Operation Crossbow (1965)

When this WWII film starts off from the point of view of the Nazis you know you've ventured into a different kind of WWII film.  In a strange way you find yourself celebrating their success as they build a rocket piloted by a brave woman test pilot.  It sets up that the villain in this film is cunning and dangerous.  The Nazis are a worthy adversary and its going to take some uncompromising heroes to defeat them.   Enter our uncompromising heroes: George Peppard, Jr, Jeremy Kemp and Tom Courtenay who go behind enemy lines to infiltrate the German factories building rockets meant to destroy England.   Yet this is not a predictable film.  In fact it keeps you on your toes and because of that I found this film a breath of fresh air.  Grade: A-

Spoiler:  Of course when writing about this film I have to comment on Sophia Loren's part.  Having seen so many films of this era, I thought I knew how it would end up.  Surprise, she's murdered.  She's murdered by the good side.   That's right no love story between Sophia and George.   Sophia isn't going to show up at the end to embrace George and give him a kiss.  They killed her, plain and simple.  You gotta love that.

X-Men: First Class (2011)

When I heard they were making a prequel based on the origins of the X-Men I groaned.  Not because it's a bad idea but because I was still hurting from the way they ruined the X-Men franchise with X-Men United: Last Stand, a god awful film that was rushed into production for a fast buck.  Then names like Matthew Vaughn, James McAvoy, Rose Bryne and Kevin Bacon started surfacing as the talent hired for the film and my interests peaked.   What a delightful surprise, a X-Men film that's as good as the originals if not a little better.  So good in fact I hope they pretend the other X-Men films never existed and start over again with more sequels based on these X-Men incarnations.  Sure, bring back Hugh Jackman as Wolverine if you must, I don't care, but give me more from these Mutants with stories that   unfold with careful concern for character development, drama and action.  One of the best superhero films I've seen in a long time.  Grade: A.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) -Revisited

Finally!  The producers of JK Rowling's wizarding world got it right.  When I heard that Chris Columbus was leaving the franchise to spend time with his family I celebrated.   When I heard they hired Alfonso Cuarón to direct my second favorite book of the series my heart skipped a beat and I cried.  (Okay, that's not true but you get the idea, I was very happy and relieved.)  Many thought it strange that they would hire the guy who gave us the very mature film Y Tu Mamá También to enter Hogwarts but I remembered his work from A Little Princess and knew he was the excellent choice.  Upon watching this film again after all these years it's amazing to see the difference.  It's night and day better.  The opening is fast paced and witty.  You have a talking shrunken head dangling from the mirror of the night bus for god sakes, that's awesome.   The plot moves at a suspenseful pace, creating the kind of surprises the other films never accomplished.   The third film is tighter and you can see that they decided to focus on making it more cinematic than faithful.  When Harry Potter flies on Buckbeak I got goosebumps, a scene that's not in the book but belongs in the movie.  Some might say the acting is better in this one because Daniel, Rupert and Emma were growing up and becoming used to their roles but I suspect having a better director did a lot.  Of course, streamlining the story meant cutting some details which I have no problem with except in not mentioning the makers of the Marauder's Map (something that would not have added any time whatsoever) but if that's the only weakness you can't really complain.   To sum it up, this is the first Harry Potter film that is entertaining enough to rewatch.  I'd own this film; it's that good.   Why the producers didn't invite the man who saved their franchise back to direct another one baffles me.  Was it because he was Mexican?  He'd have been the perfect choice to direct the fifth film but alas they didn't and I can only daydream.  Grade: A.

Dumbledore and Richard Harris (Commentary)

Before I see the third film I'd like to mention my take on the casting of Richard Harris as Dumbledore. First let's get it out of the way: he was an exceptional actor and I wish he hadn't died. But in hindsight I feel he was miscast. I can hear a billion Harry Potter fans grab their chests in pain but he was not the best actor for the role. I never really thought he looked the part and I hated his breathy delivery. I've read he was ill during production which makes me realize the producers probably knew he wouldn't make it to the next film. Still you can't fire the guy but its very noticeable that he's struggling a bit. If he was filming the sixth film this would have been great but I realize that's morbid. In someways its good that he was in these first films before the story takes a darker turn. We can think of him as the Dumbledore the "kiddie" versions of Harry and friends meet. His soft voiced gentleness would never have worked for the later films. It's a shame in so many ways. One that he's the only actor replaced in the franchise and two that he's in the two bad ones. I hate it when a great actor's last work almost insults their legend. Here that is certainly the case.

Somewhere (2010) 6/26

Only Sofia Coppola could tell this story, or that's at least what I thought while watching this very quiet and steady film.   Funny and captivating, she writes and directs a story about a famous actor juggling with his career and with being a father to a teenage girl with an insider's eye.   There's a lot going on in this film; it's all subtext and that's why this film is so good, better than its paper thin plot might deserve.  Stephen Dorff is the perfect actor to play this part and he does a fine job keeping his performance subtle and relaxed.  You have to applaud him for his work because many lesser actors would have wanted to "act it up" and chewed up the scene but here he trusts his director and keeps it real.   Then there's Elle Fanning who is starting to emerge as good of an actress as her older sister, maybe better.  I don't expect most viewers to enjoy this film because nothing really happens and it's not laugh out loud funny.  But its art as only film can be and it expresses a mountain of complex human issues that opens up to an array of interpretations.  Yeah, that's right, it's an art film, a personal one from an director who continues to use film as her canvas to explore instead of using it purely to entertain.  Grade: A-.

Freedom by Jonathan Franzen (Novel)

Mr. Frazen's first literary success was the brilliant novel The Corrections and here he returns to form with a novel that's just as entertaining and unpredictable.   From page one he sets into motion a whirling story that flows as fast as thought about Walter and Patty Berglund and the people they love, their son and daughter, their college friend become rock legend as well as a young personal assistant.   The history of their lives is jammed packed with events both comical and sad.  I'd say if you've read The Corrections and enjoyed it, you'll enjoy this one as well.   It's very similar in structure and tone with tangled love stories and well-crafted characters.   There's a reason Oprah selected this novel despite what transpired the last time she selected a book by this author, it's a solid book and a fun read.  Grade: A-.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) - Revisited

When I first saw this film I remember thinking, at least it's better than the first one, and after seeing it again after all these years I was shocked to discover that it's not that much better actually.  The story is better, but only because it's based on a better novel, and it starts off with more action (the flying car scene is pretty cool even with Rupert Grint's overacting), but it's still as boring as hell.  How do you make such a great story as stale as this one?  I know, you hire Chris Columbus to come back and attempt to make a better film.  The problem lies in a "too-faithful" adapation that drags down the cinematic effect of the film and in spreading the plot so thin that you forget in essence this is a mystery first and a wizard film second.  I should state that I don't really abhor Chris Columbus.  I have enjoyed many of his films.  I would like to see him return to comedy and experiment more with his visual technique.   In the case of the Harry Potter films he was just the wrong guy for the job.  He learned some lessons from his first attempt but nothing worthy enough to be noted.  The special effects are top notch though and I loved the spiders scene.  I only wish the plot didn't drag so much.  I always wondered if it was because I had read the book but I've talked to multiple folks who have not read the books and agreed that this one is boring.   Grade: C+.

Spoiler:  I'll admit to being awaken a bit by the final battle with the basilisk but the diary ghost of he-who-shouldn't-be-named is as tame as a gnat.  I wish he had been more menacing but he's not and it takes away from the impact of such a great twist in the plot.   Not to mention the removal of Jenny from the entire film until the end . . . what a waste.