Retrospective: 12 Pixar Films

Toy Story (1995/US)   ****

A toy cowboy, the long-time favourite of a small boy, is jealous of a new arrival, an astronaut figure that refuses to believe that he is a toy.
A brilliant, superb piece of filmmaking, with wit and love radiating from every frame. It is a formidable accomplishment, not only in being the first computer-generated feature film, but also in its incredible influence of all films that followed, animated or otherwise. Despite this, its joy, its energy and its dazzling use of character and storytelling, has never been equalled.
 

d – John Lasseter

w – John Lasseter, Pete Docter, Andrew Stanton, Joe Ranft, Joss Whedon, Alec Sokolow, Joel Cohen

ad – Ralph Eggleston

m – Randy Newman

ed – Lee Unkrich, Robert Gordon

p – Ralph Guggenheim, Bonnie Arnold

Cast:    Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Don Rickles, Jim Varney, Wallace Shawn, John Ratzenberger, Annie Potts, John Morris, Laurie Metcalf, R. Lee Ermey, Erik von Detten

A Bug’s Life (1998/US)   ***

An ant enlists the help of some circus bugs in defeating a threatening gang of grasshoppers.
Highly enjoyable, gorgeously expressed Kurosawa-esque tale with great warmth and beautiful visuals.
 

d – John Lasseter

co-d – Andrew Stanton

w – John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton, Joe Ranft, Don McEnery, Bob Shaw

ph – Sharon Calahan

pd – William Cone

m – Randy Newman

ed – Lee Unkrich

p – Darla K. Anderson, Kevin Reher

Cast:    Dave Foley, Kevin Spacey, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Hayden Panettiere, Phyllis Diller, Richard Kind, David Hyde pierce, Joe Ranft Denis Leary, Jonathan Harris, Madeline Kahn, Bonnie Hunt, John Ratzenberger, Brad Garrett, Roddy McDowell, Mike McShane

 Toy Story 2 (1999/US)   ****

A greedy toy shop owner steals a cowboy doll so that he can complete a set of toys, based on a 50s TV show, and sell them to a Japanese museum.
Witty, brilliantly realized sequel to the masterful original; in expressing themes of celebrity and obsolescence, it is able to go even deeper and tell a story of the neglecting of loved ones. It is a marvelously handled film.

d – John Lasseter

co-d – Lee Unkrich, Ash Brannon

w – John Lasseter, Pete Docter, Andrew Stanton, Ash Brannon, Rita Hsiao, Doug Chamberlin, Chris Webb

ph – Sharon Callahan

pd – William Cone, Jim Pearson

m – Randy Newman

ed – Lee Unkrich, Edie Bleiman, David Ian Salter

p – Helene Plotkin, Karen Robert Jackson

Cast:    Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Kelsey Grammer, Don Rickles, Jim Varney, Wallace Shawn, John Ratzenberger, Annie Potts, Estelle Harris, Wayne Knight, John Morris, Laurie Metcalf, R. Lee Ermey, Jodi Benson

Monsters Inc. (2001/US)   **

A universe inhabited by monsters and powered by children’s screams, hassle over a human girl who has become stranded in their world, and they are scared to death of her.
Pixar’s first surrender toward sentimentality is a little disheartening, for this effort relies too heavily on cuteness and sobbing to get through the day. However, it is spectacularly animated, representing another leap-forward in filmmaking technique, and the story is affectionately told with humour from everyone concerned.
 

d – Pete Docter

co-d – Lee Unkrich, David Silverman

w – Pete Docter, Jill Culton, Jeff Pidgeon, Ralph Eggleston, Andrew Stanton, Daniel Gerson

pd – Harley Jessup, Bob Pauley

m – Randy Newman

ed – Jim Stewart

p – Darla K. Anderson

Cast:    John Goodman, Billy Crystal, Mary Gibbs, Steve Buscemi, Jennifer Tilly, James Coburn, Bob Peterson, Frank Oz, John Ratzenberger

Finding Nemo (2003/US)   ***

A neurotic clownfish goes in search of his lost son, who has been captured by a diver and put in an office aquarium.
Despite a thin narrative, this luminously executed, beautifully animated film is an inspiring Pixar gem, with its soulful ambition of bringing together fathers and sons. It seamlessly blends technical virtue with storytelling verve.
 

d – Andrew Stanton

co-d – Lee Unkrich

w – Andrew Stanton, Bob Peterson, David Reynolds

ph – Sharon Calahan, Jeremy Lasky

pd – Ralph Eggleston

m – Thomas Newman

ed – David Ian Salter

p – Graham Walters

Cast:    Albert Brooks, Ellen DeGeneres, Alexander Gould, Willem Dafoe, Geoffrey Rush, Bill Hunter, Brad Garrett, Allison Janney, Austin Pendleton, Stephen Root, Vicki Lewis, Joe Ranft, Andrew Stanton, John Ratzenberger, Barry Humphries, Eric Bana, Bruce Spence

The Incredibles (2004/US)   ****

Forced to lead mundane lives and forget their powers, a family of superheroes return to action when the world is threatened by a megalomaniac.
Brilliant, ingeniously plotted and exceptionally directed exaltation piece on individualism that, with its enchanting characters, meticulous animation and unrelenting narrative force, mercilessly heaps on delight after delight as each sequence goes by. It could scarcely have been better.
 

wd – Brad Bird

ph – Janet Lucroy, Patrick Lin, Andrew Jimenez

pd – Lou Romano

m – Michael Giacchino

ed – Stephen Schaffer

p – John Walker

Cast:    Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Samuel L. Jackson, Sarah Vowell, Spence Fox, Jason Lee, Elizabeth Pena, Brad Bird, Bud Luckey, Wallace Shawn, John Ratzenberger

Cars (2006/US)   **

In a world with only vehicles and no humans, a cocky race car finds himself stranded in a small town on Route 66.
A nostalgic and atmospheric curiosity from this majestic filmmaker. It is lyrical and moving, yet ordinary and devoid of wit.

d – John Lasseter

co-d – Joe Ranft

w – John Lasseter, Joe Ranft, Jorgen Klubien, Dan Fogelman, Kiel Murray, Phil Lorin

ph – Jeremy Lasky, Jean-Claude Kalache

pd – William Cone, Bob Pauley

m – Randy Newman

ed – Ken Schretzmann

p – Darla K. Anderson

Cast:    Owen Wilson, Paul Newman, Bonnie Hunt, Larry the Cable Guy, Tony Shalhoub, Cheech Marin, Michael Wallis, George Carlin, Paul Dooley, Jenifer Lewis, Guido Quaroni, Richard Petty, Michael Keaton, John Ratzenberger, Katherine Helmond

Ratatouille (2007/US)   ****

A rat with a highly developed sense of smell and a love for cooking and the garbage boy of a high class French restaurant, secretly work together to become the toast of Paris.
The epitome of the flawless Pixar imprint of the time: a poignant, witty, gorgeous, well-acted, brilliant film that seems to capture the plight of the artist in a way that has never been done before. It provides the kind of deep, transporting pleasure, at once simple and sophisticated, that movies rarely encompass anymore. A true masterwork from its director and its studio.
 

d – Brad Bird

w – Brad Bird, Jan Pinkava, Jim Capobianco

ph – Sharon Calahan, Robert Anderson

pd – Harley Jessup

m – Michael Giacchino

ed – Darren Holmes

p – Brad Lewis

Cast:    Patton Oswalt, Lou Romano, Ian Holm, Peter O’Toole, Janeane Garofalo, Brad Garrett, Brian Dennehy, Peter Sohn, John Ratzenberger, Will Arnett, Teddy Newton

 

Wall-E (2008/US)   ***

In the distant future, where mankind has abandoned earth because it has become covered with trash, a garbage collecting robot has been left to clean up the mess.

A marvel of implementation of a simple-minded story, mixing Kubrick sensibility with Chaplinesque humanity. Its charming simplicity actually elevates the film to a kind of cinema that one can be thoughtful about as a treatise for its unsettling themes.
 

d – Andrew Stanton

w – Andrew Stanton, Pete Docter, Jim Reardon

ph – Jeremy Lasky, Danielle Feinberg

pd – Ralph Eggleston

m – Thomas Newman

ed – Stephen Schaffer

p – Jim Morris

Cast:    Ben Burtt, Elissa Knight, Jeff Garlin, Fred Willard, John Ratzenberger, Kathy Najimy

Up (2009/US)   ***

By tying thousands of balloons to his home, a 78-year-old sets out to fulfil his lifelong dream to see the wilds of South America.
Moving, buoyant, joyous mix of Ozu, Miyazaki and Spielberg, but with a whimsy that could only be Pixar. It builds a comedic crescendo, with a series of absurdities that top one another, that is utterly exuberant.
 

d – Pete Docter

co-d – Bob Peterson

w – Pete Docter, Bob Peterson, Thomas McCarthy

ph – Patrick Lin, Jean-Claude Kalache

pd – Ricky Nierva

m – Michael Giacchino

ed – Kevin Nolting

p – Jonus Rivera

Cast:    Edward Asner, Christopher Plummer, Jordan Nagai, Bob Peterson, John Ratzenberger

 

Toy Story 3 (2010/US)   ***

With the approach of his leaving for college, the toys of Andy’s room, tired of having their hearts broken, relocate to a day-care centre run by a purple teddy bear.
Wistful, spirited, heartrending homecoming to a familiar world that one would be silly to gripe against when comparing it to the previous two films. It completely justifies its existence with its absolute respect to its characters and the delight that they have provided audiences with for over a decade.
 

d – Lee Unkrich

w – John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton, Lee Unkrich, Michael Arndt

ph – Jeremy Lasky, Kim White

pd – Bob Pauley

m – Randy Newman

ed – Ken Schretzmann

p – Darla K. Anderson

Cast:    Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Ned Beatty, John Morris, Don Rickles,

Blake Clark, Wallace Shawn, John Ratzenberger, Estelle Harris, Jeff Pidgeon, Michael Keaton, Jodi Benson, Emily Hahn, Timothy Dalton, Whoopi Goldberg, Kristen Schaal, Jeff Garlin, Bonnie Hunt, Bud Luckey, Laurie Metcalf, Teddy Newton

Cars 2 (2011/US)

Star race car Lightning McQueen and his pal Mater head overseas to compete in the World Grand Prix race, where they get caught up in a vehicle-based international espionage.
Bad characterization, indifferent execution, lame jokes and an uninteresting story all combine to make a poor film; a major disappointment from both its studio and director after twenty years of radiance.

d – John Lasseter

co-d – Brad Lewis

w – John Lasseter, Brad Lewis, Dan Fogelman, Ben Queen

ph – Sharon Calahan, Jeremy Lasky

pd – Harley Jessup

m – Michael Giacchino

ed – Stephen Schaffer

p – Denise Ream

Cast:    Owen Wilson, Larry the Cable Guy, Michael Caine, Emily Mortimer, Eddie Izzard, Jason Isaacs, Thomas Kretschmann, Joe Mantegna, Peter Jacobson, Tony Shalhoub, Guido Quaroni, Paul Dooley, John Ratzenberger, John Turturro, Franco Nero, Vanessa Redgrave, Michel Michelis, Bonnie Hunt, Cheech Marin, Jenifer Lewis, Michael Wallis

Crisp Criticism - "Brave", "Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter", "The Cabin in the Woods", "That's My Boy"

 

Brave (2012/US)   *

Determined to make her own path in life, a Scottish princess defies custom and her parents and brings chaos to her kingdom.
An agreeable animated adventure with many exciting moments but far too much on its mind to be completely stable; it launches its narrative and characters magnificently and then falls apart, offering nothing new or distinct.
 

d – Mark Andrews, Brenda Chapman

co-d – Steve Purcell

w – Mark Andrews, Steve Purcell, Brenda Chapman, Irene Mecchi

ph – Robert Anderson, Danielle Feinberg

pd – Steve Pilcher

m – Patrick Doyle

ed – Nicholas C. Smith

p – Katherine Sarafian

Cast:    Kelly Macdonald, Emma Thompson, Billy Connolly, Kevin McKidd, Craig Ferguson, Robbie Coltrane, Julie Walters, John Ratzenberger

Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter (2012/US)

The 16th President of the United States discovers vampires are planning to take over the country and makes it his mission to eliminate them..
Stupefying, confusing fantasy/mock-history which, while attempting to stimulate its audience’s imagination, just insults their intelligence.
 

d – Timur Bekmambetov

w – Seth Grahame-Smith   (Based on the Novel by Seth Grahame-Smith)

ph – Caleb Deschanel

pd – Francois Audouy

m – Henry Jackman

ed – William Hoy

cos – Varvara Avdyushko, Carlo Poggioli

p – Timur Bekmambetov, Tim Burton, Jim Lemley

Cast:    Benjamin Walker, Dominic Cooper, Anthony Mackie, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Rufus Sewell, Marton Csokas

The Cabin in the Woods (2012/US)   ***

Five friends go for a weekend to a remote cabin in the woods.
Ingeniously executed essay which, through telling a rather humdrum horror-film story, winds up constructing a humorous and inspiring melange on questions to why and how humans interpret horrifying occurrences. It is startlingly original.
 

d – Drew Goddard

w – Drew Goddard, Joss Whedon

ph – Peter Deming

pd – Martin Whist 

m – David Julyan 

ed – Lisa Lassek 

cos – Shawna Trpcic

p – Joss Whedon

Cast:    Kristen Connolly, Chris Hemsworth, Anna Hutchison, Fran Kranz, Jesse Williams, Richard Jenkins, Bradley Whitford, Brian White, Amy Acker, Sigourney Weaver, Tim de Zarn

That’s My Boy (2012/US)

A hooligan with tax trouble impedes on the life of his structured son, whom he fathered when he was thirteen after getting his school teacher pregnant.
Dim and foul comedy of no redeeming value, from a comedian whose putrid idea of humour has now become severe cause for concern.
 

d – Sean Anders

w – David Caspe

ph – Brandon Trost

pd – Aaron Osborne

m – Rupert Gregson-Williams

ed – Tom Costain

p – Allen Covert, Jack Giarraputo, Heather Parry, Adam Sandler

Cast:    Adam Sandler, Andy Samberg, Leighton Meester, Susan Sarandon, Milo Ventimiglia, Rex Ryan, Eva Amurri

Crisp Criticism - "Prometheus", "Men in Black III", "Take This Waltz", "Rock of Ages"

Prometheus (2012/US)   *

A team of explorers in 2089, who discover a clue to the origins of mankind on Earth, receive immense funding for a mission to find out more.
Philosophical, scrupulous, solemn sci-fi sequel in the Alien canon that is less akin to that film and more to the TV series Lost. Its attempt to elevate theoretical thinking by raising meaningful questions is commendable, but it ultimately buckles under the weight that those questions thrust upon it and becomes another unsatisfactory futuristic adventure with an ambiguous conclusion. It comes from a director with nothing interesting left to say.
 

d – Ridley Scott

w – Jon Spaihts, Damon Lindelof
ph – Dariusz Wolski

pd – Arthur Max
m – Marc Streitenfeld
ed – Pietro Scalia

cos – Janty Yates

p – Walter Hill, Ridley Scott, Tony Scott, Mark Huffam

Cast:    Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron, Idris Elba, Guy Pearce, Logan

Marshall-Green, Sean Harris, Rafe Spall

Men in Black III (2012/US)

Agent J travels in time to MIB's early years in the 1960s, to stop an alien from assassinating his friend Agent K and changing history.
Totally unnecessary and unsolicited sequel which, despite Brolin’s uncanny impression, sinks without a trace.
 

d – Barry Sonnenfeld

w – Etan Cohen   (Based on the Comic Book by Lowell Cunningham)
ph – Bill Pope

pd – Bo Welch
m – Danny Elfman
ed – Wayne Wahrman, Don Zimmerman

cos – Mary E. Vogt

p – Laurie MacDonald, Walter F. Parkes

Cast:    Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brolin, Jemaine Clement, Emma Thompson,

Michael Stuhlbarg, Mike Colter, Nicole Scherzinger, Bill Hader, David Rasche, Michal Chernus, Alice Eve

Take This Waltz (2012/US)   *

A happily married Canadian woman falls for an artist who lives across the street.
Slight, affectionately acted domestic drama which alternates between pleasing humor and monotony.
 

wd – Sarah Polley

ph – Luc Montpellier

pd – Matthew Davies
m – Jonathan Goldsmith
ed – Christopher Donaldson

cos – Lea Carlson

p – Sarah Polley, Susan Cavan

Cast:     Michelle Williams, Seth Rogen, Luke Kirby, Sarah Silverman, Jennifer Poemski

Rock of Ages (2012/US)

A small town girl and a city boy meet at a popular nightclub on the Sunset Strip, while pursuing their Hollywood dreams.
Dreary adaptation of the light jukebox musical, of which it actually bears only occasional resemblance; it’s bland and flaccid from beginning to end.
 

d – Adam Shankman

w – Justin Theroux, Chris D’Arienzo, Allan Loeb   (Based on the Musical by Chris D’Arienzo)
ph – Bojan Bazelli

pd – Jon Hutman
ed – Emma E. Hickox

cos – Rita Ryack

p – Jennifer Gibgot, Garrett Grant, Carl Levin, Tobey Maguire, Scott Prisland, Adam Shankman, Matt Weaver

Cast:    Julianna Hough, Diego Boneta, Alec Baldwin, Tom Cruise, Russell Brand, Paul

Giamatti, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Mary J. Blige, Malin Akerman, Bryan Cranston, Will Forte, Anya Garnis

Retrospective: 5 Preston Sturges Films

The Great McGinty (US/1940)   ***

A homeless man and a crook have a political career.
A fast-paced, satirical comedy that signaled the arrival of an important Hollywood career that was to come. On its own, it’s terrific.
 

wd – Preston Sturges
ph – William C. Mellor
m – Frederick Hollander
ad – Hans Dreier, A. Earl Hedrick
ed – Hugh Bennett

p – Paul Jones

Cast:     Brian Donlevy, Akim Tamiroff, Muriel Angelus, Louis Jean Heydt, Arthur Hoyt


Christmas in July (US/1940)   **

A young clerk and his girlfriend win first prize in a big competition.
A film noticeably influenced by Clair, it is one of Sturges’ duller stories, but is kept alive by inventive touches and a gallery of splendid character comedians.
 

wd – Preston Sturges
ph – Victor Milner
ad – Hans Dreier, A. Earl Hedrick
ed – Ellsworth Hoagland

p – Paul Jones

Cast:     Dick Powell, Ellen Drew, Raymond Walburn, Al Bridge, Alexander Carr, William Demarest,
             Ernest Truex


Sullivan’s Travels (US/1941)   ****

A Hollywood director tires of comedy and goes out to find real life.
Beautifully sustained melodrama that is half-tragedy/half-comedy and ranges from pratfalls to the chain-gang while never losing its marvelous poise.
 

wd – Preston Sturges
ph – John F. Seitz 

ad – Hans Dreier, Earl Hedrick
m – Leo Shuken
ed – Stuart Gilmore

p – Paul Jones

Cast:     Joel McCrea, Veronica Lake, Robert Warwick, William Demarest, Franklin Pangborn, Porter 
             Hall, Byron Foulger, Eric Blore, Robert Grieg, Torben Meyer, Jimmy Conlin, Margaret Hayes


The Palm Beach Story (US/1942)   **

Feeling that, financially, their marriage was a mistake, the wife of an engineer flees to Florida to find herself a millionaire.
Although beloved by many, this absurd little romantic comedy only really comes alive when it focuses on its two stars. It does, however, contain some of its director’s most romantic touches, but the whole lacks a steady grasp.
 

wd – Preston Sturges
ph – Victor Milner
ad – Hans Dreier, Ernst Fegte
m – Victor Young
ed – Stuart Gilmore

p – Paul Jones

Cast:     Claudette Colbert, Joel McCrea, Rudy Vallee, Mary Astor, Sig Arno, Robert Dudley, Robert
             Warwick, Torben Meyer, Jimmy Conlin, William Demarest, Jack Norton, Robert Grieg


The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek (US/1943)   ***

A girl in a small town becomes accidentally pregnant and chaos ensues.
Astonishing, fearless attack on the Hays Office by its maker; it is also one of the oddest of comedies. It seems to creepily invite its audience to get comfortable and then knock them out with a mockery of their values. It remains strange and exquisite to this day.
 

wd – Preston Sturges
ph – John F. Seitz
ad – Hans Dreier, Ernst Fegte
m – Leo Shuken, Charles Bradshaw
ed – Stuart Gilmore

p – Preston Sturges

Cast:     Betty Hutton, Eddie Bracken, William Demarest, Diana Lynn, Porter Hall, Akim Tamiroff, 

             Brian Donlevy, Alan Bridge

Retropective: 7 Billy Wilder Films

Double Indemnity (US/1944)   ****

A wife seduces an insurance agent into murdering her husband.

The epitome of the film-noir of the 1940’s. Brilliantly written, directed and acted, its mix of sex, violence and a hero/villain would remain forever unsurpassed and endlessly imitated.

d – Billy Wilder

w – Billy Wilder, Raymond Chandler   (Based on the Novel by James M. Cain)

ph – John F. Seitz

ad – Hans Dreier, Hal Pereira

m – Miklos Rozsa

ed – Doane Harrison

cos – Edith Head

p – Joseph Sistrom

Cast:    Fred MacMurray, Barbara Stanwyck, Edward G. Robinson, Porter Hall, Tom Powers, Jean Heather, Byron Barr, Fortunio Bonanova

The Lost Weekend (US/1945)   ***

An alcoholic writer goes on a severe binge over the course of two days.

The first Hollywood production to treat this subject seriously, it was remarkably original on its first release. Today, it remains a dynamically filmed piece of work, particularly its depiction of lower Manhattan.

d – Billy Wilder

w – Billy Wilder, Charles Brackett   (Based on the Novel by Charles R. Jackson)

ph – John F. Seitz

ad – Hans Dreier, Earl Hedrick

m – Miklos Rozsa

ed – Doane Harrison

cos – Edith Head

p – Charles Brackett

Cast:    Ray Milland, Jane Wyman, Phillip Terry, Howard Da Silva, Doris Dowling, Frank Faylan, Mary Young, Anita Bolster, Lilian Fontaine

Sunset Boulevard (US/1950)   ****

A young screenwriter becomes involved with a faded, reclusive star of the silent era.

A haunting, devastating melodrama that is brilliant in every conceivable way, from acting to writing to photography to design. On another level, its depiction of Hollywood and the way it treats its children, is not only crushing but unbelievably precise; with each passing year it becomes more and more haunting.

d – Billy Wilder

w – Billy Wilder, Charles Brackett, D.M. Marshman Jr

ph – John F. Seitz

ad – Hans Dreier, John Meehan

m – Franz Waxman

ed – Arthur Schmidt, Doane Harrison

cos – Edith Head

p – Charles Brackett

Cast:    Gloria Swanson, William Holden, Erich von Stroheim, Nancy Olson, Fred Clark, Jack Webb, Lloyd Gough, Cecil B. DeMille, H.B. Warner, Anna Q. Nilsson, Buster Keaton, Hedda Hopper

Ace in the Hole (US/1951)   ***

(aka The Big Carnival)

In order to extend the commotion and boost newspaper sales, an egotistical journalist delays the rescue of a man trapped in a cave.

Harsh, at times downright nasty melodrama from the master cynic in which the seriousness and insight create a tremendously compelling piece.

d – Billy Wilder

w – Billy Wilder, Lesser Samuels, Walter Newman

ph – Charles Lang

ad – Earl Hedrick, Hal Pereira

m – Hugo Friedhofer

ed – Arthur Schmidt

cos – Edith Head

p – Billy Wilder

Cast:    Kirk Douglas, Jan Sterling, Porter Hall, Bob Arthur, Frank Cady, Richard Benedict, Ray Teal, Lewis Martin, John Berkes, Frances Dominiguez, Gene Evans

Witness for the Prosecution (US/1957)   ***

A recuperating QC defends a man charged of murder and finds himself in a maze of deception.

Altogether rather silly aggrandized courtroom drama based on Christie’s witty play that is made thoroughly entertaining due to overall sophistication and, of course, the magnetic lead performance.

d – Billy Wilder

w – Billy Wilder, Harry Kurnitz   (Based on the Play by Agatha Christie)

ph – Russell Harlan

ad – Alexandre Trauner

m – Matty Malneck

ed – Daniel Mandell

cos – Edith Head

p – Arthur Hornblow Jr

Cast:    Charles Laughton, Tyrone Power, Marlene Dietrich, Elsa Lanchester, John Williams, Henry Daniell, Ian Wolfe, Torin Thatcher, Una O’Connor, Norma Varden, Ruta Lee

Some Like it Hot (US/1959)   ***

Two musicians who witness the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre disguise themselves as members of an all-girl band.

Deft, landmark comedy that many consider to be the best of its kind. Despite thin patches, it certainly works exceedingly well with a perfect cast and a director with endless wit.

d – Billy Wilder

w – Billy Wilder, I.A.L. Diamond

ph – Charles Lang

ad – Ted Haworth

m – Adolph Deutsch

ed – Arthur Schmidt

cos – Orry-Kelly

p – Billy Wilder

Cast:    Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon, Joe E. Brown, George Raft, Pat O’Brien, Nehemiah Persoff, Joan Shawlee, Billy Gray, George E. Stone, Dave Barry

The Apartment (US/1960)   ****

A lonesome but ambitious clerk rents out his apartment to philandering executives until he discovers that one of them is with the girl he loves.

Beautifully realised romantic-comedy with a great deal of sting; it contains many of its director’s greatest touches.

d – Billy Wilder

w – Billy Wilder, I.A.L. Diamond

ph – Joseph LaShelle

ad – Alexandre Trauner

m – Adolph Deutsch

ed – Daniel Mandell

p – Billy Wilder

Cast:    Jack Lemmon, Shirley MacLaine, Fred MacMurray, Edie Adams, Ray Walston, Jack Kruschen, David Lewis, Hope Holiday, Joan Shawlee, Naomi Stevens, Johnny Seven, Joyce Jameson, Willard Waterman, David White

Crisp Criticism - "Dark Shadows", "What to Expect When You’re Expecting", "The Dictator"

Dark Shadows (US)

An imprisoned vampire is set free and returns to his ancestral home, where his dysfunctional descendants are now living.

Inane, meandering fantasy based on a 60’s soap opera, which offers yet another travelogue of stylised indulgence from its director and star. It implies that Burton is a filmmaker who has lost his nerve.

d – Tim Burton

w – Seth Grahame-Smith, John August   (Based on the TV Series by Dan Curtis)

ph – Bruno Delbonnel

pd – Rick Heinrichs

m – Danny Elfman

ed – Chris Lebenzon

cos – Colleen Atwood

p – Richard D. Zanuck, Christi Dembrowski, Johnny Depp, David Kennedy, Graham King

Cast: Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer, Eva Green, Jackie Earle Haley, Johnny Lee Miller, Chloe Grace Moretz, Helena Bonham Carter, Bella Heathcote, Gulliver McGrath

What to Expect When You’re Expecting (US)

Interconnected couples experience the ups and downs of having babies.

A thin piece of pastry spread over a thinner cracker. Instead of one effectual story, we get six or seven transparent ones.

d – Kirk Jones

w – Shauna Cross, Heather Hach   (Based on the Book by Heidi Murkoff)

ph – Xavier Perez Grobet

pd – Andrew Laws

m – Mark Mothersbaugh

ed – Michael Berenbaum

cos – Karen Patch

p – Mike Medavoy, Arnold Messer, David Thwaites

Cast: Cameron Diaz, Jennifer Lopez, Elizabeth Banks, Chace Crawford, Brooklyn Decker, Ben Falcone, Anna Kendrick, Matthew Morrison, Dennis Quaid, Chris Rock, Rodrigo Santoro, Joe Manganiello, Rob Huebel, Thomas Lennon

The Dictator (US)

Under pressure from the international community to allow open elections and stop murdering his own citizens, an anti-western dictator plans a visit to the United Nations, but when he gets to New York, he is kidnapped, replaced with a body double, and left to be a just a homeless nutcase in Manhattan. 

Another attempt at incredulous satire from its star who, here, abandoning with his previous documentary-style approach, creates a fiction-feature sketch show more akin to parody than satire, with far too few laughs.

d – Larry Charles

w – Sacha Baron Cohen, Alec Berg, David Mandel, Jeff Schaffer

ph – Lawrence Sher

pd – Victor Kempster

m – Erran Baron Cohen

ed – Greg Hayden, Eric Kissack

cos – Jeffrey Kurland

p – Scott Rudin, Sacha Baron Cohen

Cast: Sacha Baron Cohen, Ben Kingsley, Jason Mantzoukas, Anna Faris, J. B. Smoove, John C. Reilly, B. J. Novak, Chris Elliott