#43. Pygmalion (1938)

 

 

Wait a minute - in order to get a woman to fall in love with me, all I need to do is psychologically terrorize her for months on end? Why didn't anybody tell me sooner?

 

Pygmalion has long been eclipsed in popularity by the enormously successful My Fair Lady, but I think it's worth watching in its own right. What this movie lacks in music and visual splendour, it more than makes up for in colourful dialogue, cute comedy, and the occasional lavish set. And while I find both protagonists to be kind of obnoxious, Leslie Howard and Wendy Hiller are a charismatic pair, and the two manage to develop a charming back-and-forth with one another.

 

It's just a shame that we don't get to see more of it, frankly. May main issue with this movie is that the teaching portion (i.e. the portion with the most potential for comedy and character development) is almost entirely glossed over, which means that we don't get to see much of a connection form. And that's really too bad, because the drama's otherwise compelling, complex, and surprisingly sweet. Something about that '30s presentation makes this rude romance so much easier to swallow. 

 

Grade: B+

 

#42. Vanilla Sky (2001)

 

 

You know you're in for a strange and possibly juvenile experience when the movie you're watching opens with a Radiohead song. 

 

For anyone who thinks Vanilla Sky is pretentious and incoherent, I get it. This thing's a total mess, from the convoluted storytelling to the dissonant mix of genres. And it's got one of those all-too-impressed-with-itself third acts that I'm not generally a fan of. But I also can't pretend that the puzzling premise and the creative soundtrack and the warm cinematography and the passionate performance from Tom Cruise didn't speak to the edgy and confused teenager in me.

 

Does it all manage to come together? Couldn't tell ya. But I respect the ambition here. I like that Cameron Crowe had the audacity to make something so weird and sentimental. And even if all the risks don't pay off (frankly, a good majority of them probably don't), it nevertheless takes me back to a time when Hollywood wasn't afraid to take huge swings with huge names. 

 

Solid concept, middling execution. Might have to check out Open Your Eyes now. 

 

Grade: B

 

P.S. Radiohead is actually among favourite bands. But that doesn't mean that I don't still get "desperate for cool points" vibes from a director whenever they use one (or, in this case, two) of their songs.

 

#41. Nebraska (2013)

 

 

Prior Viewings: 1

 

While Alexander Payne has almost always been able to masterfully combine the heartbreaking with the heartwarming (I'm told Downsizing is the lone exception here, but I haven't seen that one yet), Nebraska comes with an added dose of tenderness. It's even quieter than his usual output, gently capturing the melancholy of the American Midwest through open landscapes and ordinary characters. 

 

This is a movie about the past (hence the beautiful black & white format), about rediscovery, and about possible redemption, and it's all held together by understated storytelling, simple-yet-effective camerawork, and a tremendously vague performance from Bruce Dern. You're never totally sure just how coherent the guy really is, even if his determination is certainly never in question.

 

I don't think this one quite reaches the same entertaining heights that Sideways and The Holdovers do (though I guess that's kind of the point), but it's still an amusing, emotional, and highly satisfying journey.

 

Grade: A

 

#40. Shakespeare in Love (1998)

 

 

Bit of a complicated legacy with this one. It was released to near-universal acclaim, yet the only times I ever hear anyone mention it nowadays is when they're either praising Saving Private Ryan or criticizing the Oscars. Though I guess that's bound to happen when your producer all but buys the Best Picture prize.

 

There's a part of me that wants to defend this movie, to tell the Academy haters out there to stuff it. But I can't quite get there. Shakespeare in Love is somewhat endearing in its fabrications and lightheartedness and cutesy dialogue, and the sets and costumes are generally convincing, but the story just doesn't grab me. As much as I like the idea of turning The Bard into a total horndog, I didn't find him or Viola or their romance particularly compelling or insightful.

 

This isn't as stuffy as your typical Oscar bait, but the presentation falls right in line. There's not a whole lot of life or personality here. Though at least Geoffrey Rush and Judi Dench (who won Best Supporting Actress for doing almost nothing, yet it doesn't feel undeserved) and even Ben Affleck manage to provide some exuberance.

 

Grade: B-

 

#39. Phantom Lady (1944)

 

 

When it comes to smaller noirs, I prefer a playful balance between serious and silly, between dark and light. And I think Phantom Lady finds that balance. It's got the grim tones and brooding atmospheres and life-or-death stakes that you'd hope to find, while also being strange and over-the-top enough (erotic drumming, sculptured heads, evil hands) that I'm still having a fun time.

 

Where the movie truly started cooking for me, though, was through the changing of protagonists. For the opening twenty minutes or so, we think this is Scott's story. But once he gets sentenced early on, we discover that the true lead is actually Kansas, and we're now going to follow her as she attempts to rescue him. It's a refreshing change of pace because, one, Ella Raines is a much better actor than Alan Curtis, and two, it inverts the femme fatale trope, and allows a woman to play detective (and an unambiguous noir hero) for once.

 

Even with a slight and largely implausible story, I enjoyed this somewhat subversive little mystery.

 

Grade: A-

 

#38. BlackBerry (2023)

 

 

I'm a Canadian. I've lived in Ontario for basically my entire life. And it wasn't until I watched this movie that I learned the BlackBerry was invented in my home province. How embarrassing for me.

 

Anyway, BlackBerry was pretty good. It's the typical "rise and fall of a company" storyline, one that probably vibes a little too close with The Social Network to feel in any way original, but it's still erratic and high-stakes enough to completely suck you in. Plus, it allows Glenn Howerton to scream obscenities at people he sees as being beneath him, which is always a treat.

 

I don't know if I'm completely sold on the Office-style cinematography, though, which I often found kinda jarring and obtrusive. But I guess the tradeoff is that it does make for a frenzied and claustrophobic atmosphere. And the journey is very compelling, from the home-grown innovations to the corporate compromises. Overall, it's an engaging time, even if the hairstyles are never once believable.

 

Oh, and bonus points for the hockey subplot. As a lifelong Leafs fan, any movie that references Mats Sundin is a movie that has my heart.

 

Grade: B+

 

#37. The Man with the Golden Arm (1955)

 

 

The thing about addiction movies is that they tend to come off like extended PSAs. I'm not saying that they shouldn't exist, but I am saying that you need to bring either a new perspective or some unique stylizations in order to keep everything from feeling cliche.

 

But while the former is mostly what you expect (once Frankie steps off the bus and starts bragging about how clean he is, you know where things are headed), Preminger accomplishes the latter through some cool backlot sets, consistent camera movement, and jazzy scoring. It's not the kind of atmosphere you'd expect to find in this kind of drama, but it's hectic and grimy enough to work.

 

What also works is the performances, Sinatra's especially. Even though his arc plays out somewhat predictably, he manages to sell it all with terrified expressions and wavering deliveries. The movie never hits quite as hard as, say, The Lost Weekend, and it sure takes a while to get going, but it's a daring endeavour all the same, with enough earnestness and twisty storytelling to keep the subject matter interesting. 

 

Grade: B+