Date viewed: 1/9/11
Venue: Theater
FOUR LIONS is another movie hyped by the Austin folk — this one deservedly so. I need to watch it again to pick up on all of the comedy (subtitles will help), but even missing out on some of the jokes it’s easy to tell it’s a remarkable movie. Remarkable both from the standpoint it got made at all and that it’s so effective. Funny, sad, and scary.
Rating: 7.5
Date viewed: 1/9/11
Venue: Home (DVD)
IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER was originally released just as I was coming into my own as a film fan (I was 13). At the time I considered it to be a “grown up” movie that I was sure would be too political and boring. Wow, I was an idiot. I tried to do some work while watching it, but I couldn’t take my eyes from the screen. Daniel Day Lewis gives one of the all-time great performances, and the late Pete Postlewaite is just as good. An amazing movie.
Rating: 9.5
Date: 1/2/11
Venue: Home (DVD)
The granddaddy of the modern heist movie (I think) is dirty and mean and fun. It’s interesting to know that director Jules Dassin was actually an American exiled to France as a result of being blacklisted — RIFIFI clearly has more of an American mindset than French (compare with say…anything by Melville).
Rating: 9/10
Deadbeat At Film 