The bland and the beautiful

Posted on September 5, 2011 by Bill Wren

Such a study in contrasts! On TCM the other night there were a few William Holden movies running. I tuned in as they were running the marvelous Sunset Boulevard, one of my favourite movies. It was followed by the movie … Read more →

Posted in action, Romance | Leave a comment

Predator and prey and packs in Collateral

Posted on August 12, 2011 by Bill Wren

This movie is filled with fascinating imagery as Michael Mann presents a nocturnal vision of the city that is dark and threatening. It also has a key image, the coyote, that I think many people misremember. If you look at … Read more →

Posted in Crime, Drama | Leave a comment

The tall tale of The Mexican

Posted on August 10, 2011 by Bill Wren

Call it a tall tale, a shaggy dog story or any of the other variations, this is a movie that uses exaggeration and fable to tell a story that centres around another romantic tall tale. And it works much better … Read more →

Posted in adventure, Comedy | Leave a comment

The Mexican (2001)

Posted on August 10, 2011 by Bill Wren

Directed by Gore Verbinski Does anyone play a blonde airhead better than Brad Pitt? Male or female, I think he’s got that one down better than anyone because he makes it seem so genuine. He certainly does that as Jerry … Read more →

Leave a comment

Collateral (2004)

Posted on August 9, 2011 by Bill Wren

Directed by Michael Mann The only person in Collateral that seems at home in the urban environment is the predator Vincent (Tom Cruise) and, ironically, he’s the only one who says he doesn’t like it (“too sprawled out; too disconnected”). … Read more →

Leave a comment

Pralines and cream: Legally Blonde

Posted on August 7, 2011 by Bill Wren

Maybe the reason I like this movie so much is because when I first encountered it I was sure I would absolutely hate it. It is such a piece of candy. It is such a piece of Hollywood fluff. It … Read more →

Posted in Comedy | Leave a comment

The Male Animal is one peculiar movie

Posted on July 23, 2011 by Bill Wren

Relationships, sex, communists and, somewhere off camera ,World War II — The Male Animal from 1942 is a curious film to say the least. It comes with some pretty impressive credentials, however, including its stars as well as its origins: … Read more →

Posted in Comedy | Leave a comment