Monty Python And The Holy Grail

I needed to end this month on a high note.

Hey man it was either this or Schindler's List and I didn't exactly want to contemplate suicide tonight, so we're off on an adventure! This was the first Monty Python film made after Flying Circus ended and I do still like this one the most though I enjoy all their films. Probably because this was not only the first thing Monty Python I ever witnessed but if I had to pinpoint it, this might have been when I dipped my toes into british comedy and now I prefer it above all else. I was probably far far too young to watch this movie and truly get the humor, I was about 14 when I bought it on video yet I still very much enjoyed it. The story concerns King Arthur as he gathers knights and travels across Britain to you guessed it, be shouted at by frenchmen, I mean search for the holy grail. I swear Monty Python could be the most difficult type of comedy to talk about, because it relies on absurdist humor but even then there is a method to this madness put on screen, it truly is their own style of comedy because who else does it, let alone pull it off besides them? Nobody. I'm not even sure I could explain the jokes and why they are so funny, it really is something you must see. Now I will say my favorite bit in the movie is probably the intermission, I always forget it's there but it just makes me burst into laughter everytime. That or the opening, I mean talk about a tone setter. Do I really need to touch on cast here? It's the majority of main stayers and bit players from Flying Circus playing multiple parts sometimes even in the same scenes, and they are wonderful. I think John Cleese has the best roles in my opinion, and while he is not the main focus of the journey he gets the most enjoyment out of me, though of course I believe every actor is great in this film. But boy did they go through hell on this shoot, Scotland is gorgeous at times in this movie but man are you victim to the weather and elements out there, yet through all of that they made a great movie. It does show the saying art through adversity is applicable to all genres and films, it sounded quite miserable and horrid during the production but the entertainment value is high with many a quotable line and memorable scenes. You can tell this was a very low budget film but they used it to their absolute advantage and it if anything improves the film! Just the fact they couldn't afford horses so they trot through these areas with coconuts banging together makes you laugh throughout the movie. It's just so well crafted with some jokes that are set up at the beginning and don't get payed off until the end, true not every bit of comedy makes you laugh uproariously but I can't think of an instance where it fell flat either. Is it an epic comedy? Yes I do believe it so, and you should be ashamed of yourself and taunted a second time if you haven't seen it yet. 4 stars! I'll let you be the judge though on the true best Monty Python film, because well comedy is subjective.

On second thought let's not go to Camelot, tis' a silly place. Pie day with the family though, yes please!

Once Upon A Time In The West

I figured a little gunfighting wouldn't hurt this month.

Once Upon A Time In The West is quite possibly the best western I've seen. I've seen my fair share from several decades, actors, and directors, and while I do still have a soft spot for The Dollars Trilogy nothing really hit this big of a scope or sense of drama in those movies. Which is funny because Sergio Leone directed both so regardless of which I prefer, Leone is the best western director in my eyes. After finishing The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly he didn't want to do another western but was actually forced into it by american production companies so he could make his next project, which is a bit rubbish because I would trust the man and his vision and just have him make the damn movie. But what we got is one of the most acclaimed and loved westerns of all time. Set around a collected ensemble cast, a young woman named Jill has returned to Texas to start her new life with her husband and children before learning of them being murdered by a group of mercenaries hired by a railroad tycoon who wants her land. Meanwhile a man has a vendetta against one of the mercenaries and is trying to track him down, while a wanted fugitive is sort of a wild card interacting with the three major players. They being the woman Jill, the hired killer Frank, the stranger known only as Harmonica, and the fugitive Cheyenne, but make no mistake this is Jill's movie. Every character dynamic is interesting no matter who you pair them with, the performances are excellent, and the story is in no rush and takes it's time with these characters. The film clocks in depending on the cut, either a little less than two and a half hours and one pushing almost three hours. Stick to the almost three hour version. I think the biggest reason why this might be favorite western is the performances, Claudia Cardinale is a wonderful lead and there wasn't a moment I was rooting for her, she just has such a compelling story I mean her family was massacred and she's just trying to pick up the pieces and move on, and she doesn't take any nonsense from quite frankly very vile and horrible men. She's just such a great actress and handles the material flawlessly. Charles Bronson is awesome as per usual as Harmonica, exuding an icy cool persona and his motivation and arc is more of your typical western fare but done great and his eyes just stare into your soul. Speaking of eyes, a surprising heel turn for Henry Fonda the leading man of that time and place in the world being a cold blooded killer probably ruffled some feathers back then, but I'd be lying if I said he wasn't really damn good in that role. And last but certainly not least, Jason Robards as the criminal Cheyenne is perplexing, if only just because I can't make heads or tails on where he stands, he's a criminal but doesn't really cause trouble and is simultaneously horrible and yet oddly amicable with Jill, you don't really know what his game is or his goals. But everybody else has very clear cut and intertwining goals, Jill's family was killed by Frank, Harmonica is seeking vengeance on Frank, Frank I guess took over Cheyenne's men, and Cheyenne and Jill have a bizarre relationship. Everything kinda fits but I think Cheyenne just does what he thinks will get him ahead in life, which clears up his character a bit. I belive this was Segio Leone's first time making a film in America, so it's not his standard spaghetti western style. There's gorgeous shots of the desolate West slowly being modernized by the ongoing train, the framing on people's faces always make their eyes center of the frame like if you were staring at them face to face, the action while not as prevalent as you would think is still done well and of course the final standoff is something to admire, and since it's a longer film it takes the time to focus on these characters which is what really pushes this film above all other westerns for me. Now there's nothing wrong with a western that has lots of shootouts and chases, and that's probably why For A Few Dollars More is easily my favorite of The Dollar's Trilogy because there is an emotional anchor and substance to Douglas Mortimer's character that makes you like him even more. Now that's not saying Clint Eastwood is boring in those movies, or has nothing going for him because he does but it's not really in the foreground, he's more the constant in those changing films. This movie takes a more dramatic weight to it, which is evident solely by the score done by Ennio Morricone. Just listen to Jill's theme, it honestly moved me to tears, this is his best piece of music above all others. Though Ecstasy Of Gold is so good even Metallica plays it before every show, Jill's theme is beyond outstanding and even if you don't watch the film you have to listen to the song. The best title I found for it is, C'era Una Volta Il West and man is it hard not to get a bit choked up, but even beyond just that single piece of music every character's individual themes are excellent. What can I say? The man was brilliant! And you know what, this movie was an unexpected choice for me but I'll never regret watching it. 4 stars, 8.5/10, a must see for any western fan or lover of great movies.

Tokyo Story

Of course it's from Japan. Do you really expect anything else from me?

This is a very different japanese film, much more in the vein of Ikiru than my usual love of kaiju and samurai films, but it's certainly worth tracking down and viewing. This is a slice of life film with two elderly parents visiting their children in Tokyo and spending time with them. It's not a very complicated plot but it's such a rich film in character interactions and performances. You may notice very quickly the film has a unique set up of framing, each shot is not levelled as if you were standing but as if you were sitting, it's about a waist high shot which makes sense because much of the film takes place in the home of these characters and they are generally sitting on the floor as they converse with their family. Also something I noticed is there are lots of shots from a certain point of view, we see characters talk directly into the camera which puts us in the viewpoint of another person, it's not a usual over the shoulder set up. So it's definitely unique in style but the reason why it's so good is because well, it's very relatable. It's very common, family members from out of town are coming to stay for a few days, everyone can immediately recognize that so it really doesn't take that much for you to identify with and enjoy the story. The characters feel like a real family, and I identified a lot with them and very much enjoyed their company as if I was invited into their home. I can't name too many movies that accomplish such a feeling. It's just such a nice film with some fine dialogue concerning life, the future, children, and most important family. And it brought to mind many memories of my own family, which simultaneously deepened my enjoyment of the film and yet made it somewhat difficult to watch. There was a strong bond between an in-law Tomy and our main couple Shukichi and Noriko that brought back floods of memories with my grandparents, just the level of happiness and love that she had for them and always wanted to spend time with them struck very deeply with me. And the final conversation between Tomy and Shukichi is very meaningful and an open expression of emotion, it's definitely the highlight of the film. It's good to see a movie like this, it's nothing big, it's nothing complex, it's just about life and life is pretty interesting. Which is ironic because one could say life is very big and complex and they would be correct, but just to see a down to earth, simple but lovely little slice of life from one family amongst billions is never a bad thing to experience. A wonderful movie that deserves a full 4 stars, 8/10, I definitely recommend it. But what film from Japan haven't I loved and recommended? Yes, I'm heavily biased and have a soft spot for that island but it's always been there in some form or fashion since the beginning.

Next week will just be 2 reviews, but I'll try to go out on a high note.

To Kill A Mockingbird

Dear God I love my job sometimes.

I finally did it, I finally scratched another one off the list. To Kill A Mockingbird, it's the easiest film to talk about and yet so difficult to talk about. Do I even need to say I loved it? Do I even need to say it is one of the best films I have ever seen in my entire life? Of course not. Granted I knew next to nothing about the film, aside from it's one of the best films in american cinema and the line, you probably know the line. That's it. But I never allow such expectations, because you simply can never hear such praise of a film and set that as the benchmark, you must watch it for yourself and judge if it is indeed one of the greats or not. It truly is. It took maybe 5 minutes after the opening credits to where I was ready to be taken on this reminiscent journey of a young girl whose father is a defense attorney and is tasked with defending a black man named Tom who allegedly raped a white woman. But the courtroom scene is not the focus, it doesn't even start until a bit less than an hour before the film ends. The focus is on the young girl Scout, her memories and experiences of that time in her small town, and Mary Badham could not have been better in this role. I adore Scout to the moon and back, she's funny, she's inquisitive, she's a bit of a tomboy, and if I'm being absurdly real with you she is straight up future daughter goals for me. I cannot believe we got such a good performance from such a young girl, just 9 years old and was nominated for an Oscar. Hell to the yeah! But the most integral part of her story and her world is her father, Atticus Finch and it really does show. They have a great relationship together and you can tell he's a great dad and a very respectable and stand up guy. Gregory Peck is so godforsaken good in this movie, he just nails it he absolutely nails it! People have brought up to my knowledge only recently, that is Atticus Finch truly a good person? Does he truly believe in his defendant's innocence or did he just accept the case just to add another notch to his belt if he was acquitted? Was he possibly rascist? In my eyes, no. Granted the story is told from Scout's point of view, she has an immeasurable love and respect for her dad so could the case be made that she was just trying to make her dad seem better than he really was? I haven't read the book, but dear lord is it on my list now, but the film version of Atticus does not seem that type of person. He never judges people, he flat out tells Scout not to use the ugliest and most derogatory word in history though she's by no means a bad kid, he takes the time to visit Tom's family, and is clearly affected by the case. No spoilers of course, but I got choked up not once, not twice, but three times and I don't even know why. I was so heavily engrossed in the story and these characters that by the time the trial started I seriously could not sit still, I had to just pace around my living room I got that into it. It has been a good long while since I got that involved in a film. It's not a film renowned for it's technical aspects, it's shot well and everything, but the reason the film still has that punch over 55 years later is because of the story and the performances. There's one scene and it's genuinely making me well up right now, where Scout meets this young man named Boo who is kind of a recluse and there's a lot of bad talk about him and she's been trying to see him for the whole film, and they finally see each other and....it just went right through me. Not a line was spoken, he's barely on screen for maybe 5 minutes, and he never even says a word. It's just a visual performance by Robert Duvall, and that is some of the best acting I've seen yet. It tells you everything without saying a single solitary word. This movie made me remember why I love to watch movies, why I love to write review after review, week after week, year after year. It is because of just little scenes like that. It means the world to me. And I feel like such an unbelievable idiot for not seeing this film earlier in life. I really want to give it a 9/10 guys, I really do. An 8/10 is a disservice! It's a 9/10, 4 stars, if I forced my thumb to go up anymore it would break. This is mandatory viewing. Now you don't have to take everything I say to heart, just see the movie and judge it for yourself, you may not give it a 9/10 and that is fine, but regardless just see it. I gave so much disdain and hate for It's A Wonderful Life, and people just eat that movie up and I'm fine with that. Different opinions are okay, but you still need to see the movie for yourself so you can give your own input on it. Like God dang it, I want to watch it again! Right now!

I'll be back tomorrow, it's high time we get some foreign films in this month.

Taxi Driver

Took me long enough.

Yes I finally saw Taxi Driver, and damn that was a friggin' good movie. It was everything I expected and yet gave me even more. So our story follows a man named Travis who gets a job as a cab driver, and we slowly work our way through his mind and persona as a less than mentally sound person, as he tries to find some meaning in his life among the grimy streets of New York. I totally see the many aspects of this film in Joker now, but did it damage either film for me? Actually no, they are two different stories just with similar elements between them, it honestly reminds me a lot of Star Wars and The Force Awakens. Indeed there are many similarities in structure and moments, but there's enough new material to truly merit a original film. But it certainly didn't make me hate Joker or see this movie as something I've seen before, it still pulled me into the seedy streets of New York City with a man who has no purpose or real end goal and yet attempts to do something with his life. Robert DeNiro was ridiculously good, and this was right whenever he got very famous after appearing in The Godfather Part 2, but just the way he carries himself, his speech tendencies, and general outlook on life really hooked me and I wanted to see what was going to happen next. A lot of attention was drawn to a then 12 year old Jodie Foster as an appropriately aged 12 year old prostitute named Iris, and she is absolutely great with a surprisingly nice and somewhat even charming relationship with Travis. I can't even put it into words properly, they just really struck me as two people who would get along and even be friends. That is so damn bizarre, but it's true! Their screen chemistry is great together, but Travis has eyes for only one lady named Betsy played by Cybill Shepherd who is a campaign aid for an upcoming presidential candidate Senator Palpatine, I mean Palantine. I just kept calling him that through the whole movie, I'm a nerd, what do you want from my life? They hit it off for a bit, but it was simply not to be but it's a great look into Travis' mindset and mannerisms. The ending really blew me away, mainly just because I had zero idea as to how this would end. Is he going to assassinate a promising future President? Is he going to help out Iris and make her life better? You really have no idea until right before the credits roll and even then you can kinda judge for yourself. I absolutely loved that, because I do not see Travis as a delinquet killer, he saves a man's life, attempts to help a young girl get out of a bad spot and really genuinely says what she needs to hear, yeah he's a bit awkward and blunt, but certainly not evil. It's such an interesting film that made me know exactly what I was in for by the time the opening credits rolled. It's a stylized intro that brings us into this world that's all too familiar and was just part of the urban landscape at that time and place in the world. There's a lot more color and everyday visuals than you would expect, it's not all filthy back alleyways, rundown buildings, and murky visuals through the windshield of a cab. It really and truly does subvert your expectations, now more than possibly ever. This was Bernard Herrman's final movie score, and it takes a very slow and even kinda lovely jazz score which is a bit of a contrast to the content, but it works so well. A surprise to be sure, but a welcome one from one of the greats. From Citizen Kane to Taxi Driver the man was a marvel. And hey, Scorsese did damn good directing this from perfomances to visuals and beyond, and it really wouldn't surprise me if people still said this was his best film. Bottom line, it's a great movie and I was thoroughly impressed. An easy 4 stars, 8.5/10, a true must own for any cinematic junkie.

Next time we hit one of the biggest and most acclaimed films from one of the best books ever written. So long.

Ford Vs. Ferrari

Not my usual fare, but interesting nevertheless.

I'm just not a car person, I can appreciate designs for a car but it's a practical machine first so why did I go see this movie? Because I have gearheads in my family, yet I must admit despite me not knowing anything about the technicals of cars or the story about Ford making a racecar to best Ferrari at a race in France, I liked the movie. I felt Matt Damon and Christian Bale had great screen chemistry together and the relationship their characters had was fun and really good. It was truly the driving force of this movie for me (no pun intended of course). I'm not a person who has a liking for loud noises, but the racing segments were shot great and I was able to see everything with crystal clarity, so I must really thank the director and camera men for doing such good work and of course the stunt drivers have nerves of steel, not many people can take a job where you deliberately crash a car for a living so I have mad respect and admiration for such people. I think the best part of the movie was the relationship between world renowned driver Ken Miles and his wife Molly, they really just brought a smile to my face and I thought they were amazing in every scene even if not in close proximity to one another. I was surprised how the film looked, there is some damn good shots in this movie with the driving scenes in the city at night time looking fan-friggin'-tastic, with one quiet scene having such a gorgeous atmosphere and was a bit moody and it was easily the best scene in the film for me. It's entertaining, I have to say it's faithful and told the story straight if only just because I have no grasp of any real historical facts so for all I know this is could be 100% Grade A nonsense, but it was a good movie. Maybe not entirely my scene but trust me it could have been worse, so I was happy to see it regardless. I give it 3 stars, a solid 7.5/10, if you are any type of car fan chances are you've seen it already but it's worth the time even if you're curious about a slice of automobile history.

This might be the last new movie for awhile, I will truly try to see the Mr. Rogers movie this weekend but things have went ever so slightly south which sucks man. I wanted to see The Lighthouse and Jojo Rabbit but it will have to wait for now. I don't think I can do as many reviews now. Not just quit here and now, but scale it back from 3 to 2 reviews a week. I really don't want to but hard times be here man. Hopefully December will be better but I'm seeing Star Wars even if I have to sell other people's kidneys, just saying.

Vertigo

Yes the film that usurped Citizen Kane as the quote unquote best film ever. How was it?

I very much enjoyed it, I feel it was indeed the best of the Hitchcock films I've reviewed this week, and it kept me interested until the very end. Jimmy Stewart returns again as a detective who suffers from acrophobia and after watching his partner die decides to return, but his friend asks for his help in watching his wife. The reason? Well, I'd rather not say. Needless to say it builds intrigue and mystery very quickly, and you're constantly throwing ideas out to what the cause of this strangeness really is. Well I was half right. Honestly a movie hasn't screwed with my brain this much since Perfect Blue, and that movie is a trip and a half, I still need to watch that movie like 4 more times. But anyway, so the mystery part of it was great. What surprised me is this movie didn't get a lot of praise when it premiered, critics felt it was lackluster and audiences made the film about triple it's budget, so it wasn't a bomb but it was not so well loved. Whereas now, people view it as the best of all Hitchcock's works, but I'm still on the fence about that. I thought Jimmy Stewart was great in this movie, still bringing his usual stamp of invested and fun acting while bringing even more to the table. But man did Kim Novak steal this show and run laughing with it to the bank. Holy hell's bells, she is fantastic! This is an excellent performance, and she is able to bring such emotion and unearthliness to this part. Easily the best part of the entire movie for me. This is certainly one of Hitchcock's more artsy films, evident immediately from the opening credits and seen throughout the course of the film through lighting, shot placement, and of course effects. The effects are done incredibly well and really does make you feel uneasy and a bit off center, I myself suffer from acrophobia and get vertigo more than 10 feet off the ground, so it was effective for me. But I think it's the story, this ever expanding mystery, an inner struggle within our main character that really is why it's so well received and loved today. I'm very happy I finally had a chance to see more films and wasn't disappointed with any of them, though Psycho still holds a strong place in my heart I can say Vertigo is in fact the best Hitchcock movie I've seen to date. He really was a one of a kind director that tapped into his own fears and demons and brought it into the lens of a camera, able to make entertaining and wonderful cinema that will be watched for decades and decades to come. Every movie with a twist is owed a great deal to Psycho, every suspense scene is compared to his films, most everyone will agree he is a fantastic director, and I'm one of those people. Does it surpass Citizen Kane in terms of filmmaking and story? Eh, it's debatable but Citizen Kane just speaks to me more. Regardless, this film gets an easy 4 stars, 8 if not even 9/10, and two thumbs way up from me.

Well next week we look into some more classics that I have yet to see. Hey I got a lot of stuff to watch, cut me a break.