Cover via Amazon

Some of the films on this project  I've been looking forward to, some I've dread and some, like this one, I just felt I needed to 'cross off' the list.

The story of The African Queen is based around a missionary (Katherine Hepburn) who convinces a boozy riverboat captain (Humphrey Bogart)  to use his boat to attack an enemy warship. 

Now that sounds exciting, but what plays out is far from it. There are a few good moments of river based action, which I'm sure were hard to film. That plus the whole 'opposites attract' friendship that is cute but rather obvious right from the start, make for a film that is great for a Sunday afternoon to keep the elderly relatives happy.

Watch this if, like me you enjoy crossing off classic films for the sake of it!

IMDB Fact: 'The African Queen,' built in England in 1912 was used by the British East Africa Company from 1912 to 1968 to shuttle passengers and cargo across Lake Albert (on the border between Uganda and Belgian Congo). It is now located in Key Largo. 

Shiver me timbers, a Disney film lacking magic.

If you haven't heard of this film I can only assume you've been kidknapped by pirates for the last few years! Pirates of the Caribbean has been everywhere since this initial film was screened in 2003.

The modern day Disney movie tells the story of blacksmith Will Turner who teams up with the eccentric Captain Jack Sparrow to save his love interest from a crew of dead pirates.

Although the film has great actors, Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightly among them, the film is all centred around one man, Johnny Depp. His portrayal of the crazy pirate Sparrow is enchanting but the trouble for me comes in the lack of depth in the film, I know this is a family movie but there is just something missing.

I 'youtubed' Jack Sparrow's best moments and for me, it's more enjoyable than having to sit through this movie again. I'm sure many will disagree, let me know what you thought of it?

Watch this if you like the big family classics such as Lord of the Rings, The Goonies and Indiana Jones, but don't expect to be as entertained.

IMDB Fact: Johnny Depp wore contact lenses which served as sunglasses so he wouldn't be squinting in the sun all the time.

The show centres around a high school student with a double life as a teenage spy. It stars Twilight hunk Jason Rathbone, stand up comedian Johnny Pemberton and Scream 4 honey Aimee Teegarden.

I'm not 100% sure how it will work but rumours are that your name could appear in graffiti on a wall, or your photo could be used on a poster in the set background.

It's out in the US only on October 18, but I'm hoping it comes here soon...I've always wanted to be a movie star!

Here's the official facebook page.

This original drama features multiple stories that overlap with the common theme of racial tension and discrimination. There's gang bangers, racist cops, Persian shop owners and Chinamen a plenty, all with their own stereotypical views on modern American society.

The majority of the film is based around the road, crashes, roadside checks and carjacking form the stage that the all star cast act on, and what acting that is. The picks of the bunch are Ryan Phillipe as a trying to be honest cop, Matt Dillon as the complete opposite and Terrence Howard who plays a film director struggling to 'stay black'.

The film is a super hyped, intensive version of modern American society. Over the top, slightly unbelievable and ugly at times but as a piece of film making, truly beautiful. The soft focus, subtle performances and haunting soundtrack make this a joy to watch.

Watch this if you love your political films with a arty twist. Racial tension isn't black or white but maybe it's only when you crash into racist conflicts that you find out who you are.

IMDB Fact: The first movie to be set primarily or entirely in Los Angeles and win a Best Picture Oscar.

The original troublesome two-some!

The story is well known, well the names at least, and this movie tells the legend that is the man and woman team that robbed banks all over America in the 30s.

This film is a romanticised, darkly comedic version of the well known story and I believe the movie to be ahead of it's time, very dark in places and offers a first time insight into criminal minds.

Warren Beatty plays Clyde but Faye Dunaway steals the show as Bonnie with Gene Hackman playing Clyde's brother Buck not far behind. Dunaway brings a real edgy acting performance that is truly engaging.

The movie is a true classic and I really liked the style of how the story was told, very clever film making and groundbreaking at the time. To be inside criminal minds is a norm nowadays but this film set the path for those movies.

Watch this if you liked: Any of the modern day phsycological crime thrillers, as this film paved the way.

IMDB Fact: Thousand of berets were sold worldwide after Faye Dunaway wore them in this film.

 

A very current classic

The Battle of Algiers is a film based around the French occupation of Algeria and follows a group of revolutionaries and their fight for freedom of the capital city Algiers. It also balances the story by showing the French side of the story. We travel with the group as they use terrorism to make their point and battle against the French control of their country and we see the tactics implemented by the army.

The film is intense to sum in one word, it's also as current now as it was when made. With the uprising in the middle east at present this film shows the plight of the small against the mighty.

Shot in a documentary style in gritty black and white this shows a true side to war and occupation and reveals some hard to watch moments of the extremes these guys and girls went through to be heard.

If you like tense classic films then I'd have a watch, this is regarded as an important film for democracy the world over so if you are interested in current affairs I'd give it a go also. It is however subtitled and contains some pretty graphic scenes so not for the faint hearted!

IMDB Fact: In 2003, the New York Times reported that the Pentagon screened this film for officers and civilian experts who were discussing the challenges faced by the US military forces in Iraq. The flier inviting guests to the screening read: "How to win a battle against terrorism and lose the war of ideas".

Slapstick that didn't tickle!

Duck Soup is a Marx brothers film that tells the story of Rufus T Firefly who becomes president of bankrupt Freedonia, a state that declares war on their neighbours. The neighbouring state employ a couple of bumbling spies and chaos ensues.

Cover of Duck Soup

The above is the basic storyline, however this film goes off on so many tangents it's hard to keep track of it! I'm not a massive fan of slapstick humour so although I appreciated the quick wit and repartee of Groucho as the president, the physical humour I found quite tiresome.

To some Marx brothers fans I'm sure that will be almost blasphemous but I just don't see the fascination with the other 2 brothers. Groucho is funny, not side splitting but funny enough to watch him in a whole movie on his own. The others with their slapping, falling over and general clowning don't do anything for me.

There is a great scene where Groucho performs in front of a mirror which is clever and did make me laugh but apart from that I was left let down. I'm sure this is just a personal preference and if you like the slapstick of the Farrelly Brothers or other modern films then this may be for you.

IMDB Fact: The movie's line "You know, you haven't stopped talking since I came here? You must have been vaccinated with a phonograph needle." was voted as the #43 of "The 100 Greatest Movie Lines" by Premiere in 2007.

French new wave!

The 400 Blows is a film about a creative Parisian schoolboy who struggles with his attention in class and falls into a life of petty crime. The film follows his running away from home and trying to fend for himself on the tough streets of Paris.

This gritty French film shows an alternative side to the 'movie' Paris we always see. Shot in black and white we really get to see what the struggles of Parisian families as apposed to the usual, Eifel Tower/café culture capital we are so used to.

Cover via Amazon

The main character Antoine Doinel's story will be well known to the ASBO generation of today, although Antoine's tale is beautifully told through the director's vision. The bleak streets of Paris, the bad relationship between the child and his parents and the friendship of a partner in crime. But it's the connection the boy makes with the audience, you actually are willing him to do well in the end, that makes this film.

A really good watch and if you like foreign films and have missed this one then I'd definitely recommend it. It's a classic French movie but I'm sure it will resonate with movie watchers the world over.

IMDB Fact: The title of the film comes from the French idiom "faire les quatre cents coups", meaning "to raise hell".

Monkeying around in space!

Planet of the Apes is the story of a group of astronauts led by Taylor (Charlton Heston) sent out from Earth to find a new planet. The spaceship they travel in allows them to sleep while time races by 2,000 years into the future. They crash-land on a planet that they find is inhabited by super apes that run the planet while the humans are treated as animals.

The title of this one really sums up the story, there are no shocks there, but this sci-fi movie isn't your standard 1970s B movie standard. The story alone is great and the sets; stone built caves apparently influenced by architect Gaudi's work, really give this film a quality.

This movie could quite easily fall into the trap of being a real trashy TV movie but I think it's in the make-up that it becomes credible. Apparently a huge amount of the budget was spent on the ape outfits and it was money well spent. The creatures are so life-like I'm sure even today's make up artists would struggle to achieve what they did.

The upside down world of the planet poses a few theological questions too without it getting in the way of the action. Another family movie that thoroughly entertains and if you've watched the recent remake I'd definitely recommend visiting the original!

IMDB Fact: During breaks in filming, actors made up as different ape species tended to hang out together, gorillas with gorillas, orang-utans with orang-utans, chimps with chimps. It wasn't required, it just naturally happened.

Love in the city that never sleeps!

Manhattan is a Woody Allen film based around a divorced TV writer; currently dating a younger woman who falls in love with his best friend's mistress.

Cover of Manhattan

Shot completely in black and white Allen stars in front as well as behind the camera as he beautifully creates the insecurities of the New Yorkers. Filmed against the New York backdrop with a stunning soundtrack the film is a delight for the senses.

What I loved most was the feel of a theatrical play in the film, straight talking characters, simple situations and although not a lot actually happens I really enjoyed this movie. If you like a good story with intelligent humour then you can't really go wrong here. I will certainly be delving into the Allen back catalogue now for sure!

IMDB Fact: This is one of the very few Woody Allen films to not have opening credits.

A salute to George C Scott!

Patton is a film based around World War 2 tank commander General S. Patton who starting in North Africa leads several different armies to invade through Europe to conquer the German Nazis.

Cover of Patton [Blu-ray]

Having read a little about Patton, Scott get's him perfectly. He is a man obsessed with war, glory, courage and anything cowardly gets him mad. He is also a war historian and is well read on historic battles believing he fought in some and was reincarnated. He is an intriguing character and one that kept me watching the whole nearly 3 hours with interest.

If you're a fan of Saving Private Ryan and Downfall then this war flick is for you, but also for those of you out there that just love a study of an eccentric character then give it a go, you may be, like me, pleasantly surprised. 

IMDB Fact: George C. Scott won the Academy Award for best actor and famously refused to accept it, claiming that competition between actors was unfair and a "meat parade".

The Toys are back!

Toy Story 2 see's the gang return for the sequel to the hit animation about a group of one boy's toys and how they come to life when alone. In this film the main story is around Woody, who manages to find himself stolen by a toy collector who wants to sell him to a museum. The other toys led by Buzz Lightyear embark on a mission to get him back.

Cover of Toy Story 2: Special Edition - DVD

If I was to use one word to best describe how good the film is it would be detail. From the improved animation (most dust particles ever animated in one scene) to the incredibly accurate new toys that appear. The guys at Pixar know there stuff and this really helps the adults watching this kids movie endear to it too.

The story is a pretty simple one, but the action speeds along nicely and I'm sure that the addition of a couple of female characters, Jessie the cow girl and tour guide Barbie, the film picked up more women and girl fans from the original.

All in all, top family fun from the guys who in my opinion do animation the best, see it even if you don't have kids it'll bring out the child in you, just make sure you watch the films in order!

IMDB Fact: This was the first sequel for Tom Hanks and Tim Allen.

Cover of La Strada (1954) - Essential Art House

I find it takes concentration to watch subtitled films, but I was hooked on this from the opening scene. Zampano and Gelsomina are such brilliant characters, complete opposites yet together the chemistry is, as you would expect from an Italian film, passionate and explosive.

I have to highlight Gelsomina (Giulietta Masina) though as I think she delivers a perfect performance as such an innocent soul. A childlike character that sees the good in everything even under such terrible treatment. Her interesting dialogue with The Fool is as good as any classic scene and makes you really think about relationships and situations.

Image via Wikipedia

IMDB Fact: Won the first ever Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.

Don't crouch or hide, stand up and be proud!

The film is a foreign language martial arts movie and a very good one at that, but it's the underlying love stories that really flesh this out into more than a kung fu film. The story begins with a warrior giving up his sword to a friend to take a step back from fighting but the sword gets stolen and him and his secret love set out to get it back. In this time they stumble across a teenage daughter of an aristocrat who is lost in her life, but possesses great fighting skills.

The film has a beautiful peace to it, even the fight scenes are so well choreographed that they flow Zen like. The characters fly through the air, fight on tree tops and perform amazing technical jumps and rolls.

The love stories will appeal to the non Kung Fu fans although I wouldn't rely on just that. The tale of the concealed feelings of the warriors involved takes definite second place to the high wire duels and got me rather confused at stages. But being confused when you have such beautiful scenery and battles to look at slightly ease the pain.

If you like Kung Fu films then this is a great modern day version of the classics, but I'd recommend to anyone who enjoys pure fantasy.

IMDB Fact: "Crouching tiger hidden dragon" is a quote from Chinese mythology. It refers to hiding your strength from others; advice which is followed too well by the characters in the film.

Listen up, this film is good!

The best surveillance man in the business is Harry Caul (Gene Hackman) however he is massively paranoid and when on his latest job he has suspicions of foul play, he investigates further.

The film is pure quality, right from the start we see a genius at work, with the latest equipment, if now somewhat out of date, Harry records a conversation with a couple in a crowded square. It's when after analysing the audio that he starts to suspect a murder could take place and decides to act by finding out more.

Although the film is a great spy movie the brilliance isn't the crime involved it's the study of the man at the heart of it all. Gene Hackman is simply perfect as the paranoid, suspicious and dedicated surveillance man. Francis Ford Coppola allows us to see what's behind this man at the top of his game, how he continues to shut out the real world for his work and here that the movie escalates to much more than an espionage flick.

With a big twist at the end this movie will keep you on your toes while Hackman will constantly keep you intrigued with a career best performance. If you like the Bournes and Bonds of this world then give this a try, a step up the intelligence ladder that's well worth the trip.

IMDB Fact: Francis Ford Coppola's personal favorite of his movies.