kmac44mv Reviews

Old Joy (2006)

Serene, cinematic, sparse

[7/10 · 30 May 2008]

I've just finished watching this movie, on a DVD, at home, twice. The first time, I was distracted and only half watching and before I knew it the end credits were rolling, so I used "scene selections" to go back to the middle of the movie and try to watch dedicatedly.

I was fascinated by the fact that there was very little dialog but the gentle music and beautiful photography were very pleasant. I found a certain general anticipation building up, like waiting for the other shoe to drop. Surely SOMETHING exciting is going to happen any minute, right? Every movie has a climax..right? Well, I thought we were right there when, after talking about a crazy dream, Kurt decides to massage Mark's neck and I'm not really sure what's going on in Kurt's head anyway...and the camera shows Kurt's hands on Mark's shoulders, very near his neck, then the camera shows a close-up of Mark's hand suddenly going limp ....OMG!..he strangled him...I just knew it...the first thing I thought of was "What's going to happen to the dog now?" (ok, I'm an animal lover and I think that way).....then the camera goes to the Mark's face, his blank,slack, dead face and then I see a tiny quiver of his lips...hmm..ooh..he's still alive...phew ....then they get dressed and drive back from peaceful, wonderful nature to night time city lights and Kurt is alone again, in the city, at night. I liked the movie very much and now I need to watch the first half. OK, not RIGHT now, but sometime.........

Darling (1965)

The Grace Kelly Story?

[25 February 2008]

I have never seen any mention of the fact that "Darling" is a rather thinly veiled story of Grace Kelly. Several prominent actors have admitted to having hot, steamy affairs with her and she had that reputation in Hollywood until Prince Rainier made an honest,fairytale princess out of her.

I never watched this movie until very recently and was amazed at the parallels. I was a huge Julie Christie fan during the sixties and can't believe it took me all this time to finally watch the one movie she won an Oscar for. Once I realized it really might be about Grace Kelly I was unable to judge the movie on it's own merits. If I'm very wrong about this, I apologize, but I wonder why no one else has ever made the comparison. Out of respect?

Boston Blackie (1951–1953)

One of my very first TV memories...

[3 July 2005]

..along with "Winkie Dink" and "Sky King"...and "Flash Gordon". I'm so glad to see other people here who also remember "Boston Blackie" I must have been around 5 or 6 years old when I watched these first early shows. I also remember " I Married Joan" ( Joan Davis was absolutely just as hilarious as Lucy but didn't get the same recognition) and " I Remember Mama"....there was an intro each week that ended with the words "...but most of all, I remember Mama.."( it almost brings a tear to my eye) I would just LOVE to be able to see some of these shows again. I have just ordered a couple of box sets of "I Married Joan" and a lot of other classic TV shows. Anyone remember "Life With Elizabeth"?

Wish You Were Here (1987)

A movie about molestation

[4/10 · 3 April 2005]

I went to see this movie because Siskal and Ebert recommended it and made it seem like a sweet delightful film. What it was really was a very young girl living with a really disgusting man who was cast as her father but he seemed too old. After losing her Mother to a fatal illness she was bereft and taken advantage of by her fathers equally disgusting old geezer friend in the falling down old garden shed behind the house. They set up housekeeping in this old shed but I was just depressed and sickened that no one seemed to see this as just plain molestation. This girl wasn't looking for sex at all she was looking for emotional comfort, in her grief. The acting may be quite good but I had a difficult time getting past my annoyance to appreciate it.

Possibly men don't recognize molestation when they see it.

The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends (1992–1998)

The Roly Poly Pudding

[3 April 2005]

This is this only video I own, of the series, and I am so enchanted by the live opening and ending sequences that I could watch them over and over, like a favorite song. They are more than worth the price of the video. In these short, exquisite moments I feel I am transported to Beatrix Potter's cottage and beautiful surrounding countryside. She comes in from a beginning rainstorm, to sit at her desk and begin writing her letter to her niece, with a bunny right there on her desk. The music that accompanies these scenes fits the moments beautifully. I leave the animated portions for the kids, they are, as earlier posters have stated, very true to the authors books.