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Reviews
An Ache in Every Stake (1941)
Best Short from The Three Stooges
"An Ache in Every Stake" is from 1941 and runs 18 minutes. Starring Moe, Larry, and Curly as Ice Men, Cooks, and Waiters, this delightful romp features 56 year old Vernon Dent as Poindexter Lawrence, Bess Flowers as Mrs Lawrence, Gino Currado as the Cook, Bud Jamison as the Baker, Blanche Payson as the Maid, and Wilson Benge as the Butler. Located in the Silverlake district of Los Angeles, the steps we see The Stooges trying to traverse are located between 2257 and 2258 Fairoak View Terrace, whereas, The Music Box, the first film to win the Academy Award for Best Comedy Short in 1932, was located between 923 and 937 Vendome Street, at the intersection of Vendome and Del Monte Street in the Silverlake area of LA. I won't give away the ending, but if you're a Fan of the Three Stooges, you certainly deserve to watch this classic masterpiece!
Plan 9 from Outer Space (1957)
So Bad It's Good
Plan 9 is amazingly Bad. It ranks Number 1 as far as bad Movies go. Released in 1958, Plan 9 is Ed Wood's "Cinematic Masterpiece" and is considered one of the worst movies ever made. Alien invaders use their dreaded "Plan 9" to re-animate Dead Earthlings. They wreak havoc and unleash a host of things Bizarre, Macabre, Horrific, and just plain Horrible. Using footage of a Bela Lugosi he was unable to finish (due to Lugosi's untimely death). Ed Wood proved he would and could make a Film under any circumstances. Hubcaps on wires doubling for Flying Saucers, stumbling bumbling living Dead, Concrete visible beneath Fake Grass, and mattresses visible for Actors to fall on are just a few of the unbelievable gaffes and goofs you will see in the pitiful excuse for a Motion Pictures.
8th Man (1965)
Tobor the 8th Man & Friends Volume One
I recall watching Tobor the 8th Man: I recall the lyrics to it's Show:
There's a prehistoric monster
That came from Outer Space,
Created by the Martians to destroy the Human Race, The FBI is helpless.
It's twenty stories tall,
What can we do?
Who can we call?
Call Tobor the 8th Man!
Call Tobor the 8th Man!
Faster than a Rocket!
Quicker than a Jet!
He's the Mighty Robot!
He's the One to Get!
Call Tobor, The 8th Man!
Quick, Call Tobor, the Mightiest Robot in the Land!
Tobor was a manga and superhero anime created in 1963 by science fiction writer Kazumasa Hirai and manga artist Jiro Kuwata.
8 Man is considered Japan's earliest cyborg superhero, pre-dating Kamen Rider.
The manga was published in Weekly Shonen Magazine and ran from 1963 to 1966. The anime series was produced by Eiken in association with TCJ Animation Center. It was broadcast on Tokyo Broadcasting System and ran from November 17, 1963, to December 31, 1964, with a total of 56 episodes, as well as a "farewell" special episode, "Goodbye, 8 Man".
Detective Yokoda is murdered by criminals and his body is retrieved by Professor Tani. Tani takes the body to his laboratory where he attempts to transfer Yokoda's life force into an android body, an experiment that has already failed seven times. Yokoda is reborn as the armour-skinned android 8 Man and is able to dash at impossible speeds as well as shape-shift into other people. He takes on his former body, this time taking on the name "Hachiro Azuma." He keeps this identity a secret, known only to Tani and his police boss, Chief Tanaka. Even his girlfriend Sachiko and his friend Ichiro are not aware that he is an android. As 8-Man, Hachiro fights crime-eventually avenging his own murder. To rejuvenate his powers, he smokes "energy" cigarettes that he carries in a case on his belt.
Perry Mason: The Case of the Silenced Singer (1990)
Silenced Killer gets the Innocent Accused
Perry and Ken, with the (somewhat appearance of) Della Street and Tim Reid investigate a nefarious Mr. Dillon and it is presumed that Mr. Marvin Sussman is somehow involved. Perry asks if Jack Barnett is somehow involved and he is hesitant to answer. Vanessa is surprised that a Creep has entered her Apartment. The Creep, Harry, accuses Vanessa of trying to Blackmail him. Perry goes to trial to defend Tim Reid of murders. Harry accuses Cathy, but in the end, Miss Peters states that "She cheated and lied, but still she still is my friend!" Melansky gets into a fight with the Creep. Perry goes to trial and eventually is able to free Tim Reid! A very good episode with Perry clearing Tim Reid of the murders.
The Three Stooges (2012)
A Hearty Nyuk Nyuk Nyuk for All Stooge Fans and Lovers of Slapstick
First time I've written a review here, but the bottom line IMHO is that if you are a Stooge fan you will NOT be disappointed. The work that went into making you feel you were watching the boys cast into modern times was exceptional, and kudos to the three actors who were cast in the role of our favorite knuckleheads--they embodied the Stooges better than I felt could have been done.
A warning though--if you don't like slapstick; Chaplin, Laurel & Hardy, Buster Keaton, and the like, you won't like this movie. (Although interestingly, I attended the show with someone who isn't much into slapstick, who laughed nearly as much as the rest of the audience.
And as for purists, Curly is taller than the rest of the Stooges, Moe is thinner than the original, and we don't get to hear Larry do some of his fancy violin work.
If you're a parent that thinks that it will be too violent for your children, consider this: if your children understand that the antics seen in cartoons such as Bugs Bunny, Tom and Jerry, Droopy, and such are just pretend, simply explain to them that this is a cartoon where the ones on the screen are humans, and that everything is pretend and no one really does the slapstick stunts in real life. In fact, the disclaimer at the end says it better than I can--add rubberized objects and sound effects (which really make the stunts come off so well) and they will realize that all is pretend and will love it.
I and Stoogedom owe the sound effects people, stunt men and women, the actors, and especially the brothers who put this movie together, a warm debt of gratitude.
P.S. Thanks to the aforementioned for not even considering adding a "Besser" to the film, but please make another--whatever negative reviews you get are from ones who, well, just don't get it.
Inception (2010)
For Parents--It's Rated PG-13 for a Reason
For parents who are looking for a thought provoking movie where you're getting you money's worth, DON'T bring pre-teens.
The movie is very well acted by all, especially notable was Joseph Gordon-Levitt's performance who, at one of the most critical points in the movie, is able to think clearly, improvise, and is the only one aware (as far as I could make out of it) that his actions/inactions will save the day for the mission and his comrades.
With that caveat, let me say that this is a movie that I found thoroughly captivating, and at nearly 2 1/2 hours long, could have had some careful editing to shorten the length of a few scenes but very few.
I could have missed it, but didn't notice any Eff-bombs, and the violence is reserved for the dream sequences (which make up probably 95% of the flick) and like most dreams there are elements (even violent) that don't seem to make any sense even for pacifists or ones who consider themselves very moral.
On the morality point, there are many lessons here for all, and it is clearly evident to those in the film, from trust to regret to redemption.
Unless your child is very intelligent, leave them at home and promise to take them to "Despicable Me" or something else they'll understand.
If you choose to forgo the above, do yourself and the audience in the theater a favor--bring duct tape, and be prepared to use it.
If you don't, after the first dozen "What's happening," "Is it real," "I don't understand," etc, your theater neighbors will no doubt be more than willing to escort the kids, and you, to the nearest exit.
This is a complex, thinking person's movie. It's not a DVD that you can pause and take however long (if even possible) to try to help your kids to understand.
That doesn't mean that the totality of the movie is impossible to understand for an adult, and there is just enough, left to your own imagination, that you can interpret parts, the ending, or the entire movie in alternate ways.
This is not to infer that you'll be throwing your money away going to see the movie--far from it, it's the type of thought provoking movie that will have you re-running in your own mind, and/or discussing it with others for some time.
But save yourself some money if you have the kind of wonderful, loving, normal pre-teens that most of us do--and this isn't a challenge for those who are convinced that their kids are the exceptional few who will understand what's going on without having to play 20,000 questions during the first 15 minutes.
You've been warned, and your fellow theater-goers WILL be bringing their own duct tape for the ?-askers.
No Time for Sergeants (1958)
Viewers from 8 to 88 will enjoy this from start to finish
(No intentional spoilers) From start till finish each main actor portrays a character that really becomes a character that is fun to watch and memorable in their performance. For example, the naiveté, 'backwardness', and optimism of Andy Griffith's Will Stockdale is refreshing and sets the tone for good object lessons throughout the film. From the tender feelings expressed for an aged parent, to taking a bullied stranger under his wing and looking out for him, to misconstruing a punishment for a promotion and then doing it better than had ever been done, to the unreserved loyalty for his superior officer and fellow recruits, this is a movie with a heart and the ability to prompt enough belly laughs to keep your sides in enough stitches that you will no doubt savor it for some time. It's rather a sad commentary that so-called comedies today can't hold a candle to a movie made over 50 years ago with no cursing, nudity, questionable moral themes, and humor all ages can laugh at, but maybe that's what some call progress. And it's finally out on DVD!