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Stranger in My House (1999)
Welcome to Planet LMN
Anyone who's watched a few Lifetime Movie Network movies knows that plot credibility is the first thing that gets brushed off the planning table. So, when crazed Lara moves into Patti's home and methodically begins to drive her landlady bonkers, I didn't even blink. When Lara eventually ramps up her activities to threatening poor Patti, and dares her to do anything about it, I just nodded. You see, on Planet LMN, people don't behave the way they do for any particular reason, they just do it to keep the action going. Only on Planet LMN could someone almost have the owner of a home thrown out of their own house by means of their seductive powers!! Poor Patti - she just trusted too much, and Lara went off her medicine, and then there was this big fight at the top of the stairs involving a syringe full of deadly stuff that ends up injected into someone's tummy, and a body bag going out the front door. The horror!
But take it from me, this Planet LMN product is a classic. You need to watch it once, just for the great laughs you'll have. On the Improbability Scale, I give this film a 95/100. Make a big batch of popcorn and get some apple slices, too. You'll understand later.
For My Daughter's Honor (1996)
Low Budget Seduction
I think as long as we agree that 99.9% of the "movies" that are shown on the Lifetime Movie Network (LMN) are broad brush cinema cousins to paperback trash novels, everything's fine.
"For My Daughter's Honor" is no exception. As usual, it's "based on a true story"; there's little real character development, but there are plenty of implausible actions. Amy succumbs so easily to the coach's advances that her character should have been made to be six years old instead of thirteen, and even then, a 6 yr old would've run like crazy.
As is LMN's credo, all men must be either idiots or perverts, so Amy's Dad is too wrapped up in his struggling business to notice anything amiss...too bad, Amy! Amy's moronic friends think the coach is great since he buys them wine and lets them drive his truck...too bad, Amy! The principal of Amy's school can't/won't do anything, since he's a limp noodle who doesn't want to get crosswise with the popular coach, and since the football team is more important than any girl who's being traumatized by a teacher....too bad, Amy!
The coach's wife must sleep like a hibernating bear, since the coach wanders his house at midnight and leads poor Amy off to some empty bedroom for some "extra credit". Really too simple-minded to be taken seriously.
Oh yes, eventually the coach goes to the slammer. But who gets blamed? Yikes, it's Amy!
LMN movies are like salted peanuts: tasty, bad for you, and somewhat addictive. I admit I'll watch one now and then just to see how far the story will wander off into the surreal. But LMN truly believes it's performing some sort of service by running these preachy, poorly written monstrosities. They do take on serious subjects, but always bail out when it comes to quality acting and directing, and then go for the "Men are Evil" conclusion.
This movie could have been A LOT better, since the subject deserves a better rendering.
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (1988)
The Spirit of Narnia
After having read the "Chronicles of Narnia", I always hoped that a film or TV movie would be made capturing the story on screen. When this BBC version came out in the US in January of 1989, I couldn't believe how well it was done. The acting, the music, and the spirit of Narnia were all there and on-target. Of course, Aslan is a mechanical lion, of course, some of the fantastic beasts were animated instead of computer-generated, but the movie still transported me to Narnia, because it had distilled just enough of the magic of C.S. Lewis' work to make it all work. I'm sorry, but if you criticize this film on it's special effects alone, then you are sadly missing a wonderful story. These days, even if there is NO story, films can make hundreds of millions of dollars on computer-generated effects alone. But capturing the spirit of a great work like this doesn't rely on much more than the grand story Lewis intended. Read the books and see if you don't agree that this version is warmer and more heartfelt.
Cape Fear (1991)
More comedy than horror
Let me say first that I purchased "Goodfellas", because in my opinion, it was a masterpiece. So please don't think that I'm anti-Scorcese, but his "Cape Fear" has got to be one of the worst re-makes ever, on top of just being plain bad. When I watched it, I thought it great that Gregory Peck, Robert Mitchum, and Martin Balsam appeared from the original, but only Mitchum was watchable. These appearances were more gimmicky than homages to the 1962 version. Nick Nolte and Jessica Lange inspired no feelings of concern from me, but I thought Juliette Lewis gave the best performance in this film, as rotten as it was. Robert DeNiro was nothing short of ridiculous all the way through: the accent (laughable), the school scene (long, long, long), his invincibility (what the heck is going on here??) I agree with other reviewers here that this movie really didn't need to be made; it's a total waste of time, and an insult to even moderately intelligent film lovers.
Double Harness (1933)
A Lost Treasure Rediscovered
I saw "Double Harness" for the first time yesterday. At first, I was expecting what I call the usual 30's drama, with lots of tuxedos and evening dresses and maybe some weak humor. But what I found was Ann Harding, a beautiful and very talented actress. Her understated delivery and honest portrayal made me want to see more films with her in a starring role. As one reviewer has pointed out, William Powell was on his way to "Thin Man" fame, but what became of Ann? She easily could've gone toe to toe with the other great ladies of film from that time, but we see little of her today. She is a delight to watch. Thanks to TCM for showing "Double Harness" to keep Ann's memory alive and well.
A Man for All Seasons (1966)
A Telling Milestone in Film-making
"A Man for All Seasons" deals head on with a subject that has vanished from the films of today, and that's one reason why reviewers here lament its being a neglected masterpiece. The very concept of a person standing up for, much less dying for, their strongly held convictions seems like ancient history to us, more than forty years removed from when Paul Scofield played Sir Thomas More with such perfection. Scofield's More is weary but confident, wanting to live, but much less afraid of dying than of betraying his faith. Subject matter for films today is mostly about seeking and finding pleasure, or absurdity, or offensiveness, in ever aspect of the story. Naturally, "A Man for All Seasons" would absolutely bomb today: we're so much in a hurry to get to the killing, or the special effects, or the explicit sex, or the sugar-coated, feel good ending. I'm really grateful that this film was made. It marks a place in film history where we were done with asking hard questions of ourselves.
Freedom Writers (2007)
Simple Stories for Simple Minds
Why is everyone so vocal about this formulaic trash? Let's think a moment: What drives the film "industry"? Okay, we know it isn't the public welfare. You can rule out innovative plots, too. The truth doesn't carry any weight, either. Must be... Anyway, when something re-hashed, pre-chewed, and half-digested comes out of Hollywood, just follow the money trail. Hilary Swank is "hot" this week, so she has to do the "serious" film to keep the public satisfied with her minimal talent, because the trailer says so. So go see "Freedom Writers" (god, I love that title!) and listen to the Oscar buzzzzzz... Idealistic teachers will get weepy at this movie, because it speaks to their self-image as underpaid martyrs, while impressionable teenagers will buy into notion that minorities are unable to help themselves without a white savior to do it in public schools. This film falls right in the middle of the tried and proved Hollywood path, and in the same ruts.
The Civil War (1990)
The Standard for Historical Documentaries
When I saw this mini-series/documentary back in 1990, I couldn't wait until the next installment was aired. It was shown over several weeks (on Saturday, I believe) and it gained popularity and audience as word began to spread. This was Ken Burns' first big project, and he never topped it, in my opinion. Burns was extremely fortunate in that he had the on-screen presence of the late Shelby Foote, noted CW historian and Southern gentleman. Foote was near 80 when he appeared in the documentary, but without him, it would've never reached the heights of excellence that it has. Yes, Shelby Foote is THAT good. This documentary takes you into the middle of the debates and the conflict, and helps us understand just how complex this war was, and continues to be.
A Place in the Sun (1951)
An American Tragedy
This film had everything going for it: great source material, great director, great leading man, great supporting lady, great supporting man (Raymond Burr), but it suffers from what I call the "ET Factor". Yes, I realize that Elizabeth Taylor is supposed to represent the unattainable female beauty that drives George (Clift) over the edge, but most times that vacuous, adorable head just delivers her lines in that same wooden manner that makes me wish that anyone but ET had been cast in the role of Angela Vickers! Sure, she's a beauty, but the lady can barely act. The movie itself is interesting enough with its dark desperation and tormented protagonist, but when ET's on screen, the loon calls. Oh, what might have been.
Casablanca (1942)
The Band Wagon Effect
I'm a fan of almost everyone who appears in Casablanca, at least in every other movie they were ever in. Bogart, Bergman, Rains, Greenstreet, Lorre, and so on. But I think that Casablanca made its biggest impression when it came out, in the heat of WWII, and its reputation has carried it along ever since. I'm certain that very few will agree with me on this, but I think that many occasional movie watchers and many would-be experts like to chatter about this film's "greatness", when in fact, it has very little of that. Number one problem for me is Bogart as anyone's love interest --- think about this: his very best performances weren't romantic, or anywhere near it(I give "African Queen" a comedy designation). The other problem is the dated silliness (in the so-called comic characters) that I suppose was put in to balance the seriousness of being stranded in Casablanca with Nazis buzzing around everywhere. Then there's that ever-present song...not bad, but very over-used. Since I know I'll stir up a lot of folks, I apologize for criticizing the "perfect film", but there are just too many truly great ones out there to get all blubbery about this one. Entertaining for its time period, but not great. But cheer up, Casablanca fans, we'll always have Gaslight, Notorious, Maltese Falcon, and Treasure of the Sierra Madre'.