#134. Anna Karenina (1935)

 

 

I've never read Tolstoy's Anna Karenina, nor have I previously watched any other adaptations of this story, nor did I know anything about it. This was a viewing without any basis of comparison. But if I'm judging the material based solely on what I saw here, let's just say that I'm not in a hurry to buy the book.

 

Yeah, sorry, but this one didn't really do it for me. Greta Garbo is a decent choice for the lead, and the sets and costumes are appropriately opulent, but the characters and their relationships didn't interest me in the slightest. This movie's simply too stodgy and pared-down for a romance on this level. And it doesn't help that the dialogue has zero character, or that most scenes feel like they're only here so we can get from A to B.

 

We do start and end pretty strong, though, which helps. The opening banquet is a decent standout (the best visual of the movie is that tracking shot down the lengthy dining table), as is the drinking scene (honestly, given the cast, the short runtime, and the studio restrictions, I'm wondering if the movie would've worked better as a comedy). And the ending is somewhat effective. But that eighty-minute chunk in between is mostly a passionless slog.

 

Grade: C+

 

#133. The Hanging Tree (1959)

 

 

Part of what made the '50s such a great decade for westerns was a willingness to get substantially grayer with character and theme. So even if The Hanging Tree hits a lot of familiar notes (the movie reminds me a lot of something Anthony Mann would've made), it still manages to feel fresh and modern thanks to its moral ambiguities and darker tones.

 

I think the casting of Gary Cooper also plays a role in this. We're so used to him being the flawless hero that it's immediately compelling to see him in a more mysterious light. Granted, Doc Frail is mostly good in his nature, but that manipulative, controlling side is always present, enough so that you begin to question the role this guy played in his own backstory. Makes for a strong protagonist, as well as an endearing romance - especially because Elizabeth sees right through him (even when she can't actually see).

 

More than anything, though, I just love the style of these classics. This is a western that you can really bask in, with its beautifully-photographed scenery, slow-yet-captivating pacing, and superb staging. And I think every movie's better off with an on-the-nose title song, no matter how much it clashes with the overall mood.

 

Grade: A-

 

#132. Dragged Across Concrete (2018)

 

 

If I'm engaged by what's going on, I can absolutely enjoy a slow burn. Dragged Across Concrete is over two-and-a-half hours long, has a languid pace, and spends large swaths of the runtime on scenes that most movies wouldn't even think to include (the Jennifer Carpenter segment is the most obvious example). And yet I savoured basically every minute of it.

 

Granted, this is a crime thriller starring Mel Gibson and Vince Vaughn, so I was more or less on the movie's side before the word go, but there's still something about the way it paces and unravels itself that really worked for me. The characters are so well-drawn, the action is so swift and unflinching, and the storytelling is so tense and colourful (black's a colour, right?) that the whole thing feels airtight, even when it drags.

 

Plus, for a movie this bleak, dark, and unapologetic in its worldview, it's got a surprisingly solid hangout vibe. The stakeout sequences, in particular, are among the best I've ever seen. Between the patience of the writing, the quality of the acting, and the stakes of the situation, you really begin to experience the boredom, frustration, and uncertainty of their dilemma, and you find yourself hoping that the long wait is worth it.

 

As far as payoffs are concerned, I'd say it is.

 

Grade: A-

 

P.S. Those masked robbers are the stuff of nightmares, but I couldn't get past the fact that one of them sounds exactly like Aaron Eckhart. Seriously, watch the movie and tell me you don't hear it.

 

#131. Postcards from the Edge (1990)

 

 

Based on the largely autobiographical novel by Carrie Fisher, Postcards from the Edge gets most of its charge from having two legendary actresses essentially play two other legendary actresses. Meryl Streep is the Fisher surrogate, while Shirley MacLaine steps in for Debbie Reynolds, and both do a wonderful job of capturing their characters'/actresses' eccentricities.

 

The movie itself is a bit looser in its story and structure than you might expect, but I mostly see this as a positive. While it generally lacks the bite that comes with material surrounding fame and addiction, and you get the feeling that we're barely scratching the surface of these individuals, the lighter and somewhat detached tone makes for an easy, likeable watch. And it gives the leads a unique relationship. These two might make up, but you could easily see them falling into the same exact traps all over again, which gives both characters some honest and agreeable complexities. 

 

Even if you're not into the drama, though, this one's still worth watching for the sharp writing, the murderers' row of a supporting cast, and the showstopping finale, where Streep performs the hell out of "I'm Checking Out".

 

Grade: B+

 

#130. Scrooge (1951)

 

 

A.K.A. A Christmas Carol, as it's known in the States (and presumably Canada, considering everyone I've ever discussed this movie with uses that title).

 

Prior Viewings: 4-5

 

We all have that one version of A Christmas Carol that we cherish most, the one that we hold especially dear because it introduced us to the character. Well, Scrooge is mine. It was always my dad's favourite, and I've shared that sentiment ever since we first watched it together.

 

Beyond nostalgia, part of the reason why I continue to love this telling is the eerie and foreboding tone (those ghosts creeped me out as a kid), as well as the deeper dive into the Christmas Past portion (which paints a more detailed portrait of the character). But let's not bury the lede here: the reason to watch this one is Alastair Sim, who, for my money, gives the greatest Scrooge performance of all time.

 

Some actors excel at the villainous stuff, while others are more believable in their redemption. Sim is one of the very few who nails both. You totally buy him when he's cantankerous and miserable (though, even in his worst moments, there's still something nakedly desperate about his expressions and deliveries that generates some sympathy), just as you totally buy him when he's doing headstands and laughing like a schoolboy. Wonderful performance, and one that really brings out the emotions of the story.

 

I'm sure I'll cover my share of adaptations over the coming Decembers, but this one will likely always be the gold standard in my eyes.

 

Grade: A

 

Merry Christmas, everyone!

#129. Four Brothers (2005)

 

 

This movie gets off to a real rough start. Like, actively bad. The opening robbery is ham-fisted and heavy-handed (immediately indicating to the viewer that subtlety won't exist for the next hundred minutes), the initial exposition is appallingly clunky, and the "emotional" moments lean so heavily on sentimental scoring that it actually started to embarrass me. Like, don't even get me started on that dinner table scene, where the ghost of these boys' mother starts talking to them. Jesus Christ.

 

But then, once the movie becomes a slightly more straightforward crime story, things begin to improve. Not to the point of actual quality, mind you (it's all still pretty poorly written, and Mark Wahlberg's macho posturing will never not be cringe-worthy), but the increase in both action and comedy make for a passably entertaining time. Bonus points for Chiwetel Ejiofor's unhinged performance and the ridiculously convoluted plot, both of which greatly add to the strange energy of the thing.

 

Good premise (I'll have to check out The Sons of Katie Elder at some point), decent story, passable camaraderie, middling execution. This is the first John Singleton movie I've seen, but I can already tell he was capable of better.

 

Grade: B-

 

#128. Murder by Decree (1979)

 

 

You're unlikely to find a mystery as cynical, paranoid, and gloomy as this. Welcome to the '70s, Sherlock Holmes.

 

Murder by Decree has a lot worth recommending. Christopher Plummer and James Mason are near-perfect as Holmes and Watson (especially Plummer, who brings a sense of sentimentality to the role that makes the character a lot more likeable than usual), the foggy London sets are wonderfully atmospheric, and I think the Jack the Ripper premise fits pretty seamlessly. So the foundation is solid.

 

Unfortunately, the mystery started to lose me after a while. I mean, I suppose it's sporadically thrilling, especially on the many occasions where our leads are in imminent danger, but I also thought it all unfolded a little too slowly and aimlessly (like, did we really need the Donald Sutherland stuff?) to ever get fully invested. And that final explanation/accusation scene is downright interminable.

 

Still, while the story didn't always grab me, I liked the darker tone and presentation - especially because they're sporadically offset by some winsome humour. For the rest of my life, I'll never be able to eat peas without thinking of this movie.

 

Grade: B