dibot Blog

Under discussion:

In the Heat of the Night  (1967)

Rio Bravo  (1959)

Blow-Up  (1966)

Cannibal Holocaust  (1979)

Strange Wilderness  (2008)

I now know why people love John Wayne ("The Shootist"). Directed by Howard Hawks ("Rio Lobo"), Rio Bravo stars Wayne as a sheriff in an old-west town trying to hold a powerful man in jail until the Marshall comes. For help he has a recovering alcoholic deputy, played beautifully by Dean Martin ("Cannonball Run II"), and an old hilarious, crotchety jail keeper, played by Walter Brennan ("Smoke in the Wind"). They pick up Ricky Nelson ("Sonic Boom") for a little more backup and some singing. The four take a stand against many hired and better armed men. And there's a sassy gambler, Angie Dickinson ("Elvis Has Left the Building"), for Wayne to fall for. And it's three hours of movie magic. Loved it.

Though Blow-Up features more beautiful shots than gripping plot, I found myself glued to the screen. This is the first film I've seen from director Michelangelo Antonioni ("Eros"), and if his other films live up to this, I can't wait to watch more. The story focuses on a snotty photographer, played by David Hemmings ("Gangs of New York"), who catches a murder on film. Then he tries to figure out what to do about it. The film is gorgeous shot after gorgeous shot, then some attitude from Hemmings, then some more gorgeous shots. Then it ends with mimes playing tennis. Awesome.

I finally saw In the Heat of the Night and my love for Sidney Poitier ("The Jackal") has grown with the viewing. Basically, the film is a murder mystery, but so much more is going on. Poitier is a Philadelphia detective passing through rural Mississippi when the murder occurs. He's accused by the local racist sheriff, Rod Steiger ("Poolhall Junkies"), who is then forced to work with him to solve the case. Steiger won the Best Actor Oscar for his work, and the film won another four Oscars, including Best Picture.

My love for Steve Zahn ("Rescue Dawn") has finally found a bridge it cannot cross, Strange Wilderness. Zahn stars as the host of a televisions wildlife show that he inherited from his father. Sadly, Zahn and his crew are terrible documentarians who don't check facts and record ridiculous narration for the program. So the show fails, but they go on a quest of find Big Foot to try and save it. And the movie is as ludicrous as the plot sounds. A few funny bits, mostly delivered by Justin Long ("Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story"). A very big disappointment.

Cannibal Holocaust is the worst movie ever. It's not art. It's not entertainment. It isn't even very shocking, except the parts where they were killing real animals. I urge you not to rent this tasteless and brainless film so the director will get no residuals.

Under discussion:

The Italian Job  (1969)

Kiss of the Spider Woman  (1985)

Rififi  (1955)

Le Cercle Rouge  (1970)

Skinwalkers  (2007)

The first time I started watching Skinwalkers, I couldn't finish it. I got freaked out because it was late at night and everyone had fallen asleep, leaving me alone with my werewolf fear. However, the next time around, still alone, but this time during the day, it wasn't nearly as effective. The plot revolves around a group of werewolves who see the condition as a curse and a young boy who has been prophesied to save them. The there's the other group of werewolves who kind of like hunting and killing people and they're trying to stop this little boy. The story is good, the werewolves are effective and it has good production. But I think that's part of the problem. The movie is hit by a cool curse. It think's it a lot cooler than it is. Still, alone at night, this could creep you out.

Rififi is a truly awesome heist film. Jean Servais ("Porzi"), just out of jail, burns the screen with his eyes. The perpetrators execute the heist in complete silence. It's gritty, sometimes funny and then heartbreaking. I loved it. I don't even have the words for how good this is.

Le Cercle Rouge is another tight heist film, and a definite influence on at least two Coen Brothers films. Again, the heist is pulled off in silence. This film is on a grander scale than Rififi and show the cop as he tracks the criminals. It features a guy busting out of a moving train window, but that awesomeness is shatter by the ludicrous dance number put on by the women at the night club. Still, definitely worth watching.

In contrast to Rififi and Le Cercle Rouge, The Italian Job is a joke. Michael Caine ("The Dark Knight") plays a fast-talking thief just out of jail who orchestrates an elaborate heist, with lots of talking, and complete with mini cars. I lost interest in this, and there was a terrible song that got stuck in my head for the rest of the day. Plus, a groan-inducing ending. I preferred the remake. And that's sad.

Kiss of the Spider Woman won William Hurt ("The Incredible Hulk") an Oscar for his portrayal of a gay prisoner sharing a cell with Raul Julia ("Street Fighter"). To pass the time, Hurt tells Julia the plot of his favorite movie. And they bond. And it really is as boring as it sounds. I guess in 1985, playing a gay character was a bigger deal than it is now, because I thought Hurt did a good job, but not necessarily an Oscar-worthy one. I just kept wondering why they were allowed open flames in their cell and thinking how Hurt looked a lot like Glenn Close when he was wearing makeup.