SoftKitten80 Reviews

12 Angry Men (1957)

Should be called 12 Wonderful Men - spoiler

[10/10 · 10 February 2005]

This should be called 12 Wonderful Men because it is as fine a movie as any I've seen. They are 12 real pros who want to do a good job. I can't imagine directing 12 strong actors, I can't begin to imagine what a job that is. I had heard so much about Diner I thought Diner was going to be like this, and Diner couldn't do the job properly with four men, let alone 12. I got the impression that Martin Balsam was the big name in the movie and that the foreman role was considered one of the top billing ones, I don't know. I noticed his name was first on the credits, I didn't know if that was star power or some other order. The last shot was beautiful with good spatial relation, with a rainy day and people just walking along. Ordinary every day life, which is what I'm interested in and where I have the most fun. Well, glamorous things are fun too, but so are ordinary every day life things. The old man was fantastic, they all were. I had to take the movie in small doses, it was almost too much for one sitting. One of my favorite scenes is where someone drinks from a dixie cup, then crumples and throws it. It was all good, a fine movie that shows you how acting is done (Martin Balsam always shows you how it's done, and now there were a whole group of actors showing us).

Autumn Born (1979)

Excellent acting by Dorothy

[6 January 2005]

Many elements of this movie went into Bob Fosse's film. He watched this movie and took a lot of its music, other things like that for his film. There are many campy elements that Fosse picked up on that have made this a cult movie. Dorothy driving a (I think) Rolls is a beautiful shot, you wish you were blonde and rich in 1979. Dorothy's talking style is similar to many of us girls when people have accused us of talking wooden or stilted when it is our natural speaking voice, which makes a girl feel better that we talk as good as an actress. When she tells the other girl "you're a really nice person" my friend said, she says it just like you and then I knew it wasn't really wooden.

The other actors are quite interesting in their delivery, and there is a weird little music that plays over the intercom. Dorothy yelling, stop playing that bloody music is a high point and makes you feel comfortable, if you grew up hearing people yell bloody fool and things like that.

She looks her stunning self in every scene. The end is quite clear, the uncle is trapped and they will all live in the mansion with the uncle in the little room.

The best campy line is the woman saying, when Dorothy is about to paint her toes, Oh no, I detest that rustic shade! All the elements make it a bizarre, high camp movie. But for soome reason easygoing, tolerant people can barely sit through it once.

Anna Karenina (1948)

Best movie version

[30 December 2004]

Vivien Leigh turns into Anna Karenina. Her delicate beauty and strong acting abilities are perfectly blended. If I had my way the lady would have been cast in period film after period film, as she was probably the best actress ever to do such roles. The world has always been lacking in someone of her beauty and skill to do period pieces. She saves the movie from being stuffy. The whole movie is skillfully done, unlike the Garbo version. There are not too many supporting cast introduced, so you don't feel overwhelmed, which could easily have happened. Spoiler: Vivien Leigh is always at her best when surveying an area as she walks along. She surveys and walks along the tracks. The lady does her job. The audience wants Anna Karenina, and she gives it to them. The other girl in the movie is very pretty. No match for the unbeatable Miss Leigh, but still a nice foil.

Diner (1982)

Good little eighties classic

[29 December 2004]

I think in 10 years Diner will have a renaissance and become a real classic. I was curious to see it, knowing it was critically acclaimed. I was not aware of the all-star lineup. They were good actors and that is why it made a good movie, the director was lucky to get so many good actors. As a girl I could tell right away it was a guy movie, one that guys would enjoy much more than girls. It was still a good movie. I didn't feel taken back in time, you can hear Blue Moon in other movies and feel like you are back in the fifties. In this movie you got a sense of eighties actors playing fifties roles. Curiously, most of the impact of the movie, for me, had very little to do with the diner. You can take a diner in an obvious movie like When Harry Met... and the diner is memorable. The beauty, almost, of this movie is that the diner anchors the movie, but a lot lot of the play, or important play, is outside of the diner. I found that fascinating. No one character stood out other than Ellen Barkin, who put in a sensitive performance. All first rate actors, for sure.

42nd Street (1933)

Very good thirties musical

[29 December 2004]

Bebe Daniels was the highlight of the movie for me. She is simply stunning as are most of the surrounding female cast. The gowns are all knockouts and very carefully selected to accentuate the wearer. Not a single Hollywood star today can appear as glamorous as the ladies in this movie. The hairstyles, makeup, gowns, all flowed together, with a wonderfully innocent manner. It is not the same when you have a modern Hollywood star fully aware of who designed their gown. The innocence lends that little bit of accessory that you will only find in the thirties. I do not emotionally connect to thirties movies like I do to other decades, particularly the forties. But this movie is a must see, it has a lot of energy. It does not drag and the chorus is just visually a treat. The songs themselves are not memorable but the overall energy and effect is. The storyline is pretty light, but the players are first rate. Bebe Daniels carries off her role perfectly and is very likable, as well as gorgeous. Ruby Keeler wouldn't have been as good if she were any more talented, pretty, etc. It was the right balance.

And Then There Were None (1945)

Good adaptation of Agatha Christie

[13 December 2004]

While not the most glamorous or exciting version, it was the first and has something to offer. The female lead is one that I very closely identify with. She has a very serious, conscientious personality that I can relate to. She is not frivolous and does her role well. You can't help but like the lady. The film gets all the murders done in a respectable 97 minutes. The rain in the background was a very good idea. It would be fun to see all three or four of the movies in one day, but I might be screaming by the end of the day, on second thought. No one character stood out which was just as well, they had a teamwork like approach, unlike the other versions. The camera-work seemed a bit too gloomy. It makes a decent afternoon or evening movie. I was expecting it to be a bit livelier or a bit more engaging, but it does not bore.

Elmer Gantry (1960)

Burt Lancaster dazzles

[12 December 2004]

Burt Lancaster dazzles in this movie. The scene where he sings with some African Americans in a church is one of the best moments on film. The words consummate and incandescent come to mind about his performance. The rest of the movie is actually quite dull, from photography to colors to everything. He is the sole highlight of the movie, which is okay because he excels. Strangely, Shirley Jones' hair color and texture come closest to anything I've seen to looking similar to Dorothy Stratten. From some angles when you just see the hair you would think it was Dorothy, plus there is some softness, some slight shape to her face that is similar. Jean Simmons gives a fair performance, but everyone dulls and becomes bland in comparison to the dazzling Mr. Lancaster. Anyone who has read extensively on film flam preachers can see that he became the part in full. I don't know why he did not get an Oscar for this role.

Scenes from the Class Struggle in Beverly Hills (1989)

Sick and raunchy - not worth it

[12 December 2004]

This movie is so sick and raunchy, just thinking about it makes me think, vulgar. The movie is extremely crude, and rides on the Beverly Hills image to sell the movie. A friend said it is a poor man's Eating Raoul. It is a movie I would like to forget. It has some marketing value for sure since Rebecca Scheaffr was in it. That tragedy has brought a little bit of fame to this movie. Other than using those marketing ploys, I don't recommend this movie to anyone. It is full of stereotypes and you feel like you've just been in a gutter. The party scene toward the beginning is perhaps the most memorable part of the movie. While there are Asian street gangs around, you don't get any kind of sociological value from this movie. No one really acts like they do in the movie, but it has no camp value. The title is the most interesting part of the movie.

The Little Theatre of Jean Renoir (1970 TV Movie)

Fairly good little movie

[11 December 2004]

This is a fairly good effort, nothing to get excited over but certainly not bad. The floor polisher skit seems more like a play than something you would see in a movie. It is almost neurotic, maybe not something a lot of American viewers would seek out. I wouldn't pay money for this movie. The poor couple arouse your sympathy only in that poverty is disturbing. But their love for each other almost, not alienates the viewer, but they have each other so you feel less sorry for them than you would if they were alone and hungry. The food looked quite good in the restaurant. The last piece is the strongest and the one I felt most emotionally connected to. The maid was rather annoying as she was hamming it up and not particularly modest. But it was a well directed piece, and you couldn't help but feel for the older husband who was making the best of his situation. He was a real trooper. It would have been a good premise for a murder mystery. The Little Theatre is probably best viewed as a way to get to know Jean Renoir.

The Barkleys of Broadway (1949)

Very watchable comedy

[8 December 2004]

This is my first Astaire Rogers film and it was better than I expected. They are both good at the fast dialgue. Although older looking in this one, Ginger is pretty to look at. She has an intelligent wisecracking way about her in this film. It is fast paced and never lags. It is highly entertaining, and if this is one of their least watchable, I can't wait to see the others. The dialogue is quite witty. The storyline may be a little far-fetched, not exactly realistic, but a good picture. I enjoyed it more than some of the better known stuff. I would for instance take them over Hepburn and Tracy. They look good together visually. Someone did a clever job with their dressing table decor and attire. It is fun to watch them as they primp in front of the mirror and carry on with each other.

Car Wash (1976)

Very funny and not to be missed

[8 December 2004]

My favorite part of this movie is the opening, early morning in L.A. as the d.j. talks. There is something so exciting about that. This movie is so outlandish and so cleverly done, my friends and I have watched it many a time and chuckled. In fact, most of my friends love this movie and could watch it many times over, and they are pretty intellectual. The laughing never stops. I think the secret of the appeal is that the actors are a fine group of actors. They play the parts in a run down (I think it's supposed to be run down, or at least economically depressed area) car wash, but they are fine actors with fine comedic timing. You feel that you are taken right back there with them, and life is going to be carefree forever in L.A. in 1976. Maybe it's an atmosphere that only exists in people's minds. The main girl, Marsha, is very pretty in a very very seventies way, complete with blue eyeshadow. At the end, her prince, Ken, comes to take her away. The soundtrack is one of the best ever set to film, I have the cd though I never listen to it. The soundtrack is best listened to... in the movie. The proper angst is added with some sociological issues.

Penny Serenade (1941)

Classy Dunne and Grant movie

[8 December 2004]

Irene Dunne is a class act all the way. A real lady, and it comes out in this film. While she and Grant always look like movie stars in the film, you can't stop noticing that they look like movie stars, they do their job and do it to perfection. Only two A-level actors could carry this tear jerker off well. The adoption lady was also realistic and convincing. The little girl or baby, whichever children played them, were the cutest and sweetest I've ever seen in film. Irene Dunne cannot hit a false note, ever, it seems. She looks marvelous in everything she wears, be it a simple housedress or pajamas. Same with Cary Grant, he wears the clothes. The penny serenade theme and the way the camera plays with the records is really magic. This film is a gift to the audience. Grant and Dunne show their adeptness at establishing and making us believe they are an intimate married couple. Irene Dunne is at the height of sensitivity and softness here, a true lady with beautiful hair and hairstyles. What a movie. And one cannot forget our beloved Apple Jack, such a sweet soul.

What-No Beer? (1933)

Excellent slapstick

[6 December 2004]

I found this movie to be highly entertaining. Durante and Keaton are marvelous together. It is a shame more people don't know about this little gem. Keaton especially is so endearing and so believable. The gowns and furs on the leading lady were outstanding, the height of art deco elegance. Unrealistic for a gangster's moll, but extremely elegant. The cut of one of the dresses was just amazing. The movie moves along at a quick pace, and is just the right length. It is reminiscent of The Lavender Hill Mob, a group of endearing, comedic men trying to pull off a caper. It could also be viewed as a piece of history as it was filmed right around prohibition time.

Surely something all beer lovers would enjoy, the enthusiasm of all that beer.

The Executioner (1970)

very unremarkable B movie

[6 December 2004]

Unremarkable B British movie. I don't know if it is the director or the acting, but there is no energy in it. It is watchable (once). You can see a glimmer of the charisma Joan Collins can bring to a nighttime soap opera. The blonde girl was a bit whiny for my taste. The dresses for she and Joan Collins were outstanding. I saw a blue number I wouldn't mind wearing myself. The movie had potential, if in the right hands. It was relatively painless, but kind of flat. You didn't feel you were at the Parthenon even though they splurged on location shooting. The movie cover looks far more exciting than the movie itself. There were areas where there should have been music to set the mood, but there was silence. In the proper hands this movie could have been a classic.

North West Frontier (1959)

One of my all-time favorite movies

[2 December 2004]

The movie opens in a way Hollywood could never do, just more dramatic and colourful than Hollywood does. This movie gave more back than I expected. It is a breathtaking, breathholding, exciting little movie. You feel like you are really there in India, on the rickety old train. I love that they used old machinery instead of making it unrealistic the way Hollywood might.

I was not expecting much from Lauren Bacall but she also gave back more than was required. Her scenes with the young Indian boy are touching. She obviously has a way with children in real life as well. The song Swing, Swing Together could make me weep, it's so wonderful. The movie is not well known but so well done. It's just a very well done one that everyone can enjoy. There are some questionable characters on the train, you are left wondering why this one is so twitchy, what is that one's secret?

The Perfect Weapon (1991)

Fun if b-grade martial arts movie

[2 December 2004]

This is my favorite martial arts movie. The plot is easy to follow, which makes it good for non-martial arts viewers like me. Jeff has an easygoing personality and is very easy on the eyes. There are some elements of Asian-American meets Asian, and Jeff melts into that world almost effortlessly. The opening scene is memorable as Jeff shows us some of his martial arts moves in full condition, and has a good opening song. The film never drags. Great movie for couples to watch together as it isn't necessarily a "guy" film. Unfortunately, Jeff never followed through on the promise he showed in this, his best film. He later started doing mellow kind of dad movies. His time would have been better spent developing his acting abilities, which are rather wooden. But it's a good kind of b-grade acting.

The Bishop's Wife (1947)

Charming must see holiday movie

[2 December 2004]

I really enjoyed this holiday gem. The ice skating scene is magical. This is the movie where Cary Grant convinced me that he is a genuinely good actor, not just charismatic. He makes you believe he is a saintly angel. Loretta Young was good in that she held back, did not overact or overwhelm with her presence. At first you aren't sure where the movie is going, but it falls into place. You feel the winter scene, you start to think it is going to be snowing when you look outside your front door. The atmospherics are wonderful. I prefer this film to some of the more commercial, better known holiday movies. It would be nice if more people were aware of this movie. What a treat.

About Last Night (1986)

Vintage eighties clothes, movie

[2 December 2004]

While not lacking charm, there are far more charming movies than this one. I know many people saw this in the theatre when they came out. There must have been 100 costume changes in the movie, and I got a big kick out of the eighties fashions, they were obviously carefully selected and quite hip at the time. Rob Lowe and Demi are not without their charms, but you really felt they were acting, it did not feel real. Elizabeth Perkins was somewhat realistic, though not likable. The best was Jim Belushi and his abrasive ways, he really stood out. During the kisses you did feel something happening on screen, the kisses were romantic. For someone as cute as Rob Lowe to fall head over heels with someone, I think any girl that saw this movie in 1986 was probably wishing she was Demi.

Desire Under the Elms (1958)

Loren and Perkins sizzle

[2 December 2004]

Loren and Perkins smoke up the screen in this black and white, well-done love story. It is fascinating to see how quickly an all-American father and son can be weak for the same foreign woman. Sophia is wonderfully foreign, very talented in an early role. Anthony Perkins and she have surprisingly strong chemistry, the first kiss between them is one of the hottest kisses in the cinema. Burl Ives does an outstanding job as the miserly father who nabs himself a young pretty foreign wife. Sophia makes you believe she is married to Burl, she represents many a foreign wife who have married for economy. Anthony Perkins shocks you with his hatred and rivalry with his father.

Christmas in Connecticut (1945)

Excellent screwball comedy

[1 December 2004]

This is a screwball comedy disguised as a Christmas movie. I almost prefer Barbara Stanwyck in this than in the Lady Eve. She is a bit less restrained, a bit warmer. She moves with ease in an almost all male cast. The holiday theme is almost incidental, it definitely takes a sideline to the charade in the house of her being a domestic goddess. Barbara Stanwyck carries the movie right through to the end. Her extra slim figure is pleasing in very simply tailored clothes. Your heart almost sinks for her when she is going to be married to the very droll architect. The actual farm setting is fun and makes it more believable. Not very well known, but not to be missed.

High Sierra (1940)

Run of the mill gangster movie

[26 November 2004]

Humphrey Bogart shows his romantic side in true form in this movie. Ida Lupino is barely believable as the moll, as her classy exterior just can't hide in this movie. You can almost picture her going home and spending the evening at an elegant Hollywood party with literary types, after a day on the set of High Sierra. There is not much chemistry between her and Bogart. He has some natural chemistry with Joan Leslie and you genuinely believe he is charmed by her. With Ida Lupino they seem to be two actors saying their lines back and forth to each other. They never quite connect. Joan Leslie is somewhat more believable as a young girl who is repelled by the thought of romancing Humphrey Bogart. She just wants to have a good time as a normal girl. The ladies clothes are surprisingly well cut in this movie. The end dragged on a bit. But definitely a must see for early noir.

Attention Shoppers (2000)

Mildly amusing, relatively painless

[12 November 2004]

The movie is mildly amusing. The opening is pretty cute with the supposed home invasion. Rather offbeat, it should be watched just for a different viewpoint in film. Some fashion and pop culture trends at the start of the millennium can be viewed in this film, and is worth viewing for that reason alone. You can't help but feel for the main character. He is a genuinely nice guy trying to do his best. He is a talented individual that should get more roles. The movie is not bad, over all. It is an amusing way to view the inside of a K-mart. The customers are not realistic and they almost overcamp their roles. But the lead actor remains believable throughout.

Pieces of April (2003)

Excellent holiday comedy

[12 November 2004]

This is a cute little comedy. A great way to relax with a little independent film. Pieces of April gives you a little more than what you expect. The dysfunctional family is hilarious. The neighbors and their gourmet cooking tendencies played against April's inability to coook anything successfully is cute. April and her boyfriend are endearing. April's boyfriend really wants to help make a good impression on her family.

The mom, while dying, does not necessarily arouse sympathy in people. The younger daughter is quite hateful. The dad seemed like the only decent one of the bunch. A surprisingly good acting job of an old lady afflicted with Alzheimers. It was amazingly realistic. The lady must have studied such people.

Monsoon Wedding (2001)

Film for western audiences

[12 November 2004]

This film was designed to appeal to Western audiences. It is okay, not great in my book. It is clearly not designed for Eastern people. The lead actress is rather plump and not terribly attractive. Child molestation issues come up in a supposed light hearted comedy. There is a cute running romance between the party arranger and a servant girl, Alice. We do get to see the frustrations and expense of Indian weddings. The affair between the lead actress and a married man was realistic by Delhi standards. It is a not much of a glimpse of India, but has the required crossover appeal. The director's first film, Bhaji on the Beach, is far better. It is unrealistic for the actor to have to drive so far for his favorite tea and snack area. Delhi is teeming with good snack stands. It makes no sense at all.

The Conversation (1974)

one of the best thrillers ever

[12 November 2004]

This movie is so incredibly good and suspenseful. Coppola cements his legendary status with this film. It is quite subtle and understated. Cindy Williams is good in suspense. One wishes she had made more suspense movies.

This movie shows that she was almost wasted in comedic television. Coppola paces everything perfectly. Gene Hackman knows his character well. Every moment is breathholding. I don't know that there is a seventies suspense I like more. This movie made me feel like a real adult for the first time. Now this is a movie. I liked it better than the Godfather. The dialogue delivery is top rate. The movie is not very well known for some reason. Very few have heard of it.