Walk the Line (2005, U.S.)

Here's yet another biographical film that never really interested me, but suddenly when I was cataloging it at work, I just had to see it. It was an excellent choice.

Reese Witherspoon was phenomenal as June Carter. Joaquin Phoenix was okay, though he was rather on and off. Toward the end he was amazing, and he also was in his drugged haze. His early singing was rather weak and might have been better if it was lip synced. His voice was much stronger at the end, especially in Folsom Prison and in Ontario. However, he had a majorly crazy singing face that looked like he was constipated or in pain or two seconds away from passing out. Maybe Johnny Cash really looked like that while singing, I don't know, but it was a bit off-putting. In terms of the rest of the cast, Tyler Hilton as Elvis was the worst casting choice ever, but I absolutely loved Jerry Lee Lewis. The chemistry between the entire cast was absolutely palpable.

Watching this gave a very good sense of musicians' road life in the middle decades of the 20th century. The costumes, props, and sets were perfect vehicles to transport the viewer back 50, 60 years.

The film seemed to go on forever, but not in a bad way. It was like I was so lost in the story that I had to wake up and readjust to reality when it was over. I even watched the deleted scenes, which I don't often do with this kind of film. I thought that too much was left out of the story, though I recognize the need to edit and thought they picked events well. I'm amazed that I was so interested that I wanted more. In fact, I went straight back to the library and checked out Johnny Cash's greatest hits.

Magnificent.

Rating: 4.5

Cutthroat Island (1995, U.S.)

I didn't realize this when I watched it, but apparently this movie bankrupted the production company and is in the Guinness Book of World Records as the biggest box office flop of all time.

I didn't think it was that bad, though it was very 1995. The score was no Pirates of the Caribbean, but it was pretty good pirate movie music nonetheless. The plot was decent plot, and the script was sprinkled with mildly amusing one-liners and good fight scenes.

Every now and then I would notice an anachronism, such as the cannons not rolling backwards when fired in an early fight scene, but in a later scene they were. Small compared to the whole female pirate, treasure maps on scalps, and other odd elements of the story.

Still, if you like campy pirate flicks, this one's for you.

Rating: 3.0

The Adventures of Milo and Otis (1986, Japan)

I remembered this movie very fondly from my childhood. I couldn't remember what it was about, other than the obvious cat/dog friendship. I decided to check it out from the library to "watch with my cats," two orange tabbies. This ended up being quite amusing, because one of them sat and watched almost the entire thing, and the other investigated for at least a few minutes.

You really have to appreciate the dedication of a crew that would spend four years filming live animals. I gather that there were some accusations of animal cruelty, but I don't know what came of that. It seemed to me that most of the action was realistic in terms of animals' real lives. I was surprised to see that the two had litters of kittens and puppies, which I don't recall from my childhood viewings. Still, it was done tastefully enough that a young child can watch it without figuring out what's going on (as I must have once).

I was shocked to find that I still loved this movie, which I have such fond memories of, as an adult. I think this is a wonderful, wonderful family movie. Very sweet. And two out of two cats agree!

Rating: 4.0

Easy Living (1937, U.S.)

This is precisely what you'd expect of a mistaken identity comedy of the 1930s. In other words, very sweet and very enjoyable.

When J.P. Ball, a wealthy financier, gets sick of his wife's spending habits and throws her sable coat out the window, it lands on struggling single gal Mary Smith. This sets off a chain of events that causes her to get fired from her job, convinces hotel manager Louis Louis to think she's Ball's mistress, and leads her to meet Ball's son, who's also out looking for work to get out from under his father's control.

If this was one of those screwball comedies starring Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant, it would be a lot different. I don't know if "sexier" is the word, considering we're talking about the 1930s. "Smarter" may be the word, both in the sense of "hipper" and "cleverer." One should avoid comparisons though, because as I said, this one was very sweet. I do love the sassy ones, but I liked this one too—it's nice to have a little variety.

Rating: 3.5

Lords of Dogtown (2005, U.S.)

This is the second 1970s biographical film I've watched this year, and it surprised me as much as The Runaways did. The subject matter isn't exactly the kind of thing that appeals to me, but I watched it because I've been meaning to for ages, since I plan to see every Heath Ledger film eventually. And I'm actually glad I did.

This film really captured the time, the movement, the people. Everything about it, from the costuming to the setting to the scripting to the acting, was perfect. It was especially great because I learned something I didn't know anything about.

The relationships between the boys were powerfully captured. In fact every relationship (parents, girlfriends, mentors, enemies) was so complex and real. I wish I could describe how strong these characters and their relationships were projected. It was the people, more than the plot, that made this film.

And of course, I can't make it through Heath Ledger movies anymore without crying. I thought I would make it through this one until they show his character, Skip, all alone, no longer his own boss, singing to himself and contemplating a bottle. Ledger could convey the emotion of loneliness better than anyone I've ever seen. (I do wonder what the deal is with his flat American accent though.) I would say his last scene was the best of the movie, but it had a lot of competition.

I wish I could do this one justice, but I can't. Please just take my word for it that this is a wonderful, moving, fascinating film, and remember that this is the word of a person who has approximately zero interest in the 1970s, skateboarding, California, teenage boys, or practically any other thing associated with this one.

Incredible.

Rating: 4.5