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Reviews
The Stranger Who Looks Like Me (1974)
Old Fasioned But Worth Seeing
I love old Lifetime movies (when they were good), and this movie qualifies. It's from the early '70's and it feels like it, but the acting is great, and what's wrong with a trip down memory lane? The young woman has a hard time trying to find her birth parents. It must be easier now, with the internet, and maybe kids who were adopted have more rights. In this story, she hits a lot of brick walls. My favorite part of the movie was the perhaps too-long rap session scene where adults who were adopted have this emotional sharing session with people who put their own kids up for adoption. It really took me back!
L'Atalante (1934)
A Bit Violent
So many people describe this movie as lovely, etc., and there are some tender moments between the young couple, but there are also some brutal things happening-the husband tears apart Pere Jule's room because he (the husband) is crazy jealous. The husband breaks all the plates the cats are using for their food, and also always complains about the cats, and is very mean to them. Also his words toward his wife sound abusive to me at times. It's a little disturbing when she forgives him. On the other hand she comes across as a bit of a nitwit. But in the film's favor, its depiction of the locations is fascinating. The characters look realistic and interesting. I do see the importance of the film, but I never could warm up to the husband's character, and that kind of bothers me.
Camille Claudel (1988)
A Must See For Art Lovers
If you're at all interested in the subject matter, you must see this movie. It gets pretty depressing, yes, but the movie follows the facts of Claudel's life accurately. She was betrayed by her family in various ways, but, as I understand it, her doctors were truly interested in helping her. This movie conveys her brilliance as well as her mental issues. I was happy to learn, after viewing the film, that the Camille Claudel Museum opened in 2017. Now more people can know her story, and appreciate her talent. The film is well made with great acting, especially by the lead. If you enjoy films about the lives of artists, you will not be disappointed..
Night Into Morning (1951)
Very Moving 50s Drama
I just expected this to be an amusing 50s melodrama, but it turned out to be more-a very moving exploration of grief and all that grief brings with it. The acting is very good, particularly RayMilland and Nancy Davis. To tell the truth, I was reluctant to spend time on a movie with her, imaging (wrongly) that she isn't really an actress. In fact, she presents a very believable portrait of a certain kind of woman-sympathetic, down to earth and possessing a clear set of ethics. She looks like a character from Leave It To Beaver, but manages to convey deeper feelings. In fact, I got rather misty eyed toward the end of this flick. Maybe that's why it wasn't a fan favorite when it first came out-because it deals with serious issues. But it stands the test of time in my opinion.
If Winter Comes (1947)
He's old enough to be her father!
I'm in the middle of watching this movie, and it's super enjoyable if you love soapy melodramas, as I do, but....the main character, Mr. Sabre is old enough to be the dad of the Deborah Kerr character, and also Angela Lansbury who plays his wife! I'm not noticing any reference to this age difference in the script, so it must be one of those casting choices they considered normal back in the day, like when Fred Astaire was paired with lovely young women like Leslie Caron. This fella has a double chin, a bit of a constant five o'clock shadow, and the wear and tear of a life well lived, while the girls are fresh faced twenty something's! It freaks me out. But this is a quality film and I'm watching it, just the same. The age difference is just a common element of many movies-even newer ones! So I'll just put it aside and enjoy the flick for what it is-escapist melodrama, a favorite of mine, I have to admit.
The Seventh Veil (1945)
Not For Lovers of Self Esteem
I enjoyed this film until the end. These actors are so good--Ann Todd, James Mason, Lom as her doctor (I will ignore the fact that Ann Todd was about 37 years old, portraying a young girl). The sets were nice, beautiful even, and the music was so good, including one fun scene in a nightclub where swing music is played. My problem is the ending. At first I didn't see what happened. The big build up seemed to be the question of which man she will choose. Even when I saw it, I wasn't sure which man she chose. I replayed it, and it seemed that she chose her physical and emotional abuser! You know how I wished it ended? I wish she ran into the room containing only her grand piano, as if to say she chose music. In the film, her abuser is standing next to the piano, so I guess you could say she chose music--and continued abuse! Really, his behavior reminded me of Lifetime Movie villains. Still, it was an interesting viewing experience, and I recommend it for old film lovers, though it should be viewed with a grain of salt.
Antonia (1995)
Moving and Enjoyable
I really enjoyed this movie. It's a bit episodic, with various memories of the narrator's earlier life. Parts are comedic, other parts are very disturbing, other parts are very touching. I loved that the female characters are strong, and quite liberal.
Waiting for the Miracle to Come (2018)
Low budget but not awful
I give it at least a couple of stars for trying to be creative. This is a very low budget film, but it's trying to convey mystery and a sort of magical mysticism, so if you have some patience, it's worth a look.
The Wicker Tree (2011)
Pretty Good--Worth Checking Out
My husband and I stumbled upon this movie on TV late last night, and were really enjoying it at the beginning. We enjoyed the Pagan elements of the story, and the friskiness of the storyline. Knowing nothing about this film, we assumed, in fact, that this movie was a lighthearted tale, showing the folly of the young Christians trying to convert the determined Pagan folk. The tone of the film up until about the last half hour is light and sexy and humorous, which made us really like it. Then it suddenly veers into a much darker place, and the tone becomes like that of a good old vintage '70's horror movie. So basically my complaint is the sudden change in tone. It is true that the film seemed a bit superficial, but it was also pretty funny. It could have been improved by deepening the story somehow. And I guess I felt a little unsatisfied at the end, because of the shift in tone. But I still say it is worth viewing, especially if you like Wicker Man-type stories. This is definitely not the Wicker Man, as it is pretty humorous for most of the movie. Maybe that is why Wicker Man (the original) is so effective--it maintained the same ominous tone from the beginning of the movie. But, in conclusion, I have to say I enjoyed watching this movie for what it as. And if you enjoy watching a beautiful naked woman pray to the goddess from the middle of a lovely Scottish stream, you will enjoy it too.
Sunnyside Up (1929)
Wish I could see this film
I wish I could see this flick! Apparently my grandfather took his family, including my mom who was a little kid, to see this movie more than once in their small town. This was in rural Mississippi in the early '30's, when money was not growing on trees. Granddad was, I THOUGHT, a thrifty Scottish, no nonsense kind of guy. But he was nonetheless very impressed with the "acting" skills of Janet Gaynor. My mother also remembered one scene in particular where Miss Gaynor appears in a slip, which must have seemed a little spicy back in the day. In honor of Granddad, I'd love to purchase Sunny Side Up, but unfortunately it appears to be unavailable in any format.