Movie #1539 ........................."Les Girls"

Movie #1539 "Les Girls"  --- is a musical on TCM I had never seen really from beginning to end, so I sat down and really watched it (well, kinda) the other day, and I didn't like it much.  But the scenes  I had seen before,  I didn't like either so I wasn't surprised.  It had the typical story of the womanizer who makes a play for all three of his musical background singers, whom he calls "Les Girls" in the act, and one falls in love with him, and another one sues him.  The rest of the film shows what happened to break the act up  --- from all different points of view (the three women and Gene Kelly, who plays a jerk through most of the film)  and then miraculously everything rights itself and he gets the girl --- well, the one who fell in love with him.  Watching it in this me-too movement , I couldn't help but dislike the way he tries to force his way upon these women, esp. when they say no to his overtures.  He then "Plays them" and tries to manipulate them.  I don't need to recommend this movie for that reason.  I give it 3 out of 5, but it's a weak 3 --- I just liked the dance numbers.

"LES GIRLS"    1957         1 hour and 55 minutes      NR

Tap-dancing lothario Gene Kelly romances three different showgirls (Kay Kendall, Mitzi Gaynor and Tania Elg) from three different countries. Their stories are told in flashback and set to a sprightly Cole Porter score. Costume designer Orry-Kelly won an Oscar for his work in the film. Les Girls was Kelly's last full-fledged MGM musical before his return decades later to narrate That's Entertainment. 

Cast: Gene Kelly, Mitzi Gaynor, Kay Kendall,

Movie #1538 ........................."Dr. Kildare's Crisis"

Movie #1538 "Dr. Kildare's Crisis" --- the final one I watched while sick, this was another good one in the series because it deals with Laraine Day's brother coming to visit, and of course, he starts to act strangely.  And once again the tools of the diagnostician are needed, so Dr. Kildare and Dr. Gillespie save the day here!  But as you can imagine, the conflicts abound  because it involves his girlfriend's family .  I enjoyed this one, too.  4 stars out of 5.

"DR. KILDARE'S CRISIS"

Dr. Kildare's Crisis (1940)

Passed | 1h 15min | Drama | 29 November 1940 (USA)

Nurse Mary Lamont is excited about her brother's impending visit. The young man's strange behavior puzzles Dr. Kildare who believes he may be hiding a serious illness.

Director:

 Harold S. Bucquet

Writers:

 Max Brand (story),  Willis Goldbeck (story)  |2 more credits »

Stars:

 Lew Ayres,  Lionel Barrymore,  Laraine Day 

Movie #1537 .........................."People vs. Dr. Kildare"

Movie #1537 "People vs. Dr. Kildare" was still another movie I got to see on TCM when I was sick, and it dealt with a court case that Dr. Kildare was involved in.  He stopped at an accident and treated an emergency cut on this woman's leg that became very important to this woman because she is a professional skater, and when she got to the hospital, she couldn't move.  Of course, everyone tries to blame Dr. Kildare so they take him to court.  It was quite a learning lesson to see what a doctor has to face often when blamed of malpractice.  I would give it 4 out of 5.  Once again, the incidental people have great scenes along with the leads.  Lew Ayers still played Dr. Kildare in this one, so I was happy!

"PEOPLE VS. DR. KILDARE"

The People vs. Dr. Kildare (1941)

Passed | 1h 18min | Drama | 2 May 1941 (USA)

Kildare saves the life of an ice skater who was in an auto accident. But even though her broken leg has knit, she can't walk, and she tries to sue Kildare for malpractice, and Kildare's entire career and reputation now rests on making a proper diagnosis in the courtroom

Director:

 Harold S. Bucquet

Writers:

 Lawrence P. Bachmann (story),  Max Brand (story)  |2 more credits »

Stars:

 Lew Ayres,  Lionel Barrymore,  Laraine Day

Movie #1536 ........................."Dr. Kildare Goes Home"

Movie #1536 "Dr. Kildare Goes Home" --- another series on TCM I was watching while sick in bed, and I'm pretty sure I've seen this before, but rewatching it was fun because I was reminded of good ol' Dr. Gillespie, ( precursor of the doctor in "House" because a wizard at diagnosing ailments), and he takes on only the best, and his favorite?  the one and only Dr.. Kildare played by Lew Ayers --- I love how natural everyone is in their acting in this series --- all the nurses, and esp. Molly, the head nurse, all the janitors, security guys, restaurant owner across the street, and all the other medical clientele that fill up the cast in this wonderful series which went as long as the Andy Hardy series.  Dr. Kildare left after 9 shows because he was a conscientious objector and served some time in jail.  Meanwhile, Dr. Gillespie took on some other young doctors to work with him.  But Lew Ayers was my favorite, and here he gets to work with his future wife (on the show) Laraine Day.  BELOW gives a long summary, and it covers everything that happened and more....so I don't need to go into that, but just to say, this is a fun watch, and really sets up most of the series.  I give it 4 stars out of 5.




"DR. KILDARE GOES HOME"

Dr. Kildare Goes Home (1940)

Passed | 1h 19min | Drama | 6 September 1940 (USA)

Dr. James Kildare has just completed his internship at Blair General Hospital and is assigned to work with his mentor, Dr. Leonard Gillespie. But fearing for the health of his father, Dr. Stephen Kildare, he returns to his parents home to help him with his excessive workload. Dr. Kildaire Sr. is servicing a wide area ever since the doctors in neighboring towns moved elsewhere. Noting that three doctors at Blair General are doing menial jobs because they can't start their own practices, Kildare conceives the idea of building a clinic in Parkersville to be serviced by the three doctors and financed by the townsfolk paying ten cents a week to subscribe to the service. But influential men in Parkersville provide serious opposition to the plan.

Director:

 Harold S. Bucquet

Writers:

 Harry Ruskin (screen play),  Willis Goldbeck (screen play) | 2 more credits »

Stars:

 Lew Ayres,  Lionel Barrymore,  Laraine Day

Movie #1535 ........................."Andy Hardy Comes Home"

Movie #1535 "Andy Hardy Comes Home" was a movie I caught on TCM the other day when I was  bedridden with some kind of "bug," and I hadn't seen this very last film of the quite popular series that started way back in the 30s.  It was done in 1958, when Lewis Stone, the dad, no longer is alive.  And the one thing I appreciated the most after being a fan of this series  since the beginning, is the "talks" he still has with his dad in his dad's study --- he goes in for advice even after his father's death, and that was very touching to me (and to other fans of this series, I'm guessing) The story involved Andy Hardy going back home with his wife and kids to see his mom and sister and aunt (the teacher) while doing something for his job.  He is supposed to convince the town that this rich guy should be able to build his factory in Andy's home town of Carville.  The people want to believe Andy, after all, his dad was the best thing that happened to this little town, but they want their town to stay the same. Andy is trying to get them more jobs and money --- It's corny, some of the dialogue is lame, but if you have been a long time fan of this series, it's a touching final ending --- one that was needed, and I'm glad they made it.  I'd give it 3.5 out of 5 stars.

"ANDY HARDY COMES  HOME"

Andy Hardy Comes Home (1958)

Approved | 1h 20min | Comedy | 1 June 1959 (Sweden)

Andy Hardy, now a grown man with a wife and children, returns to his hometown on a business trip and finds himself getting mixed up in local politics.

Director:

 Howard W. Koch

Writers:

 Aurania Rouverol (characters),  Edward Everett Hutshing| 1 more credit »

Stars:

 Mickey Rooney,  Patricia Breslin,  Fay Holden

Movie #1534 ........................."I Feel Pretty"

Movie #1534 "I Feel Pretty" is a bit controversial, but that's what many  comedies have become.  They are either too silly, too blue, too unoriginal, or too  edgy and "out there" that they annoy audiences.   For every 1 good comedy, there are 2 or 3 good dramas -- i.e. there aren't that many good comedies out there.  Yet, most of us would welcome a comedy when we go to a movie theatre, in comparison to something we weep through.  I am always searching for comedies in my 500-film queue, and what remains is mostly foreign or documentaries, which take longer for me to watch, for obvious reasons.  That's why I most enjoy rom coms because they are my guilty pleasure --- They usually have enough substance to keep my interest, and also they have some soft humor most of the time.  That brings us to "I Feel Pretty," which I would prefer to call a rom com because it is the love story that most interested me.  That, and the overall conceit of the film:  that if we looked in the mirror and saw the beauty in ourselves, we would suddenly be "hot" or "pretty" to others because we would exude confidence, charm and congeniality.  Amy falls over a bike she is working out on and hits her head (a la Charles Dickens -- everyone knows one's  personality can change with a bonk on the head, right?) when she comes to, she hasn't changed her looks, but she's convinced she is now "hot" ---- you can imagine all the cringe moments that can come out of that premise, and they exist.  Yep, the film has its silly moments &  its blue moments, but the premise is "out there," and I was constantly marveling at how the writers would write themselves in a corner, but then choose a way to get out without too much damage.....until the end of the film.  That last speech would be a winner IF it wasn't said for the reasons it was being made ----- to sell cosmetics?  I just wish they would have gotten to the ending without that.  One way might have been in dealing with a "hot" girl in the film that Amy occasionally crosses paths with.   In her  one big scene she  surprises  Amy when  she is crying in the locker room --- Amy's attitude is --- she's beautiful,  what does SHE have to cry about ---- I know films have shown the other side of the coin in various ways ( i.e.what it is really like to be thought of as beautiful in our world) , but I think if that scene were played more seriously  and taught Amy more of a lesson, we  might have been led to a better ending.  Still, there are parts of the film I liked --- the opening premise, the capability of the actors, esp. the guy in it --- the chemistry between Amy and him (very natural and made her a better actress) -- most of the scenes between the guy and girl --- those scenes took chances, and I applaud that.  Michelle Williams with her strange voice took me a while to accept, but after a while  I didn't mind it --- she's good enough to convince us she really does talk that way --- I'm not sure a weaker actress could have gotten that across.  That all being said, I'm not convinced that many of you out there would like the film.  I went with two other women, and we laughed through most of it --- and cringed through some of it, too.  It gets in the 30s from rotten tomatoes, but with comedies, that isn't bad because not everyone is going to laugh at the same things. That's the problem.  So I'm not sure you'd like it, but I did.  It's not deep ,  it's meant for these times, for sure --- it pushes boundaries when it tries to deal with the beauty- is- skin- deep theme head on.  Just darn uncomfortable at times, but that's okay ----It's Amy Schumer, and by now, we should know what to expect from her, right?  I give it 3.5 out of 5.  And I'd be anxious to hear from you guys on what you thought because I wasn't sure on this one at all.  But I DO know the film shouldn't have gotten so many mean comments that are written on the rotten tomatoes board by critics --- there have been much worse!  and it was trying to prove something, and I applaud the film overall for that!

" I FEEL PRETTY"   PG-13           2018

Renee has never liked her looks, but when she takes a tumble in her spin class, she gazes in the mirror and sees herself transformed. Suddenly, she's gorgeous and her confidence soars -- even though she looks no different to anyone else.

Cast: Amy Schumer, Rory Scovel, Busy Philipps, Amy Bryant

Movie #1533 ........................."Split"

Movie #1533 "Split" was a movie I wanted to see for a while because I am a HUGE McAvoy fan ("Atonement,"  "Last King of Scotland" and "Rory O'Shea was Here," and "Last Station" to name just a few, and note not one X-men film, which is probably what he is most known for at this point) When I heard he played several characters in this film, I so wanted to see it, but the trailer suggested it was horror, so I waited to see it in a way that I could fast forward if I wanted to (or turn it off when I wanted to), which I did, due to the horrific things that happen in the film (mostly in the last half).  He plays a split personality young man who kidnaps three young girls.  They (and the audience) aren't sure why for most of the movie, and they all have their own ideas how to deal with their terror.  Meanwhile,  McAvoy is a patient of Psychiatrist Betty Buckley, who has been using him as a case study to teach others how to deal with multiple personality syndrome.  Pretty smart set up because the various sides of his personality come out to the doctor --- and she feels she is being conned, and she is right!  So that involves her even more to figure out what is going on.  This is pretty intense through most of the film --- in fact, there are very few light moments at all, so those faint of heart should not see this one.  If he weren't such a good actor, I never would have seen it myself, and after seeing it, I feel I didn't really need to, but if any of the above sounds interesting, check it out.  It's been on HBO quite a bit this past month, so maybe you can catch it there, or on netflix.  I give it 3 out of 5 stars (because of the ending which went on and on and it was very gory!)

"SPLIT"     2017     PG-13     1 hour and 56 minutes

Though Kevin (James McAvoy) has revealed 23 personalities to his psychiatrist, there remains one still submerged who is set to materialize and dominate all the others. Compelled to abduct three teenage girls, Kevin reaches a war for survival among all of those contained within him -- as well as everyone around him -- as the walls between his compartments shatter apart.

Cast: James McAvoy, Anya Taylor Joy, Betty Buckley

Movie #1532 ........................."Isle of Dogs"

Movie #1532 "Isle of Dogs" --- we are Wes Anderson fans, but that doesn't mean we have liked everything he has ever done (however, "The Grand Budapest Hotel" is one of our favorite films of all time).  This one was very different, but very enjoyable, and very skillfully done. (is there any doubt this should be an early film to be nominated for animation?)  but boy, what dry humor throughout --- and it never really detours from that focus throughout the film ---- If you need more razzle dazzle in your film watching, this film will not do for you.  It also has a lot of japanese spoken and not translated for us (not sure why) by the boy in the film --- a dog turns to the audience and says he wishes he knew all that he said, and I kind of agreed, but all that seemed to be part of how stylish the film is --- it's in a particular style and it steadfastly  holds that throughout the film.  The story and the animation are the strongest ---- Anderson knows how to tell a tight story, and so it goes here.  Bill Murray knows how to deliver the funnier lines, and so it goes here.  Because the characters are stiff, the humor is dry, the animation is choppy (stop motion action), and the story sails from one moment to the next, I wasn't personally drawn in to the film emotionally , and I'm thinking many people were not.  I sat back and laughed occasionally, followed the intricate story, enjoyed the introduction to new cultural adventures, and tried to guess who was doing all the voices, but I always stayed a distance.  But that was okay with me, with this one.  I rate it 4 stars out of 5 and recommend it.  But not all of us are Wes Anderson fans.  But this fan liked it!

"ISLE OF DOGS"     2018    PG-13  

Featuring a star-studded voice cast and set against the landscape of rural Japan, this animated adventure follows a game young boy on his long and often-dangerous search to find his beloved dog.

Cast: Bryan Cranston, Edward Norton, Bill Murray

Movie #1531 ........................."Downsizing"

Movie #1531 "Downsizing" -- saw this a couple of weeks ago in Arizona (got it from redbox), and I found it amusing, but it seemed to get lost from the middle on.  At first it seemed to be a lighter sci fi flick with a focus like "Honey, I shrunk the kids" or "The Incredible Shrinking Woman" (the latter I remember enjoying a lot!) but when the shrinking finally happened, there weren't all the moments where the objects are shown to us that are way too big --- and it switched to more about how some people with money had palatial places and others who were forced to leave (by our government for various reasons)  were put into slums----and there were tons of those.  That's where the Matt Damon character meets up with the Eurasian lady (the one nominated for an Oscar for this film), and the movie went in a different direction.  I hardly ever say that tone change bothers me in films, but this one took a turn that made it seem to be two movies.  I liked that it had a huge message, but it just seemed a bit choppy to get to that point.  I'm not going to wholeheartedly recommend it, just mildly recommend it to people who might like to watch the cool photography and special effects to make the people small in a BIG world, but more importantly, people who would like to see a think piece on the possibilities of people who go for this idea (because they are tired of this one?  or to get away from Trump's presidency?  or for whatever reason) -- the theme sure underlines the fact that life looks greener on the other side (and it isn't).  I give this 3.5 out of 5 stars.

"DOWNSIZING"  2017        2 HOURS AND 15 MINUTES     RATED R

Feeling that their lives are out of control, a husband and wife decide to be reduced to tiny size to make life more affordable and leave a smaller carbon footprint. Unfortunately, after he undergoes the procedure, his spouse backs out.

Cast: Matt Damon, Kristen Wiig, Christoph Waltz, HONG CHAU (the girl mentioned above)