Die! Die! My Darling! aka Fanatic 1965 ***

 

Tallulah Bankhead is a fabulous actress to watch. Always so passionate and captivating, I loved her in her earlier years. Here, she plays the sadistically religious mother of a deceased son who was engaged to be married before he committed suicide.

Patricia is about to get married to her lover Alan, but before she does, she feels that she cannot continue without paying her respects to Mrs Trefoile, the mother of her ex fiancé Stephen. Once there, it becomes obvious that Mrs Trefoile blames Patricia for Stephen's death. And when Patricia reveals that she had decided not to actually marry Stephen after all, Mrs Trefoile turns nasty and hold Patricia captive.

Quite a creepy movie, although it does appear that Patricia isn't the brightest tool in the shed and many attempts to escape pass her by as she cowers in the corner or shouts to people out the window.

Night Life in Reno - 1931 ***

 

When June catches her husband John messing around with another woman, she is furious, and immediately sets off to Reno to file for divorce. All being well, the divorce should go through in six weeks, but what should she do until that time? Enjoy the Reno night life is what, and meet as many eligible men as she possibly can. She starts up a flirtation with one in particular, and all is going well, until his wife finds out. June is now no better than the woman her husband was playing about with.

Loved the music in particular, had a bit of the Django Reinhardt about it, and have only good things to say about the backdrop of the enticing and bustling 1930s Reno.

Extravagance - 1930 ***

June Collyer is so beautiful that it's hard not to fall in love whilst watching her on screen. She's got a Clara Bow naughtiness about her, with an Olive Thomas grace, so watching her is fascinating and captivating. Mae Murray's production company "Tiffany Pictures" didn't do particularly well, but it's still fascinating to see these nearly lost gems, ESPECIALLY when they are Pre-Hayes Code!

Alice marries her sweetheart Fred, eager to bask in the life of a rich housewife. Unfortunately, Fred isn't doing as well as Alice imagines he is, and cannot afford to pay for all her extravagant purchases that she is making. When she asks him to buy her a sable coat because all her friends are wearing them and he refuses, she decides to get one at any costs, even if  means stepping out with other men. 

Lovely glitzy glamour. Pre-code movies are very interesting to watch. 

Die, Monster, Die - 1965 ***

Nick Adams, famously close to Elvis Presley and James Dean in his personal life appears in this somewhat laughable sci fi movie about killer radioactive plants. Karloff, his wife and daughter Susan live on the outskirts of a village and are ignored and ridiculed by the residents. Mostly because Karloff believes a meteorite has landed in his greenhouse and turned the plants and his wife into crazy monsters. Scientist Stephen travels to the house to meet his fiancée's parents and soon becomes embroiled in the strange and terrifying behaviour that is displayed. 

Not scary, more amusing, plus if you counted the amount of times Susan wails 'Steeeeeve' by taking a drink you would be plastered by the end.

All I Desire - 1953 **

Douglas Sirk directs this rather mediocre drama about a middle aged woman who arrives back at home to see the family she abandoned years ago. The acting in general is poor to say the least and I didn't particularly warm to either Stanwyck's character or any of the others. A weaker production by a notably strong director.

The Purchase Price - 1932 ***

Joan is fed up with her life as a torch singer and her dodgy relationship with a hoodlum named Ed. On a whim, she takes the position of her cleaner who is off to marry someone she met through the personal adds. Arriving in North Dakota she weds local wheat grower Jim who is everything she doesn't want in a man. And she isn't the willing bride he had hoped for. 

The relationship is strained to breaking point, so when Ed arrives unannounced it threatens everything. 

Enjoyable Stanwyck drama. George Brent is tiring after a while however and has hardly any traits of a leading man.

The Interview - 2014 ****

Can't explain what I think about this, except that it made me laugh in a number of places. This is Rogen and Franco's fifth collaboration together, and by now you can tell in their mannerisms that they are utterly comfortable with each other. Franco plays Dave Skylark is a popular talk show host, interviewing the most up and coming celebrities and getting the most intimate gossip out of them. As the show reaches its 1000th episode, Skylark hears that Kim Jong-un, the North Korean leader is a fan of the show and sets the wheels in motion to interview him. The only trouble is that the CIA want Kim Jong-un assassinated, and they are hoping Skylark and his producer Aaron will do the deed.

I know this film has received a heck of a lot of negativity from Korea and they have threatened the US with all sorts of legal action for allowing a film like this to be distributed, but I personally didn't take it upon an attack against a country, more a comedy film with a bit of a taboo subject. Sacha Baron Cohen's "The Dictator" was based on political piss-taking and it didn't receive such a manic flurry as this has. I understand the topic involves assassinating a leader of another country, but I don't see why North Korea take this as a personal attack on their country, it's simply the American film industry using a wide artistic license to make a funny film. I liked it. And the soundtrack. 

Let's Kill Ward's Wife - 2014 **

No one likes Ward's wife, least of all Ward himself. She controls him, insults him and bosses him around in front of his friends. Nothing he does is ever good enough. He wishes she was dead. And so do his friends. So one day at a BBQ Ward's wife catches one of Ward's friends on the phone to a woman who isn't his wife, and she threatens to tell all. But Ward's friend isn't going to let her. And when Ward finds her dead, he enlists all his friends to help him get rid of the body. 

I know this is supposed to be a comedy but it's really not that funny, and to be honest I didn't think the acting was up to much either. I'm surprised at Patrick Wilson in particular, because usually he picks good, strong roles in films, and here he was just more of a 'background' actor. 

Dumb and Dumber To - 2014 ***

I wasn't ever a tremendous cult follower of the first 'Dumb and Dumber' film, but I always found it quite funny. This offering is still amusing, but has left me with the same impression as before - that there are plenty of other films out there more amusing than this, although it's funny enough to keep me occupied for the time being. It's interesting to note that it has taken nearly 3 years for the film to be completed and released, mainly because Jim Carrey withdrew at one stage, due to be unsatisfied with the process and Warner Bros refused to produce the movie. 

We catch up with Lloyd and Harry 20 years on from the first movie. This time however, Lloyd is spending his days in an asylum after being committed there after his doomed relationship in the last film. Harry visits him every week, helping him and talking to him, until Lloyd tells him it was all a prank, and they head to Harry's apartment. Once there, Harry imparts some serious news, that he needs a kidney donor and fast. 

They go to Harry's parents house to ask about possible kidney donations and Harry's dad gives him some mail he never picked up. One piece is a postcard from Harry's old girlfriend from 1991 saying that she's pregnant. And so the adventure begins. 

Silly stuff, but I love Jim Carrey so it's worth it. 

(HORROR) The Babadook - 2014 ***

You can't help but be scared of this film. The very topic is the subject of children's nightmares all over the world. That of monsters. Amelia is a single mother who becomes worried that her son Sam is displaying strange behaviour, talking of an invisible monster and not being able to sleep. One evening, Sam asks his mother to read from a mysterious book that he found on the bookshelves, it is titled 'Mr Babadook', and from the minute the book is open, their lives become more terrifying than you could ever imagine.

Some scenes nearly had me screaming in fear, and that is rare for me, even in a horror film. The image of the babadook is something that will stay in my mind for a long time. What is so clever about this film is that it tunes in to the memories of the adults watching it, and reminds them of their own fears when they were Sam's age. That is the most terrifying thing of all. 

The Woman in Red - 1935 ***

Part of my love for all classic movies is the wonderful posters that were advertised. Nothing like nowadays, these colourful pictures summed up what it was to be glamourous. I adore them.

Stanwyck plays Shelby, a gutsy horse rider who falls for Johnny, a travelling polo player who used to be wealthy. Despite resistance from his family and his attractive admirer Nicko they decide to get married. However, a tragic accident on a yacht threatens both their relationship and their future.

Love Barbara Stanwyck, such a powerful actress who wasn't afraid to be herself. 

Three and Out - 2008 ***

Paul is a train driver who accidentally runs over 2 people on the tracks. Although mentally scarred by the experience, he is told by two colleagues that if he manages to run over one more person in under a month he will earn ten years' salary and can stop working. As Paul is off work for the next week he has to find someone who is prepared to die under his train by the following Monday, and that is when he bumps into Tommy, a man who is desperate to die. Discussing this with Tommy, he agrees, and sets about spending his last weekend alive sorting out his dis-functional relationship with his family. 

I was surprised by this film. It's a strange and uncomfortable topic to present in a 'comedy' but it somehow works, and actually I found it rather poignant. 

Hobson's Choice - 1954 ****

A rather delightful Lean production, 'Hobson's Choice' really showcases Charles Laughton and John Mills together. Laughton plays the alcoholic, widowed Hobson who lives and works in Salford with his three daughters. All three work in his boot shop and do not receive a salary, and are therefore desperate to leave and move away from him. Hobson doesn't care that much about his two younger daughters, but the oldest Maggie is useful and good at her job, and he makes jokes to his friends about her being an old maid and never finding a husband. Offended by this gossip, Maggie pressures the timid, shy bootmaker Willie who works out of sight downstairs into a relationship. Her father is devastated by this and will not give his blessing, so Maggie and Willie stubbornly get married and open their own shop from a loan lent to them by an ex-customer to prove that they can do it alone. What happens then is that not only does the shop become more profitable than Hobson's, but Maggie and Willie genuinely fall in love.

Lovely film, great acting, and always enjoy seeing a David Lean production.

(NOIR) Decoy - 1946 **

'Decoy' is a rather poor noir. The storyline is weak and doesn't go anywhere. We start at the beginning with a beautiful woman dying from a gunshot wound. She begins to tell the detective on the scene about her dodgy boyfriend (whilst not dying of course..) who stole a load of money from a bank, unintentionally killed a policeman and is sentenced to death because of it. To get him out of jail, she pretends to be in love with another man and fool him into handing over money to bail her boyfriend out. It goes on from there but it really didn't hold my interest. A disappointment. 

(HORROR) What we do in the Shadows - 2014 ****

'What We Do in the Shadows' is a refreshing and original comedy mockumentary about a group of vampires living together in Wellington. The mockumentary follows their day to day struggle with trying to survive in the modern world without coming into contact with sunlight. Three of the vampires are still fairly normal looking, but one inhuman vampire named Petyr looks like the 1922 Nosferatu and inhabits the basement, not speaking, living in a coffin and being fed by the others. After making friends with a mortal who starts to blab about their secret, the group must support each other whilst trying not to kill their friend. 

It's very funny and very cleverly dry, a mighty change to the generic vampire films nowadays. 

(HORROR) Zombeavers - 2014 ***

I felt more sorry for the Zombie beavers by the end of this than the stupid people who didn't have a single brain cell to rub together. A group of kids go to a cabin for the weekend and come under siege from a group of hungry 'zombeavers.' Unlike other horror films, this one deliberately tries to take the mickey out of itself, as well as all the typical 'horror cliches' that so many people criticise, which in itself makes it more enjoyable. Silly fun. I was surprised by how much I liked it. 

(HORROR) Pet Sematary - 1983 **

When the Creed family move to a nice new house, they have no idea that they are living a few yards away from a graveyard where you can bury your loved ones and they can be resurrected. Not long after the family move there, their son is killed by a truck and the father decides to bury him in the graveyard after he buries the family cat there and is told of the legend by an elderly neighbour. He hopes that bringing his son back will be an answer to everything, but it does more harm than good when his 'son' comes back as something darker and evil. Not a good film, and not a bad one. Just a bit of a non-film. Didn't really like it. 

(HORROR) Colour Me Blood Red - 1965 **

What more can you expect from a 'splatter horror' than lots of blood? HG Lewis is the director of the aptly named 'Blood Trilogy' of which this is the last. After a freak accident, artist Adam Sorge realises that using blood on his paintings makes them more real, and goes crazy cutting and maiming people (and himself!) to create the perfect piece. He's a bit of an artist's Elizabeth Bathory, besotted with the idea of blood being some sort of magic potion that will make everything look better. I hadn't ever heard of this before I watched it and I'm not surprised, as there isn't much of a story-line going on when you get past the congealed blood. 

Behaving Badly - 2014 ***

Okay, I must admit that Selena Gomez isn't THAT bad an actress, just a bit ditzy. Rick Stevens is a bit of a typical teenage boy, being obsessed with one girl and desperate to have sex with her. He also places a bet with his friend that he WILL have sex with her before Arbor day which is fast approaching. During this time he sleeps with his best friend's mother, gets involved with mobsters and catches his father in bed with a prostitute. It's pretty funny, but very like other 'American teen comedies.'

Mr Brooks - 2007 ****

Kevin Costner is excellent as the murderous, yet strangely charming Mr Brooks in this unnerving thriller. Earl is a good guy. He's well liked and has a pleasant existence. The only trouble is he has a secret double life - that of a serial killer, and his alter ego Marshall takes a great delight in brutally slaying as many people as possible. Earl is keen to curb his dangerous addiction, but Marshall won't let him, and pushes him onwards to continue killing. To make matters worse, Earl is spotted committing a double murder one evening by a serial killer enthusiast who starts to blackmail him into doing it one last time. But Earl/Marshall haven't counted on the sharp-witted obsession of Demi Moore, who will not rest until the last double homicide is solve, whatever it takes. Very. very good. Had me gripped from beginning until the end.

The Dark Half - 1993 **

Thad? Is anyone called Thad? Oh well. Here, a writer named 'Thad' gains worldwide recognition from his thriller novels, writing both under his real name and a pseudonym of George Stark. However, when the public realises they are one and the same, he holds a ridiculous mock funeral for George Stark to throw them off the scent. So far so good. But soon, murders begin to be committed in a disturbingly similar manner to the ones in the George Stark books. Thad slowly begins to find it hard to separate fiction from reality when he works out that Stark is real, and deadly. Okay, but a bit of a disappointment. Maybe no King films will live up to the likes of 'Misery' and 'The Shining' for me.  

They're Playing with Fire - 1984 **

The lead actress in my opinion is too scary with huge ballooning breasts and muscly legs to be remotely sexy to any man, but what do I know? Danning plays the insatiable, married college teacher of a student who decides to seduce him so that he will be susceptible to any scheme she might suggest, including one to steal from and then murder her husband. Very bad acting, terrifying theme tune, hilarious breasts and bad camera angles, this does not receive a positive review from me.

Take My Eyes - 2003 ***

An emotional story of domestic and mental abuse, 'Take My Eyes' charts the fall and rise of Pilar, a timid and mistreated woman who one day decides that she cannot cope with her abusive husband Antonio for another day. She takes a few possessions and goes to stay with her sister, but Antonio cannot handle this and seeks to bring her back home, by blackmail. However Pilar now has a new life, new friends, and a passion for a new job, something which doesn't involve Antonio. Very hard to watch, especially if like me you have been in an emotionally abuse relationship before. The French do comedy, the Japanese do horror and the Spanish do dramatic character studies like no other country in the world. 

My Forbidden Past - 1951 ***

My first viewing of Ava Gardner wasn't a bad experience, bu I can't say her acting was particularly phenomenal, compared to someone like Barbara Stanwyck, although she is very attractive. 

Barbara is a beautiful socialite in New Orleans who falls helplessly in love with Mark, a ruthless man who cares for himself  more than anyone. However, when he suggests that they throw caution to the wind and run away together she arranges to meet him later that night to do so. But her uncle intervenes at the last minutes and she cannot make it. Mark takes this as a sign that she isn't interested and leaves without her. Years later Mark appears again, this time married to a stuck up woman and totally uninterested in Barbara. That is, until he hears that she has inherited a large amount of money from her grandmother... It has elements of 'An Affair to Remember' and 'The Heiress' and I really enjoyed it. Robert Mitchum wasn't much of an actor but certainly has a screen presence, and Melvyn Douglas is rather good as the pervy, money-grabbing cousin.

The Girl He Met Online - 2014 ***

I'm not entirely sure why people find Gillian a 'sexy' character considering her eyebrows are like two giant slugs clashing with her bleached blonde hair, but nevertheless, the film itself is pretty good. Gillian is a man eater. She has an appetite for men but unfortunately her bipolar disorder scares them off. And she is not one for being dumped. This leads to her being a rather deranged individual. When she meets Andy, the man of her dreams online she thinks she has it all, until her behaviour starts causing alarm bells for his sister, who tries to warn Andy, with tragic results. I Liked it. Gripping throughout although I wish they had chosen a better actress with normal facial features. 

A Fantastic Fear of Everything - 2012 ***

The film initially appealed to me because I love all things to do with Victorian serial killers, and that is exactly what Simon Pegg's character Jack's career is - writing about serial killers, or at least trying to, for he doesn't have much luck with getting his work published, leading to days spent cooped up inside his cramped flat like a hermit, terrified to go outside and daydreaming and having nightmares about these undesirable criminals coming to life and killing him. When his agent finally suggests a meeting to discuss his work, Jack has to muster all his strength and conquer his paranoia to get to the meeting. I thought the first half of the film was rather strong, but the second half failed, and really except for Simon Pegg showing off his usual nutty persona there wasn't a huge amount that would stick in your mind here. A bit of a disappointment. 

(HORROR) House of the Witchdoctor - 2013 *

A group of friends go for a weekend in one of the girl's parent's houses and are set to party and drink. That is, until they are accosted by two lunatics who are set on raping and harming the girls without mercy. It was unnecessarily graphic for no reason and the male friends may as well have not been there at all!! One of the poorer horrors.  

The Guest - 2014 ****

Yes! I loved this slow burning thriller. Dan Stevens plays a mysterious individual who turns up on the doorstep of his dead fellow soldier claiming to be his close friend. The family take him in and feel connected to him as the last link they have to their son. Only their rebellious daughter played intensely by Maika Monroe has doubts when certain things don't add up with his story, despite how charming he initially appears to be. I loved this build up in suspense, the soundtrack, the acting and the general feel of this movie, and Dan Stevens is obviously going to be a massive star, although I've seen him in nothing else so far!!! 

Guardians of the Galaxy - 2014 ****

I will not pretend I know anything about Marvel comics, the films, or any of the characters, so I probably don't have much authority to review this on a serious level. All I can say is that as a standalone film it really impressed me and was mightily entertaining, especially the standout soundtrack which I was humming for weeks afterwards. Peter is a space adventurer and a bit of an outsider who becomes entangled in a cat and mouse game with bounty hunters after he steals a powerful orb from a villain named Ronan. In order to escape Ronan and protect the orb, he must team up with 4 other misfits who will make up the guardians of the galaxy. It's great fun, and the CGI is amazing. Really worth watching, even for me, a Marvel virgin. It has encouraged me to watch the other Marvel films. 

All Good Things - 2010 ****

One of the best, most heartbreaking and intensely acted films I've seen in a while, Dunst and Gosling were excellent in this taut, dramatic thriller. David meets Katie, a beautiful and free-spirited woman who sees David for his true self, instead of the carbon copy he is trying to become in the shadow of his father and their multi-million pound business. His family are wary of Katie because she is from a modest background, and her family are wary of David because he is from a rich one, but somehow they manage to defy the odds and stay together. All seems like it is going well, until one day Katie disappears, and David is suspected. Just a brilliant performance from Ryan Gosling, and so terrifying to see the change in personality that occurs. Also, the fact that it is based on a true story makes it even eerier. One that will stay with me for a while.  

Lars and the Real Girl - 2007 **

This is not the sweet and 'affecting love story' that reviewers have been gushing over. It was downright disturbing and to be honest I have no idea about the mindset of someone who would write a story like this. 

Lars is an abnormally shy man who has trouble functioning in the real world. He can barely speak to anyone and prefers to keep himself in a hermit-like state at both home and work. So it is a great shock to his sister and her husband when he announces that he has a new girlfriend whom he met on the internet. What greets them however is not a young girl, but a life-size doll who Lars genuinely believes is real. The whole town becomes obsessed with the idea of keeping up the charade of this 'real girl' for the sake of Lars's mental health and it the film just goes from weird to downright crazy. I didn't find it charming in the slightest and it was more disturbing than anything. I don't understand the appreciation and adoration for the film, and find the concept ridiculous. It seems to me that anyone who is that mentally ill shouldn't be lulled into such a false sense of security and should be given the proper professional help. I know I'm being too literal but that's the beauty of the film world. I must say on a positive note that Ryan Gosling is actually a pretty good actor and is incredibly versatile. 

Revolutionary Road - 2008 ****

It was really interesting to see Winslet and DiCaprio in a film together since 'Titanic.' They still have so much chemistry that it makes their performances all the more poignant and raw. 

April and Frank are a suburban couple who try to believe their marriage is happy,when in fact both people are lacking something from the other. April feels she is missing passion and excitement from being a homemaker, and Frank slaves away in a job he hates and doesn't have much else going on for him. When they decide spontaneously to move to Paris after April miscarries it sets off a chain of events that neither of them can control. By the end I felt so utterly sorry for both people, and so sad that they felt trapped by the confines of what is perceived to be a normal life. It's also a rather delicate look into mental health and the effects it had on people in the 1950s when they weren't given the proper help or support to deal with their issues. Near the end it becomes quite hard to watch and after the film finished I had to sit for a while quietly just to mull over what I had seen. I hope to see the two stars in another film together soon so they can continue to showcase their talents that are fed and nourished by the other's presence. 

Betty Blue - 1986 ***

'Betty Blue' has gone down in the annuals of film as a classic. It's poster frequented student walls and the morals of the story echoed and appeared relatable to so many people struggling with their own personal demons. The story is simple, but has been analysed to death. A struggling writer meets a carefree, predictable woman who enhances his fascination with the world. They become inseparable, but the writer soon realises his girlfriend is slowly going insane, and he can't do a thing about it. 

A good, well crafted film? Yes. But definitely not a classic that needs to be remembered.

Tamara Drewe - 2010 ****

Tamara Drewe used to blend into the background, as well as having the biggest, ugliest nose ever seen. That was years ago, and now she is back in the small village where she grew up attracting quite a stir from three separate men. Previously an object of ridicule she is now an object of lust that threatens the quiet inhabitants in a way that will end in tragedy.

I had heard quite a bit about this movie before seeing it, including the fact that it was a popular comic before being transferred to screen. Gemma Arterton is very good and seems completely comfortable in her character which is good, because she brings a strange eeriness to the film that becomes difficult to shift from one's mind even after the end credits role. Tamsin Greig is great as well as the faithful and devoted wife of one of the lust-filled men.