I didn't say I was a gentleman. I said I was tired

One big win, an unexpected story that enthralled me!

In a Lonely Place (1950) - "Hollywood screenwriter Dixon Steele (Humphrey Bogart) and his neighbor Laurel (Gloria Grahame) are just getting to know each other romantically when the police begin questioning Dixon about his involvement in the murder of a girl he met once. Certain her new love interest is innocent, Laurel stands by Dixon, but as the police continue pressing him, Dixon begins to act increasingly erratically. The blossoming love affair suffers as Laurel begins to wonder if Dixon really might be a killer."
source: I borrowed the DVD from the public library
I watched it because: Bogart is fascinating
IMDB: 7.9/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 96% Audience: 89%
my IMDB: 5/10

notable quote: "'I love the love scene; it's very good.'

    'Well that's because they're not always telling each other how much in love they are. A good love scene should be about something else besides love. For instance, this one. Me fixing grapefruit. You sitting over there, dopey, half-asleep. Anyone looking at us could tell we're in love.'"

MPAA rating: Approved

directed by: Nicholas Ray

my notes: I didn't love it. Dixon Steele (Bogart) is an asshole of the type that gets straight under my skin. (See also: Nick.) Gloria Grahame, playing Laurel Gray, is a terrific actress but can't save this depressing, angry, brittle film. However, I have to admit that it's worth seeing if you want some Bogey in a (?) different form.

overall: mildly recommended

L'avventura (1960) - "In Michelangelo Antonioni's classic of Italian cinema, two lovely young women, Claudia (Monica Vitti) and Anna (Léa Massari), join the latter's lover, Sandro (Gabriele Ferzetti), on a boat trip to a remote volcanic island. When Anna goes missing, an extensive search is launched. In the meantime, Sandro and Claudia become involved in a romance despite Anna's disappearance, though the relationship suffers from the guilt and tension brought about by the looming mystery."

source: I borrowed the DVD from the public library
I watched it because: ...Criterion Collection
IMDB: 7.7/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 94% Audience: 88%
my IMDB: 7/10

notable quote: "Why should we be here talking, arguing? Believe me, words are more and more pointless. They create misunderstandings."

MPAA rating: NR

directed by: Michaelangelo Antonioni

my notes: strange, trippy movie. It may be a mystery, or romance, or a travelog of Italy. The cinematography is gorgeous, the acting is hit or miss, the leading man is an asshole, the leading lady is in question and regardless is not a great actress. Still, there's something about it that kept my attention throughout.

overall:  recommended

The Other Side of Hope (2017) {a.k.a. Toivon tuolla puolen} - "Syrian refugee Khaled stows away on a freighter to Helsinki. Meanwhile, traveling salesman Wikström wins big at a poker table and buys himself a restaurant with the proceeds. When the authorities turn down his application for asylum, Khaled is forced underground and Wikström finds him sleeping in the yard behind his restaurant. He offers him a job and a roof over his head and, for a while, they form a Utopian union with the restaurant's waitress, the chef, and his dog."
source: I borrowed the DVD from the public library
I watched it because: it was in the Criterion Collection library search
IMDB: 7.2/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 92% Audience: 75%
my IMDB: 9/10

notable quote: "Lunch will be served at 11:00. Today's special is fish balls à la maison."

MPAA rating: NR

directed by: Aki Kaurismäki

my notes: even with the language barrier (which is significant, since this script involves Finnish, English, Arabic, Swedish, that I could recognize. There may be more.), this movie is deeply funny, enormously touching, and surprisingly tense. I loved it, and would happily watch it again tomorrow.

    Sherwan Haji (Khaled), Sakari Kuosmanen (Waldemar Wikström), and Simon Hussein Al-Bazoon (Mazdak) were especially outstanding.

overall:  very highly recommended

Moonlight and Valentino (1995) - "A woman in her 30s loses her husband but gains a closer kinship with a group of friends and family. Rebecca Trager Lott (Elizabeth Perkins) is a professor whose husband has died in a traffic accident. She finds it difficult to put her life back on track, and the personality quirks displayed by her companions (Whoopi Goldberg, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kathleen Turner) tend to complicate matters. But the distraction provided by a handsome house painter (Jon Bon Jovi) is just what the women need."
source: I borrowed the DVD
I watched it because: I like Elizabeth Perkins
IMDB: 5.7/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 13% Audience: 51%
my IMDB: 2/10

notable quote: "It is a note from Paul. He did leave you—he's gone to the gym to play racquetball."

MPAA rating: R

directed by: David Anspaugh

my notes: terrible movie. It doesn't make any sense, the 'Valentino' part is useless to the plot, and at least 2 of the main characters are unlikable. Yuck.

overall: not  recommended

 

[the title quotation is from In a Lonely Place]