atlasmb
Joined Jul 2012
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This is one of the great noir films. At its center are Richard Conte, who plays the part of Martin Rome, and Victor Mature, who plays homicide detective Lt. Vittorio Candella. Rome is a cop killer, a smooth talker who escapes prison. Candella is the cop out to bring him in. The plot is a slow boil, which keeps the viewer's interest. And it feels like a graphic novel come alive. Aspects of the film remind me of Hitchcock's touch.
I am not a fan of Victor Mature, but he plays this role masterfully. Candella is a friend of the Rome family, and he interacts and sympathizes with them throughout the film, but he is also hard-nosed; Mature rides a fine line, keeping the viewer guessing what he will do next. I like Mature in this role.
Rome manages to draw more and more people into his dangerous intrigue. And it all takes place in a grimy city that is full of secrets and ethnically charged. This is a story that keeps your interest.
Watch for a young Shelley Winters, who I only recognized through her voice, and 14-year-old Debra Paget playing the role of Teena in her first film.
I am not a fan of Victor Mature, but he plays this role masterfully. Candella is a friend of the Rome family, and he interacts and sympathizes with them throughout the film, but he is also hard-nosed; Mature rides a fine line, keeping the viewer guessing what he will do next. I like Mature in this role.
Rome manages to draw more and more people into his dangerous intrigue. And it all takes place in a grimy city that is full of secrets and ethnically charged. This is a story that keeps your interest.
Watch for a young Shelley Winters, who I only recognized through her voice, and 14-year-old Debra Paget playing the role of Teena in her first film.
A film about film critic Pauline Kael, her work and her life, is a good subject for a film review.
I have to say, though, that I never entertained questions about her importance or relevance. I never read her reviews, though I was aware of her presence in the marketplace of ideas, probably due to snippets of her critiques that sometimes appeared with movie ads. I did not read The New Yorker.
My impression of her work, though largely uninformed, was that she liked grand proclamations and that she probably tended to disagree with my own opinions, just as I knew that Rex Reed's opinions often disagreed with mine.
This documentary film does a good job of presenting all sides of Ms. Kael and her body of work. Though the title of the film, which includes the word "Art", may tip the hand of the film's creators, it does not shy from quoting her detractors, including some who seemed to despise her.
A chronology of her professional life is included. And interviews with various people who knew her populate each stage of her life, including the daughter who was a front row witness to most of it. Even she weighs in, with an opinion that demonstrates her objectivity.
I certainly learned much about Ms. Kael's life and her philosophy. Whether you agree with her views on life and work, a strong case is made that she really cared about film and other art forms, and she tried to promote artists who shared her values. And watching this film is a good way for anyone who reviews films to raise questions about one's approach to criticism.
I have to say, though, that I never entertained questions about her importance or relevance. I never read her reviews, though I was aware of her presence in the marketplace of ideas, probably due to snippets of her critiques that sometimes appeared with movie ads. I did not read The New Yorker.
My impression of her work, though largely uninformed, was that she liked grand proclamations and that she probably tended to disagree with my own opinions, just as I knew that Rex Reed's opinions often disagreed with mine.
This documentary film does a good job of presenting all sides of Ms. Kael and her body of work. Though the title of the film, which includes the word "Art", may tip the hand of the film's creators, it does not shy from quoting her detractors, including some who seemed to despise her.
A chronology of her professional life is included. And interviews with various people who knew her populate each stage of her life, including the daughter who was a front row witness to most of it. Even she weighs in, with an opinion that demonstrates her objectivity.
I certainly learned much about Ms. Kael's life and her philosophy. Whether you agree with her views on life and work, a strong case is made that she really cared about film and other art forms, and she tried to promote artists who shared her values. And watching this film is a good way for anyone who reviews films to raise questions about one's approach to criticism.
In this sequel, once again dancing on the streets of Baltimore is contrasted with classical dancing. Andie (Briana Evigan) lives with her aunt, but that arrangement is jeopardized by her commitment to The 410, a notorious street dance troupe that posts videos of their public exploits.
Andie's situation settles when she is accepted into the Maryland School of the Arts. There she meets Chase Collins (Robert Hoffman), who convinces her to start her own street crew.
Personally, I preferred the dancing in the first film, but I did enjoy seeing the Jabbawockeez. Some of the style edges in krumping, which I do not prefer, but it is only a small portion of the dance sequences.
Watch for Cassie Ventura, who plays the part of Sophie.
Andie's situation settles when she is accepted into the Maryland School of the Arts. There she meets Chase Collins (Robert Hoffman), who convinces her to start her own street crew.
Personally, I preferred the dancing in the first film, but I did enjoy seeing the Jabbawockeez. Some of the style edges in krumping, which I do not prefer, but it is only a small portion of the dance sequences.
Watch for Cassie Ventura, who plays the part of Sophie.
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