Davey Reviews The Movies!

101 Dalmatians (1996) * 1/2
The best cast in the world couldn't save this. This doesn't have the best cast in the world, but it does have Glenn Close, Hugh Laurie, and Jeff Daniels.

101 Dalmatians (1961) ****
It goes from really amazingly sublime to just pretty good when a plot is actually introduced. Still, it's definitely in the second tier of Disney features, somewhere between Masterpiece and Pretty Good.

12 Angry Men (1957) *****
think there is a special circle of movie heaven reserved for tense, totally compressed and utterly perfect movies like this. Great performances all around (Fonda and Cobb are the most memorable), and Lumet's direction is deceptively invisible--he pulls the whole thing off flawlessly with a terrifically effective visual concept.

1492: Conquest of Paradise **
A really weird movie. Ridley Scott and Gerard Depardieu do Christopher Columbus. Yeah. Like I said. Really weird.

2001: a space odyssey *****
It's a masterpiece--awe-inspiring and, though some are apparently put off by its apes and colortechnics, just about the most hypnotic, compulsively watchable movie around. Kubrick's masterpiece of masterpieces, maybe the best sci-fi film ever made, and a monumental contemplation of man and machine and space and the quest for transcendence in an infinite universe. Amazing.

42 Up ****1/2
Apted needs some sort of Nobel prize for these movies or something; it's pretty mundane stuff (real life is), but no less fascinating for it, and the opportunity to move from past to present to further past to present again in someone's life, seeing the process of aging and changing as never before, is totally amazing.

8 1/2 *****
Yeah, it's got some of Fellini's most memorable imagery and craziest surrealism, but even more importantly it has a real, sweet little heart to it. People comment on its self-indulgence, and it's self-indulgent indeed (humorously so and with a good deal of self-awareness), but the ultimate conclusion is that people are what's really important. And if that's not an Ultimate Conclusion then I don't know what is.

A Beautiful Mind **
So many wasted opportunities it's not even funny.

A Bug's Life ***
It's mediocre for Pixar, but it's still a lot of fun and definitely has its moments. Whoever decided to remake The Seventh Samurai with bugs was probably a pretty cool individual.

A Canterbury Tale ****1/2
Powell and Pressburger are magical as always, with typically superb photography, and the final act is unforgettable. It's one of the most gentle, beautiful movies I've ever seen in its generous, charitable eye for reverently and lovingly depicting the small, everyday processes that make up life in a community. Unfortunately, some of the performers--including at least one glaring first-timer--are pretty hard to get used to, but after awhile the roughness in the acting is really endearing, pushing the film even further from narrative into documentary territory. The Archers take a story of some folks hanging out in a little town and a criminal who pours glue in women's hair and makes a practically transcendental film.

A Charlie Brown Christmas *****
Perfection. This movie practically IS Christmas.

A Christmas Story ****1/2
Full, funny, and tender film nostalgia. School bullies act like school bullies--they look mean, laugh at you all sinister-like, and maybe occasionally twist your arm for a second, but not much else--and dads act like dads--saying stupid things in a somehow godly way. A really wonderful holiday film.

A Chump at the Oxford *****
Probably my favorite Laurel and Hardy film (Stan's dual characters are hilarious). The bit where they spend, apparently, an entire day and night and day stuck in a garden maze is the height of comedic film surrealism.

A Day at the Races ****1/2
One of the Marx Brothers' best. Funny and deeply, deeply bizarre.

A Goofy Movie ***1/2
I'd really like to dis a movie like this for being so commercial-minded and conventionally hip, but it's really quite fun, rather sweet, and excellently animated.

A Grand Day Out ****
Not as great as the other two Wallace and Gromit shorts, but, then, few things are. Magical claymation.

A Hard Day's Night *****
I do not know of a more purely joyous movie--Lester delights in the freedom of his camera and his giddiness is positively contagious, and the Beatles have never been more lovable, either as musicians or as people. Hilarious. Delightful. One of my all-time favorites.

A Knight's Tale **
Yeah, I don't really remember much about it except the whole rock-music-in-medieval-times thing, which was fun, and I think Paul Bettany was pretty good. I think the rest was mostly fairly wretched.

A Little Princess (1995) ****1/2
Cuaran breathes magic into this tale. A practically-perfect-in-every-way family film.

A Matter of Life and Death *****
Another all-time favorite. Powell and Pressburger weave a kooky tale of romance, humor, and sincere devotion to humanity. The visuals are unmatched in their imagination and spellbinding use of space and color. The performances are uniformly terrific, and this is probably the best I've ever seen from David Niven. Magical. Sublime.

A Midsummer Night's Dream (1999) **
Totally uninspired, unmagical film version. I thought Kevin Kline could do no wrong till I saw this. I still love the man, but his Bottom is surprisingly awful. The rest of the cast fares just as well.

A Midsummer Night's Dream (1935) ****
Shakespeare + Mendelssohn + William Dieterle (one of the most underrated directors ever) + James Cagney = Magic. One of the peaks of Shakespeare on film, with images (and music) of such exceptional beauty they just about equal Shakespeare's original text--if ol' Bill had lived in 1935 I've no doubt he would have adored the flights of fancy on display here. Some of the bits start to lag--Reinhardt (who co-directed) lacks the genius with actors that Dieterle has with visuals, but many of them are capable enough to deliver great performances notwithstanding. Dick Powell and Olivia de Haviland have some fine moments as one of the two young romantic couples, Mickey Rooney's Puck is just about perfect, were it not for a trademark laugh that gets used about twenty times too many, and the players are, without exception, wonderful. Joe E. Brown is particularly hilarious as Flute, and James Cagney--doubtlessly one of the most natural, beautiful, and talented actors ever to grace the screen--is as terrific and as perfect a Bottom as one could ever wish for. What a joyous film. Just about as close as one could come to capturing the magic of the play in a can.

A Night at the Opera ****1/2
The romantic subplots that are thrown into the Brothers later pictures sort of, in a weird way, make them even crazier. Not their best, but up there. Some priceless, priceless routines.

A Place in the Sun ****1/2
Compelling melodrama expertly directed by Stevens and acted by a first-rate cast. Everything is pretty much perfect, but the whole feels to me like far less than the sum of its parts.

A Prairie Home Companion *****
Beautiful valentine swan song from Altman. Perfection, and one of the sweetest, warmest, liveliest movies ever made about old folks contemplating mortality.

A Star Is Born (1954) ****
Superb Hollywood filmmaking, and the reconstructed version is an interesting education on studio politics of the era. Lovely music and performances; heartbreaking.

A Streetcar Named Desire ****1/2
A pretty much perfect rendition of a pretty much perfect play. Legendary characters and performances.

A Woman Is A Woman *****
The battle of the sexes by way of Godard. Crazy and garish and dizzyingly self-absorbed--I don't know if it's a comedy or a tragedy, but it's pretty obviously brilliant.

About A Boy *****
Sweet and funny, and with enough heart and substance that you won't have forgotten it two hours after watching it. Has a love for and understanding of its characters that too few movies do. And excellent style, too. One of the best romantic comedies in recent memory.

About Schmidt ***
I'll watch Jack Nicholson in anything. In spite of some really unexpectedly mean-spirited attempts at humor, one of the most offensively manipulative scores practically ever, and a lack of direction that is at times admirable and mostly just unbelievably unfocused, this movie has its heart in the right place. Sometimes it's hard to see it in the midst of all the unconvincing and irritating whimsy, but it's there--and when it shines through, as it does most especially in the final fifteen-or-so minutes, it's warm and sweet and genuine and charitable, and I can't help but feel a certain affection for the movie, in spite of it all.

Across The Universe **1/2
Crazily ambitious, with more misses than hits. Still, one can't help but admire this mad, mad mess of a movie for the moments it does get wildly, unbelievably right--"I Wanna Hold Your Hand," bits of "I Want You" and "Happiness is a Warm Gun" and others make one actually consider buying the soundtrack in spite of the vast number of other, subpar covers. It's amusing for a Beatles nut (like myself) to bask in the obscure and not-so-obscure references, and less amusing when one cringes at others--i.e., naming all the characters after Beatles songs just so we have an excuse to throw more of them in, as if Taymor needed excuses. Ultimately, though, it does a surprisingly effective (if very frequently sloppy and probably at least occasionally unintentional) job of expressing the initial optimism, subsequent extremism, dissatisfied cynicism, and ultimate hopeful redemption of the '60s. Oh, and Bono's Dr. Robert is soooooo weird. SO weird. I mean it. Seriously. Crazy.

Adam's Rib *****
A very funny comedy that is also remarkably wise and thoughtful about sexual politics. And it's likely Tracy and Hepburn's best.

Adaptation *****
Maybe the best movie made from a Charlie Kaufman screenplay. The cast is great, its implications are bottomless, and Jonze's direction is unforgettable. I can no longer listen to that song by the Turtles in quite the same way. (Also, everyone should read The Orchid Thief, on which it is sorta-kinda-based-ish.)

After Hours ****1/2
Scorsese by way of Kafka. Wonderful dark comedy about a guy who (like Dorothy) just can't seem to be able to get home. A perfect cast, bizarre script, and the ending is about as kooky, as funny, and as terrifying a thing as I've ever seen in a movie. I love this movie.

After The Thin Man ***
Powell and Loy (and Asta) are always a treat, even if these sequels aren't as inspired as the original. And Jimmy Stewart... Well, yeah.

Aguirre, the Wrath of God *****
Hypnotic Herzog madness. The final shot of Kinski going crazy on a raft with monkeys, babbling on about delusions of grandeur, is hilarious, heartbreaking, and mostly just totally, totally nuts. The same could be said for the entire film.

Akira Kurosawa's Dreams *****
Kurosawa vividly and accurately recreates the poetic precision and bottomless mystery to be found in one's dreams. Stunningly beautiful; holds you in a trance. One of the best movies I've ever seen.

Alice (1988) *****
Ever wanted to see a stop-motion frog break tons of stuff with his huge gross tongue? Now you can. Follows the logic of a dream, and with the same strange, uncertain combination of bizarre humor, frustration, and terror.

Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore ****
Scorsese has made great movies in such a varied arena of genres and subject matter it boggles the mind. The improvisational, documentary feel here is perfect. The ending is troubling, but troubling in a good way.

Alice in Wonderland (1951) ****
Haunted by a memorable, unexpected anxiety, and with some fine flights of fancy. Watch this one followed by Svankmajer's Alice and you've got an experience truly worthy of Carroll.

Alien ****
The only movie I've seen from Ridley Scott that I've actually liked. An interesting and well-crafted sci-fi/horror film with a first rate cast and some excellent production design that reminds me in equal parts of Stanley Kubrick and Metroid. The viral horror is carried out well--genuinely creepy, unnerving, and deeply claustrophobic atmosphere (and the popping-out-of-stomach alien is absolutely terrifying; the implications even more so). And it's exciting to see Harry Dean Stanton and John Hurt in anything.

All About Eve *****
Phenomenal. It sparkles. Mankiewicz creates a universe that feels like Oscar Wilde if he'd written for Hollywood in 1950. It's that great.

All Quiet on the Western Front *****
THE war film of all time. Staggering.

All the President's Men ****1/2
Super-great political thriller. Keeps you involved; plus you'll learn a lot of cool stuff about Watergate. Exceptional filmmaking.

Almost Famous ****1/2
Crowe's sweet, heartfelt valentine to music and even more specifically to a moment in time--in history, in one's life.

Amadeus *****
Epic. Astonishing. Brilliance. Music, sight, sound, storytelling. Abraham. Hulce. My goodness.

Amelie ****
A little too cute for its own good, but darned if it isn't lovable all the same.

American Beauty ***
A film of unusually high quality and astoundingly deplorable morals.

American Movie ****1/2
The part where Mike screams belongs on any top ten list of Funniest Moments In Movie History. A funny, riveting, and rather unexpectedly beautiful and inspiring documentary about unforgettable characters and the wild, sometimes heavenly sometimes hellish process of (amateur) filmmaking.

An American in Paris ****1/2
Infinitely more uneven than something like Singin' in the Rain, but at its best (i.e., the final, spectacular ballet, among other glorious moments) it soars to unimaginable heights.

An American Tail - Feivel Goes West ***
James Stewart's last performance is in this fun little Bluth movie. It was one of my favorites as a kid.

Anastasia ***1/2
How very bizarre. A children's movie which features rotting corpses in hell as comic relief? Some nice voice work, good animation, a couple memorable songs, and a mad monk. Don Bluth is always watchable.

Anchors Aweigh ***1/2
Not Kelly's best, but still pretty terrific.

And Then There Were None ****1/2
Clair is a lot more fun than Christie, and his cast is heaven (particularly Huston, who gives one of his giddiest performances).

Andrei Rublev ****
Some of it is outstanding, some of it feels like Tarkovsky wallowing. I'd like to see the non-Criterion cut, the theatrical version that Tarkovsky himself later said he preferred. Seems like it could be really great with a bit more cutting. The stuff that's great is GREAT--the wings, the fresco, the bell-making.

Angels in the Outfield (1994) ***
Not a bad movie. Not really a very good one, but kinda sweet and sometimes funny, and Glover and Lloyd are good. I'm theologically torn on these heavenly fix-it movies.

Animal Crackers *****
The Marxes at their absolute peak.

Animal Farm ****1/2
One of the very best animated movies I've seen. As good as Orwell's novel in its own way. I don't understand those who dis the ending, which isn't happy in the least.

Anne of Green Gables ****1/2
Lovely little made-for-television flick. Some really nice acting, and genuinely heart-warming. Worthy of the excellent source material.

Anne of Green Gables - The Sequel (aka, Anne of Avonlea) ***1/2
Fine, often absorbing made-for-TV picture. Not as good as the first film, but Montgomery's subsequent books weren't nearly as good as her first either, so it makes sense.

Annie Get Your Gun *
Plodding adaptation of an already plodding musical. Hutton drives me nuts. Not a fan.

Annie Hall *****
For awhile this was one of my least favorites from Allen (who is, however, a favorite of mine). Now it's maybe my favorite. It's hilarious and very strange, but it's the welling undercurrent of sadness and confusion that really hits home.

Another Thin Man ***
The title is pretty much a capsule review of its own. All the sequels are fun, even if they never really hold a candle to the wonderful first film. Powell and Loy are always great, to say the very least.

Apocalypse Now *****
Nam on acid. As good a movie as Coppola ever made--and, dude, that guy made the Godfather movies.

Apollo 13 ***
Nice docudrama-esque thing--interesting and often gripping, but nothing really extra-special.

Arsenic and Old Lace *****
Hilarious adaptation by Capra, with about the best ensemble cast ever. One of the most perfect comedy films ever made.

As Good As It Gets ****1/2
There are a number of things that don't work for me in this movie. Some really manipulative music, some too-pretty photography, some moments that just aren't funny, some moments that feel condescending and broadly stereotyping in the worst way. But, if you know me, then you probably know that I bring up all the things that didn't work because I loved it all the same. Nicholson holds it all together. And this movie really, really, really, really, really, really, really got to me. Really. For all its faults it has something real and interesting and moving to say about people. (Also: Jack Nicholson plays Van Morrison's "Days Like This," and Helen Hunt says "I like this music." Any film that goes explicitly out of its way to compliment Van Morrison probably immediately boosts my rating by a half-star.)

Ashes and Diamonds *****
Quite simply one of the greatest, most powerful, most perfectly executed films ever made. Existential and troubled and longing and thrilling and tragic (and with interesting Hamlet parallels), Wajda's film is political without being dated, photographed with unbelievable beauty and precision, and features a riveting, sympathetic central performance from Zbigniew Cybulski, who has as much screen presence as a Belmondo. I was about to say it has one of the very greatest first scenes in film history, but then I'd have to say it has one of the very greatest final scenes, and a lot of the greatest scenes in between. I'll just say it's one of the best movies I've ever seen and one of the best I ever expect to see and leave it at that.

Au Hasard Balthazar *****
I think this may be the most emotionally and spiritually devastating, moving film I've ever seen.

Babe ****1/2
What a lovely, charming, funny, meandering, magical little movie about a talking pig!

Babe: Pig in the City *****
Here is why I love movies--I can watch a pig be chased around by some dogs in a crazy-a city and be moved to the very core of my being. If that ain't cool then nothing is. Profound, profound stuff. I get teary watching it.

Babel **
My friend suggested an alternate title for this movie after we watched it: Stupid People Doing Really Stupid Things.

Babes in Toyland (aka, March of the Wooden Soldiers) (1934) ****
It takes its time--though not necessarily in a bad way, more in a children's storybook way--and mostly it's marvelous. Even the bits without Laurel and Hardy are buoyed by the enchanting set design and the delicious characterization of Mr. Barnaby. The finale is strange and hilarious.