Obscurity Movies

Bella

2008-07-07T14:25:00.000-07:00

Now, I am sometimes leary about movies that made it big in film festivals because a lot of them are slow and boring. This one though is very moving.

This is about a man who is a professional soccer player and at the height of his career, hits a small child accidentally with his car. He is put into jail for a while because of this and his life is tortured for years. After he gets out of prison, his brother, a restaurant owner gives him a job as the head cook. The waitress of the restaurant comes in to work late because of "morning sickness". The owner fires her because of this and the ex soccer player takes pity on her and decides to leave work and spend the day with her. This is a powerful movie, full of heart and really digs deep on what true love is all about.

Rebel Without a Cause

2008-06-13T18:05:00.000-07:00

I recommend this classic for anyone. This movie really revolutionized film and it's realism. Until this every kid was Wally and Beaver Cleaver, good boys and girls. Which is nice but how many homes have those kinds of kids? Film never really explored the modern dysfunctional family until this one.

James Dean plays a new kid on the block who has a Mom and Dad who move whenever he gets in trouble. They really don't show him the kind of guidance a young teenager needs. He is the quiet type who really wants to be a good guy but trouble always seems to find him.

Natalie Wood (you may have seen her in the old black and white "Miracle on 34th Street" as the little girl) plays a girl also in a dysfunctional family, hangs out with the in-crowd and like most teenage girls hanging out with the in-crowd is not really herself when with her friends but really is a good person.

There is a character for everyone in this movie. At least one person you could relate to.

Here is a link to a trailer site which you can view with or without commentary.

http://trailersfromhell.com/trailers/154

The Court Jester

2008-03-01T12:01:00.000-08:00

Most of us has seen the Christmas classic, White Christmas with Bing Crosby. Danny Kaye made a number of other funny movies and I believe The Court Jester ranks supreme as the funniest movie he ever did and may rank up there with some of the most funniest movies ever made.

The story sets in medieval England where a band of outlaws led by the Black Fox is determined to put the rightful king on the throne. The rightful king is a newborn baby bearing a royal birthmark, the purple pimpernel on his backside(that little twist is worth the price of a rental). The Black Fox plans to storm the castle in order to dethrone the king.

Danny Kaye plays Hubert Hawkins, a circus performer and a little bumbling, who is very passionate about the cause. He is chosen by the Black Fox for a special mission to infiltrate the castle along with one of his best and brightest, Jean, played by Glynis Johns (you may recognize her from Mary Poppins as Winifred Banks, Jane and Michael Banks mother). They want to go in disguise and make contact with one of their spies inside the castle and also to smuggle the baby, the newborn king inside the castle but they don't have access to the palace or the King's chambers. The spend the night in a barn where they declare their love for each other but are interupted by Giacamo, King of Jesters, and jester to the King. He is on his way to the palace to be the next Court Jester. Jean and Hubert knock him out and its up to Hubert to take his place as court jester to make way for the army of the Black Fox to storm the castle.

Danny Kaye is in his element in this film. His comedic genius is unsurpassed. I believe he would be the Jim Carrey of his day.

Other characters include Angela Lansbury, clinging to the ideal of romance is being forced to marry a brute nobleman, Griswald to make an alliance. She threatens her companion with death unless she achieves her dream lover. Her companion is Griselda, a witch who raised her since an infant.

Watch a clip:

Empire of The Sun

2008-02-19T17:39:00.000-08:00

Director: Steven Spielberg
Rated: PG

Empire of the Sun follows the remarkable story of a young boy separated from his parents during the Japanese invasion of Shanghai. The young boy named Jamie Graham, played by a VERY young Christian Bale, starts off as a little rich kid fascinated with airplanes of all kinds. Him and his family live in Shanghai during World War II among many other British families. The story develops as Japan invades Shanghai and occupies China. During the beginning of the invasion Jamie and his family try to escape in their car, with thousands of locals on the streets desperately trying to escape as well, the car is immovable so they in turn get out of the car and try to make it on foot. Holding hands they race to the waterfront. Jamie drops his toy airplane and let's go of his Mom's hand to go back after it. He picks it up and looks back and there is no sign of his Mom or Dad anywhere.

The film tells of the story of the survival of a young boy forced to become a man at a very young age. The story is one of survival along the way meeting a survivalist named Basie played by John Malkovich. He teaches him how to survive and take care of himself. But Basie only cares for himself and he will look out for you if you are still useful to him. But you still gotta love his character.

The movie is a little long at 154 minutes or 2 1/2 hours. However you get so caught up in the story you don't even care. THis is a great movie for lovers of historical fiction especially during World War II. You can see just how talented Christian Bale was even at such a young age.

Check out the trailer...