[Spoilers...]
James Mason stars as Commander Max Easton in this movie as a man with a plan - and what an original one it is!
Max meets Virginia Killain (Vera Miles) after running into a man he served with during the war, Charles Holland (George Sanders). Max takes her glove while they're in the backseat together, goes to her house the next day, and learns that Virginia is Charles's fiancee. He becomes determined to have her for himself, but realizes that he needs money to make this possible. He reveals a plan to Virginia about disappearing under questionable circumstances - and return to sue the newspapers for defamation of character.
While he's on the island, living it up and waiting for the news of his becoming a "traitor," Virginia reveals the plan to Charles. He keeps saying that they should tell on Max, because he doesn't want them involved in fraud. When Max hears of his being called a "traitor," he makes plans to escape - but the gas can that he has with him ends up sinking when he's making a bad step. Luckily for him, Virginia has a plan - a message in a bottle, which she hands to a little boy.
Charles tells on Max, and the detectives try to get him to confess what the bottle looked like - what the letter said. This part really had my heart hammering. What's he going to say? Have they got him? Then, Max just says, "I must have sent out half a dozen in a day." With different messages, too, of course!
James Mason, as always, is suave and irresistible, with a daredevil side too boot. I wish we had actors as dynamic as Mr. Mason - and as sexy, without having to show skin. It's hard to imagine he was pushing fifty when he did this movie! The scene that touched me the most was the one where Max is dancing cheek-to-cheek with Virginia. Very moving! Very sexy!
If you're looking for a fun movie, look no further! But, whatever you do, don't think about going the lengths that Max did to get Virginia, unless you know FOR SURE that someone loves you. I mean, come on: love might be important, but not at the risk of your life. He could have died on that island!
Sunday, January 20, 2013
Saturday, January 19, 2013
More: Haven (TV Show)
[[[SPOILERS MAY BE AHEAD;
CAREFUL WHERE YOU TREAD]]]
Am I the only one hooked on Haven?
The show ended with such a dramatic cliffhanger that I must admit was one of the best season finalies that I've seen in a while. I watched it from my computer, literally on the edge of my seat.
On first glance, this show has some of the weirdest happenings - we have a character, Audrey, waiting for a barn to appear, so she can rid the town of the "troubles"; another character, Nathan, who can't feel anything but Audrey's touch (very romantic, if I may say so); and another character, Duke, who is determined that the person who kills him will have a strange tattoo.
The last episode of this season ends with Audrey saying goodbye to everyone (reminded me of Dorothy Gale), Nathan getting shot (how many times are they gonna shoot him?), and Duke jumping towards the barn that's slowly obliterating. The last scene: Nathan standing there, tears spilling from his eyes, as he calls Audrey's name. Moving. Epic!
What was sadder than Nathan losing Audrey?
Me watching this show alone.
I have watched the show since it started in 2010, rarely ever missing an episode. The relationships that are developed throughout the show - not only Nathan's and Audrey's, either - are really cool to watch. But, from the first moment that Nathan and Audrey met, I was like, "Oh... how sweet." Duke also admits that he likes her, which doesn't really complicate anything until Colorado. Yeah. I bet you're wondering what I mean by that, aren't ya?
Then the show lured me in with Vince and Dave, the crazy townspeople who know all the secrets; Duke, who grows throughout the series from a no-good to a hero (my favorite character, too, btw); and then the introduction of Edge, who isn't all that bad of an actor, though I had my doubts at first.
Now, I'm wondering: Will Nathan have to wait 27 years for Audrey to return?
I can't imagine going without this show for that long - months is unbearable enough.
CAREFUL WHERE YOU TREAD]]]
Am I the only one hooked on Haven?
The show ended with such a dramatic cliffhanger that I must admit was one of the best season finalies that I've seen in a while. I watched it from my computer, literally on the edge of my seat.
On first glance, this show has some of the weirdest happenings - we have a character, Audrey, waiting for a barn to appear, so she can rid the town of the "troubles"; another character, Nathan, who can't feel anything but Audrey's touch (very romantic, if I may say so); and another character, Duke, who is determined that the person who kills him will have a strange tattoo.
The last episode of this season ends with Audrey saying goodbye to everyone (reminded me of Dorothy Gale), Nathan getting shot (how many times are they gonna shoot him?), and Duke jumping towards the barn that's slowly obliterating. The last scene: Nathan standing there, tears spilling from his eyes, as he calls Audrey's name. Moving. Epic!
What was sadder than Nathan losing Audrey?
Me watching this show alone.
I have watched the show since it started in 2010, rarely ever missing an episode. The relationships that are developed throughout the show - not only Nathan's and Audrey's, either - are really cool to watch. But, from the first moment that Nathan and Audrey met, I was like, "Oh... how sweet." Duke also admits that he likes her, which doesn't really complicate anything until Colorado. Yeah. I bet you're wondering what I mean by that, aren't ya?
Then the show lured me in with Vince and Dave, the crazy townspeople who know all the secrets; Duke, who grows throughout the series from a no-good to a hero (my favorite character, too, btw); and then the introduction of Edge, who isn't all that bad of an actor, though I had my doubts at first.
Now, I'm wondering: Will Nathan have to wait 27 years for Audrey to return?
I can't imagine going without this show for that long - months is unbearable enough.
Sunday, January 13, 2013
Movie: The King of New York (1990)
"I'm not your problem. I'm a businessman."
When this movie was almost over, Frank White (Christopher Walken) says these words - and causes you to think about the troubled world in which we live. After all, hasn't this character heard the sayings "If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem." or even "Live by the sword (gun, in this case); die by the sword."? I truly don't think that he has...
Upon first look, the world that this movie revolves around is filled with darkness, destruction, and drugs - without a strong hero, since Roy Bishop (played by Victor Argo) is rarely in this picture, except to sit around, hunting and pecking at his keyboard, or looking at the action taking place with too much indifference (or so I felt). Also in this film, you have Jimmy Jump (Larry Fishburne) playing Frank White's number one; Thomas Flanigan (Wesley Snipes) and Dennis Gilley (David Caruso) taking the part of cops. All brilliant actors.
The villains in this picture drop F-bombs without batting an eye, snort cocaine like it's candy (which leads to other, also inappropriate, activities), and shoot so many bullets you're left wondering if they know anything else. In essence, I truly don't think they do, because it's the only life that they've ever known. The cops are left to deal with it, which leads them to dropping their own F-bombs, then a group of them deciding to unleash their rage against Frank White and Co. I looked at my sister, who was watching it with me and said, "They're going to get killed. How often do you see it in a movie where the younger guys release they're rage, die, and leave the older guys to 'do the job right?'"
I think that, in the scenes he was in, Dennis Gilley stole the show for me. I've always liked David Caruso's acting - especially how he can be cool, calm, and collective Horatio one second; and a confused, enraged Irish cop (on this movie) the next. I wished that they had cast Caruso as the heroic lead, because he's always so engaging to watch.When Thomas Flanigan dies, Dennis's reaction was so brutally honest that you were feeling right along with his remorse - and it upsets you to know Frank White will be going after him.
Christopher Walken is one of those actors who has a unique voice, as well as a unique presence. When he's in a film, you don't know whether to love him or hate him; even then, you don't know what he's going to do - hit you or hug you. Going into this movie, I was determined to hate him, but there were parts where you question how unlikable he is, even after he kills people - even after he starts getting his thugs to get the drugs. The scenes that come to mind are the ones where he's staring through the city - once, when he feels on top of the world, the King of New York; the second, when he knows that the world is against him.
I didn't start hating him until he killed Dennis Gilley, and shows up at Roy Bishop's house, preaching at him about how "I've never killed anyone who didn't deserve it." Pfft! Hypocrite! By that point, I wanted to scream at the screen and go, "You're a cop killer!" In the end, though, he acts like a fool, sitting in the subway, wanting to shoot it out with Bishop - or so you would think. A great actor can tell you a lot with just their eyes - and that's what Walken did: he revealed that Frank White wanted to die.
Something I was thinking while watching this film:
"Though a king may have his castle, his riches, and his throne;
What is a king without his people - what is a king alone?"
In the end, I think that's what crushed Frank: being alone.
So... I know in reading this that you're wondering "You said early on, 'Upon first look...' What about second look?" I leave that up to you to watch - provided that you can see through the layers of darkness and into the core of this movie, and - of course - old enough to watch an R-rated film.
When this movie was almost over, Frank White (Christopher Walken) says these words - and causes you to think about the troubled world in which we live. After all, hasn't this character heard the sayings "If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem." or even "Live by the sword (gun, in this case); die by the sword."? I truly don't think that he has...
Upon first look, the world that this movie revolves around is filled with darkness, destruction, and drugs - without a strong hero, since Roy Bishop (played by Victor Argo) is rarely in this picture, except to sit around, hunting and pecking at his keyboard, or looking at the action taking place with too much indifference (or so I felt). Also in this film, you have Jimmy Jump (Larry Fishburne) playing Frank White's number one; Thomas Flanigan (Wesley Snipes) and Dennis Gilley (David Caruso) taking the part of cops. All brilliant actors.
The villains in this picture drop F-bombs without batting an eye, snort cocaine like it's candy (which leads to other, also inappropriate, activities), and shoot so many bullets you're left wondering if they know anything else. In essence, I truly don't think they do, because it's the only life that they've ever known. The cops are left to deal with it, which leads them to dropping their own F-bombs, then a group of them deciding to unleash their rage against Frank White and Co. I looked at my sister, who was watching it with me and said, "They're going to get killed. How often do you see it in a movie where the younger guys release they're rage, die, and leave the older guys to 'do the job right?'"
I think that, in the scenes he was in, Dennis Gilley stole the show for me. I've always liked David Caruso's acting - especially how he can be cool, calm, and collective Horatio one second; and a confused, enraged Irish cop (on this movie) the next. I wished that they had cast Caruso as the heroic lead, because he's always so engaging to watch.When Thomas Flanigan dies, Dennis's reaction was so brutally honest that you were feeling right along with his remorse - and it upsets you to know Frank White will be going after him.
Christopher Walken is one of those actors who has a unique voice, as well as a unique presence. When he's in a film, you don't know whether to love him or hate him; even then, you don't know what he's going to do - hit you or hug you. Going into this movie, I was determined to hate him, but there were parts where you question how unlikable he is, even after he kills people - even after he starts getting his thugs to get the drugs. The scenes that come to mind are the ones where he's staring through the city - once, when he feels on top of the world, the King of New York; the second, when he knows that the world is against him.
I didn't start hating him until he killed Dennis Gilley, and shows up at Roy Bishop's house, preaching at him about how "I've never killed anyone who didn't deserve it." Pfft! Hypocrite! By that point, I wanted to scream at the screen and go, "You're a cop killer!" In the end, though, he acts like a fool, sitting in the subway, wanting to shoot it out with Bishop - or so you would think. A great actor can tell you a lot with just their eyes - and that's what Walken did: he revealed that Frank White wanted to die.
Something I was thinking while watching this film:
"Though a king may have his castle, his riches, and his throne;
What is a king without his people - what is a king alone?"
In the end, I think that's what crushed Frank: being alone.
So... I know in reading this that you're wondering "You said early on, 'Upon first look...' What about second look?" I leave that up to you to watch - provided that you can see through the layers of darkness and into the core of this movie, and - of course - old enough to watch an R-rated film.
Saturday, January 12, 2013
Movie: Pretty In Pink (1986)
There are some movies that will forever remind me of my youth - Pretty In Pink is definitely one of them. Strange thing about this movie is that, while Power Rangers will never again be something I enjoy watching, this movie will forever be a good movie. Here's why:
Beneath all the high school drama, there is a dynamic structure of relationships that makes the viewer feel fully engulfed. The one that, I feel, stands out the most to me is between Andie (Molly Ringwald) and Duckie (Jon Cryer).
In most movies that I've seen, best friends end up together - the one that stands out the most is Some Kind of Wonderful (1987) - but that wasn't the case with this movie. In the end, when Andie felt the world was against her, Duckie was there... escorting her to prom, and to Blane's (Andrew McCarthy) arms.
Steff (James Spader) ticks me off every time I watch it, as does his girlfriend. He talks down to everyone, especially when he finds out that Blane is dating Andie, the one girl that he can't get. One of my sisters says that he's good looking, but that doesn't give anyone the right to be a complete jerk. After the fight between Andie and Blane, he's just sitting there... smoking... and immediately I go, "He's the devil." I love the part when Duckie attacks Steff! Still, both of them are good actors: James Spader is always so good at being a baddie (still love him as Daniel Jackson) - and Jon Cryer was especially moving when he runs out on Andie.
Although I've not told my sisters, I'm glad that the role of Duckie didn't go to Robert Downey, Jr. because the movie would have ended very much like Some Kind of Wonderful, with Andie and Duckie ending up together - since Molly and RDJ had that kind of chemistry. Jon Cryer was a perfect fit, and it was especially moving to see him there, at prom, waiting for her.
The movie has a rating of less than seven on IMDB, but I have learned long ago not to trust that grading system. People have their own opinions of movies. I suggest that anyone who likes movies with a lot of heart give this movie a chance - it might surprise you. Those who've seen it before, see it again. I did.
Beneath all the high school drama, there is a dynamic structure of relationships that makes the viewer feel fully engulfed. The one that, I feel, stands out the most to me is between Andie (Molly Ringwald) and Duckie (Jon Cryer).
In most movies that I've seen, best friends end up together - the one that stands out the most is Some Kind of Wonderful (1987) - but that wasn't the case with this movie. In the end, when Andie felt the world was against her, Duckie was there... escorting her to prom, and to Blane's (Andrew McCarthy) arms.
Steff (James Spader) ticks me off every time I watch it, as does his girlfriend. He talks down to everyone, especially when he finds out that Blane is dating Andie, the one girl that he can't get. One of my sisters says that he's good looking, but that doesn't give anyone the right to be a complete jerk. After the fight between Andie and Blane, he's just sitting there... smoking... and immediately I go, "He's the devil." I love the part when Duckie attacks Steff! Still, both of them are good actors: James Spader is always so good at being a baddie (still love him as Daniel Jackson) - and Jon Cryer was especially moving when he runs out on Andie.
Although I've not told my sisters, I'm glad that the role of Duckie didn't go to Robert Downey, Jr. because the movie would have ended very much like Some Kind of Wonderful, with Andie and Duckie ending up together - since Molly and RDJ had that kind of chemistry. Jon Cryer was a perfect fit, and it was especially moving to see him there, at prom, waiting for her.
The movie has a rating of less than seven on IMDB, but I have learned long ago not to trust that grading system. People have their own opinions of movies. I suggest that anyone who likes movies with a lot of heart give this movie a chance - it might surprise you. Those who've seen it before, see it again. I did.
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