Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958)

Featuring: Elizabeth Taylor, Paul Newman, Burl Ives. Director: Richard Brooks.

Warning: This movie is only supposed to be available for streaming until Jan. 1st. Act fast!

With Paul Newman and Elizabeth Taylor joining forces I think Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, hands down, wins the award for prettiest eyes in a movie. Taylor is smoking hot as the neglected wife who is completely desperate to get her husband into bed and Newman plays opposite her as a stubborn drunk who has given up on life. Somehow, I think only Paul Newman could play that role sexy. And yes, I am feeling very secure in my masculinity as I write this review.

Despite the bad southern accents (as twitterer @Tny8 pointed out, because being a Chicagoan I can't tell a bad one from an authentic one), I found myself getting all wrapped up in the drama of this movie. When I wasn't busy thinking about how bad I wanted Liz (yes, we're on a first name basis), I found myself relating to the troubles of Newman's character. I understand high expectations, and I understand not living up to them. Particularly now that my 30th birthday is just around the corner (same age as Newman's character). That sort of pressure can be hard to escape, it can be hard to find yourself, and I suppose it could make you even do something as insane as neglect a woman as foxey as Liz Taylor in her prime.

That sort of depression can only come from complexity. The complexity in this movie, and Newman's character, is born from his insanely dysfunctional family, the suicide of a best friend, and the pain and suffering young love can bring about. Over the course of the 24 hours portrayed in this movie Newman is able to work through his issues with his father (interesting performance from Burl Ives) and his wife. Were the answers satisfactory? I won't spoil that, but I will say that in life, they rarely are.

Click here to add this to your Netflix queue.

According to Netflix this movie will stop streaming on 1/1/12. Of course, sometimes they lie.

The Standard 5:

Why is it in your queue? Paul Newman and Elizabeth Taylor. Do I really need any other reason?

Is it artsy? No, but it is based on a Tennessee Williams play and my understanding is he was a bit of an artist with that sort of thing..

What stood out the most to you? Paul Newman gave a great performance, Taylor was f***** hot.

What mood should I be in to watch this movie? Looking for conflict and sizzle.

What rating did you give it on Netflix? 4 Stars.  
 

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Nights of Cabiria (1957)

Featuring: Giulietta Masina, Francois Perier. Director: Federico Fellini.

Warning: This movie is only supposed to be available for streaming until Jan. 1st. Act fast!

Giulietta Masina's face is so expressive it seems as though it was in her DNA to perform in silent films. I don't know if she ever was in any silent films or not, but every time I see her in a movie I just picture her with Charlie Chaplin hamming it up and holding  conversations with just their facial expressions. She seems to be from another time. A time when theatre was more important than the silver screen. Her energy, her deliberate awkwardness. I can't tell if she was brilliant or an idiot savant, but what I do know is that I absolutely cannot keep my eyes off of her.

Nights of Cabiria again pairs up Masina with famed  Italian director Federico Fellini, himself a bit of an odd bird. Together they tell the story of a prostitute who is jaded enough to expect those around her to hurt her, but hasn't yet reached the level of cynicism that keeps her from being hopeful of finding true love. As you can probably imagine, she's right in that sweet spot where she get hurts a lot. Masina, and by extension her character, has such a great spirit that somehow this movie keeps from devolving into a depressing mess. You want to follow her journey, you want her to succeed, even if you sort of suspect it's just going to turn bad in the end. After all, part of me thought she sort of suspected it as well.

Queue this one up, it's a ride worth taking and at the very least you can come back and tell me what you think of the enigma that is Giulietta Masina. There is just something about her I can't quite put my finger on.

Click here to add this to your Netflix queue.

According to Netflix this movie will stop streaming on 1/1/12. Of course, sometimes they lie.

The Standard 5:

Why is it in your queue? I watched La Strada a while back and I became interested in Fellini and incredibly intrigued with Giulietta Masina. Plus, just look at that poster. Awesome.

Is it artsy? It doesn't feel artsy but I guess it sort of is. It is in Italian.

What stood out the most to you? Giulietta Masina has the most expressive face I've ever seen in my life.

What mood should I be in to watch this movie? In the mood for something different.

What rating did you give it on Netflix? 4 Stars.  

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Giant (1956)

Featuring: Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson, James Dean. Director: George Stevens.

Warning: This movie is only supposed to be available for streaming until Jan. 1st. Act fast!

You can't really go wrong with a cast like Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson and James Dean. Each of them were legends in their own right. I also believe that Hudson and Dean gave the best performances of their careers in this movie (Hate to admit it, but I think Rebel Without a Cause is a bit overrated).

Hudson was wonderful as a wealthy, traditional Texas rancher who falls for the strong-willed (surprise, surprise) Elizabeth Taylor the moment they met. This is really a tale of their marriage over the years, and the dysfunctional family the two of them produced. The charisma between Hudson and Taylor is absolutely fantastic and some of the most memorable scenes are the two of them in bed arguing like an old married couple. It's hard to pull off those simpler moments in life and make them relateable and the two of them are very convincing.

James Dean plays Hudson's rival who has a huge chip on his shoulder and uses that motivation to work his way from the bottom to build his own empire. He creates a complex, if troubled character and portrays a man with an inferiority complex wonderfully. Overall, this is a fantastic epic well worth the over three hour run-time. You will witness some of the greatest actors of all time doing what they do best, creating characters that are believable, like us yet different and very compelling. You should definitely check this one out.

Click here to add this to your Netflix queue.

According to Netflix this movie will stop streaming on 1/1/12. Of course, sometimes they lie.

The Standard 5:

Why is it in your queue? I'm in love with Elizabeth Taylor, and not in some creepy necrophilia kind of way either you sicko.

Is it artsy? No.

What stood out the most to you? The chemistry Taylor and Hudson had as an old married couple could be really funny at times.

What mood should I be in to watch this movie? In the mood to watch a good movie with humor, intrigue and interesting characters. Also, you should have about three and a half hours because it's pretty long.

What rating did you give it on Netflix? 4 Stars.

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Winchester '73 (1950)

Featuring: Jimmy Stewart, Shelley Winters, Dan Duryea, Tony Curtis, Rock Hudson. Director: Anthony Mann.

Warning: This movie is only supposed to be available for streaming until Dec 29th. Act fast!

As some of you may know, Jimmy Stewart is one of my favorite actors of all time. He had a presence like none other and had more acting chops than I think a lot of people give him credit for. They think of him just as sweet George Bailey and forget how many diverse roles he was in. However, until a couple of westerns showed up on Netflix streaming, I had never, ever pictured Jimmy Stewart being in a western. It just seemed like a strange fit that would never work. Then I saw Destry Rides Again and realized it could work very well in a western with a lighter tone.

Winchester '73, however, has a much more serious tone. Jimmy Stewart plays a man who likes guns and is out for revenge. I kept thinking of George Bailey. I couldn't help it. Stewart gave a good performance, the supporting cast was excellent and the story was decent. I just couldn't get past the fact that Mr. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington was determined to murder someone. That's just my own bias though. This is a solid western, and if you enjoy the genre I recommend it. Just don't spend the whole time wondering if a devil gets his horns every time you hear a gunshot and you'll enjoy it more than I did.

Click here to add this to your Netflix queue.

According to Netflix this movie will stop streaming on 12/29/11. Of course, sometimes they lie.

The Standard 5:

Why is it in your queue? Jimmy Stewart.

Is it artsy? No.

What stood out the most to you? Jimmy Stewart being driven by revenge.

What mood should I be in to watch this movie? Looking to get your western fix.

What rating did you give it on Netflix? 3 Stars.

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Man in the Shadow (1958)

Featuring: Jeff Chandler, Orson Welles. Director: Jack Arnold.

Warning: This movie is only supposed to be available for streaming until Jan. 1st. Act fast!

Orson Welles is probably the most interesting figure in the history of the silver screen. He directed what is widely considered the greatest movie of all time and is also acclaimed by many as one of the best actors of all time. He was larger than life and the legacy he left behind was even greater. I think it is perfectly fair to consider him a genius.

The trouble with geniuses, however, is that they see things before the rest of us do. Insert your favorite "ahead of his time" cliche here. Today, directors like Scorsese can produce some of their best work late in their careers. When Welles got started, the term "filmmaker" wasn't something that carries the weight that it does now. The movie going-public today (or at least a segment of it) is more educated and interested in risk taking in the cinema. Sadly, Welles' failures at the box office left much of his career's potential untapped. Instead of crafting masterpieces, he was relegated to acting in b-movies such as this one. That makes me sad, but such is life.

Don't get me wrong, this isn't a bad movie. It features Welles as a plantation owner out west who is the lord over all of the migrant workers at his establishment. Welles character is charming and slimey all at once and the protagonist (Chandler) does a good job playing a straight arrow of a sheriff who is determined to get to the truth no matter how powerful the toes that he is stepping on may be. This is a decent movie with political undertones that are very relevant today, but it still makes me sad. Mostly because instead of directing his version of The Departed, he was acting in a b-movie with a predictable plot. Such is the curse of genius.

Click here to add this to your Netflix queue.

According to Netflix this movie will stop streaming on 1/1/12. Of course, sometimes they lie.

The Standard 5:

Why is it in your queue? Pretty much anything with Orson Welles is in my queue.

Is it artsy? No.

What stood out the most to you? That conditions for Mexican immigrants have only marginally improved in the last 60 years.

What mood should I be in to watch this movie? You should be an Orson Welles aficionado. It isn't his best work, but he's still interesting.

What rating did you give it on Netflix? 3 Stars.

Sorry, couldn't find a trailer for this one. 

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Abbott & Costello Meet the Mummy (1955)

Featuring: Bud Abbott, Lou Costello. Director: Charles Lamont.

I must be feeling nostalgic lately because as with yesterday's reminisces on classic monster movies, today I'm reviewing another type of movie that makes me think of being a kid. That kind of movie would be any movie featuring the classic comedy team of Abbott and Costello. When I was a kid, the only people in black and white that I found funny were The Three Stooges and Abbott and Costello. In fact, they still crack me up to this day.

As you could probably guess from the title, in this one the two buddies end up in Egypt with mummys walking about and scaring the pants off of our half-brained heroes. As with all Abbott and Costello flicks there is great comedic timing and some kick ass one-liners. Unfortunately, for me anyway, it wasn't as packed with laughs as some of the other movies they made. It might have been because I was on the tail end of an all day movie marathon when I watched it, but it just didn't seem to have the same comedic brilliance many of their other films did.

Don't get me wrong, there were still moments that made me laugh, there just weren't as many. A few times during the movie I wished I was watching Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein instead. If you're an Abbott and Costello fan you'll still enjoy this movie, but if you're just looking to dive into their catalog now I'd recommend starting with one of their other films.

Click here to add this movie to your Netflix queue.

According to Netflix this movie will stop streaming on 1/1/13. Of course, sometimes they lie.

The Standard 5:

Why is it in your queue? Abbott and Costello are one of the greatest comedic teams in film history.

Is it artsy? Nope, it's old time vaudeville style laughs.

What stood out the most to you? The chemistry between Abbott and Costello (as is to be expected).

What mood should I be in to watch this movie? Ready to laugh.

What rating did you give it on Netflix? 3 Stars. 

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Creature from the Black Lagoon: Special Edition (1954)

Featuring: Richard Carlson, Julie Adams, Richard Denning. Director: Jack Arnold.

When it comes to horror movies, I've always had a soft spot for the classics. When I was little and it was around Halloween, my Dad would go to the video store and come back with titles like Dracula and The Mummy. Once we popped in the VHS tape and got the tracking adjusted as best we could, I would lay on the floor and get wrapped up in classic tales told by Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff and the like.

I have to confess that until this year Creature from the Black Lagoon is the one classic monster movies I had never seen. Maybe, it was hard to find on VHS. Maybe my Dad didn't care for it, or maybe it was just because he's allergic to fish. Whatever the reason, I never had the opportunity to watch it until this Halloween and I'm glad I did.

Creature from the Black Lagoon tells the story of an archeological expedition that finds evidence of a mysterious creature never before observed by man. They end up following the trail to a lagoon deep in the jungle and discover a fish-like but humanoid type monster. As with most of the classic monster movies it is possible to develop a bit of sympathy for the monster. You can understand why he is doing what he is doing, but you also know that there is no choice but to fight him.

It's a shame I hadn't seen this one earlier because it does rank up there with the other classics. It has all the tension, the mystery and wonder of movies like The Wolf Man and Frankenstein. I'm just only getting to appreciate that now.

Click here to add this movie to your Netflix queue.

According to Netflix this movie will stop streaming on 1/1/13. Of course, sometimes they lie.

The Standard 5:

Why is it in your queue? It's the one classic monster movie that I've never seen.

Is it artsy? Nope.

What stood out the most to you? The underwater scenes were all well done. As would be expected.

What mood should I be in to watch this movie? Looking for old school thrills.

What rating did you give it on Netflix? 4 Stars. 

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The Bat (1959)

Featuring: Vincent Price, Agnes Moorehead. Director: Crane Wilbur.

Well, the time has come for my annual Vincent Price marathon. Nothing gets me in the Halloween spirit more than the man with the creepiest voice in history. First up was the murder mystery, The Bat. One million dollars has turned up missing and there is a murderer on the prowl looking for the stolen loot.

If it wasn't for the killer dressing up like a bat (who ironically has a costume that reminds me more of Catwoman), this would be your standard whodunit murder mystery. And that's not a bad thing, I love old school mysteries like this and with Vincent Price in the lead you can't really go wrong. I enjoyed this one, there were just enough twists and turns to keep it from getting boring. If you like murder mysteries and/or Vincent Price, then give this one a try.

Click here to add this movie to your Netflix queue.

According to Netflix this movie will stop streaming on 3/15/13. Of course, sometimes they lie.

The Standard 5:

Why is it in your queue? All available Vincent Price movies are in my queue.

Is it artsy? No, classic mystery.

What stood out the most to you? Vincent Price and a couple of the twists (which I won't mention).

What mood should I be in to watch this movie? Looking to solve a mystery. I figured it out before the movie explained it, but I still enjoyed the ride.

What rating did you give it on Netflix? 3 Stars. 

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La Strada: Special Edition (1954)

Featuring: Anthony Quinn, Giulietta Masina, Richard Basehart. Director: Federico Fellini.

Warning: This movie will stop streaming on May 26th so act fast!

Sadly, The Criterion Collection is moving from Netflix over to Hulu Plus soon and many of their wonderful films are expiring in the next month or so. For those of you that are unfamiliar with Criterion, they are dedicated to taking the best films, completely restoring them and making them available in a way that they never have been before. They tend to restore films that mainstream audiences haven't really paid much attention to, but that film buffs love. Basically, expect a lot of Frederico Fellini, Francois Truffaut and Akira Kurosawa reviews on this site in the near future.

La Strada is a film from famed Italian director Frederico Fellini about an innocent, and very peculiar girl. She gets sold by her impoverished mother to a brutish traveling strongman who performs at circuses and on the streets to hustle up money. He's a drinker, a lover of whores and an all around unpleasant guy. He's played by Anthony Quinn who gives a brilliant performance. His counterpart, played by Giuletta Masina, was wonderful as well. Although, I have to admit, her character is probably one of the hardest to grasp that I've ever come across in cinema. I'm not sure if she is supposed to be simple, childish, stupid, or somehow the smartest one in the film.

I don't really get why she stays with Quinn's character, or really why anyone is the way they are. If you're the kind of person that needs answers by the end of a movie this probably won't be a film for you. Sometimes that annoys me, but with this film it added to the incredible charm and fancy of the film. Some of the moments are breathtaking in the most spectacularly ordinary ways. It's a gorgeous piece of cinema that shows the dirtiness of Italy at the time as well as it's striking beauty. As you can see from the last paragraph, it has left me full of contradictions and I couldn't be happier for it.

If you're adventurous enough to try movies that feel different, look different and are in a different language then you should try this one out. I really enjoyed my time with it even if I'm not exactly sure why. I know it's saying something about life and love but I have no idea what. That's part of the fun I think, because really, the whole thing could just be saying nothing and I wouldn't know.

Click here to add this movie to your Netflix queue.

According to Netflix this movie will stop streaming on 5/26/11. Of course, sometimes they lie.

The Standard 5:

Why is it in your queue? I've recently developed a new appreciation for Italian cinema.

Is it artsy? Yes, you could call it that. It's not a bunch of existential bull****, but I'd still call it artsy.

What stood out the most to you? Trying to figure that intriguing girl out. Well, that and the incredible setting and cinematography.

What mood should I be in to watch this movie? Open minded and with a childlike sense of awe.

What rating did you give it on Netflix? 4 Stars. 
Sorry, couldn't find a trailer in English.

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Harvey (1950)

I can't believe I've never seen this movie. I've always had a soft spot for Jimmy "Lasso the Moon" Stewart and the premise for Harvey is just so off the wall that it's really surprising to me that not only had I never seen this but never even heard of it. Stewart plays an extremely charming drunk whose best friend happens to be a six foot, three and a half inch tall rabbit that no one else in the world can see. When I read the description I thought that there must be some sort of mistake and that this was really some indie knock-off of Donnie Darko.

Needless to say I had to investigate further and hit the play button. For the next hour and forty-five minutes I was treated to the warmest, most ridiculous, hilarious, surprising and touching movie I've seen in quite some time. I love Jimmy Stewart and I think this is hands down the most interesting character he has ever portrayed. From his peculiar way of talking, to his warm smile and genuine charm Stewart completely knocked this one out of the park.

He wasn't the only bright spot though. The entire supporting cast really shined (there was one unlikable character if  you want to split hairs). Everyone was really wonderful and I could keep rambling on about this movie forever but it would only keep you from watching it sooner. Even if you don't like old movies you'll still enjoy this one. Add this to your queue right now!

Click here to add this movie to your queue.

The Standard 5:

Why is it in your queue? Because the description seemed so quirky and magical to me.

Is it artsy? No, but Stewart's performance could be considered a work of art.

Best thing about the movie? The painting of Stewart and Harvey. I seriously need that for my apartment.

What mood should I be in to watch this movie? Best if watched after a bad day, it'll really cheer you up.

What rating did you give it on Netflix? 5 Stars!

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Them! (1954)

Have you ever woke up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat because you were worried about giant radioactive ants attacking you and your family? Who hasn't, right? Well this sci-fi classic shows you just might what happen if that nightmare came to life. In Them! fallout from the nuclear tests in White Sands Nevada cause a bunch of ants in the desert to mutate into massive beasts. Because they have little vegetation for sustenance they turn carnivorous and start attacking the locals. A hush-hush operation is then undertaken to get rid of them before the country is thrown into a panic.

Based on the cover I assumed this was going to be a B-Movie cheese-fest. Isn't that an awesome cover by the way? I'd put that on my wall. I digress, this was actually a really well plotted and acted movie. It feels a lot like a crime drama at parts because the first bit of the movie is the investigation. Warner Brothers didn't hold back on this one they actually made sure it had a budget to be well done for it's time. If you like old school monster/sci-fi movies you'll probably enjoy this movie.

Click here to add this movie to your queue.

The Standard 5:

Why is it in your queue? The cover, look at it!

Is it artsy? No.

Best thing about the movie? Obviously the giant ants.

What mood should I be in to watch this movie? A well done old school monster movie.

What rating did you give it on Netflix? 3 Stars. 

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The Searchers (1956)

When you sit down to watch a John Wayne movie you have an idea of what to expect. You know there are going to be bad guys and you know the Duke is going to be the hero. I thought all John Wayne movies worked like that but this one threw me off. John Wayne played a real S.O.B. in this one. At times I really couldn't stand his character and wish he'd be the one getting gunned down. This film made me realize that John Wayne wasn't just a guy who created an iconic character that he milked in most of his films but an actor who could put on a hell of a show when presented with the right subject matter.

The Searchers isn't your run of the mill formulaic western. It deals with hatred, revenge, bitterness, loss and shows a bit of how hard of a life it was being a settler in the old west. This movie doesn't waste it's time glorifying the old west like a lot of westerns do. As a result you get a movie that is compelling and interesting to watch even if some of it seems dated and the Native-Americans are just Puerto Ricans wearing feathers. If you have any interest in westerns give this one a look. I suspect it is one of the better ones out there.

Click here to add to your queue.

This movie is scheduled to stop streaming on 1/1/2011.

The Standard 5:

Why is it in your queue? Sometimes I get in the mood for westerns and John Wayne is the go-to guy outside of Clint Eastwood.

Is it artsy? No, it's the Duke, he doesn't do "artsy".

Best thing about the movie? John Wayne being an ass to everyone.

What mood should I be in to watch this movie? In the mood for some old fashioned gun slinging with an interesting story.

What rating did you give it on Netflix? 4 Stars. 

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The Fly (1958)

Featuring: Vincent Price. Director: Kurt Neumann.

Once it was human -- even as you and I! The Fly!

I just saw that when I was looking at the cover. You just don't get phrases like that on the posters for the sci-fi movies of today. They're all sophisticated and s***. The way this movie looks, feels, and plays isn't at all sophisticated - but the story is. The Fly was a magnificent sci-fi tale for it's time. Showing that gross puppets or CGI aren't necessary to spin a good yarn. And, this is a good story, hell it's the second version of the movie I've reviewed in as many weeks (click here to read the review for the 1986 version of The Fly) so it must be a good story. I will admit though, I enjoyed the Jeff Goldblum version a little more, it was just scarier.

This movie is also special because it marks the final day of our week long Vincent Price marathon. Although he is only a co-star in this movie he again knocks his role out of the park. Damn I love that guy (no homo). Definitely check this flick out because it'll be a while yet before we get any more Vincent Price around here.

Click here to add this movie to your Netflix queue.

The Standard 5:

Why is it in your queue? Classic sci-fi tale, Vincent Price, awesome tag-line!

Is it artsy? No, although it does have some deeper undertones.

Best thing about the movie? The fly mask.

What mood should I be in to watch this movie? In a mood for a classic treat.

What rating did you give it on Netflix? 3 stars.  

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