Change Your Image
PositivePaula
Reviews
40 Carats (1973)
Thought provoking, eye-brow raising and VERY funny in all the right places!
Thought provoking, eye-brow raising and VERY funny in all the right places!
Long before Demi Moore walked out hand-in-hand, in Public, with Ashton Kutcher, this film went "public" with the possibility that a younger man, (who was strong, handsome and had both his own business and LOT of money already in his pocket!), could find an older woman, (who wasn't broken down or bitter about life!), attractive, desirable and worth "fighting for"!
The romance between Peter Latham and Ann Stanley, (played with sensitivity and subtle humor by both Edward Albert, Jr., and Liv Ullman respectively), begins one dusky night in Greece and culminates after he accidentally finds her again in New York.
Ann had originally gone to Greece for a bit of a "final fling" before she felt "compelled by societal convention" to settle into "matron-hood", (that time in life after having been a Wife and Mother, and now, with her marriage over, and her daughter grown; she was no longer "on the market" as it were for any of the "usual" things that most men supposedly wanted out of a woman... So, she'd just "concentrate" on running her own Interior Design business and "forget" about "Love" ever coming into her life again...)
However, Peter's feelings were a bit bruised when he woke up the next morning after their romantic tryst, alone and went looking for Ann, thinking that he and she had just begun a wonderful relationship.
Realizing that he'd been (essentially), sexually "used" by Ann, he chalked the night up to a "wonderful fling" that he'd just have to "get over".
The real mayhem begins (again!), when Ann's daughter comes home one evening and announces that she's got a date with a friend of a friend....
And, yes... The man who shows up to go on the blind date with Ann's daughter is the man that Mom already got to "know"! Peter!
Subtext and double entendres play out in a scene that is both hilarious, squirm-worthy and exciting all at the same time when Peter wants to know why Ann behaved "so cowardly" in regards to the way she left him in Greece.
Peter wants to know why Ann would be so Puritanically inclined now that she's back in the "real world", and sets out to win her love all over again!
Liv Ullman, (formerly directed by the legendary Ingmar Bergman!), is a most unlikely "cougar", and Edward Albert, Jr. a most decidedly un-cub-like "cub" in this priceless gem of a film.
Everyone is of legal age, which only begs the question, "Was society ever so truly closed-minded?" The answer, sadly is, they still are! The only real problem with the film, here, is that it's NOT readily available anywhere!
Crush (2001)
It's not as bad as men think it is
It's a pretty decent film, all told! I actually stumbled across it one afternoon. Clicked on the Blurb that Comcast had for it and They claimed it was the Cary Elwes version! LOL! Anyway. I Do agree with David from San Francisco about one thing. Anne Chancellor plays a character I'd gladly nuke if I could. Absolutely evil. Her role as Molly Cartwright seems to relish destroying happiness at every turn, simply because her "personal views" are so cynically skewed... Her "gay" ex-husband turns up at a party with his New Wife, (a Female! Gads!), And, their two naturally borne children! Add to this, her "other" two Ex's and Their 'trophy wives" (who seem to have been sorority sisters!), and you Almost feel sorry for her when she douses herself with her wine! Out of shock and embarrassment at having not only her three ex's at the same party she's attending, but, also their "happy families" in tow, she's "exposed" as "being in attendance" when she yelps at the event of spilling her wine. Out of embarrassment for "being alone", she grabs the nearest person, (a woman!), and starts Kissing her. Thankfully for her, the woman Responds in kind - and once the "first kiss" is past, the "stranger" goes in for another one - which is how Molly "learns" she's "BI"! Geez! Whatever! And, Andie's character lives 'happily" ever after.. It's not nearly as bad as you would think though... Sort of a "Four Weddings and a Funeral - Part 2" - only without Hugh What's-His-Name and the fact that the "hot hunky guy/stud" is Way younger than Andie's character and the fact that she goes from "Uptight HeadMistress of a Posh School" to "Slut/Tramp/Slapper" in a filmed "nano-second"; with this "other guy"... Really - it's Not as bad as you think - and - no - it's not Worse... It's just - different from what you'd expect it to be. But, I Have to Say - when Imelda's Staunton's character saves Andie's character from making a Matrimonial Mistake the size of a Mushroom Cloud, (aided by a Lot of Studly Young Policemen! Yum! LOL!), all I really wanted to do was tap Ms. Staunton's shoulder and ask, "So- you can make them charge into a room like that Anytime you want to?" It Really did have it's redeeming qualities! (Double Coupon days at that!)
The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Peta, GreenPeace and Mensa, Oh MY!
Yes, Jame Gumb graphically underlined a slogan used very well in the '80's.... "The Best Skin Any of Us Looks Good in Is Our Own!"
Animal Rights, Feminist Rights, and just a good challenge to 'get to know your neighbor'! (Honestly, how many people were in that neighborhood and Unaware of the Situation!) I'm not saying we need to encroach on each other's personal space... But, really! There was a body in the tub...! For How Long...??? Okay, then!
Granted, now that the film has been out for soooo long, I want to tell you one of my favorite scenes... It's when the "hot shot" FBI Swat Team goes to the Wrong House! (I don't even think they had the right picture of 'Buffalo Bill'!)
Ted Levine is the Most Compelling Actor on the Face of this Earth today! Reason? He has the capability to play a scene with the finesse of a virtuoso violinist, regardless of whether it's a cold-blooded, emotionally tortured serial killer who just 'wants a new suit'... But, he's also quite adept at portraying kind, sensitive, loving, and very complex characters such as "Jake" in the film "Georgia"... Or, he can be an oafish and officious boil-on-the-butt, (Poor Gen. Woodman!)! Able to shift between Very Heavy Crime Drama, (as the bad guy, even!) to Comedy, (cuddly, kind and nurturing!) He can Sing too! He's able to portray a character "with or without a message" attached to the portrayal, and is even able to make an intimidating character's disgusting 'hobby', almost 'understandable'! How frightening is That! Now, that's Power!! He's truly an Artist, and I'm very happy he has such Wonderful Canvases, (Television and Film!) Watch MONK on Friday Nights at 10 on USA! (Where he's both a Good Guy and a 'good guy'!) Oh, and as for the "Mensa, Oh MY!"...Well, you've gotta have a whopper of an I.Q. to get a Master's in Fine Arts!