#81. The Sugarland Express (1974)

 

 

I've always been a pretty big fan of Duel, Spielberg's kinda sorta film debut (it's technically a TV movie, but it later got a theatrical release), so I was expecting to find some similar enjoyment in The Sugarland Express, his first outright feature, and another one centered around a lengthy car chase. Alas, that didn't happen.

 

Despite having an incredibly basic story, Duel ultimately works for me because I care about Dennis Weaver's character. I genuinely want to see him outwit the lunatic driving that semi-truck. In this one, however, I didn't find that same emotional connection (with any of these characters, honestly), so the stakes never really had a chance to set in. This, combined with a general lack of tension, caused the low-speed car chase to completely flatline for me after about forty minutes.

 

As spectacle goes, though, you can definitely tell that it was made by an enthusiastic up-and-comer. Those panoramic shots are incredibly cinematic, as is the sunrise/sunset aesthetic. And Hawn's certainly as likeable as ever. It's just a shame that my enjoyment doesn't run much deeper than that. This movie wants to combine the danger of Bonnie and Clyde with the energy of Smokey and the Bandit (yes, I know it came out before that one; you get what I'm saying), but I think it's too bland and detached to convincingly pull off either one.

 

Still, I think this Spielberg kid has a bright future in the movie business. Call it a hunch. 

 

Grade: C+

 

#80. Animal House (1978)

 

 

Prior Viewings: 1

 

The only time I had previously watched this movie was about fifteen years ago, back when I was in high school. And I fucking hated it. Like, I was never all that crazy about sophomoric teen comedies to begin with, but I found this one especially unfunny, mean-spirited, visually hideous, needlessly overlong, and a complete waste of its cast, namely Donald Sutherland. The viewing experience was honestly so negative that it genuinely caused me to question the collective taste of every man (particularly of my father's generation, including my own father) who viewed it as the apex of comedy.

 

Now that I've given it a second chance, though, I still largely feel that way (sorry, dad), but I can also understand the intention a lot more. This is a movie that wants to be ugly, dirty, and mean. It's basically a monument to bad taste. And, to that end, it's obviously successful. Beyond that, John Belushi's antics were actually somewhat amusing to me this time around, and there's a lot more creativity and energy on display than I remembered, all of which helped.

 

Give it a few more years, and I might fully come around to this one. But, for now, my feelings are mostly down the middle. And if there's one constant, it's that I still think there should've been more Sutherland.

 

Grade: B

#79. Desk Set (1957)

 

A.K.A. His Other Woman, as it's known in the U.K. (much better title, in my opinion). 

 

My experience with Tracy-Hepburn movies hadn't extended beyond Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (the final time they worked together), so I wanted to try a second one. I chose Desk Set, more or less at random, not realizing at the time that it was their second-to-last collaboration. Apparently, I'm destined to tackle their films in reverse order.

 

Anyway, I thought this one was an absolute delight. Beyond Tracy and Hepburn's obviously fantastic chemistry, the CinemaScope format really pops, the dialogue has charm and flavour, the women share a nice camaraderie, and it's even got a corporate setting, which is an absolute favourite of mine. There's something I find incredibly cozy about office sets in movies, and this is one of the comfiest ones I've ever seen. I could live in that reference library.

 

There's also a Christmas portion, which only adds to the overall joyfulness of it, and even the somewhat dated premise (though, in fairness, many people are still afraid of being replaced at their jobs by machines) creates a cute, era-specific atmosphere. The '50s sure knew how to churn out warm, bright, colourful romantic comedies, huh?

 

Grade: A

 

#78. Saludos Amigos (1942)

 

 

There are now over sixty entries in the Disney Animated Canon, and it's my goal to eventually get to all of them, so I figured it was time I finally knocked one out.

 

We're all familiar with the struggles Disney was facing in the '40s, and how they needed to resort to cheap package films during the war to stay afloat. Well, Saludos Amigos was the first of those "films" (it's only forty-two minutes long), and it mostly exists as both a tax write-off and a government-funded piece of propaganda aimed at Latin American goodwill.

 

And, uh, you can tell. This barely feels like a completed movie, especially relative to Walt's first five features. But I guess that's the thing: you can't really compare it to Snow White or Pinocchio, because it couldn't afford to aim that high. In other words, you have to judge it on a bit of a curve. And, to that end, I suppose I can still appreciate the cute animation and well-intentioned attempts at integrating some culture, even if it's all quite dry and unengaging and inessential. 

 

Suffice it to say, had this movie been made by any other company, it probably would've been completely forgotten by now.

 

Grade: C+

 

#77. The Black Pirate (1926)

 

 

Figured it was about time I gave another silent film a shot. Unfortunately, the results were about the same.

 

I mean, there's a lot to admire about The Black Pirate. The two-strip Technicolor process really holds up (and it gives the movie a certain immediacy that might've been lacking in a black & white format), the sets, ships, and costumes look exactly how you'd want them to, and the stunts continue to impress - especially on the occasions where Douglas Fairbanks effortlessly flies around from one end of the ship to the other.

 

Once again, though, the story and pacing didn't really do it for me. And I'm fully willing to admit that my modern attention span is likely the culprit (either that or the fact that the movie had such an influence on swashbucklers that it feels kinda cliche now). The first twenty minutes and last twenty minutes are pretty fun, as is the scene where Fairbanks single-handedly takes over that other ship, but I thought everything in between felt kinda sluggish and repetitive.

 

Ah well. I'm still holding out hope that a few of these early movies will eventually be to my liking - and not just in an "appreciation" kind of way.

 

Grade: B

 

#76. The Edge (1997)

 

 

Prior Viewings: 1-2, though I don't think I'd seen the entire thing from beginning to end before now.

 

The Edge belongs to possibly my all-time favourite quasi-genre: the '90s studio thriller. These movies are silly (compliment), disposable (another compliment), and stylistically nostalgic to me. They're like my form of cinematic comfort food, and I have a soft spot for almost all of them - particularly the ones I've long been familiar with.

 

Even putting all that aside, though, this movie's got some genuine muscle. It has stunning views, suspenseful action set pieces, and a sense of arduousness to it (by the end, these guys look legitimately battered and worn). Despite the pulpy and somewhat heightened presentation, it all feels real, which I guess is bound to happen when you use an actual bear in your production. Bart's the true MVP here.

 

Also making a difference are the humans involved. David Mamet's script injects some predictably sharp dialogue (with more than a few amusing anecdotes), and Alec Baldwin and Anthony Hopkins manage to create some compelling and ambiguous chemistry with one another. This isn't some hidden masterpiece or anything, but I think it's a lot more beautiful, heart-pounding, and entertaining than its reputation often suggests.

 

Grade: A-

 

#75. Heart of Glass (1976)

 

Legend has it that, in order to get the desired effect for this movie's atmosphere, Werner Herzog had almost all of his actors perform under hypnosis. I don't know if I necessarily believe that rumor (though I suppose you could say that about most stories involving Herzog), but it sure seems credible while you're watching it.

 

This one is strange. From the very beginning, you can sense the distinctly unsettling tone, and that tone persists for the entire duration. With the possible exception of the seer character (played by the one actor who purportedly wasn't hypnotized, which lends further credence to that story), everyone comes off like a drugged, twitchy lunatic. It's eerie, to say the least, and this feeling is only amplified by the movie's dim lighting, quiet scoring, and noticeable lack of movement.

 

Granted, it's a bit of a challenging watch. The story moves at a snail's pace, there's absolutely zero plot, and it took me about twenty minutes to figure out what the hell was even going on. It's all a little tedious and one-note for my liking (I was at my most engaged during the glass-forging scenes, which is probably saying something), but that note is creepy and foreboding enough that I was usually interested in seeing where it was all headed - and whether the seer was actually correct in his predictions.

 

Grade: B