What can I say? I love classic Hollywood. And Bringing Up Baby starring two of my all-time favorite stars, Cary Grant and Katherine Hepburn, is a true gem of a movie. A hilarious romp filled with Mr. Grant's great physical comedy, this is Ms. Hepburn's first foray into comedy. Oddly enough, this movie bombed and she was labeled 'box-office poison.' Years later, it is lauded as one of Howard Hawks best and I have to agree.
I love this movie. After Dr. Strangelove (which I will be reviewing soon), it is my favorite Peter Sellers film. His portrayal of Chance the gardener shows how truly talented he was as a comedian. Unlike his run as Inspector Clouseau in the Pink Panther series that utilized his mastery of pratfalls and a silly accent, this role is the definition of naivete. To call his character simple-minded just doesn't cover it. He's so much more. It's just a sweet, little film.
And if you haven't had enough of sweet films, here's one more for you. Billy Elliot is the wonderful story of a boy who must hide his love of dance from the rest of the world or at least from his mining father. I challenge anyone to watch the opening sequence without a smile. I would recommend that you use the subtitles as the strong northern English accent can be quite difficult to follow. However you watch it, do yourself a favor and do it.
I had a hard time limited this to only three reviews. There are so many great 'b' movies. From A Beautiful Mind, the true story of John Nash, the Nobel prize winning economist who suffered from schizophrenia, to Best In Show, a hilarious mockumentary of the zany antics at a dog show, to Blade Runner, one of the best sci-fi movies of all time. There's something for everyone here.
best in show
blade runner
An author friend of mine has been blogging his favorite books for months now. He has been going through the alphabet (obviously beginning with 'a') and nearly reached the halfway mark when it dawned on me that I should do the same with movies. I may even start a book list, too, but for now I'll just do this.
Although the first in a series is typically the best and Alien is great, I loved Aliens just a little more. Perhaps the further character development of Ridley with the addition of a near love interest and a maternal drive is the key. Or maybe it's just because this movie kicks ass in general. Let's face it, how much better can it get when you have space marines, lots of HUGE guns and explosions, and one mutha of an alien all in one film. Ask anyone who's seen the series and I venture most will admit that this one may be slightly better than the first.
Let's face it, it doesn't get much better than Bette Davis in All About Eve. In fact, I can't find one weak part in this movie. Even Marilyn Monroe's brief appearance as a rising starlet is one of her best performances. Every single element (great acting, an amazing script, even the awesome costumes) mixes together to form the best rags to riches story there is. If you're a fan of classic movies and have not seen this gem, you are not a true fan. This film is the perfect example of 'Hollywood' at it's best.
I don't know if I can rave enough about this sweet, simple fairytale story of a young, French woman whose sensitivity and caring touches everyone she meets. Beautifully filmed with a wonderful cast, the movie defines 'feel good films'. I guarantee that if you watch this film you will have a warm, happy feeling in your heart by the closing credits. Audrey Tautou has never been better. Just look at the keywords listed at Netflix:
"feel-good, romantic, quirky, imaginative." Yep, that about covers it.
I could just keep going and add Arsenic And Old Lace (another great classic starring Cary Grant as the naive nephew of two 'sweet' old ladies), Amadeus (the Oscar winning story of the tragic life of one of the greatest composers in history), and About A Boy (a bittersweet story of a young man's attempts to make sense of his mixed up life that is one of my favorite Hugh Grant films).
Let's face it, 'a' isn't just a good place to start because it's the beginning of the alphabet.
One down, 25 more to go. As Margo Channing so perfectly puts it in All About Eve:
"Fasten your seatbelts. It's going to be a bumpy night."
