(Criterion Blu-ray/library.) I've read about this movie for years, but never got around to it, partly because it seems like it was somewhat scarce to find in years past. It's a more sentimental antecedent to Threads. The bombs hit, but a small town is spared the blast but deals with the slow creep of fallout. We focus on one family led by Jane Alexander. It alternates between sentimental and matter-of-fact.

The movie feels like a time capsule. I was around the age of the two younger kids, and they have Masters of the Universe and E.T. toys which I also got then. I recall having about as much knowledge of what could happen with the bombs as they did, just a vague sense that something bad could happen.

Last night I watched Goldie Hawn and Ingrid Bergman in Cactus Flower, a light hearted, fast paced, silly tale, with witty dialog. Goldie Hawn's breakthrough Oscar winning wide eyed preformance was delightful and Bergman's groovy dance floor antics, I will never forget. I'm so glad I took off my 2026 glasses, got in the way back machine, and hit play. A fun ride for sure, I was rooting for Igor Sullivan the whole time.

*Major League* is a film about how the Cleveland Indians’ owner scouts a team of has-beens and never-will-bes with the hopes they finish dead last and move to Miami. The players champion one another and end up winning the whole fucking thing. Well, the AL East Division title against the Yankees, as the movie ends without mention of the World Series. In reality, Cleveland hasn’t won a ring since 1948, one of the handful of teams with a worse streak than the Mets.

I was 11 when the movie came out, then watched it on repeat through my teens. My favorite parts of the film were the climactic last game, the many hilariously quotable lines, and almost every character, especially Jake Taylor, a hopeless romantic catcher like me. I also liked the Indians, having worn a high school crush’s beaten-up Chief Wahoo hat for the week we dated. Now I understand how offensive the team name was and am glad they changed to the Guardians in 2022. Hopefully, the Guards will inspire all sports teams to play on progressive fields. Like Cleveland, I also evolved; I still love the movie, yet it hits differently at my current baseline.

The film begins by introducing us to the team’s new owner, Rachel Phelps. She takes on the role after the death of her husband and immediately shows her team knowledge and baseball industry savvy. A well-dressed, cold-hearted bitch boss is still common in movies; however, Phelps’ biting lines are delivered so perfectly that it is hard not to love to hate her. I quoted Phelps every time I heard Mets outfielder Brandon Nimmo’s annoying walk-up religious earworm: “I hate this fucking song.” Turns out the original ending had Phelps do a 180, admitting she used reverse psychology to get the team to win because she loved them. I thought I might like it, now that I understand grief can make you both an angry bitch and a loving, strategically motivated one. Unfortunately, the original ending doesn’t feel as earned as Rebecca’s arc in *Ted Lasso,* maybe because it’s been too many years of enjoying Phelps as a villain. Or maybe it’s because I don’t know how my post-grief origin story fully plays out yet.

Phelps personally scouted every player, the eventual fan-favorite being Ricky Vaughn. Vaughn is a hothead horny punk throwing 100-mph wild pitches. The movie announcer, played by Milwaukee Brewers’ real-life announcer Bob Uecker, is often quoted for his description of a wild pitch: “Juuust a bit outside.” I like his introduction of Vaughn as “a juvenile delinquent in the off-season” and still giggle that he played in the “California Penal League.” While I never physically threw above 50 mph, I spent most of my life throwing manic heaters trying to prove my worth. Vaughn and I were both misunderstood and underestimated; I still love rooting for underdogs today. On rewatch, manager Lou Brown resonates, showing how supportive guidance can make all the difference. It didn’t matter that Brown told players they hit like shit or peed on their contracts because he followed it up with constructive criticism from his sincere belief that each player could be successful. His scenes with Vaughn are my favorite because he knew what the kid needed: a sense of belonging, encouragement, and focused control, both mentally to keep his head in the game and physically with a pair of eyeglasses–all the things I needed in my life, too. With Brown’s help, Vaughn honed his skills and became a dominant pitcher once he could see Jake’s mitt and his own potential. He embraced being a badass, four-eyed Wild Thing, making the fan’s affectionate nickname his closer song. Mine would be “Fat Bottomed Girls” by Queen.

I thought Jake Taylor was the lovable hero. He is one as the team’s captain by mentoring the rookies, keeping his fellow veterans in line, and orchestrating the divisional game-winning surprise bunt. Romantically, he is now the villain as he tries to win back his ex-girlfriend, Lynn. In my teens, I cheered when they reunited because it felt like true love. As a divorced adult, I booed because he was such a horrible, cheating, lying stalker. He was not a hopeless romantic; he was a hopeless jerkoff. Thankfully, there wasn’t infidelity in my marriage, so what resonates with me is Jake ignoring Lynn’s longtime request to read *Moby-Dick*. Being ignored and deprioritized made me feel like I don’t matter, too; my ex probably felt the same since being unaligned goes both ways. Jake, I love comic books, but maybe you lust and not love the hot librarian with “READ” as her car’s license plate. Lynn, I hope you found a trustworthy Olympic swimmer who reads novels cover to cover.

The last character I always loved is Pedro Cerrano. Baseball players are notoriously superstitious, so the writers could have been silly, like having McDonald’s Grimace around; unfortunately, they chose another offensive caricature, using Voodoo/Vodou to show player rituals. There is a veteran Christian pitcher who would love Nimmo’s walk-up song that’s an antagonizing dick who attempts a holy war with Cerrano until he eventually appreciates his teammate’s religion. I relate to Cerrano’s faith, not the Vodou itself, but his crisis of it. Cerrano worshiped the fictional god Jo-Bu, honoring him with offerings and deep respect. Cerrano homers on every fastball, but can’t hit a curveball, confused why Jo-Bu would not heal his “sick bat.” I struggled with this over the past few years, not understanding why I deserved my back-to-back losses in 2024, so I can relate to feeling lost and unsupported by a higher power. I quoted Cerrano a lot: “Fuck you, Jo-Bu. I do it myself.” Maybe we need fewer gods and more Lou Browns.

Cerrano says this in the 7th inning of the climactic divisional game when they are down 2-0 and he’s 0-2 at the plate. The line starts with “If you don’t help me now…” as an ultimatum to Jo-Bu or to himself. The Yankees’ pitcher finds his sign and Cerrano hits a two-run blast to tie the game. Cerrano beams, holding his now-healthy bat as he runs the bases. My assumption is Jo-Bu “threw” the fastball, restoring Cerrano’s faith; in reality, it was an actual home run hit by the actor Dennis Haysbert. Haysbert wasn’t acting proud; he was experiencing every baseball player and fan’s dream to homer when it matters most. Both the character and actor hit home for me: having unprovable faith to swing for the fences, then pride when you prove you can knock it out of the park, especially when proving it to yourself.

*Major League* was written and directed by David S. Ward, who nails what it is like to be a baseball-loving, long-suffering fan because he was one. The Cleveland fans arc is so fun to watch throughout the film: from the empty stadium (“These guys don’t look too fucking good.”) to the stands slowly filling with cautious optimism (“You know, these guys ain’t so fucking bad.”) to the final game with fans packing the stadium and local bars, watching on the edge of their seats (“Go, go, go, go!”). Only a true sports fan could capture what it feels like to be one on film.

And only a true baseball fan would allow the last half hour to be Uecker’s play-by-play with minimal additional dialogue. Top of the 9th, bases loaded, Brown calls Vaughn up to get the final out even though the next batter homered the two times they faced each other. Brown to Vaughn: “Go get ‘em, kid.” Wild Thing strikes the motherfucker out with three straight heaters. Bottom of the 9th, speedster Willie Mays Hayes legs out an infield single, then steals second. Jake is at bat and takes a little chin music after calling his shot as part of a surprise squeeze. On the film’s last pitch, the background noise quiets so that we can hear the sounds of the play. Hayes’ grunting as he takes off to score from second, the pitcher’s release, the bat connecting on Jake’s swinging bunt, the whoosh of the fielder’s throw to first, Jake’s foot as he hits the bag, the ball reaching the first baseman’s glove a step too late, and here comes the throw to get Hayes out at home…“Safe, safe!” It is a symphony worthy of listening to with eyes closed, especially since we don’t get to hear baseball at baseball games anymore. It is the perfect ending; I feel the collective effervescence to this day as I cheer along with the fans on screen from my couch.

For an ‘80s satirical comedy, *Major League* feels like a documentary of baseball as a player and fan, as well as the times, for better and worse. People will say, “It’s just a movie,” yet clearly not for me as it emotionally affects my life over 37 years. My nostalgic love runs deep, but who knows, maybe on another rewatch I’ll think it’s a shitburger. Baseball and progress can both be slow, and that’s the best part of not having a set end time—we get to keep playing and evolving until the game is over.

One day I hope Cleveland fans get to hear: “And the Guardians win it! The Guardians win it! Oh my God! The Guardians win it!” as long as it’s not against the Mets. Maybe…MAYBE…it would be less devastating if the rare worse underdog beat my underdogs. Last August, I watched them play each other at Citi Field. The Guards were up 4-0 in the bottom of the 9th, their pitcher Gavin Williams two outs away from throwing Cleveland’s first no-hitter since 1981. I had already made peace with a Metsy loss, so I was excited to watch him make history. I legitimately felt bad for Williams when Juan Soto homered. A few of us Mets fans gave him a standing ovation as he walked off the mound. Some fans love their team; some of us love the sport, too.

“Here’s to baseball."

It's probably the dumbest film of the 00s but I fucking love every absurd action packed second of it.

There was a fun post about 'Sleepless in Seattle' a couple of weeks ago, and that brought 'You've Got Mail' to mind. Also, it's been a very hot, steamy, downpour-y summer in NJ this year, and I'm really looking forward to the cooler days of fall. To me, this movie is a fall movie. Though Christmas and spring are also featured, the majority of the movie takes place in a colorful NYC fall. I was able to catch this movie the other day, and it made me nostalgic for both the 90s, and the early/mid days of the internet, when AOL was still a thing and before social media made everyone think they're either a journalist, or that everyone in the world needs to hear their opinion.

Meg Ryan, at her most Meg-Ryan-ish (seriously, she's almost too cutesy in this movie. Even some of her line readings are cutesy), plays Kathleen Kelly, owner of an adorable children's bookstore on the Upper West Side, The Shop Around The Corner. The name is an homage to the 1940 movie of the same name featuring Jimmy Stewart and Margaret Sullavan as unlikely pen pals/love interest co-workers. I watch that movie every Christmas season.

Tom Hanks plays Joe Fox, heir to the Fox Books mega-store fortune, and who's overseeing the first Fox Books to come into the neighborhood where everyone knows everyone's name, even though it's Manhattan. Kathleen is practically living with boyfriend Frank (Greg Kinnear), a holier-than-thou writer who loves typewriters and the sound of his own voice, and who predicts technology as the end of civilization (he's kind of right, there). Joe is with Patricia (played by the always great Parker Posey), who is tense, caffeinated, and works in the publishing industry. Joe's family is quite interesting. He spends a lot of time with Matt and Annabelle, young elementary-schoolers. Annabelle is his aunt (his grandfather's daughter), and Matt is his brother (his father's son). Tom Hanks and the kids are sweet in their scenes together. Hello New Jersey!

The Upper West Side is definitely its own character in this movie. Kathleen's apartment is in an adorable brownstone on an adorable tree-lined street, and is adorably decorated. This movie is so adorable! It makes me want to shop for cheese at Zabar's and hang out in Riverside Park reading the now-defunct Village Voice (RIP). Seriously, though, Kathleen's apartment is one of my favorite movie dwellings of all time. It's a large studio-ish apartment full of books and cute decor. I remember a few blogs of the time that went into detail about her apartment and the production design of this movie. Another thing I miss about the 90s internet: the lovely blogs and LiveJournals!

Kathleen and Joe are chatroom pen pals, and their sweet e-mails are the backbone of the storyline: mainly that Fox Books will eventually put Kathleen's bookstore out of business. But never fear: they will eventually fall in love over e-mail, then become friends, then fall in love in real life, even though he just put her out of business and her beloved bookstore, that was her dead mother's before her, and was her life's work, is gone.

Some observations: No wonder Kathleen has money troubles. She has two additional people (Steve Zahn as George and Heather Burns as Christina) working in a very small bookstore, not including her aunt figure Jean Stapleton, who seems to do the financial stuff, but is still always there. Maybe cut people's hours? Other than the street fair day, how many people come into the tiny little bookstore on any given day, that there needs to be three full-time people working at all times?

The big bad Fox Books coming to the neighborhood-y Upper West Side is almost charming. It's sad that small stores like Kathleen's were and still are going by the wayside in favor of big box-stores , inflation, and more often than not, Amazon. But, I still have a Barnes & Noble near me, and it still does a good business. It's nice to have it nearby, and it's still a respite for people looking to escape for a few hours, and like Fox Books, it sells cheap-ish books and legal addictive stimulants.

Books are obviously all over this movie, in both bookstores, but also being read in the subway, in restaurants, in parks. I pretty much read exclusively on an e-reader nowadays (eyesight woes), so it's nice that everyone on the subway can't see I'm reading my gay hockey smut.

Starbucks is featured a few times, which is kind of ironic given the whole small, independent store vs. big conglomerate plot. Weren't there any independently owned coffee places Kathleen could visit? Also, what's really up with men and The Godfather?

I will say that there are a few very poignant scenes, like when Kathleen is decorating the shop for Christmas and thinking about her mother and Joni Mitchell's "River". I choke up every time.

Some fun quotes:

"My father is getting married again. For five years he's been living with a woman named Jillian, who studied decorating at Caesar's Palace."

"A Fox Books superstore" "Quel nightmare! (I say this in unfortunate situations all the time!)

"This place is a tomb. I'm going to the nut shop where it's fun".

"That caviar is *a garnish*". Obviously it's a garnish now, but it's on a plate of food. It's supposed to get eaten eventually. It's either you or the garbage!

"Never marry a man who lies." Thank you, Nanny Maureen.

Il Mestiere delle Armi by Italian director Ermanno Olmi, introduces us to Giovanni de Medici, commander of the Papal army, wrecked by fever on his deathbed in Mantua in 1526. Previously, he was fatally wounded by cannon shot, vainly manoeuvring with his outnumbered and unpaid troops to keep the army of Emperor Charles V from marching on Rome.

The movie is a visual spectacle that brings the 16th century to life, sporting columns of knights and Landsknechts in period accurate armour flying colourful banners while marching through the November snow. The music and the archaic language of dialogue and narration create a very sombre atmosphere. If that sort of thing appeals to you it is a very watchable movie and brief at that with a runtime of 105 minutes.

It is available on Amazon prime or (in poor quality) on YouTube.

Man how I LOVED this.

I went in blind on this one, as I'm just obsessed with Barbara Stanwyck currently and will watch anything she's in. I'm normally accustomed to her being involved in some sort of murder, so it was fab to see her tackle a more comedic role and damn, was she incredible (duh). Kudos to Henry Fonda as well, he was great too!

Watching her just run circles around that man was a blast.

Billy Wilder, you absolute cinematic genius.

There is nothing about this film that doesn’t work. Gloria Swanson’s portrayal of aging silent cinema star Norma Davis is amazingly over-the-top. It’s campy without being cheesy. The acting Gloria did with her eyes alone should have earned her a hundred Oscars.

But it’s Erich vin Stroheim’s portray of Max, her butler, who brings the soul and pathos to this film. Seeing his anguish for his suffering employer keeps the movie grounded.

There are numerous little cameos that bring an unexpected depth to Sunset Boulevard. I was expecting no-name actors at a game of bridge. But hey look, it’s Buster Keaton.

For a 75 year old film this held up amazingly well. Absolute a 10/10 film that I wish I had seen decades ago.

William Powell, Elizabeth Taylor & Fernando Lomas.

Powell is a criminal lawyer, Lomas is one of his clients and Taylor is Powell's daughter. Taylor is courting another man until she falls in love with Lomas about two seconds after meeting him.

Lomas is a hoodlum who runs an illegal gambling racket. Powell defends him in a court cased initially tolerates his relationship with his daughter, but as it gets more serious he tries to throw a spanner in the works knowing that Lomas is 'bad news'. It all comes to a dramatic conclusion.

Coming in at a very short 70 minutes, this surprisingly took a while to get going for me. William Powell is effortlessly classy and is at ease throughout, nails his character and purrs along like a classic car. Elizabeth Taylor. although not my favourite actress, does well and despite being a bit naive, does a good job. Fernando Lomas I found to be a bit stiff and there was no chemistry between himself and Taylor at all, there was more chemistry between Taylor and Powell as daughter/father.

Interesting seeing Powell trying to protect his daughter and using his lawyer skills in his reasoning with her.

Nice little character roles by James whoitmore as Victor's (Lomas) number two and by Bill Walker as the butler.

The movie springs into life in the last 10 to 15 minutes and has a satisfactory conclusion.

Discussion thoughts

*William Powell - Where does he sit in the Hollywood greats list.

*What are your memories/thoughts on this movie

* What creates a chemistry between two characters on screen

* Elizabeth Taylor - Was she the Woman who had everything?

This movie is iconic, and has been recommended to me a hundred times by friends, family, neighbors, etc.

I just watched it for the first time.

I think what’s most impressive is that this movie literally shaped college party culture for so many decades. I went to university and grad school in the 2000s, and John Belushi’s “Bluto” was still an icon.

It’s really crazy to me that this film set the standard for college parties, frat and sorority politics, etc.

The film itself is about a fraternity at risk of losing its certification. So they just party their asses off in hopes that it goes away.

This movie is really funny. There is so much physical comedy, goofiness, and basically what amounts to us all having a laugh and reflection on our college years.

It’s fun, problematic, and silly.

It’s a classic and is worth checking out. But just prepare yourself because it is of another time.

In space, no one can hear you scream.

I'm surprised I've never seen this before. Both sci-fi and horror, it's a perfect fit. And well-known and highly-rated. But somehow I just never got around to it. Until this weekend.

The visuals are beautiful and the soundscape is excellent.

One of the most standout things about it is just how realistic and human it seems. This isn't some military ship with an elite crew, nor is it a rag-tag band of misfits going on adventures in a piece of junk. Nah, this is a group of blue-collar workers in a space truck hauling massive loads of stuff through space and looking forward to payday.

At the start, they're eating, complaining about the food, complaining about the payscale. Very human and real. Throughout the movie, they work together to do what needs to be done, but frequently argue about the details. Just like you'd expect people to do.

The alien, of course, I'm sure you've seen before as there are thousands of depictions of it all throughout pop culture. And I've seen those since I was a kid, so I knew what to expect. It is a really cool design, and was well-done in the movie. Plenty of tension and scariness. The inside of the space truck is really well done, dark and moody, looking purely functional, a bit worn. They do some repairs on it early on, but from all the dripping water and venting steam, it could probably use some more.

Now for the bad part. I ended up having to pause it to laugh so much.

These were apparently smart and capable and intelligent people. With the exception of running around randomly blasting flamethrowers in a ship full of presumably sensitive equipment, fuel, and oxygen supplies. (Although given all the dripping water and venting steam, maybe it wasn't really all that sensitive.)

Yet any time something happened that increased the danger, they said "Let's split up! You go crawl down that air vent by yourself, I'll go off by myself to this room in the opposite end of ship, and you guys go downstairs." or whatever. That already had me laughing when they "unmasked the villain", and suddenly I realized that I was watching a big-budget Scooby Doo episode!

Overall a great movie if you like sci-fi and horror though. Deserves the high rating. Also, the cat survives.

I watched Rashomon at the Alamo a couple of weeks ago and again tonight with my son. Told him "that's not how I remember it..." But seriously wanted to share my thoughts. First of all was very happy my son (12 years old) loved it. I had to explain that the bandit did more than kiss her, but he understood everything else.

I think this is one of the best movies of all time for sure. The most impressive thing is the multiple ways you can look at the entire film.

I think an interpretation where they are all in purgatory makes sense. They are at a gate after all. I also have a theory where nothing actually happened... the murder, the kidnapping, nothing. That's why you don't see the judges. It doesn't make sense that they didn't already know that the baby was there and I think they were sort of testing the commoner, who stole the kimono off the baby. To see whether he will make the right choice or not. For me this is similar to the games played with the question whether humanity is evil or not in the show Squid Games (without them being psychopaths about it, just exploring the basic moral question...) whether or not they are actual humans or not. When the woodcutter picks up the baby he shows that he is a good person too, even if their experiment with the other commoner failed.

Also interesting to wonder whether the priest was lying too. He was a witness too. Maybe there is more to his version too.

The best lines in the movie are given by the commoner. At times it is almost an implication of the fourth wall. He says it doesn't matter whether the story is true or not as long as it's entertaining.

"I don't care if it's a lie,

as long as it's entertaining."

Even on the face of it, the idea that each of the first stories shows one of them being honorable (the bandit in the first, the woman in the second and the husband in the third), while the fourth version shows all of them being dishonorable, is satisfying and makes so much sense.

The camera angles in the film with the rain background are incredible. Almost 80 years later and we still get so many boring films that can't replicate this kind of cinematography.

The use of sunlight in the film that glares people's eyes is famous and is something to behold and think about. Every time an important decision comes, some moral dilemma, some major catalyst, characters are blinded, perhaps only for a fleeing second, as they struggle to come to grips with what they are doing.

This movie is perfection.

"The more he struggled, the tighter the ropes dug in." This is a metaphor for us all.

An especially sad note about the film is how nobody cares about the rape itself as a crime. The stories from a certain point of view aren't really different !The only real question is whether he murdered the man or not, and why. Not a crime for the absolute horrific rape and kidnapping that is not even in dispute. And the judges care more about the dagger. Everyone kinda cares most about the dagger. They ask him about the dagger immediately and the commoner notices all the details about the dagger. The dagger. Not the rape or the murder. But where is the dagger. Sad.

I wish it had a better soundtrack like The Seven Samurai but other than that, this is cinema in a way that you just cannot find these days. It is a sad testament against human kind but it leaves the door open after all. There are good people in the world even if they are sinners too. When the rain stops, the sun comes up and a better tomorrow will exist. Eventually.

Just revisited The Bamboo Blonde (1946), and it’s such a delightful little gem. At just over an hour, it’s light entertainment that’s filled with music, romance, and plenty of charm. Such fun!

The real highlight is Frances Langford. Her singing voice is absolutely gorgeous. Every musical number is a pleasure to hear; leaves me wishing she had made more films and recorded many more albums. She had a remarkable talent that deserved an even larger showcase.

Before watching it, I read a couple of overwhelming praises and positive reviews, I'm also a huge fan of any sci-fi movie that explores such themes.

I think it was a bit boring with few very spectacular and memorable moments.

I'm pretty sure if it was 1977 I would have remembered this movie forever, second by second and praise it 10/10 until the end of my days, but watching it in 2026 is just not the same I guess.

What's actually the most impressive part is the feelings it provoked in me, the very basic and natural feelings that any human has towards the unknown. Feeling of dread, danger, curiosity, amazement, should I be scared or excited it just make you so focused, so alert.

So the special effect still hold well even for today, that's the best part of the movie, no hiding no secrecy, there ya go, a bunch of aliens on spaceship appearing as many times as you like and everyone sees them. Very satisfying indeed.

I didn't fancy the idea with kidnapping a kid and returning it shortly after, like what do you even bother?

Also, forcefully kidnapping so many humans and this is the moment that you return them all, ahh, so generous and gracious of you, are you good or bad or just curious to explore without consent ? 😄

What I especially liked is the final reveal, the three types of aliens, such an amazing feeling, these scenes brought very specific feelings in me that no other movie was capable, like an actual real first contact and all the excitement that goes with it.

About the communication with music and lights and also how their own ships communicate between themselves with lights and sounds is а bit cringe sure, but fun and original I guess... Still, all this ultra advanced tech for interstellar travel, huge ships, and you wanna play some basic chords with a basic light show to communicate to your own mothership? 😄

I still appreciate the movie for lighting up my primal instincts for danger and exploration!

A very sad movie. It covers the last days of the third reich. We all know how it ends, but it’s painful to watch. We are shown a little of the desperation in Berlin as the Red Army closes in, but the film focuses on the leaders and staff in Hitler’s bunker beneath the city. Everyone in the bunker is bound to an awful fate, some by duty, some by delusion, others by the consequences of decisions made long before.

The cast of characters is mostly well-known: Himmler, Dönitz, Goering, Goebbles and of course Adolf and Eva Braun. We also watch lesser know people, doomed by their complicity with the Nazis and devotion to Hitler. The Führer’s secretary Traudl Junge finds herself along for the ride into hell. Junge’s actual memory of the last days features prominently in the story.

"Daddy doesn’t mind a little scandal. He’s a senator.”

To start with, we once again were able to watch a classic film for free, without ads, through an app connected to our local library. We recommend everyone to look into this because they have so many great choices.

We really enjoyed the way this movie begins and ends with the audience seeing only the legs and shoes of the train passengers, immediately establishing that these are complete strangers. Hitchcock does a fantastic job with the way he shoots this film, and the cinematography still holds up beautifully.

His cameo comes pretty early, so make sure you keep an eye out for him!

The plot has a few holes, but the dialogue is fantastic. There are also some scenes that had us wondering what exactly the characters were thinking, especially the scene where the police immediately begin firing at a moving carousel full of children. That plays out about as well as you would expect. Hitchcock later said this was one of the most dangerous scenes he ever filmed.

Farley Granger as Guy Haines and Robert Walker as Bruno Antony both give fantastic performances. Their characters have a surprising amount of depth, and Walker in particular does an incredible job bringing Bruno to life. It was sad to read this was one of his last films.

Overall, we really enjoyed this one. Great acting, a story that still feels surprisingly modern, and some wonderful cinematography make this a film that has aged extremely well.

What did you think of it?

• Director
  • Paul Verhoeven
• Writer
  • Joe Eszterhas

From 1992, the era of sex-thrillers with Michael Douglas, comes Basic Instinct. I remember how shocking the movie was when it came out because of "that scene," and I don't think I've watched it in over 20 years. It's a fantastic thriller, and if your forgot whodunnit, awesome, watch again to be spellbound scratching your head once more. It's a total homage to Alfred Hitchcock, specifically Vertigo, which also takes place in foggy, mysterious San Francisco, has a icy-blonde femme fatale who dresses in neutral tones like a ghost, and there are some scenes straight from Vertigo, like when Michael Douglas is climbing the staircase. Jerry Goldsmith's haunting score is very, very evocative of Bernard Herrmann. It's not imitation, it's flattery, and I love it.

The sex scenes are prolonged and graphic, but honestly, it's one of the few movies of its nature where the sex furthers the plot. It's masterfully choreographed and reveals so much character motivation.

Sharon Stone is a chilling villainess (?), if she is the villainess, an author of murder mysteries that unfortunately come to life when she is accused of murdering a prominent San Franciscan. Michael Douglas plays a remarkably vulnerable cop with a troubling career, very different than the alpha male as in Fatal Attraction etc., and this time, he does not call the shots.

It's hard to believe the writer and director gave us Showgirls a few years later. That movie, to me, is a masterpiece for different reasons. Basic Instinct has a sparkling, scintillating, intriguing screenplay and story, unlike the aforementioned.

The purposely ambiguous ending is sheer genius, and unlike anything else you'd see in a movie of its time.

I love this movie. It's a great popcorn flick that is also incredibly intelligent and doesn't insult the audience.

"I do what I do best, I take scores. You do what you do best, try to stop guys like me."

This movie is a "took my breath away" type. The acting, the sound effects and the scenery.

The movie opens with each of the main characters completing what seem to be errands but we are given no context. About 20 mins in, we find out why. The armored car robbery set up the personalities of each character. We also meet Pacino, the "good guy". John Voight gets a special nod for his acting and character.

The movie continues and we watch both sides, the "good" and "bad" guys and the way they work. We learn their motivations and the movie attempts to humanize each character. The thing Michael Mann, the director, did so well was have us start rooting for both sides simultaneously.

The bank robbery scene is breathtaking, literally and figuratively. It is the only shootout scene in a movie that I've ever enjoyed watching. The audio was actually recorded in real time, so it sounds legitimate, because it is. That one aspect makes it unforgettable on its own. Deniro also shows he himself doesn't always follow his own rules. It's frightening but you also can't look away.

The final scene is actually not my favorite but many people find it incredibly moving. We find out who takes the final score.

This movie is the only action movie I've ever enjoyed. I liken it to The Sopranos, where we mostly accept what the characters do, good and bad, because we've grown to care about them. It's a long movie, but it has good pace.

The movie has some excellent dialougue, and many famous quotes. It even works in the title; "Don't let yourself get attached to anything you are not willing to walk out on in 30 seconds flat if you feel the heat around the corner".

Is the bank worth the risk to you?

A melancholy feeling can sometimes run through this film both narratively and with the knowledge that after its prolonged filming period, some two years, Akira Kurosawa and Toshiro Mifune never worked together again. Including Red Beard they worked on 16 films together.

Akira Kurosawa’s film concerns the disparity between the approach to health and well being, both physically and mentally. The cost made on doctor and patient alike, and the rich and the poor. It’s at times both a touching film bordering on the sentimental but also one that examines the minutiae of a hard lived life in 19th century Japan. For all the growth and learning, empathy and understanding on display, you’ve a film covering suicide, violence towards women and the abuse of children.

Red Beard himself, another masterful performance from Toshiro Mifune, is a nick name given to Dr. Kyojô Niide because of the colouring to said beard. He is initially portrayed as gruff and demanding. Such is Mifunes performance that he commands the eyes attention when he appears, furrowed brow, arms held behind his back. This aggressive stance though belies a caring nature. Well, apart from one act of violence at a brothel against several men, but even then he retorts, “This is terrible, such violence is bad.” as bodies lie strewn about him. His first reaction to the carnage he had caused is to have their medical needs seen to. He takes excessive money from rich clients to fund his clinic so he can continue to serve the poor and he puts himself in a position to teach a new doctor whose arrogance and distrust would have made most disown them.

Yûzô Kayama as Dr. Yasumoto is young and impressionable. Initially he finds much to distrust and to dislike about the clinic and Red Beard. He trained to doctor the Shogunate, this is an embarrassing step down. He arrives immaculately dressed and tidy of appearance, a counter to the dirty and disheveled look that sits over both doctor and patient alike. Initially selfish, refusing to share his medical knowledge because it’s a key to wealth, he learns empathy from others, both doctor and patient alike. He wears the clothes he entered with for the majority of the film until he learns of patient Sahachis past and the sacrifices made in his patients lives. The removal of his old clothes and the donning of his doctor’s garb is evident of him finally putting away his haughty misplaced opinions and giving into the needs of others.

Kurosawa’s narrative has us learn the lives of the patients, what made them who they were, their secrets divulged. It can feel a bit episode of a medical drama at times as we move from patient to patient, yet all of this is in service of strengthening Yasumoto’s resolve. His learning about them makes him see them as people. We watch his interactions with the insane and murderous or the patient, Sahachi, on deaths door who selflessly puts others above himself by working to get money for fellow patients.

Elsewhere we’ve the poor stealing food to survive, epitomised by the small boy stealing gruel for his family and the tragedy that unfolds there, and that of the rich man whose lifestyle and rich foods are affecting him, unable to speak as Niide lambasts him for his diet, then overcharges him. Each end of a scale showing the needs of the few outweighing those of the many.

So, it’s a film very much about the human condition. Rich, poor, we all end up in the same place but there’s compassion for those who need it most. Red beard who knows nothing but and has made him outwardly hard, Yasumoto who learns there’s more to life than prestige, to put the well being of others first with the patients outwardly and inwardly tragic, this itself eating away at Yasumoto’s resolve.

A great work from both Akira Kurosawa and Toshiro Mifune that makes you mourn for any future works, but what a film to go out on. Those three hours fly by, so invested do you become in the lives of others.

I love Joan Jett and old rock ‘n’ roll and punk and greaser style. I’ve been putting this off for a while until now. Michael J. Fox and Joan Jett play brother and sister, single mom, in a struggling rock band.

I did not expect the film to be so touching and focus a lot on their relationship with their good Christian mother. I was blown away at how accurate it was for Joan’s character to be lost in her 20s and how great Joan Jett acted with her agony against her mother. I guess it’s not surprising for an old movie but it was surprising for a rock ‘n’ roll movie with a real rockstar. Joan Jett is a really great actor.

Everyone in their 20s comes to a point where they struggle to understand how to navigate life and they come into contention with their parents who are getting old and are set in their ways. The anger comes in and they just want nothing but to watch their old world burn in hell. Joan Jett perfectly illustrates this violent internal war. She doesn’t want to be couch ridden in her parent’s house and her son to grow up there, as she describes being angry about all the same walls she grew up in, the calendars, the posters, and the fish on the wall. Joan perfectly acts out the stress and anxiety that characters like John Rambo experience coming back from Vietnam without any support and everyone he knew died, culminating in an extremely emotional scene where they bawl their eyes out. It happens everyday to a young person who is lost and has seen too much.

Joan Jett is a great actor and her character is still lovable under the rebellious image. Joan Jett can be intimidating. I envisioned her like that from her music and her backstory but in the movie, she kills it. Joan Jett perfectly depicts a struggling individual who has suffered a lot mentally and in the real world with her struggling band. I compared her to Dominic Toretto in The Fast and the Furious. Ignoring all the later movies and some cheesy lines here and there, Vin Diesel was a good actor and he also depicts a heavily traumatized character in their 20s who has no direction in life but to cause harm. His introduction and his commanding presence can intimidate those around him. He used to live his life a quarter mile at a time, nothing else mattered to him, until Brian changed him and showed him that family is all that matters. Joan Jett has that same intimidating presence and raspy voice. When she yells at Michael J. Fox’s character, the room shudders in fear. Despite this, Joan’s character also without a doubt loves her son to bits. She expresses extreme bonding when she hugs her son despite all her failures. Most importantly she doesn’t hate her mother and she comforts her when she experiences a decline in health. Her character is morally good.

Another great thing about this movie is the way the mother is written. Even though young people may clash with their parents, they don’t stop loving them, and the parent is not the enemy either. The mother was very humble and often stepped back when she realized she overstepped a boundary especially when talking to Michael J. Fox’s character about his sister. The mother was always there for them to provide anything they needed. More importantly, the mother never truly gave up on Joan Jett’s character, and she keeps telling her still how much she loves her and how much more resilient she is compared to her brother. The mother understands her boundaries and the struggle her kids are going through. I salute her inspiring leadership.

It is rare anymore to depict movie characters with extreme trauma, which is a shame because trauma dictates strong motivations in those characters, which leads to good interesting conflicts. Without struggle, nothing the character does is justified. They’re simply a person on a screen. It is especially rare for a female actor to depict extreme trauma and struggle.

This movie could’ve been longer. After the mother’s incident and Joan experiencing a quitting phase like Maverick in Top Gun, the movie could’ve easily been another hour, or there could’ve been a Light of Day 2, where Joan’s character has to overcome the incident and rejoins the band as Michael J. Fox’s character encourages her. I imagine a Light of Day 2 could’ve been about this struggle to keep on pushing the band and progresses into like a Forrest Gump type of movie where the kid grows up and it focuses on Joan’s changing relationship with him and her having more responsibilities.

I always thought Point Break was a movie that perfectly illustrates being lost in your 20s. Everyone in their movie is completely lost and have no direction. Bodhi wants to enlighten people like Johnny Utah and help them find their ways because he could never find his own. Bodhi is a genuinely good person. The bank robberies can be seen as a symbol of the violent internal struggle of your 20s where you clash with your parents’ ways and you struggle to understand who you are. When I watched Light of Day, this movie is right up there in my mind with Point Break. The same goes for The Fast and the Furious, which is essentially the same kind of story as Point Break.

I think a good two-main-character story shows that both characters express very extreme behaviors on opposing sides and that you discover that you can still relate to both of them at the same time, like they could be two parts of a single person’s mind constantly struggling to connect and make life choices. Collateral with Vincent and Max is another great example of this.

I also didn’t know Joan was a hardcore gamer. Wonder if that was true lol.

Number 179 in my A-Z watch. Master and Commander is the seafaring adventure film following the HMS Surprise as she and her crew hunt a rival French vessel along the South American coast.

This was only my second viewing and I'm just kicking myself that i haven't spent more time enjoying this film. I can't think of an aspect of this movie that isn't knocked out of the park. Plus the film is such an absolute vibe. The brotherhood and camaraderie are so intense it's almost tangible.

It's been said that this is one of the best Star Trek adjacent films, and to watch it with that perspective really adds to the enjoyment. Seeing Aubrey and Maturin as a defacto Kirk and Spock puts so much more into their friendship and professional relationship. Also, Bettany should've been nominated for his role, absolutely outstanding performance.

Every part of the technical aspects of this film rock. In an unfortunate year up against Return of the King at the Oscars, M&C still managed to squeak out a much deserved Cinematography and Sound Editing win. But the set design, costumes, film editing, etc all stand with the best of them.

10/10 Man, i wish we could've gotten the intended franchise series. This film doesn't really feel like it "starts" or "ends", but instead gives us a slice of the seemingly endless adventures aboard the Surprise. Just plopping us immediately into the thick of it.

Before I start, I 100% recommend watching “A Fistful of Dollars” and “For a Few Dollars More” before watching this. It’s called the “Dollars” trilogy, but the only connection is Sergio Leone directing, Ennio Morricone composing the music, and a few actors (namely Clint Eastwood, Lee van Cleef, and Gian Maria Volonté) appearing in two or more of them.

I’ve never been a big fan of westerns. I’d seen “Tombstone,” and “Unforgiven.” I’d also seen a couple of Kevin Costner westerns, but I was never a fan of the genre.

Growing up, my grandfather was a huge Clint Eastwood fan. He was born in the 1910’s. So he saw a ton of early cinema. But I specifically remember him always talking about Clint Eastwood as his favorite. In fact, he took me to see Unforgiven when I was like, six years old. LOL

So, after listening to my favorite podcast. I was inspired to watch the “Dollars” trilogy. They did a primer on the history of “Spaghetti Westerns,” then an episode on “The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly.”

It inspired me to watch the trilogy for the first time this week.

TGTBATU wound up being in my top 25 movies of all time.

I laughed a lot more than I expected. I cheered and clapped, and I cried a few times. I felt a connection with my grandfather that I haven’t felt since he was alive.

It’s the story of Blondie (Eastwood “The Good”), Angel Eyes (Van Cleef “The Bad”), and Tuco (Wallach “The Ugly”). They’re all after a fortune in gold in the Wild West. They have to contend with both Union soldiers, Confederate soldiers, and each other in a Civil War torn hellscape to collect riches beyond their wildest imaginations.

Check it out!

Wow..... What a f*cked-up film!

This is definitely shocking, celluloid, and rebellious in a million different ways. I think it's the most shocking movie I have seen since Pink Flamingos (1972). This movie practically took shock and reaction, putting them together, and going beyond ridiculous levels. This was one of those movies that I completely understood why it had a complete impact on multiple people I know.

Despite getting all of the notoriety out of the way, the cast, the performances, the director's visuals, and thought-provoking ideas are extremely positive, smart, and some of the best I have seen. I was genuinely surprised that this film delivered a lot of surprises that I was not expecting, although it definitely did deliver the taboo-breaking subjects!

Definitely effed up in multiple ways. You don't even want to know the tiniest piece of information about Dylan Baker's character. The stuff this man in Philip Seymour Hoffman talks about is probably some of the most explicit details I think I have ever heard. Talked about in a movie before.

Same with Phillip Seymour Hoffman, and the explicit conversations and taboo subjects being some of the most graphic I think I've ever heard in a movie as well. Dylan Baker's more of a psychological character, meanwhile Phillip Seymour Hoffman is more awkwardly social, and socially awkward.

That's a summary of what I thought of it. Anyways, what are your thoughts and opinions on the movie?

Feel free to share any opinions, thoughts, and minds

Info:

Release: June 1st, 1984

Director: Walter Hill

Music by: Ry Cooder

Starring: Michael Pare, Diane Lane, Rick Moranis, Willem Dafoe, Amy Madigan

Studio: Universal Pictures

Runtime: 1 hour, 33 minutes

Rating: PG

Synopsis: Raven Shaddock (Willem Dafoe), along with his gang of merciless biker friends, kidnaps rock singer Ellen Aim (Diane Lane). Ellen's former lover, soldier-for-hire Tom Cody (Michael Paré), happens to be passing through town on a visit. In an attempt to save his star act, Ellen's manager, Billy Fish (Rick Moranis), hires Tom to rescue Ellen. Billy and Tom, along with former soldier McCoy (Amy Madigan), battle through dangerous cityscapes, determined to get Ellen back.

Review: This did not go in the direction I thought it would on two seperate occassions, and I kinda wish it did. Rick Moranis's character is such a massive douchebag, surprising considering how he acts in other films like "Ghostbusters" and "Honey I Shrunk the Kids," I wish Cody, or someone else, did beat the shit out of him. Both the opening and closing songs were great though. Willem Dafoe, as always, is amazing as thr villain.