movie #683 .........................silent films/lumiere bros 7 keaton

movie #683 Lumiere brothers shorts: billboard poster and the card game ---- we saw these shorts at a silent film festival at san felippo's in barring ton, il. It was cool to see the actual Lumiere bros doing some of the tricks, and it was esp great seeing them with actual gorgeous organ music playing in the background --- we also got to see some buster keaton films ,one i really liked was "cops" -- everything i had read about this master of silent film came flooding back to me --- his common man persona -- his emphasis on physicality, the charm he uses to get you on his side --- it was fun to finally see it all. a very enjoyable evening. buster keaton 's cops i gave them 3 out of 5 stars Lumiere Brothers' First Films1896NR One of France's leading directors, Bertrand Tavernier, presents 85 of the Lumière brothers' 50-second silent "actualities," made between 1895 and 1897, and remastered from the original 35mm source material. Presented for the first time in an authorized video presentation and scored with piano by Stuart Oderman, these films provide a rare journey through the birth of the motion picture as a bona fide art form. Genre:Miscellaneous Documentaries, Documentary

movie #682 ........................""State of the Union"

movie #682 "State of the Union" is a capra film i actually don't like ---it is way too preachy --- and yes hepburn and tracy deliver the speechesm but they weren't enough to make the film lots of fun to watch --- lansbury is the only one worthy of a second look here --- everyone else is a yawn---- watch the muchbetter nr. smith goes to washington ---- that is so much better and basically the same theme. i gave it 2.7 out of 5 stars, State of the Union1948NR123 minutes At the urging of power-hungry newspaper executive Kay Thorndyke (Angela Lansbury), industrialist Grant Matthews (Spencer Tracy) is persuaded to campaign for the Republican presidential nomination. To boost his public persona, Matthews reunites with his estranged wife (Katharine Hepburn). She quickly uncovers the corruption that's infected her once moral husband. Frank Capra directs this compelling adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize-winning play. Cast:Katharine Hepburn, Howard Smith, Lewis Stone, Charles Lane, Spencer Tracy, Adolphe Menjou, Angela Lansbury, Van Johnson, Charles Dingle, Maidel Turner, Raymond Walburn, Margaret Hamilton, Art Baker, Pierre Watkin, Florence Auer Genre:Classic Dramas, Romance Classics, Classics

Movie #681 ........................."Kick Ass"

Movie #681 "Kick Ass" is a movie i had long heard about and meant to see some day--- cheesy but cute i had heard, and yesterday it just happened to be on tv and with the broken arm, i had sone time to spend watching -- this was lots of fun --- i enjoyed the comic book storyline, the tongue in cheek humor, the main characters (even nicolas cage is watchable here) --- the costumes are even funny. i truly appreciated making fun of the comics here, and it seemed a smart film for that reason and the witty, realistic dialogue of the kids. i lightly recommend it for a fluff comedy watch. i gave it 3.5 out of 5 stars Kick-Ass2010R117 minutes Inspired by comic books, high school student Dave Lizewski transforms himself into a masked crime fighter and becomes an Internet sensation. Soon, Dave's antics inspire a wave of would-be heroes to don costumes and live out their superhero dreams. Cast:Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Nicolas Cage, Mark Strong, Chloe Moretz, Clark Duke, Lyndsy Fonseca, Evan Peters, Garrett M. Brown, Deborah Twiss, Sophie Wu, Elizabeth McGovern, Omari Hardwick, Xander Berkeley, Michael Rispoli

movie #680 ........................."Argo"

movie #680 "Argo" is a well crafted film, in editing and use of sound to build suspense, in casting esp the members of the american embassy that were in hiding in the canadian colsulate, in taking you back to this great story --- how our government sat on this wonderful story for so long is a wonder; thoroughly enjoyable to watch a story whose ending we know come to that end in front of us , but this time filling in the details, It makes the story so much more enriching -- i just wish we knew the cast members more, went into depth more with each of the characters including the very bland ben affleck ---- otherwise, really well done -- obe amazing story. Argo2012R --- 4 out of 5 stars In 1979, when Iranian militants seize the American embassy, six Americans slip into the Canadian embassy for protection, prompting the CIA to concoct an elaborate plot to rescue them by pretending that they are filmmakers rather than diplomats. Cast:Ben Affleck, Taylor Schilling, Bryan Cranston, John Goodman, Kyle Chandler, Clea DuVall, Victor Garber, Alan Arkin, Titus Welliver, Adrienne Barbeau, Tate Donovan, Rory Cochrane, Chris Messina, Richard Kind, Kerry Bishé, Scoot McNairy Genre:Political Thrillers, Political Dramas, Dramas Based on Real Life, Thrillers

Movie #679 ........................."Jeme Suis Fait Tout Petits"

Movie #679 "Jeme Suis Fait Tout Petits" (I Made Myself Quite Small -- the title refers to a henpecked husband joking of his situation) I had the hardest time finding this one because I only had the French title and didn't know what it meant, since I saw it in French (with English subtitles!) but I found this very enjoyable, very easygoing, funny and humane. I never knew what the next scene would bring. The strength is not in the plot, though, but in the casting --- very engaging people that you can identify with. And I had never seen a movie on the topic ---- I've seen movies where the father reconciles with his child that he never knew he had and he's awkward about it, but this was different. This guy's sister is raising his two daughters who were abandoned by the ex wife --- and now comes along a child that his ex wife had with another man --- He at first doesn't want the little boy to be raised by his sister (who volunteers to take him in) because he resents the heck out of the kid and doesn't want him in his life at all! but then the kid rubs off on him, and that's when the trouble begins, for a guy who doesn't want any attachments. Thus, the title. I read some French reviews of this and the actor who plays the lead I guess is some up and coming young "Robert De Niro" and they expect much more in the future --- it would be fun to see if that all pans out, but for this performance, he was really really good! I gave it 3.5 stars out of 5 There is nothing to keep Yvan in Paris. A 30-something schoolteacher, he is ready to pack up and start a new life somewhere else. It has been five years since his wife left him to live with her new lover in Thailand. Since, he has mooched about, uncertain what to do next with his life. His teenage daughters have left him, preferring to live with his sister Ariane than the miserable, prematurely middle-aged man he has become. Just when Yvan has made up his mind to leave Paris, two people enter his life and arouse him from his emotional slumbers. They are: Léo, the product of his ex-wife’s love affair with another man, and Emmanuelle, a vivacious colleague at the school where he works. Yvan soon discovers he has two reasons to stay and rebuild his life... Credits Director: Cécilia Rouaud Script: Cecilia Rouaud Photo: Renaud Chassaing Cast: Vanessa Paradis (Emmanuelle), Denis Ménochet (Yvan Le Doze), Laurent Lucas (Luc), Louise Grinberg (Elise), Léa Drucker (Ariane), Valérie Karsenti (Claire), Laurent Capelluto (Simon), Grégory Gadebois (Le proviseur), Angèle Garnier (Manon), Jade Samba-Seale (Plume), David Carvalho-Jorge (Léo) Country: France Language: French Runtime: 96 min

Movie #678 .........................Paris-Manhattan

Movie #678 "Paris-Manhattan" -- sitting on the plane, wanting to resee some of the beautiful sightings in Paris, I saw this on the Air France offering screen and had to watch it --- half of it is in subtitles and other half is not. It was very charming --- aside from the beautiful scenery, it constantly quotes Woody Allen lines from his movies. The single woman in the film adores him and has his picture above her bed and she asks him advice. She owns a shop and whenever people come in for advice, she sends them home with Woody Allen movies, specific to their problems. The music is great in the film, too. Everything about it I found charming and so, if you value Woody Allen movies and/or charming films out of the norm with style, why not check this out. It's a cute romantic comedy. A romantic comedy centered on a Woody Allen-obsessed pharmacist (Taglioni) and her would-be lover (Bruel) It's French and I saw it on the plane. It is listed in IMDB but not netflix, so far. It's quite a gem, and it probably is available at your library to rent. It has subtitles. I gave it 5 out of 5 stars, but I love Woody Allen movie, and it is very Woody Allenesque.

Movie #677 .........................."The Five Year Engagement"

Movie #677 "The Five Year Engagement" felt like it lasted as long as their engagement because it dragged and dragged to its ending. Along the way, there were some bright spots, but they were few and far between. Thank god for the casting, because they were at least fun to watch at times ---- Emily Blunt, Jason Segel, Rhys Ifans, and her sister and brother-in-law were entertaining in spurts. That's what I would say about this movie: it was good in spurts, but to sit through it, well, it felt like five years. I wanted to say to the screen, "Move on already!" I gave this 3.5 out of 5 star. The Five-Year Engagement2012R124 minutes Jason Segel and Emily Blunt star in this contemporary romantic comedy as an engaged young couple who discovers that the more they get to know each other, the more unpredictable their commitment to getting married becomes. Cast:Emily Blunt, Jason Segel, Alison Brie, Rhys Ifans, Chris Pratt, Chris Parnell, Mindy Kaling, Brian Posehn, Dakota Johnson, Mimi Kennedy, Adam Campbell, Jim Piddock, David Paymer, Kevin Hart, Jacki Weaver, Michael Ensign, Clement von Franckenstein, Jane Carr, Randall Park, Lauren Weedman Genre:Comedy