Director: Lewis Gilbert Writers: Willy Russell (Screenplay) Stars: Julie Walters, Michael Caine, Maureen Lipman, Malcolm Douglas
Educating Rita is funny, charming, and masterfully performed by Walters and Caine. A film it is constantly compared to is Pygmalion (1938), one of my all time favorite movies. While it lacked the wit and character development of Pygmalion, I found it to be different in a refreshing way. We're used to imperfect characters and the 'opposites-attract' formula, yet the relationship in Educating Rita was warmer, with a bigger connection between the two leading roles. There was never a dull moment in this movie for me.
Director: Peter Hyams Writers: Peter Hyams (Screenplay), Roderick Taylor (Story) Stars: Michael Douglas, Hal Holbrook, Yaphet Kotto, Don Calfa, Joe Regulbuto, Sharon Gless
The Star Chamber has some good acting, a very intriguing story, and a few thrilling scenes. Sometimes it defies the laws of 'basic cop thriller,' which is a term that describes this movie to a tee. The ending is ridiculous, but the whole way through I was entertained in one way or another. It's satisfying, but far from a good movie.
Director: Peter Yates Writers: Ronald Harwood (Screenplay) Stars: Albert Finney, Tom Courtenay, Edward Fox, Eileen Atkins, Michael Gough
The Dresser is a film most memorable for its stunning performances. Each character has something interesting about them, whether they be a 'bugger' Dresser, a senile Shakespearian actor or a woman who has been in a one-sided love with the same man for 20 years. Yates could not have picked a better cast for this movie, which made it soar into an unforgettable film.
Director: Terry Jones Writers: Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin Stars: Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin
Monty Pythons 'The Meaning of Life' is one of the crudest, funniest, most entertaining movies I've ever seen. It is hilarious from start to finish, using the same style of sketches that made them so famous in Flying Circus. The difference is that the sketches are created under the small premise of finding out what the meaning of life is.
There is not one sketch that falls flat in the film. Not one Monty Python member is unfunny either. Out of the four films they've made including this one; Holy Grail, Life of Brian, And Now for Something Completely Different; The Meaning of Life is arguably the funniest.
Some of the funniest sketches include Michael Palin as a Seargent Major, where he tries to get his company to "March up and down the square!" in vain. Another is John Cleese trying to teach students sexual education through practical lessons with his wife. Perhaps the most memorable would have to be Terry Jones as the enormously fat Mr. Creosote, who explodes after eating too much food.
The music and the dialogue in this film is so funny that my sides hurt from laughing too much. For me, the random humour from the Monty Python men are among the funniest I've ever seen. This is my kind of comedy, which in my opinion was done intelligently and with perfect comic timing in The Meaning of Life.
A word of warning. If you do not like nudity, vomit, blood, swearing or grotesque humour, then don't watch this film. It is not for you and I doubt you could sit through the whole thing. These things do not bother me, which is why I could subjectively watch the film and truly appreciate the comic genius that is Monty Python. I will go as far as to say that this is one of the funniest films of all time.
Director: Jerry London Writers: David Butler (screenplay), J.P. Gallagher (novel) Stars: Gregory Peck, Chrisopher Plummer, Sir John Gielgud
To my astonishment, The Scarlet and the Black is a TV movie. I am astounded for many reasons, one being the brilliant quality of the cinematography. Another being the legendary actors that are cast in the film. It fully looks like a motion picture, which is an achievement in itself.
