137 minute running time which means FORTY minutes too long, can you imagine sitting through all of this? It was like a full-employment act movie for old fogey British actors… I was very pleased to see Emily Watson though, who astonished me in Breaking the Waves (a great movie), and there was Kelly Macdonald, who is a brilliant actress … I can’t stand these Upstairs Downstairs period dramas… but John Farr liked it (predictably).
Movies Watched -- Body Heat (1981)
113 minute running time so 13 minutes too long, but this was good, a green-go for sure. Alan Ladd had the good sense to underwrite Larry Kasdan in his first W.D. By movie … William Hurt with his 70s porn ‘stache, young Ted Danson with black hair … good dialogue, well written, film noir brought into the 80s … Hurt drives a ‘64 Corvette Sting Ray convertible … and I think Mary Ann Simpson drives a TR6, but I couldn’t really tell … lots of smokin’ and drinkin’ … “Please, Ned, do it.” He doesn’t ask, “Are you sure?” like I would have, ruining more than the movie … jogging and smoking, Pete Suttmeier style … young Mickey Rourke with earring (non fag ear) … look at the size of the rock that crooked bastard bought her … good story, well told, I enjoyed it though I definitely could have shaved 10 minutes off … John Farr recommends it too.
I can't stand the thought of him... He's small and mean... and weak.
Movies Watched -- Crash (1996)
99 minute running time … weird, ridiculous, perverse, dumb… I have no idea how this ended up in my queue, it is NOT a John Farr recommendation. I don’t know anything about Cronenberg or Ballard, but this was just bad … oh, I remember now, Jessica Kiang loved this movie, which makes me wonder about her. Don’t see this, run away, er, drive away… two thumbs down.
Poor little Miata sacrificed for this terrible movie
Movies Watched -- Deliverance (1972)
109 minute running to so 10 to 20 minutes too long … this is a classic though which everyone should see for the “squeal” scene alone, green-go … gorgeous Burt Reynolds may have been the sexiest man alive at age 35 and there’s young Jon Voight (Angie’s dad, talk about a nepo baby) … a “game of survival” in Northern Georgia, that’s southern Appalachia… John Farr also recommends this.
Where’s the law?
Zippo Armor 2024 Harley-Davidson Collectible, No. 46022
$250. High-polish chrome with Deep Carve engraving.
Movies Watched -- Duel (1971)
90 minute running time … this was a made-for-TV movie shot in 12 days and I think 90 minutes is actually too long, it would have been better at 60 or 75 minutes … this is early Spielberg, his first full-length movie. It’s a classic in a way and deserves a green-go, I suppose. Dennis Weaver is well cast as the every man and he drove a 1970 Plymouth Valiant. John Farr recommends this movie too.
Get that fat-ass truck out of my way.
Movies Watched -- Single White Female (1992)
108 minute running time so at least 10 minutes too long, but this is a classic, a psycho roommate tale, and I’m shocked that John Farr didn’t include it on his Best Movies list, it’s certainly a green-go. Maybe the gay neighbor getting smacked with a golf club put John off?
Scrawny Bridget Fonda (Peter’s daughter, talk about a nepo baby) and the wonderful Jennifer Jason Leigh both look great in their twenties … Barbet Schroeder said they had to tone down the sexiness to get nationwide release, but there’s still plenty of nudity.
Loved the cutting edge technology on display here, with an old Apple Macintosh and Compuserve getting a plug. Schroeder said he had a friend who lived in The Ansonia (2109 Broadway) so as he read the script he could picture all the scenes in the building (of course it was all filmed on set). I forgot how graphically violent it gets at the end, pretty over the top girl fight.
Movies Watched -- Sweet Country (2017)
113 minute running time so 20 minutes too long … the Australian Outback in the 1920s and the roughnecks who lived out there and the poor native people they enslaved (and raped and murdered) … I liked this movie, but because of its length, I can’t give it a green-go, though John Farr did. Solid yellow rating though (consider).
Some sweet country out there. Cattle country. [said upon returning from Outback where his colleague had been murdered by savages]
Movies Watched -- Get Carter (1971)
111 minute running time so about 20 minutes too long … gritty early 70s Newcastle, Michael Caine as tough guy, a hit man for the London mob who travels back to the north to investigate and then avenge his brother’s murder … about the criminal class, pornography, and there’s some humor in this to leaven the violence, which is always good. Shock ending. If they had shaved off 20 minutes then this would be a recommended movie, but it runs too long so I have to give it a yellow rating. John Farr recommends it though.
Be good. And don't trust boys.
Movies Watched -- Heavenly Creatures (1994)
99 minute running time but felt much much longer … Peter Jackson movie about murderous lesbian teen couple from 1950s New Zealand, a true story … nepo baby Kate Winslet’s debut movie … I wasn’t thrillled but John Farr loved it.
Do you like girls?