About Last Night... 1986 ****

As mentioned earlier with 'St Elmo's Fire' I'm trying to work my way through all brat pack related movies. Doing so involves watching movies that just one or two of the group have been present in and I thought who better to swat up on first that Demi Moore.

I actually really enjoyed this film. A film that's fairly close to real life and doesn't try to sugar-coat a relationship to make it something that it's not.

Moore and Lowe decide after a night of casual sex to start a relationship, believing that being with each other more and more (to the point where they actually move in together) is making their relationship closer and better. Their friends are totally against them being in a relationship and do and say anything they can to try to talk them out of it. However I must say that the 2 friends are dreadfully unsympathetic characters who seem to find it insulting that their friend has even dared to start a relationship with someone else and therefore push them to one side. This is very true to life and there are plenty of people out there who feel jealous or betrayed when a friend gets a new partner.

Anyway I thought both characters worked well together, and I love Demi Moore (I've seen her now in practically everything she has ever been in) so that was an added bonus. Added to which there is a great soundtrack to this movie. Another great reason to pay it some attention.

12 Days of Terror - 2004 **** 1/2

First off, the poster for this movie looks ridiculous and totally modern which is not what the film is. However, saying that I found this movie utterly compelling, and one of the best shark movies I have ever seen. Added to which, one of the things I liked about it was that it wasn't gory for gore's sake. It tried as best it could to depict events which happened a very long time ago, and although it may not have been spot on I think it was probably as close as it could have been whilst also trying to have a constant storyline as well.

The shark attacks of 1916 that occured in New Jersey really shocked the community, but the fact that the mayor and the police both decided not to close the beach for swimming until 2 attacks had taken place showed a definite lacklustre approach towards the safety of the bathers.

I thought the whole film was very atmospheric, very upsetting and excellently acted (Colin Egglesfield was a standout performance) and the fact that the events were real made it even more terrifying.

Little Fockers - 2010 ****

You don't have to think and analyse with this movie, you just watch it and have a laugh at the great cast. De Niro is great as always as well as Dustin Hoffman and Barbra Streisand.

Gaylord Focker is now the father of 2, living with Pam in a lovely looking house, thinking he has finally made peace with his father-in-law Jack. Throw in some ridiculous episodes involving Gaylord's new work collegue (Jessica Alba) and Jack is convinced his son-in-law is playing away and sets about trying to break up the marriage. Again.

I don't know whether Jessica Alba really adds much to the movie. I mean she is funny but she's a pretty dire actress, and when I mention her alongside the greats that I mentioned above it seems wrong. There are countless other female actors who coudl have taken her place.

Any way, it's fine, it's funny, and it has a hilarious scene involving Robert De Niro's ...erm... tackle. Worth watching for that alone.

The Bridesmaid - 2004 ****

I had no idea this was even Chabrol when I decided that I wanted to watch it. I was mostly captured by the story and the fact it was based on a Ruth Rendall story. When I found out who was directing it as well I decided I had to see it. And it was a totally bizarre and very weird experience.

Philippe has a successful job and is fiercely devoted to his mother. He however begins to resent his family constantly butting into his personal life and asking why he still doesn't have a girlfriend especially as one of his sisters is about to get married. At her wedding he meets one of her bridesmaids named Senta and from then on they begin a passionate and intensely paranoid relationship with terrifying results.

A really mind-blowing experience and proof that so far to my knowledge, Claude Chabrol has not made a duff film yet.

(HORROR) The Morgue - 2008 ** 1/2

Straight to DVD sort of tells you how rubbish this film is going to be even before you start. But for some people like me, effectively being told a film is dire isn't enough to actually stop me watching it. As one IMDB reviewer said, the plot is awful, the acting is totally unnatural and the ending is so obvious that you probably know it even before you press play.

We follow a weird college girl in her night job working as a cleaner at a morgue with only the security man to talk to (who seems to prefer the company of a bottle of scotch to her anyway).

A couple and their daughter break down near the morgue so of course are welcomed in by the girl, followed by an almost comotose man and his friend who appear to have been in some sort of accident. They all want help and so after what seems an eternity of trying to find a connected phone they appear to be on the right track. The girl then goes off to the bathroom to show the woman an impressive looking bloodstain that never seems to fade, and then later on bumps into a hooded figure with a scalpel who looks like he wants to chop her up into bits.

More than the stupid plot, the acting was ridiculous and completely wooden as though the actors had been told to improvise without knowing anything about the actual story.

Ridiculous film.

St Elmo's Fire - 1985 ****

This film is really one of those iconic 80s movies that people always rave about so I had to watch to see what it was all about. Including members of the famous 'brat pack' (the name for the group of actors who regularly appeared in films together) this is really a 'coming of age' movie which brings together a group of students fresh out of college who are starting to have to deal with the real life of relationships and proper jobs as well as their feelings for each other. Add the now famous theme tune which for some reason gives me shivers down my spine when I hear it and you have this film. I recognised the majority of the actors, having seen 'The Breakfast Club' years ago, and it was quite nice to see them all together again. Demi Moore also joined the cast and proved a worthwhile member.

It's very strange because if this had been made now it would most probably have been glossed over, but because it was made 26 years ago (!) it has a very watchable feel to it.

I've decided to make a conscious effort to try and watch all of the Brat Pack movies but this was certainly a welcome second in my list.

(HORROR) Cold Fish - 2010 ***

I'm a huge fan of gruesome things and serial killers (that doesn't make me look very good!) but even this seriously disturbed me. Based on true events (and yes, it's actually true for once!) this is the story of a man and women who dispose of human beings like it's an everyday occurance.

A husband and wife own a tropical fish store and are humiliated when they find out that their daughter has been stealing from another store. Hoping to make peace with the owner he instead offers them a compromise - to have the daughter work at the store to make up for her stealing.

The parents are thrilled as he seems like a perfectly decent and kind man, until his real personality starts to appear.

It's very disturbing certainly, but it keeps you glued to the screen, even at times when you would really rather turn away.

The acting is spot on and I was glad to have watched this because it caught my eye in the store, but it would be hard to watch again. Too much gore even for me!

Dead End - 1937 ***

I wasn't a massive fan of this film, despite having waited over 2 years to watch it. However I did find that Bogart's evil character was a complete change from his usual good-guy persona. He shows in this that he really isn't type-cast and can portray both a positive and a negative character.

The story itself I gather is about social class. We have the slum area of New York, inhabited by the lowest of the low, and the wealthy apartments that have been built above for the view of the East River. Unfortunately it then means that the wealthy are in full view of the poor, and this therefore leads to antagonism between each class.

The first of seven films of the Dead End Kids, I recognised them almost immediately after having seen them in 'Angels with Dirty Faces' some years ago. They portray the poor and desperate kids of the area well, although their constant anger and violent amusement is something that grows tiring after a while.

We then have Sylvia Sydney, the sister of the head of the gang of boys, who has feelings for Joel McCrea, an unemployed architect who spends his time with a rich woman named Kay.

Bogart doesn't pop up immediatly, and when he does it's not a huge deal, (you see his trouserleg!)but soon after, once you really see him get into his part, he sends shivers down your spine, almost like Cagney's Cody Jarrett does in 'White Heat.' Back to the slums to visit his mother and old girlfriend, Martin is in for a shock with what he realises he's left behind and resorts to drastic measure to make his trip home worth while.

The thing with watching Bogart play a bad character (humourously called 'Baby Face' Martin) is that I am constantly expecting him to revert back to his loveable do-gooder, detective persona, who will give a sly wink or smirk to his leading lady before she collapses into his arms, overwhelmed by his charisma, and when that doesn't happen it's a very weird and unsettling moment for me. I can't say I prefer Bogart as an evil character but it's certainly interesting to watch, and Bogart is in my opinion one of the best actors to ever grace the silver screen.

Loulou - 1980 ****

One topic the French seem to do very well is relationships. And here we see the relationship between Depardieu and Huppert and all the good and bad parts of it, like reality. I think films that show perfect relationships are completely pointless, what do they prove and why are we being shown something that doesn't exist?!

Huppert meets Depardieu when she is out with her current boyfriend and finds herself infatuated by him, to the extent that she leaves her boyfriend almost immediately for this man. Her ex goes from being violent and angry over the situation to completely mellow and wanting to hang out with the pair as friends etc.

It's awkward to watch, but sometimes this sort of thing happens in the real world. People who are rejected sometimes can't accept what has happened.

Huppert's character is very raw, and not particularly likeable, after all, throughout the film she seems to flit from one man to the other without feeling or regret. But then again Depardieu's character is not exactly squeaky clean either, and Huppert's ex-boyfriend was fairly abusive in the relationship anyway. So who knows who is right and who is wrong. It's just gritty real life. Excellent film. (Huppert looked so young that I barely recognised her!)

Sleeping with the Enemy - 1991 ****

I really enjoyed this movie.

Julia Roberts plays the abused wife of a controlling and possessive man, who rules her with an iron thumb and smacks her about if she doesn't obey him or do what he says. Seeing the perfect opportunity one day to get away from him she fakes her own death after a frightful storm whilst out in their boat.

She makes it to a new town, changes her name and starts again with a new identity, even meeting a friendly man who tries to help her get a job in the college library. However her husband has found out that she is still alive, and will do whatever it takes to track her down and kill her.

Thrilling and terrifying because this sort of thing does happen in real life; people really can be this evil. Roberts is excellent.

Play it Again, Sam - 1972 *****

Yet again I have stumbled across another of Woody Allen's gems.

This, along with M.N.S.C and Manhattan Murder Mystery are now my three of his favourites.

Allen plays his usual neurotic and slightly hyperactive character, this time trying to get over the breakdown of his marriage with the help of his friend Diane Keaton and his love of old movies (Humphrey Bogart even puts in an appearance) which seems to go drastically wrong when Keaton and her husband try to set Allen up on a series of blind dates.

I think Allen is somebody that people either love or hate for his type of comedy, I can understand why his personality can get a bit much for some people but I personally love him and can never get enough of his movies.

Gaslight - 1940 ***

I was surprised how little I enjoyed this compared to the far superior (in my opinion) version with Charles Boyer and Ingrid Bergman which is one of my favourite films.

The story is basically the same, but with the names and locations changed.

A man and his wife move to a beautiful address in London where a mysterious murder took place years earlier. The man begins to accuse his wife of misplacing objects and forgetting things and soon she believes that she is going mad, as she can also hear noises from above, although it is clear that there is no one else there.

'Gaslight' is an appropriate name for this movie, because most of the action is shrouded in the foggy depths of 19th century London, and it really adds to the mysterious and eerie feel of the story. Worth watching, but if it's a choice between this and the later version then I would choose the latter.

Pickpocket - 1959 ***

I don't feel really that I am qualified enough to comment properly on Bresson's work, for he's obviously one of the great cinematic directors of all time, but I would just like to say that I found 'pickpocket' to be an incredibly skillful and sharp production of the highest quality, even down to the precise slight of hand tricks that the main character pulls of to pick pockets. The story is simple, but I suppose you could say that it works on many levels as a morality tale, or just a thrilling ride with a man who has the stealthiest fingers ever. Either way you should watch this film.

War of the Roses - 1989 ****

You always hear this mentioned as a comedy but I personally never had the opportunity to watch it until recently. It's a very funny film, with I think some poignant areas but all in all it makes for an enjoyable evening.

Kathleen Turner meets Michael Douglas, the two fall in love, live together, get married, have children etc and then one day she decides actually she doesn't love him and wants a divorce. The problem is of course, who gets the house. He believes he is entitled to the property because he bought it with his own money, she thinks she is entitled to it because she spent her time there raising the children and furnishing and cleaning it and that she deserves it as a sort of compromise. Of course, neither is willing to move and so they continue to live in the same house together, with disastrous consequences.

Both stars put in good performances, although as regards to characters I much prefer that of Michael Douglas, despite the general consensus that he is a cold-hearted and emotionally neglectful husband.

Rushmore - 1998 ***

You can sort of understand that this film was partly written by Owen Wilson, because it's very strange indeed, and anything that Bill Murray stars in seems to be most peculiar, and so put them both together and you have this film about a freakishly clever boy called Max at high school who, regardless of the consequences, spends most of his time taking part in extracurricular activities and spending almost no time with his academia.

Bill Murray sees something in him that fascinates him and they become friends, and shortly after, a new teacher arrives at the school who starts Max off on an obsessive infatuation. It's a very odd film but there is something about it you will probably relate to, and certainly one that people say should be seen. I second that, but I'm still not entirely sure why.

The Other Man - 2008 ****

I really enjoyed this film, as am a big fan of both Neeson and Banderas and I loved the premise for the story.

After his wife dies tragically, Peter ( Neeson) discovers secret emails and photos on her computer, with proof that she has been having an affair with a handsome and seemingly accomplished man named Rafe. Devastated, he begins to search for Rafe's whereabouts, finding him living in Milan, and decides to meet and confront the man over his wife's infidelity.

Neeson is a superb actor and I always have the highest respect for him. He is one of those people that if you saw he was going to be in a film you would know the film was going to be pretty darn good. Banderas is also good at portraying the dark and mysterious figure he so often does in films, and so together they make a great pair.

Night Shift - 1982 ***

Never heard of this before, but it actually turned out to be pretty good, and quite funny as well. Henry Winkler (yes, it's him from 'Happy Days'!) stars as an ex stock-broker Chuck, who after a number of years at his job at the City Morgue, is horrified to find out that he has been promoted to Night Shift Supervisor, a prospect that he is desperately unhappy about. He is even more upset when he realises that his new co-worker (Michael Keaton) is a manic and hyperactive character who is constantly coming up with scheme after scheme night after night which he inflicts on Chuck.

However, it's not long before Chuck realises that the 2 men could be very good together, and start up some kind of enterprise, mainly hoping to help his prostitute neighbour who is in dire need of his advice.

It's a good film, quite quirky, typically 80s, and with some good music thrown in.

Don't Bother To Knock - 1952 ****

Probably one of Marilyn's first big films that made people go wild about her, this thriller sees her as a slightly unhinged babysitter who agrees to look after a little girls for some friends of her cousin in the hotel where he works. Slowly we start to see that she is much more than just a little unhinged with a strange past and a completely bizarre delusion of her current situation, and this all comes to blows when she invites a handsome man from across the road (he can see her through the window) in for a drink.

The man, just recently split from his girlfriend, revels in the idea of this beautiful, mysterious woman offering him company and so he accepts.

I can't actually tell whether Monroe is superb in this or very bad as she does a lot of wide eyed glances and completely overreactes to everything he says in an almost drugged up way. But maybe that's good, maybe we are seeing her proper talent peeking through for the first time, showing that she is more than just a beautiful but dumb woman. It's been one I have wanted to see for a while, so had high expectations, and yes they may not be fully justified, but it was still enjoyable, and I love Marilyn to bits, so want to praise her acting when I can.