Brilliant BBC television series about a writer of mysteries who comes down with severe psoriatic arthritis and is hospitalized for an extended period of time during which he writes and imagines a fantasy noir novel about a detective named Philip Marlow (after himself). He also recalls various traumatic episodes from his youth, including spying his mom having sex with a strange man in the woods, and a striking classroom scene in which he blames a particular student for crapping on the teacher's desk. All of these blend together at times, into his novel "The Singing Detective", his memories, and his imagination of a plot by his ex-wife (who is not his "ex" wife really) to appropriate a screenplay he wrote and give it to her love to claim ownership of and sell to a Hollywood film producer. Various characters in all of these episodes burst into song: lip-synched to well-known versions by mostly American crooners like Bing Crosby and the Lemon Sisters. In the meantime, he is attended to by beautiful nurse Mills who has to apply lard to his skin-- everywhere-- causing him to have involuntary erections and eruptions. Nurse Mills is probably the only really likeable character in the series. There is also a psychiatrist and the tiresome trope of the patient mocking and insulting him while simultaneously being manipulated into engagement. This strikes me as an echo of the childish urge to rebel against mommy while simultaneously experiencing her unconditional love and acceptance. [3047]
Michael Gambon, Patrick Malahide, Joanne Whalley, David Ryall, Gerard HOran, Leslie French, Ron Cook, George Rossi, Alison Steadman, Imelda Staunton
Badly written sequel to the brilliant original-- Cameron really seems to believe that there is nothing to this writing business: I'll do it myself. Mawkish, contrived, and cliche-ridden, recycles the basic plot about evil corporation wanting to acquire an alien creature for their own nefarious, commercial purposes and, amazingly, Ripley agreeing to accommodate a bunch of space-marines (who are astonishingly similar to earth-marines in Hollywood movies everywhere) on a trip to a mining planet that appears to have lost contact with the authorities. I know! We'll add a twist: this android is a good android and wants to help. And let's have the sergeant chomp a cigar! And let's have an adorable little girl that Ripley can give a cute nickname to and protect (because, otherwise, it looks really absurd and gratuitous for her to go back to the alien's home planet). And lots of explosions at the end. Even the Ripley nightmare scenes almost scream out, this is what the teenagers were talking about after the first film-- it's what they think we think they expect. [1971]
Sigourney Weaver, Michael Biehn, Carrie Henn, Paul Reiser
One of the first truly violent and depressing films of the decades of the 20th century, the first to wander into the areas of fetishistic violence and sexual ambiguity. Kyle MacLachlan plays the naif who finds a piece of a human ear in the grass and must investigate, and uncovers the horror of Frank Booth (Dennis Hopper), a sick biker who maintains Isabella Rossellini as a love slave. Didn't like it when I first saw it-- I thought most of the sequences were a scam, horrifying images without particular meaning. I still do. [1251]
KYLE MACLACHLAN, ISABELLA ROSSELLINI, DENNIS HOPPER, LAURA DERN
One of the most interesting and oddball documentaries of the past twenty years. Ross McElwee set out to make a documentary on Sherman's last march through the confederate south. Instead, he takes the camera with him as he visits numerous women, friends, girlfriends, and others he meets along the way, in an impromptu investigation of the character of southern women in the modern era. He interviews, talks, narrates, cajoles. He even humiliates himself by trying to persuade one particularly attractive girl to explain to him why she can love a man who has dumped her several times but not him, Ross. A former teacher of his lectures him on how to approach women, and how to talk to them. She sets him up with an attractive girl but he discovers that she is a Mormon, and could only marry another Mormon. He meets a singer playing in front of a bar on a hot summer day and follows her around for a few days. Most poignantly, he revisits an unrequited love, a woman who appears to be interested in him, until her former boyfriend re-enters her life. She is bright and articulate and beautiful, and feminist. We get to watch the relationship disintegrate as Ross desperately tries to persuade her to let him deeper into her life, until she is plainly repelled by his desperation. Ross is a bit of a whiner. He's not particularly articulate or insightful. The virtues of this film are its honestly and spontaneity, and for that alone it is entirely refreshing. [932]
ROSS MCELWEE
Bizarre, ultra-violent story about a naive man who discovers a severed ear in a yard and attempts to solve the mystery of its source. He encounters a melancholy woman who in the abusive grip of a violent drug addicted pimp (Hopper). You can tell that Lynch thinks he's brilliant and profound, or at least, that he thinks he's making you think he's brilliant. He seems to assume that absurd sequences will inspire the viewer to believe that he is not as smart as the director, who, it is presumed, does understand what the connection is. Gratuitous and pretentious. [930]
ISABELLA ROSSELINI, KYLE MCLACHLAN, DENNIS HOPPER
Who ever thought Cimino was a great director or that "Heaven's Gate" was an unexpected failure? This movie buys into the disgusting and discredited idea that women actually want to be beaton and dominated by macho, violent men. Mickey Rourke is so mannered he is comical. Pure waste of time. [878]
MICKEY ROURKE, JOHN LONE, ARIANE, LEONARD TERMO, RAY BARRY
Interesting, funny story about yuppies who forgo consumerist lifestyle and take to the road in a Winnebago. I forget what happens next. Ends up in New York, doesn't it? Can't remember. [505]
A "B" pictured tarted up with production values. A mistake from start to finish. [315]
Gripping drama about nuclear power, plant employee who blows the whistle and is harassed by employers, possibly murdered. Cher is good, as is Streep. [294]
This is actually a very impressive, thoughtful film about an issue that has become more important over the years, and far more relevant than when this film first came out. [182]
Rather ordinary adventure story about a lost jewel. Most famous, perhaps, for the scene in which Douglas slides down a muddy hill right into Kathleen Turner's crotch, head first. [54]
Seering portrait of disillusioned Jew, Sol Nazerman (Rod Stieger) haunted by memories of Holocaust and the loss of his wife and family. He runs a pawnshop in a tough neighborhood in the Bronx, lives with his sister and her husband, and seems to be completely bereft of emotion. Sensitively filmed with a strong jazz score. Steiger's performance is among the greatest of modern film. [48]
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