THE HUSTLER - 1961
RATED - NR but probably PG-13. Almost every scene involves alcohol and adult topics. There is no foul language, sex or nudity. There is some minor violence, mostly partially hidden or off screen.
RATINGS - 115 Amazon (4.5/5), 337,363 Netflix (4.0/5), 24,464 IMDB (8.2/10)
STARRING - Paul Newman, Jackie Gleason, George Scott, Piper Laurie and Myron McCormick.
AWARDS - Nine Academy Award Nominations including BEST PICTURE, BEST ACTOR, BEST ACTRESS and two BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR. BAFTA BEST PICTURE award and several Golden Globe nominations including BEST ACTOR.
THEMES - Relationships, justice.
STORY - The film opens with a typical scene in a day of the lives of 'Fast Eddie' (Newman) and Charlie (McCormick). Another small town stop pretending to be salesman with car trouble on their way to a sales award convention so they need to spend a few hours at the local pool hall while their car is being worked on. They go into their routine to 'setup' the locals for the big hustle and at the end of the day the locals are a few hundred dollars lighter. The ultimate goal is to 'hustle' the mighty one, Minnesota Fats (Gleason) who hasn't been beaten in 15 years. The big match lasts 36 grueling hours and several bottles of booze. The cocky, swaggering Eddie has met his match but it wasn't the pool skills that did him in. Can he recover or is he the 'born loser' that Bert Gordon (Scott), the 'Fat Man's manager and professional gambler, accuses him of being? Sarah (Laurie) enters the picture and can two 'born losers' rehabilitate each other? The acting is outstanding by all five main characters and the settings in seedy bars, bus stations and pool halls genuinely gives the feeling of life in another world where day to day survival is fueled by alcohol and nicotine and petty pursuits. Can anyone pull themselves out of this environment or are they destined to be 'born losers'? Human nature at its most raw and vulnerable. One of Newman's great performances along with Gleason, Scott and Laurie. A classic!!!
LINKS - AMAZON, IMDB/TRAILER
Showing posts with label Academy Awards. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Academy Awards. Show all posts
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Sunday, July 19, 2009
BEING THERE
BEING THERE - 1979
RATED - PG Probably best suited for older teens and above. Some sexually related dialogue and a scene where a woman fully clothed masturbates (mostly off screen) to attract a man who is not interested. No nudity and one scene of language from a gang member.
RATINGS - 16 Amazon (4/5), 445,118 Netflix (3.8/5), 22,017 IMDB (8/10), Roger Ebert (4/4).
STARRING - Peter Sellers, Shirley MacLaine,
AWARDS - 1980 Academy Award for BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR & BEST ACTOR nominee. AFI TOP 100 Laughs, 1981 BAFTA nominees for BEST ACTOR, BEST ACTRESS & BEST FILM. 1980 Golden Globe awards for BEST ACTOR & BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR and nominees for BEST MOTION PICTURE, BEST DIRECTOR & BEST ACTRESS.
THEME - Satire, relationships.
STORY - Peter Sellers plays Chance the long time gardener for a wealthy gentlemen who dies early in the film. Chance's life revolves around television and gardening. He has a TV close by wherever he is, even while working. His ability to communicate with others is limited to parroting what he hears and sees on TV. Put out on the street (literally) when the owner dies with nothing but a suitcase full of the owner's custom made suits (perfect fit except about 3 inches short in the legs) he tries to find what life has next. A minor accident lands him in the home of a wealthy and dying industrialist who has a powerful influence on the presidency. (the film is set in D.C.) who assumes that his cryptic speech and tailor made clothes represent an eccentric genius. (The real genius is Seller's acting in the film) His 'words of wisdom' (often the most recent words he has seen on TV) take on a life of their own when coming from the mouth of this 'genius'. Read Roger Ebert's review for a more in depth discussion of the various levels of interpretation one might read into the film. While not everyone (action oriented viewers) will appreciate this film, it is a terrific satire on our culture and the way people react with pre-conceived perceptions of the way people dress and talk. While set in D.C., a great deal of the movie is filmed at the Biltmore Estate in North Carolina, an unbelievable landmark. People have discussed the meaning of the last scene, where Chance (appears to) walks on water across the pond, since the film was released. Great discussion potential, terrific acting and a fun (although somewhat quirky) movie. Enjoy. Lu G. for Lu's Reviews. 07/19/2009.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
THE HEART IS A LONELY HUNTER
THE HEART IS A LONELY HUNTER - 1968RATED - G
RATINGS - 28 Amazon (4.5/5), 4,327 (3.7/5), 1.028 IMDB (7.8/10).
STARRING - Alan Arkin, Sondra Locke
AWARDS - 1969 Academy Award & Golden Globe nominee in both Best Actor & Best Supporting Actress categories. Also Golden Globe Awards Best Motion Picture nominee.
THEMES - Relationships, loneliness, handicaps, discrimination.
STORY - The film is based on Carson MCuller's best-selling novel which is an Oprah Book Club selection. John Singer (Arkin) is a deaf-mute who works in a small town jewelry store doing engraving and repairs. He also apparently has responsibility for another deaf-mute, Spiros(Chuck McCann) who continually gets into trouble with the law and is sent away to a 'facility' in another small community. Singer moves there to be close and help his friend. He rents a room from a family struggling with finances due to the father's hip injury and inability to work. He enters into the life of the teenage daughter struggling with her identity and coming of age. His disability makes him very sensitive to the needs and hurts of those around him including an African-American doctor who refuses to treat whites. While selflessly reaching out to those around him, Singer harbors a secret known only to himself. A powerful story of love and relationships and redemption and the world of silence occupied by those who cannot physically hear or speak but in reality hear and say more than most who are not handicapped. Top performances by Arkin and Locke carry this timeless film. Lu G. for Lu's Reviews. 12/6/2008.
LINKS - AMAZON, IMDB, BOOK
Saturday, June 21, 2008
ANATOMY OF A MURDER
ANATOMY OF A MURDER - 1959
RATED - NR but probably PG for adult themes including frank but not graphic discussion of rape in the courtroom.
RATINGS - 82 Amazon (4.5/5), 141,689 Netflix (4.0/5), 10,101 IMDB (8.1/10).
STARRING - James Stewart, Lee Remick, Ben Gazzara, Eve Arden, Arthur O'Connell. Directed by Otto Preminger.
AWARDS - 7 Academy Award nominations including BEST PICTURE & BEST ACTOR (Stewart). AFI Top 100 THRILLS & Top 100 MOVIES nominations. Recently named AFI All Time Top 10 COURTROOM DRAMA. BAFTA nominee for BEST PICTURE & BEST ACTOR. 4 Golden Globe nominations including BEST MOTION PICTURE.
STORY - This Otto Preminger directed film is vintage Jimmy Stewart who plays a country lawyer recently voted out of the county prosecutors office he held for many years. Fishing seems to have replaced legal work and as the film opens his long time secretary (Arden) is asking for enough money to cover her pay check. He needs a case to bring in some fees. Laura Manion (Remick) shows up looking for a lawyer to defend her Army officer husband, Lt. Frederick Manion (Gazzara) who is accused of murdering a local bartender who apparently raped Mrs. Manion. Nothing seems to be like it appears. A lie detector test on Mrs. Manion says one thing and the forensic evidence taken after the alleged rape seems to say the opposite. They seem to be happily married but Mrs. Manion is often seen in public without her husband and in the company of other men. Lt. Manion seems a solid citizen soldier but is he always that way in private? Can Stewart defend him on the basis of temporary insanity? A great performance by Stewart as well as by everyone else with many surprise turns. As great as Stewart's performance is, the movie would not be what is without a terrific, albeit somewhat minor, performance by Joseph Welch as the retired judge who is filling in for the regular judge. With a dry sense of humor and perfect timing, he makes the courtroom scenes so outstanding. A genuine classic. Lu G. for Lu's Reviews. 06-21-2008.
WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION
WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION - 1957
RATED - NR but probably PG for brief, strong language and adult themes.
RATINGS - 81 Amazon (5/5), 114,897 Netflix (4.1/5), 11,245 IMDB (8.2/10).
STARRING - Tyrone Power, Marlene Dietrich,Charles Laughton & directed by Billy Wilder.
AWARDS - 6 Academy Award nominations including BEST PICTURE and BEST ACTOR (Charles Laughton), BAFTA BEST ACTOR (Laughton) nominee and 5 Golden Globe nominations including BEST ACTOR, BEST ACTRESS & BEST MOTION PICTURE. Just recently named to AFI All Time Top 10 Courtroom Dramas.
STORY - I'm not going to spoil the plot since this Agatha Christie-based movie directed by Billy Wilder takes so many twists and turns, especially at the end. The AWARDS speak for themselves as to the quality of this film. Charles Laughton portrays the huge hunk of a man, barrister Sir Wilfrid, who, as the film opens, is returning home from an extended stay in the hospital for a near fatal heart attack. He is accompanied by his eccentric nurse whose sole job is to keep him away from everything he craves-cigars, brandy, women and high stress criminal cases. Of course, he immediately becomes intrigued with the case of Leonard Vole (Power) who is accused of killing a wealthy widow. His curiosity gets the best of him when he meets Christine Helm/Vole (Dietrich), Leonard's wife and only alibi, and so he decides to take Leonard's case. The rest of this fast-paced film concentrates on the courtroom drama with it famous surprises and great acting and is spiced with some very funny scenes and lines. Definitely one of the all time great courtroom films-put this at the top of the list. Lu G. for Lu's Reviews. 06-21-2008.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
THE ELEPHANT MAN
THE ELEPHANT MAN - 1980
RATED - PG for some physical and emotional abuse as well as its emotional intensity. Best for over 13.
RATINGS - 136 Amazon (5/5), 406,278 Netflix (3.8/5), 37.512 IMDB (8.4/10).
STARRING - Anthony Hopkins, John Hurt.
AWARDS - 8 Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Actor (John Hurt), Winner of 1981 BAFTA Best Picture and Best Actor (John Hurt) Awards.
THEMES - Human dignity, love, relationships.
STORY - Based on the true story of John Merrick (John Hurt) who lived in the late 1800's, it tells of the transformation from a freak in a carnival to a person of worth and dignity. John Merrick was born perhaps the most disfigured and grotesque looking person in recorded history. We don't learn much about his birth and early life other than some surreal nightmares which allude to a traumatic experience in the past. We pick up his life as the police are shutting down his sideshow in the carnival because of it being 'inhuman' although the other 'freak' shows are allowed to continue. It takes about 20 minutes of seeing a glimpse here and there before we see the whole disfigured person. A London surgeon, Frederick Treves (Anthony Hopkins) hears about John and sneaks him into the isolation ward of the hospital to try and observe him and help him if he can. At first, he is convinced he is an imbecile, incapable of any meaningful human interaction. Then, he discovers a real person behind the grotesque face and the transformation begins thru Treves and other hospital staff. But Treves wonders if his motives are pure and has he just created another 'sideshow' for respectable people. The film is shot in black and white highlighting the era (Victorian) in which it took place as well as the stark reality of the circumstances. There are two particularly poignant moments in the film. One is John Merrick asking Treves if he can cure him and the other is when Merrick is being abused by a group of people who paid the night watchman at the hospital to bring them up to his room and look at him. One interesting note is that Mel Brooks Films produced this but kept his name out of it because he did not want people to think this was a comedy. Also, the incredible makeup job was actually done from an impression of the real John Merrick, made before he died. Besides being a terrific film on its own, it is a great reminder to all of us who may have judged someone by their outward appearance, that it is what is in the heart that matters. This is an outstanding movie, one to watch and rewatch. Lu G. for Lu's Reviews. 05/12/2008.
LINKS - AMAZON, IMDB. JOHN MERRICK BIOGRAPHY
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