The Thief of Bagdad (1940)

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The Thief of Bagdad (1940)

7/10

Starring
Conrad Veidt
Sabu
John Justin
June Duprez


Directed by Michael Powell, Ludwig Berger and Tim Whelan

 

The Thief of Bagdad is a 1940 British fantasy film classic remake of a 1924 classic of the same name. The movie is magical, each scene is inviting and you will love the whole effects used (that is if you are viewing it from the eye of someone from the 40s). Here is where the whole blue screen effect started, and if you are like me who watched Disney’s Aladdin and liked it, you will love to see where Disney got their idea from.

It won’t be fair if anyone goes on listing fantasy films and skip this classic, this was one movie that I remembered watching when I was young when my lovable aunt introduced me to the love of movies, this movie made me wish I too had a flying carpet. Sabu, who played Abu in this movie, did not put up much of a classic acting that many say made him famous, but he was not that bad either to me the actor that stole the show was Conrad Veidt who played Jaffar.

The movie plot is about a Prince named Ahmed (John Justin) who got fooled by his most trusted advisory Jaffar to leaving the palace and seeing life how life is on the street first hand. While there Jaffar had Ahmed arrested as a mad man and planned to kill him, while he Jaffar mounted the throne.

But in prison Ahmed met a resourceful thief named Abu and together they broke out of jail.

On their getaway, Ahmed got to meet and fall in love with a beautiful princess that Jaffar had eyes for and so Jaffar did all that he could to get Ahmed out of the way, and Ahmed with the help of Abu did all that they could to save the princess, which include meeting a Genie, getting a magic carpet and a crystal that can show you anything you want.

This British classic made use of the best of the best in effects in the 40s it won the Academy Awards for Cinematography, Art Direction and Special Effects. The Thief of Bagdad marks the first major use of bluescreening in the film industry, all due to Larry Butler who introduced and pioneered it.

This movie has greatly influenced many other movies after it’s time especially those released about The Book of One Thousand and One Nights tales, let’s not forget Disney’s Aladdin and its franchise and The Prince of Persia video game franchise. The movie stands strong on a 100% approval rating on the critic aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes, and it was a critical and commercial success. So if you have not seen this wonderful tale that happened down in Bagdad, about how a Prince and a thief took on the evil sorcerer Jaffar so as to save the beautiful Princess; then where have you been?

Take the time out to go see this movie you will be glad you did.

Double Indemnity (1944)

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Double Indemnity (1944)

7/10

Starring

Fred MacMurray

Barbara Stanwyck

Edward G. Robinson

Directed by Billy Wilder

The movie is about greed and seduction with a plot that probably won’t fly in the modern film era, as it would be ripped apart by forensic evidence and detections; but in the 40s such science was not that much available so the plot was just right.

The plot is about an insurance salesman (Fred Mac Murray) who got lured (which was quite easy due to his greed) into insurance fraud. The story was simple he taught, all he had to do was kill the lady he so desires husband and make it look like an accident, while tricking him to sign an accident insurance policy where everything goes to his lady friend, so he will get the girl and with her comes the money.

The movie is best put using the word nice, and a classic as it has come to be. Double Indemnity is beautiful and captivating, based on a 1943 novel of the same name by James M. Cain. This movie was the height of film noir in the 40s spring out many copycat B movies from other producers.

The screenplay is penned down by Billy Wilder, who also directed the movie, and from the way the movie drove you just have to appreciate the work of the screen writer, I while watching I was so eager to know if they will get away with it or not. Fred MacMurray narrated and starred in the movie, although the movie was a huge critical success and was nominated for seven Academy Awards but did not win any. Billy Wilder’s writing and directing of this movie is a masterpiece worth treasuring and a work of art worth owning.

The movie and the book’s idea is based on the Double indemnity clause provided in life insurance or accident policy whereby the insurance company agrees to pay the stated multiple (double) of the face amount in the contract in the case of death caused by accidental means.

The movie was a box office success making over 5 times its production cost, and the cinematography used "venetian blind" lighting which became popular in later film noir. Double Indemnity was well received by the American Film Institute, in AFI's 100 Years…100 Movies (10th Anniversary Edition) it was rated 29^th; it also got other American Film Institute recognitions.

This movie is wonderful, so if you have not seen or heard about the movie now you have so go see it.

Grumpier Old Men (1995)

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Grumpier Old Men (1995)

4/10

Starring

Jack Lemmon

Walter Matthau

Ann Margret

Sophia Loren

Burgess Meredith

Directed by Howard Deutch

After the fun of watching Lemmon and Matthau act like kids for less than 2 hours (i.e. from the first movie) I was satisfied, but then due to the success of the first movie the producers decided to give it another twirl, this time the story had the two starting off as friends thanks to the incidents that happened in the ending of the first film, but then some really really idiotic stupid reason, they were at it again.

The movie was not funny as it was like a replay of the first, same pranks, similar plot and screenplay made this movie a waste of time. After getting a mate for John, they (the producers) decided to get a mate for Max, with nothing to write home about but a lame script that just showed no finesse or true plan, just the producers hoping to bank on the success of the previous movie.

The main disappointment in the movie for me was Sophia Loren; her acting was just too weak for me to understand that she is a star. Everybody else in the movie even Burgess Meredith (who had Alzheimer's disease and this was his last motion picture appearance) was impressive, at least that I can give them.

The movie is directed this time by Howard Deutch, who later worked with the duo in 1998 for Odd Couple II, Deutch other movies also have not been well received like Getting Even with Dad (1994) and The Whole Ten Yards (2004), which are basically the reason why I will not bother seeing My Best Friend’s Girl.

The movie plot carries on 6 months after the incidents of the first, where both John (Lemmon) and Max (Matthau) were getting prepared for the wedding of their children. Then a new arrival in town a beautiful lady by the name of Maria Ragetti (Sophia Loren) came in to change things by turning the towns bait shop to a restaurant.

John and Max join forces to try and run the new lady out of town, but the issues between John and Max’s children marriage plan caused both to reignite their feud as both refused to believe that their child was at fault.

Only the ladies are alive till today (February 2013), as both Lemmon and Matthau died like half a decade after this movie release. Grumpier Old Men was a box office success in its own part, but a huge critical disappointment, as the movie cost 10 million dollars less than its predecessor and made like a million more in the box office.

After you have seen the first there is basically no point why you should bother seeing this one, because it will stand in my mind as one movie I credit as a waste of time and talent.

Grumpy Old Men (1993)

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Grumpy Old Men (1993)

6/10

Starring

Jack Lemmon

Walter Matthau

Ann-Margret

Burgess Meredith

Directed by Donald Petrie

This movie is very cheerful and delivers a subtle family comedy for all to see, many fun pairing of both Lemmon and Matthau are available, my favorite has always been Odd Couple '68, this 1993 pairing will fall under my top 3 pairing of both actors.

This is the sixth film to star both Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau and one of the coolest as both actors were at their best, and they delivered the laughs. The thing that got to me in this movie is the way men in their 70s behaved like children, playing tricks on one another and even coming up with some that I have never thought off. This romantic comedy also stared Ann Margret, and her acting was fun to see as I have no recollection of seeing her in any other movie and seeing her here was a nice introduction for me.

Grumpy Old Men is directed by Donald Petrie who is the man behind the 1994 movie Ritchie Rich and my worse movie ever in 2003 How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days.

The movie plot is about two old friends/rivals Max (Walter Matthau) and John (Jack Lemmon), both retired and spend majority of their adult life playing tricks on one another.

Things changed in their small town when college professor Ariel Truax (Ann Margret) moved into a house opposite theirs, her happy demeanor and joyful outlook, made her the talk of the town and soon Max and John took a liken into her and their old time feud continued as both tried to get the girl.

The movie is fun and funny and was recognized by the American Film Institute, as it got a nomination in the AFI's 100 Years... 100 Laughs. The next movie that both were in after this series (i.e. after 1995 Grumpier Old Men) was Out to Sea, which was not well received by critics, but I have seen the movie and I can tell you it is not as bad as critics make it to be, it was funny and delightful.

Grumpy Old Men was followed by Grumpier Old Men two years after in 1995, another old female icon Sophia Loren was introduced into the mix of Lemmon and Matthau, whose acting was not as grand as that of Ann Margret if I may say so. This movie had a mere positive reception from critics and it also was a mild box office success.

Lincoln (2012)

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Lincoln (2012)

7/10

Starring

Daniel Day-Lewis

Sally Field

David Strathairn

Joseph Gordon-Levitt

Directed by Steven Spielberg

Lincoln is wonderful and Daniel Day-Lewis performance in this movie is worth his academy award nomination as Best Actor, Day-Lewis has twice won the Academy Award for Best Actor for the movies My Left Foot in 1989 and There Will Be Blood in 2007.

Steven Spielberg put his mastery directing skills to work in this future classic, he also produced the movie. This movie shows the final moments of Abe Lincoln in office as the president of the United States. At that time the country was at war and at the very edge of change, Lincoln was in the driving sit against all oppositions to end the war and bring an end to slavery. The movie also depicts the steps taken by Lincoln and his party to get others at their side so as to win the necessary votes needed to end slavery.

I did enjoy Daniel’s portrayal, his voice and also his movements. Spielberg didn’t fail to add the aspect of Lincoln story telling into this movie, as we get to hear many of his stories as he used them to pass his message across.

This movie is very great and wonderful, and I’m glad I got to see it. I’m not an American never had it in mind to be one, but the singular act by Lincoln abolished slavery and made it possible for the Negro race to be seen as equal, although years of more battles and more assassinations led to the freedom that we see today, down to the point that a Black Man is now the President of America and he even won a second term in office.

For historical purposes, this movie did have its inaccuracies but not withstanding it is a nice documentary drama for those who want to know the battles that engaged when Lincoln was trying to end the war, from the battles at the war front, to the one at the senate and then not to mentions Lincoln's battle at home, here is a movie to see.

Did I enjoy this movie? Yes I did, but if you are not into history nor documentary you may find this movie a bore; Lincoln is a critical and commercial successful movie and it is one for the record books that I am sure of.

After seeing Silver Lining Playbook I believed that none could match up to what Bradley Cooper delivered, but this acting by Daniel Day-Lewis matches up to it and even surpasses it from my view, so my Oscar winner for Best Actor should be Day-Lewis.