Street of Chance

This film noir plays out a bit like a Twilight Zone (not "Time Enough at Last") episode. Frank Thompson (Burgess Meredith), is hit on the head in an accident on the street. He remembers a prior life, but nothing of a more recent one. Next thing he knows dangerous men are after him. Police? Also someone's been murdered. But who, and why? And who's the blonde mixed up in this? If only he could remember... Meanwhile there's plenty of dimly lit streets, high camera angles, even higher contrast black and white cinematography and plenty of shadowy characters with sketchy stories.

This noir, with its unique twist on amnesia, is well worth a view.

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The Virgin Suicides

This film gets away with an aggressive mix of humor and completely serious dark subject matter by being hyper-stylized. It's an odd film, and Sofia Coppola's directorial debut. Adolescent awkwardness, societal constraints, repression, and tragic consequences...

Set in the idyllic suburban landscape of 1970s middle America, the enigmatic Lisbon sisters are five beautiful girls whose lives are shrouded in secrecy. A group of boys sort of collectively narrate the tale. They are both fascinated, frustrated and more than a little afraid when it comes to the Lisbon sisters. Most of the film is actually a flash back as the boys' future selves struggle to unravel the sisters' ultimate fate (which is in the title).

"The Virgin Suicides" is a dreamy, nostalgic film capturing the cringe of the 1970s. The film's soundtrack enhances its dreamlike quality as the psychological complexities of adolescence are served in healing portions. The Lisbon sisters are portrayed as both innocent and worldly, fragile and defiant. Their overly protective parents, while well-intentioned, are ultimately unable to understand their daughters' desires and frustrations. 

Notable performances by Kirsten Dunst as the oldest of the sisters, the anchor of the group. And James Woods is their father, and math teacher.

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River

This is a very small film with humor, heart, no budget and an innovative premise.

At a small, rural Japanese inn by a river, a cast of guests and employees is trapped in a two-minute loop of time. The premise is simple. The characters become confused, angry and desperate, emotional revelations and heartfelt moments ensue - in 2 minute bursts. Each loop is a unique opportunity for the characters to learn, develop their relationships and make different choices.

The short time loop create a sense of urgency and claustrophobia. It greatly limits the settings. But the film is quite funny, rather than stressful. Japanese films seem to have a way with blending tension with borderline slapstick.

The end of "River" is a bit rush and contrived. But the reason for the loop isn't at all the point. The arbitrariness ends up working just fine.

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From Here to Eternity

Set in the oh so innocent days (and nights) of just barely pre-Pearl Harbor Hawaii, we get a provocative film, pushing the boundaries of censorship with its frank depiction of sexuality, failed marriage, adultery and violence. A quite unflattering take on military life is tossed in for good measure. "From Here to Eternity" was controversial in 1953, when the Hays Code yet lingered. A "War movie" wasn't supposed to go where this film goes.

We have an exceptional cast, with each actor delivering a memorable performance. Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr's passionate love affair and scene on the beach is a cinematic icon. Montgomery Clift and Frank Sinatra are both excellent, as is the entire supporting cast. The film won 8 Academy Awards out of 13 nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, Adapted Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actor (Frank Sinatra).

There was a rumor that Sinatra was cast due to his connections with the Mafia. And this is the basis for a sub-plot in "The Godfather". Montgomery Clift was an insufferable method actor. He learned to play the bugle, took boxing lessons and drank heavily during production (the last item being something he and Sinatra were pretty good at going in).

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The Last Emperor

"The Last Emperor" is a huge film, no other way to put it, spanning the first half of the 20th century through the life of, well it's right there in the title. With fantastic visuals, opulent sets and costumes, and a dramatic score this film conveys the grandeur and decay of the Chinese Empire and the rather rough birth of the modern Peoples' Republic.

The cinematography is breathtaking. From the Forbidden City and the stark realities of the Chinese Revolution, this is an epic. Yet it stays within the personal scale of the lives of a few individuals.

John Lone delivers a captivating performance as Pu Yi. We follow the emperor's transformation from a pampered child through re-education and the cultural revolution, to a disillusioned adult, to a nondescript elderly gardener. The supporting cast, including Joan Chen and Peter O'Toole, also deliver strong performances.

Great historical drama and simply great filmmaking. Settle in, this one is a long journey.

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The Virginian

A cowboy, Steve (comically nice guy with poor judgement), arrives in a Wyoming cowboy town after some time away. He quickly gets mixed up in a conflict involving a sketchy local cowboy dressed all in black, Trampas, and "Virginia", another cowboy with ideas about what cowboy might be behind recent calf rustling. Meanwhile Steve and Virginia go head to head for the attentions of the new school teacher.

The characters are largely off the shelf cliches, but I'd be disappointed if they weren't. This film literally ends with a ride into the sunset by the way. The performances are mixed. The stars are notably more natural than others. It's a bit silly in spots, but there's an unusual amount of actual outdoor settings, and legitimate herds, herding and cowboy stuff, all in nicely done Technicolor.

Not groundbreaking, but solid...

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To Sir, with Love

Sidney Poitier is quite an amazing actor. His screen presence is uttering convincing bringing a level to his characters that few actors approach. "To Sir, with Love" is often as one of his best performances . I suppose it is but he has several. In this one Mark Thackeray, a young engineer looking for work takes a teaching position in a challenging inner-city school, where it sounds like they'll hire just about anybody. 

You know the drill. Initially he is met with resistance and disrespect. His fellow teachers, cynical and burned out, are no help at all with the unruly working class students. But Thackeray gradually wins them over with his patience, understanding, respect and unwavering belief in their potential to be good adults.

The thing about Sidney Poitier is that he was never an amazing black actor. It's that he was always an amazing actor. This was a man that came to the barriers of race in his career, blew right past them and kept on going. Yet remarkably in his work, his character is never a positive role black man, but a positive role man. Race is addressed in these films, but it's never a dependent characteristic of the character - not a definitive part of the character's identity. At the same time, the character's race and the challenge it sets up is stated and acknowledged, as the environment which the character must deal deal with and move through. Poitier 's way of walking this fine line is something everyone should admire and aspire to.

Anyway, as a bonus "To Sir, with Love" also offers a glimpse into the social and cultural climate of '60s London. Fun stuff pop-culture stuff...

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The Last Picture Show

Set in rural Texas in the 1950s, the film follows the lives of two young men just leaving high school, Sonny and Duane (Timothy Bottoms and Jeff Bridges), as they navigate a transitional period of life in their bleak little town. The film's cinematography is outstanding. The high contrast black and white and slow pans across empty streets create a hopeless, melancholy mix of dull nostalgia and a sense of profound boredom in a world almost totally devoid of dreams. Interestingly we see nothing about the boy's families, parents and home life. It's just not important. 

The title, “The Last Picture Show”, refers to a run down theater that is one of the town's principle entertainments. "The movies", represent something to do for the young people, as well as a source of imagined opportunity and escape. Non of their imagined better lives pans out and more than their past did. And by the end of the tale, the theater closes. 

"I guess if it wasn't for Sam, I'd have missed it, whatever it is. I'd have been one of them amity types that thinks that playin' bridge is about the best thing that life has to offer."

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Whispering Smith

"One man behind the rock is worth three in the open."

"Whispering Smith" is an actual film noir Western, right down to the dialogue. Alan Ladd is a quiet and observant railroad detective unraveling (pretty easily) a series of train robberies. Robert Preston is his old friend, Murray, who's fallen in with a bad crowd. Of course Smith has a history with his old friend's wife. 

This is in color, and isn't in cinemascope or vistavision or any of those, but the camera work is quite good. There's heavy use of shadows and key lighting that would be right at home in any traditional film noir. The Vasquez Rock location is used, which is always fun to see. So, so much movie and television done there... In fact if you watch closely you realize that they ride around it a couple of times. Decent story, mediocre script, adequate performances, but Alan Ladd is always good.

Overall, a solid Western from classic Hollywood with a serious noir bent. Worth a view.

"If they'd be any other way, I'da played it differently. You know that, don't you? The only cards I had wee the ones you dealt me."

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Garbo Talks

A dying woman's wish to meet her lifelong idol, Greta Garbo. Her son spends the film trying to make that happen.

Anne Bancroft is the star attraction here as the ailing Estelle. We see her character's wit, vulnerability, and unwavering dedication to her principles, and to her fandom of Garbo. Ron Silver is her devoted son, Gilbert, who embarks on a quixotic quest to fulfill his mother's dream, at the expense of everything and everyone in his own life.

"Garbo Talks" is a nostalgic and charming film, and a love letter to both NYC and the bygone era of Hollywood glamour and cinematic magic. But in the end, as a film, it offers little more than character studies of, granted, interesting people that never form a cohesive story together. Garbo herself is clearly a sort of aspiration symbol, but for... What?

Gilbert's wife, played by Carrie Fisher, is treated pretty unfairly by the film. She didn't do anything wrong, and was supportive throughout. And yet Gilbert does nothing to save his marriage why? Instead he falls immediately for a random coworker out of simple lust. What does this have to do with Garbo?

So, yes, "Garbo Talks" is a heartfelt story of human connection and the importance of cherishing loved ones. But unfortunately this doesn't seem to extend beyond Anne Bancroft's role. Estelle is far and away the most interesting character as a woman with a lifelong obsession with progressive causes, fighting for the underdogs of society. And who is also hopelessly starstruck by the glamorous Hollywood imagery of Garbo.

It's not a bad film, but in the hands of any number of lesser directors it surely would have been. It simply should have been more. "Garbo Talks" is loaded with '80s fashion, hair and furniture though. So there's that.

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