Welcome to another edition of Anthony T's #TBT. Before we get to this weeks edition, I just want to let you know that there will no #TBT on 12/25 and 1/1/15 due to the Christmas and New Years holidays. I'll be back with another edition of #TBT on 1/8/15.
It the next two weeks or so, I will be doing my Best of 2014 list. It will be the first time that I've done a year end list since 2009. So in this edition of Anthony T's #TBT, I decided to revisit my best of list from 2009. Yes, I still believe that "Inglorious Bastards" was my favorite of the year.
Repost from 1/10/2010 with minor changes.
2009 is a year that provided some of the best entertaining and exciting films and some of the worst films where my bottom three films could be consider some of the worst of this decade. Thankfully, I’m here to talk about best films of 09, but first here are my honorable mentions of of films that just missed my list.
Honorable Mentions: “Sugar”, “The Badder-Meinhof Complex”, “Ill Divo”, “Our Disappearance”, “9”, “Paranormal Activity”, “Trick R’ Treat”, “The Village Barbershop” and “The Hangover”.
Now on to my top 10 list. This was a big year for Science Fiction films, as I have four of them on my year-end list, starting with the biggest of them all.
10. Avatar
”Avatar” was a film that I was a little wary going in considering that James Cameron’s last film was possibly the worst film of his career, as “Titanic” was nothing but one boring love story for three hours plus. Thankfully, that was just one movie, as “Avatar” was truly a worth wild movie going experience, as this the first 3D Movie that I could actually say that you have to see this in 3D. The visuals were truly amazing, as it really adds another depth to the film. Without that, the film is still a very good film, but wouldn’t feel like an event. Without the 3d, there were some very good performances here. I thought that Sam Worthington is much better than in “Terminator Salvation”, even though he did his best to save that film. He does a great job in getting you invested in the character, so that you’re in invested in the story. Also, I liked how this story was told by the point of view of the main character. It makes feel invested in everything that goes on.
When thinking about it a little more in making up this list, I still truly believe that this is one of those rare films in which the 3D technology it meant for. “Avatar is truly an event film that’s worthy of your time.
“Avatar” is currently in theaters.
9. Away We Go
“Away We Go” is one of those movies that made me feel happy when walking out of the cinema this past year. Director Sam Mends does very good job getting the directing just right. He gets it that way, by focusing on the two main performances in the film. The way the John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph interact with one another helps makes this very enjoyable. The reason for that is that they had great chemistry with each other. By having that chemistry, you’re engaged with the story as they go off traveling.
The screenplay also does a very good job with the timing of the humor. This film provides some very funny moments, as they were timed right. It does what most romantic comedies fail to do, it offers an entertaining love story to go along with the humor. Dave Eggers and Vendela Vida do a very good job making the love story and screenplay very entertaining. I was very interested in the story, because they did a great job exploring the main characters relationship though the various cities that they visit. It makes it a fun film to watch while exploring other sobering issues that happen to most of the characters around them.
This film is one of Sam Mends best films, as I would put it up there with some of his other work.
“Away We Go” is already out on DVD and Blu-Ray.
8. Moon
It’s amazing that this film didn’t get as much attention, when it first came out. “Moon” is one those films that really got lost in the shuffle. This is great thinking man's sci-fi film. One of the reasons that it worked was it had a great performance from Sam Rockwell, who does a great job with both of his roles. The performances stand out from each other very well, as both of the characters felt different. The screenplay also does a very good job exploring various themes of corporate greed, cloning and space exploration. It’s done in a way that it gets you into the film without hitting you over the head repeatedly. The other thing that made the screenplay very good was the fact that it goes into both of the main character’s state of mind which helps makes this film engaging.
The film also has great direction from first time director Duncan Jones, who is the son of David Bowe. Jones direction is intense. He manages to bring a lot of tension, through the performances of Rockwell, and Kevin Spacey, with Hal 9000 like voice. It really felt like, I was watching something special. I really think that Jones has a very good career head of him.
“Moon” hits DVD and Blu-Ray on Tuesday.
7. Star Trek
At the beginning of last year if you told me that J.J Abrams take on “Star Trek “would be on my best of 09 list, I would have laughed at you. It’s also the film that I had a lot curiosity going into, as I was hoping this film could rekindle my interest in the franchise. It rekindled it in a big way, as this is the best film of the whole series. This film fits the definition of the great summer blockbuster, as everything was placed nicely. The reason that I like this movie that much is that the screenwriters did the unthinkable, by rewriting the whole mythology and changing the franchise and how it looks. I know, I’ll probably take heat by Trekkies, but this might have been the best thing that has happen to franchise since the next generation series. Abrams does a great job making this his own film. I liked how he manages to direct everything in a way that you’re mind is glued to the screen. Also I want to give credit, to whoever cast this film, as this is probably one of the most perfectly cast films of the year. Everyone seemed perfect for there roles, as there wasn’t a bad performance in the film. It’s a credit to the talent involved and Abrams direction. It been a while to say this, but I can’t wait for the “Star Trek” film.
“Star Trek” is already out on DVD and Blu-Ray.
6. A Serious Man
Another year, another Cohen Brothers film on my list of the best films. It’s not like I reserve a spot on my list for everything they direct, but its just that their very good at what they do. They leave you with moments that you remember, when it comes time to write these lists. “A Serious Man” proves why Joel and Ethan Cohen are just true masters of cinema. They did a great job making this very funny while being dark at the same time. The Cohen Brothers did a very good job directing the performances, by making each of the character’s quirks funny. This really helped the dark material become funny, as I was laughing a lot. The film also has a great lead performance from its lead actor. He makes the performance come off as Woody Allen like.
Their screenplay was excellent, as they did a great job making the material funny considering that this is very complex material. They do that, by blending in dark humor and odd elements that make you laugh. The screenplay has some very good stuff like the problems the main character have with the rabbis he sees and the troubles with his marriage. It makes the odd humor work and makes this worthwhile. The film also has their trademark odd ending that has made their films great.
“A Serious Man” hits DVD and Blu-Ray on February 9th.
5. In the Loop
I assume that many people that look back at this past year and consider that “The Hangover” was the year’s funniest comedy. Wrong, even though that was a funny film, “In the Loop” was funnier and more entertaining. Not a lot of people saw this film, as this had a limited release. “In the Loop” is the funniest political satire film in years. This film was a laugh out loud riot from beginning to end. One of the main was reason was its screenplay . It's very witty and old school, where the humor relies on vulgar dialogue instead of having three guys in a room wake up only to find a baby and a tiger in their hotel room. Director Armandio Iannucci and his screenwriters did a very good job keeping the humor witty through out, while making the performances come out as very funny than pain dry. He also has the luxury of having some very talented actors.
Speaking the acting, it’s the reason why everything works so flawlessly, especially Peter Capaldi (Torchwood: Children of Earth) as the scene stealing foul-mouthed spin-doctor for the prime minister. He does a great job making his character so arrogant, which making everything the character dialogue so funny and laughable. The film also has some very good performances from Tom Hollander as the bumbling Secretary of International Development and James Gandolfini as sensitive general who doesn’t want to go to war. “In the Loop” is a very funny film that generates a lot of laughs.
“In the Loops” hits DVD and Blu-ray on Tuesday.
4. District 9
District 9 was clearly the best Science Fiction film of the year and quite possibly out of the last ten years. To me, it was surprising that it was a huge box office hit. If you told me when the first trailer for the film came out that the film was going to make a 100 million, I would have probably laughed at you considering the style of storytelling and the fact that it has no major names starring. This film didn’t start gaining any buzz until this year Comic Con.
Director Neil Blomkamp does a very good job creating a story that is part faux documentary and part suspense action. He really goes into political subtext, while creating a story that is clearly original and imaginative. I liked how he uses the faux documentary method to give a lot of background of these aliens. By also using this method, you pretty much know the main character fate in the beginning moments of the film. Still its that unique sense of storytelling that makes this film what it is and makes you forget about that fact. This film also has a very good lead performance from Sharlto Copley , whose character is pretty much hateable in the beginning and then begin to feel sorry for him, as the film progresses. Copley does a very good job making this character very interesting, as he goes through various changes. The performance and storytelling is what makes this film an event like atmosphere, as this is a very original film compared to the crap that I had to endure like “Terminator: Salvation” and “Transformers: Rise of the Fallen”. Blomkamp and Copley are two people that you should on the lookout for in 2010.
“District 9” is already out on DVD and Blu-Ray.
These next two films could be easily be, my best film of the year in any other year.
3. The Hurt Locker
“The Hurt Locker is up there with “Letters of Iwo Jima” as the best serious war movie of the decade. Why is the film coming out on DVD so soon. This along with my other top two films will receive a Best Picture nomination. This film has great direction from Kathryn Bigelow. The scenes were directed in a way that it had impact from the action sequences to the dramatic scenes. It makes this film very engaging and intense. She also a great job getting the performances that she needs, as the performances help sell the drama that’s taking place. The performances from Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie, Brian Geraghty make this war film worth watching, as they really made their characters very interesting through the emotion that they brought into their performances.
Mark Bole screenplay also helps generate an emotional response that many war movies fail to do. One of things that made this screenplay so great was the way he focuses the story on the soldiers, instead of the failed policies that led up to the Iraq war. It makes the story of the war more interesting; as go through the mental scars that the main characters are going through during their tour of duty there. That’s what most war films don’t show, which is a shame.
This is truly the most overlooked film of the year. Hopefully, it will find its audience on DVD and Blu-Ray.
“The Hurt Locker hits Blu-Ray and DVD, this Tuesday.
2. Up in the Air
“Up in the Air” is a very good film that has a very good script and three very good performances. It’s amazing to me that Jason Reitman might have a better career than his dad, when everything is said and done. He just keeps getting better every film he does. His direction was just great, as this is the best of the three films. Reitrman does a very good job making the performances very low key, so that the film just focuses on the Clooney’s character and the life that his character lives. In a way, he feels like the main character in Reitman’s first film “Thank you for Not Smoking”, with the thing about his character being married to his job and loving it. At least, Clooney’s character is more likable than Aaron Eckheart’s character in “Thank You for Not Smoking”. By making him kind of likable, it really lets you get into the atmosphere and climate of the film. It makes the film more enjoyable. Another thing about his direction was so great that doesn’t get noticed a lot. The fact that he was able to control both Zach Gilifanakis and Danny McBride in their small supporting roles, as they both came off not as their usual obnoxious selves. The time I saw them on screen, I was afraid that both of their usually intense attitude would ruin the flow of the film. Thankfully, it doesn’t. That’s a credit to Reitman’s direction. I would actually like to see both of those actors tackle some more dramatic roles in the future.
When we look back at the career of George Clooney, this film will be one of his big highlights. This was just great performance. He does a great job making his character feel realistic. Clooney makes his character interesting in the way that he delivers his lines. It makes you immediately thrust into the film with the narration and it keep you interested in everything that is going on. The film also has very good supporting performances from Vera Farmiga as Clooney’s love interest and Anna Kendrick as the person that Clooney is training.
The film also has a very good screenplay from Reitman and Sheldon Turner. They did a very good job really adapting the book that it’s based on. It really does a good focusing on the effects of workplace today. Another thing that screenplay does very well is to fully develop the characters, as they were very interesting and very engaging.
It a very good film that everyone should check, as this I believe is clearly the frontrunner for Best Picture.
“Up in the Air” is in theaters now.
Speaking of Best Picture buzz, who would have though during the summer that we would taking about my number one film as a possible Best Picture nominee. But there is buzz for this film because this has been a down year for cinema with films that are coming out right now with little buzz and to no fanfare. There’s going to be a surprise or two come Oscar time for Best Picture. I wouldn’t be surprised, if this film got nominated because it’s very good film in an odd way. Yes, I’m talking about Quentin Tarantino’s latest film.
1. Inglourious Basterds
Col. Hans Landa: [giddy] That's a bingo!
[Aldo and Utivich stare at him in confusion]
Col. Hans Landa: Is that the way you say it? "That's a bingo?"
One of the film’s most memorable quotes in one of Quentin Tarantino’s best films to date and explains the odd humor that is “Inglourious Basterds”.
When I first saw this film when it came out, it was near the bottom of my top ten. But after seeing it a couple of time, it’s truly the best film of 09. This film is more enjoyable, the second and third time around. You can’t say that with a lot of films out there today. I consider this film in the discussion as Tarantino’s best film with “Reservoir Dogs” and “Pulp Fiction”. The reason for that is that you pick up things up that you missed the first time around. The first time, you don’t know what to think about the humor or the little things that you would normally pick up because of the nature of the film. It’s the second and third times around that pick up the humor and the little things that you don’t notice the first time around. That what makes this film excellent.
But what really makes this film the best film of 2009, the way that Tarantino is able to hold your interest for a lengthy period of time. This film has at least two very long scenes that are well drawn out and are very essential to the film’s success. You’re talking about scenes that last for fifteen–twenty minutes apiece. The reason for that was that, Tarantino makes the scenes very watchable through the dialogue and the way he directs his actors in those scenes. I’m telling you, if those scenes don’t work to perfection and becomes boring then that’s almost a good third of the film that is wasted and then we would probably considering this film as a major failure. It’s very ballsy what Tarantino did with the way that he wanted these long drawn scenes to play out, as they keep your interest for the entire time and provide some memorable Tarantino moments.
The film also has the best performance lead or supporting performance of the year from Christopher Waltz. His performance was just great. This is a very complex role, especially when have speak four different languages during the course of the film. It very difficult to keep your character interesting through the different language, but it’s the way that Waltz delivers his performance that makes that makes the character very off balanced and Tarantino like. If he does not win the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for this then I will go on a major rant about the Academy get everything wrong. To me, it’s him and everybody else in that Supporting Actor field. There is no other performance that matches his performance period.
If people wonder why I keep calling Quentin Tarantino the best director in the history of cinema, it’s the fact that every one of his films has that memorable scene or two that you talk about long after you’ve seen it.
10. Avatar
9. Away We Go
8. Moon
7. Star Trek
6. A Serious Man
Another year, another Cohen Brothers film on my list of the best films. It’s not like I reserve a spot on my list for everything they direct, but its just that their very good at what they do. They leave you with moments that you remember, when it comes time to write these lists. “A Serious Man” proves why Joel and Ethan Cohen are just true masters of cinema. They did a great job making this very funny while being dark at the same time. The Cohen Brothers did a very good job directing the performances, by making each of the character’s quirks funny. This really helped the dark material become funny, as I was laughing a lot. The film also has a great lead performance from its lead actor. He makes the performance come off as Woody Allen like.
5. In the Loop
4. District 9
3. The Hurt Locker
2. Up in the Air
1. Inglourious Basterds
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (1982): Notice the year and this is not that Tim Burton film. This is a live version of the Stephen Sondheim musical which was introduced in 1979 and at this time was on a national tour. This one has George Hearn playing Sweeney Todd and MURDER, SHE WROTE alum Angela Lansbury playing Mrs. Lovett which she originated on Broadway. As the story goes, the title character once lead a very happy life with a wife and daughter Johanna, played by Betsy Joslyn, only to be wrongly sent to prison by the corrupt Judge Turpin, played by Edmund Lydeck, while his wife is raped and murdered and the judge raises his daughter as his own. Many years later, the barber escapes from prison and with the help of a good nurtured sailor named Anthony, played by Cris Groenendaal, ends up back in London where he looks to get his revenge on Judge Turpin and his equally sadistic henchman Beadle Bamford, played by Calvin Remsberg. He soon meets Mrs. Lovett who owns a meat pie shop and helps Todd take his revenge while also helping her in a strange way improve her business. This is one of my favorite musicals and had the honor in 2011 to play the part of Beadle Bamford in a production in Portland, IN which is one of the favorite things I have done. The original Sweeney Todd was Len Cariou who is on the original Broadway soundtrack but is played by Hearn in this one who also plays the part very well. Lansbury is great as Lovett. I was hoping in this one to see Victor Garber as Anthony who was in the original production but Groenendaal was a pretty good replacement. If you do not like the movie, please don't judge this one on account of the movie.
The Reluctant Dragon (1941): This is my Disney entry for the week. Humorist Robert Benchley plays himself who is trying to pitch the idea of a children's book into a Disney movie on the advice of his wife. When he arrives to Walt Disney studios, he is looking to meet up with Walt himself but becomes distracted when learning about Disney's animation process at the time. This is in some ways a documentary as it educates on the way they produce the animation and even sounds. They had just as good of results as they do now with all the computers and the process at this time probably took more effort. In the process, they show a few animated short to go along with it. There were appearances by the people behind the voices like Clarence Nash who voiced Donald Duck. I had not heard of this one until I came across it on Disney and is a great nostalgiac look towards Disney in the era. This is available on Instant Netflix and those who love classic Disney will enjoy this one.
Nosferatu the Vampyre (1979): Werner Herzog directed this remake of the 1922 classic where the characters mostly go by the names from Bram Stoker's novel DRACULA. Bruno Ganz stars as Jonathan Harker who is sent away to the castle of Count Dracula, played by Klaus Kinski who has a similar look as the character of Count Orlak in the original, who wants to buy a house in Varna. Isabelle Adjani co-stars as Jonathan's wife Lucy Harker who Dracula begins to obsess over while wreaking havoc in Varna. Roland Topor plays the crazy Renfield and is very fun in the role I thought adding more villainy than usual. This was a rather interesting interpretation to the iconic vampire and has a much different ending than most. In the 1922 film NOSFERATU, F.W. Murnau adapted from the Stoker novel but did not have the rights so changed all the names. Herzog decided to use the names though Lucy is usually a supporting character and the character of Mina is Harker's love interest but reverse roles in this one. This was also very shot and adds a really good creepy feel to it. Kinski does well as the count as well as a young Bruno Ganz. This is a great holiday film for the month.
9 (2009): Shane Acker directs this post-Apocalyptic animated film that was produced by Tim Burton and Timur Bekmambetov. This takes place in a world which was destroyed in a war between man and machine where the only ones left are a group of rag dolls which were created by a scientist and brought back to life. Elijah Wood provides the voice of 9 who awakens in a dark world finding there are many like hi. He learns he is part of a group that is the last hope for humankind. Christopher Plummer, Martin Landau, John C. Reilly, Crispin Glover, Fred Tatasciore, and Jennifer Connelly provide voices to other dolls. The animation was very well done. The story was not the greatest but still pretty decent and interesting. If you are looking for a rather dark animated story, this might be a good one to start with.
Tarzan Escapes (1936): Johnny Weissmuller and Maureen O'Sullivan reprise their roles as Tarzan and Jane. A couple of Jane's cousins Eric and Rita, played by William Henry and John Buckler, are part of an expedition and let Jane know that they need her back in civilization in order to sign for a will by a late family member forcing Jane to consider her life with Tarzan and her family back home. In a darker situation, Captain Fry, played by John Buckler, plots to take Tarzan back to civilization but gets a lot more than he bargained for. I thought this one was good to show the relationship between Tarzan and Jane and showing how worried Tarzan was that he could lose Jane. Just because he has a limited vocabulary, he still knows what is going on around him. This is also a pretty good adventure. This is the third film in the series where the chimpanzee Cheeta has a bigger role in this one providing some of the comic relief.
Under the Skin (2013): This was part of last week's "Movie Night at the Shera" segment. Jonathan Glazer directed this sci-fi art film which stars Scarlett Johannson as an alien female in Scotland. She preys off of men on the streets luring them into a really strange world. These men follow her and end up in an abyss of liquid where their bodies vanish. This is a movie that is not for everyone. It does go at a rather slow pace but is very well shot with some great imagery. This is based on a book by Michel Faber and is loosely based on the book so die-hard fans of the novel may not like this one. Since I don't read much, I cannot really make those sorts of judgments. This was not one of my favorites but it did keep my interest. I was watching it thinking "WTF" a lot but could not take my eyes off it. It has rather limited dialogue and feel it is left for interpretation and debate. Most of the people in the film were not actors, they filmed the scenes with them and were then informed they were in a movie. What I liked in this one was the imagery and even the use of color which I do not comment much upon. Take this for what it is worth and can probably make a decision on if this is for you.
Have Faith in Our Children (1955): This is my short film for the week which is actually a Public Service Announcement. Actors Glenn Ford and his wife Eleanor Powell are promoting support for the blind children and encouraging donations to look into a possible future cure. i always enjoy seeing these from this era and recorded this three minute PSA from TCM.
True Lies (1994): This is my action film for the week which was directed by James Cameron and is more of an action parody. Arnold Schwarzenegger stars as an anti-terrorist secret agent named Harry Tasker who puts on a front to his wife Helen, played by Jamie Lee Curtis, and daughter Dana, played by DOLLHOUSE alum Eliza Dushku. Curtis is also really good in her role and she also looks good after all these years especially in the iconic helicopter scene. He is on the trail of nuclear weapons while also under the belief that his wife is seeing another man and she gets involved in the action more than planned. Bill Paxton, Tom Arnold, Tia Carrere, Art Malik, Charlton Heston, and many others co-star in this film. This has a great blend of action and comedy and is a very fun one to watch as long as you can suspend your disbelief and have some fun.
Madhouse (1974): What's October without some Vincent Price and Peter Cushing? Vincent Price stars as horror movie star Paul Toombes who is returning to his role of Dr. Death after many years. When this happens, cast and crew members start dying in ways that were reminiscent of scenes from his previous movies. Peter Cushing had a smaller role in this one. This was very interesting but also all over the place at times and seemed to have been filmed quickly. This is still of worth to see Price and Cushing.
A Little Princess (1995): I end the week with this Alfonso Cuaron film which is a remake of the 1939 Shirley Temple film and found this one to be every bit as good if not better. Liesel Matthews stars as Sara who has live a great life in India so far but her father is called to go to WWII and he moves her to New York into a boarding school that her late mother attended. She finds that this is a far more stern place than what she is used to under Miss Minchin, played by Eleanor Bron, who does not believe in creativity among children and pretty much runs a dictatorship. Things get worse when her father is presumed dead in the war and his estate was seized by the British government. Sara's outlook on life becomes very challenged but tries to make the most of it and shows what a good person she is even when she has nothing. This is one of those movies that really moved me to tears. Matthews was great as Sara and Liam Cunningham was also very good as her father. I felt this was a very beautiful film has gone overlooked.
Flirting With Disaster (1996): David O. Russell wrote and directed this comedy. Ben Stiller stars as Mel whose life is just getting together with a wife, played by Patricia Arquette, and an unnamed four month old son. He does not want to name his son until he finds his roots as in his birth parents as he was adopted. He takes his wife and son as well as a student psychologist named Tina, played by Tea Leoni, who does it for free and films their journey. Tina shows that she is not the most competent person for the job in things like clerical errors towards perspective parents. This journey also forces Mel and his wife Nancy to reexamine their marriage. Mary Tyler Moore, George Segal, Alan Alda, Lily Tomlin, Richard Jenkins, Josh Brolin, Celia Weston and many others co-star on this road film. This is a pretty fun road movie with well-written characters. I really did not know about this movie until recently and believe this is a pretty underrated Ben Stiller movie. There are some pretty funny moments in this film and is available on Instant Netflix.
Lonely Hearts (2006): Todd Robinson wrote and directed this movie based on a true story. John Travolta and James Gandolfini star as detectives Elmer Robinson and Charles Hilderbrandt. They are investigating murders done by Martha Beck and Raymond Fernandez, played by Salma Hayek and Jared Leto who are known as the Lonely Hearts Killers. They managed to lure people in through personal ads and then kill them. Hayek is very ruthless in this movie. Travolta plays a detective who is also having trouble at home as a single father with a teen son and whose wife left them. The director is the grandson of the real-life Elmer Robinson and draws from the stories passed down to him. Scott Caan and Laura Dern co-star in this film. This movie gives really good attention to both the detectives and criminals and is another one I feel falls below the radar. I thought the performances were really good and liked the narration from Gandolfini. This is available on Instant Netflix.
Newlyweeds (2013): Shaka King directed this independent stoner drama. Amari Cheatom and Trae Harris star as married couple Lyle and Nina. They love each other but love pot just as much, especially Lyle. It also shows Lyle's job as a repo man clouds his judgment when high like confiscating a couch from the wrong person. It is a rather gritty urban story of a relationship gone bad. This was pretty well acted and is worth a look. This is available on Instant Netflix.
Desert Killer (1952): This is my older short film for the week. This centers around a five year old Native American boy named Surefoot whose father has died and must take over sheep herding duties and cannot afford a sheepdog. Things become difficult when a mountain lion is there and must turn to a neighboring rancher to help rid the lion and save the sheep. It is not great but a good short showing community helping each other out. This is ten minutes long.
Coming Home (1978): Hal Ashby directed this film which takes place during the Vietnam War. Jane Fonda stars as Sally whose husband Bob, played by Bruce Dern, is fighting in Vietnam. To pass the time, Sally volunteers at a veteran hospital where she meets paralyzed and bitter veteran Luke, played well by Jon Voight, who knew Sally from grade school. As they get to know each other more, they start to fall in love making Sally have to choose what is best for her life as she prepares for the return of her husband. Robert Carradine also co-stars in this film. Fonda and Voight are great together and is a good movie showing the effects of the Vietnam War. The ending to me was a bit weird so message me if you want to explain it as I don't want spoilers on here. This is available on the free movie section on Comcast On-Demand.
Go West (1925): This is my silent comedy of the week which stars silent comedy legend Buster Keaton. Keaton directed and co-wrote this movie where he stars as a drifter who cannot find a job in his Indiana town so goes to New York and gets a job on a ranch. He forms a friendship with a cow named Brown Eyes but is in an uproar when she is one of the cows being sent to the stockyard. He then does whatever possible to save Brown Eyes and in very comical ways. This is a good western comedy entry and has a really good climax. This is available on Instant Netflix and is a must for silent film buffs.
The Greatest Show on Earth (1952): Cecil B. DeMille directed this circus film. Charlton Heston stars as Brad Braden who is the circus manager and puts the Great Sebastian, played by Cornel Wilde, in the lead trapeze slot over his girlfriend Holly, played by Betty Hutton, who has worked very hard. Holly and Sebastian form more of a partnership where they try to one up each other in more dangerous stunts then most are used to seeing. Sebastian also tries to pursue Holly. There are also subplots involving the secret past of the veteran clown Buttons, played by James Stewart, and racketeers trying to move in on the circus. Stewart was my favorite as the clown. Dorothy Lamour, Gloria Grahame, Henry Wilcoxan, Lawrence Tierney, and many others co-star in this film. There are a lot of other actual circus acts in this movie. This also takes us into getting prepared for a circus which I also really liked. This is available on Instant Netflix and Amazon Prime.
Blackthorn (2011): Mateo Gil directs this western. Sam Shepard stars as James Blackthorn which is really an alias for Butch Cassidy who is said to have survived the shootout and went to Bolivia where this takes place. He now leads a quiet life until an encounter with a young robber named Eduardo Apodaca, played by Eduardo Noriega, puts him in a situation where he loses money and the horse to get him home so teams up with him to rob a mine but then finds that Eduardo is not who he claims to be. In flashbacks, he is seen with the Sundance Kid and Etta, played by Padraic Delaney and Dominique McElligott, in their plans to move to Bolivia. Shepard is great as Blackthorn. He also sang a lot of the songs on the soundtrack and does a good job like the song AIN'T NO GRAVE. Stephen Rea also co-stars as a film as someone from Cassidy's past. This was a very well-shot and well acted western where Shepard comes through very well as an aging Butch Cassidy. A good double feature might be BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID followed by this one. This is available on Instant Netflix.
The Legend of Hell House (1973): John Hough directed this horror film based on the novel by Richard Matheson. A team that consists of a physicist named Dr. Barret, played by Clive Revill, his wife Ann, played by Gayle Hunnicut, a psychic named Florence, played by Pamela Franklin, and the survivor of the previous visit Benjamin, are sent to a house that is said to be haunted and those who visit either are killed or go mad. They are sent to prove/disprove survival after death. They must team up to solve the mystery of this hell house. When they are there, a lot of strange occurrences take place. This is a pretty good atmospheric haunted house film with the four actors doing a good job of carrying the movie. I thought I'd do a pre-October horror film and was really worth a watch. This is available on Instant Netflix.
The Year of the Ox (2012): I end this week with another short film which features my Facebook Friend and fellow Madness teammate Kelsey Zukowski. Rob Sepulveda directed and co-wrote this short film that takes place in the Chinatown district in Chicago. Rival gangs must investigate the disappearance of another member and abduct his girlfriend, played by Zukowski, and get a little more than they bargained for. This is a pretty decent horror short. Kelsey has a website at http://kelseyzukowski.com where this is available among other trailers and short films she has done. She is an actress on the rise and specializes in the horror genre. The website also has some really good photos from modeling and from film as well as her own reviews on horror movies so when you are done reading this, maybe take a little time and visit her website where she also has info for contacting her.
12 Years a Slave (2013): This is the first of two movies that we picked out at Redbox and watched at her house along with our friend John. This is something that both of us had seen but I believe John had not and she wanted to revisit this one that was quite possibly the best of its year. Steve McQueen, yes a different one, directed this film based on Solomon Northup who is played very well by Chiwetel Ejiofor. Northup was a free black man in pre-Civil War New York but was abducted and given a different identity being passed off as a slave. He does what he can to stay alive and sane in hopes of one day seeing his family while dealing with a ruthless slave owner, played by Michael Fassbender. Another great performance came from Lupita Nyong'o who plays slave Patsey and makes her feature film debut and a really good one. Quvanzhane Walls, Paul Giamatti, Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul Dano, Alfre Woodard, Garret Dillahunt, Brad Pitt, and many others have parts in this film. This is a very powerful film which all of us really enjoyed. It has some very disturbing scenes but very realistic. It will be hard for anyone doing a movie on slavery to match this one which is one that really deserves a viewing.