Tombstone (1993, dir. George P. Cosmatos)

Tombstone (1993, dir. George P. Cosmatos)

What Is It?: A straightforward retelling of the tale of the Earp brothers, starring a startlingly thin Kurt Russell as Wyatt.

What About It?: The reason for watching this sometimes fun, sometimes lugubrious actioner is Val Kilmer hamming it up as drunken TB sufferer Doc Holliday. Dennis Quaid was supposed to take home the gold for starving himself in the competing OK Corral film, Lawrence Kasdan's epic Wyatt Earp, but Kilmer pitched his performance perfectly for this pop flick - he got to be the likable inveterate gambler/drunk, the superhuman shot/draw and the perfectly loyal friend -- and stole Quaid's thunder entirely (though that was indeed an admirable take on the character). Kilmer's a curious case: he was on the rise for so long, it seemed like almost an afterthought that he hit the top -- and quickly slid from that place. Was it The Saint (an unbeliveably bad, but really interestingly so movie. Almost dadaist in its opacity)?

Why Should I See It?: For Val, really, though the movie is fun enough. And speaking of disappearing acts featured in this, whatever happened to Michael Biehn?

What Else Is It Like?: Hour of the Gun, Geronimo: An American Legend, My Darling Clementine.

When Is It Playing Until ON DEMAND?: 2/15/07

Watch It ON DEMAND On Comcast Cable.

-- ddt/pdx

Silverado (1985, dir. Lawrence Kasdan)

Silverado (1985, dir. Lawrence Kasdan)

What Is It?: Kasdan's attempt to revitalize the Super-Western in the wake of his ginormo success with The Big Chill.

What About It?: It's a too-big-for-its-britches rollicking fun 80's action film, typified by its overlong running time and its three subplots (and villains) too many. That said, Kasdan clearly wants you to have a good time, and it's hard to begrudge him that. And, it's easy to forget just how darned appealing Kevin Kline was in his prime. He had this impeccable easy charm that few have replicated since. Of course he's about as 19th century as a microwave, but who cares?

Why Should I See It?: If you want to rock out to some excellent gun battles, a pre-Lethal Weapon Danny Glover and a pre-everything Kevin Costner hamming it up as the wild youth, you're in luck. Easy to spend time with, even if it asks for a bit too many minutes.

What Else Is It Like?: Lonesome Dove, Open Range, The Magnificent Seven.

When Is It Playing Until ON DEMAND?: 2/14/07

Watch It ON DEMAND On Comcast Cable.

-- ddt/pdx

What's New This Week (That's Worth Watching to One Degree or Another)?: After Dark, My Sweet, In the Heat of the Night, Lilies of the Field, Love Object, The Bride, Mandela, Mississippi Burning, Random Hearts, Remains of the Day, Stargate, The Kiss, They Call Me MISTER Tibbs!.

3:10 to Yuma (1957, dir. Delmer Daves)

3:10 to Yuma (1957, dir. Delmer Daves)

What Is It?: A tight, chamber Western about a infamous outlaw (Glenn Ford) and the regular ol' family man (Van Heflin) who guards him until the train -- the 3:10 to Yuma, natch -- comes.

What About It?: A terrific, taut film notable for the fantastic camera work and the excellent interplay between Heflin and Ford. Ford, in particular, is great in a seething, charming sexual performance. Shot by the great Charles "Bud" Lawton Jr. -- he also lensed Lost Classic fave The Tall T in the same year -- the opening crane is stunning and the bar scene, where Ford and his gang celebrate and challenge the town, is taught in film classes the world over, surely.

Why Should I See It?: For lovers of all Westerns, in particular the lean psychological Westerns that the Lost Classic is partial to. Also for those who want to catch a semi-Lost Classic before it's remade with Russell Crowe and Christian Bale in the coming year.

What Else Is It Like?: High Noon, The Shooting, Ride Lonesome.

When Is It Playing Until ON DEMAND?: 2/2/07

Watch It ON DEMAND On Comcast Cable.

-- ddt/pdx

What's New This Week (That's Worth Watching to One Degree or Another)?: Class Action, Hard Bounty, Fiddler on the Roof, John & Yoko's Year of Peace, Men of War, Merry Andrew, Thelma & Louise, Wall Street, Wild Bill, Ali, Get on the Bus.

Night and the City (1992, dir. Irwin Winkler)

Night and the City (1992, dir. Irwin Winkler)

What Is It?: Robert De Nero plays Harry Fabian, an ambulence chasing lawyer-cum-boxing promoter in this remake of the Noir classic by Jules Dassin.

What About It?: Who knows what possessed veteran producer Winkler to try and update Dassin's work, but it's clear why De Nero was drawn to it. The sharply delineated character -- the update was scripted by the redoubtable Richard Price -- is a motormouthed loser -- think Rupert Pupkin without the psychosis. Bobby had lost a lot of weight for Cape Fear, and you can still see it in this film, in his gaunt face, looking the semi-charming nebbish of the part. Jack Warden plays an ex-boxer with such an alarming physicality that we nearly didn't recognize him. Really amazing.

Why Should I See It?: It's really only a must for De Nero fans, though the story pops along at a Noir-lite pace pleasantly enough. Winkler has no idea what he wants to do visually, which is unfortunate -- he finds some fine sets and he works with the actors really well -- the poster above is the most pitched thing about the flick and that's just too bad.

What Else Is It Like?: Kiss of Death, Romeo is Bleeding, The Good Thief.

When Is It Playing Until ON DEMAND?: 2/1/07

Watch It ON DEMAND On Comcast Cable.

-- ddt/pdx

What's New This Week (That's Worth Watching to One Degree or Another)?: The Birds, Blue Sky, Bright Future, Cabin in the Sky, Much Ado About Nothing, On the Beach, Only You, The Survivors.

All The Kings Men (1949, dir. Robert Rossen)

All The Kings Men (1949, dir. Robert Rossen)

What Is It?: The Oscar-winning adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name, loosely based on the Louisiana demagogue Huey Long.

What About It?: Pales in comparison to the brilliant novel by Robert Penn Warren, this is still totally worth watching. The script and direction may be a little clunky, unfortunately treating Warren's work as though the words came from G-d Himself -- to an almost laughable degree. The story is still fascinating and, though the entire enterprise may be sanitzed for Hollywood, it still retains some of the original work's deliciously sharp edge. The performances by Broderick Crawford as Willie Stark (the Long stand-in) and Mercedes McCambridge as the dark queen who is the catalyst for Stark's meteoric rise are more than deserving of your time. Both won Academy Awards for their work here.

Why Should I See It?: Primarily for those two performances, really, but it is definitely worht it just for that. McCambridge's impatience and sexual hunger is stunningly palpable. And Crawford rips into this role as if his life depended on it. He truly gets the desperation and heart of Stark in a way that Sean Penn misses by a country mile in the 2006 adaptation.

What Else Is It Like?: A Face in the Crowd, A Lion is in the Streets, The Great McGinty.

When Is It Playing Until ON DEMAND?: 3/1/07

Watch It ON DEMAND On Comcast Cable.

-- ddt/pdx

What's New This Week (That's Worth Watching to One Degree or Another)?: Afterglow, Author! Author!, Like Water for Chocolate, Mothra, Shoes of a Fisherman, Two Rode Together, The Unholy, Something's Gotta Give.

Rob Roy (1995, dir. Michael Canton-Jones)

Rob Roy (1995, dir. Michael Canton-Jones)

What Is It?: A fine actioner about a Scottish clan leader trying to do his people right and the evil fops that try to do him in.

What About It?: Rob Roy had the misfortune to follow Braveheart in 1995's Scottish-freedom-fighter twin bill, and with Mel's opus taking the gold, Roy flopped and was sadly ignored. It was a shame, too, because of the two, Rob Roy was more narratively satisfying and far less pompous. Liam Neeson has yet another viral, likable turn as the titular hero, wronged by the landed elites from the dreaded England. Jessica Lange plays his headstrong wife and the two of them have real chemistry. Which makes sense, as they are, each of them, easily among the most sensual actors of their generation.

Why Should I See It?: That aside, the trio of baddies are the real reason to see this flick and are played with verve by John Hurt, Brian Cox and, in an Oscar-nominated role, Tim Roth. The roles are all written exceedingly well by TV veteran Alan Sharp, and the three chew up each role for all that they're worth. That the rest of the story is a treat of a throwback to adventure pics of yore is gravy. Big fun, this one is.

What Else Is It Like?: Ivanhoe, Gladiator, El Cid.

When Is It Playing Until ON DEMAND?: 2/28/07

Watch It ON DEMAND On Comcast Cable.

-- ddt/pdx

What's New This Week (That's Worth Watching to One Degree or Another)?: Breaking Dawn, Guns of Navarone, Heaven's Gate, Raging Bull, Tommy, 20 Million Miles to Earth.

Only Angels Have Wings (1939, dir. Howard Hawks)

Only Angels Have Wings (1939, dir. Howard Hawks)

What Is It?: An exotic action/drama, with Hawks in fine man's-man mode, featuring another excellent dramatic turn from Cary Grant.

What About It?: Set in the Peruvian jungle, at the base of the Andes, Grant runs a mail service airline delivering -- in a journey fraught with peril -- over the mountain range. To get over the jagged peaks, the airline's antiquated planes must fly through a notch in the range as their engines aren't strong enough to go over the top. The actors, however, have plenty enough power to play their parts to the hilt. Grant is an excellent, macho Hawks hero, Jean Arthur is sassy and appealing as always, and Rita Hayworth stops all looking their tracks in her A-list movie debut. Thomas Mitchell, a Lost Classic favorite, has a great turn in a year that was filled with great films for him: Stagecoach, Gone With the Wind and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.

Why Should I See It?: For a rip-roaring, old fashioned action adventure with snappy dialogue spoken by those who were born to banter (see above). To be sure there's some hokum in here, but it's really easy to overlook when you see all that you're getting for your time. Heartily recommended, this is yet another true Lost Classic.

What Else Is It Like?: Rio Bravo, Flight From Glory, Sorcerer.

When Is It Playing Until ON DEMAND?: 2/2/07

Watch It ON DEMAND On Comcast Cable.

-- ddt/pdx

What's New This Week (That's Worth Watching to One Degree or Another)?: A Few Dollars More, Bound for Glory, A Fistful of Dollars, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, Hang 'Em High, Last Action Hero, Rob Roy, Run Lola Run, Yentl.

... And Justice for All (1979, dir. Norman Jewison)

... And Justice for All (1979, dir. Norman Jewison)

What Is It?: A satirical black comedy about the justice system starring a young and charismatic Al Pacino.

What About It?: This brisk, somewhat facile comedy contains what is generally thought of as Pacino's last great 70's performance, from that string of greats including Dog Day Afternoon, Serpico and the first two Godfather films. And Pacino certainly doesn't disappoint in this movie. In fact, not only is he powerful and engaging as ever, he's also surprisingly attractive in this – he's been such a creepy skull-head for so long, it can be hard to remember how good looking he once was. That said, the movie is good, but parts of it make for somewhat of a mixed bag. It's more dated than many of its era – the jazz-funk Dave Grusin score in particular stands out badly – and the script is about as subtle as a ball peen hammer. That said...

Why Should I See It?: It's really funny. Jewison's direction of the actors is uniformly excellent, drawing fine work from Jack Warden and a young Jeffery Tambor, among others. Also, its interesting to note while watching it that the film served as a template for many of the satirical legal television shows that followed it. From “L.A. Law” to “Ally McBeal” to “Boston Legal”, all owe a huge debt to Jewison's film.

What Else Is It Like?: True Believer, Absence of Malice, Network.

When Is It Playing Until ON DEMAND?: 2/22/07

Watch It ON DEMAND On Comcast Cable.

-- ddt/pdx

Broadcast News (1987, dir. James L. Brooks)

Broadcast News (1987, dir. James L. Brooks)

What Is It?: A "backstage" romantic comedy, centering on a trio of (late) thirtysomething urban professionals working at a network evening news program.

What About It?: Broadcast News is a funny, melodramatic, romantic comedy that's a pleasant, well-crafted throwback to earlier media-bound examples of the genre (see below). James L. Brooks owes an obvious debt to both Billy Wilder and Howard Hawks in his films -- tightly scripted (some might say "airless"), with strong female characters and highly choreographed pratfalls. The film is no different: the dialog and scripting are a deft as they come, Holly Hunter (and, really, all of the female cast members) is powerful and complicated and, among other scenes, Joan Cusack does this delightful run to get a late tape on air.

Why Should I See It?: This is a high mark for romantic comedies in general, in addition to being somewhat of a touchstone 80's film. Something about Brooks' handling of the details makes this an indelible reminder of the time, much like Annie Hall is for the late 70's. Albert Brooks does is at what is easily his most likable character (Finding Nemo notwithstanding), stealing his scenes with genius line readings, Holly Hunter shot to prominence following this role and William Hurt is good ol' mildly charismatic William Hurt. This also improves upon repeat viewings and is worth checking out again, if you haven't seen it in a while.

What Else Is It Like?: His Girl Friday (and all the various permutations of The Front Page), Tootsie, Ace in the Hole.

When Is It Playing Until ON DEMAND?: 2/22/07

Watch It ON DEMAND On Comcast Cable.

-- ddt/pdx

What's New This Week (That's Worth Watching to One Degree or Another)?: Idle Hands, Species, All the Kings Men (1949), American Yakuza, Boys, FM, The Return of Frank James, Somewhere in Time, Spaceman, Door to Door, Titanic.

The Manchurian Candidate (1962, dir. John Frankenheimer)

The Manchurian Candidate (1962, dir. John Frankenheimer)

What Is It?: The granddaddy of all conspiracy thrillers about political assassinations, brainwashed moles and evil mothers.

What About It?: Hardly "Lost" by any stretch, it was at one time. Relatively successful upon release (largely due to the stand-out performance by Angela Lansbury as the aforementioned evil mother), this largely disappeared from public view following the Kennedy assassination. When the rights fell to Frank Sinatra (also excellent in the picture and friends of the Kennedys) in 1975, he pulled it from the market until its re-release in 1988. Since then, it's taken its place at the head of the conspiracy thriller genre table and there was even an OK remake in 2004, starring Lost Classic fave Denzel Washington.

Why Should I See It?: This is a must-see for all fans of political films and for fans of tightly written, impeccably shot, really tense, well acted thrillers. Frankenheimer was one of the masters of the genre, making Seven Days in May (also exemplary) two years after this, between the two films providing a primer for sweaty faced, freaked out leading men the world over. If you haven't seen the original Manchurian Candidate in a while, or you've only seen the remake, you owe it to yourself to check it out.

What Else Is It Like?: The Parallax View, Winter Kills, Snake Eyes.

When Is It Playing Until ON DEMAND?: 1/31/07

Watch It ON DEMAND On Comcast Cable.

-- ddt/pdx

What's New This Week (That's Worth Watching to One Degree or Another)?: Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh (directed by Dreamgirls Bill Condon), Frankenstein Unbound, His Girl Friday, Music Rising, ALL of the Pink Panther movies (save the recent one with Steve Martin, but including the one with Alan Arkin, the one after Sellers died and the one starring Roberto Benigni). Here they are in order: The Pink Panther, A Shot in the Dark, Inspector Clouseau, Return of the Pink Panther, The Pink Panther Strikes Back, Revenge of the Pink Panther, Trail of the Pink Panther, Curse of the Pink Panther, Son of the Pink Panther.