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Agatha Christie: Poirot "Cat Among the Pigeons" (2008)
[David Suchet, Harriet Walter, Susan Wooldridge]
A great version of one of Christie's Poirot stories, about an all-girls school in England that is suddenly awash in international mystery and murder. Who among the teachers and staff is a killer?
Poirot helps a friend, the headmistress of an elite girls' school, by staying on to help her decide who is best to run the place when she retires. Soon, a murder is committed and Poirot has to put his great mind and awesome observational skills to use to bring the killer to justice.
Suchet is so wonderful as Poirot, bringing the character to life perfectly for twenty years now!
Highly recommended!
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The Bride Wore Black [La mariée était en noir] (1968)
[Jeanne Moreau, Claude Rich, Charles Denner]
Directed by Francois Truffaut, this is a film which many consider to be Truffaut's homage to Alfred Hitchcock and his style of film making.
A mysterious woman is visiting men and murdering them. We soon learn her reason for the mission she is on, and the reason she has chosen these certain men.
A great movie about revenge and the lengths some people will go to when they feel they have nothing to lose.
Wonderful film with an engaging plot, you are eager to see how it will all end. This is a French film with English subtitles. If that is no problem for you, this is highly recommended!
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Lakeview Terrace (2008)
[Samuel L. Jackson, Patrick Wilson, Kerry Washington]
My wife chose this film, as she isn't a fan of horror but she does like a good thriller now and then.
Unfortunately, and my wife agrees, this wasn't really that thrilling. More like boring.
A young couple moves into a new house in a cul-de-sac and immediately end up on the wrong side of their next-door neighbor's friendship.
What could have been a tense, nail-biting thriller was just drawn out, boring and blah.
If you are looking for a good thriller, look elsewhere.
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Public Enemies (2009)
[Johnny Depp, Christian Bale, Marion Cotillard, Jason Clarke, Billy Crudup]
My daughter (a big Depp fan) was super-excited to see this movie (read her review here), so I saw it with her this past weekend, and my wife and younger son saw "Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs".
The movie was good, with great acting from the leads and the supporting players. The period costumes, sets and scenes were great, too.
Depp is good playing John Dillinger, and Bale is great as Melvin Purvis. I also really liked Crudup as J. Edgar Hoover. Jason Clarke is really good as Dillinger's best bud, Red, and Cotillard is sweet as the innocent girl turned mobster's moll.
However, I feel the film was too long and that made it drag too much. Some stuff could have been cut for a shorter run time. Heck, even 2 hours would have been better than the 2 hours and 20 minutes it runs.
And there is one other issue I have with the film, in a scene towards the end. Won't say more about it, but if you have seen it, I would like to know your take on it.
Recommended, if you have time to spare.
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What I read, write, watch, listen to or do between hot cups of the good stuff.
Excellent concise reviews.
ReplyDelete"Cat Among the Pigeons" was shown on TV in the UK, it really was a lovely "Poirot" adventure, wasn't it? I cannot remember, was the crackpot novelist woman in that episode? She's one of my favorite characters, she pops up from time to time. And I concur - Lakeview Terrace is just awkward, not thriller-if-ic.
ReplyDelete- Zac
I liked Ice Age but I fear the youngest in the family is getting too old for these type of movies.
ReplyDeletegreat reviews. have yet to see any of them so they become fodder for the movie queue. really want to see public enemies...have heard a mix of reviews, so we will see. happy monday to you!
ReplyDeleteAlways did like Suchet as Poirot. Didn't know the series as still around. Nice!
ReplyDeleteAwesome! Love reading about new movies (and I often recommend them in my blog). Can't wait to see them.
ReplyDeletePublic Enemies is over 2 hours because it's a Michael Mann movie. i forgot his stuff always pushes the 2 and 1/2 hour mark. usually they're pretty great though and i think i'll check it out this weekend.
ReplyDeletefrom the commercials on TV you'd never know Bale was even in it.
I LOVED ITTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3
ReplyDeleteAh you're never too old for Ice age . .as for Depp and Bale in a movie together,why that's a girl's dream!
ReplyDelete