ocfan27

Little Shop of Horrors-the 1986 version. A classic that I’ve never seen so I decided to give it a chance. I enjoyed it! Great songs and a good and easy to follow story!

canflam

Is that a Musical? I just watched a Musical over the weekend.

Movie: ''Yankee Doodle Dandy''
Year Released: 1942
Starring: James Cagney, Joan Leslie, Walter Huston, Jeanne Cagney, & Faye Templeton, among others.
Plot: ''Brought to the White House to receive a Congressional Gold Medal from President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Broadway legend George M. Cohan (James Cagney) reflects on his life. Flashbacks trace Cohan's rise, from a childhood performing in his family's vaudeville act to his early days as a struggling Tin Pan Alley songwriter to his overwhelming success as an actor, writer, director and producer known for patriotic songs like "Yankee Doodle Dandy," "You're a Grand Old Flag" and "Over There."
Rating out of 5 4.
Comments: James Cagney did a fine performance in ''Yankee Doodle Dandee''. His singing & tap dancing were superb I think. Now, Franklin Roosevelt's face was not shown while he talked to George Cohan at the White House, but I didn't mind much. There was a scene if I saw correctly where the Cohan family wore blackface in a dance I believe it was. 1 of my favourite quotes in this film or perhaps my favourite overall was by Faye when she said to George while after he fell down while tap dancing in front of her portraying an elderly man: ''So fast, such excitement--at your age sit. Sit down and rest.''

canflam

:Movie: ''Gone With the Wind''
Year Released: 1939
Starring: Clark Gable, Vivien Leigh, Olivia de Havilland, Hattie McDaniel, & Leslie Howard, among others
Plot: ''A manipulative woman and a roguish man conduct a turbulent romance during the American Civil War and Reconstruction periods.''
Rating out of 5 4.
Comments: That plot description that I gave of ''Gone With the Wind'' is from Carl Schultz. There are other plot descriptions, but from watching this movie overnight all the way through, that 1 is accurate to me. I mean that character played by Vivien Leigh in this movie was quite manipulative & it just became pretty tough for me to cheer for her, though she was 1 of the leading characters in this film. She treated her sisters poorly & also the what became almost constant crying by grown women in this movie mostly by ''Scarlet O'Hara'', which was Vivian Leigh's character was quite frustrating to me. If anyone is into that then this film, has plenty of it.

Some notable things or odd that I found in this film were that men were quite infatuated with Scarlett too much. Even just to get her dessert, more than 2 guys wanted to do it. ''Stuart'' said: ''Go! Get it! Isn't he the luckiest...'' She then immediately ignores him after he gets her dessert just to stare at another man. 1 of the notable lines in this film was by Rhett who said to her: ''A cat's a better mother than you are.'' Finally, some of the horrible things that happened to people in this film did become a bit much. Scarlett didn't want to have a baby, but became pregnant & fell down stairs during her pregnancy. Brutal things like that happened in this not so cheery film. It was well acted though.

canflam

Movie: ''Akira''
Year Released: 1988
Starring: Mitsuo Iwata, Nozomu Sasaki, Mami Koyama, & Tesso Genda, among others.
Plot: ''In 1988 the Japanese government drops an atomic bomb on Tokyo after ESP experiments on children go awry. In 2019, 31 years after the nuking of the city, Kaneda, a bike gang leader, tries to save his friend Tetsuo from a secret government project. He battles anti-government activists, greedy politicians, irresponsible scientists and a powerful military leader until Tetsuo's supernatural powers suddenly manifest. A final battle is fought in Tokyo Olympiad exposing the experiment's secrets.''
Rating out of 5 5.
Comments: ''Akira'' is an incredibly violent Anime film. A woman got decked, Tetsuo was a brutal character who's arm got shot off & then grew back. It got quite strange with him turning into that pink & squishy monster. I do recommend adults to watch this film. The violence can be too much for children if they happen to come across ''Akira''. It's certainly 1 of my favourite films that I've watched this year thus far.

canflam

Movie: ''Mortal Kombat''
Year Released: 2021
Starring: Jessica McNamee, Lewis Tan, Ludi Lin, & Sisi Stringer, among others.
Plot: ''Hunted by the fearsome warrior Sub-Zero, MMA fighter Cole Young finds sanctuary at the temple of Lord Raiden. Training with experienced fighters Liu Kang, Kung Lao and the rogue mercenary Kano, Cole prepares to stand with Earth's greatest champions to take on the enemies from Outworld in a high-stakes battle for the universe.''
Rating out of 5 3.
Comments: This Mortal Kombat film seemed & I think likely is the beginning of others. Certainly at least 1 more. Much of this film dealt with training. Kano was obnoxious & overall I think 1 of the more interesting characters in this film. The Mortal Kombat tournament itself did not happen in this movie. Also, significant characters were missing, such as Johnny Cage & Kitana. There is plenty of blood & in this movie & not surprising that it got an ''R'' rating. I do think that this film is worth watching if you are a fan of Mortal Kombat in general or are curious about it.

canflam

Movie: ''Jess Stone: No Remorse''
Year Released: 2010
Starring: Tome Selleck, Kohl Sudduth, Kathy Baker, & William Sadler, among others.
Plot: ''After he is suspended by the town council, Jesse (Tom Selleck) begins investigating a series of murders in Boston for a friend, leaving Rose and "Suitcase" to solve a string of crimes in Paradise on their own.''
Rating out of 5 3.
Comments: This was another fine film in the ''Jesse Stone'' series. This time there is the chance of a serial killer around & Jesse Stone is called into to help. I don't understand the town council's logic in wanting to get rid of Stone. It's just odd considering that they don't have many deputies or police in general for Paradise, MA & there is still crime in that town. Nice film I think.

Crystal Clear

Movie: Wonder Woman 1984
Year Released: 2020
Starring: Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Kristen Wiig, Pedro Pascal
Plot: Wonder Woman finds herself battling two opponents, Maxwell Lord, a shrewd entrepreneur, and Barbara Minerva, a friend-turned-foe. Meanwhile, she also ends up crossing paths with her love interest.
Rating out of 5 3
Comments: Better than I expected. Gadot's acting went up a notch as she found the emotional beats in playing Diana letting go of Steve to fulfill her duties to saving the world. Pascal was decent as the villain/anti-hero. I didn't really care for Kristen Wiig's character, she just felt there to fulfill the female quota. I did like the Max and Diana tension; they could be an interesting pair if a third movie ever came into the equation.

canflam

Welcome back to this thread. Glad that you enjoyed watching ''Wonder Woman 1984''. I watched the unrated version of ''Crimson Tide'' last weekend.

Movie: ''Crimson Tide''
Year Released: 1995
Starring: Denzel Washington, Gene Hackman, Viggo Mortensen, James Gandolphini, & George Dzunza, among others.
Plot: ''After the Cold War, a breakaway Russian republic with nuclear warheads becomes a possible worldwide threat. U.S. submarine Capt. Frank Ramsey (Gene Hackman) signs on a relatively green but highly recommended Lt. Cmdr. Ron Hunter (Denzel Washington) to the USS Alabama, which may be the only ship able to stop a possible Armageddon. When Ramsay insists that the Alabama must act aggressively, Hunter, fearing they will start rather than stop a disaster, leads a potential mutiny to stop him.''
Rating out of 5 4.
Comments: I enjoyed watching ''Crimson Tide''. It takes a bit to get going I think in it, but is a fine film & was unpredictable for me. The cast is certainly terrific led by Denzel Washington & Gene Hackman. Amazing supporting cast. This film is similar to ''The Hunt For Red October'' if you've seen that movie & worth checking out if you have the time. Gene Hackman is 1 of favourite actors & I know he's retired, but another excellent performance by him in this 1.

Crystal Clear

Yeah, it exceeded my expectations. I thought Gal Gadot did a great job with the monologue near the end when Max returns to himself.

Movie: Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
Year Released: 1954
Starring: Howard Keel, Jane Powell, Russ Tamblyn
Plot: During the 1850s, a pretty young cook named Milly marries Adam, a grizzled woodsman, after a brief courtship. When the two return to Adam's farm, Milly is shocked to meet his six ill-mannered brothers, all of whom live in his cabin. She promptly begins teaching the brothers proper behavior, and most importantly, how to court a woman. But after the brothers kidnap six local girls during a town barn-raising, a group of indignant villagers tries to track them down.
Rating out of 5 5
Comments: So much fun to watch a musical that freely depicts energetic brothers go all-out to win over the women who they've fallen in love with upon first sight. Ignores all the conventions of a traditional relationship and isn't concerned with being politically correct, just basks in the delight and risky nature of pursuing the person you want at all cost. Also has a powerful lead performance by Howard Keel as the head of the household and various entertaining numbers, such as the memorable barn dance. The highlight is the avalanche/kidnapping scene; the brothers are just so sure of themselves in that moment and having the time of their lives. One of my all-time favorite musicals.

canflam

OK. Good. I also watched an old film most recently.

Movie: ''The Longest Day''
Year Released: 1962
Starring: John Wayne, Henry Fonda, Richard Burton, Robert Mitchum, & Sean Connery, among others.
Plot: ''In 1944, the U.S. Army and Allied forces plan a huge invasion landing in Normandy, France. Despite bad weather, General Eisenhower gives the okay and the Allies land at Normandy. General Norma Cota (Robert Mitchum) travels with his men onto Omaha Beach. With much effort, and lost life, they get off the beach, traveling deep into French territory. The German military, due to arrogance, ignorance and a sleeping Adolf Hitler, delay their response to the Allied landing, with crippling results.''
Rating out of 5 5.
Comments: ''The Longest Day'' is a fantastic movie with an exceptional ensemble cast that includes Robert Wagner, Sean Connery, & George Segal. I will mention that for whatever reason the word ''Nazis'' was not used in it that I heard. U.S. soldiers referred to them as ''Germans'' typically in this film. Just something I noticed. I did find it odd that Hitler was sleeping while a lot of important things were going on in W.W. II. Also, there is plenty of German spoken by the Axis in this film & it shows what people in charge of the war were doing in that crucial time on each side. ''The Longest Day'' won 2 Academy Awards & 1 Golden Globe''. It's an epic movie.

Crystal Clear

I almost feel that she and Ashley should have ended up together. I rooted for her and Rhett for most of the movie because of how loyal and heroic he acted towards her, but eventually I came to realize just how little she appreciated him - and the part where she suddenly realizes that he's The One for her feels SO contrived and based primarily on Ashley trapped in guilt & grief over his dead wife.

I think there was ONE time in the whole damn movie where Scarlett proved she really did love Rhett - when she's having nightmares in bed and screaming for him after losing her baby. But it's pointless to their relationship, because he doesn't witness her calling his name.

It seemed pretty evident that Ashley wanted Scarlett deep down, but he was too much of a wimp to risk losing financial stability in order to run away with her.

________________

Movie: It Follows
Year Released: 2014
Starring: Maika Monroe, Keir Gilchrist, Daniel Zovatto, Jake Weary
Plot: After carefree teenager Jay sleeps with her new boyfriend, Hugh, for the first time, she learns that she is the latest recipient of a fatal curse that is passed from victim to victim via sexual intercourse. Death, Jay learns, will creep inexorably toward her as either a friend or a stranger. Jay's friends don't believe her seemingly paranoid ravings, until they too begin to see the phantom assassins and band together to help her flee or defend herself.
Rating out of 5 = 1
Comments: Uh, so I'm baffled by the good reviews from critics for this movie Is it simply because it debuted at Cannes Film Festival? I feel as if there's an expectation to love everything that premieres there. I'm gonna keep this short and to the point: Maika Monroe is completely bland in this movie, as is the script and the so-called 'suspense'. The plot is so wafer-thin but also preachy and almost pleased with itself, as if making it about a taboo subject such as sex will make the horror more compelling (News Flash! It doesn't. ) The only decent character in the movie is Paul, but he spends so much of the movie waiting in the wings for Jay like a lovesick puppy, literally willing to SACRIFICE himself out of devotion to her... And yet she either goes around like a zombie accepting her gloomy fate or she sleeps with almost every other guy. I guess we're supposed to believe it's because she ~really cares for him~ but Jay is such a simplistic character that it's difficult to understand or care for her perspective. My one star is purely for the final scene, which is arguably too clever for this hollow story. Best way I can sum up IT FOLLOWS with a tagline: CABIN FEVER (2002) meets Season 1, episode 2 of television's ANGEL (1999) because they were all about sex and so is this.

canflam

Wow. Tough review. ''Cabin Fever'' I thought was a good Horror flick & had a pretty tight budget. I watched ''Vera Drake'' over the weekend.

Movie: ''Vera Drake''
Year Released: 2004
Starring: Imelda Staunton, Phil Davis, Daniel Mayes, & Eddie Marsan, among others.
Plot: ''In 1950s England, housekeeper Vera Drake (Imelda Staunton) is a kindly wife and mother who offers selfless devotion and unwavering care to her family, which includes her husband (Philip Davis) and two grown children (Alex Kelly, Daniel Mays). However, unknown to her friends and family, Drake provides abortions to local women with unwanted pregnancies. When the authorities learn of her illegal activities, Drake loses the admiration of many around her -- and possibly her freedom.''
Rating: 4
Comments: I think that ''Vera Drake'' is a terrific film. There was a scene where a woman wanting to get an abortion said that she already had 7 children & that that having another 1 would ''kill her''. This movie does not portray the grim brutalities of women back in the 1950's & 1960's that had back-street abortions. Women abortionist were tough & did not do it for philanthropic reasons, Jennifer Worth has said. They were in it for the money if a woman died after an illegal termination, that abortionist would be charged with manslaughter. Also that procedure could have lead to diseases & death. Some women would go into insane asylums & others would commit suicide. ''Vera Drake'' is a terrifically acted film, but it doesn't tell the whole story of how brutal the conditions were for women in England during that time wanting abortions.

Crystal Clear

I just read it back and can't believe how much I ranted but yes, I did legitimately hate it that much. It's even worse when you can't reconcile the glowing reviews with what you actually saw This movie was dull, in my opinion.

People say the final scene is unsatisfying, but to me, it was the only thought-provoking and creepy scene in the whole thing.

I actually love Cabin Fever I just used it as an example because aspects of IT FOLLOWS had similar sexual content. Cabin Fever is a MUCH better movie with a better cast and has the advantage of not being boring.

Great review by the way you put a lot of thought into the comments.

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Movie: Ju-On: The Grudge 2
Year Released: 2003
Starring: Takako Fuji, Yuya Ozeki, Yui Ichikawa, Noriko Sakai
Plot: Actress Kyoko loses her unborn baby and her fiance lands in a coma post a car crash. In fact, Kyoko and the crew were cursed while filming in the home of Kayako who was brutally killed by her husband.
Rating out of 5 :
Comments: Love this series (White Ghost/Black Ghost particularly) but this one was a dud. I was disappointed with how bland the characters were. I can take a slow supernatural movie, as long as the characters we follow are compelling - in this case, they're not. None of them. Not even the ghosts of the original family. The pregnant woman was so blah and they keep her husband in a coma throughout the ENTIRE movie so I actually forgot she was married... Not that it mattered because her pregnancy became something else entirely due to the Grudge house taking over everybody who goes near it as usual. This one and the 2020 American Grudge are by far the weakest entries to the series. I would only rate this one higher because it keeps the same house and backstory but the new characters are totally forgettable.

Crystal Clear

Movie: Killer in Red
Year Released: 2018
Starring: Allison Paige,Tammin Sursok, Greg Perrow
Plot: An aspiring personal stylist becomes suspicious of her new client, a seemingly shy woman whose admiration is slowly turning into an obsession.
Rating out of 5 []:
Comments: um, well the only positive I can think of about this movie is that Allison Paige does a really convincing job as the antagonist and ironically enough is the only sympathetic person in the whole cast. Everybody else is either a terrible actor or is plain irritating (the wife, for example). alert: only one person gets killed and the body isn't even shown in a bloody mess, she literally just looks knocked out! - so I do NOT understand why the title even has the word 'killer' in it because she acts more like the Single White Female obsessive. In fact, it works better as a spin-off to that movie. The ending is so cringe-worthy and tries to be all happy-go-lucky even though the wife's BEST FRIEND WAS KILLED I mean... Yeah, she got over that quickly huh?

canflam

Interesting. What got you to watch that film? I tried watching ''The Remains of the Day'' on DVD last night, but I use my PS3 to play it on & the picture comes in & out due to the HDMI cord being tough to correctly put in, so I'll try to watch it again sometime.