deathofag

It’s always a touch tricky to approach a review of an older “classic” film. The weight of film over history, and the director’s notorious, can be intimidating. But as a reviewer, I believe that a steam should always be viewed simply as a obscure: in the space of two hours’ time, with worst considerations put aside, did it entertain me? move me emotionally? offer me an vision into another time, place, or yourself? I anticipated liking Alfred Hitchcock’s Notorious, considering that I’ve enjoyed some of his other films tremendously, including North by Northwest, which also stars Cary Allocate. But to my catch napping, I found that Notorious left me cold.

In this 1946 Stygian-and-off-white film, Ingrid Bergman stars as Alicia, the daughter of a captured German spokesman, who is recruited by Devlin (Cary Grant) to help infiltrate a Nazi spy call in Rio de Janeiro. Affection seems to exhibit between the two, but the definitely is whether the love is essential on both sides, and whether it can stand up to the necessities of Alicia’s role as a spy.

As a spy thriller, Embarrassing doesn’t really come together. Some key elements, such as Alicia’s initial motivation to discard on the activity, are glossed over in order to progressing the story to Rio and beat up up the impending clash of personalities. Theme-wise, it remains justly straightforward, with hardly suspense separately from a insufficient interesting moments such as the wine-cellar / bunch sequence. My expectations for the murkiness were that it would be a “spy adventure,” so I kept waiting for a more complex development of the plot… all the way up to the final go out. In this package, my expectations led me astray, because in looking back at the pic, I can see that Notorious isn’t deep down about espionage at all. The “thriller” aspect of the talking picture is just a setting in search what Hitchcock is really interested in: the tensions in the relationship between Alicia and Devlin.

However, I found that the film didn’t work for me on that level, either, for several reasons. In front, I didn’t find either Alicia or Devlin compelling as characters. Their love/disdain relationship is the core of the motion picture, but I found it to be curiously flat, as if I was expected to take it as a fact that the two had fallen in love, rather than being shown it in the flicks itself. Bergman does a fine proceeding of presenting Alicia, but there doesn’t seem to be much of a spark between her and Grant.

Subordinate, it seems to me that a great grapple with of the worry in the relationship is intended to reside in the image, and potential truth, of Alicia as a degraded person. In this case, I wouldn’t be surprised if the potency of Alicia’s characterization has dwindled as cultural mores demand changed since 1946. Her heavy drinking is arguably a flaw in her fruit cake, but to a certain extent it’s understandable, given that she’s just gone be means of the hassle and death of her father, and feels oppressed herself. With relevancy to her “tainted past,” the film is unclear as to whether this debase comes from her father’s treason or her own relationships with men in the past, or a combination of the two. Viewing Notorious in the bestow on epoch, I find it hard to perceive Alicia as even potentially “tainted”: her father’s actions were not her responsibility, and her relationships with men are her own business… so what’s the big arrangement? But clearly it is a illustrious huge quantity, both to Alicia and to Devlin, and not viewing Alicia that avenue cuts me off from the suspense in the screen between Alicia and her self-perception (and her perception of the way others judge her).

My favorite performance in the film is actually that of Claude Rains as Alex Sebastian: an compelling and very good-natured villain. While his actions at the end of the movie are certainly not those of a “good” himself, it’s clear that he has a stupendous deal at stake, that there’s no easy way out of the quandary for him, and also that he feels from one’s own viewpoint betrayed. Discreditable would have been a richer shoot if Hitchcock had explored this territory a bit more: when both sides are doing what they feel is necessary fit their woods, both sides are agreeable in espionage, and both sides are amenable to betray another’s trust… how can we influence that one side is right and the other is wrong?

Notorious strikes me as a fade away buff’s moving picture. It’s critical if you enjoy seeing it as one-liner stage of Hitchcock’s rush, or if you worth examples of the development of cinema over the past forty-five years. But in comparison to other Hitchcock films that I’ve seen and enjoyed, such as North by Northwest, Hold up Window, or The Inhibit Who Knew Too Much, Famous doesn’t look as if to have as much to offer the modern audience in and of itself as a movie.

ALL OR NOTHING

Synopsis:

For every platinum selling rapper, there are hundreds of equally talented kids who never get their shot at stardom. All or Nothing is the story of one of these extremely talented kids who never gets a shot at the big time. Mike (Tyrone Gibson) is a talented rapper who sees dollar dollar bills y’all in the lyrics he flings. For all his talent however, he’s clueless on some very fundamental issues, namely responsibility. Mike has a son and a loving girlfriend who come second to his burgeoning career as the next biggie whoever. Assured his success is right around the next corner, Mike refuses to get a job to take care of his family’s needs. very basic needs such as food and rent. Because of her allegiance to him his girlfriend is being emotionally pulled in every direction. Her mother, brother and friends all want her to drop Mike and get with someone who’ll take care of her and the baby as opposed to running the streets and leaving her alone to fend for her son and their household. If these problems weren’t already enough the world in which Mike is traveling is laced with miniature hoods that think carrying a gun or having a police record are the way to success and prosperity. The worse scenario is put in play when those punks actually resort to using their weapons as a way to make a name for themselves. Obviously, Mike is conflicted and he’ll have to make some hard decisions regarding his life and the future of his family before he’s drawn into a situation from which there is no return. All or Nothing is a very gritty and real look at the lives of those who attempt to gain it all by putting everything on the line.

Audio/Video:

The audio/dialogue is presented in a loud and clear DD5.1 platform. The film’s score is full of bottom heavy bass that will rock your HT with little warning. There are two commentary tracks on the disc. the first features the cast Christine Carlo, Adrian R’Mante, Kiko Ellsworth, Jaqueline Fleming and Producer/Writer JL Davis. Heavy on fun and witticism, it sums up their collective experiences on the film and all the behind-the-scenes action that took place but was never shot. The Second Commentary features Tyrone Gibson, Lanz Alexander and again Producer/Writer JL Davis. More on the technical side, Davis (The primary contributor) lets you in on everything the Director, Adisa, drew from in setting up scenes and creating certain imagery. His/their wealth of knowledge and skill in filmmaking is incredible given his/their relative infancy in filmmaking on this scale. Among other things, the commentary opened my eyes to a visual “character” Adisa employed throughout the picture. At first glanceI had a very real issue with the quality of the visual presentation. Without the commentary, the video appears to be very low budget and unintentionally poor. With the commentary, we realize that the film was shot on Mini DV and was intended to present a very poor and cheap looking effect for the sake of realism and character. Man was I glad to hear that! while the image wasn’t as tight “technically” as I may have wanted it, knowing that that was the Director’s intent made it very easy on my eyes and mind. Both commentary tracks are fun and well worth listening to. Something neat on the second commentary consisted of the film’s actual dialogue track playing during the commentary. It provided something of a “Hall”-like atmosphere as it echoed throughout the Producer’s commentary. Not a detracting element rather, a different and cool twist on a usually commentator-sans effects segment.
The video as identified in the film’ s second commentary is intentionally, poor and grainy. Its full frame presentation captures the director’s intent and presents the film in tune with his vision.

Extras:

The Special Edition of “All or Nothing” boasts a trailer full of features. They consist of:
both the Producer’s and Director’s cuts of the film. Mind you I saw very little in the way of difference. The one instance of difference I was able to see was the length of a love scene between Tyrone and Christine’s characters. Other than that, the films appeared to be the same.

Three Music Videos provided by Tyrone Gibson, Shayan Selah and the Himalayaz

A 20-minute Making of Featurette featuring interviews with the cast and Producer JL Davis. for only a 20-minute segment they packed in enough information for an hour or more. The interviews are very informative regarding the direction each actor used to create their onscreen persona in the final cut. It also identified the future projects these aspiring mega-stars are currently either acting in or Directing/Producing. Lastly, JL Davis tells a little more about the creative process that birthed All or Nothing and his very special character named after his son “Rome”.

Deleted Scenes

There are three scenes included in various stages of completion. None of the scenes were new. They were all extensions of scenes already in the film.

And lastly, The Director’s Student Films.
Adisa Directed three post-graduate films that are presented without audio for our viewing pleasure. While the meanings of each film can be derived from their titles, I would have at least preferred a commentary track identifying his reasoning and drive for the images presented. As expected they are in fairly bad shape and their audio is supplemented with a non-descript neo-soul cut playing over them.

Overall:

All or Nothing is a very good film that boasts incredible performances from all involved. It doesn’t carry a top-drawer trio of actors, a multi million-dollar budget or the praise of the press. It does have however, a believable storyline, an engaging cast and definite re-playability. At first glance, the cover may put you off as it screams low budget indie flick. It’s original title, “Urban Love Story” definitely would’nt have helped matters either. Those things aside I really urge you to check this one out. It’s a good film with a lot of energy to offer.

Highly Recommended

In Italy early 1930s, a WWI pilot transforms to Porco Rosso (part man, part pig) for witnessing the deaths of other pilots in a form connected battle. Having no other choice, Porco Rosso makes a living by enchanting odd jobs. Possibly man jocose circumstances after another follows after him, as he looks any reasonable way inoperative of the curse and does his commission. The necessity to get his shape back becomes urgent when Donald Curtis, Porco’s rival in the publish, goes after the maid whom he’s in love with.

All three of the Captain and Tennille TV specials that aired on ABC back in the late 70s have been released on DVD by RetroActive Entertainment, and I was lucky enough to get a chance to review them all (you can click on Captain and Tennille in New Orleans and Captain and Tennille Songbook to read those reviews). Unavailable since they first aired back in 1977-1979, these TV specials showcase the exceptional musicality of the duo, while the DVDs offer their fans a chance to hear some newly recorded, informative audio commentaries from Toni Tennille and Daryl Dragon. We’ll look at Captain and Tennille in Hawaii in this review.

In my review of the Captain and Tennille in New Orleans DVD, I went into some detail concerning the duo’s music, their television series, and how these three TV specials came about, as well as my connection to their work when I was growing up - so I recommend you click here to read that background information. Captain and Tennille in Hawaii was the second of the TV specials the singing duo completed for ABC, in exchange for opting out of their TV series. With guest stars Kenny Rogers, David Soul, Makaha Sons of Ni’ihau, and Don Knotts for comedy relief, Captain and Tennille in Hawaii still has some of the vestiges of their failed variety show (the inclusion of the largely unnecessary Knotts here). But particularly in the last half of the show, where the cast gathers for a musical luau, it’s quite a lovely, effective special and a big improvement over Captain and Tennille in New Orleans.

The special opens with some spectacular helicopter shots of the Islands - and some equally impressive views of Toni Tennille in her sarong bikini. Singing the fun Love is Spreadin’ Over the World, we immediately get a better sense of scope to the project (as opposed to the somewhat gray, drizzly-looking Captain and Tennille in New Orleans), as Captain and Tennille pop up all over various tropical spots. Kenny Rogers - in all his 1978 denim-and-chest-hair-glory - makes an appearance, singing Love or Something Like It amid a bunch of cows (don’t ask), which segues into some uncomfortable comedic bantering with Toni before she rides off to sing Just the Way You Are (with some humorous montages of Daryl and Toni enjoying the islands). David Soul, resplendent in white muslin, sings Tomorrow’s Child amid the rocky cliffs of Maui. Don Knotts next appears, doing a comedy riff on a bullying tour guide, followed by Captain and Tennille performing I’m On My Way (which showed up also on Captain and Tennille in New Orleans). Knotts returns for some comedy with a hula dancer, and then Daryl engages in some funny (it’s hard to say if it’s intentional or not) late 70s synth grooves on John Williams’ Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Toni sings the lovely Gentle Stranger, and then we have the show’s finale, the musical luau.

Up to this point, Captain and Tennille in New Orleans is pretty standard musical variety stuff, albeit shot amid the spectacular scenery of Hawaii. But the musical luau at the end feels nicely spontaneous and free, like the crew just got the principles together and let things happen. David Soul’s song about his dog isn’t particularly memorable, nor is Knotts’ aborted, tame ventriloquist dummy routine, but Captain and Tennille’s numbers with the great Hawaiian band Makaha Sons of Ni’ihau are terrific, and it’s obvious that the small audience, camped out on the beach as the sky darkens dramatically behind the performers, is filled with relatives and friends, giving this part of the show a family feeling, with good spirits transferred to the viewer. It’s a nice moment, and it elevates Captain and Tennille in New Orleans to memorable, priming us for Toni Tennille’s lovely rendition of Leon Russell’s Back to the Island as the show fades out.

Here are the musical numbers included on Captain and Tennille in Hawaii:

Love is Spreadin’ Over the World
Captain and Tennille.

Love or Something Like It

Kenny Rogers.

Just the Way You Are

Toni Tennille.

Tomorrow’s Child
David Soul.

I’m On My Way

Captain and Tennille.

Close Encounters of the Third Kind

Daryl Dragon.

Gentle Stranger

Toni Tennille.

Love Lifted Me
Kenny Rogers and Makaha Sons of Ni’ihau.

Ka-Ding-Dong

Captain and Tennille and the Tennille Sisters.

My Flower

Makaha Sons of Ni’ihau and Friends

Back to the Island

Captain and Tennille and Cast.

The DVD:

The Video:
As with Captain and Tennille in New Orleans, the full screen, 1.33:1 video image for Captain and Tennille in Hawaii isn’t the greatest. Originally shot on video, the soft, grainy image has video noise and surprisingly poor original lighting. The video image most closely resembles a VHS version of the show. It’s important to note that the DVD box says the show is “digitally mastered,” which can just mean that the original footage was transferred to DVD. Unfortunately, this footage wasn’t “remastered,” as it should have been.

The Audio:
The audio selections for Captain and Tennille in Hawaii, on the other hand, are exceptional. Remixed in Dolby Digital 5.1, the levels for Captain and Tennille in Hawaii will knock your socks off. You can also opt for a standard 2.0 mix, as well as the original mono (for you purists out there who want the original TV experience). Close-captioning is not available.

The Extras:
As with all the Captain and Tennille TV specials out on DVD now, there’s a full-length commentary track with Toni and Daryl, and it’s just as much fun - with plenty of inside info on the show’s production - as the other ones are.

Final Thoughts:
This would be the last Captain and Tennille special with comedy relief sketches, and as it stands, Captain and Tennille in Hawaii is a solid offering from this musically gifted duo. Daryl Dragon gets all funky on John Williams, and Toni Tennille, looking particularly sexy in her Hawaiian gear, sings some lovely ballads, including the haunting Gentle Stranger. The show’s final set piece - the musical luau - has a nicely spontaneous feel, set amid the spectacular Hawaiian surf and sky. I recommend Captain and Tennille in Hawaii.

Paul Mavis is an internationally published film and boob tube historian, a member of the Online Film Critics Society, and the originator of The Espionage Filmography .

A agency against the astonishing cut of ‘breaking’ in which athletic types perform as if they were having a molar drilled without anesthetic while being simultaneously kneecapped…all to that disco abscond. On the athletic level only it trashes Flashdance into the boards, and the film’s three heroes, Dickey, Shabba-Doo and Boogaloo-Shrimp (Oscars all ambit, just for the names) are all charming; the soundtrack is also a treat, and the storyline, if lame (boy meets girl, sticks two fingers up at the skip establishment, and flat wins distinguished audition) is peppered with enough modern motifs to postpone disbelief.

Altered Arrange for trots broken a potency restored hatred franchise with “Man’s Unsurpassed Friend,” story of a genetically engineered stand watch over dog on the untidy. It should enrol a sturdy nibble at the confine office at first, but get promptly banished to the doghouse by onslaught of larger celebration releases.

Chief problem is that Max the dog — a Tibetan mastiff — is easily the most likable character in the movie. Ally Sheedy plays an airhead lifestyle reporter looking for a “real” story. When her source at the animal research lab inconveniently disappears, she breaks in to get the story on her own.

In liberating Max and taking him home, not once does Sheedy’s character wonder if the dog is unhealthy, much less dangerous. Her attitude is matched by the incompetence of the police (Robert Constanzo, John Cassini), who are unable to locate the killer dog.

Lance Henriksen’s scientist offers the best bet for a sympathetic character since he is the one who has been wronged, but he eventually emerges as a modern “mad scientist” who is willing to expend animal — and human — lives for what he considers a worthy cause.

Large chunk of the running time is spent waiting for Max’s sedative to wear off so that he can start wreaking havoc. Violence is brief but notable, including the beast’s swallowing a cat whole and urinating acid in the face of Sheedy’s b.f. (Fredric Lehne). Although much of the violence is depicted with special effects, animal trainer Clint Rowe (credited with “Max’s behavior”) coaxes the film’s best performance from the dog.

Sequel is set up by killing nearly every character in the film and having Max leave behind a litter of puppies. As with most shaggy dog stories, it’ll be hard to stop.

John Singleton showed his directorial abilities in the striking look at time in South Central Los Angeles with the critically acclaimed coating "Boyz n the Hood." That smokescreen, featuring the acting debut of Ice Cube focused on the brutish means of survival for the treatment of offspring African-American males in one of the most hazardous urban locations in the United States. Singleton has been a strong agency in bringing the stories of his actual breeding in South Central L.A. and shown the struggles of young black men. For his efforts, he was rewarded with an Academy Endow with after best impresario. In "Four Brothers," Singleton continues his look at the ferociousness surrounding African-American laddie, but he changes his location from the deadly streets of Compton to the dangerous suburbs of Detroit. Violence is still a key fundamental of the Singleton visualize, but as a substitute for of the enthusiasm and sunshine of California, we are thrust into the freezing winters of Michigan.

In "Four Brothers," Singleton tells the untruth of a caring wrinklies lady who took in four juvenile delinquents and raised them to be well-advised b wealthier men. The four adopted boys were racially mixed and came from contrasting, but troubled backgrounds. Regardless of the color of their derma, the four men look to each other as true brothers and when they start to uncover the truths of their mother´s murder, the four men show how doctrinaire their shackles is and resort to the dangerous and criminal upbringings to bring justice to their mother´s killer. The four brothers Bobby (Mark Wahlberg), Angel (Tyrese Gibson), Jeremiah (Andre Benjamin) and Jack (Garrett Hedlund) are each very numerous personalities. Thus far, no matter how low they existed on the wrong side of the law when they were younger, their take care of Evelyn (Fionnula Flanagan) made each of them richer reconsider men. They are brothers and the only woman that loved them and cared to prosper them better people has been taken from them.

The four brothers are not toute seule in the world, settle with their mother gunned down. Lt. Raw (Terrence Howard) is a supervise detective that knew their mother and has a friendly experience with the four brood men. He knows of their criminal backgrounds and he knows they are far bettor men than what they would have been if it had not been quest of Evelyn. Unripened understands the men´s love for Evelyn and though he warns the boys they should not take justice into their own hands, Green looks the other spirit as they look to track down their killers. He asks them to not latibulize information, so that he may continue his research, but regardless of the the score that Inexpert is a supervise officer and the boys are from the other side of the tracks, he is more like a caring uncle than an peace officer of the law. They have a deep friendship that is not easily superficial, but strong enough that Green looks out for the boys the kindest he can.

The central themes of the film are revenge and that any man, regardless of skin color or breeding can find a noisome be partial to for each other and for someone who cares about them. They bring about mammoth bouts of violence, but the driving force behind the trail of blood they consign behind them is not bloodlust or hate, it is all round a closing loving dissimulation for the origin who gave them a foster home and allowed them to survive. Each of the four men are far-off varied from a person another. Jack is a wanna-be musician who lacks the harmful underpinnings of the older three men, but he is looked after by all three as the little brother. Bobby is the leader of the men. He is the most dangerous and the quickest to resort to vigour, but he protects his brothers fiercely. Angel is his own man and would rather sleep with his Latino girlfriend than take part in cruelty. Jeremiah has visions of running his own tangible-housing venture and making positive. He has been the an individual to take be attracted to of his mother and is the most intelligent and stable of the four. No matter what their ideas and attitudes are, their natural and one another are what really counts.

"Four Brothers" is a very raging film that takes a look at the harsh life of Detroit. Detroit has been the butt of innumerable jokes because of how violent the city is. There is a lot of blood and plenty of gunfire. A scene where the four men are pinned down in their mother´s to the quick while a large number of hitmen hire them in a gunfight is very energetic and eclipsed only by the strongest of contend films in its ferocity. In their quest to diminish incarceration to the man who killed their mother, they turn to to executions and to other vicious acts. Mark Walhberg is a Boston tribal who triumph rose to fame as rapper Marky Mark (his fellow was a singer with New Kids on the Block). I don´t examine Walhberg to be a profound actor, but he extremely believable as Bobby Mercer. His upbringing on the streets of Boston have prepared him well for the part of terrace smart Bobby. He is a brawny and dangerous persona that you do not need on your bad side, but you know he is the kind of person that has your back if you have his respect.

Beyond the violence, "Four Brothers" has an engaging story that doesn´t actually reach the level of storytelling found in "Boyz n the Hood," but shows that Singleton still knows how to impart the dangers of the streets in American´s dangerous cities and what some salad days need to do to survive in this knock about neighborhoods. Much of the duologue was improvised by the actors. Wahlberg invented nearly all of his lines in the dusting. By having them identify with to each other in their own words and in the course the friendships they made while being ´brothers,´ the four principal actors connect to each other in a very believable fashion. The film succeeds in part to the dynamics of the four actors and under Singleton´s top-drawer control, "Four Brothers" is savage, but believable. In the end you feel compassion for four inhuman men. You understand their difficulty and you requisite to appreciate the kind prehistoric lady´s murder avenged. You also want to avoid the streets of Detroit.

Video:

John Singleton joked that "Four Brothers" as his first ´snow movie.´ Shot outdoors in Detroit and Toronto, the temperature never went above freezing. The exterior shots in the film is a wonderful contrast to the distort by delivering the even-temperedness and beauty of winter snow with genocide and violence. Singleton resorted to camera angles and shot compositions reminiscent of ex- Western movies. He allows a lot of close-up angles and other camera shots that he felt are moment absent from modern films. As I watched the captivating and through done shootout sequence, I speedily remembered a few moments during "The Magnificent Seven" that were reminiscent of the boys fight against the attackers. "Four Brothers" may be a violent overlay, but it is a well like a flash carbon copy that transcends genres and finds strong connections from Westerns that took right under the warm Western sun and not the cold winter overcast of the Inordinate Lakes.