Friday Film Review

Friday Film Review: (National Lampoon’s) Vacation

Friday Film Review: (National Lampoon’s) Vacation

(National Lampoon’s) Vacation (1983) Genre: Spoof/Dark Comedy Grade: B Back in 1983, a friend and I had nothing better to do one Saturday than catch some movies. We chose “Krull” and “National Lampoon’s Vacation.” You can see which movie I’ve chosen to review. [nggallery id=102] When Clark W. Griswold (Chevy Chase) decides to take his(…)

Friday Film Review: Bardelys the Magnificent

Friday Film Review: Bardelys the Magnificent

Bardelys the Magnificent (1926) Genre: Silent Swashbuckler/Romance Grade: B- Based on yet another Rafael Sabatini novel, “Bardelys the Magnificent” must have wowed audiences of 1926 with its dashing star John Gilbert wooing lovely Eleanor Boardman before escaping death at the hands of the evil villain. Long thought lost except for a few key scenes, an(…)

Friday Film Review: Raising Arizona

Friday Film Review: Raising Arizona

Raising Arizona (1987) Genre: I can’t categorize this one. Comedy, drama, screwball? Grade: A My initial exposure to “Raising Arizona” was in the theater when it was first released. A friend talked me into going to it and thus I had no clue what I was getting myself into. At various parts of the movie,(…)

Friday Film Review: The Spanish Main

Friday Film Review: The Spanish Main

The Spanish Main (1945) Genre: Pirate romance Grade: B- After my review of “Captain Blood,” I began looking back into my pirate movie collection for another one to write about. Here’s a lesser known swashbuckler from the golden days of pirate movies complete with a Dutch pirate hero and a woman pirate! Dutch Captain Laurent(…)

Friday Film Review: Last of the Mohicans

Friday Film Review: Last of the Mohicans

Last of the Mohicans (1992) Genre: gritty historical/war/romance Grade: B+ I’ll be the first to admit that I love this movie because of the plethora of good looking men. You know I’m shallow, I’ve admitted it more times than I can remember. Go ahead and say it with me, “Jayne is shallow and likes to(…)

Friday Film Review: Wo de fu qin mu qin (The Road Home)

Friday Film Review: Wo de fu qin mu qin (The Road Home)

Wo de fu qin mu qin (The Road Home) (1999) Genre: Drama/Romance Grade: B Ever since I first rented “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” and “House of Flying Daggers” among others, Netflix has been pushing this one at me. I’d always resisted because frankly it didn’t sound that interesting. Finally I threw up my hands and(…)

Friday Film Review: While You Were Sleeping

Friday Film Review: While You Were Sleeping

While You Were Sleeping (1995) Genre: romantic comedy Grade: A The first time I saw this film was with a dear friend of mine who told me I’d love it. Me, I was skeptical since I wasn’t really into romantic comedies then but by the end of the movie, I was in love with it.(…)

Friday Film Review: Gentlemen Prefer Blondes

Friday Film Review: Gentlemen Prefer Blondes

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953) Genre: Hollywood romantic musical Grade: B Yes, this one is dated and seems terribly sexist but how can you go wrong with two BFFs who do some fab Parisian shopping then find love. And while at first it looks like nothing else except tight tops and tighter skirts, if you listen(…)

Friday Film Review: Smokey and the Bandit

Friday Film Review: Smokey and the Bandit

Smokey and the Bandit (1977) Genre: Comedy, Action, Crime, Romance Grade: B “What we have here is a complete lack of respect for the law.” Sheriff Buford T. Justice I’m going to date myself by admitting that the first time I saw this movie was during its initial release in theaters. Some school friends and(…)

Friday Film Review: Baran

Friday Film Review: Baran

Baran (2001) Genre: coming of age drama Grade: B+ Baran is another foreign film that Netflix kept pushing at me relentlessly until I finally put it in my queue. Honestly, I thought at times they were going to send me an email saying, “Listen, we know you’ll like it so we’ve gone ahead and put(…)

Friday Film Review: Bend it Like Beckham

Friday Film Review: Bend it Like Beckham

Bend it Like Beckham (2003) Genre: Comedy/Drama/Romance/Sport Grade: A- Jess: Anyone can cook aloo gobi, but who can bend a ball like Beckham? What better time to post this review then during the World Cup? Though as I’ve stated before footie/soccer isn’t a sport that gets me excited, I do love this movie. Jess –(…)

Friday Film Review: The Rage of Paris

Friday Film Review: The Rage of Paris

The Rage of Paris (1938) Genre: Romantic Comedy (slightly screwball-ish) Grade: B I put this one in my Netflix queue because it was linked to another film in the “if you like that you may like this” manner. I didn’t have great expectations for it but thought, “eh, it’s only 78 minutes and it has(…)

Friday Film Review: Hot Fuzz

Friday Film Review: Hot Fuzz

Hot Fuzz (2007) Genre: police/action movie spoof Grade: B+ Okay, did everyone take my advice last October and watch “Shaun of the Dead?” Because here’s another movie from the same crew that spoofs just about every police movie ever made. Again, don’t worry if you haven’t seen the spoofies. I haven’t and had a blast(…)

Friday Film Review: Trouble in Paradise

Friday Film Review: Trouble in Paradise

Trouble in Paradise (1932) Genre: comedy Grade: wonderful The first time I watched “Trouble in Paradise” I fell in love with it. It’s smart, sophisticated, cultured and urbane. And it’s about two crooks who meet, fall in love then take advantage of a situation to instill themselves into the household of a wealthy widow in(…)

Friday Film Review: Bride and Prejudice

Friday Film Review: Bride and Prejudice

Bride and Prejudice (2004) Genre: Comedy/Drama/Musical/Romance Grade: B Jane Austen meets (modified) Bollywood and the result is delightful. This is one of the best adaptations of Jane Austen to the contemporary setting I’ve come across. It’s fun, it’s lighthearted and does a great job compacting the novel into 112 minutes. [nggallery id=49] The plot is(…)