allysonhathcock Reviews

The Love Boat: Doc's Dismissal/A Frugal Pair/The Girl Next Door (1981) Season 4, Episode 12

So special

[10/10 · 10 October 2021]

This is so special to see Janet and Lew together.they had made two films together in the early thirties- "State Fair" and "Servants Entrance". I believe the photo was from State Fair that they show of their wedding picture.

Knowing that this was her final acting performance makes it all the more sweet. Their final waltz together you can see the affection between the two of them was still strong.

Stella Maris (1918)

Pickford shines as both

[9/10 · 3 August 2021]

Pickford has to be one of the greatest actresses who ever lived. She plays both the title role and the orphan, Unity Blake. I can see why she wanted to play Unity, as Stella is sort of a boring role. She makes Unity so pathetic, so sad, and yet so dimensional that I think the film should have been called "Unity Blake", as opposed to "Stella Maris".

The one problem with the movie is the leading man. Like all her leading men, he was homely and boring. No oomph. No clue why either girl would be interested in him as he appeared middle aged and like a professor as opposed to lover. I think if they could have had a Jack Gilbert or Richard Barthelmess it would have played better.

Between the Darkness and the Dawn (1985 TV Movie)

One of the best!

[10/10 · 23 January 2021]

I love this movie. Everyone in it is terrific . The story is very moving and you feel not just for Elizabeth Montgomery's character but also Dorothy Maguire's. Both women are great.

The Crown: War (2020) Season 4, Episode 10

Fabulous season closer

[10/10 · 19 November 2020]

First, the goodbye scene between the Queen and Margaret Thatcher was so well acted. I found myself near tears. The respect both women grew to have fit one another was her won which made the award that much more poignant. And I have grown to loathe Charles. I knew he was less than kind to Diana but I was getting so UPSET seeing his reaction to her performances she created just for the him, the taunting way he talked down to her, and how he browbeat her at every turn. No wonder Diana had an eating disorder! The acting was top notch and the writing even better.

Sweet Charity (1969)

Only two things wrong

[9/10 · 9 August 2020]

The film is remarkable and gut wrenching. There are only two flaws in this otherwise wonderful musical. The first is that the "Im a brass band" number goes on too long. The other is the sad ending.

If that song was a little shorter and if the ending was actually a happy one I think the film would've been much better. You work so hard for the title character that by the time you get to what happens to her at the end your left feeling nothing but absolute sadness and sorrow for this sweet and surprisingly innocent woman.

Little Lord Fauntleroy (1936)

A classic that tugs at the heart strings

[10/10 · 1 August 2020]

I used to watch this at my Grandmas all the time. It has always stayed with me. Rewatching it as an adult I can see why. The story is solid with a good moral lesson. The acting is top notch. I cry when Ceddie is saying his goodbyes to his American friends.

Freddie Bartholomew was one of the greatest child actors ever. And Dolores Costello was beautiful and a good actress. And the rest of the cast is stellar too.

The Strange Love of Martha Ivers (1946)

Excellent melodrama

[9/10 · 31 July 2020]

Kirk Douglas shines in his first role. He is a pathetic weakling who you both hate and feel sorry for. Barbara Stanwyck plays an extremely complex woman who may or may not be pure evil; Lizbeth Scott is a good girl with a bad wrap. Van Heflin is one of my favorite stars and here he delivers quite the performance. It's a crime he wasn't as big a star as Gable or Grant; great actor and his eyes are gorgeous to look at. My only complaint is the that some of Lizbeth Scott's dialogue is corny. But she handles it well.

The Dick Van Dyke Show (1961–1966)

Rose Marie will break your heart

[10/10 · 29 July 2020]

Everyone on this show is great. I don't love one person more or less than anybody. I wait for Buddy to chop Mel, for Laura to sob "oh Rob", and for that ottoman to catch Dick Van Dyke off guard. It the real standout performer to me is Rose Marie.

The episodes that feature her prominently tend to be the most emotional. Sally Rogers is a single career gal looking for love in all the wrong places. (Why feminists never mention her is beyond me as she never finds love but she does have a great career!)

One episode was particularly poignant. It is her birthday and an old school chum comes calling. It there is a mixup and you think she will end up all alone on her big day. It made me cry! Another episode, the delivery man falls in love with her but she can't take him seriously. By the time she realizes how serious he is, she isn't interested and has to figure out a way to let him down gently.

Rose Marie as Sally Rogers really makes you wish she had gone farther in her acting career than she did.

Babes in Toyland (1961)

Cheesy and delightful score

[10/10 · 20 July 2020]

I must admit that this movie is one of my all-time favorite childhood films. My parents bought the video when I was about two years old and I have always loved this movie. Annette never looks prettier and her costumes are absolutely gorgeous in this movie! Tommy Sands is good looking and pretty sexy for Disney film. And Ray Bolger is delightfully wicked as Barnaby. I love how they made the music a little more modern feeling and the Gypsy dance is one of the best dance numbers ever put on film. The rest of the show is great fun and I defy you to be bored watching this film.

It's only problem is in the sets and props. They are beyond FAKE. They're so fake they make the sets in the 60s Batman look real. It's like watching a stage play.

I guess the real reason I love this film is because Tommy Kirk, who plays Groomio in the film, used to come over to my family's house all the time. Being a small child I thought his real name was "Groomio" and that's what I called him for years. He got such a big kick out of that!

I wish Annette hadn't gotten so I'll with MS. I would love to hear her thoughts on making this film and see if she had any of the props or costumes from this movie.

Have some popcorn and watch near the holidays.

365 Days (2020)

Must be a spoof

[1/10 · 9 June 2020]

This makes pornography look intellectual. Horribly written, bad acting, nothing redeeming about any character nor interesting. Ugly people. Boring plot. Bad dialogue. However great scenery! Worst film ever made....

Little Women (1933)

The DEFINITIVE version

[10/10 · 7 June 2020]

Katharine Hepburn always said this role was her favorite as she most identified with Jo March. You can tell. This is her best work. She and the other actresses playing the March sisters, Marmee, and Aunt March are so BELIEVABLE as family that you are instantly drawn to them, deeply moved by them, and utterly charmed by them. The June Allyson version is lovely to look at and I do find Peter Lawford better as Laurie. However, this version makes you feel you are actually back in the Civil War era. If you want a good cry then watch this version. You would have to be made of stone not to choke up at certain points. And if you love Edna May Oliver, watch her little dog that is sitting on her lap in her opening scene. Hilarious!!!!!!

Love with the Proper Stranger (1963)

Romantic yet realistic

[10/10 · 7 May 2020]

This movie was so ahead of its time! It is hard to believe that it was made so long ago because the topics and situations presented are so relevant to today. Natalie is a good girl who "experiments" with rebellion against her interfering Italian family by having a one night stand with/losing her virginity to Steve, a ne'er do well who is living with a stripper. The movie starts when Natalie arrives to inform him that she is pregnant! Natalie is, as usual, brilliant. The abortionist scene is particularly heart wrenching. Through out the film she is innocent yet strong, naive yet smart. Steve is a sensation! This is the first film I ever saw him in where I thought he was a terrific and highly underrated actor. He is so believable and so SEXY in this movie! You see his inner dialogue so clearly in this film and you actually see him falling in love with her. So beautiful! But the true stand out on this film is Tom Bosley (Mr C from Happy Days) as the bumbling and shy guy trying to win Natalie over. Your heart goes out to him and he is truly adorable... and funny!!! A masterpiece and a truly touching film .

Ms Fisher's Modern Murder Mysteries: Just Murdered (2019) Season 1, Episode 1

Watching out of boredom

[5/10 · 28 April 2020]

The acting is terrible, the plots are stupid and this is an insult the original series. I hope they don't make anymore.

Miss Fisher & the Crypt of Tears (2020)

A near hit, total miss

[5/10 · 15 April 2020]

The film had some good parts to it. The chemistry between her and Jack was there, as was the mystery. What was missing was the rest of the cast. It is not the same without Dot, Burt, and the rest of the gang. They are literally in it for about one minute. I kept waiting for them to show up again. And I did not like the fact that she was married to somebody other than Jack. If they do another one I hope it's with the regular cast.

The Goonies (1985)

Stupid and unbelievable

[5/10 · 11 April 2020]

I had high hopes as everyone raves about this film. The plausibility of some of the action and characters was so ridiculous found myself cringing, not laughing. I have no clue why it's so popular.

Knives Out (2019)

Slow slow slow

[5/10 · 15 March 2020]

The trailers for this film were great! Very quick, witty, and clever. The movie.... slow, dull, and predictable.

The only good performance is Toni Collette who plays a Gwyneth Paltrow type. Everyone else was wasted.

And Daniel Craig as a Southerner? Please!

From now on just watch the trailers and skip the film.

Emma (1932)

Slow but poignant

[7/10 · 5 February 2020]

My only two criticisms is that it's a tad slow and yet there isn't enough screen time for Marie. If this film doesn't make you cry at the end- especially the bittersweet "gift" she receives- you are made of stone. Marie may be a tad hammy, but you believe her, none the less. I can see why she was a star.

The Last Days of Pompeii (1935)

Haunting movie

[9/10 · 3 February 2020]

I saw this, first, as a young child. I never forgot the volcanic eruption, nor Basil Rathbone as Pilate. His interpretation is how I like to believe Pilate was in real life after his involvement in Christ's trial and execution. But the thing that I remember the most is the ending where Preston Foster saves his son and fellow Christians from the volcano then he falls to his knees, death near. Suddenly, his eyes look up and grow big and he gasps out, "Master!" Before dying. It is a hauntingly beautiful moment. As a Christian, it chokes me up the way it portrays that, even in our final moments, we can be redeemed and He will come for us. The costumes and sets are not as grand as Demille would have made them. Some of the editing is sped up. But.... I guarantee that this movie will stay with you long after it is over

Repeat Performance (1947)

Very interesting plot

[8/10 · 3 January 2020]

This really reminded me of a Twilight Zone episode. Would love to see a remake that actually sticks to the book. The four leads are all terrific. Joan Leslie was, as always, good. This role is more sophisticated than her usual type so that was a nice change of pace. Virginia Field as the "bad girl" was outstanding! What a bi***! Richard Basehart as the "sensitive" poet (you know what that meant in the 40s) was really tragic. My only complaint with the film is because of his character. When they changed the plot, they left out a lot of his arc so some of his motives were.... baffling. The stand out performance was Louis Hayward. He played nuts very well and this film is no exception. The final sequence kept me on edge the entire time. He was truly frightening and I was practically yelling at Joan Leslie to run away before he got to her. Wish they would write a bio on him- he always fascinated me on screen.

Pollyanna (1960)

A deeply moving masterpiece

[10/10 · 30 November 2019]

I loved this film as a child. Especially the "rainbow makers ". But as an adult, I am moved more and more by the truths Pollyanna brings out. The world needs more Pollyannas.

Liar Liar (1997)

One of the worst films ever made

[2/10 · 13 November 2019]

JIM Carrey cannot act. He mugs for the camera so much, that it's repulsive. He doesn't play the truth in a situation- he isn't believable. He acts like he is on speed and is very annoying. Could have been a touching movie. Instead, I found myself yelling at the gal who plays his ex wife yelling, "don't go back to the psycho! Go with Cary Elwes- he is sane and good looking. Plus he can act". If you want a headache, watch this movie. If you want good acting, look elsewhere

The Kominsky Method (2018–2021)

Fun to binge over and over

[10/10 · 5 November 2019]

Great writing, great acting, great heart. Can't wait for the third season. Love seeing all the older actors and actresses. Totally addicted

The Enchanted Cottage (1945)

Fabulous!

[10/10 · 27 October 2019]

If you want to enter an truly magical world, this is the film for you. It's eerie yet romantic. Gothic yet modern. Ethereal yet blatantly real. Dorothy Maguire is one of the greatest actresses ever and this is one of her best. Robert Young is equally wonderful in the film, as are Herbert Marshall and Mildred Natwick. But the real star is the director, John Cromwell, who balances this film with equal parts haunt and romance.

Unbelievable (2019)

Good writing until the last episode then... what a wreck

[7/10 · 13 October 2019]

The hubby and I just binged all 8 episodes in one night. Good acting from Kaitlyn Dever as "Marie", the first victim. Also from Danielle MacDonald as another victim. Both gals deserve Emmy nods. The other two female leads- Toni Collette and Merritt Wever would good, except they mumbled ALOT and were particularly drippy and dull in the last episode. The writing was good, though sometimes the pacing slowed WAY down. The last episode didn't have a good structure, rhythm, or closure. It was choppy, uneven in spots, and I believe neither the director or editor knew exactly which ending they truly wanted so they threw them all in. Definitely held my attention, but a bad ending and mumbling kept it from 10

The Two Worlds of Jennie Logan (1979 TV Movie)

A great flick!

[9/10 · 21 September 2019]

It is romantic, it makes you think, and the ending is surprising. Why not 10/10? Because the way she has the headaches, though they are as described in the book, are a tad cheesy. But this is in my top 100 favorite movies