Thursday Movie Picks: Place in Title
1) Gangs of New York
I go back and forth deciding whether or not this is my favorite Daniel Day-Lewis performance or if I like him better in There Will Be Blood. This is a brilliant film and I feel like I notice something new about it every time I watch.
2) Detroit Rock City
This is one of my favorite teen movies. Four friends road trip on there way to see a KISS concert. It's so ridiculous. I haven't seen it in years so no idea if it holds up but I watched this a lot when I was a teenager. Lord have mercy.
3) Fargo
Surprise! No one actually sounds like this in Fargo and this film should've been called Brainerd. (Not as catchy) This was a movie I had to appreciate with age. When I first saw it when I was a teenager, I hated it. Watching it again as an adult with a new view on movies was pretty eye opening and I enjoyed this film far more the second time.
I'm absolutely kicking myself for not thinking of Fargo, what a brilliant movie.
ReplyDeleteIt is! That happens to me all the time though. Miss the obvious pick, then kick myself later lol
DeleteFargo is brilliant...I love the odd humour and I almost went with Gangs of New York since I saw part of it the other day on TV...Love Daniel Day Lewis although Cameron Diaz would lose her accent here and there. I never saw Detroit movie and not sure I will
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure if Detroit Rock City is for many people, including myself now that I'm older. lol
DeleteI still haven't seen Gangs of New York lol every time I want to see it, the length puts me off.
ReplyDeleteFargo is brilliant!
It's a long one but the pacing is pretty good. It doesn't feel like it takes forever to finish.
DeleteI like your little theme within the theme!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed Fargo so much for the performances but saying I loved it would be going too far. While Frances McDormand's reaction and line reading to it is hilarious the wood chipper scene was a bit much for me.
DDL is brilliant in Gangs of New York, but then that's a given-though I have to admit I hated Phantom Thread & There Will Be Blood. My favorite of his performances is The Last of the Mohicans-I know it's not as deep nor as complex a part as many of his others but he does so much with it. Anyway Gangs is a decent film that would have been better without DiCaprio and especially Diaz neither of whom felt right in the period and certainly didn't rise performance wise anywhere near DDL.
Detroit City Rock was pretty flyaway. I didn't hate it but that one view was plenty.
I also did a theme within the theme. I was amazed how many films there were with my title city in them, at least a half dozen more beside the three I chose.
Shanghai Express (1932)- In Peking, China, during a civil war, British Capt. Donald Harvey (Clive Brook) meets his old flame Magdalen (Marlene Dietrich) and learns with dismay that she has become a prostitute known as Shanghai Lily. Both are traveling to Shanghai via train, and while they grow reacquainted, they remain unaware that they are traveling with spy and rebel army leader Henry Chang (Warner Oland). On Chang's orders, his forces attack the train, terrorize the passengers and hold Donald hostage. Full of atmospheric cinematography and amazing costumes with both Dietrich and Anna May Wong extraordinary.
The Shanghai Gesture (1941)-Weird hothouse drama about gambling house/brothel boss Mother Gin Sling (Ona Munson)-originally Mother Goddamn in the stage play this was based on-who out of spite degrades her British ex-lover's (Walter Huston) daughter (Gene Tierney). Last completed American film of famously difficult and exorbitant director Erich Von Stroheim.
The Shanghai Story (1954)-When a police raid in search of a Communist spy strands all westerners within a hotel in post-WW2 Shanghai disillusioned American Dr. Dan Maynard (Edmond O'Brien) initially clashes the Tangier-born Rita King (Ruth Roman). But they are drawn together as Rita attempts to use her connection to new police chief, Colonel Zorek (Marvin Miller) to outwit their interrogators and armed guards to help their group flee to safety. Standard adventure is boosted by the strength of the performances of its two lead performers.
I haven't seen any of your picks, but I would love to visit Shanghai one day. lol
DeleteI've seen all 3 of these films and I liked them all. Especially Detroit Rock City despite my current disdain for KISS (well, half of the band).
ReplyDeleteKISS is kind of a mess now lol
DeleteYeah, it's because Gene Simmons wants to suck out every dollar from every sheep he can get while Paul Stanley is just using the money to keep himself young to hide from the fact that he's gay.
DeleteOur Best of album went platinum last month.
ReplyDeleteHow to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World was awesome
ReplyDelete💜💙
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I like Fargo, I just can't remember it as well now. Time for a rewatch.
ReplyDeleteHaven't seen your other two picks.
Gangs of New York is classic. I definitely recommend that.
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