Hollywood Ballyhoo (1982)

Presumably made in the early days of the home video market as a kind of sampler and general introduction to the films and stars of Hollywood’s golden era, this loosely styled documentary places an emphasis on the ‘ballyhoo’ school of movie publicity (film premiers, stars birthday parties, promotional material). Hosted by David Steinberg the films highlight is several minutes worth of outtakes from 1940’s Warner Brothers pictures featuring the likes of Humphrey Bogart, Errol Flynn, and Betty Davis swearing. Just the enjoyable kind of slip shod curio I find oddly comforting. Thumbs Up.

Talk of the Town (1942)

School teacher Jean Arthur must hide wrongly accused arsonist Cary Grant in the attic of the home she’s renting to law professor Ronald Colman. Smart, satisfying screwball comedy is wonderfully well constructed and bears obvious tonal similarities to the work of Frank Capra. Grant and Colman’s friendly sparing a real treat. Movie very effective at keeping you guessing which of the two leading men Arthur will wind up with, though I personally would have liked to see her end up with the other man. Still, very satisfying. Thumbs Up.

Mary of Scotland (1936)

Historical drama suffers from the worst excesses of the genre, especially those made in this period, its over talky, thin and boring. Hepburn’s good but doesn’t feel quite right in this setting, where as March is playing below himself as a sort of low cardio Errol Flynn. Surpasses Drums Along the Mohawk as John Fords most disappointing film, save Wagon Master. Thumbs Down.

Surveillance (2008)

This is a bloody, violent, often unpleasant indi suspense thriller co-written and directed by Jennifer Lynch, daughter of David. Jennifer may well be more twisted then her father, she's certainly bloodier and even less interested in reassuring endings then dad. While David tends to the surreal in his horror, Jennifer seems to emphasis the real. This film about the investigation of a string of serial murders in a small Nebraska town indicts its victims while humanizing its killers, no one escapes clean. At first I thought the whole thing excessive, but then came to realize that there is more subtlety here then I thought, and was impressed as well with the unexpected intricacy of the film making, as well as how riveting Lynch could make some rather unpleasant scenes. Better and more provocative then I had expected, it managed to win me over through pure artful mendacity. I Approve.

Meet the Robinsons (2007)

Disney (non-Pixar) animated film about an orphan boy with a talent for inventing, who travels into the future and befriends a family of eccentrics. I thought this film was just too hyper-active and slim on story, it also seemed oddley dated and remincenst of Frank Capra's Oscar winning 1938 film You Can't Take It With You. Ultimetly Saturday morning cartoon material that does not warrent a motion picture. I disapprove.

Gates of Heaven (1978)

Errol Morris’s documentary about one failed and one successful pet cemetery is extremely well thought of in some critical circles. This is not a flashy documentary, while the subject matter may seem gimmicky the movie is really about the people, proprietors, employees, former owners of the interred, and even neighbors of the subject facilities. Morris spends a lot time just showing you his interviews of these people, talking heads with very limited use of other visuals (yet the film has a stylistic rhythm you catch onto after awhile). Notice the sequence were he intercuts between interviews of the three members of the Harberts family, and it takes a while before you realize that their all talking about their respective dreams, and how different, and kind of desperate those dreams are. A little slow, especially at first, but intriguing on the whole. Grade: A-

Fallen Agnel (1945)

Fallen Angel (1945)

Largely small town film noir not overly impressive plot wise, but possesses some good acting with Charles Bickford and Alice Faye (in what would be her last film for 17 years) offering this pictures most intriguing characterizations. Grade: B-