Thursday, August 08, 2019
The Three Faces of Eve
- Commentary: What actor doesn't love a chance to display their skills by playing a character with DID (Dissociative Personality Disorder - Multiple Personality Disorder)? Many try; a surprising number succeed. After all, what is an actor but someone who has the desire and the ability to take on character after character after character ... which accounts for the fact that, having seen many of these movies (and owning a few), I can't recall ever seeing a bad one. The Three Faces of Eve with Joanne Woodward was made in 1957 and continues to show up on lists with titles like "The [Number] Best DID Movies". Yes Virginia, there are such lists, scads of them, I just discovered. Before I wrote up this movie, I couldn't help but recall that Split is such a movie, and that, throughout my life, I can remember several actors playing DID people. A few of the articles include certain superhero characters in the DID category. This had never occurred to me, but, surely, The Hulk would qualify.
So, anyway, Joanne Woodward in The Three Faces of Eve is neither the first, nor the last actor to take on multiple-characters-in-one, but she certainly turned in a fine performance [or, would that be "performance'S'"?]. Yes, I've seen this movie before, and, although this movie isn't the reason I bought the four-pack, it's certainly an attractive addition. Characterizations of multiple characters are guaranteed to be poignant, for better and worse, but, if my memory serves me correctly, this is one of the better poignant performances of such a disorder.
Update 1/12/21: A few days ago I noticed this missing from the four pack of movies which included this one. At first I figured I must have misfiled it in another movie jacket and mildly despaired at trying to find it among the hundreds of movie jackets I own. Then, yesterday, I recovered a faint memory of giving it to one of my nieces a few years ago, the one who is an actress. I even recall, at the time, thinking she'd really enjoy it, where as I probably wouldn't watch it, again, even though I didn't dislike it; I was, however, put off by the melodramatic aspects of the movie. I'll have to check with her. I hope I'm right about this. If not, well, who knows how long it will take me to discover where I misfiled it!
Update 3/29/21: I finally found this movie, lurking in a blu-ray case I'd bought for splitting collections into separate movies. Why I'd taken this out of it's original collection case and placed it in it's own case without doing that to the others, I'll never know, but, oh, well, I've found it now.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Joanne Woodward Eve White/Eve Black/Jane David Wayne Ralph White Lee J. Cobb Dr. Curtis Luther Edwin Jerome Dr. Francis Day Alena Murray Secretary Nancy Kulp Mrs. Black Douglas Spencer Mr. White Alistair Cooke Narrator
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1957
Directed by Nunnally Johnson.
Labels: drama3, haunting1, joanne-woodward, lee-j-cobb, popcorn-and-soda1, psychological1
A Letter to Three Wives
- Commentary: Had this not been serendipitously included in a four-pack of movies containing the one I wanted I never would have added it to my collection. I have, though, seen it, enjoyed it, and am pleased to add it to my collection by default. It's a mature women's movie with a satirical twist that continues to twist until the end. It contains really interesting and perceptive woman-talk. It's from an era when woman-talk had more respect than it does, now. Does that surprise you, that I consider that, currently, woman-talk is not respected? Well, think again. It's not. It's acceptable, now, as it has rarely been in the past, for women to join men in being knowledgeable and forthcoming on all kinds of subjects, but women-talk? Sad to say, we're in another era of don't-talk-about-relationships of any kind unless it's from a distant psychological perspective.
Which reminds me, this post initiates yet another category, "psychological". Again, I'm surprised I haven't found a need for that category before this. I'm sure it applies to many movies in my collection. No matter what you think as you wend your way through the movie, the end is guaranteed to be a surprise and the journey to that surprise is delicious, indeed, so delicious that I will not mind making the journey again, even though I know the destination.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Jeanne Crain Deborah Bishop Jeffrey Lynn Bradbury Bishop Linda Darnell Lora Mae Hollingsway Paul Douglas Porter Hollingsway Ann Sothern Rita Phipps Kirk Douglas George Phipps Barbara Lawrence Georgiana Finney Connie Gilchrist Ruby Finney Florence Bates Mrs. Manleigh Hobart Cavanaugh Mr. Manleigh Thelma Ritter Sadie Dubin Celeste Holm Voice of Addie Ross
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1949
Directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz.
Labels: buddy, drama3, kirk-douglas, psychological1, thelma-ritter, women's-movie1
Laura
- Commentary: This is the movie for which I bought the four-pack mentioned in the immediately previous post. I love this movie. I love the ambience and the mystery. I love that Laura isn't seen until the end of the movie. I love that the mystery woman doesn't know she's a mystery woman. I love the lanky, devil-may-care attitude of the man for whom Laura has become a mystery. Of course, they do make them "like this, anymore", but, whenever I watch and fall in love with an "old" move like this, I am ever grateful for DVD (et al) technology.
P. S.: With this movie, I am initiating the category "detective". Not sure why I never thought of categorizing by that, before. I'm sure I must have movies that would fit nicely into that category. I only thought of it because this movie, however mysterious it may be, has a somewhat gentler presentation than a standard "thriller" or "suspense", but is something more than a "mystery". The story of the effort to "detect" Laura is the whole story.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Gene Tierney Laura Hunt Dana Andrews Mark McPherson Clifton Webb Waldo Lydecker Vincent Price Shelby Carpenter Judith Anderson Ann Treadwell Dorothy Adams Bessie Clary Ralph Dunn Fred Callahan Clyde Fillmore Ad Agency Owner
One of Roger Ebert's Great Movies.
In case you're curious, here's a link to the Wikipedia article about this movie.
Release Date: 1944
Directed by Otto Preminger.
Labels: detective1, drama3, film-noir1, melodramaA, mystery1, romance1
An Affair to Remember
- Commentary: Up front, I'm not a fan of this movie, nor of the Annette Bening/Warren Beatty remake, although I love Sleepless in Seattle, which is so full of this movie it practically vomits it. When I first saw and fell in love with Sleepless in Seattle I had never seen this movie, any remakes of it, nor was I familiar with the story. Once I became my mother's companion and we began sharing our love of watching movies, I finally saw this movie on one of the many cable channels to which we subscribed. [I'm telling you, we were really into movies!] Mom did not remember if she'd ever seen it, but she didn't care for it. I clearly remember her saying, when the movie finished "Well, that was silly!" My thoughts, exactly.
So, what am I doing with this movie in my collection? It came in another one of those four-packs. I was looking for one (old) movie, in particular and it was cheaper to buy the four-pack with it than it was to buy the movie as a single.
All I can say about this movie, An Affair to Remember [Wikipedia link to this film], is, at least I have a disc record of a movie to which lots of other movies refer but that I never liked, and, I'm sure, never will, not even in its next remake. I'm sure there will be another remake!
Update 8/14/19: Well, I decided to watch this movie, tonight, as, the more I tried to recall it, the more I realized all I could remember was the Annette Bening/Warren Beatty/Katharine Hepburn remake, for which I didn't much care, and the references to the original in Sleepless in Seattle. Wow! Was I surprised! I'm thinking, now, that maybe I never really saw it, it may have been one of those movies that I'd glance at between chores, checking on Mom watching it, while she and I were companions. I have little knowledge to base this on, but it seems very 50's-ish in it's portrayal of romance (which shouldn't be a surprise, considering that it came to the screen in 1957): witty, intelligent, full of stock secondary characters who are (thankfully) used lightly, lush orchestration almost to a fault, strong female lead, independent male lead, oh, come on, you know the 50's drill. I was born in the 50's and raised primarily outside the U.S. without much television so I was either too young or too far away to see any of these films until decades later when they became available on tapes/dvds, I moved back to the states and finally (after many years) was in the presence of a television. It's an interesting exercise to watch these movies, and this movie, now. I found myself wondering, as I watched (which often happens when I watch one of these 50's movies), if I had been exposed to them when I, as a U.S. kid, was supposed to have been exposed to them, would my perception of what it is to be a woman be any different, now? It's very late, tonight, though, and my mind isn't sharp enough to give much cogent thought to this, but I wanted to make a note of it, perhaps write/think, here, about it, later. Here's the beginning of a list of movies I own that would fall into this category for consideration: The Best of Everything; Funny Face; I don't know, maybe I was too young to have been exposed to these movies at a time when conditions would have been ripe for them to have an effect on me; I mean, in 1957 I was 5 years old for most of the year (I'm an autumn child), thus, I can't imagine that I would have been intrigued by this movie, in particular, and many, of that time, in general, had I seen them during their first runs; ... more later ...
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Cary Grant Nicolò Ferrante Deborah Kerr Terry McKay Richard Denning Kenneth Bradley Neva Patterson Lois Clark Cathleen Nesbitt Grandmother Janou Robert Q. Lewis Self as Announcer Charles Watts Ned Hathaway Fortunio Bonanova Courbet
By the way, the great Marnie Nixon sings for Terry McKay.
Release Date: 1957
Directed by Leo McCarey.
Labels: 20th-century-chick-flicks1, cary-grant, popcorn-and-soda1, romance1
Glass
- Commentary: I own this movie because I was destined to own it. I became of fan of the Eastrail 177 Trilogy before it was a trilogy, when it was only Unbreakable.
I'm not much for superhero movies or superhero stories. I own a few, a very few, considering the extent of my entire collection, but superhero stories have to be strong on character for me ... really strong, and have a super (forgive the pun) compelling story. Unbreakable was one of those few superhero movies with which I fell in love.
When I heard a sequel was planned, and then a third, I was so excited that I vowed, before either movie was even in theaters on initial runs, that I would own them.
I appreciated (and enjoyed) Split as a continuation of what I knew was going to be a trilogy. James McAvoy was splendid (Can that guy act, or what?!?). His performance blew me away because I'm familiar with a fair amount of his work (there is a lot of it) and didn't know he had that "horde" of characters inside him. It was, and still is, breathtaking for me to watch his performance in that movie. I also, though, considered Split rather like the middle of a book ... it might bog you down, a bit, but you know help is coming in the last few chapters and, anyway, you need to know what's in the middle to realize you're being helped at the end.
By the time Glass arrived in theaters, I was ravenous for it, and unsettled that I'd have awhile to wait before it became a DVD and I could see it. [Why didn't I see it in a theater, I hear you asking ... that's another story ... remind me to talk about that later.] Finally, it was available for purchase. I didn't wait for the price to drop.
What can I say? I had no idea, during my long wait, what to expect, except that I expected something of the calibre of Unbreakable, something that would astound me and resolve the story in a superlatively unthinkable way.
Didn't happen.
In fact, I had to read the synopsis of the movie in Wikipedia just before I wrote this in order to remember the story. To my mind, there was little spark in the story, little spark in the continuation of the characters, and I was left unsatisfied. I can't give you an alternative scenario of what I would have liked to have seen. I just know that as I watched the movie I kept waiting for Something To Happen ... then, the movie was over and I realized, oh, nothing is going to happen.
I've thought about it. A lot. I can't imagine what it is I needed from the third movie to satisfy me. I just know that the third movie made both the first and the second seem implausible. That's a shame, because I fell in love with the first movie and remained excited for the story by the second movie. The third? Well, it seems to me like it's a third movie that exists without a first or second movie having been made.
Maybe Shyamalan tired of the concept he'd imagined as the Eastrail 177 Trilogy before he finished it. Maybe he never meant for Unbreakable to be more than what it was, which would have been fine with me. It's one of my all time favorite movies and didn't need sequels. Despite my disappointment, I'm going to keep all three movies. Forever. I know I'll watch Unbreakable again. I'll probably watch the other two again, as well. When I watch Glass though, it won't be for the sheer enjoyment of it. It will be to wonder, once again, what went wrong.
I'll finish this write-up with a quote from the Wikipedia article about this movie (to which I've linked in the title): "M. Night Shyamalan has been asked numerous times if there would be any sequel for Glass. On January 8, 2019, he officially confirmed that no sequels are currently planned, saying he has no interest building a cinematic universe."
Thank you and good [M] Night [Shyamalan].
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role James McAvoy Kevin Wendell Crumb/The Horde Bruce Willis David Dunn/The Overseer Samuel L. Jackson Elijah Price/Mr. Glass Sarah Paulson Dr. Ellie Staple Anya Taylor-Joy Casey Cooke Spencer Treat Clark Joseph Dunn Charlayne Woodard Mrs. Price Luke Kirby Pierce
Release Date: 2019
Directed by M. Night Shyamalan.
Labels: action2, adventure2, drama3, fantasy1, horror1, m-night-shyamalan, pseudo-cgi-animation, samuel-l-jackson, super-hero1, suspense1, thriller1, tragedy1, violence1
Gaslight
- Commentary: Of course I was bound to own this movie! I am, after all a self-respecting movie maven-of-sorts. And, of course, it is this version I chose to own. Ingrid Bergman; Angela Lansbury; Charles Boyer; Joseph Cotten. Are you kidding? Is there any other version?!?
This movie is not only a pure delight of a thriller, for me, I love the way it's done. The planning of the contrasts between outside and inside, light and dark, expansive and claustrophobic, are, yes, thrilling for me to watch. Angela Lansbury is a delicious tart. Ingrid Bergman is a surprisingly unshrinking violet. Charles Boyer plays against type so well, it's hard to remember his performances as a romantic male lead.
The main reason I thought to buy it recently is because of the current craze for using the word "gaslight" and its derivatives, especially in news and commentary. When I hear these young ones using it, I chuckle internally. I'm sure a majority of these earnest politicos have no idea of the term's derivation. In fact, when I watch this movie, I often think of my niece, who shares my love of movies (and is an actor) and I partly bought the movie so I would have it the next time she visits because, you know, she's of the generation of people who is tossing this term around and I have a sneaking suspicion she doesn't know where it comes from.
To this day, an utter gem of a movie. And, yes, the site to which I linked the title of this post gives a review of both the 1940 and 1944 movies. Mine is the 1944 version with Ingrid Bergman, although I've wished to see the 1940 one, just out of curiosity.
By the way, I've linked Bergman's name to an article featuring interviews of three people done for Roger Ebert's site in 2015.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Charles Boyer Gregory Anton/Sergis Bauer Ingrid Bergman Paula Alquist Anton Joseph Cotton Brian Cameron Dame May Whitty Bessie Thwaites Angela Lansbury Nancy Oliver Barbara Everest Elizabeth Tompkins Emil Rameau Maestro Guardi Edmund Breon General Huddleston Halliwell Hobbes Mr. Mufflin Heather Thatcher Lady Mildred Dalroy Lawrence Grossmith Lord Freddy Dalroy Jakob Gimpel Pianist
As well, just in case, here's the Wikipedia write up to this particular film.
Release Date: 1944
Directed by George Cukor.
Labels: angela-lansbury, drama3, film-noir1, ingrid-bergman, melodramaA, mystery1, period1, suspense1, thriller1
The Group
- Commentary: Ah, yes! The Group! I did not see this film until years, decades, in fact, after it came out. I believe I first saw it on TCM while my mother and I were companions. I had read the book around the time when the movie came out. And loved it. I didn't relate to the time period but the writing and story telling were so good I didn't need to. I never forgot the passages about Dottie and her initial sexual adventure. When I finally saw the movie, I was delighted with how that was portrayed in the film. I also found Joan Hackett mesmerizing in the part, although I had, for a long time, been a fan of her work, mostly through her appearance in character roles on television.
The ensemble of actors in this movie is incredible. The story is an exceptionally thoughtful and thought provoking description of a particular period in the lives of privileged young women. The movie, itself, is so well done it is a miracle to watch. I've seen it twice since I bought it and it snatches me into it with every viewing. When it finishes, I'm ready to watch it again.
I've been trying for some years to obtain a copy of it but, although all the places that sell movies have had it advertised, it's also been unavailable. Recently it came back on the market. I'd been keeping my eye on its availability for some years and as soon as it was re-released, I snatched up a copy.
Watching it twice has made me hungry to read the book, again.
As a curious side note, searching for reviews of this movie was oddly frustrating, considering my interest in it. It seems, the movie attracted more attention overseas than it did in the U.S. The one review I could find, had access to and attached to the mention of the movie in the first paragraph seems to sum up, in short shrift, the U.S. reaction to it.
As a continuation to the above side note, TCM has a very interesting background review of the film, which I've linked to the title of this post. When the link comes up, click into the title of the review. For some reason, TCM won't let bloggers link directly into their articles.
Rewatched: 3/5-6/22 - I've decided to reread the novel by Mary McCarthy upon which this movie is based. I've been meaning to reread the novel since I obtained a copy of the movie, but hadn't yet gotten around to it. Then, today, I read (a first reading) the story upon which another one of my [RW]s is based and the process so illuminated my understanding of the movie that I decided I should proceed apace with rereading the novel upon which this movie is based. It'll probably take me a few, or more, days. Luckily, I have a copy of that novel. I'll report back when the deed is done.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Candice Bergen Elinor Eastlake Joan Hackett Dottie Renfrew Latham Elizabeth Hartman Priss Hartshorn Crockett Shirley Knight Polly Andrews Ridgeley Joanna Pettet Kay Strong Peterson Mary-Robin Redd Mary Prothero Beauchamp Jessica Walter Libby MacAusland Kathleen Widdoes Helena Davison James Broderick Dr. James Ridgeley James Congdon Sloan Crockett Larry Hagman Harald Peterson Hal Holbrook Gus Leroy Richard Mulligan Dick Brown Robert Emhardt Henry Andrews Carrie Nye Norine Blake Baruch Lumet Mr. Schneider
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1966
Directed by Sidney Lumet.
Labels: buddy, candice-bergen, coming-of-age1, drama3, historical1, joan-hackett, period1, popcorn-and-soda2, satire1, women's-movie1
John Q
- Commentary: I've seen this movie, probably when my mom was alive, we were companions and she loved movies even more than I do, so we'd watch everything and anything that popped up on the various movie channels proffered by our cable TV subscription. I have not watched it since it arrived as a part of the Denzel Washington four pack. I had to peruse the description in Wikipedia to determine whether I'd ever seen it.
You see, I'm not a fan of heavy-duty message movies. Oh, I know, every movie "has a message", even if the message is only in screwing with the viewer's visual perception. But, you know what I'm talking about.
Funny thing, I'm somewhat of a "justice warrior", at least I was in years past, so, you know, you'd think I'd be attracted to message movies. But, I'm not. I find heavy duty "justice warrior" movies frustrating and, often, thin and not well thought out. I like "justice warrior" documentaries, somewhat. I probably own a few of those. Ah, yes. I'm remembering at least one. But fiction presented as a "justice warrior" message movie ... hold on, let me see if I have any of those at all ...
Well. Aside from the fact that whenever we communicate we are intending to send a message and hope it will be received without too much corruption, and movies are nothing if not communication, and the premise of almost all fiction/fictionalized movies is "this is what happens when...", I found only two movies in my collection that I'd consider justice warrior/message movies. One, Gentlemen's Agreement, while heavy with message, is so well done from a film making standpoint that I don't mind the message. It came to me as one of a collection of Elia Kazan movies curated by Martin Scorsese. The other, Crash, is pretty heavy duty and fares the worse for it. In my brief write-up I mention that I bought the movie on the recommendation of MPNC, who was at the right age (early-to-mid teens) when movies like this would have been important to her because of their overwrought messaging. It is both a message movie and in the "justice warrior" vein. Not as blatant as this movie, John Q, but close.
I also own a movie, The Ten Commandments (that's right, Virginia), that so wanted to be a "message"/"justice warrior" movie that the producer/director, Cecil B. DeMille, filmed himself "on stage" prior to the movie to tell you that's what his film is. It succeeds as neither, but, whenever I watch it, and I do watch it at least once a year (it's so visually luxurious I can't help watching it regularly) I never skip the intro because I find it endearing and perfectly appropriate to the age during which it appeared in theaters. I did, by the way, see it in the theater when it was re-released in 1966 (I was too young, really, to see it in 1957). I was 14 or 15 (not sure when, during the year, it played) and the sole movie scene I carry, indelibly, in my memory, is a scene measuring mere seconds in Sodom/Gommorrah of a dancing woman's eyelids painted masterfully to look like open eyes ... and then she opens her eyes. Really made an impression on me. Every time I've watched the movie, since, I've rewound that scene at least once just to experience the shock, again. Masterful cinematics!
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Denzel Washington John Quincy Archibald Kimberly Elise Denise Archibald Daniel E. Smith Michael Archibald James Woods Dr. Raymond Turner Anne Heche Rebecca Payne Robert Duvall Lt. Frank Grimes Ray Liotta Chief Gus Monroe Eddie Griffin Lester Matthews
Release Date: 2002
Directed by Nick Cassavetes.
Labels: action2, denzel-washington, drama3, economic, james-woods, robert-duvall, suspense1, thriller1
The Pelican Brief
- Commentary: So, considering how much I love movies, I had not watched this movie, anywhere, before receiving it in the aforementioned set. I don't know why. I was familiar with the name, with the stars, knew it was a legal thriller, and I'm a fan of this genre. But, it just had never appeared on my movie-going plate, so to speak. And, it's an enjoyable film. The "thrill" is involving enough. I wouldn't give it a top ranking, though. I like the way both actors, Denzel Washington and Julia Roberts, strut their stuff in this film. It was made in 1993. Roberts had not yet entered her "god, I'm great" phase (a good example of Roberts in this phase as an actor is Mona Lisa Smile, a movie which I love, anyway), so she and Washington play well together and the story is interesting. Still, I'd sooner watch Fallen again, just for the astonished giggling it provokes, before I'd watch this movie again. It's ho-hum-good. Just.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Denzel Washington Gray Grantham Julia Roberts Darby Shaw Sam Shepard Thomas Callahan John Heard Gavin Verheek Tony Goldwyn Fletcher Coal James Sikking FBI Dir. Denton Voyles John Finn Matthew Barr William Atherton Bob Gminski Robert Culp President Stanley Tucci Khamel Hume Cronyn Justice Rosenberg John Lithgow Smith Keen Anthony Heald Marty Velmano Cynthia Nixon Alex Stark Jake Weber Curtis Morgan/Garcia Ralph Cosham Justice Jensen
The Wikipedia write-up for this movie is here.
Release Date: 1993
Directed by Alan J. Pakula.
Labels: alan-j-pakula, cynthia-nixon, denzel-washington, drama3, hume-cronyn, john-heard, john-lithgow, journalism, julia-roberts, legal, political1, sam-shepard, thriller1
Fallen
- Commentary: Okay. So this is the "bad, bad, really bad" Denzel Washington movie to which I refer in the this post. It's got a lot of great actors in it, too, John Goodman, for instance, Embeth Davitz, Donald f-ing Sutherland, for godssakes, so I have to assume that all these amazing actors were probably in need of money and needing to keep their craft polished (and, perhaps, their names, as well). Frankly, I can only imagine that this movie would have been glorious fun to do, especially with the gang of top-notch actors involved. And every single one of the top shelf actors delivers, sometimes a little over the top, it's true, but I think they're allowed and, anyway, the story takes itself so seriously as a horror set-up that the whole production is pushed over into the realm of unintentional hilarity. Or, maybe the hilarity was intentional.
If I had not received this as a bonus tagged onto a movie I wanted, I'm sure I not only wouldn't own it, I would not check it out, once having read the case description, despite the talent line-up. I have to also believe that none of the actors would have participated in this if their involvement did not fulfill some immediate material and/or professional need. Maybe, that's what makes this film fun to watch (although I've only watched it once, giggled and laughed through the whole showing, and I doubt I'll ever watch it again). Everything about it is desperate; desperately bad, that is, except for the performances, and that's what makes this film a wonder to behold. I'm attaching only one tag to this movie, because that's all it deserves. I'm grinning while I attach the label, though. In fact, as I close off this review, I'm seriously considering watching this movie again ... just for fun, and to experience, again, the unbelievability of it all.
Frankly, I'm surprised Roger Ebert reviewed this movie, at all, let alone gave it an above-middling review. I've attached his review to the title of this post. Check it out.
Update 8/4/21: Some time earlier this year, I decided to attach two more tags to this movie, one of them being "popcorn-and-soda", referring to the experience of watching it, of course, not the movie, itself. Although ...
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Denzel Washington Det. John Hobbes John Goodman Det. Jones Donald Sutherland Lt. Stanton Embeth Davidtz Grett Milano James Gandolfini Det. Lou Elias Koteas Edgar Reese Gabriel Casseus Art Hobbes Michael J. Pagan Sam Hobbes
The Wikipedia write-up for the movie is here.
Release Date: 1998
Directed by Gregory Hoblit.
Labels: denzel-washington, donald-sutherland, film-noir3, horror1, popcorn-and-soda2, religion1
Training Day
- Commentary: Remember, in this post I mention that I regret I don't "yet" own this movie? Well, I own it, now. I own it, and I love it.
I love watching Denzel Washington act, even in bad films. And, yes, I've got a bad, bad, really bad film he did which came with the 4-for-1 deal that contained this movie. I'll post a write-up of that movie later (although, in true internet fashion, that movie will be placed closer to the top of this round of movie posts).
In the meantime, I have to say, Washington nails it playing policemen, avengers and criminals but, in my opinion, is at his absolute best when he plays all three at once, and that is what the script of this movie has him doing.
In addition, the relationship between Ethan Hawke's character and Denzel Washington's character is played to perfection. So many good actors in this movie, by the way. Complicated, involving story, too. I think this is one of Antoine Fuqua's best, although I also enjoy his Equalizer and Equalizer 2 films, both of which I own. I wouldn't mind if he made another, with Washington doing the equalizing. Of course.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Denzel Washington Det. Alonzo Harris Ethan Hawke Ofcr. Jake Hoyt Scott Glenn Roger Eva Mendes Sara Cliff Curtis Smiley Raymond Cruz Sniper Noel Gugliemi Moreno Dr. Dre Det. Paul Peter Greene Det. Jeff Nick Chinlund Det. Tim Jaime P. Gomez Det. Mark Snoop Dogg Blue Macy Gray Sandman's Wife Charlotte Ayanna Lisa Hoyt Harris Yulin Det. Doug Rosselli Tom Berenger Det. Stanley Gursky
Funny thing: I notice in the Wikipedia write-up that the movie was apparently so successful that, well, here, I'll let Wiki tell it, "A television series based on the film, produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, was announced in August 2015 and premiered February 2, 2017 on CBS. The series, starring Bill Paxton and Justin Cornwell, was cancelled on May 17, 2017 after one season." I never saw it, but I'm not surprised it was cancelled. The movie was the ultimate statement of this story, I think.
Release Date: 2001
Directed by Antoine Fuqua.
Labels: action2, adventure2, antoine-fuqua, denzel-washington, drama3, me-favorite1, neo-noirC, popcorn-and-soda2
