learn The Way, then find your own way

Not quite as far out of my realm as the last couple of posts, this one includes one of my top 3 favorite movies ever, and two that are pretty good. Plus one that is, in the word of judgmental in-laws everywhere, "different."

The Umbrellas of Cherbourg {a.k.a. Les Parapluies de Cherbourg} (1964) - "Geneviève (Catherine Deneuve), a beautiful young Frenchwoman who works at a small-town boutique selling umbrellas, falls for dashing mechanic Guy (Nino Castelnuovo). Their brief romance is interrupted when Guy is drafted to serve in the Algerian War. Though pregnant by Guy, Geneviève marries an older businessman, Roland (Marc Michel), and begins to move on with her life. Throughout the musical film, all the characters' dialogue is conveyed through song."
source: I borrowed the DVD from the public library
I watched it because: it's in the Criterion Collection
IMDB: 7.8/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 97% Audience: 87%
my IMDB: 2/10

notable quote: "Stop crying. Look at me. People only die of love in movies."

MPAA rating: NR

directed by: Jacques Demy

my notes: inexplicable, annoying, and cloying. See, again, the bold bit above. A couple hours of singing in French is a couple hours too many.

Academy Award nominee:
• Best Writing, Story and Screenplay, Written Dirtectly for the Screen—Jacques Demy
• Best Music, Original Song, for "I Will Wait for You"—Michel Legrand (music), Jacques Demy (lyrics)

• Best Music, Score—Substantially Original—Legrand, Demy

• Best Music, Scoring of Music, Adaptation or Treatment—Legrand

• Best Foreign Language Film—France

overall: not  recommended

The Honey Pot (1967) - "As an elaborate joke, the wealthy Cecil Fox (Rex Harrison) hires actor William McFly (Cliff Robertson) to play his personal assistant and invites three of his old flames, including Texan socialite Mrs. Lone-Star Crockett Sheridan (Susan Hayward), to visit him. Claiming to be on his deathbed, Fox has motives that remain unclear, and things take a surprising turn when one of the guests is found dead. As Inspector Rizzi (Adolfo Celi) investigates the crime, the plot of the mystery thickens."

source: I borrowed the DVD from my parents' collection
I watched it because: I've only seen one Rex Harrison movie—The Ghost and Mrs. Muir—which is a classic gothic mystery. I wanted to see one of his modern films.
IMDB: 6.7/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 57% Audience: 61%
my IMDB: 5/10

notable quote: "'...honesty is the best policy, right?'

    'Debatable. But, at the moment I would appreciate it.'"

MPAA rating: Approved

directed by: Joseph L. Mankiewicz

my notes: crazy. The whole thing is based on an opera, which makes for some bizarre character interaction and especially behavior when they are alone "on stage." Harrison especially has a disconcerting role, though he gamely vamps his way through it. Cliff Robertson is the real star here, with Maggie Smith in a very unexpected performance.

overall: marginally recommended

Manhunter (1986) - "FBI criminal profiler Will Graham (William L. Petersen) is called out of early retirement to assist on a serial murder case involving a killer known as the 'Tooth Fairy' (Tom Noonan). Graham enlists the help of imprisoned serial killer—and cannibal—Dr. Hannibal Lecktor (Brian Cox), who is the reason Graham took an early retirement. Soon, Graham and the FBI are entangled in a deadly cat-and-mouse game between the Tooth Fairy, Lecktor and an interfering journalist (Stephen Lang)."
source: I own the DVD
I watched it because: this is one of my favorite movies, both consistently entertaining and seemingly fresh; I see something new in it every time I watch
IMDB: 7.2/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 95% Audience: 77%
my IMDB: 10/10

notable quote: "'I know that I'm not smarter than you.'

    'Then how did you catch me?'

    'You had disadvantages.'

    'What disadvantages?'     

    'You're insane.'"

MPAA rating: R

directed by: Michael Mann

my notes: I love everything about this movie. I've seen it so many times that the dialog is ingrained in my mind. ("The Leeds dog. The Jacobi cat.") The facial expressions. The music. William Petersen is phenomenal, and this performance is a precursor to his Gil Grissom. Tom Noonan (Francis) and Brian Cox (Hannibal) are two marvelous sides of the same fucked up coin. Joan Allen's Reba is a wonderful, freaky weirdo in her own right. The late, terrific Dennis Farina shines as Jack Crawford.

overall: unreservedly recommended

Forbidden Kingdom (2008) - "Jason (Michael Angarano), an American teenager, is a huge fan of Hong Kong cinema and old kung-fu movies. While browsing in a Chinatown pawn shop, he discovers the stick weapon of an ancient Chinese sage and warrior, the Monkey King. The magic relic transports Jason back in time, where he joins a band of legendary martial-artists on a quest to free the imprisoned man."
source: I own the DVD
I watched it because: I was in the mood for Jet Li, and hadn't seen this one for too long
IMDB: 6.5/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 63% Audience: 60%
my IMDB: 7/10

notable quote: "He who speaks does not know. He who knows does not speak. Surely, you are masterful."

MPAA rating: PG-13

directed by: Rob Minkoff

my notes: I really can't go wrong with Jet Li, and the addition of the charming Jackie Chan just makes it all better. The story is a martial arts riff on A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, which is either clever or trite depending on one's willing suspension of disbelief. Time travel is all right, and I liked the overlapping characters. It was just what I was looking for.

overall:  recommended

 

[the title quotation is from Forbidden Kingdom]