you have something more than intelligence ... you have insight

Average rating: 7. There are a few different routes to that average, though....

Cry of the City (1948) - "Petty crook and cop-killer Martin Rome, in bad shape from wounds in the hospital prison ward, still refuses to help slimy lawyer Niles clear his client by confessing to another crime. Police Lt. Candella must check Niles' allegation; a friend of the Rome family, he walks a tightrope between sentiment and cynicism. When Martin fears Candella will implicate his girlfriend Teena, he'll do anything to protect her. How many others will he drag down to disaster with him?"

length: 1 hour, 35 minutes

source: I borrowed the DVD from my parents' collection
I watched it because: I'd reviewed it highly the last time I saw it, but didn't recall the details (previously reviewed here)

IMDB: 7.2/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 93% Audience: 85%
my IMDB: 8/10

MPAA rating: Approved

notable quote: "They'll make a Robin Hood out of a cheap hoodlum like that. The longer he's loose the bigger hero he is."

directed by: Robert Siodmak

my notes: super gritty and tough, and absolutely gripping. Victor Mature, as Lt. Candella, is terrific. Arguably "the bad guy," in a sense, he's charming and polite, and still hard as a rock. Richard Conte plays Rome dry and snarky. Shelly Winters is the hidden gem, snappy and strong as the tough-talking Brenda Martingale.

overall:  recommended

 

Taken (2008) - "Former CIA agent Bryan Mills reluctantly agrees to let his 17-year-old daughter Kim go to Paris on a trip. His ex-wife Lenore and her new husband Stuart are all for it and Kim sets off with a friend. On arrival in Paris however, Kim and her friend are kidnapped by mobsters running a slavery-prostitution ring. Bryan's only lead is a short snippet of a conversation from when Kim phoned him in a panic. With that, he's able to identify the origin of the speaker and which criminal gang he's with. Once in Paris, he quickly shows everyone connected with the case that he will stop at nothing to get his daughter back."

length: 1 hour, 30 minutes

source: I borrowed the DVD from my parents' collection
I watched it because: it's the only one of the series that's worth a damn, but it's entertaining (previously reviewed here)

IMDB: 7.7/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 60% Audience: 85%
my IMDB: 7/10

MPAA rating: PG-13   (what the fuck?? The body count in this film is FORTY.)

notable quote: "Now is not the time for dick-measuring."

directed by: Pierre Morel

my notes: Terrific film with an outstanding script, this was co-written by Luc Besson—one of my very favorite filmmakers. Liam Neeson is a marvel, beautifully playing the nebbishy old retired dad and realistically transforming into the fella with the very particular set of skills. I also quite like Olivier Rabourdin as the unfortunate Jean-Claude, and Leland Orser (Sam).

overall:  recommended

Dangerous Liaisons (1988) - "The Marquise de Merteuil and the Vicomte de Valmont display the petty jealousies and jaded insouciance of life in France's royal court in the 18th century, casually ruining the lives of de Merteuil's young romantic rival, the music teacher for whom she secretly pines and the upstanding Madame de Tourvel. But when actual romantic feelings begin to surface, their games take on a more treacherous air."
length: 1 hour, 59 minutes

source: I borrowed the DVD from my parents' collection
I watched it because: I have seen it before, but prehaps only at the theater upon first release? I wanted to recall what all the fuss is about.
IMDB: 7.5/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 94% Audience: 83%
my IMDB: 6/10

MPAA rating: R (hilarious that this is rated R and the previous film was PG-13.     Excellent example of the pointlessness of a subjective rating system!)

notable quote: "Why must you destroy my peace of mind?"

directed by: Stephen Frears

my notes: there is not one character in this story who is not wretched and awful in some way. There is a particularly diabolical pack of four, and from there the awfulness seeps through the entire cast. The story is heartbreaking, and wicked. Undeniably sexy, but in such an overwhelming, unrelenting way. 

    Don't even get me started about the accents, though. Mostly straight-up American, a smattering of British, one feeble attempt at French that comes and goes. Ever hear of a dialect coach? The producers of this film, not to mention the director, should be ashamed of themselves. The actors should feel embarrassed at not even trying.

    But hey, the costumes are gorgeous, some of the settings are exquisite, and the jewelry is outstanding.

    I didn't like it. Can you tell? I think it's a mostly well-directed and -acted film, and I've heard it's the best of the adaptations so far. But I left it feeling skeezy and coated in a layer of smut. I hope to never see it again.

Academy Award winner:
• Best Writing, Screenplay based on material from another medium—Christopher Hampton

• Best Art Direction - Set Decoration—Stuart Craig, Gérard James

• Best Costume Design—James Acheson
Academy Award nominee:
• Best Picture—Norma Heyman, Hank Moonjean

• Best Actress—Glenn Close

• Best Supporting Actress—Michelle Pfeiffer

• Best Music, Original score—George Fenton
overall:  recommended, but...

The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1969) - "Jean Brodie is a free-spirited teacher at a Scottish girls' school during the 1930s. She encourages her young pupils to embrace romantic ideals, educating them about love and art rather than hard facts. However, her controversial teaching philosophy draws the ire of the school's headmistress, Miss Mackey, and as Miss Brodie becomes entangled in a love triangle, her behavior towards her favorite students becomes increasingly manipulative."
length: 1 hour, 56 minutes

source: I borrowed the DVD from my parents' collection
I watched it because: it's one of those books/movies that are ingrained in the culture, but I'd not seen before
IMDB: 7.6/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 85% Audience: 84%
my IMDB: 7/10

MPAA rating: PG

notable quote: "A man with a wife and six children plus a schoolgirl for a mistress can be called any number of rude names, but 'coward' is not one of them."

directed by: Ronald Neame

my notes: this is a very UK movie, with some excessively posh (read: unintelligible) accents. The first 20 minutes were lost as I tried to piece together dialog from the weirdly London-ish Edinburgh.

    Once past that, it pushes every boundary there is. It's about gender and sex and age, education and liberation, fantasy and passion. I did not like it, but I could barely peel my eyes away. Pamela Franklin (Sandy) and Robert Stephens (the infinitely creepy Teddy Lloyd) stole the show, I think, from Maggie Smith as the weird, strident, and borderline Miss Brodie.

Academy Award winner: Best Actress—Smith
Academy Award nominee: Best Music, Original Song—Rod McKuen (for "Jean")
overall: reluctantly, confusingly recommended

 

[the title quotation is from The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie]