Picts rarely stand and fight but rely on hit and run guerrilla tactics, assassinations, and nighttime raids.

Centurion Quintus Dias was captured by the Picts but escapes and hooks up with the Ninth Legion, led by General Virulus, who has received orders to take the offensive and deal with the Picts for once and for all. The general is guided across the terrain by a beautiful, deadly and mute Pict woman, Etain.

Of course things don't go quite as the Romans plan and Dias and a few desperate and disparate survivors of the Legion (native Romans, Franks, Numidians, Syrians, etc) have to make their way south while pursued by a deadly incarnation of Pictish (and female) vengeance. It was reminiscent of the movie The Warriors, which was of course itself based on classical sources.

This was shot on location in Scotland I believe and it was a really beautiful backdrop for the movie. The hills, moors, valleys and rivers were magnificent. If nothing else this was a great advertisement to visit.

Kurylenko was evidently a Bond girl in Quantum of Solace but I don't remember her. She made much more of an impression here.
Also Fassbender was in 300 and Inglorious Basterds (there was a deliberate (??) reference to IB where people hide under flooring from someone who would very much like to see them bleed).

The battle scenes are not like 300. They are shot more quickly and would look more natural were it not for the digitized blood.
If you like chase movies or historical films, you'll enjoy this. If swords and battle films bore you, this isn't for you.
Available on demand.

Edit: Like most good chase movies the film has a Tired of Running scene that works quite effectively.

I didn't like Sherlock Holmes (2009) as much as I was hoping to... and while I think Robert Downey Jr is usually just fine, I think it was partly his fault. That, and the horrible comic-book-wannabe-but-didn't-come-close CGI. And the story was ridiculous on top of it.

And since when does Sherlock Holmes and Watson have super-human fighting abilities???

Lame, IMHO.

Actually in several Holmes stories, it mentions the guy's knowledge in boxing and fighting arts because he's that thorough.

Which isn't the same as being a fight machine. Which I agree was silly.

That said, thought Law and Downey had good chemistry. Just basically an overproduced, yet another Joel Silver buddy picture.

Ehhh...
as mentioned there are several stories in which Holmes is depicted as having incredible skills in bare knuckle boxing, stick fighting, and martial arts. In "The Adventure of the Speckled Band" the bad guy bends an iron poker in an attempt to intimidate Holmes. Holmes is unfazed and straightens the poker out. In another story ("The Sign of the Four") a professional boxer says Holmes could have had a great career in the ring after Holmes reveals that he went the full three rounds with the boxer at a charity exhibition.

As far as Watson, he was kicking a$$ and taking names in Afghanistan and was considered to be a pretty good man with his fists, clubs, chair or whatever else lay around.

I liked the movie but thought the plot was pretty obvious.

I guess I don't know enough about Sherlock Holmes

...but at least that explains it.

Most people never read Doyle's stories, or else they would know that he never wore a deerskin cap unlike ole Basil did in the movies.

For that matter, how many people ever bothered reading DRACULA?

I just got done watching Coal Miner's Daughter. I love that movie. It's nice seeing movies filmed in Kentucky. The Col. has a great Uncle that is in two scenes in the movie.

Did you ever see Harlan County USA or Matewan?

No I haven't.

I think both films are quite worthwhile. They were shot in Kentucky and West Virginia.

Harlan Country USA

Matewan

Mignon, I'm watching a movie with you in it right now. Godfather II

Harry Brown

Basically this is a British "Death Wish". Michael Caine plays the title character. I recognized some of the other actors/actresses but this is really Caine's movie through and through. It could have just as easily been a good movie about the inevitable end of life and all the losses we must endure. But then of course a movie about an old man beset with grief over the death of his wife and friends might not have piqued enough interest.

Anyway, Brown is a Royal Marines pensioner who lives with his wife in what looks like the UK version of US projects. They call them "estates" or "council estates". As the movie opens his wife is dying. Brown's chess/drinking partner Les and his only friend left alive, is frightened of the young punks who infest the estate. The police won't help Les. Les comes to Brown for help figuring that a Royal Marine who served in Northern Ireland might have some ideas but Brown is numb with grief and just wants to be left alone.

Of course Les meets with a nasty end and the police may not be able to catch and convict those who did it. At that point, Brown decides enough is enough and we see that a Retired Badass is still a badass.

Caine looks and acts every minute of his 77 years and the movie is much the better for that. At various times he's dealing with back problems or breathing issues. Also the people he is up against are some of the worst and most wicked teens ever depicted on screen. Somewhat manipulative filmmaking perhaps but very entertaining.

"You failed to maintain your weapon, son!"

Cash

This movie was filmed entirely in Chicago. It's a low key thriller starring Sean Bean in a double role(The Kubic Brothers), Chris Hemsworth (Sam) and Victoria Profeta (Leslie).

One of the Kubic brothers has just been arrested and charged with a bank robbery. However before he's arrested by the cops he throws the suitcase containing the cash over the bridge and manipulates the police into shooting his accomplice. No evidence, no conviction is his plan.

In the meantime he is visited by his hypercalm twin brother who may have bankrolled the heist and wants to find the money. All the imprisoned brother has to go on is the make/model of the car he threw the money on. Armed only with that information ,somewhat implausibly Pyke Kubic starts to track down the people who "stole" the money.

Sam Phelan and his wife Leslie were living paycheck to paycheck so when an unexpected $600,000 comes into their life they go on a spending spree, pay off their house and get new cars.

All this happens in the first 20 minutes. The rest of the story concerns the psychological interactions between the Phelans and the incredibly single minded and intimidating Kubic when he discovers where they live. In some respects it's a low budget "No Country for Old Men" but Kubic's brand of fear is not as over the top as Chigurh's. The film also has some interesting points to make about women's attraction to strength and what people are willing to do to save themselves.
Ok movie but nothing special. The look of the film is not the best.

Well, I saw this movie about 20 years late, but yesterday HBO ran "Ricochet" with Denzel Washington.

Denzel plays a cop who is framed for murder by a criminal he sent to jail years ago.

I really enjoyed it. I've always liked Washington and John Lithgow is great as a despicable psychopath killer. Ice-T (L&O) even has a co-starring role.

TIS

This afternoon I went to see "Wall Street Money Never Sleeps". Believe it or not, I never saw the first Wall Street until just a couple months ago. I enjoyed it and have been waiting for this one to debut.

I have seen mixed reviews on it but I liked the movie. For a sequel it was actually quite good.

It starts with Gordon Gekko walking out of prison in 2001, surrounded by several others leaving the slammer. The others all have someone waiting for them but poor Gekko is alone.

Then, for whatever reason though, it suddenly moves to 2007. Jake Moore (Shia LaBeouf) introduces himself to Gordon after seeing one of his lectures (I loved that scene. Not as good as the "Greed is good" scene but good) and being so impressed with it, he had to meet him. Jake informed Gordon that he was daughter's fiance', who was estranged from Gekko. Long story short, Gordon more or less becomes becomes his mentor. Of course you have the shady dealings and scams, etc. as well, with Josh Brolin, more or less, another Gekko type character.

There was a short cameo by Charlie Sheen in his "Bud" role, and Oliver Stone had a couple cameos as well. On top of all that there were wonderful outdoor shots of NYC throughout the film, adding to the atmosphere.

If you are like me and don't understand all the ins and outs of Wall Street (that's why I have a TSA guy), you can still follow this movie. It's pretty easy to get the general drift without being an expert.

I could not help throughout the movie feel sorry for Douglas, who in the film, mentions cancer a couple times in general conversations. For some reason, I feel extra badly for him.

I'd say about *** (over 2 but under 4 anyway).

TIS

Just watched the new ROBIN HOOD with Russell Crowe. A nice new twist to it and some worthy battle scenes on show. A touch slow though and some tremendous "old English" accents on display!

@Stalllionette - I wanna watch those Wall Street movies now that I'm just beginning to study market trading. Pretty interesting you mention that actually. I just started a practice brokerage account the other day online ;-)

I just saw Faster with The Rock, or as he now prefers to be known, Dwayne Johnson. Faster also stars Billy Bob Thornton, Carla Gugino, Maggie Grace, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Mike Epps, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje and one very nice 1970 Chevelle SS. It is directed by George Tillman, Jr.

It is a revenge flick starring Johnson as the protagonist out on a rampage to deliver some serious hurting to people who wronged him. It's a welcome switch from the kiddy genre Johnson was temporarily exiled to.

However the movie makes some very critical mistakes of motivation, pacing and story. Simply put, a revenge motivation is meaningless unless you understand who the hero lost, why the loss is so devastating and you root for the hero to get his own back no matter what. This film has trouble doing that. Also Johnson's character lacks humanity-he has no girl-isn't the hero always supposed to get the girl?? And the film spends WAY too much time on supporting characters at the expense of Johnson's storyline. It feels like the film was hedging its bets. It switches up at the end and almost feels like two different screenwriters were fighting it out.

I don't want to accuse Thornton of just phoning it in but he does look kinda bored here.

The film does have a Revolvers are just Better theme and One Cool Car Those were fun but that was about the extent of it.

Anyway, I wanted to like this film but it was just mediocre. Wait for DVD.

Has anyone seen The Invention of Lying with Ricky Gervais? It's pretty good because it's a refreshing, quirky film. Really enjoyable.

My brother loaned us his DVD of Sinbad's concert "Where U Been?". I've always liked Sinbad, but I have to tell you that I laughed so hard that I cried. He was freaking hilarious. His best lines were about the foolishness of 55 year old men with 20 year old girlfriends. At 55, you need an older woman who will know when you're having a stroke and get you to the hospital. The 20 year old will think you're just making faces at her. And then she'll be happy, since she only wanted to be with you because she wanted your house.

That was funny, SB.

I have seen this entire show. It is nothing less than hilarious! Sinbad is one of my favorite entertainers and after you see this, you'll know why. Highly recommended for non stop laughs.

Just watched "the good the bad and the ugly" for the 3rd time and this film gets better with every viewing,, amazing film and i love the soundtrack..

9/10

The Expendables-this was mostly a cartoon. You will recognize many of the 80's and early 90's action heros in this one. Jason Statham and Jet Li get co-equal billing with Stallone , above the title. There are some height jokes at Jet Li's expense, which don't really work. Also although Li's English is better, comedy or deadpan humor is not quite his forte. There is nothing as offensive as those stupid jokes that Chris Tucker was making at Jackie Chan's expense in Rush Hour.

I don't know why Kurt Russell wasn't in this. He would have been a perfect fit and he can do humor more convincingly than most of the people here. There is a Hispanic love interest for Stallone but no love scene. Stallone looks in great shape for 60 something but all the steroids and HGH have have done a serious number on his face.

The real star of the movie was the 1955 Ford F100 done in Art Deco style solid Black and riding low and slow. I don't know what happened in the sixties and seventies but for pure beauty you simply can't beat American cars/trucks from the 30's to the 50's.

I knew his face didn't look right.