Film - Raising Arizona - Starring Nicholas Cage and Holly Hunter (released in 1987)

Sometimes you have movies that do not do great when they are released, but then attain the status of a cult classic over a period of time, and this ends up benefiting the DVD sales of the movie. The movie was made on a low budget of $6 million and earned $22 million, so one really cannot claim that it was a big hit at the time of release. However, it now finds mention in the list of top 100 comedy films, especially with the background that is a Coen brother film (some of their other films include Fargo, No country for old men, The Big Lebowski, etc). The brothers had made their previous film Blood Simple as a crime film, and wanted to make a different kind of film, one that was more optimistic and full of life. The movie stars Nicholas Cage, Holly Hunter, William Forsythe, Frances McDormand, and Randall 'Tex' Cobb.
Raising Arizona was shot in a short period of time, taking a total of 13 weeks to shoot. On release, the critical review was mixed with many reviewers liking the style of the movies, and others having the same reaction, complaining that the movie focused more on style than on substance. However, recent reviews have been more positive, and the movie has an enviable rating on the Rotten Tomatoes site. The scene depicting the bank robbery has come in for a lot of praise.




The movie takes the life of Herbert I. "Hi" McDunnough (played by Nicolas Cage) and policewoman Edwina "Ed" (played by Holly Hunter). Their meeting is very interesting, since Hi is a criminal who Ed met when he was in jail, and they continue meeting when Hi is in jail. When he gets out of jail, they decide that they want to live together and get married, and start living in a mobile home in the desert. Next, they want to have a baby, and that is where the problem starts. They discover that Ed is infertile, and they will not be able to adopt a child because of the past criminal record of Hi. So what to do ? They hear of the 5 sons of the local rich man, the furniture king Nathan Arizona and decide to kidnap one of these sons, this boy being Nathan Junior.
However, life is never so simple. They get a visit from his former prison buddies, Evelle and Gale; with their presence, there is a lot of temptation for Hi to back to doing the stuff he used to do earlier, even though he is now married. And then, his supervisor Glen (played by Sam McMurray) proposes a wife swapping, leading to Hi assaulting him. And then, in a comic caper, Hi decides to steal some diapers for the baby, and is seen by Ed, and pursued by the police and by the cashiers of the store he was stealing from. Ed does rescue him, but there is tension between them now. Things get even worse the next day. His supervisor has learned the identity of the child and wants it, and Evelle and Gale hear this and also turn on Hi, binding him and taking junior. They decide to rob a bank, and the fun starts; Ed and Hi decide to get the baby back, and so does Nathan Arizona as well as a bounty hunter who had offered to get the child back.
What happens next ? Well, you need to see the movie and enjoy for yourself.

Film - Moonstruck - A hit romantic comedy starring Nicolas Cage and Cher (released in 1987)

Moonstruck was a romantic comedy released in 1987, and was very well received by critics and by the audience, becoming a bit hit. This was in the 1980's, when movies really did not make above $100 million that they so easily make nowadays (heck, movies nowadays cost more than that to make, with production and marketing costs making them significantly more expensive), so at that time, for Moonstruck to make a total of around $80 million on a budget of $15 million was great. In addition, the movie wowed critics and earned a number of Oscar nominations:

Won:

Best Actress - Cher

Best Supporting Actress - Olympia Dukakis

Original Screenplay - John Patrick Shanley

Nominated but did not win:

Best Picture

Best Supporting Actor - Vincent Gardenia

Best Director - Norman Jewison

The movie also did pretty well in being recognized as being among the top 100 comedies and some of the top 10 romantic comedies.

The movies starred Cher, Nicolas Cage, Vincent Gardenia, Danny Aiello, and Olympia Dukakis, with Cher and Nicolas Cage in the lead roles.

The movie is about this lady and her relationship with her would-be brother-in-law and how it turns into a romantic relationship between them, and the problems it causes emotionally for them. Loretta Castorini (played by Cher) is an Italian widow whose husband had died after being hit by a bus. She believes, somewhat strangely, that he died because they did not have a proper marriage, in church, with flowers and the whole arrangement. And why did they not have a proper marriage, well it was because her father Cosmo (Vincent Gardenia) did not approve of the marriage and hence they had to get married at City Hall rather than at church. This time, she is determined that she will get married properly, and insists that her fiancee, Johnny Cammareri (played by Danny Aiello) propose to her with a ring and on his knees. However, he has to leave soon for Sicily since his mother is dying and he has to be there for her. However, he wants Loretta to invite his estranged brother Ronny (Nicolas Cage), younger to Johnny, to come to the wedding.
The next morning, Loretta talks to Johnny but when she finds out that he has not told her about the wedding, urges Johnny to tell her about the wedding before she is dead. In turn, Johnny asks her whether she has spoken to Ronny, which was also not done. So, Loretta visits Ronny at his bakery and learns why they do not speak to each other. It turned out that some time earlier, Ronny was engaged and once when Johnny had visited him, Ronny hand got cut in the slicer and his fiancee left him as a result. Ronny blames Johnny for that accident. She tries to console him since he has got emotional, and they go to his apartment where she cooks for him and they drink, and you know it, they have sex. At night, there is a bright moon - hence Moonstruck. In the morning, Loretta feels the guilt and does not want to meet Ronny again, but he persuades her to come to the opera with him in the evening. Does she go ? What happens to their relationship and her engagement ? Watch this delightful movie and find out.

Film - Enemy at the Gates - clash between 2 snipers in WWII (released in 2001)

The Second World War was a huge war, a war of biblical proportions, which caused the death of millions. The devastation caused was not only a military war, but the battle for cities and population centers caused untold grief to large cities and their populations. Of the cities impacted, outside of Germany whose cities were devastated in the battle to defeat the Nazis, one of the most impacted cities was Stalingrad, the city which is seen by many as the place where the tide of the battle turned and the last point where the German army was able to establish some amount of control, with the Soviet Army using huge reinforcements (and losing people at a critical rate) to turn the Germans back. It is said that from Stalingrad, the Red Army made a march that finally ended up in Berlin.
The story is set in this battle, showcasing the story of a famous sniper. The movie is based on a book, Enemy at the Gates: The Battle for Stalingrad, written in 1973 by the author William Craig. One of the most famous soldiers from this battle is Vasily Zaytsev (Wikipedia link) (Vassili Zaitsev - His book), a solider who became a sniper and was responsible for the deaths of more than 400 German soldiers. He was a much decorated soldier who did most of his killing in a 2 week period in November-December 1942, a period in which the fighting was in the city, at eyeball level. The fight in the city cause destruction of large parts of the city. The movie showcases a fight between Vasily and a German sniper, a major with whom he had a running battle which has to result in the death of one of them.




The movies tells the story during the war of a Vassili Zaitsev (acted by Jude Law), a shepherd who like many others is now a soldier in the Red Army. With the quest to push back the Germans and prevent the Germans from crossing the line of Stalingrad, the defense of Stalingrad was a critical point. Army units were pushed into this battle, and Vassili was one of the fighters there, finding himself in the company of a political commissar Danilov (played splendidly by Joseph Fiennes). In one such push, Danilov sees impressive shooting by Vassili and works on the visiting Nikita Khrushchev to portray Vassili as a Soviet hero; the people need a hero and Vassili would be such a hero. He is transferred to the sniper school. And in a interesting touch, both Vassili and Danilov become interested in a female militia soldier, Tania (played by Rachel Weissz). This rivalry between them is going to strain their friendship.
The snipers play an important role in defeating the Germans (having an effective sniper is devastating to morale, since it means that a soldier is afraid of getting killed any instant), and the Germans bring in a senior sniper, major Erwin Koing (played to great effect by Ed Harris). He is also a very effective sniper and almost traps Vassili, killing 2 of his fellow snipers. Even a sniper sent to kill Erwin is killed, which makes Khrushchev impatient to get rid of Erwin.
A small boy, Sacha, becomes a helper to Konig, to get information about the whereabouts of the Major so that Vassili could trap him and kill him, but it is not easy. The Major is becoming suspicious of Sacha, and in the meantime the obvious relationship between Vassili and Tania is causing jealousy in Danilov. What happens next ?

Taken - A fast paced and successful action film set in France starring Liam Neeson - Released in 2008

There are many different types of action films, and some of them work well while others do not do as well. There is no set recipe for how a movie is to be made, or the level of action, but there are higher chances of a movie dealing well if the action is gripping, and to some extent believable. The concept of a super-hero is a different kind of movie and the same is true about a movie such as Terminator and Predator where the hero is almost like a super-hero. Taken was a movie released in 2008 that was a box office success and even inspired a sequel.
The movie was made on a budget of approx 25 million dollars and made almost 225 million dollars overall, including internationally. In that sense, the movie was a big success, but one cannot say the same about its reception from critics. The movie is fast, and as a result, you don't really need to see much of acting skills or even a lot of dialog. There is a lot of action, and it moves pretty fast, including quick scenes where one-by-one, the hero easily kills a number of opponents, only depending on luck right near the end. To some extent, the hero can catch up with quick moving cars, does not get affected by anybody attacking him, and it is to the credit of the director that the action sequences do not seem forced, no extravagant actions.

The movie primarily stars Liam Neeson as Bryan Mills, showcasing what happens when a black operative (apparently skilled in a number of weapons usage, skilled in intelligence operations, and many other dangerous skills) and now retired and working in the security business becomes a concerned father. He is divorced with his daughter living with her mother. He knows the dangers out there, and to that extent comes out as paranoid. His daughter wants to travel to France along with her friend, and he is very concerned, enough that his daughter gets disgusted. He finally agrees with some conditions, but is doing so with a reluctant mind.
And you know that with the type of movie this is, his worst fears will come true. His daughter forgets to call him when she reaches Paris, and at the airport, they meet a young man and agree to share a cab with him. The young man scouts for young girls who can be kidnapped and sold into a trafficking circuit, moving them quickly into a horrific life after drugging them. The ring is run by Albanians. Kim, Bryan's daughter, sees men kidnapping her friend and realizes that she has a very small period of time before she will also be taken. She calls her father who tells her that she will be taken, but she needs him to give him clues by describing the men who are taking her. And so it happens, and he records what she is saying as well as the words of the men who are taking her, and has a very brief conversation with one of them before the phone is cut.
Bryan quickly reaches Paris by using the plane that Kim's stepfather has access to, and starts the process of trying to find more information. He is able to find an image of Peter and chases him, in the process of which Peter dies in an accident. Bryan is taking some reluctant help from his friend in the French intelligence agency, but this friend is very reluctant to help, just providing some initial clues. The rest of the movie is a rushed affair where Bryan finds out more and also keeps on doing killing.

The Cobweb (movies released in 1955) - the scene at a posh psychiatric clinic

The Cobweb is a movie which takes place in a mental asylum and the surprising million dollar question plaguing the doctors and the inmates is around the selection of the curtains / drapes. So the entire movie revolves around the drapes and affairs of heart of people concerned with the drapes. The movie is directed by Vincente Minnelli and is based on a novel by William Gibson, and stars Richard Widmark, Gloria Grahame, Lillian Gish and Lauren Bacall.
At the opening of the movie “the trouble begins” with Steve McIver taking charge of a mental rehabilitation hospital from Dr. Douglas Deneval. Steve, young and dynamic, in his youthful exhuberance brings about new ideas to improve the lot of the patients and other inmates. His sympathies are concentrated on Steven Holt, a suicidal artist and one pathological Mr. Cabb. As Steve becomes busier in the hospital, he begins to neglect his wife Karen, cosying up to Meg Rinehart.



Now that’s what you call adjusting to local. As the movie proceeds, Steve hits upon the idea of using Steven's artistic abilities to drape the windows. But Karen already has taken the responsibility on herself to supply the curtains. And also another employee Victoria Inch who can be the female version of Scrooge McDuck orders unattractive drapes for the windows. At this point one almost start noticing the drapes of one's window and feels ashamed for the fact that not much effort has gone in to selecting them.
As the drape drama unfolds, the audience finds the supporting cast leading lives of their own, on the screen. Dr. Douglas Deneval is deeply in debt, drinks and has a side affair with his secretary. Even suicidal Steve finds love with another inmate. Now the only person unattached is Vicky Inch who is so angry about the whole drape drama that she threatens to expose Deneval and McIver in the next board meeting. Soon the whole plot is complicated by the arrival of Mrs. Deneval and by now the audience has a tough time keeping pace with the people flitting around the psychotic facility.
The climax has Karen taking the lead to install the new drapes subverting Steve's effort. Steven, mentally disturbed, becomes totally unhinged when his drapes are not put on the window. He does a bunk and a good ten minutes are spent on searching him. Steve finally arrives and in a cathartic revelation forgets about the infernal curtains. Everybody comes on board, and Vicky Inch agrees not to disclose the affairs and other going ons at the instition. The McIver's and Deneval's forget their misunderstandings and work on their marriage and forget their mistresses. Soon all is well with one question hanging around “whose drapes make it”?
One of the most confusing movies I have ever seen, The Cobweb is a crazy, bizarre mix of weird and the incongruent. This one psychiatric facility has not much difference between the doctor and the patients. Everybody moves around madly falling in and falling out of the frames. The director just does not have any clue about the story and just makes the men and women pop out of the curtains and windows.

Women's World (released in 1954) - a drama about corporate life

Women's World is a drama from the 1950's post war America where the “Wife” played the perfect hostess for furthering the husbands career. This film stars, Lauren Bacall, Clifton Webb, June Allyson, Arlene Dahl and Fred McCuray. The plot has Ernest Gifford, the eccentric owner of Gifford industries trying to pick up the most suitable candidate for the post of General Manager. Since he believes that behind every successful man, there is a entertaining hostess and support, he wants to evaluate all the potential candidates with their spouses. So he invites the men along with their wives to his vacation cottage. He also has the help of his socialite sister Evelyn, to assess the wives.
The first couple, Bill and Katie Baxter are young parents, very much in love. Katie is a homebody, cherished and very devoted to her hubby and hearth. She is a klutz, very ignorant of the social graces and with a very outdated wardrobe. Katie secretly hopes her husband is overlooked so that her family life is not disrupted. But Bill loves the thought of a promotion and sincerely hopes to make the cut.
The second couple are the not so young Elizabeth and Sidney Burns who are happily married but squabbling for attention. Liz believes that Sid being so busy would work himself to death and ruin their marriage. She asks him to give his family the first preference to his career. But Sid hopes the sophisticated and accomplished Liz would land him the job.



Carol and Jerry Talbot are the upwardly mobile couple who for all appearances are happily married. Carol being the sexy ambitious one prods Jerry shamelessly to do anything to get this promotion. Jerry is less willing and wishes to get the job for his own merit. So the wives prepare their own private hell to help their husbands. The innocent Katie and the lady like Liz hit it off and Liz even finds a wardrobe to match Katie's budget. Carol tries all trick of the trade to get Gifford's attention and this actually makes Bill and Sid see red. They try to reason with Katie and Liz who are disappointed but pitch in reluctantly to support their husbands. Amidst all the drama Carol makes a brazen effort in seducing Gifford which shames Jerry. Jerry sees her for what she is, a social hussy and asks her to leave. On the ultimate night Jerry is alone and informs Gifford about his break up. Gifford congratulates him for his good sense and awards him the promotion. The other husbands realize that their family means more to them and applaud Gifford's choice.
This movie was one of the most well received movies of 1954. It revolves around the values of post war America where the upwardly mobile middle class were part of the well oiled societal set up. Women were the gracious hostesses who supported their husbands careers. Sexy, ambitious women like Carol were disliked and not rewarded. It might look a bit sexist now, but it is true that it was the era of damsels and gentlemen. You had either Lady Liz or goody Katy to keep your job. But one has to remember that it is the 50's where women had not joined the work force in droves and feminism had not made its mark.
Lauren Bacall plays the role of the sophisticated Liz to perfection and June Allyson is great as the simple Katie Baxter. Arlene Dahl, smoulders as the sexy Carol and the men play the supporting roles to perfection. And to top it all these women had great clothes, its the icing on the cake. In-spite of some hiccups this is really an entertaining fun movie.

Mr. North (released in 1988) - A comedy starring Anjelica Huston, Anthony Edwards, Robert Mitchum and Lauren Bacall

Mr. North is the tale of a smooth charming young man who ingratiates himself with the town's rich and famous. Adopted from the book “Theophilus North” by Thornton Wilder, the screenplay was written by John Huston practically on his death bed. The movie in itself is a family affair, with direction done by Danny Huston, and the cast consisting of Angelica Huston, Allegra Huston and Virginia Madsen, Danny's would-be-wife.
Mr. North is the story of Theophilus North, who is an alumnus of Yale, looking hard for a job. He ends up in a town where the hierarchies of rich and poor is rigidly enforced. This is the place where proper diction and manners rule roost, a place more Victorian than the Victorian era. The rich are superbly so even if their source of income is pretty dubious. Theophilus North sets himself in to the society by tutoring the kids to read, directing the summer plays and teaching them to play tennis. He also gets to know the women folk who are immersed in endless kitty parties and canasta sessions. The serving class include the parlor maids, the butlers, the grooms, page boys and all the sundry who make the rich comfortable in their place.



As the class divide is rigidly enforced, the town becomes two worlds on its own, with only Mr. North subtly navigating the breach. But the rich have their fair share of troubles with migraines, lack of love, drunkenness etc plaguing them. The older rich are kept bed ridden by kids who want their money. North comes across Mitchum Bosworth who is a wealthy owner of a brewery and is kept at his death bed by his devious daughter and a doctor friend. Now North has this wonderful ability to transmit electric current through his body. So he zaps the zits of a teenager’s nose, quells the migraines and brings in the joy. He cures Bosworth of his addiction and helps the parlor maid to get her love. Soon North is the darling of the town. But wicked people who do not like the turn of events, spread rumors of him being a quack and soon he is arrested and tried for deception. But the town rallies around him to get the good old doctor out of the gaol and Bosworth makes him the director of the institute of philosophy..
Anthony Edwards plays the the role of Mr. North to perfection. He is fresh faced, clear cut and youthful and it is impossible not to like him. North has no problem solving problems and also gets the love of young Persis who is Bosworth's grand daughter. Angelica Huston has a minute role of Persis who comes out of the house just to ride her horse. The best goes to Lauren Bacall who is the Boarding house mistress who plays a wicked game at the cards and Edward Stanton, the fake British Caretaker who is actually from Chicago. Mr. North is a feel good and spiritual movie which delivers the message of goodness in people. Especially coming from the Pulitzer prize winner Thornton Wilder, it is one great outing.