Seen in Theater. Released 1925.
Directed Ernst Lubitsch.
Written by Oscar Wilde (based on play), Julien Josephson (adapted screen play).
With Ronald Colman, May McAvoy, Bert Lytell, Irene Rich, Edward Martindel, Carrie Daumery.
This is a pretty powerful film considering the limitations of the media of that day. Funny enough it is based on play, yet it is a silent movie. That means much of the dialogue has been cut down to its most basic bare bones. Imagine presenting a play with so few words. Yes there is titling, but you have to watch the characters move their mouths with out any 'translation'. It means a lot of watching body language and inferring what the characters are actually saying. With all those limitations, it is still a relatively powerful film. I wonder what seeing the play performed live would be like.
This is the story about a young wife, Lady Windmere who is being pursued from by a 'friend' of the husband. The husband finds out who the mother of his wife really is, but they decide to keep it a secret so as not to shock the young wife. But their is a social issue here. The mom has been ousted from high society and she wants to get back in, partly to pursue a Lord that she is interested in marrying. But the young wife thinks her husband has a relationship with the mom, and she considers running into the arms of her admirer out of jealousy. Her mother, tries to stop her from making this mistake. In so, making the ultimate sacrifice of her possible repositioning in high society that she has desired so much.
Released in 1925, this film has some interesting styles in clothes and hair. I also notice that there have been several remakes of the film.
I was not able to find a trailer, but the whole film as well as large portions of it are available on You Tube.
Saturday, August 3, 2013
Friday, August 2, 2013
This is Martin Bonner 3.5/4
Seen in theater. Released in 2013.
Directed and written by Chad Hartigan.
With Paul Eenhoorn, Richmond Arquette, Sam Buchanan, Robert Longstreet, Demetrius Grosse.
An older gentleman has uprooted himself from the east coast to live and work in Nevada. He works for a Christian organization which tries to help released prisoner to rehabilitate. There's one ex-prisoner who seems especially awkward and socially inept that he takes under his wing. Along the way to rehabilitation, the ex con tries to reconnect with his teen/ 20 something daughter in a beautifully tender and awkward moment of the film which is the center piece of the film.
I highly recommend this film. My philosophy, after working with inner city 5th graders for the last
It's a very simple film. And it is very short. I was disappointed when it ended. I wanted more.
Directed and written by Chad Hartigan.
With Paul Eenhoorn, Richmond Arquette, Sam Buchanan, Robert Longstreet, Demetrius Grosse.
An older gentleman has uprooted himself from the east coast to live and work in Nevada. He works for a Christian organization which tries to help released prisoner to rehabilitate. There's one ex-prisoner who seems especially awkward and socially inept that he takes under his wing. Along the way to rehabilitation, the ex con tries to reconnect with his teen/ 20 something daughter in a beautifully tender and awkward moment of the film which is the center piece of the film.
I highly recommend this film. My philosophy, after working with inner city 5th graders for the last
It's a very simple film. And it is very short. I was disappointed when it ended. I wanted more.
This is the End - 2.5/4 Grownups 2 - .5/4
This is the End Seen in theater.
Released 2013.
Directed by Evan Goldberg, Seth Rogen.
Written by Evan Goldberg, Seth Rogen.
With james Franco, Seth Rogen, Yay Baruchel, Emma Watson, Danny McBride, Craig Robinson, Michael Cera
Grown Ups 2 Seen in Theater.
Released 2013.
Directed by Dennis Duagan.
Written by Fred Wolf, Adam Sandler, Tim Helrihy.
With Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Chris Rock, David Spade, Salma Hayek, Maya Rudolph, Maria Bello, Nick Swardson, Steve Buscemi
I have never done two films at one time, bit when I was thinking about that horrible movie Grownups 2, I kept comparing it to a very similar movie called This is the End. So it seems to be the most appropriate thing to do. The most important similarity is that they comedies in which there are no sacred cows. All topics are considered fair game. In other words, they are both very offensive. And I have no problem with that. I like a good nasty film as much as the next red blooded male. I read one review that said that Grown-ups is very offensive to various groups, and I agree it is, but so is This is The End. So why is one film so much better than the other. Why is the offensiveness okay in This is the End and so miserable in Grownups 2?
Here are some of my ideas of wwhat makes one film better than the other one.
1) Grownups 2 is simply not very funny. I may have chuckled maybe 4 times. (those four chuckles kept it from being zero stars). While watching This is the End, I must have been grinning the whole time and laughed frequently. So basically, Grownups 2 is not very well written.
2) Believability is not something a viewer should be concerned about while watching these films. The events that happen are so outrageous. They are outrageous because they are attempting to be over the top. Both films reminded me of extended SNL shows, especially Grownups 2. (during those awful 90's years) It was just one bit after another bit. Plot was just a devise to advance to the next bit. But Grownups 2 kind of tried to be believable and outrageous at the same time. It even attempted to have a saccharine feel-good message at the end. So the dialogue was real stupid in Grownups 2.
In This is the End, there is no attempt to be realistic. It is about the biblical Apocalypse and how the characters are dealing with it. No real plot, just lots of excuses to ad lib and do bits. They were not at all trying to be realistic, so the viewer doesn't have to try to 'relate; to the characters.
3) I think that This is the End was so much better because, the actors played themselves. So while the jokes were infantile and in bad taste, they were mostly pretty much skewering themselves and the Hollywood lifestyle. The self referential aspect of the film was the best part of the film. Grownups 2 were directing its venom at innocent groups (gays, mental health etc).
Sigh, it was kind of hard to articulate my ideas. I hope some of this made sense.
Released 2013.
Directed by Evan Goldberg, Seth Rogen.
Written by Evan Goldberg, Seth Rogen.
With james Franco, Seth Rogen, Yay Baruchel, Emma Watson, Danny McBride, Craig Robinson, Michael Cera
Grown Ups 2 Seen in Theater.
Released 2013.
Directed by Dennis Duagan.
Written by Fred Wolf, Adam Sandler, Tim Helrihy.
With Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Chris Rock, David Spade, Salma Hayek, Maya Rudolph, Maria Bello, Nick Swardson, Steve Buscemi
I have never done two films at one time, bit when I was thinking about that horrible movie Grownups 2, I kept comparing it to a very similar movie called This is the End. So it seems to be the most appropriate thing to do. The most important similarity is that they comedies in which there are no sacred cows. All topics are considered fair game. In other words, they are both very offensive. And I have no problem with that. I like a good nasty film as much as the next red blooded male. I read one review that said that Grown-ups is very offensive to various groups, and I agree it is, but so is This is The End. So why is one film so much better than the other. Why is the offensiveness okay in This is the End and so miserable in Grownups 2?
Here are some of my ideas of wwhat makes one film better than the other one.
1) Grownups 2 is simply not very funny. I may have chuckled maybe 4 times. (those four chuckles kept it from being zero stars). While watching This is the End, I must have been grinning the whole time and laughed frequently. So basically, Grownups 2 is not very well written.
2) Believability is not something a viewer should be concerned about while watching these films. The events that happen are so outrageous. They are outrageous because they are attempting to be over the top. Both films reminded me of extended SNL shows, especially Grownups 2. (during those awful 90's years) It was just one bit after another bit. Plot was just a devise to advance to the next bit. But Grownups 2 kind of tried to be believable and outrageous at the same time. It even attempted to have a saccharine feel-good message at the end. So the dialogue was real stupid in Grownups 2.
In This is the End, there is no attempt to be realistic. It is about the biblical Apocalypse and how the characters are dealing with it. No real plot, just lots of excuses to ad lib and do bits. They were not at all trying to be realistic, so the viewer doesn't have to try to 'relate; to the characters.
3) I think that This is the End was so much better because, the actors played themselves. So while the jokes were infantile and in bad taste, they were mostly pretty much skewering themselves and the Hollywood lifestyle. The self referential aspect of the film was the best part of the film. Grownups 2 were directing its venom at innocent groups (gays, mental health etc).
Sigh, it was kind of hard to articulate my ideas. I hope some of this made sense.
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