The Writer's Poke

"Movies used to be weird." -- Somebody's entire Letterboxd review. Is this movie "weird"? Yeah, but there's quite a bit to unpack.  Different groups inhibit this Pacific island. First, you have the natives. Second, you have the white Christians who came to civilize them -- and with them, the other white people who govern the island, offer support services, like the doctor, and their wives. Third, you have the U.S. Marines, either there to protect the island, or simply leftovers from past hostilities with Japan.  Then, enter Sadie Thompson. Why is she there, and where is she going? She's in transit, but her temporary presence disrupts the balance. All the Marines want to be with her, the other white people question who she is -- based on how she looks and acts, and the natives just want to be left alone.  Rita Hayworth's performance is incredibly annoying.  I mean, I've watched other Hayworth films, and I'm not sure what she's going for in...

"This is the part I really like. This is the part where she does that shit with her hair." -- Red (Morgan Freeman) to Andy (Tim Robbins) as they watch Gilda in Shawshank prison, The Shawshank Redemption (1994) In Madonna's song "Vogue," there's the line, "Rita Hayworth gave good face." It's a silly line that always sticks in my head. Her face is good. In some ways, it's overly big and her features are broad and expressive. Her cheekbones and jawline are ridiculously defined, and her 40s hairstyle pops with vitality and color even in movies shot in black and white.  First, I want to say that Glenn Ford deserves equal billing in Gilda, but there's no doubt the hair flip introduction of Gilda (Rita Hayworth) is one of the most icon entrances in film. How can Ford do anything to compete with that?  Second, there are a couple of other Gilda moments that are almost as iconic: One, when she marries Johnny (Ford) in her black wedding/mourning d...

This film was a bust at the box office, and it's hard to see how this one would ever play for an American audience. Would a British audience like it better? Perhaps, but why would a film ever want to limit itself to a one-country market? For that matter, even if the British might like it better, it would still be a small segment of British filmgoers who might want to see it, I think.  Although the title is a Peter Pan quote, the quote is not an obvious one. The theater troupe performs Peter Pan on stage, but the play itself remains pretty hidden in the background. Meredith (Hugh Grant) is the director and P.L. O'Hara (Alan Rickman) plays Captain Hook. The troupe itself is simply there. I don't really connect with any of the characters. The main character is Stella (Georgina Cates), and from the start, the first thought about her that enters my mind is: What's wrong with her? I have that thought because the film opens up with the World War II Blitz of London, and she...

Reviewer's curse? I just wrote a Hugh Grant film review in which I said Hugh Grant comes across so natural in his performances that it doesn't even seem like he's acting. What I was also saying, as a compliment, is that I love watching films that feel real -- like I'm just there observing life, and not a film.  Now, it's a rare film that cloaks itself into invisibility. Obviously when you watch a film, most of the time you're aware that you're watching a film. And sometimes that's an enjoyable experience. I like watching Wes Anderson and Quentin Taratino films for just that reason.  But Mickey Blue Eyes: You are always aware that you're watching a film. And I then I try to figure out what type of film. Is this a romantic comedy, like so many Hugh Grant films are? Is it a mob spoof? I've mentioned this before, too, but when films try to check off a lot of genre boxes, that can be cool, but it can also lead to a mess.  Unfortunately, this film migh...

Another Hugh Grant rom com that is better than my low expectations going in predicted. Sometimes I'll buy an actor's 4-pack and then let it sit on the coffee table DVD pile unwatched for months. I just didn't have much motivation to watch this collection, but Two Weeks Notice (2002) was pretty good, so now I'm in. No, I don't think this one was quite as good, but it does have its moments.  I might be one of the few people to notice, too, that Jason Antoon is in the trilogy of Grant movies directed by Marc Lawrence. Antoon has bit parts, and I'm wondering if he was cast simply for his creepy bug eyes. And who is this director, Marc Lawrence? He did a trio of Hugh Grant films in the early 2000s, but other than that, what's his actual full-time job? I only ask because he's only directed a few other films beyond the three with Grant.  Roger Ebert didn't do a full review for this one, but he was likely still recovering from having his jaw removed in 2006....

"Romantic films are the comfort food of the movies." -- Roger Ebert According to Letterboxd, Drama is my favorite genre of movies. What continues to surprise me, however, is how many Romances I watch -- the number of comedies and the number of romances I watch run neck and neck for my second favorite genre. Maybe what Ebert said about "Two Weeks Notice" -- and romantic films more generally -- explains why I watch them. More than just about any other genre, I know to expect. And part of the payoff is the happy ending. When a rom com works, the ending feels valid and natural. When it doesn't, well, then it feels like a toddler trying to force a square block into a circular hole. In this film, I feel like the ending is okay, but the premise getting there is a bit beyond belief. Lucy (Sandra Bullock) is a crunchy-granola community activist. George (Hugh Grant) is a good-looking developer who rubs shoulders with Donald Trump -- and probably shares his values. Lucy ac...