Saturday, November 12, 2022
Internal Affairs
- Commentary: Despite its meager but complimentary review-of-sorts in the Reception section of this movie's Wikipedia write-up, the truth is, it's hard to find a review of this movie, let alone a positive review. This surprises me because I saw the movie sometime between its release in theaters and 1993, on home video, and I still remember it, still remember enjoying it, so much so that, when I was reminded of it a few days ago when ordering The Infernal Affairs Trilogy, I decided to purchase a copy.
Regarding the all-over-the-map reviews of this movie, metacritic collates a score of "generally favorable reviews". The Los Angeles Times has a muddled write-up, praising some aspects of the movie while excoriating others, as does the WAPO review attached to the title of this post.
I was introduced to this movie by my next door neighbor in Seattle who managed (and, later, owned) a video rental store. I was riveted. So was she, I might add, although she'd seen the movie more than a few times. I have not seen this movie since. I've been reminded of it a lot throughout the intervening years, just not when I was renting or buying videos. Now, that situation has been corrected, I'm pleased to say. I'm really looking forward to Richard Gere's delightfully smarmy performance of a disgustingly smarmy cop.
Once I receive the movie and watch it, again, I'm sure I'll be back, so, consider this post under construction.
Update 11/15/22: I've been watching this movie throughout the night, on again, off again. I was not disappointed! It is full of thrilling suspense. The acting is solid. The storytelling is point-by-point and leaves no holes through which the watcher might fall at the end. The entire movie is rather like looking at a crooked smile. When you turn away you're still a bit on edge, but you know the crookedness is "right", the only way, really, it could be. I remembered my first watch of it as deeply satisfying, and, just so, it was, again. And, man, I gotta tell ya, those late 80's-early 90's clothes and hair styles! What a treat! I'd forgotten that's what people who were considered part of "the professional class" wanted to, and did, look like back then! I'm glad I obtained this movie. I'll definitely be watching this again.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Richard Gere Ofc Dennis Peck Andy García Sgt Raymond Avilla Nancy Travis Kathleen Avilla Laurie Metcalf Sgt Amy Wallace Annabella Sciorra Heather Peck William Baldwin Ofc Van Stretch Faye Grant Penny Stretch Elijah Wood Sean Stretch
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1990
Directed by Mike Figgis.
Labels: action4, andy-garcía, detective1, loose-cannon-cop, neo-noirB, popcorn-and-soda7, richard-gere
Monday, November 07, 2022
Infernal Affairs Trilogy
- Commentary: Under construction.
- Infernal Affairs
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Andy Lau Sr Inspr Lau Kin-ming Edison Chen Young Lau Kin-ming Tony Leung Chan Wing-yan Shawn Yue Young Chan Wing-yan
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of this film.
Release Date: 2002
Directed by Andrew Lau, Alan Mak. - Infernal Affairs II
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Anthony Wong Wong Chi-shing Eric Tsang Hon Sam Carina Lau Mary Sam Francis Ng Ngai Wing-hau
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of this film.
Release Date: 2003
Directed by Andrew Lau, Alan Mak. - Infernal Affairs III
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Andy Lau Sr Inspr Lau Kin-Ming Edison Chen Young Lau Kin-Ming Tony Leung Chan Wing-Yan Shawn Yue Young Chan Wing-Yan
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of this film.
Release Date: 2003
Directed by Andrew Lau, Alan Mak.
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film series.
Release Date: 2002, 2003
Directed by Andrew Lau, Alan Mak. - Infernal Affairs
Labels: §5, Criterion5, detective1, neo-noirB
Cure
- Commentary: Under contruction.
I recently acquired this movie through one of those "I can't believe it" half off sales that Barnes & Noble occasionally launches. It was a movie on my Movies I've Seen, Do Not Own but Can't Forget list. Immediately below is what I said about my interest in this movie in that post.
"For clarification, since there are several movies named 'Cure', or 'The Cure', this movie is the Japanese production written and directed by Kiyoshi Kurosawa. This is a movie I haven't yet seen. In fact, I didn't even know of its existence until yesterday, 11/24/2021. It's a movie that was named as a favorite by Bong Joon-Ho (whose work I happen to be fascinated by, at the moment) in an interview that took place at a showing of Snowpiercer soon after it was released. [Yes, I know, I haven't really written up Snowpiercer yet, but that's because I watched it just yesterday, 11/24/2021, so, if you're interested, stay tuned.]
"The premise, according to Bong Joon-Ho and the little information I've been able to glean about it, sounds intriguing, wildly mysterious and horrific, kind of like Midsommar; a type of horror movie right up my alley. I'm so curious about it. Maybe, during the holiday season, the one site at which I found it will drop the price for a bit, fingers crossed. I'm definitely going to check it out tomorrow.
"Once again, I'm surprised that Criterion hasn't yet taken on the challenge of reproducing and distributing this movie. Although their editions are very pricey, this is one movie for which I'd be glad to pay, even at Criterion prices, especially because of their stellar treatment of movies on which they focus."
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Kōji Yakusho Takabe Masato Hagiwara Mamiya Tsuyoshi Ujiki Sakuma Anna Nakagawa Takabe's wife Yoriko Dōguchi Dr. Akiko Miyajima Yukijirō Hotaru Ichiro Kuwano Denden Oida Ren Osugi Fujiwara
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1997
Directed by Kiyoshi Kurosawa.
Labels: §5, Criterion5, horror2, psychological2, thriller3
Summertime
- Commentary: Under construction.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Katharine Hepburn Jane Hudson Rossano Brazzi Renato de Rossi Isa Miranda Signora Fiorini Darren McGavin Eddie Yaeger
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1955
Directed by David Lean.
Labels: adventure4, Criterion5, katharine-hepburn, romance5
Shaft
- Commentary: Under construction.
Link to interview with Richard Roundtree about this movie.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Richard Roundtree John Shaft Moses Gunn Bumpy Jonas Drew Bundini Brown Willy Charles Cioffi Lt Vic Androzzi
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1971
Directed by Gordon Parks.
Labels: action4, Criterion4, detective1, neo-noirA
Graduation
- Commentary: Under construction.
Link to interview with director about this film.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Adrian Titieni Romeo Aldea Maria Drăguș Eliza Aldea Lia Bugnar Magda Mălina Manovici Sandra
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 2016
Directed by Cristian Mungiu.
Labels: §5, Criterion4, tragedy2
Rebecca
- Commentary: Under construction.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Joan Fontaine 2nd Mrs. de Winter Laurence Olivier George Fortescue Maximilian de Winter Judith Anderson Mrs. Danvers George Sanders Jack Favell Reginald Denny Frank Crawley Gladys Cooper Beatrice Lacy C. Aubrey Smith Colonel Julyan Nigel Bruce Mjr Giles Lacy
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1940
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock.
Labels: §5, alfred-hitchcock, Criterion4, film-noir1, melodramaA, psychological2, thriller3
Black Girl
- Commentary: Under construction.
More information about this movie at this link.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role M’Bissine Thérèse Diop Diouana Anne-Marie Jelinek Madame Robert Fontaine Monsieur Toto Bissainthe Diouana's voice
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1966
Directed by Ousmane Sembène.
Labels: §5, colonialism, Criterion4, social-heirarchy
Something Wild
- Commentary: Under construction.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Carroll Baker Mary Ann Robinson Ralph Meeker Mike Mildred Dunnock Mrs. Gates Jean Stapleton Shirley Johnson Doris Roberts Mary Ann's co-worker Martin Kosleck Landlord Clifton James Detective Bogart George L. Smith Store Manager
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1961
Directed by Jack Garfein.
Labels: Criterion4, neo-noirA, psychological2, thriller3
Ikiru
- Commentary: Under Construction.
Roger Ebert cristened this movie as one of his Great Movies.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Takashi Shimura Kanji Watanabe Shinichi Himori Kimura Haruo Tanaka Sakai Minoru Chiaki Noguchi
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1952
Directed by Akira Kurosawa.
Labels: aging, akira-kurosawa, Criterion4
12 Angry Men
- Commentary: Under construction.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Martin Balsam Juror 1 Foreman John Fiedler Juror 2 Lee J. Cobb Juror 3 E. G. Marshall Juror 4 Henry Fonda Juror 8 Davis Jack Klugman Juror 5 Jack Warden Juror 7 Joseph Sweeney Juror 9 McCardle
Roger Ebert christened this movie as one of his Great Movies.
As I write this (November 13, 2022), as I'm attaching a review write-up link to the title of this post, I'm noticing that in 2009 Nikita Mikhalkov released a Russian version of this film, named, simply, 12. I'm noticing, as well, that the digital version of the movie can be rented and bought over at Amazon. A used hard copy is also available for purchase there, at the moment. Roger Ebert not only took note of this remake, but reviewed it, giving it 3 and a half starts, and offered an interesting comparison of the two films. His review is attached to the second link in this paragraph.
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the U.S. film. This link is to the Wikipedia write-up of the 2007 Russian production of this story, which received an Academy Award nomination for Best Foreign Language Film.
Release Date: 1957
Directed by Sidney Lumet.
Labels: courtroom, Criterion4, henry-fonda, legal
Sanjuro
- Commentary: Under Construction.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Toshiro Mifune Sanjuro Tsubaki Tatsuya Nakadai Hanbei Muroto Yūzō Kayama Iori Izaka Reiko Dan Chidori Takashi Shimura Kurofuji Kamatari Fujiwara Takebayashi Takako Irie Mutsuta's wife Sachio Sakai Ashigaru
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1962
Directed by Akira Kurosawa.
Labels: §5, akira-kurosawa, Criterion4, samurai, tatsuya-nakadai, toshirô-mifune
Yojimbo
- Commentary: Under construction.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Toshiro Mifune Kuwabatake Sanjuro Eijirō Tōno Gonji Tatsuya Nakadai Unosuke Kyū Sazanka Ushitora
One of Roger Ebert's Great Movies.
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1961
Directed by Akira Kurosawa.
Labels: §5, akira-kurosawa, Criterion5, samurai, tatsuya-nakadai, toshirô-mifune
Seven Samurai
- Commentary: Under construction.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Takashi Shimura Kambei Shimada Toshiro Mifune Kikuchiyo Daisuke Katō Shichirōji Isao Kimura Katsushirō Okamoto Minoru Chiaki Heihachi Hayashida Seiji Miyaguchi Kyūzō Yoshio Inaba Gorōbei Katayama Yoshio Tsuchiya Rikichi Bokuzen Hidari Yohei Yukiko Shimazaki Rikichi's wife Kamatari Fujiwara Manzō Keiko Tsushima Shino Kokuten Kōdō Gisaku Yoshio Kosugi Mosuke Shinpei Takagi bandit chief Shin Otomo bandit second-in-command
One of Roger Ebert's Great Movies.
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1954
Directed by Akira Kurosawa.
Labels: akira-kurosawa, Criterion5, dramaF, samurai, toshirô-mifune
