Movie Review: "The Umbrellas of Cherbourg" (1964)

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Movie: "The Umbrellas of Cherbourg"

Director: Jacques Demy
Year: 1964
Rating: NR
Running Time: 1 hour, 31 minutes

A young woman is forced to make a tough life decision about her romantic future when her boyfriend is drafted for military service and is forced to go fight in a war in another country for two years, leaving her home alone and pregnant.

Movie Review: "Mary Poppins" (1964)

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Movie: "Mary Poppins"

Director: Robert Stevenson
Year: 1964
Rating: G
Running Time: 2 hours, 19 minutes

A magical nanny helps two neglected children connect with their parents by giving them all a marvelous new perspective on life.

Movie Review: "Babes in Toyland" (1961)

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Movie: "Babes in Toyland"

Director: Jack Donohue
Year: 1961
Rating: NR
Running Time: 1 hour, 46 minutes

When the evil Barnaby interferes in the wedding of Tom Piper and Mary Contrary, it sets off a chain of events that lead Tom, Mary, and her siblings to Toyland where they must help the toymaker build things for Christmas.

Movie Review: "Ocean's 11" (1960)

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Movie: "Ocean's 11"

Director: Lewis Milestone
Year: 1960
Rating: PG-13
Running Time: 2 hours, 7 minutes

A man with mob connections named Spyros Acebos rounds up a group of former members of the 82nd Airborne Division to rob five Las Vegas casinos on New Year's Eve.

"Fifty percent of something is better than one hundred percent of nothing." (Image Source)

"Hi, it's me, your old Army buddy from the 82nd Airborne. How would you feel about committing a federal crime in a city run by the mafia? I swear it's a zero risk job!"

"Ocean's 11" is directed by Lewis Milestone, who is known for directing films like "All Quiet on the Western Front," "Pork Chop Hill," and 1962's "Mutiny on the Bounty." The movie stars members of The Rat Pack, including Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Peter Lawford, and Joey Bishop. These five men are joined by Henry Silva, Richard Conte, Richard Benedict, Buddy Lester, Norman Fell, and Clem Harvey. Together, they all make up the "Ocean's 11," a group of old army buddies who served in the 82nd Airborne together. A man with connections to organized crime named Spyros Acebos (Akim Tamiroff) has come up with a plan to rob five Las Vegas casinos on New Year's Eve and has enlisted the help of Danny Ocean (Sinatra) and 10 of his former service buddies to help pull off the job. Some of the members are a bit reluctant to commit a federal crime and steal from casinos that, at the time, were likely run by the mafia. According to Ocean, the plan is fool-proof. It can't possibly fail and there is zero chance they will get caught, which helps ease their minds. Plus, the promise of a giant payday doesn't hurt.

"If you're not careful, buddy boy, she'll rub you out." (Image Source)

We enjoy a good heist movie. We like watching the plan unfold, seeing all the preparation that goes into a big job, following how they cope with unexpected problems, and then finally seeing the big payoff from all the work. "Ocean's 11" has those heist film elements sometimes, but much of the first portion of the film is spent introducing characters. Frank Sinatra as Danny Ocean gathers up his friends, and they just kind of fart around cracking misogynistic and sometimes racist jokes (as was common in that era). Much of the first half of the movie basically consists of, "Hey, look at Frank Sinatra and his Rat Pack! Look and see how cool they are and how much fun they're having, which must mean you're having fun as an audience member! Sammy Davis Jr. and Dean Martin will even sing the occasional song for you! How cool and hep!" Honestly, we found the first portion to be quite boring since it just seemed to drag on and on. About midway through its runtime, we finally get some details on the heist and start to see the preparation work that goes into their scheme. The actual heist is super simple and relies on a few convenient plot points. The guys figure out a way to open the counting room itself, but they have to hope that the actual safe inside the counting room won't be shut once they get inside of it. Once the heist is finished, the movie keeps going and has far too much time left beyond that point.

"There's only one thing you love, Danny: that's danger." (Image Source)

By the end of it all, we were very underwhelmed with the final product of "Ocean's 11." There is the occasional laugh here and there, and The Rat Pack members at least look like they are having a lot of fun, but we were not left sharing in their good times. Instead, we just counted the minutes to its final conclusion.

My Rating: 4/10
BigJ's Rating: 5/10
IMDB's Rating: 6.6/10
RT Rating: 50%
Do we recommend this movie: Meh.

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Movie Review: "In the Heat of the Night" (1967)

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Movie: "In the Heat of the Night"

Year Nominated: 1968
Director: Norman Jewison
Rating: NR
Oscar Nominations: 7
Oscar Wins: 5
Running Time: 1 hour, 49 minutes

When a murder occurs in a small southern town, the police go looking for possible suspects. They arrest a black man at a train station, a man who turns out to be a Philadelphia police officer and a very experienced homicide detective. Once learning this, police release him and ask for his help to solve the murder.

It's always interesting to go back and watch movies like "In the Heat of the Night" decades after its release. It was so socially poignant in its day, and the fact that it remains historically and even socially relevant is a testament to its importance. The film is directed by Norman Jewison, who has directed other wonderful movies such as "Fiddler on the Roof," "Moonstruck," and "Rollerball." The screenplay is written by Stirling Siliphant, who has written other notable films like "The Towering Inferno" and "The Poseidon Adventure." It is based on the novel of the same name by John Ball. "In the Heat of the Night" is a socially conscious crime mystery that takes place in a small southern town. When a prominent businessman is murdered, it is up to Chief Gillespi (Rod Steiger) and his deputies to solve the case quickly and accurately. The first man they finger for the murder is a black man named Virgil Tibbs (Sidney Poitier), who was waiting at the train station for his ride out of town. The cops accuse him of being the murderer because that was the only reason they could figure that a black man could possibly have as much money as Virgil had on him. Once they learn Virgil is a homicide detective from Philadelphia, they quickly change their assumption. They even reluctantly ask Virgil for help since Gillespi knows his deputies are in way over their heads. Now, Virgil must conduct his investigation in a town full of bigots who have no respect for him or his authority, making his task that much harder.  

It's hard for us to imagine what it must have been like for an African American living in the south in the 1960's. Movies like "In the Heat of the Night" serve as a snapshot of the social climate of the times. It had a message then, and it is a message we still desperately need to hear today. The film deals with subjects like racism, police brutality, and abortion, among other things. That being said, messages are all well and good, but if the story isn't interesting, the message becomes far less effective. Luckily, "In the Heat of the Night" is an engaging, brilliantly acted crime drama. We become very enthralled with Virgil's investigation of this murder, as well as the strength and resolve he must show while conducting it. We see the resistance he faces from his fellow officers and from the local bigots who try to literally slap him down. We found ourselves cheering when he literally slaps them right back. The shock on that old racist's face when Virgil smacks him back is utterly priceless. Chief Gillespi also has a solid arc to his character. He is the one character who is changed the most over the course of the film. He starts off as the typical southern good ol' boy with his own bigotry and bias. As the movie continues, he learns to respect Virgil and maybe winds up a better person than who he was at the start. Steiger earned an Oscar for his performance as Chief Gillespi, and we can see why. Sidney Poitier, however, was severely overlooked for his performance, as he often was during his career, and we are shocked to see he didn't get a nomination for his efforts here.

"In the Heat of the Night" is a fantastic movie that has held up well through the years and remains very entertaining and poignant. It isn't hard to see why it won the Oscar for best picture.

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My Rating: 9/10
BigJ's Rating: 9/10
IMDB's Rating: 8.0/10
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 96%
Do we recommend this movie: ABSOLUTELY YES!!!

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Movie Review: "Oliver!" (1968)

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Movie: "Oliver!"

Year Nominated: 1969
Director: Carol Reed
Rating: G
Oscar Nominations: 11
Oscar Wins: 5 (+1 honorary Oscar)
Running Time: 2 hours, 33 minutes

An orphan escapes a workhouse and is taken in by a den of pickpockets. Unfortunately, his hospitable criminal friends may be the very thing that prevents him from improving his situation.

Orphans, child abuse, horrendous working conditions, homelessness, juvenile pickpockets employed by a seedy criminal, prostitutes, murder and cheerful toe-tapping songs are combined to create the 1968 film "Oliver!" It is directed by Carol Reed, who is known for directing movies like "The Third Man" and "The Fallen Idol." The screenplay is written by Vernon Harris, which was adapted from the Lionel Bart stage musical of the same name which was, in turn, adapted from Charles Dickens' classic novel "Oliver Twist." The film stars Mark Lester as the titular Oliver, a boy who grew up in a workhouse before being sold to an undertaker where he got used as free labor. A short time later, Oliver runs away to the city where he meets a young pickpocket called The Artful Dodger (Jack Wild). Dodger brings Oliver back to their squatting place to meet Fagan (Ron Moody), who wants to add Oliver to his army of child pickpockets. Also in the film are Oliver Reed as Bill Sikes, who grew up working for Fagan and is the man all his kids aspire to be, and Shani Wallis as Nancy, the hooker with a heart of gold.

"Oliver Twist" is a social indictment of the way life was for many children in England in the early 1800's. As the years have passed, as laws have changed, and as society progresses, stories like "Oliver!" become less socially relevant and more of a historical time capsule. What Lionel Bart did was take a beloved classic and reimagine it into a musical. We've said it before and we will say it again: musicals live and die on the quality of their songs. Luckily, this film has some really fantastic music. Many musicals have mixed results with their music as some tunes are wonderful and many are forgettable. "Oliver!" has a vast amount of enjoyable numbers throughout its runtime. It has iconic songs like "Food, Glorious Food," "Consider Yourself," "You've Got to Pick a Pocket or Two," "It's a Fine Life," "I'll Do Anything," and "Who Will Buy?" The list just goes on and on. This is a musical that will leave you with songs stuck in your head. Beyond the music, the film has many great performances, especially from Ron Moody and Jack Wild, both of whom received nominations for best actor and best supporting actor respectively. The story is engaging as well, and we really root for Oliver to find a way out of his less than fine life. It helps that Mark Lester is an adorable cherub-looking kid that the audience can't help but like.

"Oliver!" is a fantastic film that wound up being nominated for 11 Academy Awards. It took home five golden statuettes, including the one for Best Picture. It was also awarded a sixth honorary Oscar for outstanding achievement in choreography. Out of all the classic musicals out there, "Oliver!" still remains a favorite of BigJ's and is most certainly a must see.

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My Rating: 8/10
BigJ's Rating: 9/10
IMDB's Rating: 7.5/10
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 81%
Do we recommend this movie: ABSOLUTELY YES!!!

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Movie Review: "Fantastic Voyage" (1966)

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Movie: "Fantastic Voyage"

Director: Richard Fleischer
Year: 1966
Rating: PG
Running Time: 1 hour, 40 minutes

A medical team is microscopically shrunken so they can pilot a submarine through a patient's bloodstream and clear a blood clot in his brain.

If only we could shrink doctors to allow them to operate inside a human body. "Fantastic Voyage" is not the first film to use miniaturization as a key plot point, but it is the first to use it to explore inside the human body on a microscopic level. This film is directed by Richard Fleischer, who has helmed numerous projects including "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea," "Soylent Green," and "Tora! Tora! Tora!" It stars Stephen Boyd, Raquel Welch, Donald Pleasence, William Redfield, and Arthur Kennedy, who make up the crew members of a submarine that is to be shrunk to microscopic size. The crewmembers are going to be injected into the bloodstream of a scientist so they can remove a life-threatening blood clot from his brain. The crew has to work quickly since they can only stay tiny inside him for an hour. The only person who has figured out how to make the shrinking process last longer is the man who has the clot threating his life. As all of this is going on, everybody involved has to watch out for Russian spies because the Cold War is going on and those damn Commies are everywhere apparently.

Back in the day, "Fantastic Voyage" was considered rather groundbreaking. It took home an Acadamy Award for Best Art-Set Decoration and Best Visual Effects. At the time, we are sure these effects looked amazing and were very hard to achieve with the technology that was available. That being said, today, the effects look more like a submarine ride through a psychedelic dance club than a legitimate travel through someone's bloodstream. Of course, those behind the scenes did the best they could with the knowledge they had at the time, so we can't really knock the movie much for it. Beyond that, the plot plays out like most sci-fi adventure films that take place in what seems to be a perilous alien-like environment. Instead of being attacked by actual aliens, the submarine crew is attacked by antibodies. Instead of trying to retrieve some MacGuffin from a treacherous terrain, they have to extract air from a lung, and so forth and so on. This movie has everything that would be considered cliche today, down to its race against a ticking time clock. Again, this probably wasn't a big problem at the time, but it speaks to the fact that the film doesn't hold up well today.

In the end, "Fantastic Voyage" is an only mildly entertaining, painfully dated sci-fi adventure film that doesn't hold up quite as well as others like it. Many viewers will remember it fondly and enjoy it for the nostalgia factor, but to us, nothing stood out about it. Heck, even the acting isn't very good.

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My Rating: 4/10
BigJ's Rating: 4.5/10
IMDB's Rating: 6.8/10
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 93%
Do we recommend this movie: No.

Movie Review: "Santa Claus Conquers the Martians" (1964)

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Movie: "Santa Claus Conquers the Martians"

Director: Nicholas Webster
Year: 1964
Rating: NR
Running Time: 1 hour, 21 minutes

When the Martian leader notices something wrong with the children of his home planet, upon the advice of the Ancient One, he leads a mission to Earth to bring Santa Claus to Mars in order to make the children of Mars have a happy childhood.

Yes, this movie exists. Most people who are familiar with "Santa Claus Conquers the Martians" most likely became aware of it after it was subjected to some riffing for an episode of "Mystery Science Theater 3000" back in the late 1980's. For the sake of this review, we watched this film in its original glory, without the aid of commentary from Crow, Tom Servo, and Joel. The film is directed by Nicholas Webster and is written by Glenville Mareth, based on a story by Paul L. Jacobson, both of whom only have this writing credit to their name. It stars John Call as Santa Claus, who is captured and taken to Mars so he can bring joy to the unhappy children who reside there. Martian children are never really afforded a childhood, and now, it's up to Santa to let them experience what it's like to be a kid. The majority of the cast consisted of relatively unknown actors, though it does feature Bill McCutcheon, who would have a small role in "Steel Magnolias" and a reoccurring appearance on "Sesame Street" as Uncle Wally. Also in the film playing a Martian child named Girmar is Pia Zadora, who would eventually have the honor of winning a Golden Globe and a Golden Raspberry for the same performance in the 1982 film "Butterfly."

"Santa Claus Conquers the Martians" is a really low budget, cheesy sci-fi Christmas kids movie. Costumes involve snorkel masks painted green and mounted upside-down on helmets, a copper gas line, some green tights, a couple of radio antennas, and a Whammo air blaster as the martian's weapon of choice. This movie is ridiculous from top to bottom, including a poorly written script and dialogue, a heavy reliance on and overuse of military stock footage, and mediocre acting, though John Call is really giving his performance as Santa his all and seems to be enjoying himself. From an acting, directing, story, and character standpoint, "Santa Claus Conquers the Martians" is a bad movie. That being said, there is a little bit of joy to be found in how absurdly bad it is. It is probably a much better choice to let the MST3K guys help in aiding the outrageous comedy of it all. It would certainly make it a more tolerable experience. In the end, it is probably best to avoid this film in its original form.

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My Rating: 2/10
BigJ's Rating: 2/10
IMDB's Rating: 2.6/10
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 24%
Do we recommend this movie: AVOID LIKE THE PLAGUE!!!

Movie Review: "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" (1967)

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Movie: "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner"
Year Nominated: 1968
Director: Stanley Kramer
Rating: UR
Running Time: 1 hour, 48 minutes
Did It Win?: No.

A young white woman brings her black fiance home to meet her liberal-minded parents, who are now forced to put their values to the test and approve of their relationship despite the worldly struggles they will face.

"Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" is directed by Stanley Kramer, who has directed other Oscar nominated films like "The Defiant Ones" and "Judgment at Nuremberg." It is written by William Rose. The film stars Sidney Poitier as John Prentice, a prominent doctor and widower, and Katharine Houghton as his fiancé Joey Drayton. Joining them are legendary actors Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn, who play Joey's parents Matt and Christina Drayton. Also in the film are Roy Glenn and Beah Richards as Mr. and Mrs. Prentice, who fly up for the day to meet Joey and her folks.

"Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" was a socially topical and bold film for 1967. Shockingly enough, this film is still socially relevant today. It definitely has a message and it drives it home over and over, mostly with great success. It deals with the idea of interracial relationships right in the thick of the civil rights movement where the very thought of an interracial relationship was considered something unnatural or even against God for many people, especially those in more rural parts of the country. It was actually in June of 1967 when the Supreme Court ruled interracial marriage legal in all states through the case Loving vs. The State of Virginia, a case covered in the 2016 film "Loving." "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" covers this topic in an interesting and engaging way by making Joey's parents ultra politically progressive. They raised her to truly see everyone as equal, and when she falls for an African American doctor, it serves to see exactly how deep their progressive ideals go in practice, not just in virtue and in words.

The cast here offers some really brilliant performances. Katharine Hepburn managed to take home a Best Actress Oscar, and Spencer Tracy, Cecil Kellaway, and Beah Richards all received nominations as well. The film got nominated for 10 Oscars total and took home two, including the aforementioned one for Hepburn, and another for best screenplay. Even though Sidney Poitier didn't get nominated, he displays his perfect acting chops and was more than deserving of a nomination in our eyes. His performance is nothing short of incredible as he and his soon-to-be-wife, with permission, navigate a tricky situation with what would appear to be two people who don't quite practice what they preach in Mr. and Mrs. Drayton. This film also boasts the last on-screen film featuring Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn as he died shortly after shooting his part in the film. The emotional scenes they share between them, both together and apart, are tremendously moving and excellently acted.

At the end of the day, love may triumph over anything in "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner." This is a fantastic film that is definitely worth checking out. Like we mentioned above, it's crazy to see just how relevant a story like this still is in 2017, much to our dismay.

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My Rating: 8.5/10
BigJ's Rating: 8.5/10
IMDB's Rating: 7.8/10
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 68%
Do we recommend this movie: Yes!

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Last Oscar season, we were watching: "The Pride of the Yankees"

Two Oscar seasons ago, we were watching: "Jaws"

Movie Review: "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" (1969)

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Movie: "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid"
Year Nominated: 1970
Director: George Roy Hill
Rating: PG
Running Time: 1 hour, 50 minutes
Did It Win?: No.

The story of outlaws Butch Cassidy (Paul Newman) and the Sundance Kid (Robert Redford) towards the latter half of their career as bank and train robbers, all the while being pursued by a group of bounty hunters.

"Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" is directed by Gregory Roy Hill and is written by William Goldman. This filmed earned 7 Oscar nominations, including best picture and best director. Goldman took home a statuette for best original screenplay. It stars Paul Newman and Robert Redford as the titular Butch Cassidy and Sundance Kid. Butch is the brains of the operation and the leader of their little group of outlaws. Sundance, on the other hand, is the gunfighter, a quick draw with a pistol with deadly precision. They rob banks and trains, but do their best to leave innocent people unharmed. When the two of them become the target of a group of bounty hunters, they flee to Bolivia where they continue their life of crime.

The acting from both Newman and Redford is impeccable. They do a brilliant job bringing these two anti-heroes to life. Despite being criminals, both characters are charming enough where you can't help but like them, even though what they are doing is wrong. That being said, there is a bit of an uneven tone to this film as a whole as it dances between dramatic biopic, action western, and comedic farce. There is one scene in particular, though somewhat iconic, that just feels out of place. This is the scene where Butch is riding Etta, played by Katharine Ross, around on a bike to the tune of Burt Bacharach's "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head." It's a cute scene...if it were in a different movie. It feels woefully out of line and out of place with everything else in this particular film. Is it meant to humanize Butch and Sundance? Because they already stay away from murdering innocent people, and that's pretty damn human. It feels included solely to appeal to a certain type of moviegoer that existed heavily at that time (read: hippies), those who may have been turned off by such a picture in all other ways. It's too campy for a film like this. That being said, there are some grand shots of desert landscapes and some tremendous cinematography that's pretty to look at, though these instances aren't enough to make a movie memorable.

For us, "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" will go down as another classic piece of cinema that didn't quite live up to the hype. There just isn't enough substance to this movie apart from gunslinging and some off, odd tonal shifts. It feels like more of a "you had to be there" type of flick.

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My Rating: 6/10
BigJ's Rating: 6/10
IMDB's Rating: 8.1/10
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 89%
Do we recommend this movie: Sure, why not?

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Last Oscar season, we were watching: "The Quiet Man"

Two Oscar seasons ago, we were watching: "Hugo"

Movie Review: "Doctor Dolittle" (1967)

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Movie: "Doctor Dolittle"
Year Nominated: 1968
Director: Richard Fleischer
Rating: G
Running Time: 2 hours, 32 minutes
Did It Win?: No.

Doctor Dolittle (Rex Harrison) is a man capable of speaking to animals. He devises a plan to set out on a scientific expedition to find the giant pink sea snail.

"Doctor Dolittle" is directed by Richard Fleischer, who would go on to direct films like "Tora! Tora! Tora!," "Soylent Green," and "Red Sonja." It is a musical adaptation written by Leslie Bricusse, based on the novel by Hugh Lofting. It stars Rex Harrison as the titular Doctor Dolittle, a man who has taught himself to speak many different animal languages fluently. He and a few of his friends are about to set out on a quest to find the legendary giant pink sea snail.

Since this is a musical, all of the characters are, naturally, forced to sing regardless how good the songs actually are. Though the supporting cast have decent enough voices, particularly Samantha Eggar, Rex Harrison, on the other hand, talks his way through his songs more than anything that resembles actual traditional singing. One of his songs includes the Oscar winning song "If I Could Talk to the Animals," which by some miracle unbeknownst to us beat out "The Bare Necessities" from "The Jungle Book" in this category. In fact, we had that feeling a lot while watching "Doctor Dolittle." "This movie got how many nominations??!" That being said, this Oscar winning song is by far the most memorable from the entire movie, along with "I've Never Seen Anything Like It," performed mostly by Richard Attenborough.

"Doctor Dolittle" is a rather ridiculous film in many ways, but we don't mind ridiculous most of the time. It's somewhat meant to be since it is a family musical. The plot, however, is pretty absurd and is full of contrivances that do just enough to string the movie along to its next mediocre song. Musicals live and die by their ditties, and the vast majority of the tunes are forgettable. There is an occasional laugh here and there, though they often come from unintentional sources, mainly because making fake animals in 1967 wasn't as easy as it is today, so we can't fault it too much for that. It does have some odd character choices, like the Irish character Matthew Mugg, played by Anthony Newley, who makes constant references to the fact that Irish people are drunks. Also in this motley crew of sea snail searchers is a young woman named Emma Fairfax, played by Samantha Eggar, who spends the whole movie, as what would appear, as a romantic interest for Matthew, who is close to her age and even tells him she loves him at one point, only to suddenly switch love interests in order to chase Doctor Dolittle, without reason, who treats her like crap and is 30 years her senior, forgetting about Matthew entirely, who is still there with her the whole time.

"Doctor Dolittle" wound up being nominated for nine, yes nine, Academy Awards, including best picture. It's a little hard to imagine exactly how that happened, even in 1967. Maybe we're just jaded, but this movie is pretty dumb. It's not some exceptional piece of cinema that begs to be seen by everyone, and your life won't be any different if you skip out on this film.

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My Rating: 4.5/10
BigJ's Rating: 5/10
IMDB's Rating: 6.2/10
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 32%
Do we recommend this movie: No.

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Last Oscar season, we were watching: "Jerry Maguire"

Two Oscar seasons ago, we were watching: "Rebecca"

Movie Review: "The Magnificent Seven" (1960)

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Movie: "The Magnificent Seven"
Director: John Sturges
Year: 1960
Rating: R
Running Time: 2 hours, 8 minutes

A farming village hires seven gunfighters to help them fight off a group of raiding bandits. 

"The Magnificent Seven" is directed by John Sturges and is a westernized re-imagining of Akira Kurosawa's "Seven Samurai." Much like the film it's based on, "The Magnificent Seven" is about a small farming village, only this time, it is set in Mexico. This farming village is regularly raided by Calvera, played by Eli Wallach, and his large group of bandits. A few of the villagers decide they need outside help and take everything they have to hire some gunfighters to help protect them. These gunfighters include Chris Larabee Adams, played by the clearly Russian Yul Brenner, who in turn brings on Vin Tanner, played by Steve McQueen, Bernardo O'Reilly, played by Charles Bronson, Harry Luck, played by Brad Dexter, Britt, played by James Coburn, and Lee, played Robert Vaughn. The seventh man, Chico, played by Horst Buccholz, was originally rejected by the group for being too young and inexperienced, but he eventually proves his worth with persistence and a hell of a fish catching ability. Together, this magnificent group are tasked with hatching a plan to keep this village safe, regardless of the fact they will not be paid much and have a lot of hard work to do to get the farmers fight-ready for the battle of their lives.

At only 2 hours and 8 minutes, "The Magnificent Seven" clocks in about an hour and a half shorter than "Seven Samurai" as it scales down the recruitment of the seven and the training processes they must go through to become ready for the impending fight against the bandits. This film doesn't quite have the epic scale and is a far more compressed western, which isn't necessarily a criticism. It is still quite successful as an action western, though much of the drama from Kurosawa's original movie has been laid to rest with the aforementioned elongated plot points. It is the much more straightforward of the two films, though some of the seven don't feel quite as developed, mainly Lee and Harry. Britt isn't all that developed either, but this feels somewhat intentional as he is the more quiet, dangerous, stoic type of man with nerves of steel. You don't really need to know all that much about him other than he is the best at what he does. Chris, Vin, Bernardo, and Chico seem to have the most layered characters and the most screen time, despite Brenner and McQueen's on-set squabbles. They, along with the villain Calvera, are the most intriguing characters and the ones we get the most invested in over the course of this western. Bronson, McQueen, and Buccholz give awesome performances, but it's really the steely Brenner and the cunning and intemperate Wallach who steal the show.

Though it shares many plot points with its predecessor, "The Magnificent Seven" does make a few major changes toward the end, which was both unexpected but completely welcome. It adds an interesting dynamic in the final battle that we didn't see coming in an attempt to forge its own path on its own as a standalone picture. In the end, this film winds up being very entertaining with a great final battle full of action and excitement. It might not be as good as the foreign language original, but it's still one of the better remakes ever made.

My Rating: 7.5/10
BigJ's Rating: 7.5/10
IMDB's Rating: 7.8/10
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 90%
Do we recommend this movie: Yes!

Movie Review: "The Jungle Book" (1967)

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Movie: "The Jungle Book"
Director: Wolfgang Reitherman
Year: 1967
Rating: PG
Running Time: 1 hour, 18 minutes

When a panther named Bagheera (Sebastian Cabot) finds an orphaned 'man cub' in the jungle, he decides it's best to leave it with a wolf who has recently had cubs of her own. The man cub, now named Mowgli (Bruce Reitherman), has been raised in the jungle for many years. However, the wolf pack leader Akela (John Abbott) has heard the man-eating tiger Shere Khan (George Sanders) has come back to the jungle, and he believes it best that Mowlgi be returned to the man village where he will be safe. Bagheera takes Mowlgi on the long journey to the man village, a task proved more difficult by the fact that Mowlgi doesn't actually want to leave the jungle.

Disney's "The Jungle Book" has the distinct honor of being the last film produced by Walt Disney himself. It is a fun animated adventure musical about a young boy named Mowgli, voiced by Bruce Reitherman, who was raised in the jungle by wolves. Mowgli must now reluctantly be returned to the 'man village' in order to protect him from the man-eating tiger Shere Khan, voiced by George Sanders. That's some pretty deep stuff! A panther named Bagheera, voiced by Sebastian Cabot, leads Mowgli on the adventure as they run into numerous different characters along the way. These characters include a military-like regimen of elephants, a slithery python, and Baloo the Bear, voiced by Phil Harris, who takes to Mowgli quite well and vice versa. The voice acting here is great. Each actor lends their voice wonderfully to their characters to make up a fully entertaining, brightly colored film kids will love and adults will remember fondly. It also boasts the same classic Disney animation we all know and love. It's so classic, in fact, you may even see some of the same character designs in a lot of the other movies from this era as some of the drawings were used more than once.

Beyond its voiceover work and bright colors, "The Jungle Book" is also so enjoyable because of its music. It has two songs in particular that have become iconic in the large Disney library of songs. These songs are, of course, "The Bear Necessities," performed by Phil Harris as Baloo, a song about having fun in life by living on the bare essentials, and the other is "I Wanna be Like You," performed by Louis Prima as King Louie the Orangutan. King Louie wants to learn the secret of making fire and this song is the subsequent result. These catchy tunes are both upbeat and jazzy, ones you can really tap your feet to as you wiggle in your seat.

I didn't grow up with "The Jungle Book," but BigJ sure did. He loves this delightful animated film filled with interesting, fun characters, some great and memorable songs, and a sweet underlying message about being different, fitting in, and friendship. Even at an hour and 18 minutes, it still might feel a little stretched out and overfilled with characters and colors to compensate for its lack of story, but it's an exciting, timeless adventure that's still a great watch even today (and even as adults!).

My Rating: 7/10
BigJ's Rating: 8.5/10
IMDB's Rating: 7.6/10
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 85%
Do we recommend this movie: Yes!
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One year ago, we were watching: "Paul Blart: Mall Cop"

Movie Review: "Batman: The Movie" (1966)

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Movie: "Batman: The Movie"
Director: Leslie H. Martinson
Year: 1966
Rating: PG
Running Time: 1 hour,45 minutes

Batman (Adam West) and Robin (Burt Ward) face off against a team of super villains that includes The Joker (Cesar Romero), The Riddler (Frank Gorshin), The Penguin (Burgess Meredith), and Cat Woman (Lee Meriwether), who have joined forces to eliminate Batman and carry out an an attack on the United World Council.

POW! WHAM! KA-BOOM! Holy movie review, Batman!

1966's "Batman: The Movie" was theatrically released between the first and second seasons of the "Batman" television series starring the same actors. Adam West, who rivals William Shatner in the use of the dramatic pause, stars as the titular caped crusader. West was not the first actor to portray Batman on screen, but his portrayal was probably the most memorable of the now Dark Knight. This film, much like the TV series, is a super campy adaptation of the comic book favorite. The acting is pretty damn bad, let us tell you. The bad acting is only rivaled by its laughable dialogue, silly costumers, and a story full of contrivances.

"Batman" takes it so far, and is so over the top, and so self aware in how bad it is, that it actually make the entire thing less trainwreck-y and a much more enjoyable watch. Today, Batman is such a dark character, and we totally get it. If you don't want to see Batman running miles with a sizzling bomb, look elsewhere, such as the films of Tim Burton and Christopher Nolan. A version as ridiculously outlandish as this could never be made today without fans completely blowing a gasket, not to say someone didn't try because Joel Schumacher sure did with "Batman & Robin," and that movie wound up being an epic failure floptastic dingle berry on every level. This version manages to capture a certain magic that only existed in the 60's and encapsulate it for all of history. It's the film that allowed Cesar Romero, who plays the Joker, to keep his mustache intact and instead of shaving it off, was allowed to have it painted white to match the rest of his face. Burgess Meredith, who plays the Penguin, walks around squawking like a penguin, but winds up sounding more like a squealing pig and in an epic fashion. AND THE JOKES, good god, the jokes! Riddles are given such as "What has yellow skin and writes?" and the only logical conclusion to Robin is a "ball point banana!" as all of this is uttered as Robin holds a yellow pencil in his hand. This is no accident, folks, just utterly tongue-in-cheek and parody-esque.

As much as we love this incarnation of "Batman," it serves to show there was a time in Hollywood when people couldn't really make superhero movies serious, well thought out films. It was almost required to be a parody of itself targeted directly at children. Oh, how far we have come. Despite all of the camp, which will isolate some viewers, the overall and clearly intentional low quality of script, the directing, and the effects add to its entertainment value, which is pretty damn high for us. It is a good time as long as you let it be and aren't looking to take it too seriously. It's light and fluffy, silly and spastic, and corny and campy. It's worth a watch at least once to see how far the character has come in cinema.

My Rating: 7/10
BigJ's Rating: 6.5/10
IMDB's Rating: 6.5/10
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 80%
Do we recommend this movie: Sure, why not?
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One year ago, we were watching: "Wait Until Dark"

Oscar Movie Review: "Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb" (1964)

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Movie: "Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb"
Year Nominated: 1965
Director: Stanley Kubrick
Rating: PG
Running Time: 1 hour, 35 minutes
Did It Win?: No.

During the Cold War, a rogue US General sends a fleet of bombers carrying nuclear payloads to attack targets in Russia. However, the Russians have just completed their not yet announced doomsday machine in which any attack on Russia would result in immediate and automatic global nuclear fallout. Now, the president of the United States (Peter Sellers) must gather all of his advisers and try to find a way to stop the attack and prevent the impending global tragedy.

Can you think of a better movie than "Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb"?  Nominated for four Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Stanley Kubrick's brilliant dark satire about the nuclear arms race of the Cold War is still just as good as it was when we first watched it many years ago. It was released in 1964, an era when many people lived under the constant threat of thermonuclear war. Well, that's what many in the government and media wanted people to believe. Despite the topical nature of "Dr. Strangelove" to its era, it still remains amazingly relevant and its humor has stood the test of time. Over 50 years later, we still find ourselves laughing out loud at the witty nature of this film.

Peter Sellers pulls triple duty here as Capt. Lionel Mandrake, a British officer stationed in the United States under an officer exchange program, President Merkin Muffley the president of the United States, and the eccentric Dr. Strangelove, a former German scientist who served under Hitler, but has since become a U.S. citizen and is now the head of weapons research and development. Sellers earned a well deserved Oscar nomination for his performances in this film. He is brilliant, funny, and much of what he does was improvised, which makes his performance all the more impressive. Sellers might make this movie, but he isn't the only actor who shines as there are many other great performances. George C. Scott, who plays General 'Buck' Turgidson, the president's main military advisor, manages to play both commanding and hysterical; Sterling Hayden, who plays the paranoid General Jack D. Ripper (and while typing out his name, BigJ just now got the 50+ year old joke), the man who went rogue and is responsible for the entire crisis, and Slim Pickens as Major 'King' Kong, the pilot of one of the bombers carrying its nuclear cargo, who has one of the most iconic scenes in film history. Altogether, these actors make up a fine, uproarious cast.

We absolutely love everything about "Dr. Strangelove," from its brilliant directing by Stanley Kubrick, to its splendid improvising by Peter Sellers, to its simple yet complex and hilarious story. The dialogue is excellent, the camera work is top notch and beautiful, and the performances are both explosive and zany. We love popping in this film from time to time so we can laugh at this absurd yet extraordinary and timeless piece of cinematic history.

My Rating: 10/10
BigJ's Rating: 10/10
IMDB's Rating: 8.5/10
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 99%
Do we recommend this movie: ABSOLUTELY YES!!!
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One year ago, we were watching: "Moonstruck"

Oscar Movie Review: "Lawrence of Arabia" (1962)

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Movie: "Lawrence of Arabia"
Year Nominated: 1963
Director: David Lean
Rating: PG
Running Time: 2 hours, 36 minutes
Did It Win?: Yes.

T.E. Lawrence (Peter O'Toole) is a soldier in the British armed forces. He is sent to the Middle East where he is to meet and make an assessment of Prince Feisal (Alec Guinness). Once there, Lawrence manages to convince numerous Arab tribes to unite and join the fight to drive out the Turkish occupation.

Whenever you read lists of the greatest films of all time, "Lawrence of Arabia" seems to make an appearance without fail, almost always towards the top of the list. This film is a beautifully shot World War I war epic that focuses on the life of T.E. Lawrence and the time he spent serving the British military in the Middle East in the fight against the Ottoman Empire. Peter O'Toole stars as the titular Lawrence and does a damn fine job in the role. He earned an Oscar nomination for his performance, but lost out to Gregory Peck in "To Kill a Mockingbird." As good as Peter O'Toole is in this film, we have to say we agree with the Academy when it comes to Gregory Peck's performance, it just sucks O'Toole never won an Oscar (and don't tell us those honorary Oscar awards count because they don't). Though O'Toole didn't walk away with an Academy Award, the film itself took home seven Oscars,  including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Cinematography, all of which are extremely well deserved and iconic to this day.

This is, without a doubt, one of the most gorgeously shot films in all of cinematic history. The cinematography is stunningly fantastic, favoring wide, expansive shots of barren but beautiful desert landscapes, as well as some truly exciting action shots. "Lawrence of Arabia" also features a moving, iconic score by Maurice Jarra, who also earned an Oscar for his efforts. When this unmistakable score is coupled with the aforementioned attractive camera shots and the brilliant acting of the likes of Omar Sharif, Alec Guinness, Anthony Quinn, Claude Rains, and Peter O'Toole, it's really no wonder it maintains the pinnacle of filmmaking to this very day. With all that being said, this film is, unfortunately, not flawless. It is a very long movie and it certainly feels long. Though this is what makes an epic an epic, there are many scenes that feature characters simply walking through the desert at great length, and these scenes tend to drag. We get that director David Lean wanted to convey the vast, desolate nature of the daunting desert, but seriously, this film is over three and a half hours long. There could have been some desert walking truncation going on to trim up the story and pick up the pace just a skosh. Is this a picky 21st century problem? Probably. All we're saying is sometimes, it does feel its length.

Many critics and viewers alike have dubbed "Lawrence of Arabia" the greatest film of all time. In terms of war epics, this is definitely at the top of the list. It is certainly a film every single person should see at least once in their lifetime. For us, while we really enjoyed this movie, there are many wonderful films we like more from both from a technical aspect and an entertainment aspect. Please don't hate us.

My Rating: 8.5/10
BigJ's Rating: 8.5/10
IMDB's Rating: 8.4/10
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 99%
Do we recommend this movie: Yes!
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One year ago, we were watching: "The Grapes of Wrath"

Netflix Mail Day Movie Review: "Cape Fear" (1962)

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Movie: "Cape Fear"
Director: J. Lee Thompson
Year: 1962
Rating: UR
Running Time: 1 hour, 45 minutes

Max Cady (Robert Mitchum) is a convicted felon who just got out of prison. He has tracked down Sam Bowden (Gregory Peck), one of the men responsible for putting him in jail. Max starts to harass Sam, always popping up wherever Sam is, and makes thinly veiled threats towards his family, especially his young daughter. Max wants revenge, but he is going to take it slow as he hopes to drive Sam to destroy himself and leave his family unprotected.  

Today, most people may know the name "Cape Fear" from its remake, the one directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Robert De Niro and Nick Nolte. Unbeknownst to us and long before that version was ever made, the original, filmed in 1962, stars Robert Mitchum as Max Cady, who often played creeper types of roles when he was an actor. In this version, Sam Bowden is played by the incomparable Gregory Peck, one of our favorite old school actors. Max Cady is an ex-con and has been spending his years in prison reading law books, trying to finding the perfect way to enact his revenge on Sam Bowden, a man he blames for his conviction. Now, Max doesn't want to kill Sam or his family outright. No no, he has much more sinister plots in mind. Once released from prison, Max begins to turn up at the same places where Sam and his family are, following them from afar or even outright confronting them in public. Cady offers veiled threats towards Sam and his family, especially his young daughter Nancy, played by Lori Martin. All of this is extremely unnerving and offers some really excellent tension throughout the film. Sam starts to get shaken by Cady's threats and one day, he has finally had enough, blatantly threatens Cady in public, snapping to the pressure. Sam attempts to use all of his connections in the police department to try and run Cady out of town. This starts to make Sam look like a criminal and slowly puts the law in Cady's favor, especially when considering that technically, Cady had done nothing wrong and there was no proof of his threats.

As audience members, we know Cady is the bad guy, so with each advantage Cady takes, it adds to the film's unnerving nature. The movie's slow-burning nature only adds to the suspense. Even though the subject matter is rather unpleasant to think about, especially if you have kids, we revel in this movie's ability to make us squirm with each twisty psychological turn. This all culminates in an exciting climatic showdown and one that we won't spoil here, even though the movie is 53 years old. Despite being overshadowed by its remake and the impeccable performances by Nolte and De Niro, the original "Cape Fear" is still every bit as good as the remake. The performances by Robert Mitchum and Gregory Peck are insanely good, and the two have marvelous interactions with one another, even when they are literally at each other's threats. The bottom line is, do yourself a favor and watch both versions. It's most certainly worth the time investment.

My Rating: 8/10
BigJ's Rating: 8/10
IMDB's Rating: 7.8/10
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 95%
Do we recommend this movie: Yes!
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One year ago, we were watching: "The Expendables 3"

Movie Review: "The Sword in the Stone" (1963)

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Movie: "The Sword in the Stone"
Director: Woldgang Reutherman
Year: 1963
Rating: PG
Running Time: 1 hour, 19 minutes

A wizard named Merlin (Karl Swenson) helps educate a young orphan named Arthur (Rickie Sorensen) and guides him to realize his true destiny.  

Disney tells their version of the T.H. White novel "The Sword in the Stone" in this 1963 animated feature, which has always been one of BigJ's favorites, but not really one of mine. They tell the tale King Arthur, voiced by Rickie Sorensen, as a young orphan boy who has been given the nickname Wart by his guardian Sir Ector, voiced by Sebastian Cabet. Wart seems to have small hopes in life and his biggest aspiration is to be the squire of his guardian's son Kale, voiced by Norman Alden. But Wart's life changes when he meets a wizard named Merlin, voiced by Karl Swenson, and his smug and snarky yet intelligent talking owl Archimedes, voiced by Junius Matthews. Merlin knows Wart is destined for big things as he can see into the future, but he's a little absent-minded to say the least, so he's not exactly sure what that destiny is specifically. Merlin teaches Wart the importance of a good education, which is always a great message to push towards children, as well as the importance of brains over brawn, even in the dark ages, which was a time where so much was decided by hand-to-hand combat. Merlin accomplishes this teaching by letting Wart experience life as many different animals, including a fish, a squirrel, and a bird. These scenes are all great fun and lead to some exciting, sometimes funny yet sometimes dangerous situations. The main climatic scene in the teaching of these lessons is a showdown between Merlin and a witch named Mad Madam Mim, voiced by Martha Wintworth, who have a wizards duel where they change into a series of animals to defeat one another. This is one of BigJ's favorite scenes. This take on the classic story is on kids will love even today, and one adults who grew up with it will remember fondly.

There is, of course, some great music in the film, and though they are fun, the songs aren't quite as memorable as those from other Disney films of the same era. The era we refer to runs from about 1951 with "Alice in Wonderland" all the way to 1973 with "Robin Hood." All the films that run through this time frame have a similar animation style and feel, and while watching "The Sword in the Stone," it dawned on me that this style was getting pretty tiresome. Though not the greatest Disney animated feature, it is certainly a good, entertaining picture and one at least BigJ will always have fond memories of.

My Rating: 6.5/10
BigJ's Rating: 7.5/10
IMDB's Rating: 7.2/10
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 71%
Do we recommend this movie: Sure, why not?
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One year ago, we were watching: "About Last Night"

Oscar Movie Review: "Bonnie and Clyde" (1967)

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Movie: "Bonnie and Clyde"
Year Nominated: 1968
Director: Arthur Penn
Rating: R
Running Time: 1 hour, 51 minutes
Did It Win?: No.

Bonnie Parker (Faye Dunaway) and an ex-con named Clyde Barrow (Warren Beatty) meet and start a life of crime together, robbing many banks and stores. After a short time, they add a few members to their gang and increase their crimes to murder and kidnapping as they continue to evade the police in order to keep robbing banks.

America has always had an almost obsessive fascination with outlaws and criminals, especially those in the early part of the 20th century in the Great Depression era. There is almost a poetic folklore surrounding criminals like John Dillinger, "Baby Face" Nelson, "Pretty Boy" Floyd, and of course, Bonnie and Clyde themselves. The media certainly had a hand in creating that folklore, especially with a movie like this one. Films about criminals often romanticize versions of their lives of criminal activities and paint them in a relatively positive light. We wouldn't go as far as saying their circumstances glorify the criminal lifestyle since thye are constantly on the run, having to evade police, and are forced to stay in run-down or abandoned houses just so they don't get caught. In the case of "Bonnie and Clyde," though filmmakers show that being a criminal isn't the best thing to be since it isn't all that glamorous, the people themselves are certainly glorified. They show Bonnie and Clyde robbing banks and letting customers keep their money like they are attacking big businesses, but in reality, they often knocked over rural markets and gas stations and even murdered several police officers, as well as civilians. There is one scene where a kid yells "I have been following you in the papers!"as if the duo were celebrities whose virtues needed to be extolled. The filmmakers also felt is was necessary to make Clyde sexually impotent, which seems unlikely based on the account of one of their gang members. We're not entirely sure what their reasoning in implying that Bonnie and Clyde had no physical relationship was, but we figure it was only added to drive drama between the two, and/or in an effort to either garner sympathy for them or to simply humanize them. Needless to say, they took a lot of liberties with their story as filmmakers often do, but in this case, it just didn't do it for us all the time.

This is another one of those films that was groundbreaking at the time of its release. It had a strong depiction of graphic violence, which actually seems tame by today's standards but was not common back then. In a historical context, it's rather important to allow filmmakers to start to push the boundaries in terms of violence, since this film eventually paved the way so that, almost 30 years later, "Casino" could show Joe Pesci put a guy's head in a vice and squeeze it until his eyeball popped out of his skull. Even some 45 years later, the hubbub that was caused when a man got shot in the face in "Bonnie and Clyde" is small potatoes compared to another Best Picture nominee, Quentin Tarantino's alternate version of WWII in "Inglorious Basterds," where a movie theater full of nazis and nazi supporters burns to the ground in a blazing inferno. So, thanks "Bonnie and Clyde" for your addition of groundbreaking violence. As far as entertaining stories go, this isn't the most enthralling film ever. The fact that a film broke new ground almost 50 years ago doesn't mean its story stands the test of time today, especially since the shock factors of those groundbreaking achievements have since lost their effect. All of the mundane and dramatized details really only serve to get audiences to the very end of the movie, the ambush scene, which is still by far the best and most iconic part of the film and is such a spectacular sight even today that it surely had to have been jaw-dropping at the time. I dropped my jaw even today, what a wonderful ending to the movie. This ending doesn't carry the entire film, though, and the rest of it apart from some decent performance by Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway is only fine, but nothing special.

My Rating: 6/10
BigJ's Rating: 7/10
IMDB's Rating: 7.9/10
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 90%
Do we recommend this movie: Sure, why not?

Oscar Movie Review: "The Graduate" (1967)

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Movie: "The Graduate"
Year Nominated: 1968
Director: Mike Nichols
Rating: PG
Running Time: 1 hour, 46 minutes
Did It Win?: No.

Recent college graduate Ben Braddock (Dustin Hoffman) is seduced and begins a love affair with a married friend of his mother's, Mrs. Robinson (Anne Bancroft). Their affair lasts for a few months, but Ben is growing tired of their simple sexual encounters and wishes for a deeper relationship. When Ben's parents set him up on a date with Mrs. Robinson's daughter Elaine (Katharine Ross), Mrs. Robinson forbids Ben from seeing her. Ben disobeys his former lover and quickly falls for Elaine. When Elaine finds out he was once her mother's lover, however, she breaks up with him. Wanting to spend his life with Elaine, Ben follows her to Berkeley determined to win her back. 

Here's to you, Mrs. Robinson! This film is an offbeat, atypical romantic comedy, even though Dustin Hoffman's Ben can be a real creep sometimes. You know, it's the typical "boy meets mother's married friend and then meets and falls for mother's married friend's daughter causing massive turmoil in the family" movie we all know and love. That old hat! It is also a coming of age film in that Ben is at a crossroads in his life. He just graduated from college and is unsure about what he wants to do with his future. Really, a huge reason why this film works as well as it does is because of Dustin Hoffman. His character is so awkward and so uncomfortable in his own skin, and Hoffman portrays this role with such a resounding conviction. You can feel how uneasy Ben is when Mrs. Robinson is initially coming on to him, as well as how unsure he is when they have their first sexual encounter. It starts off as both really sad and extremely pathetic, and these situations are also sort of hysterical and make for some good laughs. We both felt a huge sense of second-hand embarrassment for Ben since his attempts at being loose and comfortable just come off as dorky and inexperienced. Anne Bancroft is also excellent in this film as the sexually aggressive and much older Mrs. Robinson, who is both very domineering over her younger lover and quite pathetic and sad in many other ways all on her own. Struggling in a loveless marriage, she beings an affair with the younger son of her friend, Ben's mother, but expects him to be her slave and is repulsed at the thought of him dating her daughter Elaine. After their tryst ends, Ben's parents suggest that he take out Elaine, and to get them off his back, he does. When Ben first takes Elaine out, he is a complete jerk to her having been "hardened" by Mrs. Robinson and by his life, which is not so bad at all. After a short while, he is smitten with Elaine, but his secret about her mother threatens to ruin whatever relationship they may end up having.

Beyond the great acting and story, the directing, cinematography and camerawork in this film are amazing and seamless. Mike Nichols and his film making crew use so many different and unique shots executed with the utmost precision and flawlessness. The shot of Dustin Hoffman through Anne Bancroft's leg has become an iconic and memorable scene mimicked many times throughout cinematic history. Another shot that is quite remarkable is the scuba mask shot before, during and after a contemplative Ben sits at the bottom of his pool wondering what to make of his life. This camera work elevates the film from just another dramatic comedy to one that has been and will continue to be remembered for both its daring story and its incredible cinematography. All in all, this is a fabulous film with a memorable soundtrack, a fantastic ending and a great watch every now and then.

My Rating: 9/10
BigJ's Rating: 9/10
IMDB's Rating: 8.1/10
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 88%
Do we recommend this movie: ABSOLUTELY YES!!!