Razor's Edge (1946)

Next to Casablanca, Razor's Edge is my second most favorite movie. I especially like this original movie with Tyrone Power (Larry Darrell) and Gene Tierney (Isabel Bradley). Gene Tierney is also my second most favorite actress.  Ingrid Bergman is my favorite.

For those who have not seen this movie I will tell you that it comes from the W. Somerset Maugham novel of the same name. Actually, he wrote himself into the story and provides a link between the many characters in the story. Even though this story takes place after the first world war, the issues covered by Maugham are exactly the same as we have today. Larry Darrell is rich and does not know what he wants to do with his life. He could get a job on Wall Street and make big money but he decides to go to Paris and then to India find out what he wants to do with his life. Isabel Bradley is initially his fiance who wants him to settle with her so they can live, the so called, good life with a big house and children. Obviously this relationship was doomed. See this movie or the 1984 version with Bill Murray and Theresa Russell.

Hanna

Hanna is the story of a young lady who was brought up by her father in the woods away from humanity. Her entire life was devoted to living in the world without modern amenities and to become a perfect assassin. Hanna is played by Saoirse Ronan. She does a great job, and was a perfect actress for this part. The story follows her adventure to stay alive as she leaves the forest on a mission where she uncovers who she really is. I highly recommend this action, adventure drama.

Bad Teacher

Last night I saw the entertaining Cameron Diaz movie Bad Teacher. It is not a great movie, but it is perfect entertainment for a Friday night. You will laugh throughout the movie even if you are not a teacher, but if you have ever taught you will see the full-range of strange people who are attracted to the profession. I include myself in that crowd.

Conviction

I had not heard of this movie, but I am glad that I recorded it from HBO. This movie tells the story of a lady, Betty Anne Waters, who goes to law school in middle age to become an attorney so that she can get her brother out of jail who was falsely imprisoned for murder. Conviction is based on a true story and they show the real Betty Anne Waters and her brother, briefly, after the credits. The movie is well done and documents her trials and tribulations of first getting her law degree and then going against the system after she gets DNA evidence that her brother was innocent. This is a good flick.

In a Better World

All of you know my age so the following is a definitive statement. In a Better World is just about the best movie that I have ever seen. This is a Danish movie that won both the 2010 Golden Globe Award and the Academy Award for Best Foreign picture. While this movie has some English it is mainly in Danish subtitiled in English. It revolves around a Swedish doctor, Anton, who works in a camp in some African refugee camp but returns regularly to his home in Denmark. Anton has a son, Elias, who befriends a new student, Christian, at his school. The movie focuses on the friendship between Elias and Christian and the ethical problems of their actions. This is compounded by the fact that Elias' parents are separated, and Christian's mother had just died. See this movie and you will see why I think it is one of the best that I have ever seen.

X-Men: First Class (2011)

This is a prequel to the previous X-Men movies. I liked it and it well done in exactly the same style of the others. You see most of your favorite X-Men/Ladies in their youth, dealing with their emerging supernatural powers.  The focus is on how Magneto becomes Magneto and Charles Xavier becomes Charles Xavier and how they end up on the opposite sides of the mutants' society. Check this one out. It is lots of fun. One note that is interesting--they are in the class of 1962, my high school graduating class. However, we did not turn into mutants. We turned into hippies!

Casablanca (1942)

I do not know how many times I have seen this iconic film, probably over 10 times. Nonetheless, I enjoy it more each time I see it. The acting is superb, the story is classic, and the videography is perfect. Looking at Ingred Berman, Ilsa, I am struck by her absolute beauty which requires no augmentation to her body. Being a quote person, here are some of my favorites:

Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine.

Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

Round up the usual suspects.

Play it, Sam. Play As Time Goes By.

We'll always have Paris. We didn't have it before...we'd...we'd lost it until you came to Casablanca. We got it back last night.

And you never will. But I've got a job to do too. Where I'm going, you can't follow. What I've got to do, you can't be any part of. Ilsa, I'm no good at being noble, but it doesn't take much to see that the problems of three little people don't amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world. Someday you'll understand that. Here's looking at you, kid.

Battle Cry (1955)

Again I enjoy these old movies more than the big-budget movies of today. I saw this movie decades ago and remember that I enjoyed it. Battle Cry comes from Leon Uris' novel of the same name. It follows the lives of young marines who depart from Baltimore and are transported to San Diego for boot camp and training. This is not really a war movie even though it has some war scenes near the end. It is about the life and loves of these men and their leaders. It has a great cast with Aldo Ray, Van Heflin, James Whitmore, Raymond Massey, Mona Freeman, Nancy Olson, Fess Parker . . .

Mildred Pierce

Wow, what a good movie. Actually, Mildred Pierce is a 5-hour HBO miniseries. It follows the life of Kate Winslet (Mildred Pierce), who is a divorced mother bringing up two girls in Glendale, CA during the depression and recovery. This is a solid drama with ups and downs, but most importantly very fine acting. I wish more drama like this could be seen instead of the plethora of ridiculous comedy shows on TV and in the movies. I was also impressed with the acting of Melissa Leo (of Homicide, Life on the Street fame). This is definitely one that you should put on your list to see.

A Summer in Genoa

This was a movie that I watched on my trip to LV. I really liked this drama in which a father (Colin Firth) tries to hold his family of two daughters together after the death of his wife who lost her life in a traffic accident caused by the younger daughter. While being a really well-done movie (albeit a sad and tragic movie) it is beautifully done with Genoa in the background.