Author Topic: List of Shame REVIEWS  (Read 209968 times)

PeacefulAnarchy

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Re: List of Shame REVIEWS
« Reply #530 on: July 05, 2011, 11:26:41 PM »
The Blue Dahlia - 8/10 The first 15 minutes were about as tedious as I remembered. Not terrible, but a slog with irritating characters and conflict setup you can see a mile away. Then Alan Ladd leaves in the rain and the things pick up. It turns into a wrong man mystery brought to life with some really great characters. It never quite reaches the stellar heights of the best noirs, neither the acting, the directing nor the writing have the intensity for it,  but it's solidly on the next level with some truly fantastic scenes and a few nice twists.

MartinTeller

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Re: List of Shame REVIEWS
« Reply #531 on: July 06, 2011, 11:37:39 PM »
Bullitt - Fun, tight detective thriller with the Cooler King being the King of Cool, Steve McQueen.  While it doesn't add up to much more than the sum of its parts, its parts are plenty fine.  You can hardly avoid mentioning the iconic car chase, and a fantastic car chase it is, too.  It draws inspiration from The Lineup, and really the movie as a whole would be right at home among some of the better police procedural films noir.  There's more to the movie than just the chase, though, and I can't think of a scene that felt superfluous or boring.  It also avoids a lot of the "rogue cop" clichés and doesn't feel too predictable.  Good times.  Rating: 8

Najemikon

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Re: List of Shame REVIEWS
« Reply #532 on: July 07, 2011, 05:34:14 AM »
I think the real key to Bullitt is McQueen. That whole scene of his partner waking him up is fantastic. "Just drink your orange juice and shut up, Delgetti", or something like that!  :D
Jon
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Corndog

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Re: List of Shame REVIEWS
« Reply #533 on: July 07, 2011, 04:42:47 PM »
Taxi Driver (Martin Scorsese, 1976)

I love it when things satisfy more than one thing. Shame and Directors!

Taxi Driver, Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro are all legendary within the film world. Each is almost synonymous with either of the other two it seems. Scorsese and De Niro have collaborated to make some wonderful films and perhaps Taxi Driver is each of their greatest known, though that could be debatable as each has a spectacular set of films to call their own. Whatever the case may be, these three are all important to the history of film in their own ways, so when I sat down to watch this film for the first time, you can imagine that my expectations were pretty high. But other than expecting it to be a great film, I really didn't have any preconceived notions about the film. Somehow I had avoided any kind of spoilers or plot descriptions.

So to spoil your party if you haven't seen it yet, here is the spoiler free plot description. Travis Bickle (De Niro) is a normal guy living in New York City in the 70s just trying to get by. Well, maybe he isn't quite as normal as most people. He is perpetually lonely and works long hours at night because he cannot sleep. He frequents dirty adult theaters and a particular campaign assistant, the lovely Betsy (Cybill Shepherd), has caught his eye. So he begins to court her. Meanwhile, he discovers the pretty, but extremely underage, prostitute Iris, or "Easy" (Jodie Foster). His inability to fit in with what he calls a dirty, mess of a town, seems to drive him to the edge of sanity.

The film succeeds because of its mood and tempo. It is a slow moving affair, but it works within the story and the character of Travis. What aids Scorsese and De Niro in their telling the story of Travis is the marvelous score by Bernard Herrmann. The quiet, jazzy tones of the score really set the mood of a late night taxi driver. And it sets on edge just enough to suggest the tweaked mind of the protagonist. It is a brilliant addition. But what Scorsese does so well without the score is really just focus on Travis, which allows De Niro plenty of opportunity to shine, but he does so in a refrained manner. His scenes with all the other characters play out so well in regards to getting to know the character, which really is a testament to both De Niro and Scorsese because the rest of the cast is phenomenal too.

Cybill Shepherd, whom I had not seen before this film, was not only beautiful, but she gave a very nice performance as well. Her interactions with both Travis and her co-worker Tom, played by the equally talented Albert Brooks, were just enough to get to know them as characters and serve their purpose within the storyline of Travis. Jodie Foster, who received an Academy Award nomination for her performance really gave the broken, pre-teen prostitute Iris the right amount of life and emotion, showing us that while she has lived a hard life, there is still innocence and joy behind the dark veil which has been placed on her by her surroundings, which include her pimp, Sport, who is played by the always spectacular Harvey Keitel.

I have to admit, the style of the film really threw me off from what I was expecting, but once I settled into it, I really enjoyed myself. I don't think it was the best film I have seen, nor do I even feel like it is De Niro or Scorsese's best. But that doesn't also mean that they didn't do outstanding work here. It deserves the praise it gets. I just kind of feel it is one of those that perhaps does not split audiences, which means pretty much everyone thinks it is a good movie, which doesn't necessarily always also make it a great film. There were some really interesting underlying themes here as well, so perhaps with multiple viewings my favor will increase, but as it stands Taxi Driver is just another really good Scorsese/De Niro film.

P.S. Scorsese's acting part in this was actually really good. I enjoyed it quite a bit and it may have been one of my favorite scenes.
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Sam the Cinema Snob

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Re: List of Shame REVIEWS
« Reply #534 on: July 07, 2011, 05:09:09 PM »
The Red Shoes
(Click for the pretty pictures)

Film has always had the desire to capture the theatre. From the early days of films where plays were simply caught on film to the modern era where a film like Black Swan can be one of the most revered films of the day, there’s something intrinsically filmic about a story which takes place on a stage. Today, a good number of movie theatres even show filmed versions of the most popular plays done by contemporaries.

The Red Shoes is a strong film on the theatre, not simply because the ballets are some of the finest theatrical sequences captured on film, but because it’s about the ins and outs of the theatre, the people behind it all and the drama that takes place before opening day and after the curtains close. For the film is as much about the pursuit of passion, ambition, art and love as it is about the theatre.

For Victoria Page (Moira Shearer), the dream is to be a ballet dancer, and while she meets the famous theatre producer Boris Lemontov (Anton Walbrook), he refuses to give her any help, making her earn her dues. Meanwhile, Boris hires the young composer Julian Craster (Marius Goring) after he claims to be the true author of the latest theatrical piece he’s produced. These two youths end up getting their big chance with a ballet of the fairy tale The Red Shoes.

The richness of the film is the birth of the art through adversary. Conflict arises on many levels and helps shape and hue the production of the ballet. For the young artists, it’s a struggle against the old system, an attempt to come into their own. And conflict also exists between individuals, both interpersonally and creatively. Victoria argues the music is too fast while Julian insists it’s the correct tempo.

This creates for drama that is natural and parallel to the play itself. It never feels forced or contrived, like the film is simply grasping for some tension to sustain the scenes. There’s a clear grip on who all these characters are that perpetuates the narrative. However, the biggest issue is that the production of the ballet itself seems to have little bearing on the film. Yes, it’s what the film is centered around, but the sequence itself adds little to the story.

It is a fantastically crafted sequence. Cinematographer Jack Cardiff effortlessly flows in and out of these very distant, theatrical shots into the more filmic language of close-ups which allow the audience a much more personal feel to the sequences. In other words, the theatricality is maintained while still crafting what is in its own right is a fantastic sequence of filmmaking.

Jack Cardiff also did a fantastic job of giving this film such rich, warm tones. He creates images that look as if the entire world is the handwork of a God obsessed with pastel. However, many regard this as one of the best looking films of all time. While it is certainly compelling visually, it’s not nearly as potent or strong as Cardiff’s work on Black Narcissus.

The Red Shoes is a film that has it all: the great visual filmmaking, a gripping narrative and thematic riches. It’s a bit of a shame that while the ballet itself is a delight to watch, it doesn’t add to the full richness of the film. Fairy tales can be potent and relevant to reality, but here, it seems to be depicted as nothing more than a fantasy. It doesn’t stop The Red Shoes from being astounding, but it does make it a bit disappointing.

PeacefulAnarchy

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Re: List of Shame REVIEWS
« Reply #535 on: July 07, 2011, 05:36:33 PM »
Taxi Driver and The Red Shoes are both in my top 20. Fantastic films.

The Strange Love of Martha Ivers 9/10 Wow, this was excellent. Child actors aren't the best way to start a film but they do a decent enough job, the great atmosphere helps in that regard, and once things get going the film hits it out of the park. Van Heflin gives a performance that's not very showy but he nails his character perfectly, changing temperament as the film demands and while he's sympathetic throughout there's always that hint of doubt that surrounds him. Stanwyck is a great noir dame and Kirk Douglas knocks it out of the park, I can't believe this was his debut. Lizabeth Scott is given less to do than the others but makes the most of it. In short we have 4 excellent performances in a twisting noir plot that had me on edge for pretty much the whole thing. Really I can't ask for more. I had an issue with the premise an accidental death at the hands of a rich child would probably be given a slap on the wrist but the film does deal with it satisfactorily concentrating on the guilt and after-effects rather than the original crime itself and it leads to a great climax. Falls just short of a 10.

tinyholidays

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Re: List of Shame REVIEWS
« Reply #536 on: July 07, 2011, 05:41:55 PM »
Ha. Crap. I have The Red Shoes too, and I have no plans to write that much. Sam, you're making my lazy show real bad.

The Red Shoes - Aside from the thirty minutes of Col. Blimp I managed while I had mono earlier this year, this was my first Archers film!

I like ballet. I like movies about ballet. I think that like comes from a trope common to ballet films - female ambition. Ballet movies usually come down to working hard and sacrificing for art, gaining respect for one's devotion and skill, and having to make some sort of decision about that versus romantic desire.

For me, what elevated The Red Shoes to something cinematically interesting (beyond those themes) were the glimpses into Vicky's imagination during the dance sequences. Those moments of first-person perspective feel unexpected and pleasing. Still, although the film approaches a complex psychology, I did not necessarily think that the ending had been earned. Part of that feeling might because I finished reading Anna Karenina only a few weeks ago, which spends about a thousand pages earning its ending. Nevertheless, I was captivated during the entire film and sat straight through it without the desire to look at my phone or computer or get up for a snack, all of which occur far too frequently for me when I'm watching movies at home.

Bondo

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Re: List of Shame REVIEWS
« Reply #537 on: July 08, 2011, 12:50:28 PM »
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

If a character can be detested, I'll likely detest them. It is a reason I abhorred Nichols' Closer. Having heard enough about this film, I had grave concerns that ultimately proved justified. This is a mean-spirited film that doesn't seem to accomplish much for me through it. Thanks, but no thanks Mr. Nichols.

Oh, I'm gonna start putting rating in my reviews again. 1/5

I'll totally like one of these list of shame films one of these days...

PeacefulAnarchy

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Re: List of Shame REVIEWS
« Reply #538 on: July 09, 2011, 12:19:54 AM »
Fallen Angel - 9/10 Man, I'm starting to feel like I'm just shilling for all these Noir films. This was another great one. All the women are fantastic, Alice Faye, Linda Darnell and in less glamorous role Anne Revere. Dana Andrews is good, but I always find him a little distant, and his different interactions with each of the women  is as central to his character's development as his own performance. I wish the film hadn't been wrapped up so neatly and suddenly but it gave me a good ride and at a moment where I'm feeling a little aimless in my life resonated more than it might otherwise.

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Re: List of Shame REVIEWS
« Reply #539 on: July 09, 2011, 12:32:26 AM »
Oh Bondo. SMH.