rate the last movie you saw

[Paul MacLean]

The Sting

Never actually saw his film until now. Although a huge success and Oscar favorite at the time of its release, The Sting has kind of fallen through the cracks in the intervening years (certainly compared to other hits from that era -- The Godfather, Chinatown, Jaws, etc.), and honestly it's not hard to see why. It is a very good film, well-written and acted by a stellar cast -- not only stars Redford, Newman and Shaw, but an equally impressive supporting cast including Ray Walston, Eileen Brennen (RIP), Charles Durning and Dana Elcar.

However I wouldn't say The Sting is a great film. It's first-rate entertainment and cleverly plotted, but it is (with respect) fluff, and not what I'd call "meaningful" drama. But the film's period setting and stylistic nods to old movies certainly fed the appetite for 30s nostalgia (so prevalent in the early 70s), and it's not hard to see why it was a crown-pleaser at that time. I'd say it's definitely worth a look...but it's no Chinatown.

[jkholm]

I saw THE CONJURING today and agree with the previous reviews posted on this forum. I'd give it an 8/10. I'm glad I saw it in a theater. At home there's always the temptation to turn on the lights or stop the movie but in a theater, you're trapped! EVen though I've seen this type of movie before, I still found myself holding my fingers in front of my eyes during several scenes. In fact, I can't even tell you what happened in the final shot!

Aside form the unbelieveable amount of tension that was created, I was most impressed by the acting, especially Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson as the Warrens. They were completely credible and sincere.

[AndyDursin]

SECONDS
8/10 (on Blu-Ray next week)

John Frankenheimer’s supremely disturbing SECONDS plays like an extended, and hauntingly shot, episode of “The Twilight Zone”: unhappy NYC banker Arthur Hamilton (John Randolph) gets an “offer” from (and is essentially coerced into joining) an old friend, long thought dead, who’s now associated with “The Company.” The irresistible makeover proposed by The Company involves Arthur’s rebirth in the form of a new man, and by that I don’t just mean a makeover – he gets a whole new face and lease on life in the form of Tony Wilson (Rock Hudson), accepting his new identity while saying goodbye to his long-time wife, their passionless marriage and a now-grown daughter he hardly sees.

Unfortunately, while you can rework the surface, you can’t change the soul, and it’s here where Frankenheimer’s film probes the mind of the lost Tony Wilson/Arthur Hamilton. His “adjustment” doesn’t go according to plan, despite meeting a mysterious new woman (Salome Jens) upon his arrival in Malibu and receiving a new identity as a So Cal artist. As time progresses, Tony becomes less interested in the artifice of his new “life” and begins to wonder what went wrong in his first one, going so far as to meet Arthur’s “widow” and inquiring about their relationship. The answers, as they are in the film’s shocking ending, aren’t exactly what he wants to hear...

Lewis John Carlino scripted this adaptation of David Ely’s novel, which is powerfully brought to the screen by Frankenheimer and cinematographer James Wong Howe. This is one of those films that grabs you from the moment Saul Bass’ title sequence comes on-screen and never lets up, spinning a tale of suburban malaise and middle-aged wish fulfillment gone horribly wrong at the same time it has the feel of a great Twilight Zone episode. The moral – about society’s penchant to pursue “the dream” and material possessions at the cost of something emotionally, spiritually honest – is obvious, yet it’s how the picture conveys its central theme that makes it so memorable. Howe’s stark B&W cinematography, peculiar angles and editorial rhythms were fresh in 1966, and they continue to give the picture an unnerving, and constant, sense of dread, permeating even through its quieter moments (all of it underscored brilliantly by Jerry Goldsmith).

Hudson’s performance is likewise outstanding. He enters the film as the “reborn” protagonist about 45 minutes in, and never for a second does the audience believe they’re not watching the same old man from the film’s beginning – the transition is physically striking, yet the mannerisms and personification of the character remain the same. It’s a testament to Hudson’s talents and Frankenheimer’s direction that “Seconds” is seamless even when its star enters the picture – the movie has been so effectively set-up by this point that Hudson’s integration into the film is something that serves the story, not derails it with the entrance of a “movie star.”

Criterion’s Blu-Ray of “Seconds” offers one of those gorgeous B&W HD transfers that puts most BD catalog transfers to shame. The B&W fine grain (1.66) is preserved in a spectacularly detailed image with deep blacks and perfect contrast. It’s hauntingly beautiful. Extras include a thoughtful series of comments from admirer Alec Baldwin, who worked with Frankenheimer on his last project; new interviews with Frankenheimer’s widow and actress Salome Jens; a video retrospective piece; a 1971 interview with the director; a 1965 TV interview on the film’s New York shoot; and Frankenheimer’s commentary from the 1997 DVD.

“Seconds” serves up a horrifying morality play that’s not always easy to watch but is impossible to forget. For devotees of Frankenheimer, Hudson, ‘60s sci-fi and vintage horror, Criterion’s Blu-Ray delivers a spectacular release that’s unquestionably recommended.

[Eric Paddon]

Isn't there a little bit of irony in the presence of Richard Anderson in this movie doing a job where he can say to his bosses, "Gentlemen, we can rebuild him."

All kidding aside, it is a deeply disturbing and effective movie and Hudson indeed makes the transition seamless and effective (with one of the most horrific endings of all time that effectively leaves things to the imagination). I do think though that the "grapes" scene didn't have to be so explicit (and net the film its R rating) and it goes on too long IMO. It's a pity that lost to the ages is the scene where Hudson visits his daughter who is living in California (the film references her living there in the beginning) before he flies back to see his wife. Frankenheimer's wife Evans Evans (who was in the TZ episode "A Hundred Yards Over The Rim") played that part, according to Frankenheimer's commentary.

[AndyDursin]

I noticed that Eric...I wasn't sure it was him but I realized afterwards, that's the guy from Six Million Dollar Man!! lol

I'm not that familiar with the film -- that scene with his daughter would've been fascinating to see...though was it cut because it would've made the scene with his wife redundant? The mid-section IS a bit flabby (I agree the grapes scene goes on too long) so perhaps they were concerned with tightening the picture up. Either way -- would have liked to have seen it.

It's a terrific movie -- not sure it's the kind of thing I'll want to revisit often though...puts you through the ringer.

[Eric Paddon]

Yeah, I think the justification for cutting it was because they felt having him visit the daughter and the wife would have been overkill. They tried to find the scene when they were doing the LD but its lost. The grapes scene is actually the alternate version for European prints. The US cut originally had something with no nudity but when they found the alternate version they went with that in the LD. So that is not how US audiences saw the film in 66.

[Monterey Jack]

Seconds is an exceptional film. I saw it towards the tail end of a 24-hour film festival a few years back, and despite being groggy from sleep deprivation, the ending of Seconds had the effect of a bucket of ice water being thrown directly in my face. Truly chilling, and Jerry Goldsmith's eerie score was the icing on the. Can't wait to pick up the BD.

[Paul MacLean]

Playing by Heart

Uneven, but likable and sometimes-touching movie about the troubled relationships of various people in late 90s Los Angeles. It boasts a very up-town talent pool for a modest-budgeted "indie" movie, with a cast including Sean Connery, Dennis Quaid, Ellen Burstyn, Jon Stewart, Gillian Anderson, Madeleine Stowe in one her later roles and Angelina Jolie in one of her eariliest. In addition it was photographed by Vilmos Zsigmond, edited by Pietro Scalia and scored by John Barry (well mostly -- more on that later).

Jolie actually delivers one of the best performances of her career, as a loopy struggling actress, desperately in love with Ryan Philippe (who shares her affections but inexplicably continues to flee every time things heat-up). Connery also gives an engaging performance as a man trying to deal with both a brain tumor and a wife (Gena Rowlands) who still holds a grudge for an affair he had decades earlier. The surprise performance however belongs to Jon Stewart, who is terrific, and exhibits both his well-known comedic gifts in addition to a strong and confident dramatic flair (so-much-so, I think his talents are wasted as a talk show host).

John Barry's score (the main reason I was interested in the film) is unfortunately ruined. Most of his cues are unused, and those that did make it into the film are dubbed so low you can hardly hear them. Moreover, several scenes were re-scored by Christopher Young, indicating a partial score-rejection. Barry's music is given a chance to flourish in the last scene at least, where it becomes clear the entire film would have been much better if more of it has been used. Too bad, it's easily his last great score (and his treatment was likely a catalyst in his quitting Hollywood altogether).

The film is a bit dated and and it does seem to be the vision of someone who hasn't spent much time outside of Hollywood (most of the characters are involved in the entertainment business and the script infers AIDS is more widespread than it actually was). The use (or misuse) of Barry's score is also a disappointment. Nevertheless, Playing by Heart overall remains an appealing, overlooked gem, and worth a look.

[jkholm]

I’ve been watching lots of train themed movies this summer. So far I’ve seen:

THE GENERAL 10/10 A genuine classic. Incredible stunts and clever set-pieces, including a terrific train crash. The blu-ray looks fantastic.

THE GREAT LOCOMOTIVE CHASE 7.5/10 Underrated live-action Disney film is based on the same historical incident during the Civil War that inspired THE GENERAL but is actually more accurate. Surprisingly unsentimental and straight-forward for a Disney film. Nice work by Fess Parker and Jeffery Hunter.

BREAKHEART PASS 7.5/10 Yet another train-themed movie set during the Civil War. Very entertaining with a terrific Goldsmith score.

SILVER STREAK 6.5/10 Pleasant enough but uneven Hitchcock-ian comedy-thriller. Except for the times Richard Pryor is on screen I didn’t find this all that funny. Plus there were a few plot holes. Why exactly did the feds give Wilder’s character a loaded gun?

THE CASSANDRA CROSSING 5/10 Starts out OK but gets increasingly mean-spirited and unlikable as it goes along. The train crash sequence is awful. Nice action music by Goldsmith though.

[Paul MacLean]

Jaws 2

Although I've owned the DVD for years, I never actually sat down to watch the disc until last night. This was my forth viewing of the film, the first having been in the theater as a kid, then a few years later on HBO and later the network airing of the film. So I hadn't actually seen it since the 80s.

I will say that initially the film wasn't completely working for me. The first half hour feels a touch contrived, with all the shark attacks, and you do get a slight feeling of "been there, done that". But as the movie unfolds, it becomes (despite the menace of a hungry shark) a very different type of story from the original film. The first Jaws was a "man vs. the wilderness" type of thriller, almost along the lines of Deliverance. But Jaws 2 has more passion, as it mainly concerns a man who is mocked and disgraced for trying to protect a community, and who later is trying desperately to save his own sons.

The ocean scenes in the first Jaws concerned three men -- a tough former New York City cop, an oceanographer and a hardened fisherman -- all of whom knew what they were getting into. In contrast, Jaws 2 follows a group of innocent, scared kids who can barely comprehend what is happening to them, which makes the terror-level much higher than that of the first movie. All the younger cast members are fabulous too, and their characters entirely believable as ordinary kids (though a few of do them look a little older than high school students).

There aren't enough superlatives to describe John Williams' score, which provides many thrills and moments of terror, but also (unlike the first film) adds a level of youthful exuberance to the sailing scenes. His score is also unapologetically classical in style, whereas most other composers at the time would likely have gone the obvious route for a film dealing with teenagers, and provided a pop-styled score.

The original Jaws is an unassailable classic, and one can't deny Jaws 2 is riding on its coattails. And yet, in some ways I almost like Jaws 2 better. It is definitely a "warmer" and more emotionally intense film, rife with touching moments (that scene on the beach where Sean goes over to his father -- when everyone else, even Mrs. Brody -- have turned their back on him, is a real tear-jerker). Jeannot Szwarc had a tough row to hoe directing a sequel to one of the most successful pictures of all time, but he really delivered with a fantastic, satisfying film -- which in some ways is arguably the equal of Spielberg's original.

[AndyDursin]

I love JAWS 2, and Williams' score is greater than his outing for the original IMO. The movie is different, and I think you nailed it Paul -- I feel the same as you do, because it's one of my favorite movies of all-time. I'm not saying it's a CLASSIC PIECE OF ALL TIME CINEMA, but it is a wonderful movie in its own right.

I think people usually dismiss, instantly, the film as being this "retread" when, as you said Paul, the story is its own animal. The relationship between Brody and Ellen, and with his sons, is well done -- well developed, given time to breathe. I also like the kids on the water -- the casting was solid, the kids were likeable. They're not all interchangeable.

Great film...hopefully it'll turn up on Blu-Ray.

[mkaroly]

Love Williams' score for JAWS 2, but I prefer the original. Still, JAWS 2 is extremely entertaining.

[Eric Paddon]

The one scene from the TV cut that I wish had been left in the theatrical cut was when Vaughn ends up being the lone vote not to fire Brody. It finally helped elevate his character out of the realm of two-dimensional caricature completely.

[Monterey Jack]

Jaws 2 is one of those better-than-it-had-to-be sequels -- like Psycho II, Halloween II and French Connection II -- that only has one major fault...being a sequel to an unassailable classic film. That, and the fact that the additional sequels that followed it were so bad that people just lump Jaws 2 in with Jaws 3D or Jaws: The Revenge as being every bit as awful without thinking. It obviously isn't on a par with the first film -- the absence of Robert Shaw and Richard Dreyfuss is keenly noted -- but on its own merits, it's a superior thriller with numerous tense setpieces, solid performances and John Williams' sensational score. I, too, wouldn't mind a Blu-Ray release.

[AndyDursin]

The one scene from the TV cut that I wish had been left in the theatrical cut was when Vaughn ends up being the lone vote not to fire Brody. It finally helped elevate his character out of the realm of two-dimensional caricature completely.

I just came on here to post this very thing! I neglected to mention it before. I don't understand why it was cut, unless it was just a running time thing.