Tag Archives: drama

#28-Rocky

Quick recap: Rocky Balboa is a boxer who has essentially wasted his life fighting the wrong people. But then the champion of the boxing world, Apollo Creed, challenges him to a match for the title. So Rocky eats raw eggs, runs up stairs and punches meat to train. He also manages to fall in love with a shy pet shop employee to prove that at heart, he’s a lover not a fighter. Or something like that.

I doubt PETA very much liked this scene. Do they care about carcases though?

I doubt PETA very much liked this scene. Do they care about carcases though?

Fun (?) Fact: The poster of Rocky displayed at the boxing ring with the wrong color shorts was an actual mistake. Not having time or money to fix the mistake, Sylvester Stallone added dialogue where he points out the inaccuracy.

My thoughts: After watching this movie and trying to decide how to review it, I came to the conclusion that I’m in a sort of pop culture dilemma. Although this was my first time seeing the movie, I already knew many of the scenes and even the outcome. I basically sat through the whole thing just so I could cross it off of my list and say that I did it. That’s not to say it wasn’t an enjoyable film but it left me a bit underwhelmed overall. I almost feel a sense of guilt for not getting into the spirit of the movie and rooting for Rocky. And to top it off, in doing this project, I know that I’m going to run into more iconic movies that I mostly know the story but have never seen in their entirety.

The most fair thing I can do is try to see Rocky as a moviegoer would in 1976. It was a time before anyone really knew Stallone so his acting ability seemed impressive. And just like nowadays, people back then ate up those feel good sports stories.

at least I wasn't subjected to this.

at least I wasn’t subjected to this.

Rocky’s story, if you look past the cheesiness, is endearing. Stallone lays it on a little thick as to how sweet Rocky is underneath all that violence, but the point is made nonetheless. I was most surprised by Adrian’s character because I always pictured her as some italian bombshell, not this shy girl in glasses. I really enjoyed her transformation and how loyal she stayed throughout everything. I did not, however, enjoy the billion times Rocky said, ‘Yo,Adrian!’. It felt a too heavy on the Italian stereotype. Then again, James Gandolfini just passed away and I could watch Tony Soprano for hours without getting bored or annoyed.

Final Review: 2/5. I can see why it is an iconic movie, but it’s just not for me.

Up Next: I’ll be watching a movie about a sweet transvestite from Transylvania

 

 

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#26- Reversal of Fortune

Quick recap: In the early 1980s, Clause von Bülow was found guilty for attempted murder of his wife Sunny. It was a sensational trial and the public was quick to deem Bülow guilty before the trial even got off of the ground. The movie tells the story of the appeal process, which in itself is an adaptation of the book, ‘Reversal of Fortune’, written by Alan Dershowitz, who took the case on. Dershowitz is given the task of defending a man everyone thinks is guilty. He creates a team of top notch lawyers to dissect the previous case and come up with an appeal to get Bülow acquitted.

reversal2

ok, so Bülow is a little bit creepy…

Fun(?) Fact: The real Sunny Bülow went into a coma in 1980 and stayed in one until she died in 2008.

My Thoughts: If there is one thing Americans love, it is all the sensational trials that get plastered over the daily news. And even more than sensational trials, Americans love to watch movies based on books based on those trials. So naturally, even though this movie is considered one of the 1001 movies to see before you die, I was expecting some glossy retelling, like you would find on Lifetime.

Oh,Lifetime, never change.

Oh,Lifetime, never change.

So, I was pleasantly surprised that the movie turned out so interesting. Being a geek about such things, I was more excited learning about the appeal process and what is needed rather than the case itself. I think that is the point of the movie: not to show that Bülow really was innocent, but to show the legal process in reality. When the process isn’t followed correctly, guilty people walk free.

Which is another thing I think set this movie apart from the others- that we are left to draw our own conclusions as to what put Sunny Bülow into a coma back in 1980. The move is narrated by Glenn Close, who plays Sunny Bülow. She tells the story as she is in a coma, which reminds me of the narration on Desperate Housewives, which was done by the main character who committed suicide. Or maybe it reminded me of that show because Felicity Huffman is in ‘Reversal of Fortune’. Reversal_of_Fortune_43813_Medium

Although Clause von Bülow was acquitted of all charges, he acts guilty as hell. Jeremy Irons plays him like a british zombie undertaker, which I don’t know if that’s an acting thing, but it describes the character well. He also makes inappropriate jokes about injecting his wife with insulin so that she falls into a coma. I think Dershowitz’s point in taking the case is that innocent jerks need lawyers too. The state botched the case in several ways and excluded evidence they shouldn’t have  because this guy oozes guilty. I think it’s a fair reminder for all those people that sit on the couch, watching these trials and pretending to be the judge and executioner- you only see what you shown. There may be more to a story.

Final review: 4/5. For people who love Lifetime movies, I’d recommend this as a quality alternative with some meat. It’s a compelling story for anyone and it makes the rich look bad, which is always fun.

How/ Where I watched it: Netflix DVD with a bomber of the Leprechaun Strawberry Seasonal Cider. SO GOOD.

Up next: The Long Goodbye- interestingly enough, I’ve never seen the movie but John Williams did the soundtrack so I’m familiar with that aspect.

 

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#25- Written on the Wind

Quick Recap: The characters in this movie are the WORST. Marylee Hadley is an alcoholic nymphomaniac who loves jazz and her brother Kyle is no better. He marries a woman he barely knows and then when he finds out he probably can’t have kids, starts drinking heavily again. When his wife tells him that she is in fact pregnant, he punches her and refuses to believe it is his. There’s also a scene where Marylee is dancing around TO JAZZ  after slutting it up at the motel and her father goes up to talk to her. Somehow her dancing causes her father to lose his balance and he falls down the stairs and dies.

oh oil derrick, you're the only one that truly gets me

oh oil derrick, you’re the only one that truly gets me

Fun (?) Fact: someone actually won an OSCAR for this movie. (Dorothy Malone who plays Marylee)

In this scene Marylee is staring out into the water and imagining all the times she came here as a child. It just looked like she was going nuts and hearing voices and I laughed more than I should have.

In this scene Marylee is staring out into the water and imagining all the times she came here as a child. It just looked like she was going nuts and hearing voices and I laughed more than I should have.

My thoughts: The movie starts with a song about how everything is ‘written on the wind’ and I knew at this moment I was screwed. And just in case the audience was confused, there is an actual wind that blows through the house as Kyle Hadley runs in with a gun. Oy.

This movie does an excellent job cramming as much melodrama as can possibly fit in a two hour time frame. Everyone has issues and everyone’s issues intersect with each other. Marylee Hadley, for example, is in love with Mitch, a family friend, who is in turn in love with Lucy, who is married to his best friend Kyle Hadley, Marylee’s brother. And the reason everyone is awful is never really explained except that the Hadley’s are rich and that breeds evilness? I do love how this movie serves as entertainment but is also a morality tale about the dangers of alcohol and dancing and jazz. Everything comes to a head when Kyle Hadley finds out his wife is pregnant and blames his best friend for knocking her up. He has been drinking too much and so punches her, which in turn causes a miscarriage. At times I felt like I was watching one of those PSAs from a long time ago- ‘One sip of liquor and you’ll end up shooting yourself!’.

The character of Mitch (played by Rock Hudson) was an especially odd addition. He served as the moral compass throughout the film which also made him incredibly DULL. Most of the time he just stood there, mouth slightly ajar and pouting that he couldn’t get what he wanted. The only time he showed true emotion was when he confessed his love for Lucy but then when she revealed she was pregnant, went back to being the ‘aw,shucks’ guy who never has any luck.

I was also put off by Kyle Hadley being played by Robert Stack because I immediately recognized his voice from the show, ‘Unsolved Mysteries’. I kept expecting a subplot about aliens or ghosts. In all honesty, it would’ve made this movie much more bearable.

Final review: 1/5. In reading up on this film, lots of people apparently hated this movie when it came out but then rediscovered it in the 70s and suddenly ‘got it’. I don’t know what there is to get. You’d be better off marathoning a season of Degrassi, if you are looking for some good melodrama.

It's always a party with Craig!

It’s always a party with Craig!

Where/How I watched it: Netflix, with a bomber sized bottle of Leprechaun Cider. It was much needed to survive this movie.

Up next: Reversal of Fortune

 

 

 

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#23- Ariel

Quick Recap: Taisto Kasurinen is a coal miner, but after his mine closes down and his father commits suicide, he decides to head to the big city to find work. He sets out in a vintage car and immediately runs into trouble when his money is stolen. He is able to find a little work and eventually meets a woman.After running across the man who stole his money, Taisto is arrested and sent to jail for assault.Still in love, he breaks out of prison to be with her. More crimes are committed but in the end he, his wife and her son escape to Mexico on a boat called Ariel. MIND BLOWN.

Fun (?) Fact:  I hate to reveal all of my secrets, but when doing research for this blog, I tend to find everything I need on Wikipedia. As of yet, I have had no need to search elsewhere. When I found the article for this film, I was disappointed to see that it is rather sparse. However, I did manage to find this gem of a fact: this movie is listed in the ‘1001 movies you should see before you die’ book. You don’t say?

My thoughts: I know nothing about Finland, except that it is cold. So I was intrigued to see that the first foreign film I would be viewing would come from a country I know next to nothing about. After watching Ariel in its entirety, I still know next to nothing BUT I can now make some assumptions for your reading pleasure:

1. The Finnish don’t mess around with emotion.

In the first 5-10 minutes of the film Taisto’s father kills himself in a diner. He tells his son to have his car and then pulls out his gun, walks into the restroom and a couple of seconds later, there is a gunshot. Taisto calmly walks to the back to confirm that his father is dead. He lights up a cigarette and moves on. I have no way of knowing if this is a director’s trademark to have everyone speak in a monotone and keep feelings neutral, as I just have this film to go by. At no point did anyone raise their voice, or cry or smile. In one scene, Taisto sleeps with Imeli, a parking maid he takes out to dinner. After they have sex, she asks if he is going to disappear in the morning. In the driest way possible, he answers, ‘no, I’m going to stay with you forever’. I thought this was sarcasm until he married her.

2. The Finnish are an efficient people.

This movie clocked in at a whopping 74 minutes, beginning to end. I was worried that I would have trouble following the plot since this was a foreign film, but it was as straightforward as it gets. It was like going from point A to point B on a map. There was no subplot and there were very few characters.

3. I know it’s the 80’s but the Finnish had exceptionally bad haircuts.

Once again, this could very well be a director trademark to present his characters in such an unflattering light but even Imeli, the parking maid whom Taisto falls in love with has a horrible hair job going on. Maybe it’s dark most of the year and so haircuts must be done in total darkness, but come on. No one should have to go through life like that.

The one on the top has a mullet with blad spot and the one on bottom has slicked back long hair

The one on the top has a mullet with blad spot and the one on bottom has slicked back long hair

4. For entertainment, the Finnish enjoy hanging out on rocks and laying their bottom halves in the water so their jeans can get soaked.

Is this a thing? I refuse to believe that this is a thing.

Is this a thing? I refuse to believe that this is a thing.

FInal review: 2/5. A part of me kept expecting the Mystery Science Theater 3000 folk to show up at any point but the plot itself wasn’t so bad and the dialogue was very straightforward. If a person has a desire to watch more foreign films, this would be a decent one to start with.

Where/ how I watched it: Netflix DVD

Up Next: Crumb, my first documentary on this list.

 

 

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