FelixtheCat Reviews

Lumumba: Death of a Prophet (1991)

The documenting of a needed voice silenced

[6/10 · 1 September 2005]

The 1961 assassination of Zaire's prime minister Patrice Lumumba is the subject of this modest documentary. Raoul Peck directs this unique look at a tragic time in African history, where the one man who seemed poised to finally speak up for the black population of the Congo was brutally killed before his goal of equality could be completely achieved.

Peck, who intertwines bits of his own childhood into the mix to establish the period, uses little music to help establish the somberness of the subject. The result is a worthwhile documentary, especially to those interested in African history. Peck, who also narrates, directed the 2001 narrative film on the same subject entitled "Lumumba."

Sanders of the River (1935)

Africa in the movies, circa 1935

[5/10 · 1 September 2005]

Leslie Banks stars as the title character, a British officer who manages to keep the peace between the African tribes loyal to His Majesty and those loyal to the African king. His right-hand man, one of the tribal leaders, played by Paul Robeson, does all he can to help Banks maintain the peace, but when Banks takes a trip away from the region, all heck breaks loose. Robeson tries his best to stem the tide of revolution against the British in Sanders' absence.

Zoltan Korda directed this surprisingly lesser-quality film, but actually wanted to make a more positive film in regards to its portrayal of Africa, but sadly he was dissuaded. Also, it is sad to see Robeson, such a political force for equality in real life, play a stereotypically subservient role to Banks. The film was based on Edgar Wallace's novel at the urging of the film's producer and director's brother, Alexander.

Desire (1936)

Dietrich and Cooper steal away some laughs in this breezy romance

[7/10 · 13 June 2001]

Marlene Dietrich stars as a European jewel thief who comically pilfers an extremely rare and expensive pearl necklace from a renowned jewelry store in France. Making her escape through Europe, she keeps bumping into a persistent, not-so-bright, vacationing American motor engineer played delightfully by Gary Cooper. After blowing he and his advances off several times, she realized that he unknowingly has obtained her stolen prize, and now she must find him in Spain and play up to him romantically. The film is very breezy and light most of the way, and Cooper and Dietrich do a fine job together. Meanwhile, Ernest Cossart as the jeweler and Alan Mowbray as a psychiatrist who is an unwitting accomplice to Dietrich have a great comedic scene with each other early on in Mowbray's office. 7 out of 10.

Down and Out in America (1985 TV Movie)

Liberal views with some truth to them...

[5/10 · 6 June 2000]

Lee Grant directs and narrates this dismaying look at the results of Reaganomics upon America's working class. She looks at the plight of the farmers who face foreclosure on their lands, people living in a 1980s' version of a "Hooverville" and are being forced to move, and at a family who has been burned out of their home and has nowhere to turn except for an overcrowded welfare house. The stories are moving and prove that bad things can happen to good people, but the film grows a bit tiresome by its conclusion. Grant does an obviously careful job of choosing well-spoken subjects in order to help strengthen her slant on the issues at hand. The result is the feeling of being a bit manipulated by the filmmaker, but of course, almost every documentary filmmaker is going to have a passion for his or her subject matter and have his or her opinions on it, otherwise the filmmaker would not bother to make the film in the first place. "Down and Out In America" is an interesting film in terms of its subject matter, but it offers nothing ground-breaking in regards to its contribution to the genre of the documentary.

The Goose That Laid the Golden Egg (1936)

Felix the Cat gets to talk!!!

[8/10 · 3 June 2000]

In 1936 Felix the Cat was resurrected to the screen in three short animated films. This is one of them. In it, Felix, speaking audibly for the first time, must protect his goose who lays golden eggs for him from a band of pirates. The two other animated shorts produced in 1936 are "Neptune Nonsense" and "Bold King Cole." Besides talking for the first time, these three shorts also marked the first time that Felix was produced in color. One of the film's directors was Otto Mesmer, who also happened to be Felix's creator in 1919, though credit is also given to Pat Sullivan, the head of the studio that employed the young artist Mesmer. This is the era where Felix looks his best, and this is the second best of the three 1936 productions. "Neptune" is its superior, but this still is a splendid film for Felix fans of all ages!

Richard III (1995)

Shakespeare again updated to the 20th century...

[8/10 · 3 June 2000]

Ian McKellen adapts this strikingly original update of Shakespeare's classic play about the murderous king who kills his way up the family tree to get the crown. McKellen also stars as the wicked Richard in his version, set in the 1930s. A great cast of players supports him as he magnificently pulls off the part of the evil king. The dialogue stays true to the bard's script and McKellen's adaptation gives a new meaning to the famous line, "A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse!" Annette Bening does seem out of place. She and Robert Downey Jr., as her brother Rivers, apparently are supposed to be American, yet Bening occasionally slips into a weak British accent, which only confuses the matter.

Father Was a Fullback (1949)

Well, actually he was just a coach...

[5/10 · 3 June 2000]

A college football coach goes through his roughest season both on the field and off in this light comedy. Fred MacMurray plays the kindly coach who has lost touch with his oldest daughter, Betty Lynn, and lost favor with the head of the alumni, Rudy Vallee. His wife, Maureen O'Hara playing much older than her actual age of 29 at the time, stands by his side as he stumbles through the rough times. Jim Backus is fun as their next-door neighbor, and Thelma Ritter adds some punch as their maid who always has money on the team that MacMurray's school is playing. Lynn is good as the teen caught up in angst and a young Natalie Wood plays his precocious youngest daughter very nicely. Overall, it's an amiable film, but underwhelming.

Citizen Kane (1941)

Most certainly one of Hollywood's greatest...

[10/10 · 3 June 2000]

"Rosebud" is the mournful, deathbed utterance of Charles Foster Kane (Orson Welles). "Can one word explain a man?" one reporter asks. This is what reporters intend to find out. The film is a jigsaw puzzle of Kane's life assembled piece by piece by those who "knew" him best so that everyone might learn what or who "Rosebud" is. The film's opening seems to suggest that this investigative intrusion into his personal past is not a place that should be trespassed upon. The cast is brilliant, especially Welles as the unfulfilled newspaper mogul. The story, scripted by Herman J. Mankiewicz and Welles, owes as much to the life of Welles himself as it does to yellow journalist William Randolph Hearst, its most obvious model. The film remains fascinating from start to finish, in viewing after viewing, in this, Welles' directorial debut. It is filled with innovative technique, symbolism, and powerful meaning and has solidified its place as one of the true masterpieces of cinema.

The Last Command (1928)

A window to Hollywood and the Russia of years old...

[10/10 · 3 June 2000]

Josef Von Sternberg directs this magnificent silent film about silent Hollywood and the former Imperial General to the Czar of Russia who has found himself there. Emil Jannings won a well-deserved Oscar, in part, for his role as the general who ironically is cast in a bit part in a silent picture as a Russian general. The movie flashes back to his days in Russia leading up to the country's fall to revolutionaries. William Powell makes his big screen debut as the Hollywood director who casts Jannings in his film. The film serves as an interesting look at the fall of Russia and at an imitation of behind-the-scenes Tinseltown in the early days. Von Sternberg delivers yet another classic, and one that is filled with the great elements of romance, intrigue, and tragedy.

Small Time Crooks (2000)

Small Time Crooks...Small Time Laughs...

[3/10 · 2 June 2000]

Woody Allen is at the helm of this comedy in which he stars and also wrote. He plays a nebish, what a surprise, who fancies himself a criminal mastermind and plans a bank heist with his dopey pals. Tracey Ullman plays his wife who dreams of someday joining the sophisticated lifestyle of royalty. The laughs, sadly, are just not there as Allen seemingly abandons his heist plot entirely partway through to explore the comedic possibilities of Ullman's vain attempts to achieve her goal of joining high society. Meanwhile, Woody just wants his life back to normal once they have struck it rich. The film seems disjointed as if Allen ran out of ideas for one story and simply combined it with another. It is certainly one of Allen's lesser films as this viewer found himself forcing himself to try to laugh at Woody for the first time ever.

The Sixth Sense (1999)

I promise not to give away the surprise...

[9/10 · 1 June 2000]

The title of this creepy thriller refers to a young boy's ability to see ghosts and to communicate with them. The boy, Haley Joel Osment, reveals his secret to no one, and suffers much ridicule and feelings of loneliness due to his seemingly odd behavior. Bruce Willis plays a child psychiatrist who tries to find out what is wrong with him and finally having earned the boy's trust, the youngster tells his haunting secret. The film offers and eerie score, many scares, and some brilliant story developments that will make the viewer rethink the many assumptions that they normally make when watching a film. Not many films have ever had that power.

Mystery Men (1999)

Beware, too many flatulence jokes dead ahead...

[5/10 · 1 June 2000]

A league of wannabe superheroes has to try and save their beloved Champion City and its only true superhero, Captain Amazing, form the clutches of supervillain, Casanova Frankenstein, in this spoof take from a Dark Horse comic book. The gaggle of loser heroes is comprise of Ben Stiller, whose ability is to get very angry, William H. Macy as the Shoveler, who wields a mean shovel, and...well, you get the idea. One hero that the film could have done without in this sporadically funny comedy is Paul Reubens as the repulsive Spleen. He is absolutely obnoxious, not only in concept, but just as much in an untalented, unfunny performance by the former Pee-Wee. Hank Azaria is mildly funny as the Blue Raja as is Wes Studi handing out bits of wisdom. Stiller is the most consistently funny though, while Greg Kinnear is amusing as Captain Amazing.

Blast from the Past (1999)

Walken is funny, the movie is a bore...

[5/10 · 1 June 2000]

Brendan Fraser plays a 35-year-old man who comes to the Earth's surface for the first time in modern day L.A., after being raised by his parents in a bomb shelter since 1962. Christopher Walken is a lot of fun as Fraser's oddball, scientist father who believes that America has been nuked by the Soviets. Sissy Spacek is his equal as the mom who cannot wait to resurface and abandon their luxurious shelter. Alicia Silverstone represents Fraser's newfound romantic possibilities and Dave Foley is fun as her homosexual confidante. The bomb shelter scenes with Walken are this lightweight comedy's best while the storyline in L.A. is predictable and often ridiculous. The scenes with the cult our especially horrific. Silverstone turns in a rather poor performance when compared "Clueless."

The Toast of New Orleans (1950)

Opera lovers take note, opera haters run for cover...

[6/10 · 1 June 2000]

Turn-of-the-century New Orleans is the setting of this operatic, musical romance starring Mario Lanza and his powerful voice and the porcelain Kathryn Grayson. Lanza plays a bayou, shrimp fisherman who lives with his nagging uncle, J. Carrol Naish. He is a brash and verile lout until an opera director, David Niven, sees him singing and believes he is the tenor that his opera has been needing. Lanza's voice is ironed out through the company's training as are his brutish manners, with the help of opera star Grayson, whom Lanza has fallen for. The humor is typical, but opera lovers may enjoy the inclusion of arias from "Mignon," "Carmen," and "La Traviata," along with duets from "Madam Butterfly." A young Rita Moreno appears as a waterfront girl.

The Lost Weekend (1945)

Nightmare in a bottle...

[10/10 · 1 June 2000]

Billy Wilder's nightmarish vision of an alcoholic's lonely desperation is brought to full realization in this film-noirish drama that won the Oscar for Best Picture in 1945. Ray Milland stars as the suffering and penniless alcoholic who knows no shame as he hits his lowest point in life, begging and stealing just to obtain some liquor. Milland's performance was rightfully deemed worthy of an Oscar. Jane Wyman co-stars as his caring girlfriend who wants so desperately to help him. Wilder won the Oscar for Best Director and deservedly shared in another for his screenplay with co-writer Charles Brackett. Milland's "detox" nightmare scene is one that is impossible to forget.

Shanghai Noon (2000)

Shanghai Noon is "Shanghailarious"!

[9/10 · 31 May 2000]

Jackie Chan is an Imperial Guardsman to the Chinese emperor. He is sent to the old west in 19th century America to aid in the return of the Chinese princess who is being held there for ransom. In the states, he forms an unlikely alliance with a goofy, but amiable, outlaw played by Owen Wilson. Chan and Wilson make an absolutely hilarious comedy team in this riotous, action-packed western send-up. Cliche after cliche falls prey to the film as the two heroes run roughshod through the west. Wilson's comedic delivery is truly remarkable, while Chan holds his own, as well. Of course, Chan again excels in stunt after stunt, setpiece upon setpiece. As always, keep watching through the film's closing credits for some amusing outtakes.

The Earrings of Madame De... (1953)

An exquisite film from abroad...

[8/10 · 31 May 2000]

Max Ophuls directs this tale of romance and jealousy set near turn-of-the century France. Danielle Darrieux plays the unsatisfied wife of an adulterous French General, Charles Boyer. In order to pay off other frivolous expenses she has incurred, she sells off the earrings that her husband had presented to her on the day after their wedding, and then claims that she lost them. She meets a princely Baron, Vittorio de Sica, and romance slowly blooms. Meanwhile, the earrings she has sold keep turning up in her life only to haunt her. The three leads are wonderful, as is the atmosphere in this luxuriously elegant French film. The change in Darrieux's feelings for the earrings keeps the film fascinating throughout. The emotions of all the characters are presented in a romantic, yet somehow realistic nature.

12 Angry Men (1957)

12 angry men: millions of happy viewers...

[10/10 · 26 May 2000]

Henry Fonda stars in this electrifying drama that takes place almost entirely in a closed jury room. A teenager is on trial for the murder of his father and will get the chair if found guilty. The jury takes an early vote and it seems that Fonda is stands alone in voting "not guilty." Now, he has the challenge of trying to win the others over to his side. A tight script and an explosive performance by Lee J. Cobb make this a true classic. Fonda is great as the mild-mannered protagonist to Cobb's fiery antagonist. A great cast fills out the rest of the jury, including John Fiedler, a very young Jack Klugman and Jack Warden, Robert Webber, E.G. Marshall, and Martin Balsam as the head juror.

Raw Deal (1948)

More great noir from Anthony Mann...

[7/10 · 26 May 2000]

Anthony Mann stylishly directs this jailbreak, film noir thriller. Dennis O'Keefe is the escapee who is taking the rap for his crime boss, Raymond Burr. Burr is responsible for springing him, but only with the hope that he gets killed in the attempt and is thus silenced. O'Keefe's dame is assuredly played by Claire Trevor, who helps him through the road blocks and dragnets, but is severely jealous once another woman enters the picture. John Alton's cinematography perfectly captures the noir-like atmosphere of San Francisco as does Trevor's voice-over narration accompanied by the haunting sound of a theremin playing.

T-Men (1947)

Hard-boiled film noir classic from Anthony Mann...

[9/10 · 26 May 2000]

Director Anthony Mann's hard-boiled, film noir approach coupled with the stylistic cinematography of John Alton make this semi-documentary tale of government treasury agents infiltrating a large counterfeit ring an exciting crime drama. Dennis O'Keefe is great as a hard-nosed agent who slowly earns the trust of the bad guys while his partner, Alfred Ryder, is his equal as the sacrificing newlywed whose duty to his country comes before his duty as a husband. The film offers a fascinating look into the world of undercover work and intrigue and even has an opening segment from the Treasury Office itself.

13 Rue Madeleine (1947)

Cagney is "dandy" as always in this WWII thriller!!!

[7/10 · 26 May 2000]

James Cagney stars as the crafty leader of American secret agents of the 077 during World War II. The invasion is not far off and the Nazis have implanted one of their top spies into Cagney's unit. Cagney has to figure out which one of his people is a Nazi and then double cross the double agent with misinformation. The film is fairly interesting, but the characters are not fleshed out well enough, which almost makes sense due to the semi-documentary nature of the film. Still, Cagney is great at being Cagney, which makes it worth watching all the way to the film's explosive ending.

Steamboat Bill, Jr. (1928)

Buster in one of his best...

[9/10 · 26 May 2000]

Buster Keaton stars in this inventive, silent masterpiece of comedy. Keaton visits his burly father for the first time since he was just a lad, and his dad, who runs a steamboat, is awfully disappointed by his son's lack of manliness. Buster falls for the daughter of his father's wealthy business rival and their budding romance makes things even tougher for our hero. To make matters worse, a massive windstorm hits the small river town and to the audience's delight, Keaton pulls out all the stops. The storm offers him plenty of opportunities to show off all kinds of gimmicks, special effects, and his brand of slapstick comedy.

Wings (1927)

The first ever Oscar winner for Best Picture...

[7/10 · 26 May 2000]

Two boys from the same American small town are recruited into the Air Force during World War I. Charles Rogers and Richard Arlen are the two who also happen to vie for the hand of the same girl, Jobyna Ralston. Clara Bow stars as the doting girl-next-door to Rogers who joins the medical corps to do her part. The movie is famous for being the first Oscar winner for Best Picture, for its still incredible aerial battle scenes, and for the small inclusion of a young Gary Cooper who had as of then not achieved his fame. The movie is the only completely silent film to ever win Best Picture.

The Blair Witch Project (1999)

Neat idea, not so neat movie.

[5/10 · 22 May 2000]

Three student filmmakers are filming a documentary about a legendary witch who may be responsible for the disappearance of children throughout the century in Maryland. The students ask the locals about the legend, in the film's best scenes, and then head into the haunted woods to investigate, but they are never seen again. The only thing left behind is this footage that they shot during their investigation. At least, that is what the filmmakers want us to believe in this cheaply shot, extremely monotonous effort. The films consists of ad-libbed footage from the actors who play the students and the result is a slightly creepy pseudo-documentary. The three young actors are believable, but the film gets fairly dull throughout, especially in the daylight scenes. The film is probably a better idea than film.

Inherit the Wind (1960)

Ingredients for a great film, add Spencer Tracy and stir!!!

[9/10 · 22 May 2000]

Spencer Tracy and Fredric March are two aging lawyers that are old friends, but now they find themselves at odds with each other in a southern small town courtroom. The film is based on the notorious Scopes Monkey Trial of 1925, though the character names are changed, where a high school teacher, Dick York, is brought up on charges of heressy for teaching his students Charles Darwin's Theory of Evolution. March is grand as the bible-thumping southern attorney prosecuting York, while Tracy is great, as always, as the big city lawyer who defends the unfortunate biology teacher. Gene Kelly is interestingly, and successfully, cast as the venomous lawyer from Baltimore who finds all around him to be a fair target of his jaded cynicism. Claude Akins ably plays the town's fire and brimstone preacher, while Harry Morgan is solid as the presiding judge on the case. As with most court films it can be a bit too talky at times, but with this cast, let 'em talk!