Knocked Up (2006)

This movie is hilarious. Alison Scott (Katherine Heigl) is a carrer minded young woman. After she receives a huge promotion she goes out to a club with her sister, who is married with two kids, to celebrate. There she meets Ben Stone (Seth Rogan), a burnout with no job who is in the country illegally from Canada. They have a one night stand and do not see each other for several weeks. Soon Alison learns that she is pregnant and has to tell Ben. They then embark on a complicated relationship - trying to get to know each other while preparing for parenthood at the same time. Now they need to figure out if they really want to be a couple or if it is only the pregnancy keeping them together.

I loved this movie and laughed a lot. however, I will warn you that if you can not stand a lot of cursing and frank sexual talk then you will want to stay away from this movie. The acting is not that great but that is ok. I was happy to see one of my favorite underrated actors, Paul Rudd, as Alison's brother-in-law Pete. If you like stupid humor then you will like this film.

Harvey (1950)

The Jimmy Stewart comedy classic. Elwood P. Dowd (Jimmy Stewart) lives in a small town with his sister, Veta (Josephine Hall), and niece, Myrtle Mae (Victoria Home). Of course there is also his buddy, Harvey, a 6'3" white rabbit that only Elwood can see. of course his sister and niece are very embarrassed by Elwood's invisible friend and after he embarrasses them at a luncheon they decide to send him away. Of course nothing goes as planned. The psychiatrist believes that Veta is the one who is crazy and puts her in the asylum. Once the doctors realize their mistake they must do everything in their power to find Elwood and keep Veta from suing.

This movie was very fun. Even though it is considered a comedy it is somewhat sad. It was nice to see Jimmy Stewart in a different role than we are used to seeing him in. Josephine Hall was also wonderful in her Oscar winning role of Veta. There have been 3 made-for-tv remakes of this film in 1972, 1985 and 1998. However, nothing can compare to this movie classic.

It Happened One Night (1934)

The Academy Award winning comedy classic. Ellie Andrews (Claudette Colbert) has eloped with King Westley (Jameson Thomas). Of course her wealthy father does not approve of the marriage and whisks Ellie away on his boat until he can have the marriage annulled. However, Ellie is not willing to go so easily and she jumps overboard and swims to shore. She decides to travel by bus back to her husband. While on the bus she meets Peter Warne (Clark Gable), a down on his luck reporter who is looking for a big story. He soon recognizes Ellie and decides to travel with her so he can write the story that will resurrect his career. Of course their trip does not go smoothly and they soon run out of money and have to come up with creative ways to make their way across the country. Of course another unseen event occurs - Ellie and Peter begin to fall in love.

This is one of the best comedies ever made. It is hard to believe that both Gable and Colbert were loaned to Columbia for this film as punishment for their bad behavior. They both hated this movie and thought the script was horrible. I guess it goes to prove that things on paper are not always what they seem. If you love classic films then this one is a must see.

Sleuth (1972)

An interesting movie full of twists and turns. Andrew Wyke (Lawrence Olivier) is a very successful writer of detective books. He has learned that his wife is having an affair with a much younger man and invites his to his house for a meeting. When Milo Tindle (Michael Caine) arrives they have a very long discussion of the best way for Andrew to get rid of his wife and give Milo some money to keep her happy. Andrew decides that Milo must break into the safe in his house and steal some of his wife's very expensive jewelry. Milo is to take the jewelry to Andrew's friend who will sell them and Andrew will file a claim with his insurance company. However, things do not go as planned and that is where the twists and turns come in.

I enjoyed this movie. Olivier and Caine were wonderful as the adversaries who try to work together. The ending was slightly predictable but was also interesting. There is a remake in the works to be released next year with Michael Caine playing the Andrew Wyke role and Jude Law as Milo Tindle. However, the original is a must see for all mystery fans.

Witness for the Prosecution (1957)

One of the best courtroom dramas ever made. Sir Wilfrid (Charles Laughton) is an aging lawyer at the end of his career. He is about to retire to a nice island when he meets Leonard Vole (Tyrone Power). Leonard has been accused of murdering a woman who left her entire estate to him. He protests his innocence and begs Sir Wilfrid to take on his case. Wilfrid agrees and begins the task of proving his client's innocence. The main person he works with is Leonard's wife, Christine (Marlene Dietrich), who seems to have many secrets to hide. Some of her secrets come to light and Wilfrid realizes that Christine may not have her husband's best interests at heart. What will happen when she becomes the witness for the prosecution?

I really enjoyed this movie. The cast was wonderful especially Power and Dietrich. Laughton was good but there were times he got on my nerves with his constant yelling. Elsa Lanchester (Charles Laughton's real life wife) was also wonderful as Sir Wilfred's nurse maid. The twist at the end was also wonderful and I did not see the entire thing coming. There was a made for TV remake of this film made in 1982 starring Donald Pleasance and Beau Bridges. However, nothing can compare to this classic film.

Brief Encounter (1945)

A very sad and touching film. Laura Jesson (Celia Johnson) is a seemingly happily married woman. Every Thursday she takes the train into town
where she shops and sees a movie. One day while waiting to catch her train home she has some grit thrown in her eye from the express train. She is helped out by a handsome doctor, Alec Harvey (Trevor Howard). They meet a few more times and they slowly get to know each other. As the weeks pass they look forward to seeing each other. Soon they realize that they have fallen in love. However, they both know that they can not be together because of their family commitments. They just can not seem to give each other up though. They must decide what they are going to do about this love they just can not seem to let go of.

I found this movie incredibly sad and tragic. Johnson is able to convey so much emotion just by the look on her face. Howard was very reserved as the doctor who falls head over heels for another woman. There was a made for TV remake in 1974 starring Richard Burton and Sophia Loren. However, I feel that nothing can compare to this original masterpiece.

Anatomy of a Murder (1959)

An excellent court room drama that takes place entirely in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Paul Biegler (Jimmy Stewart) is a lawyer in a small town. When he returns from a fishing trip he learns from his drunken mentor Parnell McCarthy (Arthur O'Connell) that he has been requested to represent a man in a nearby town. Frederick Manion (Ben Gazzara) is a lieutenant stationed at the local army base. He has been accused of murdering a man. He walked into the local tavern and shot the owner, Quill. It seems that Quill raped Manion's wife Laura (Lee Remick) and Manion went insane. Now Paul must prove that Frederick could not control himself. He finds an Army psychiatrist from Detroit who will testify that Manion had an "irresistible urge" to kill Quill. However, the prosecution is pulling out the big guns and bring in Assistant Attorney General Dancer (George C.Scott) up from Lansing to help win the case. Now Biegler must overcome another obstacle. The fact that his rape victim flirts with every man she sees.

I really enjoyed this film. Stewart was wonderful as the lawyer who is convinced his client was insane. Remick was also terrific as the wife who may not be as innocent as she seems. All in all a wonderful classic film that everyone should see.

To Have and Have Not (1944)

A wonderful Boggie and Bacall flick. Steve Morgan (Bogart) is living on the French island of Martinique during World War II. He has a boat and runs fishing tours for people on the island. While his friends work for the Free France movement he decides to remain neutral. That all changes when he meets Slim (Bacall). She is a young American woman who does not have enough money to get back to the mainland. After Steve has his money and passport taken by the local police captain he decides that he needs to work in the smuggling business to help get Slim off the island. He agrees to smuggle a French soldier and his wife from another island but they run into trouble. They exchange fire with the local authorities and the soldier is shot. Now the police are onto Steve and his illegal activities. For their safety Steve and Slim need to leave the island but will they be able to?

The movie is where Boggie and Bacall fell in love and you can see that happening on screen. Bacall was so sexy as Slim - especially when she gives the famous line "You know how to whistle don't you Steve? You just put your lips together and blow". Walter Brennan steals the movie as Steve's drunk sidekick, Eddie. The movie has been remade two times. In 1950 as The Breaking Point and in 1956 as Wetbacks. However, nothing can compare to this original classic.

The Philadelphia Story (1940)

One of the best movie comedies I have ever seen. Tracy Lord (Katharine Hepburn) is a high society woman who is about to be married. The only problem she has is her ex-husband, C.K. Dexter Haven (Cary Grant). It seems that he is bound and determined to ruin her big day. He has returned from South America and is summoned to the office of the editor of Spy magazine, Sidney Kidd. Kidd wants to get the scoop on Tracy's wedding and sees Dexter as his ticket in. Kidd has Dexter help his reporter Macaulay "Mike" Connor (James Stewart) and photographer Liz Imbrie (Ruth Hussey) pose as friends of Tracy's brother who can not attend the wedding. Of course when Tracy sees Dexter she gets very upset. She is even more angry when he tells her that Mike and Liz are there for the scoop on his nuptials. Mostly she is upset because her father has run away to New York with a dancer and she does not want her family embarrassed. As she tries to fool the reporter she learns that she may not be the wonderful person she thinks she is. Now she is falling in love with Mike and is not sure what to do about her fiance George.

This movie was incredibly funny and touching. The acting was wonderful by all the stars but I loved Stewart's performance the best. The scenes where he is drunk are hilarious. Most people think of Jimmy as a serious actor but he obviously had a funny side also. I think he deserved the Oscar for this role and that his win was just not a make up for him not winning the year before for Mr Smith Goes to Washington. Hepburn was also wonderful as the snobby Tracy who learns the truth about herself. There were two remakes of this movie. There was a made for TV version in 1959 starring Gig Young (Dexter) and Christopher Plummer (Mike). Also, there was High Society in 1956 starring Bing Crosby (Dexter), Frank Sinatra (Mike) and Grace Kelly (Tracy). However, if you want a touching love story that is also very funny watch the original.

Sunset Boulevard (1950)

One of the best movies ever made about Hollywood. Joe Gillis (William Holden) is a struggling screenwriter. He is completely broke and his car is about to be repossessed. He is trying to avoid the repo men and ends up parking in what he assumes is the garage of a deserted house. However, he soon realizes that the house is not deserted but is occupied by a former silent film star, Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson). Soon he and Norma start talking about their circumstances and they decide to work together. Joe will write the screenplay that will bring Norma back to her adoring fans who send her hundreds of fan letters. Eventually their relationship turns romantic and that is when everything begins to go wrong. He meets Betty Schaefer (Nancy Olson), the fiance of one of his good friends. The two begin working on another screenplay and they eventually fall in love. However, Norma is mentally unbalanced and she will not let Joe go without a fight.

This movie was incredible. Gloria Swanson is brilliant as the insane movie star. Erich Von Stroheim was terrific as Norma's attentive butler, Max. The cinematography was wonderful and the music was perfect for the movie. Among the people with cameos are Cecil B. DeMille, Buster Keaton and Hedda Hopper. There is a remake of this movie scheduled for release in 2008 starring Glenn Close as Norma Desmond. The remake is a movie version of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical. However, do not miss the original it is one of the best movies ever made.

Singin' in the Rain (1952)

- December Musical Selection


The all time classic movie musical. Gene Kelly stars as Don Lockwood. Together with Lina Lamont (Jean Hagen) he is the biggest movie star of the silent era. Lockwood and Lamont are so popular that the media writes erroneous reports that they are to be engaged. Their lives are going along wonderfully until the invention of the talking picture. When their movie studio, Monument, decides to go into the talkie business Lockwood and Lamont do not come across well on the screen. Lina does not have the voice for talking pictures and can not talk into her microphone to save her life. In the meantime Don meets and falls in love with Kathy Selden (Debbie Reynolds) - an aspiring actress. Kathy has a beautiful voice and Don's best friend, Cosmo (Donald O'Connor) comes up with the idea to dub Kathy's voice for Lina's. Of course Lina is not happy with the new arrangement and even more upset with the romance between Don and Kathy. She attempts to keep Kathy behind the scenes as her voice to kill Kathy's career but will she be successful?

I loved every minute of this movie. It was a fun satirical look at the movie business. Kelly, Reynolds and O'Connor are all wonderful but the star is Jean Hagen. She steals the show as the ditsy Lina who begins to believe her own good press. The musical numbers are fun to watch and the dancing is wonderful. If you love old time musicals you have to see this film - you will not be disappointed.

His Girl Friday (1940)

A cute all time classic. Rosalind Russell stars as Hildy Johnson, a former reporter. She is engaged to Bruce Baldwin and there is only one problem - her ex-husband Walter Burns (Cary Grant). Walter thinks that Hildy is coming back to reunite with him and is startled when she gives him the news that she is marrying someone else. That is when Walter hatches a plan to get Hildy back. It seems that a man named Earl Williams is scheduled to be hung for killing a police officer and Walter wants Hildy to interview him. He convinces her to interview Williams by saying he will buy an insurance policy from Bruce. The usual craziness ensues with Bruce being arrested, his mother being kidnapped by one of Walter's henchman and a daring jail break by Williams. Now will Walter be able to win Hildy over and steal her from Bruce or will she chose to be a real woman?

This movie was very entertaining. Some of the press room scenes can be hard to follow because there is some much going on but it is easy to get past. Russell, Grant and Bellamy are all on the top of their game. There are some snappy lines in this film as well. My favorite is at the beginning when Hildy is telling Walter about her engagement. She says "Oh I love you Walter, I just wish you weren't such a stinker". There are several versions of this movie. The original, The Front Page, was made in 1931. There was also a version of The Front Page made for TV in 1948 and another in 1974 that changed Hildy to a man - Jack Lemon. Finally there was Switching Channels in 1988 starring Kathleen Turner and Burt Reynolds. However, this is a wonderful version for all classic movie buffs.

Mr Smith Goes to Washington (1939)

One of the finest films ever made. Jimmy Stewart stars as Jefferson Smith, a young man picked to replace the deceased Senator from his state. When he arrives in Washington he takes a tour of the city and is drawn to the Lincoln memorial. He uses these landmarks as his inspiration for his new job. He also quickly learns that he must be careful. He is talking with several reporters who twist his pictures and words to make him look like a fool. He meets his cynical secretary, Saunders, who feels burned out by the political system. Jefferson is overwhelmed by his new duties but it determined to do a good job. He soon decides to write a bill for a national boys camp in his home state even though he is told to keep quiet and agree with everything the senior Senator, Joseph Paine, does. The problem is that the boys camp is to be placed on the property that has been picked for a damn by the political fat cats. The powers to be decide to disgrace Jefferson and make up tremendous lies about him. However, he will not go down without a fight. He filibusters, with Saunders' help, to get the truth out and save his reputation.

Without a doubt this is one of Jimmy Stewart's best performances. I can not think of another actor, even today, who could portray the naive Jefferson Smith without making him seem stupid. Jean Arthur is wonderful as the fed up Saunders and Claude Rains shines as the dirty Senator Paine. It lost Best Picture to Gone With the Wind but I think it may have been cheated (and GWTW is one of my favorite movies). A top notch film that is a national treasure. There was a TV series based upon this film that ran from 1962-3 and it was also remade as Billy Jack goes to Washington in 1977.

Charade (1963)

A fine classic movie. Audrey Hepburn stars as Reggie Lampert. While she is vacationing with her best friend her husband, Charles, is murdered and thrown off a train. She arrives back in Paris, ready to divorce him, when she learns what happened to him and much more. She is called into the American embassy where she is told by Mr Bartholomew that her husband sold all their belongings for $250,000 and that he was killed for it. It seems that her husband was a former soldier who, along with 3 other men, stole the money from the government. It seems that Charles made off with the money and now the other men are looking for their share. They will stop at nothing and Reggie is in danger since the men assume she has the money. She asks Peter Joshua (played by Cary Grant), a man she met on holiday and keeps running into, to help protect her. She also hits on him shamelessly even though he is old enough to be her father. They must find the money before Reggie, or anyone else, ends up dead.

This was a wonderful movie. Hepburn and Grant had great chemistry.
Cary Grant did not want to play a man who was chasing a woman half his age so the writers made Hepburn the aggressor and he signed on. The supporting cast, including Walter Matthau, James Colburn and George Kennedy, was also wonderful. A definite must see for all movie lovers. This film was remade three times. In 1978 as Somebody Killed Her Husband starring Farrah Fawcett and Jeff Bridges, The Truth About Charlie in 2002 starring Mark Wahlberg and Thandie Newton and in 2004 as Duplicity.

The Prestige (2006)

So I did not think this movie was as great as the buzz out there says it is. It was alright but the ending totally killed it for me. I will not give away the ending for those who have not seen it but it was very hard to follow. The movie follows two magicians Robert Angier (Hugh Jackman) and Alfred Borden (Christian Bale) in the early 1900s. They work together as plants for another magician. Their precarious friendship ends when tragedy strikes the magic show. They both move on and attempt to become the greatest magician alive. When Robert finds out that Alfred has created a trick called the Transported Man he becomes obsessed with learning Borden's secret. He sends his assistant Olivia (Scarlet Johansson) to spy on Borden. When she steals his notebook for him Robert follows Borden's clues and goes to Colorado. There he meets with the man, Tesla, who can build him a machine to make the trick better. However, once back in England something goes wrong and Angier dies - and it appears that Borden has killed him. The film is told in flashback sequences which I really do not like. I did not care about the characters and like I said earlier I hated the ending. I wish I did not waste my $9 on this movie.

Rebecca (1940)

One of my favorite films. Joan Fontaine stars as a young woman (we never learn her name) who is a paid companion for a older rich woman. While they are in Monte Carlo she meets Max deWinter, a rich man who lost his wife the previous year. The begin to spend time together on Monte and fall in love. They are married and Max takes the second Mrs deWinter to live at the family estate - Manderley. When she arrives she soon realizes that this is not the happy home she pictured and that her husband may still be in love with his first wife. The main tormenter to the second Mrs deWinter is Mrs Danvers - the maid who adored Rebecca. She makes no attempt to hide her displeasure of the new lady of the house and does everything she can to make the second wife miserable. However, things are not always what they seem and there is a twist ending to the film that is wonderful.

This is my favorite Hitchcock film. It was the only film of his to win the Oscar for Best Picture. I saw it for the first time as a little girl and just fell in love with it. I was always scared of Mrs Danvers because she seemed to be pure evil. Now as an adult I see that she is not pure evil but is, like all of us, a complex person. She feels she is doing what is right even though she is way off. Joan Fontaine and Lawrence Oliver are wonderful as the deWinters. If you love suspense movies then who must see this film.

Casablanca (1942)

One of the best romances ever made. Rick Blaine is happy living his life in Casablanca, Morocco. He runs the most popular joint in town that serves people on their way out of occupied France and into Lisbon. When the leader of the French resistance, Victor Laslow, and his wife, Ilsa, arrive at Rick's Cafe his life is turned upside down. It seems that before Rick fled Paris he and Ilsa shared a romance. While he has turned off his emotions and managed to get on with his life seeing her again opens old wounds. As the flame between Ilsa and Rick begins to reignite Victor is in danger. The German soldiers believe he murdered two of their own and are after him. Now Rick must decide if he escapes with Ilsa or allow her to leave with her husband.

This is without a doubt one of the best films ever made. Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman are at their best as the torn lovers Rick and Ilsa. The scene that has been dubbed the dueling anthems is the turning point of the film and is one of the best scenes in the movie. Any movie lover needs to see this movie.

Double Indemnity (1944)

The all-time film noir classic. Fred MacMurray stars a Walter Neff, an insurance salesman. He is fine living his every day life until he meets Phyllis Dietrichson (played by Barbara Stanwyck)a woman of questionable morals. When Walter falls in love with Phyllis she sees a way out of her loveless marriage. She convinces Walter to con her husband into purchasing accident insurance. Once Walter tricks Mr Dietrichson into signing the policy he convinces Phyllis to make her husband's "accident" occur on the train to cash in on the double indemnity clause. They seem to get away with the plot until Walter's conscience gets the best of him. He also learns that Phyllis may not be the person she seems to be. As his life begins to unravel he sees that he has been duped and tries to set everything right.

I love this movie. The story is interesting and relevant even today. Stanwyck and MacMurray are wonderful and believable in their roles. The only complaint I have is with the fake looking blonde wig Stanwyck wears in the film. However, I guess it was month into filming before Billy Wilder, the director, decided it looked stupid and at that point it had to stay on. Although in a way it helps add Stanwyck's mystique. A definite must see for all classic movie fans.

The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)

The all time sci-fi classic. This is the story of an alien and his robot who come to Earth to warn us of the dangers of our ways. He warns that if we do not live peacefully we will be destroyed by the other beings in the universe. Of course the people of Earth are scared and do not want to listen to this alien man, Klaatu. He decides to try and blend in with humans and goes to live in a boarding house. Here he meets Helen and her son Bobby, who quickly becomes enamored of the man he knows as Carpenter. The alien must find out how to make the leaders of the world listen to him before it is to late. This is not a typical cheesy alien film like so many were in the 1950s. It has an interesting message and the cast is wonderful. A must see if you like alien or sci-fi films.

12 Angry Men (1957)

4 out of 4 stars

This is one of the greatest movies ever made. The story revolves around a jury determining the fate of a 18 year old boy on trial for murdering his father. If they find him guilty he will be executed in the electric chair. Henry Fonda is brilliant as the only juror who wants to even discuss the possibility of the boy being innocent. As the debate continues he manages to put reasonable doubt into some of his fellow juror's minds. The rest of the cast is also amazing - including Jack Klugman and Jack Warden. This is #15 on the IMDB all time greatest films and I could not agree more.