if you cannot say what you mean, you will never mean what you say—and a gentleman should always mean what he says

Average rating: 6.75 - one really good film.

Scarlet Street (1945) - "Cashier and part-time starving artist Christopher Cross (Edward G. Robinson) is absolutely smitten with the beautiful Kitty March (Joan Bennett). Kitty plays along, but she's really only interested in Johnny (Dan Duryea), a two-bit crook. When Kitty and Dan find out that art dealers are interested in Chris' work, they con him into letting Kitty take credit for the paintings. Cross allows it because he is in love with Kitty, but his love will only let her get away with so much."
length:  1 hour, 42 minutes

source: streamed on Amazon Prime
I watched it because: it was recommended as a great noir film
IMDB: 7.7/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 100% Audience: 87%
my IMDB: 7/10

notable quote: "Jeepers."

MPAA rating: Approved [TV-PG]

directed by: Fritz Lang

my notes: a disturbing, strange story, well acted by the stunning Bennett and especially by Robinson. I am not a fan of Dan Duryea, a goofy and obvious creep. I do not want to see it again, but it was a good one.

overall:  recommended

The Last Emperor (1987) - "This sweeping account of the life of Pu Yi (John Lone), the last emperor of China, follows the leader's tumultuous reign. After being captured by the Red Army as a war criminal in 1950, Pu Yi recalls his childhood from prison. He remembers his lavish youth in the Forbidden City, where he was afforded every luxury but unfortunately sheltered from the outside world and complex political situation surrounding him. As revolution sweeps through China, the world Pu Yi knew is dramatically upended."

length: 2 hours, 43 minutes

source: I borrowed the DVD from the public library
I watched it because: it's on several best lists and is part of the Criterion Collection
IMDB: 7.7/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 86% Audience: 88%
my IMDB: 8/10

notable quote: "Please do not tell anyone about my mouse."

MPAA rating: PG-13

directed by: Bernardo Bertolucci

my notes: this is a VERY big movie. I got caught up in the story, but now and then pulled out enough to consider what organization and creativity must have fired the whole production, and was impressed on a different scale. The back-story is profound, not only the history of the empire but also of the filming of the movie. 

    I liked it, and was saddened and horrified by it, and it felt both dirty (a couple of cringy reminders that it's an Italian movie, after all, which seem constitutionally incapable of foregoing topless women) and beautiful. The cinematography knocked me flat. Peter O'Toole as the tutor Johnston was an unexpected and welcome surprise, still arrestingly handsome at age 55. John Lone in the title role was terrific.

    Caveat: it's not an action film, rather a talking film. Pretty long for going several moments without dialog.

Academy Award winner:
• Best Picture—Jeremy Thomas
• Best Director—Bertolucci

• Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium—Mark Peplow, Bertolucci

• Best Cinematography—Vittorio Storaro

• Best Art Direction - Set Decoration—Ferdinando Scarfiotti, Bruno Cesari, Osvaldo Desideri

• Best Costume Design—James Acheson

• Best Sound—Bill Rowe, Ivan Sharrock

• Best Film Editing—Gabriella Cristiani

• Best Music, Original Score—Ryuichi Sakamoto, David Byrne, Cong Su
overall:  recommended

Sueño (2005) - "A Mexican-American chases his dreams as he puts together a classic Mexican band to compete in a radio station sponsored contest, all while attempting to court a beautiful girl."
length: 1 hour, 48 minutes

source: I own the DVD
I watched it because: it's been a while since I saw it last
IMDB: 5.2/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 43% Audience: 36%
my IMDB: 6/10

MPAA rating: PG-13

directed by: Renée Chabria

my notes: charming, funny, and romantic

overall:  recommended

Lord of the Flies (1963) - "Amidst a nuclear war, a plane carrying a group of schoolboys crash lands on a deserted island. With no adult survivors, the boys are forced to fend for themselves. At first they cooperate, but when the they split into two separate camps—one led by the pragmatic Ralph (James Aubrey) and the other by militaristic Jack (Tom Chapin)—their society falls into disarray, leading to a disturbing examination of human nature and a chilling conclusion."
length: 1 hour, 32 minutes

source: I borrowed the DVD from the public library
I watched it because: pretty sure we saw it after we read it in junior high, but not since. It's in the Criterion Collection, too.
IMDB: 6.9/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 92% Audience: 63%
my IMDB: 6/10

notable quote: "Maybe if there is a beast...maybe, it's only us."

MPAA rating: NR [TV-14]

directed by: Peter Brook

my notes: creepy as fuck. Seriously, awfully disturbing. (It's also just not a very well-made movie.) And if I ever have to hear that godforsaken song again, I'll stab myself in the ears.

overall:  reluctantly recommended

 

[the title quotation is from The Last Emperor]