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Anatomy of a Fall offers up excellent performances from an all-around solid cast. The style is realistic, the direction is thoughtfully and evenly paced throughout. Someone is dead and we're trying to determine if the death is a result of an accident or the result of foul play. We the viewer truly have no idea and this is one of the reasons we remain engaged throughout as we're are trying to figure things out in our own minds as the characters in the film are try to do the same thing. It is a visually stark film, and this adds to the realism of the story and what elevates to focus and interest in the characters. Anatomy of a Fall is a unique film and one worth checking out.

Home Town Story starts off with a solid enough idea but one that unfortunately is not that well executed. For starters the lead character having such a young sister is not really credible, in particular without the benefit if any real back story to this family. Then the fact that the lead character isn't really likeable makes things challenging. Yes, it a safe, pleasant enough film with a 'good' story but it has absolutely no teeth whatsoever. It moves along but lacks anything unique or of note that the viewer can really engage with or lean into to. I guess Home Town Story is watchable in its inoffensiveness but at the same time provides no real reason to watch, unless your a major Marilyn Monroe fan, or maybe even an interest in Alan Hale Jr./Skipper.

I recently discovered Patrick Knowles and jumped at the chance to see him again here in the Mystery of Marie Roget. The fact that this is a Poe story just made it even more interesting. All of the performances are fine. Prefect Gobelin is a solid foil t Knowles character but he is a bit exasperating at times, but then again I guess he is supposed to be that way. The pace is brisk and moves along nicely and while there are bits of suspense they are unfortunately not very strong. Despite several shortcomings the Mystery of Marie Roget is still worth checking for anyone curious, or for those fans of Patrick Knowles.

I'd heard/read about La Piscine over the years and when it was showing at the theater I decided to check it out. I won't take time to retell the story as its already been discussed. The small but solid cast was definitely one of the things that drew me to it. Delon is always interesting, I'd never actually seem Birkin act before, and the Schneider/Delon pairing just seemed to good to pass up. The film definitely projects a certain vibe all its own, which I did appreciate and find engaging. All of the performances are good, and the film itself looks good too. Unfortunately, the story unfolds at such a leisurely pace and it suffers because of it. It does start to grow in interest in the last third of the film but that's a little too late. A flawed film for sure but I'd say it's one still worth checking out.

Based on the title, I initially thought Step Down to Terror was going to be a horror film. I soon realized my error. That's fine because I was also up for a good suspense film and always happy to see Rod Taylor. Step Down to Terror isn't completely lacking in suspense, but unfortunately, there just isn't enough of it. For starters, I think the film takes to long in the set-up before it actually gets really interesting. Then when it does get interesting and suspense starts it's fairly quickly snuffed out when the female lead oddly, and unfortunately for everyone involved, including the audience, decides to put everything out there. The very ending scene is odd and seemed like a last minute kind of thing.

I'd not heard of Holiday previously but after viewing it recently I'm kind of surprised as its really a delightful film. Grant and Hepburn play off each other quite well and the rest of the cast are all turning in their own solid performances as well. The story isn't too complicated and I can't say that I didn't see it coming but nevertheless, Holiday is great fun and well done. There are several well crafted scenes throughout the film, it's all tightly paced without and wasted moment to spare. It's a story that still has relevance today and fortunately with this cast I suspect that it will continue to get new viewers. Worth checking out.

I haven't really seen many Leigh films and when I came across Storm in a Teacup I jumped at the chance to check it out. It's sod as a comedy but the comedy is rather slight, I consider it to be more humorous rather than outright funny, but pleasant enough either way. Harrison, Leigh, and Patrick are all solid but I think Harrison plays his role a bit highbrow and as such doesn't quite gain the full sympathies of the viewer as deeply as a result. Leigh is good with the role she's given in that her character isn't as developed and layered as she could have been. Still, despite some running weaknesses Storm in a Teacup is fun enough and worth checking out of your curious.

Million Dollar Baby of course is a film about boxing, but like all sports films it's also about a lot more than just the sport and just about winning or losing at that sport. The act of training and competing in sports has many crossover applications to the rest of our human existence, and Million Dollar Baby is no different in this regard. Both Eastwood and Swank give solid performances, in particular Swanks really does hit this one out of the park. The direction and blocking are very controlled and strong, which for me kind of made the final third of the film not really come as much of a surprise for me as it apparently did for others. I'm fine with the way the later section of the story went, it just didn't have the same emotional impact on me that many others felt. Still, Million Dollar Baby is worth checking out.

I can't recall what drew me to Dangerous Crossing but I'm definitely glad I decided to check it out. I won't retell the story specifics here as it's been told already but will say that I was very pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed Dangerous Crossing. The fresh honeymoon couple boards the luxurious ocean liner and suddenly one of them disappears while the others goes crazy trying to figure out what happened. The sets, lighting, cinematography and my personal favorite, the ever present foghorn, all contribute to the ultimate success of this film. As for what didn't work was the complete lack of a back-story to this newly married couple. The other problem was Crain's performance. In general I think she's a fine actress but she played this role too frenetic and predictable. Her character shares her inner thoughts and knows she needs to play it cool but instead she's constantly running around drawing attention to herself as if she's experiencing some kind of prolonged epileptic seizure or something. That's too bad because the rest of the cast is all solid, as is this fun suspense/drama.

Yes, The Day Time Ended does indeed lent itself to many possibilities. Unfortunately, they tried to fit all of them into this one film, and yet despite the many different ideas, creatures, and going on present, there really isn't much of a story to speak of. It's as though the folks behind The Day Time Ended were making these things up as they went along. Some of the acting is fine, while some of it was poorly executed. The special effects weren't really all that effective. The story just didn't have any cohesion and as such never gain ed any momentum to draw the viewer in. Despite the efforts of some of the players here it just didn't amount to enough to recommend.

For some reason Ring of Terror sounded kind of interesting to me and so I thought I'd check it out. At only 70 minutes run time the investment was relatively small. The very beginning, with an apparently random groundskeeper searching through a cemetery for his cat 'Puma' did genuinely spark my interest. We're then on a college campus where all of the students are in their mid 30's to early 40's. Not sure if there was a point to this unusual casting but it doesn't really work. Then there is the story, it read like a solid idea in the film's written synopsis, but it doesn't manifest itself nearly as coherently in the actual film. It's very uneven and patchy to the point of it kind of felt like the actors and director were just making things up as they went along. One thing I will say in it's favor - I stuck with it till the end because I was genuinely curious to see how it might possibly end. At only 70 minutes it still wasn't a great use of my time.

With a cast like this - Cooper, Bankhead, Laughton, Grant - I just had to check out Devil and the Deep. This is the earliest Grant film I've seen and he has already established his trademark speech patterns and carriage that would be with him for his entire career. Needless to say his does a fine job. Cooper looks great but his performance is a bit flat, mostly due to the script and direction. Laughton is very good and his character brings a lit to the film. Bankhead does a fine job but her character is so weak willed and passive that it's hard not to get a bit frustrated with her character let alone root for her. It is an odd little film for sure but one that I think is still worth checking out mostly for the cast.

Initially it was the title of Island of Doomed Men that caught my attention. Then when I then noticed Peter Lorre I knew I had to check it out. Lorre and to a lesser degree Wilcox, brought something of real interest to the film with solid performances, Lorre in particular stands out. Unfortunately, the story set-up is oddly sequenced and then becomes so straightforward in its delivery that the viewer has a challenging time really getting into the proceedings. I think this film had some potential to be so much more than what it ended up being. Nevertheless and despite quite a few shortcomings, the Island of Doomed Men is still a watchable film.

It'd been a long time since I'd seen a good old fashioned mummy film and thought I'd give this one a look. It's wasn't until after the film that I realized it was made in 1964, which as far as mummy films go isn't really all that old. On the plus side though it did look pretty good: the sets, costumes, props were definitely decent. The story through was fairly weak. As for the acting and performances they were mostly uneven and on the weak side, no one from the cast was really able to rise above the pedestrian. Still despite the many weaknesses present, it was still kind of watchable, I think? I guess so, for those true mummy lovers only though.

In Harriet Craig we have Joan Crawford playing a domineering, controlling, manipulative, and selfish character. This was just a bit too familiar to so many of the other characters she has played so many times throughout her career. This role seems to have been written with her in mind though. Her husband is played quite effectively by Wendell Corey, who does a fine job here. The story really is quite familiar as we see her character belittle, degrade, manipulate and lie to and about everyone character in the film. The only thing that kept me going was the fact that I knew she would eventually be found out and I was curious to see how that would play itself out. Her day of reckoning does finally come (and not a minute too soon) and gratefully it is done with just a touch of humor, not as much as I would have liked, but I was thankful for any levity at this point in the film. Despite the many shortcomings of Harriet Craig, the overall cast of solid performances makes it kind of a fun watch worth checking out.

David Niven, location shots in 30's Paris, and someone named Annabella, I just had to check it out Dinner at the Ritz. Niven is as pleasant and enjoyable as I was expecting. Annabella was as beautiful as I imagined and not completely lacking in acting skills either. There's sparkling jewels, a jewel heist, a yacht, lovely gowns, music and dancing, along with a murder hunt. Unfortunately the story and script in large part let all of those wonderful elements down. There isn't really much intrigue or suspense, nor even a thrill, it just kinds of moves along and looks nice. Despite the shortcomings it's not completely unwatchable, which I guess makes it kind of watchable, at least for the genuinely curious.

I'd always been curious about The Wild One as I'd heard it referenced countless times through the years. I'd also seen the now iconic image of Brando in the leather jacket and hat and wondered who that character was, what was he doing and what was he thinking. Well, I finally found out: it seems he wasn't really doing all that much and was just another lost soul searching for something, not sure what, but searching and disregarding as many societal norms along the way as he could. Other than the imagery of it all, and the enigmatic Brando himself, it's a pretty thin storyline. Collectively, it did keep me engaged for the duration and while it didn't live up to my vague and unjustified expectations, it is a must see for the true cinephile.

I'd never heard of The Unforgiven but when I saw Burt Lancaster, Audrey Hepburn, and John Huston I knew I had to check it out. The whole thing starts off a bit laboured and takes a while to get its footing. When it does finally start to get interesting it plays rather unevenly. Yes, there are some interesting and a few intense sections, in particular when the Indians begin to take a more meaningful role within the film. As for the performances Lancaster, Hepburn, Gish, and Saxon are all fine but it's some of the smaller, supporting characters that came across as cliched and kind of distracting that really hurts the film the most. Not unwatchable but also disappointing. Worth checking out only if you're genuinely interested.

I was not familiar with this film or the story The Hands of Orlac coming into this viewing, and it's probably for the best. I (perhaps unfortunately) saw the colorized version and have to say some scenes the colorization was so poorly done to the point of distraction, and this continued throughout the entirety of the film. It's definitely an unusual film - unusual on the acting, directing, dialogue and sequencing. It is a bit dialogue heavy and sparse on the horror/frights and suspense. It just kind of muddles along. The acting was odd in that I can't say it was good but it did keep me engaged. A weak film for sure and only for those naturally inclined or curious.

The Cat Burglar starts off nice and strong as we enter in the midst of the cat burglar in action. The sequence is well done and engaging, from the direction, acting, and soundtrack, it's all working. It continues on fairly solid ground but by midpoint it starts to get slightly complicated and a bit cumbersome. Still the soundtrack is working and we do get some new and kind of interesting characters along the way. Despite some ebbing the pace remains fairly brisk and everything does seem to manage to coalesce toward the film's finish line. Overall, The Cat Burglar still manages to be kind of fun and worth checking out.

I've heard of My Sister Eileen with Rosalind Russell but nothing specific so thought I'd finally give it a viewing for myself. Being from Ohio myself and having also moved to NYC I have to admit that I enjoyed these two sisters and their arrival in the city just a little too much. Their finding their first apartment in Greenwich Village and spending their first night was really cracking me up. Not sure if anyone else will find that segment as funny as me, but I certainly had a few good laughs. The remainder of the film had some interest and potential but I feel at times it seemed to try a bit too hard and got a little sloppy. Nevertheless, despite some reservations I did still enjoyed my time with My Sister Eileen.

60's era Soviet/Communist/Atomic paranoia storylines always seem to possess something interesting about them. Even though I was very young at the time this element is what draws me to this type of film. My expectations were sufficiently low, but even with that margin I was a little disappointed in This is Not a Test. The story itself is not bad but it doesn't really develop much beyond it's original premise, except that everyone involved slowly turns against one another in a very expected and typical development seen so many times before. The acting is very uneven. Lead Seaman Glass was very stiff throughout most of the film. I'd never heard of him before and looked him up and he seems to have been an interesting character in real life, so I will give him a pass! Otherwise the rest of the cast was uninspiring. There is one scene involving one of the characters dog, which is both a little disturbing and funny at the same time. The end of the film does seem a little abrupt, but for those of you interested in 'B' movie dealing with this subject matter, it might be worth checking out.

Neil Simon and a large and talented cast, I was naturally expected something somewhat pleasant and funny. Unfortunately, it was low on both of those accounts. I did really like the opening credits and the music and art direction throughout, they were both unique, and distinctly provided a 70's vibe, and in a very good way. Maggie Smith was far and away the most entertaining element of all. For me, her story with Michael Caine was also the most interesting and satisfying. Everything else was hard to get through, each for various reasons which I don't consider worthy of the time it would take me to explain, except to say that they are all poorly written and very disappointing. California Suite is only for the most die-hard Neil Simon fans, everyone else should just move along.

I'd heard mention of Cactus Flower through the years but only ever as Goldie Hawn winning an Oscar for her performance. And yes, she is likeable here. Even more likeable for me was Ingrid Bergman. At first her presence through me off a bit but before long I could tell that her's was a bit if inspired casting which I very much enjoyed. Matthau is Matthau. The story is kind of slight and the writers do their best to stretch it out to a feature length film, and for the most part it works, but the middle section drags just a bit as Hawn's character's endless concerns for Matthau's wife starts to become overwrought. Things do come back together towards the final third of the film and it ends pleasantly enough.

I hadn't really heard or read much about Poor Things going into my viewing, which is my preferred way going into any film. For me the story starts off kind of slowly but the unique visuals and costumes were there from the get-go. This lead to some initial feelings of skepticism that this might be yet another style over substance project, which I don't usually fully appreciate the way some do. However, the story does eventually develop beyond what I was anticipating/the obvious and and started to take a genuine interest in the Bella character as she grows and develops outside of her home in the real world. Much of this does involve her sexual awakening, but unlike some viewers, I thought this was well handled. Perhaps a bit too much time was spent on that segment of the story, but I nevertheless thought is was effective. There were also a couple on inconsistencies in how this character was drawn (the Alexandria section), but not to the point of distraction. Overall, Poor Things is interesting and worth checking out.