Gone with the Wind (1939)

This epic romance is considered a classic, and while it certainly does tell a good story, I didn't really enjoy it very much. Mostly because Scarlett is an obnoxious character. I didn't *want* to see her happy. I wanted to see her get her comeuppance. Although there was a little bit of that at the end, there wasn't nearly enough for me to feel satisfied after four hours' worth of movie. Vivien Leigh portrays it brilliantly, however, and I can certainly see why so many people like it. There's a lot to enjoy here... if the character doesn't get in the way. 3 stars.

The Magnificent Ambersons (1942)

Orson Welles was a masterful filmmaker, and here he unravels the end of a family's story. (This was an incredibly interesting accompaniment to "Gone With the Wind," which I watched this same week and had many similar elements.) However, the ending seemed awkward and abrupt. After a bit of research, I discovered the studio had been unhappy with Welles' version, which had a very dark ending, so they cut over half an hour of the movie and tacked on a happy ending while Welles was out of the country. The removed footage was later destroyed. I only wish I could have seen Welles' original version, as the ending for this certainly didn't seem to fit, and I can only imagine how much more powerful the movie would have been had it been allowed to continue on the same track it started on. 3.5 stars.

Be Kind Rewind (2008)

This movie starts off with an unbelievable, but very funny, premise... That two incompetent rental store workers have to reenact and rerecord the movies on their shelves after one of them inadvertently erases them all. And the middle part of the movie is actually about that, and is funny. However, the joke can only be carried so far, and soon we've wandered off into the fate of the video rental store and the creation of a movie production studio and all these things I didn't really care about. I just wanted to see these two try to get away with continually filming their own stuff. The movie was quirky enough it could have worked. So the middle 45 minutes or so were hilarious. The beginning 30 are slow to get moving, and the final hour is so boring (and confusing) it's barely worth watching. So rent it, assume it's a short movie, and skip the first several scenes. Pick up with when they go to sabotage the plant. And watch until Fletcher gets back. Yup. That's all the good parts right there. 3 stars.

Love Me Tonight (1932)

As far as musicals go, there are many that are far better. As far as romantic comedies go, there are many that are far better. The characters are completely unbelievable, and make every serious decision of their lives on a spur-of-the-moment whim. I kept wondering whether this was not meant as an ACTUAL romantic comedy, but a spoof. But if it's spoofy, it's also not great, because there aren't enough pokes at the actual genre... There are a few good songs in here, but they can't save the rest of this nonsense. One of the best musicals ever made? I beg to differ. 2.5 stars.

Cassandra's Dream (2007)

As I'm sure you know if you read any of my reviews (or know me at all), Woody Allen is one of my very favorite writer/directors. This is possibly the darkest and bleakest of his dark and bleak films. It's being compared to Match Point and Crimes and Misdemeanors, but even those felt more hopeful because they conveyed a sense of meaning. Here, the setup is created to do the same thing, but the whole thing ends up just feeling like a melodramatic tragedy, where all the bad things happen for apparently no reason. The meaning and reason is in this movie, but it's unraveled a bit too early, and by the time the end rolls around, the earlier thoughts are forgotten. The last half of this movie feels like it's missing a scene, although I'm not sure what that scene would consist of. However, great acting from McGregor and Farrell, and the dialogue is brilliant, as is the case with all Allen's films. If you're a fan of his, check this one out (if only for the rare fact that the two leads are both males and there's little to no important romantic plot points). But if you just want to see one of his dark films, I suggest the aforementioned Crimes and Misdemeanors, then follow it up with Match Point. 3 stars.

Philadelphia (1993)

The story is a compelling one. The courtroom scenes are gripping. The camera angles work with the story in unusual ways. The two leads are both incredibly strong actors who turn in great performances here. And yet something is still missing. There are moments of incredible cheese and awkwardness.

The scene where Tom Hanks' character is explaining the Italian aria is one of the strangest I have ever seen. The only reason it works at all is because Tom Hanks is a strong enough actor to carry it off. I love the idea of the scene -- a person facing death faces his fear by immersing himself in music. But something went deeply wrong with it, and from then on in the film, I was suspicious of any dramatically "significant" or touching moments. 3.5 stars.

Fame (1980)

A compelling, although flawed, look at several teens involved in a performing arts high school. The movie creates a short-epic feel as it follows a group of students from their auditions up to their graduation. We see glimpses of their lives, their problems, their attempts to break into show business... and although none of the stories really receive much closure, there are some where closure of *some* sort was much needed. However, the characters ring true, which makes the story work as a whole. 4 stars.