North By Northwest

Yes, I finally get to see more Hitchcock films.

North By Northwest is a really good movie, I had a terrific time with it and I do recommend it if you have the time. The story follows an advertisment agent who gets mistaken for another type of agent in the field of espionage, who soon digs deeper and deeper into finding the real agent who everyone keeps mistaking him for. What follows is a very good thriller adventure story with great actors and a more light Hitchcock story. I feel Hitchcock did a great job with this movie, he wanted to just make a very entertaining movie that wasn't as dark or heavy as his other films, and it's very apparent early on. The dialogue is spot on with particular love going to Cary Grant who is already a fantastic lead but now given such sharp dialogue with a perpetual snarky twist makes him endlessly enjoyable to watch. James Mason returns once more as the villain, and while he is more in the background and not seen doing much his acting is still spot on. I felt Eva Marie Saint was the perfect addition to Cary Grant, both being very direct and charming and she kind of kept me guessing as to which side she was on for a little while. One surprising cast member I didn't recognize was Martin Landau, in the earliest role I've yet to see him in, as a henchman for the villain and I honestly loved him, at first I thought it was David Carradine until I looked it up, and man does he have a great physicality and threatning persona in this! Now I will say there isn't much of a mystery or even a twist to the plot, everything is very cut and dry and doesn't take much inference on the audience's part, the film explains the agent and you can tell immediately who's the good guys and who are the bad guys. And I honestly don't have a problem with that, this is more the movie you just sit back and enjoy for the performances and the set pieces. The film looks great at times, even when you know it's a painted backdrop it's such a beautiful painted backdrop you just don't really mind. Everyone brings up the crop dusting plane scene, and yes it was very good and held tension nicely, but the ending felt abrupt and I personally liked the version or perhaps homage of that scene in From Russia With Love better. Speaking of which, I wouldn't be a bit surprised if elements of this film influenced the James Bond series, seeing as how this movie came out 3 years before Dr. No while the book series by Ian Fleming was going on for about 6 years by the time this movie came out. It's interesting to think of such a famous and loved spy thriller that was made before the mega franchise that is James Bond was even created. Regardless, I very much enjoyed this movie and wouldn't at all mind picking up a copy on video in the future, and I'm sure you'll dig it too. A solid 8/10 from me, and I'll be back tomorrow with our first James Stewart film.

Ed Wood

One of my favorite movies of all time is also one of the best movies, not only of all time but also about making movies.



Ed Wood is one of those movies that really sticks with you for the rest of your life. It's the story of the so-called "Worst Director Of All Time", chronicling the making of three of his most famous or infamous movies. This film was directed by Tim Burton, it's shot gorgeously in black and white with a few odes to German Expressionism and a bit of Film Noir, and it has an ensemble cast leaded by Johnny Depp. This is easily one of Johnny Depp's greatest performances, playing a humble film director who has an enormous passion for movies and storytelling and his enthusiasm bleeds through the screen so much so that you get excited and happy for him when things go good for him. This film has so many stars in it. We have Martin Landau playing Bela Lugosi so perfectly that you actually forget that he's not really Bela Lugosi and he totally deserved the Academy award for "Best Supporting Actor", and if you're a big horror movie fan and Bela Lugosi fan you will not be disappointed. We have Sarah Jessica Parker as Ed Wood's girlfriend who is a bitch in this movie, she's horrible to poor Ed! But then he meets Patricia Arquette's character who is this absolute sweetheart, that Ed gets married to. Bill Murray plays Ed's best friend and he is absolutely hilarious because that's what Bill Murray does! We have a menagerie of actors who play the faithful crew of Ed Wood who are fantastic. So the entire cast is brilliantly chosen, and the entire production of this film is quite well done and is very accurate to the films Ed Wood made and how they were made behind the scenes. The music by Howard Shore is very unique and the inclusion of the "Finale" from Swan Lake almost brings tears to my eyes every time it plays. The film is very funny, but has serious emotional moments that could really get to you, and even might have a few scenes that can make you cry. It even has a scene where possibly the worst director of all time has a conversation with possibly the greatest director of all time, Orson Welles played by Vincent D'Onofrio and yet is voiced by Maurice LaMarche who also does a Orson Welles impression in Pinky and The Brain, but that's getting off topic. And the conversation they have really has a great message and words of wisdom to filmmakers for generations to come.


Ed Wood is actually my favorite movie about making movies. Yes there are very few movies that are better than Ed Wood about telling a story about how a movie is made, for example American Movie which by some is considered the greatest movie about making movies ever made but Ed Wood is my favorite. If you are a fan of movies and really like movies like American Movie, check out Ed Wood. It is a fantastic movie and just a great story about a director who was considered to be the worst but really was one of the most passionate filmmakers in history.