Mo ie #2175 ........................."The Great Race" (DVD)

 Movie #2175 "The Great Race" (DVD) --- while we were watching one of the kid's  favorite film, we noticed the similarities in the plot with one of our favorite, this film.  So we suggested this one for the next night.  To me, this is a 5 out of 5 film because it has every kind of comedy you can think of in it --- Even if you don't laugh, they are trying so hard to fill every minute with a sight gag, verbal pun, sound gag (who can forget Peter Falk's pipe?)  or whatever.  Meanwhile, it is making fun of every genre you can think of in film :  romance, western,  swashbuckling, desert movies (a la Rudolph Valentino), racing films, action films, royalty (Kings & Queens), etc.  with a special nod to pie in the face silent comedies, and the great swordfight in "the Adventures of Robin Hood" (the original one with Errol Flynn.)  (Princess Bride also had a scene in homage to Robin Hood, but it wasn't near as good).  I think this film still stands the test of time, even though it is quite old, and plus the cast can't be beat --- the film puts Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon together again (some like it hot did it so well, too) and Natalie Wood and ironically,  a much younger Peter Falk (than the one in Princess Bride) are both a delight to watch.  If you haven't seen this "classic," it comes highly recommended in this family.

"THE GREAT RACE"  2 hours, 40 minutes              1965

In the early 20th century, two rivals, the heroic Leslie and the despicable Professor Fate, engage in an epic automobile race from New York to Paris.

• Director
  • Blake Edwards
• Writers
  • Arthur A. Ross(screenplay)
  • Blake Edwards(original story)
• Stars
  • Tony Curtis, 
  • Natalie Wood, 
  • Jack Lemmon, Peter Falk

  ee production, box office & company info

Movie #2174 ........................."Princess Bride" (dvD)

 Movie #2174"Princess Bride" (DVD) -- we had young guests over last week, and so we set up a movie night every night, and their first choice was this movie, which Dave and I had never seen all the way through.  I am glad we finally did --- we could then see how the most funny bits and popular lines propelled the plot --- it was nice to see little Kevin Arnold (Ben Savage) and his grandpa (Peter Falk) make their narrative comments , and the cast is quite competent.  However, I did not fall in love with the plot --- it is quite thin and meanders -- if it weren't for the funny bits occasionally (like "Good Luck storming he castle" - Billy Crystal), I am not sure the movie would be considered as great as it is --- in fact, I would go so far as to say this film seemed overrated to me --- it was just okay, and I like I said, the memorable funny bits have propelled it to a cult film, much loved by many.   I'd give it 3 out of 5 stars.  "

"PRINCESS BRIDE"      1 hour, 38 mins               PG               1987

While home sick in bed, a young boy's grandfather reads him the story of a farmboy-turned-pirate who encounters numerous obstacles, enemies and allies in his quest to be reunited with his true love. 

Stars:  Robin Wright, Mandy Patinki, Cary Elwes, Billy Crystal, Wallace Shawn

• Director
  • Rob Reiner
  
  

  
  
• Writer
  • William Goldman(screenplay by) (based upon his book)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Movie #2173.........................."The Mauritanian"

 Movie #2173 "The Mauritanian " (netflix DVD)  This is a tough movie to watch about the treatment of the prisoners, one in particular, after 9/11 at Guantanamo Bay.  Without seeing this movie, I figured what was happening with  the pressure on finding those who were to blame and the torturing that was happening as a result.  But to see it.............not that the film has scene after scene showing it --- there's just one section, but it is tough to watch.  Aside from that, there's very little story --- it just involves how the prosecutor (played by Cumberbatch) finds out the truth of the torture and how he deals with that, and the defending lawyer (Jodie Foster) who finds out about what happened to Sahli (the Mauritanian) and how she fights for her rights.  Most of the information is done in blurbs at the end of the film, so I don't highly recommend this movie at all.  I thought it would give much more information.  I would give this a 3.5 out of 5.  It did make me want to look for the book it is based on, hoping it would give more information.

"THE MAURITANIAN"              2 hours, 9 mins               2021                rated - R

Based on the NY Times best-selling memoir "Guantánamo Diary" by Mohamedou Ould Slahi, this is the true story of Slahi's fight for freedom after being detained and imprisoned without charge by the U.S. Government for years. Alone and afraid, Slahi finds allies in defense attorney Nancy Hollander and her associate Teri Duncan who battle the U.S. government in a fight for justice that tests their commitment to the law and their client at every turn. Their controversial advocacy, along with evidence uncovered by a formidable military prosecutor, Lt. Colonel Stuart Couch, uncovers shocking truths and ultimately proves that the human spirit cannot be locked up.

Director:  Kevin McDonald

Actors:  Tahir Rahim, Jodie Foster, Benjamin Cumberbatch, Shalene Wooley

Movie #2172 ........................."Hacks" (HBO)tv series

 Movie #2172 "Hacks" (HBO t.v. series) --- this was recommended to us by several people, and they were right --- we did like it a lot, but it took a couple of episodes to get into it.  If you want to like the main characters, it will also take you a while to warm up to them and let them pull you in to their world.  Their world includes an older stand up comedian, played by Jean Smart, who has been playing it pretty safe with her stand up in Las Vegas, but she can see the writing on the wall --- her boss is putting pressure to offer her less time for her shows.  So her agent offers an SNL type comedy writer( who made one mistake of writing a joke a bit too soon for it to be funny) to help the older comic out --- at first they hate each other, make fun of each other, and there's a lack of respect from one to the other....... but things change as the season moves on.  There are 11 episodes that run about 30 minutes each.  And they are worth the time to watch them --   and it gets better from one episode to the next, until the last one, which I thought was the best of the bunch!  4.5 out of 5.

"HACKS"     2021                10 episodes, each 30 mins 

                                                                                                                                                                  Explores a dark mentorship that forms between Deborah Vance, a legendary Las Vegas comedian, and an entitled, outcast 25-year-old.

Creators:  Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs, Jen Statsky

Cast:  Jean Smart, Hannah Einbinder

Movie #2171 .........................."Cloudburst" (netflix)

 Movie #2171 "Cloudburst" (netflix - movie)  Based on Fitzgerald's stage play with the same name, I chose to see it because olympia Dukakis died recently, and I have always enjoyed watching Brenda Fricker.  But this film was a huge disappointment.  It had a lot of unnecessary nudity in it and crass language --- I never warmed up to the main character and not much happened in the film --- story is flimsy.  I did like Fricker's character and the young hitchhiker, but the women's  plight to be together was ruined  for me because I wasn't emotionally drawn into the film by the main character.  I give it 2.5 --- cinematography was stunning of Canada in many scenes.  I don't recommend at all.

"CLOUDBURST"    2002      1 hour and 33 minutes

 Set in the 1990s, A lesbian couple escape from their nursing home and head up to Canada to get married , and along the way they pick up a young, male hitchhiker.  

Director:  Tom Fitzgerald

Writer:  Tom Fitzgerald

Cast:  Olympia Dukakis, Brenda Fricker, Kristin Booth, 

Movie #2170 ........................."Effie Gray" (movie - netflix)

 Movie #2170 "Effie Gray" (netflix)  I love Dakota Fanning --- I like watching art biopics, but this is so slow, I can't recommend it at all ---it is about sex (rated PG-13) getting in the way of a married couple --- he is always too busy with his art to pay attention to her --- and she falls passionately for another artist, who doesn't spend as much time doing his art, evidently, but doesn't do anything about his love for her --- all I can say is the film is slow and little if anything happens as long passages of time go by.    I'd give it 2.0 for some good acting, and beautiful locations, and Emma Thompson plays her friend and those scenes are good.   But this is definitely a don't bother film.   

"EFFIE GRAY"    2014        1 hour and 44 minutes                  

Based on the real-life scandal that shocked Victorian-era England, this movie tells the story of Euphemia "Effie" Gray (Dakota Fanning). At nineteen, she married the prominent art historian and critic John Ruskin (Greg Wise), but Ruskin refused to consummate their marriage. Lonely and frustrated, Effie is drawn to pre-Raphaelite painter John Everett Millais (Tom Sturridge), and finds a friend and champion in Lady Elizabeth Eastlake (Dame Emma Thompson). After five years trapped in a loveless marriage, Effie will defy the rules of Victorian society.—L. Hamre

Director:  Richard Laxton

Writer:  Emma Thompson

Cast:  Dakota Fanning, Greg Wise, Tom Sturridge

Movie #2169 ........................."Mare of Eastown" (limited series - HBO Max)

 Movie #2169 "Mare of Eastown" (limited series - HBO Max)  This was rather a dark show (literally, the lighting was turned down really low with lots of night time scenes) with a lot of characters to keep track of and they all seem related to Mare, the lead character.  Kate Winslet is playing a dark, quiet, angst-driven character with lots of baggage she is carrying around ---- she is scarred in many ways.  One wonders how she gets up every morning --- then, someone dies and we have several possibilities for the murderer.  What I didn't like about this show, in particular, was the way we were yanked around mostly in the last episode. And I personally didn't think the ending seemed as plausible and satisfying as it could have been.  --but maybe that's just me.  However, Kate Winslet is soooo good that she carried the film --- and her sister and daughter and of course Jean Smart as her mother were all very effectively supporting.  I'd give this a 4 out of 5.    PS --- I am still wondering why a few of the characters were even in the show/  I don't want to say particular names  so that I don't ruin the ending of this show.

"MARE OF EASTOWN"       MINISERIES, 7 EPISODES, each about 1 hour    2021

A young woman is murdered in a small Pennsylvania town. On the case is Detective Sergeant Mare Sheehan, a highly skilled crime investigator. She has spent all of her life in Easttown and knows everybody in it. However, her life is dark and troubled, due largely to the recent death of her son.

creator:  Brad Ingelsby

Cast:  Kate Winslet, Julianne Nicholson, Jean Smart, Guy Pearce