Picking five movies to list as great summer rentals is always a good time. Mostly because you can start an argument or find a new best friend all because of your leanings towards a certain movie. Trying to stay away from the obvious [The Princess Bride – The Goodbye Girl – The Last Waltz], here’s a list of five.
The Big Clock (1948) To start, this choice is not me trying to be a 'cooler-than-you film guy' – that’s Kev’s job. This is a movie that I accidentally came across on Turner Classic Movies. To start, you get amazing performances by Ray Milland, Charles Laughton and Maureen O'Sullivan. The basic story line goes: Crime magazine editor (Milland) is framed by publisher (Laughton) for a murder the boss committed. Then Milland has to prove who did the murder as the cops are getting closer to naming him as the main suspect. Sound a little familiar? There was a remake of it [with military overtones thrown in] in 1987 with Kevin Costner & Gene Hackman [“No Way Out”]. But for my money, stick with the original, if for no other reason then to see Harry Morgan [That’s M*A*S*H’s Col. Potter, to me & you] as the main henchman.
His Girl Friday (1940)It’s got Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell, what more do you need to know? OK – how about this: with the rapid fire dialog, cutting edge wit, and underlying sexual tension, this movie set the standard for TV shows like “Moonlighting” and “Scrubs” and any number of movies that you’ll most likely rent this summer.
Excess Baggage (1997)Let’s get this out in the open – I got such a kick out of this movie that I called my brother Trip and told him to rent it. He did. He hated it. There ya go. But I still stand by it. It’s a light piece of fluff with Benicio Del Toro as a car thief who steals a high end ride that happens to have Alicia Silverstone in the trunk [she was going to stage her own kidnapping – Benicio just happens to steal the wrong car] and Christopher Walken doing his best Christopher Walken impression as the ‘Uncle’ who has to get her back. What can I say??? It made me laugh!
Hidalgo (2004)Viggo Mortensen portrays true story of Frank Hopkins, a western cowboy who travels to Arabia to enter The Ocean of Fire--a 3,000 mile survival race across the Arabian Desert that had been held yearly for centuries. This race was a challenge that had been restricted to the finest Arabian horses ever bred. In 1890, a wealthy sheik invited an American [Frank Hopkins], and his horse [Hidalgo] to enter the race. Hopkins had once been billed as the greatest rider the West had ever known. The Sheik [Ladies - It’s Omar Sharif for goodness sake!!!] puts this claim to the test, pitting the American cowboy and his mustang, Hidalgo, against the world's greatest Arabian horses and Bedouin riders. For Frank, the Ocean of Fire becomes not only a matter of pride and honor, but a race for his very survival as he and his horse attempt the impossible. I love this movie!!
Powwow Highway (1989)Kathy Li posted this about “Powwow Highway” in IMDB: Buddy Red Bow [played by one of my faves: A Martinez] is struggling, in the face of persecution, by greedy developers and political in-fighting, to keep his nation on a Montana Cheyenne Reservation financially solvent and independent. Philbert [played by Gary Farmer in one of the best performances you will ever see] a simple-minded friend of Buddy's, ardently pursues Native American/First Nation wisdom and lore wherever he can find it--even on Bonanza--in order to earn his warrior name. He's even got his war pony, Protector: a beat-up old wreck of a car. Buddy's sister has been arrested in Santa Fe, and together Buddy and Philbert set off on a road trip to look after her kids and go bail her out. However, Bonnie's arrest has something strange about it as her friend Rabbit points out. As the miles roll by, Philbert's faith challenges Buddy's hard-edged view of the world (and occasional bout of reckless violence), and together they face the realities and dreams of being Cheyenne in the modern-day US as they fight to free Bonnie and her children and elude the Feds.
The Big Clock (1948) To start, this choice is not me trying to be a 'cooler-than-you film guy' – that’s Kev’s job. This is a movie that I accidentally came across on Turner Classic Movies. To start, you get amazing performances by Ray Milland, Charles Laughton and Maureen O'Sullivan. The basic story line goes: Crime magazine editor (Milland) is framed by publisher (Laughton) for a murder the boss committed. Then Milland has to prove who did the murder as the cops are getting closer to naming him as the main suspect. Sound a little familiar? There was a remake of it [with military overtones thrown in] in 1987 with Kevin Costner & Gene Hackman [“No Way Out”]. But for my money, stick with the original, if for no other reason then to see Harry Morgan [That’s M*A*S*H’s Col. Potter, to me & you] as the main henchman.
His Girl Friday (1940)It’s got Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell, what more do you need to know? OK – how about this: with the rapid fire dialog, cutting edge wit, and underlying sexual tension, this movie set the standard for TV shows like “Moonlighting” and “Scrubs” and any number of movies that you’ll most likely rent this summer.
Excess Baggage (1997)Let’s get this out in the open – I got such a kick out of this movie that I called my brother Trip and told him to rent it. He did. He hated it. There ya go. But I still stand by it. It’s a light piece of fluff with Benicio Del Toro as a car thief who steals a high end ride that happens to have Alicia Silverstone in the trunk [she was going to stage her own kidnapping – Benicio just happens to steal the wrong car] and Christopher Walken doing his best Christopher Walken impression as the ‘Uncle’ who has to get her back. What can I say??? It made me laugh!
Hidalgo (2004)Viggo Mortensen portrays true story of Frank Hopkins, a western cowboy who travels to Arabia to enter The Ocean of Fire--a 3,000 mile survival race across the Arabian Desert that had been held yearly for centuries. This race was a challenge that had been restricted to the finest Arabian horses ever bred. In 1890, a wealthy sheik invited an American [Frank Hopkins], and his horse [Hidalgo] to enter the race. Hopkins had once been billed as the greatest rider the West had ever known. The Sheik [Ladies - It’s Omar Sharif for goodness sake!!!] puts this claim to the test, pitting the American cowboy and his mustang, Hidalgo, against the world's greatest Arabian horses and Bedouin riders. For Frank, the Ocean of Fire becomes not only a matter of pride and honor, but a race for his very survival as he and his horse attempt the impossible. I love this movie!!
Powwow Highway (1989)Kathy Li posted this about “Powwow Highway” in IMDB: Buddy Red Bow [played by one of my faves: A Martinez] is struggling, in the face of persecution, by greedy developers and political in-fighting, to keep his nation on a Montana Cheyenne Reservation financially solvent and independent. Philbert [played by Gary Farmer in one of the best performances you will ever see] a simple-minded friend of Buddy's, ardently pursues Native American/First Nation wisdom and lore wherever he can find it--even on Bonanza--in order to earn his warrior name. He's even got his war pony, Protector: a beat-up old wreck of a car. Buddy's sister has been arrested in Santa Fe, and together Buddy and Philbert set off on a road trip to look after her kids and go bail her out. However, Bonnie's arrest has something strange about it as her friend Rabbit points out. As the miles roll by, Philbert's faith challenges Buddy's hard-edged view of the world (and occasional bout of reckless violence), and together they face the realities and dreams of being Cheyenne in the modern-day US as they fight to free Bonnie and her children and elude the Feds.
No comments:
Post a Comment