does it sound like I'm laughing, sweetheart?

Average rating: 6.8

 

The Great Rupert {A Christmas Wish} (1950) - "A gentle fantasy about a struggling vaudeville performer (Jimmy Durante), a financially desperate family, and a trained squirrel named Rupert who secretly lives in the ceiling of their boarding house. Rupert, unknowingly to the humans below, begins pushing hidden money through cracks in the floor, creating the illusion of miracles and divine intervention. His quiet, instinctive actions gradually transform despair into hope and soften the hearts of everyone involved." 

length: 1h, 27m  |  source: Fawesome  |  directed by Irving Pichel  |  why I watched: I saw a clip of a dancing squirrel online, and it led me here

IMDb: 6.4/10  |  Rotten Tomatoes: N/A% / 49% Audience  |  my IMDb: 7/10  |  MPAA: Approved

tone & texture: tender, monochrome/muted

notable quote: "It's so hard to find a job for a human pyramid!"

my notes: this is a gentle, kind, thoughtful film...that just happens to have a dancing squirrel, and a famous comedian, and a tuba-and-harp duet. It's not as surreal as it sounds, and it's not foolish. I liked it very much.

themes: hope, found family, courage

overall:  recommended

 

Seoul Raiders {Han cheng gong lüe} (2005) - "Tony Leung Chiu-wai and director Jingle Ma reunite for this glossy Hong Kong caper that sends a team of stylish thieves racing through Seoul in pursuit of stolen printing plates and long-buried grudges. Mixing martial arts, gadgetry, and tongue-in-cheek banter, the film leans heavily into the playful spy-movie tradition while showcasing the easy charisma of its leads." 

length: 1h, 35m  |  source: my DVD  |  directed by Jingle Ma  |  why I watched: I liked Tokyo Raiders (2000; reviewed here), which is first in the nominal series

IMDb: 5.5/10  |  Rotten Tomatoes: NA% / 33% Audience  |  my IMDb: 4/10  |  MPAA: Not Rated

tone & texture: energetic, high-color/stylized

notable quote: "Oh—I forgot your problem; you're naked. Nature boy."

my notes: it's not the dumbest movie I've ever seen, and it is entertaining. It helps to have seen Tokyo recently—there are in-jokes—and to enjoy fast-moving action with lots of female protagonists. 

themes: chaos v. order

overall: marginally recommended

 

The Stranger (1946) - "In this tense postwar thriller, Orson Welles directs
and stars as a man living quietly in small-town America under a carefully constructed identity—until a relentless investigator begins to pull at the threads of his past. A lean, shadow-heavy noir about guilt and exposure, the film builds its suspense through mounting unease rather than spectacle." 

length: 1h, 35m  |  source: Amazon Prime Video  |  directed by Orson Welles  |  why I watched: I hadn't seen it in a while, and wanted an especially good noir (previously reviewed here)

IMDb: 7.3/10  |  Rotten Tomatoes: 97% / 81% Audience  |  my IMDb: 8/10  |  MPAA: Approved

tone & texture: unsettling, noir shadows

notable quote: "Well, as a historian, I must remind you that the world hasn't had much trouble from Carthage in the past 2000 years."

my notes: beautifully shot and lit, this film is an engrossing look at a man mad with power and obsessed with his own brilliant uniqueness.

themes: identity, justice

overall: strongly recommended

The Adventurers {Xia dao lian meng} (2017) - "Fresh out of prison, an expert thief assembles a small, highly skilled crew for one last audacious series of art heists across Europe. Moving from glittering galas to fortified vaults, The Adventurers follows a contest of nerve and strategy between the thieves and the relentless investigator tracking them. Sleek, playful, and globe-trotting, the film blends classic caper pleasures—disguises, misdirection, narrow escapes—with a nostalgic affection for the gentleman-thief tradition." 

length: 1h, 48m  |  source: Amazon Prime  |  directed by Stephen Fung  |  why I watched: it features two of my favorites, Jean Reno and Andy Lau

IMDb: 5.6/10  |  Rotten Tomatoes: 14% / 23% Audience  |  my IMDb: 7/10  |  MPAA: not rated

tone & texture: playful, fast-cut/kinetic

notable quote: "You need to hold on tighter."

my notes: if you see action movies only as a comparison with (or contrast to) an actor's previous work, then this is an example of failure. On the other hand, if one views this with the context of the actors' previous careers as a guide and reference, then it can be seen as an exploration of how an expert adapts and grows to remain relevant, and how age is not an automatic deterrent to skills and talents. 

    I love Andy Lau in this calm, casual, approachable persona. Seeing him in a hoodie, speaking English... it blew my mind. And watching Jean Reno kicking ass, being [seemingly] unintentionally hilarious, and finding joy in his work... that makes me happy. 

themes: loyalty, found family, identity

overall:  recommended

  

Ocean's Thirteen (2007) - "Danny Ocean and his crew of skilled con artists unite for a high-stakes scheme to avenge a betrayal against one of their own. When their friend is wronged by the ruthless casino magnate Willy Bank, they devise an elaborate plan to sabotage his grand opening and execute a daring heist. Combining wit, charm, and ingenuity, they navigate the challenges of the casino world while showcasing the strength of their camaraderie and teamwork." 

length: 2h, 2m  |  source: my DVD  |  directed by Steven Soderbergh  |  why I watched: I've recently seen the 3 previous films, and wanted to complete the series 

IMDb: 6.9/10  |  Rotten Tomatoes: 70% / 75% Audience  |  my IMDb: 8/10  |  MPAA: PG-13

tone & texture: energetic, crisp & modern

notable quote: "We'll write them a check! [sheepish pause] We'll post-date it."

my notes: this is the best of the bunch. The setup is not excessively long in relation to the action, the characters are motivated by something other than pure greed, Catherine Zeta-Jones is mercifully absent, the villain is deliciously villainous, Vincent Cassel and Andy Garcia grace the screen, and the ultimate conclusion is joyous. 

themes: revenge

overall: highly recommended

 

[the title quotation is from Ocean's Thirteen]