Tag: movie reviews

Take 3: The Royal Tenenbaums Review

On By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

I’ve mentioned in the past how my favorite character from Freaks and Geeks is Harris Trinsky. To show my gratitude to one of the people responsible for bringing this character to life, Stephen Lea Sheppard (the actor who portrayed Harris), I decided to review one of the projects from Stephen’s filmography on his birthday. When I looked at his official page on IMDB, I discovered Stephen has only one movie on his filmography. That film is 2001’s The Royal Tenenbaums. While I have heard of this movie, I had never seen it before. Stephen’s birthday was the perfect opportunity to, once again, expand my cinematic horizons! Two years ago, I published a list of the Top 10 “Icks” from Hallmark Hall of Fame Movies. In that list, I discuss how Saint Maybe did a better job than Back When We Were Grownups at showcasing a dysfunctional family. When I learned The Royal Tenenbaums revolved around a dysfunctional family, I wondered if the film would remind me more of Back When We Were Grownups or Saint Maybe. Now that I’ve seen the 2001 movie, I can find the answer to that question in this review!

The Royal Tenebaums poster created by Touchstone Pictures, American Empirical Pictures, Scott Rudin Productions, and Vantage Media, and Buena Vista Pictures Distribution

Things I liked about the film:

Dudley’s bluntness as comic relief: In The Royal Tenenbaums, Stephen portrays Dudley Heisenbergen. Throughout the story, Dudley resides with Bill Murray’s character, Raleigh St. Clair, because he is researching Dudley’s medical condition. Though he receives a very limited amount of screen-time, as well as lines within the script, Dudley left a memorable impression on me. That’s because his bluntness was effectively utilized as comic relief. One example is when Raleigh discusses Dudley’s medical condition through a tape recorder. Raleigh addresses how Dudley has Color Blindness, yet marvels at Dudley’s exceptional hearing. In the very next scene, while Dudley is in another room, Dudley asks Raleigh if he is Color Blind, with Raleigh confirming this fact. Why I found this exchange hilarious is how Dudley’s bluntness felt reminiscent of Stephen’s portrayal of Harris on Freaks and Geeks, as Harris’ brutal honesty sometimes led to humorous moments. I wish Dudley’s bluntness was incorporated more in The Royal Tenenbaums.

Use of mixed media: Before watching The Royal Tenenbaums, I knew the movie had an offbeat and quirky presentation. But because I hadn’t seen the movie before, I didn’t give much thought to why it was presented this way. Now that I’ve seen The Royal Tenenbaums, I know what gave the 2001 film its unique identity was the creative team’s use of mixed media. The entire story is told as if the audience is reading a book, complete with parts of the film being separated by “chapters”. If a character wrote a book, a cover of their book was presented on screen to emphasize that character’s progress and/or success. When Richie and his father, Royal, talk about a disastrous tennis match, the tennis match is shown in the movie as a television broadcast, which provided additional context to what Royal and Richie were saying. Details like the ones I described show how The Royal Tenenbaums’ creative team creatively and cleverly told their story!

Brutal honesty about family dysfunction: I brought up in the introduction of this review how Saint Maybe did a better job than Back When We Were Grownups at showcasing a dysfunctional family. This is because there was a very clear reason for the family in Saint Maybe to be dysfunctional, as a death in the family caused a ripple effect which led to the family’s dysfunctionality. The Tenenbaum family’s dysfunctional nature felt reminiscent of the 1998 Hallmark Hall of Fame presentation. But in the case of The Royal Tenenbaums, the Tenenbaum’s dysfunction was caused by a series of little things that culminated over time. A great example is when Margot debuted a play she created on her 11th birthday. When Margot asks her dad, Royal, what he thought of her play, Royal honestly tells his daughter the play didn’t feel believable because it seemed like a child wrote it. Prior to that moment, Margot had been praised as a playwright protégé, so her father’s criticism affected her in the long run. Scenes like the one I described showcase the brutal honesty of what can lead families to become dysfunctional. The acting performances and screenwriting made this dysfunctionality feel realistic.

Birthday party set-up image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/food”>Food photo created by freepik – http://www.freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

What I didn’t like about the film:

Margot and Richie’s romantic attraction for each other: As the story of The Royal Tenenbaums carries on, the script reveals Margot and Richie have developed romantic feelings for each other. These feelings come years after Richie and Margot grew up together as brother and sister. However, Margot was adopted into the Tenenbaum family, so she and Richie are only related by familial connection. But despite this fact, Margot and Richie’s romantic attraction creates an awkwardness that can’t be overlooked. Plus, this attraction has little bearing over the plot. It would have made more sense if Richie and Margot’s subplot had instead revolved around helping their friend, Eli, overcome his addiction, especially since Eli grew up infatuated with the Tenenbaum family.

Endings wrapping up too neatly: Earlier in this review, I talked about the brutal honesty about family dysfunction in The Royal Tenenbaums. The script’s brutal honesty brought a sense of realism to the family dysfunction, even addressing issues family dysfunction can cause, like addiction and self-harm. But by the end of the movie, all of the stories are wrapped up in neat little packages, giving the characters a semblance of a “happily ever after”. It seems like The Royal Tenenbaums’ creative team wanted to have their cake and eat it too. What I mean by this is they didn’t want to sugarcoat family dysfunction, yet, at the same time, they wanted to make sure all the characters were ok. One solution to this flaw is showing the characters gradually working through their dysfunction as the story goes on. This way, the “happily ever afters” would have felt more earned and complimentary to the story’s realism.

Dudley’s unclear connection: When I discussed Dudley’s bluntness as comic relief in The Royal Tenenbaums, I brought up how Dudley resides with Bill Murray’s character, Raleigh St. Clair, because he is researching Dudley’s medical condition. But other than this fact, the script never provides a clear explanation how Dudley connects to the other characters. Did Raleigh and Margot adopt Dudley? Does Dudley’s parents allow him to spend time with Raleigh whenever he feels like it? Are Raleigh or Margot Dudley’s legal guardian? This lack of explanation left me confused, especially since the connections between the other characters in The Royal Tenenbaums were made clearer.

Since I’m reviewing The Royal Tenenbaums in honor of Stephen Lea Sheppard’s birthday, I decided to include this photo of Shephen’s character, Dudley, and Bill’s character, Raleigh. Photo created by Touchstone Pictures, American Empirical Pictures, Scott Rudin Productions, Vantage Media, and Buena Vista Pictures Distribution

My overall impression:

The 1998 Hallmark Hall of Fame movie, Saint Maybe, proves stories about family dysfunction can work. What helped Saint Maybe was not only providing a clear reason for the family’s dysfunction, but also showing the family using their dysfunction as motivation to make impactful changes in their lives. Like the 1998 film, The Royal Tenenbaums gives the audience reasons to explain why the titular family is dysfunctional. However, the impactful changes in the Tenenbaum family’s lives don’t happen until toward the end of the film. In my opinion, these changes should have been more gradual throughout the story. What I can appreciate about The Royal Tenenbaums is the brutally honest approach to the subject of family dysfunctionality. A sense of realism was brought to the story because of this creative decision. But as I stated in the introduction of this review, Stephen Lea Sheppard is the reason I sought out The Royal Tenenbaums. His character’s bluntness left a memorable impression on me and even reminded me a bit of Harris Trinsky. So, if you’re reading this, Stephen, I just want to say Happy Birthday and thank you for making Harris Trinsky a sparkling, shooting star in our landscape known as entertainment.

Overall score: 7 out of 10

Have you seen The Royal Tenenbaums? What stories about family dysfunction do you think work in film? Please tell me in the comment section!

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: An Affair to Remember (1957) Review

On By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

January’s theme for Genre Grandeur seems fitting; “Movies That Celebrate a New Year”. When I learned this was the theme of this edition of Genre Grandeur, I was excited because I don’t often receive an opportunity to review New Year’s themed films. As I was looking for a movie to select, I learned the protagonists in 1957’s An Affair to Remember meet on New Year’s Eve. With this piece of information in mind and because An Affair to Remember was recommended by Maddy (from Maddy Loves Her Classic Films) as well as Emily (from The Flapper Dame), I found the perfect time to check out the 1957 picture! Out of all the actresses I’ve talked about on 18 Cinema Lane, Deborah Kerr is the one I’ve discussed the most. As of early 2026, I have reviewed ten of her films, with An Affair to Remember now being the eleventh film. But some of these pictures have been better than others. How will An Affair to Remember stand against the aforementioned ten titles? Check out my review to find out!

An Affair to Remember (1957) poster created by Jerry Wald Productions and Twentieth Century Fox

Things I liked about the film:

The on-screen chemistry: In a movie like An Affair to Remember, where the story heavily revolves around one romantic relationship, it’s important to cast an actor and actress who possess such strong on-screen chemistry. This element of their combined performance will help them sell the believability of their characters’ relationship to the audience. As soon as their characters, Terry and Nickie, first meet in An Affair to Remember, I could immediately sense the strong on-screen chemistry between Deborah Kerr and Cary Grant! The fluidity of their acting abilities allowed them to compliment each other’s performance. Clever, witty banter also worked in their favor because of how it was written and delivered. Because of the combination of acting, screenwriting, and on-screen chemistry, Cary and Deborah helped create a couple that was captivating to watch!

The dialogue: When a film’s screenwriting is good, the dialogue of the characters can sound realistic. But if the screenwriting is thoughtfully and carefully curated, like in An Affair to Remember, the characters are allowed to say what’s on their minds and hearts in eloquent and even profound ways. As Nickie and Terry visit Nickie’s grandmother, Janou, Terry confesses how she’d like to stay in Janou’s garden forever. Janou then responds by telling Terry, “It [the garden] is a good place to sit and remember, but you have still to create your memories”. By Janou saying this to Terry, she is kindly yet artfully encouraging Terry to create her own space of reflection and tranquility. Later in the movie, when Terry and Nickie are creating their plan to reunite in six months, they agree to meet at the Empire State Building. Terry explains how “It’s the nearest thing to heaven we have in New York”. While I’ve always known the Empire State Building held great importance within New York City, I’ve never heard it described the way Terry described it before. Because the dialogue in An Affair to Remember received such quality screenwriting, I was given the opportunity to see an iconic landmark in a completely new way!

Janou’s garden: As I talked about the dialogue in An Affair to Remember, I brought up how Terry wants to stay in Janou’s garden forever. Reflecting on this part of the set design, I can understand why Terry would fall in love with this space! The enclosed garden prominently displays a large tree with green leaves and red flowers. Bright hues of other flowers burst within the garden. A small circular pond greets visitors, with yellow and white flowers floating over the tranquil water. There’s even a connected chapel both Terry and Nickie retreat to. Though Janou’s garden was shown in An Affair to Remember for only a limited number of scenes, it left a memorable impression!

New York City skyline with letters image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/new-york-skyline-typographic-silhouette_719554.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background vector created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

What I didn’t like about the film:

New Year’s Eve’s limited incorporation: I said in the introduction of this review how Terry and Nickie meeting on New Year’s Eve is one of the reasons why I selected An Affair to Remember for this month’s Genre Grandeur. Based on that aforementioned detail, I believed the holiday would play a bigger role in the story. But when I watched the 1957 movie, I discovered New Year’s Eve is actually an afterthought. If it wasn’t for the passengers on the SS Constitution singing “Auld Lang Syne”, I wouldn’t have known Nickie and Terry’s cruise was taking place around New Year’s Eve. Had the SS Constitution’s passengers participated in counting down to midnight or some of the characters talked about their New Year’s resolutions, it would have better established when the story was taking place.

Scenes that feel like padding: IMDB lists An Affair to Remember’s run-time as one hour and fifty-five minutes. However, some scenes feel like they are padding out the story just to satisfy this run-time. The musical number, “The Tiny Scout (He Knows You Inside Out)” easily comes to mind. I recognize this musical number, as well as the musical number, “Tomorrow Land”, were intended to emphasize the direction Terry’s career has taken. But, in my opinion, featuring only one of these musical numbers would have been enough to make this point. If An Affair to Remember’s creative team had cut scenes like “The Tiny Scout (He Knows You Inside Out)” musical number, the film’s run-time would have been trimmed down.

A drawn-out story: Like I just mentioned in this review, an hour and fifty-five minutes is the run-time for An Affair to Remember. This run-time seemed to give the film’s creative team an excuse to draw their story out. The first half of the movie builds up to the affair of Nickie and Terry. Their affair doesn’t come to fruition until the movie’s halfway point. The second half of the movie chronicles how Terry’s and Nickie’s life turned out after their cruise. Personally, I don’t think the affair’s build-up needed to last half the film. With a tighter script, An Affair to Remember not only could have received a short run-time, the story could have also reached its intended points sooner.

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My overall impression:

Based on Deborah Kerr’s movies I’ve seen, the quality of these pictures has fluctuated. While I liked The King and I and The Chalk Garden, I wasn’t a fan of Marriage on the Rocks. But I found An Affair to Remember to be just ok. While the on-screen chemistry between Deborah Kerr and Cary Grant was strong and the dialogue was well-written, I didn’t like how drawn-out the story was. Plus, some scenes felt included simply to pad out the script to satisfy the run-time. However, the most disappointing part of An Affair to Remember was how New Year’s Eve was treated as an afterthought. Before seeing the 1957 picture, I was led to believe the holiday would play a larger role in the story. My first movie selected for 2026’s Genre Grandeur was not the best, but not the worst. Hopefully, this year-long blogathon will introduce me to stronger films.

Overall score: 6.2-6.3 out of 10

Have you seen An Affair to Remember? Which film from Deborah Kerr’s or Cary Grant’s filmography would you like to see me review next? Let me know in the comment section!

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: The Man Who Invented Christmas Review

On By 18cinemalane7 Comments

December’s theme for Genre Grandeur is “Movies about Legends we lost too soon (in any field)”. But since it is December, I wanted to write about a Christmas movie. This is why I selected the 2017 film, The Man Who Invented Christmas, for the blogathon, as it satisfies the best of both worlds. The movie revolves around how Charles Dickens created the iconic story, A Christmas Carol. With Charles living to the age of fifty-eight, one would think he lived a full life. However, there are celebrities who have outlived Charles. A few of them have even lived to the age of one hundred. Therefore, there’s an argument to be made about Charles being a “legend” the world lost too soon. About The Man Who Invented Christmas, it’s a movie I have heard of, but never saw. In fact, I have heard very few people talk about the 2017 film. So, as a Christmas present, here’s my review of The Man Who Invented Christmas!

The Man Who Invented Christmas poster created by The Mazur Kaplan Company, The Mob Film Company, Ingenious Media, Nelly Films, Parallel Films, Rhombus Media, and Bleecker Street Media

Things I liked about the film:

The acting: What can make or break a biopic is the lead performance. Depending on the quality of that performance, it can help the audience determine if the person that actor or actress is portraying is worth learning about. Dan Stevens’ portrayal of Charles Dickens in The Man Who Invented Christmas is, in my opinion, one of the best casting decisions in the history of biopics! Throughout the film, Dan was very expressive. He was even able to convey Charles’ thoughts without using dialogue. A great example happens toward the beginning of the movie. On-screen text reveals the film takes place after three of Charles’ books have been unsuccessful. The very next scene shows Charles in a state of panic. His eyes are wide and filled with fear and stress. A grimace is also present on Charles’ face, emphasizing how he feels under pressure. This one shot of Charles perfectly tells the audience how overwhelmed he is about his next creative choices.

While we’re still on the subject of acting, I want to talk about the interactions in The Man Who Invented Christmas. Charles’ interactions with various people consistently felt realistic. What works in the cast’s favor is the strength of their on-screen chemistry! Despite sharing only a few scenes together, the on-screen chemistry between Dan Stevens and Morfydd Clark (who portrayed Charles’ wife, Kate) allowed Charles and Kate’s relationship to appear as a believable marriage. In one scene, Kate wistfully reflects on all the things she wishes she could do. Throughout their conversation, however, both Kate’s and Charles’ expressions effortlessly adapt to what is being said to each other. Later in the movie, Kate tearfully explains how Charles’ personality has been unpredictable, especially since he started working on A Christmas Carol. As Kate’s explanation goes on, Charles’ frustrated demeanor softens as he realizes how his actions and choices have negatively impacted his wife. Performances like Morfydd’s and Dan’s allowed me to stay invested in the movie!

The humor: According to IMDB, The Man Who Invented Christmas is classified as a comedy. Despite the inconsistency of the comedic elements, they were well-written and executed effectively. When Charles and his friend, John, go to a restaurant, Charles tries to avoid an acquaintance named Thackeray by hiding his face behind a newspaper. As Charles is walking past Thackeray at the restaurant, however, the newspaper’s headline reads ‘Charles Dickens’, informing Thackeray Charles has arrived. Even though the execution of this scene was simple, I found it hilarious!

Charles’ creative process: As I said in my review’s introduction, The Man Who Invented Christmas revolves around how Charles Dickens created the iconic story, A Christmas Carol. Throughout the film, Charles looks for inspiration, (literally) brings characters to life, and uses parts of his past to craft the story. During this process, the audience can glimpse “Easter Eggs” related to Charles’ Christmas tale. From hearing a random passerby in a graveyard say “Bah Humbug” to Charles’ nephew, Henry, walking with a crutch like Tiny Tim, these “Easter Eggs” emphasize the attention to detail and collection of pieces it takes to create stories of any kind. Seeing Charles have conversations with Ebenezer Scrooge illustrates how a good writer should take the time to get to truly know their characters. Even learning about Charles’ past can help the audience (and even readers) understand why Charles is the writer he is. The way Charles’ creative process is incorporated into The Man Who Invented Christmas was creative, informative, and gave the film a memorable identity!

How Charles’ life story was told: Biopics typically present the story of a person’s life in chronological order. This creative decision gives the audience an introduction to that person, especially for those who are not familiar with the person in question. But the way The Man Who Invented Christmas presents Charles’ life story provides a breath of fresh air! The creation of A Christmas Carol is like the trunk of a tree, as the movie itself primarily focuses on that part of Charles’ life. However, the creation of A Christmas Carol provides opportunities to incorporate other parts of Charles’ life, such as his childhood and his relationship with his family. These parts of the script act as branches, connecting back to the tree trunk I referenced earlier. By telling Charles’ life story in this fashion, it gives the genre of biopics a more unique form of storytelling!

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What I didn’t like about the film:

Things that were left unexplained: While Charles is looking for inspiration for A Christmas Carol, he travels to a section of the city known for its poverty. During his time in that section, he spots two children that appear to be kidnapped. Concerned over the children’s wellbeing, Charles chases after their kidnapper in an attempt to rescue the children. But when Charles reaches a graveyard, he quickly abandons his mission. In fact, the kidnapped children aren’t seen or brought up again. Though there were only a few instances like the one I described in The Man Who Invented Christmas, I wish the script had taken the time to explain them.

A hypocritical author: Toward the beginning of The Man Who Invented Christmas, Charles mentions how Christmas is a time when people should be thoughtful of those less fortunate. But this sentiment is forgotten when he considers having Tiny Tim die in A Christmas Carol. Both John and his maid, Tara, insist Ebenezer Scrooge save Tiny Tim, suggesting people can change during Christmastime. Charles sticks with his creative choice until toward the end of the movie, when he chooses the ending A Christmas Carol is known for. Even though it was interesting to think about how different Charles’ iconic story could have been, the stubbornness over Charles’ creative choice made Charles look hypocritical.

Charles’ emotional crossroads: One of the tropes of biopics is the “emotional crossroads”. This is when the person in question reaches an emotional breaking point that will create a domino effect for other choices in their life. In The Man Who Invented Christmas, Charles experiences an “emotional crossroads” related to his father as well as his childhood. His interactions with characters from A Christmas Carol help him address this “emotional crossroads” in order to move forward with his life and his story. I’m not sure which parts of The Man Who Invented Christmas are based on fact or creative liberty. However, the inclusion of the “emotional crossroads” trope kind of felt clichéd, like that trope was incorporated into the movie just because the movie is a biopic.

Merry Christmas banner created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/merry-christmas-decorative-vintage-background_1359013.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background vector created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

My overall impression:

Biopics are not created equally. Even though film is subjective, there has been shared discourse over which biopics are better than others. Though I can only speak for myself, I think The Man Who Invented Christmas is one of the stronger biopics I’ve seen! The way Charles’ life story was told felt like a breath of fresh air. Using A Christmas Carol to connect parts of Charles’ world brought a unique element to the biopic genre. I liked watching Charles’ creative process unfold because it added a creative and memorable identity to the movie. The cast’s strong on-screen chemistry also works in the film’s favor. As I watched The Man Who Invented Christmas, I was reminded of another Christmas movie I reviewed last year; I Heard the Bells. This was a Christmas-related biopic I ended up liking. If you haven’t seen these films, I would actually recommend watching The Man Who Invented Christmas and I Heard the Bells as a double feature. But as I wrap up this review, I would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy Holidays!

Overall score: 8.2 out of 10

Have you seen The Man Who Invented Christmas? Are there any Christmas-related biopics you would recommend? Let me know in the comment section!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Sally Silverscreen

Comparing with the Critics – Best of 1988 – Wings of Desire

On By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

This review is from my series, Comparing with the Critics. If you’d like to learn more about the series, click on the link below.

Introducing my new series, Comparing with the Critics!

Five years ago, I advocated for the release of The Crow: City of Angels’ Tim Pope cut. This version of the movie was not only supposed to be 160-minutes, it was also supposed to tell a different story from its predecessor. The Crow: City of Angels’ intended conflict showed the protagonist, Ashe, choosing between reuniting with his son, Danny, in the afterlife or staying on Earth to form a romantic relationship with Sarah, who appeared in The Crow. When Roger Ebert brought up Wings of Desire in Siskel & Ebert’s Best of 1988 episode, he said the film was “about an angel who wants to be a human because he would rather have real, physical feelings than live forever”. His explanation of Wings of Desire reminded me of The Crow: City of Angels’ intended conflict I described. Since I don’t know if and/or when the Tim Pope cut of The Crow: City of Angels will be released, Wings of Desire will be my unofficial placeholder in terms of storytelling. The other reason why I chose Wings of Desire for my Comparing with the Critics series’ Best of 1988 review is because it was on Roger’s list of the ten best films of 1988, even though both he and Gene Siskel liked it. I approached this film with an open mind because I had never seen or heard of it prior to my series. Now that I have seen Wings of Desire, I think calling it one of the best movies of the year is giving the film a little too much credit.

Wings of Desire poster created by Road Movies Filmproduktion, Argos Films, Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR), Wim Wenders Stiftung, Orion Classics, Basis-Film Verleih, and Filmverlag der Autoren

As I said in the introduction of this review, both Roger and Gene liked Wings of Desire. In an episode of Siskel & Ebert, they gave the film a thumbs-up. Roger commented on how the movie “has a mood to it. It takes the time to establish that mood”. Meanwhile, Gene points out that Wings of Desire “gives more than equal time to the angels’ thoughts”. What Roger and Gene said was achieved through mise-en-scène and music. A great example is when Damiel (portrayed by Bruno Ganz) is at a crossroads over whether he truly wants to become human or remain an angel. The majority of the scene is presented through “shaky cam”, giving the illusion Damiel is quickly turning his head and moving in circles. Sharp, quick violin sounds play over the scene, heightening Damiel’s panic and confusion. Shots of humans crying or looking frightened are interspersed throughout the scene. This creative choice reflects Damiel’s thoughts and feelings. Whenever “shaky cam” is incorporated into a movie, it is usually met with criticism due to how the film-making technique distorts a scene to the point of becoming unwatchable. However, the use of “shaky cam” in Wings of Desire is one of the few times where it works. This is because that creative decision was utilized purposefully to enhance the emotional aspect of the story.

Since there are angels in Wings of Desire, I thought adding this angel picture to my review made sense. Screenshot taken by me, Sally Silverscreen.

Wings of Desire is mostly presented in black-and-white imagery. But there are a handful of scenes shown in color. This creative choice differentiates the perspective between the angels and the humans. Damiel and Cassiel, two angels from the film’s main cast of characters, see the human world in black-and-white, as they are outsiders looking in. The humans’ environment is visually represented in color, showcasing life in 1980s West Berlin. Black-and-white and color imagery’s incorporation into Wings of Desire is purposeful as it addresses concepts like a sense of belonging, unique points of view, and what it means to be a part of a community. Wings of Desire’s creative decision reminded me of Schindler’s List, a black-and-white movie that occasionally utilized color to emphasize certain ideas.

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Another visual aspect of the movie I liked was Marion’s wardrobe. In Wings of Desire, Marion (portrayed by Solveig Dommartin) is a trapeze artist who is afraid her dream may be coming to an end due to the circus’ struggling finances. Her performances give her an excuse to wear gorgeous costumes! When she is first introduced in the story, Marion wears a long-sleeved leotard with an attached skirt. This costume is made up of a beige velour-like material and covered in diamond-esque gems. The shoulders of the costume feature a shiny applique. To give circus attendants the impression Marion is a flying angel, she wears large, white wings while performing in the air. The exquisiteness of Marion’s costumes makes me wish they were shown in color more consistently. I also wish Wings of Desire’s costume designer, Monika Jacobs, was nominated for, at least, one award.

Group of clowns image created by Freepik at freepik.com. Image by Freepik

After a clip of Wings of Desire was presented on Siskel & Ebert, Gene declares “the juiciest part of this picture is how close we get to everyday people, their joys, their heartbreaks”. He also says, “director, Wim Wenders, does a real remarkable thing here; he praises life as it is lived, yet making sense out of life’s confusions to the point where we enjoy being alive in a fresh way”. While I agree with Gene about the realistic portrayal of the humans’ lives, I wish the dialogue had sounded more realistic. Every time a character speaks, they deliver philosophical speeches instead of conversations. This made the characters sound like they were spending more time expressing ideas than putting ideas into action. Though looking back on Wings of Desire, I wonder if that was intended commentary on how people spend less time solving problems and more time talking about them?

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Like I mentioned earlier in my review, Damiel and Cassiel are outsiders looking in on the human world. Despite this, both angels observe, listen, and occasionally intervene in the humans’ lives. That means Wings of Desire’s audience can hear the thoughts of the humans Cassiel and Damiel cross paths with. But because the angels are disconnected from the human world, story ideas are either loosely connected or not connected at all. A man’s parents concerned over his musical ambitions serve as one example, with the concerns themselves brought up but never resolved. There are four main plots within Wings of Desire. However, only three of them were related to each other. Plus, these three plots didn’t connect until toward the end of the movie. Waiting for the bridges of the plots to form felt tedious, in my opinion.

Comparing with the Critics banner created by me, Sally Silverscreen. TV show title cards created by WTTW National Productions, WTTW, Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), Lifetime Television, Tribune Entertainment, Buena Vista Television, and Disney-ABC Domestic Television

In the introduction of this review, I said calling Wings of Desire one of the best movies of the year is giving the film a little too much credit. It’s not a bad movie, I just didn’t like or love it as much as Roger and Gene did. Wings of Desire is a fine, interesting film that kept me invested in what was happening on screen. The movie also has artistic merit due to creative decisions purposefully incorporated into the project. But major flaws lie in the script. I wish dialogue between characters sounded more conversational, as it would have complimented the realistic depiction of life in 1980s West Berlin. Story ideas should have developed stronger connections to one another, especially among the four main plots. Waiting for three of those main plots to connect was, in my opinion, tedious. During their discussion of Wings of Desire on their show, Siskel & Ebert, Gene tells Roger how Wim Wenders “doesn’t sweeten life to the point that it’s false”. Looking back on my experience watching the movie, I can see, and even appreciate, Gene’s point. Wings of Desire captures Germany before the Berlin Wall would eventually fall.  The Wall itself is even featured in a few scenes. Through visuals, text, and even musical selection, the edge of change I addressed in my 1988 introduction of Comparing with the Critics was brought to life on the big screen. The creative team behind Wings of Desire played a small role in history, even if they didn’t know it at that time.

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Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: The Night Before the Night Before Christmas Review + 515 Follower Thank You

On By 18cinemalane1 Comment

With today being Thanksgiving, I wanted to share my thanks to all the followers of 18 Cinema Lane. I am grateful for having a reason to keep writing and sharing my thoughts on film! For this Blog Follower Dedication Review, I decided to select a movie from one of my recommendations. In fact, the film I chose has been on my Pinterest Film Recommendation board for so long, it has been on the very bottom. That movie in question is 2010’s The Night Before the Night Before Christmas! Suggested by a reader named T. Ann, this is a film I actually recall watching before. Though the only clear memory I had of the movie was the teenage daughter being upset over receiving a hamburger phone for Christmas. This isn’t the first time (nor will it be the last time) I revisited a film from Christmas past. One of my more recent movie reviews was The Christmas Choir, a title I had expressed interest in watching again. But in that review, I shared how I didn’t find the film as strong as I had initially believed. What will my thoughts be on The Night Before the Night Before Christmas? Keep reading my review to find out!

The Night Before the Night Before Christmas poster created by Muse Entertainment Enterprises and Hallmark Channel

Things I liked about the film:

The acting: The Night Before the Night Before Christmas is one of those movies where I found it difficult to choose a favorite acting performance. That’s because the cast as a whole was strong! Expressions and emotions appeared genuine. Whether it was Hannah (portrayed by Rebecca Williams) looking forlorn when her younger brother, Toby, runs away or a volunteer named Yolanda (portrayed by Kim Roberts) being surprised when she receives an unexpected donation, the acting performances made watching the story unfold more enjoyable. There were even times when the strength of the acting talents helped characters become more likable. Two great examples are Toby and Nigel. The youngest member of the Fox family, Toby has such a sweet personality. Gage Munroe, the actor who portrayed Toby, does an excellent job showing what’s in his character’s heart through his face. In a scene where Toby and his mom are having a heart-to-heart conversation, Toby’s tear-streaked face and tear-filled eyes present how troubled he’s been over his parents’ decision to prioritize their jobs over their family. Meanwhile, Jordan Prentice’s portrayal of Santa’s head elf, Nigel, was very animated. His liveliness and comedic timing made Nigel one of the most memorable characters I’ve seen in a Hallmark, let alone Christmas, presentation! Out of the films I’ve seen (and reviewed) this year, so far, Jordan’s performance was one of the best.

Emphasis on giving: One of the interconnected conflicts in The Night Before the Night Before Christmas is the disappearance of Santa’s sack of presents. This particular conflict could have produced one of two types of stories; a villain stealing Santa’s sack in order to ruin Christmas or a selfish character taking the sack of presents for themselves. Instead, Santa’s sack of presents is mistaken for donations to those less fortunate. The recipients of the gifts and the volunteers of various non-profits are surprised and even grateful for the “donations” received. This decision in story-telling helps emphasize the movie’s major theme of giving. Toward the beginning of the film, Toby tells Hannah if they want Santa to give them presents, they should consider giving presents to others. What Toby said, as well as the movie itself, frames Santa in a way I hadn’t really thought of before; someone who has a reputation for giving. These two examples show the clever and thoughtful ways the creative team behind The Night Before the Night Before Christmas remind their viewers of an important component of the Christmas season!

How Christmas activities were incorporated: In Hallmark’s more recent Christmas offerings, activities related to the holiday feel like they’re incorporated into the story just for the sake of completing an unspoken checklist. This creative decision contributes to the network’s Christmas projects feeling repetitive. But in The Night Before the Night Before Christmas, whenever a Christmas activity was featured in the movie, it was there to compliment the story itself as well as the themes of the film. Santa losing his memory is the movie’s major conflict. In order to help Santa reclaim his memory, the other characters partake in activities like decorating a Christmas tree and baking cookies. Before the tree is decorated, Hannah and her mom talk about choosing a very tall tree because it looked similar to a tree the family had years prior. The activity of picking out a Christmas tree expresses one of the story’s main themes of sharing and keeping memories. What I selected as the examples for this review show how the creative team behind The Night Before the Night Before Christmas put effort and thought into how the aforementioned activities were included in the script.

Adorable Santa image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/christmas-background-with-funny-santa_1324597.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background vector created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

What I didn’t like about the film:

A drawn-out sense of urgency: As I mentioned earlier in my review, the major conflict in The Night Before the Night Before Christmas is Santa losing his memory. What gives the film a sense of urgency is how Santa must reclaim his memory before Christmas Eve so he can successfully deliver presents. While this conflict was eventually resolved, it ended up being drawn-out. The drawn-out nature of the conflict was caused by the story trying to divide its time between Santa searching for his memory, the whereabouts of his missing sack of presents, and the Fox family learning to reconnect. At one point in the movie, Nigel, as well as the other characters, frantically search for Santa’s sack of presents. The search then becomes interrupted by the characters’ attempts to help Santa get his memory back. These attempts last for about fifteen to twenty minutes, with the characters going back to looking for the sack of presents. This balancing act between the main conflict and subplots stretched out the story’s sense of urgency as well.

Things that don’t make sense: Christmas movies, like any fictional story, require the audience to suspend a certain amount of disbelief. But in The Night Before the Night Before Christmas, a few things didn’t make sense, sometimes requiring more than enough disbelief to be suspended. Like I said earlier in this review, Toby runs away. Santa and Toby’s mom find him riding on a carousel. As Toby’s mom and Santa are about to share a heart-to-heart conversation with Toby, the carousel is still moving. This raises the question of how Santa and Toby’s mom got on the carousel while it was still in motion?

Mrs. Claus’ minimal involvement: At the beginning of The Night Before the Night Before Christmas, Santa shares a heartfelt moment with Mrs. Claus. The on-screen chemistry between R.D. Reid and Marcia Bennett was so sweet and adorable, they effectually sold the idea of the loving relationship between Mrs. Claus and Santa. This aforementioned moment with Santa and Mrs. Claus is one of the few times she appears in the movie, as she is only featured in two scenes within the hour and twenty-eight-minute film. Personally, I found Mrs. Claus’ minimal involvement in the story disappointing. She could have played a larger role in helping Santa regain his memory sooner or locating his sack of presents faster.

Image of Thanksgiving dinner created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background vector created by freepik – http://www.freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

My overall impression:

In the introduction of this review, I said The Night Before the Night Before Christmas was suggested by one of my readers. Looking back on the 2010 picture, I can honestly say I’m glad it was recommended to me! The Night Before the Night Before Christmas is, in my opinion, one of Hallmark’s better films, especially among their collection of “older” titles! The acting alone helped make my movie-viewing experience enjoyable, as every actor and actress gave a solid performance. How Christmas activities were incorporated into the story was a breath of fresh air. They ended up complimenting the story itself and the film’s themes instead of trying to complete an unspoken checklist. The story’s emphasis on giving was woven into the script in clever and thoughtful ways as well. Even though The Night Before the Night Before Christmas has its flaws, it felt like the movie’s creative team got more right than wrong. A film like this one makes me wish Hallmark went back to creating titles that didn’t rely too much on a formula, tropes, and/or cliches.

Overall score: 8 out of 10

Have you seen The Night Before the Night Before Christmas? What “older” Hallmark Christmas movie would you like to check out this Christmas/holiday season? Share your thoughts in the comment section!

Have fun on Thanksgiving!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: The Christmas Choir Review

On By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

November’s theme for Genre Grandeur is “Movies about Music or Musicians”. As I was looking for a potential title to review, I remembered how this is the time of year when I write about Christmas movies. This then led me to recall my list of the top five Hallmark films based on a true story, where I brought up the 2008 movie, The Christmas Choir. Since I expressed interest in revisiting the film, I selected it for this month’s Genre Grandeur! In that aforementioned list, I stated my surprise over how The Christmas Choir isn’t a Hallmark Hall of Fame production. That’s because the story of a choir forming in a homeless shelter seems like perfect material for the Hallmark Hall of Fame collection. Though when it comes to Hallmark Hall of Fame presentations, I have wondered what the criteria is for a story or script to be chosen. While that topic would make a great editorial or list article, that will have to wait for another day. For now, let’s begin this review for 2008’s The Christmas Choir!

The Christmas Choir poster created by Muse Entertainment Enterprises, Towers Pictures, and Hallmark Channel

Things I liked about the film:

The cast’s on-screen chemistry: In my list of the top five Hallmark films based on a true story, I mentioned how the quality of the acting talents in The Christmas Choir allowed the characters to come across as realistic and endearing. To further articulate my point, the on-screen chemistry among the cast helped create interactions that felt believable. One of my favorite examples is when Juan (portrayed by Luis Oliva) sang for the first time. A rule for staying in the choir is to come to practices and performances sober. Hector (portrayed by Roc Lafortune) is not happy about this rule, angrily throwing the sheet music and storming toward the door in a huff. The other members, like Bob and Fred, and even the choir’s director, Peter, plead with Hector to stay. Worry, concern, and even disappointment are reflected on the men’s faces and in their voices. When Juan begins to sing, however, the look of surprise on everyone’s faces appears genuine. This is because, at the homeless shelter, Juan had a reputation for remaining silent. As Juan finds a nearby can and turns it into a makeshift drum, that surprise turns into joy, lifting the men’s spirits and boosting choir morale. Juan’s voice ended up becoming the glue that held The Christmas Choir together!

Incorporating Christmas’ religious elements: I said in my list of the top five Hallmark films based on a true story how it’s been years since I saw The Christmas Choir. Because of that, I had forgotten about Christmas’ religious elements woven into the film. Most of the songs performed by The Christmas Choir are religious. In fact, the only secular Christmas song the choir sings is ‘Deck the Halls’. Sister Agatha will occasionally quote the Bible and bring up Biblical examples when the situation calls for it. Even one of the movie’s overarching themes is serving as Jesus would have. Personally, I liked The Christmas Choir’s incorporation of Christmas’ religious elements because they’re not often found in Hallmark’s Christmas movies. This creative decision also allows The Christmas Choir to form its own unique identity!

The messages and themes: As I just mentioned in this review, one of the overarching themes in The Christmas Choir is serving as Jesus would have. Other themes and messages sprinkled throughout the story perfectly fit the Christmas season as well. When Peter gives a monetary donation to the homeless shelter, Sister Agatha tells him that while money is appreciated, what the homeless shelter really needs is for people to give their time. Sister Agatha’s words inspire Peter to utilize his time (and talents) to form The Christmas Choir. The conversation between Peter and Sister Agatha alone is such a perfect example of how money doesn’t always solve a problem, especially when it comes to being charitable. This overarching theme actually encourages the film’s audience to think outside the box in the season of giving.

Three Wise Men themed wish list paper image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/christmas”>Christmas vector created by freepik – http://www.freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

What I didn’t like about the film:

Too many conflicts: Within my review’s introduction, I brought up how The Christmas Choir is about a choir forming in a homeless shelter. While this is the movie’s main conflict, other conflicts like Peter’s issues with his father and The Christmas Choir competing for a permit are included in the script. As I watched the film, however, it felt like the creative team behind The Christmas Choir tried to squeeze as many conflicts as they could in an hour and thirty-minute timeframe. This choice made the movie overwhelming and the runtime feel longer. Though the 2008 movie is based on a true story, I’m not sure which parts of the script are based on fact or creative liberty. Therefore, the script should have focused on one main conflict with at least two subplots.

Sister Agatha’s inconsistent personality: When Sister Agatha was introduced in The Christmas Choir, she had a friendly personality with a bit of spunkiness. As I mentioned earlier in this review, Sister Agatha occasionally quotes the Bible and brings up Biblical examples when the situation calls for it. But as the story progressed, she became pessimistic and discouraging toward Peter and The Christmas Choir. Sister Agatha eventually returns to her spunky, friendly personality by the end of the film. However, the inconsistency of her personality is a flaw I couldn’t unsee. Rhea Perlman, who portrayed Sister Agatha, did a good job with the acting material provided. This mistake, though, lies with the screenwriter.

Things that don’t make sense: Sometimes, there were things in The Christmas Choir that didn’t make sense. One example happened at Peter’s office building. While at work, Peter’s colleague, Rita, tells Peter there are a group of homeless men singing in the office building’s lobby. Those “homeless men” were The Christmas Choir. Several scenes prior to this impromptu performance, however, Rita saw The Christmas Choir singing on television while at work in the aforementioned office building. Wouldn’t she have recognized The Christmas Choir when they spontaneously showed up in the office building’s lobby?

String of musical notes image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/pentagram-vector_710290.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a> <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background vector created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com. 

My overall impression:

By revisiting The Christmas Choir, I was reminded of the film’s aspects I had forgotten about, like the inclusion of Christmas’ religious elements. This is one aspect of the movie I liked, as religious elements associated with Christmas are not often found in Hallmark’s seasonal presentations. I was also made aware of the flaws I overlooked. This is not a bad movie, but it wasn’t as strong of a picture as I initially believed. The abundance of conflicts in The Christmas Choir’s script made the film overwhelming and the runtime feel longer than an hour and thirty-minutes. There were not only some things in the story that didn’t make sense, Sister Agatha’s personality was also inconsistently written. But as I said in my list of the top five Hallmark films based on a true story, the 2008 picture is one of Hallmark’s more unique Christmas titles. This is due to the movie not following a formula or containing a certain set of Christmas movie tropes and cliches. What works in The Christmas Choir’s favor as well is the on-screen chemistry among the cast and the messages and themes stitched throughout the story. If you’re looking for a Christmas film from Hallmark that stands out within their festive collection, I’d recommend checking out The Christmas Choir.

Overall score: 7 out of 10

Have you seen The Christmas Choir? Are there any “older” Hallmark Christmas movies you’d love to see reviewed on 18 Cinema Lane? Please tell me in the comment section!

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors (1965) Review

On By 18cinemalane9 Comments

I’d like to thank Gill (from Realweegiemidget Reviews) and Barry (from Cinematic Catharsis). If it wasn’t for the hosts of The Hammer-Amicus Blogathon V, I wouldn’t have been introduced to the cinematic world of Hammer-Amicus. Since my introduction in 2021 (when I participated in my first Hammer-Amicus Blogathon), I’ve covered three Hammer-Amicus movies on 18 Cinema Lane; Vampire Circus, The Curse of Frankenstein, and Let Me In. While Vampire Circus was ok and Let Me In was just fine, I found The Curse of Frankenstein underwhelming. Now, with a recommendation from Barry (from Cinematic Catharsis), I’ve selected 1965’s Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors as the next Hammer-Amicus presentation to review! I knew almost nothing about this movie prior to choosing it for the blogathon. But I was willing to watch the film with an open mind. Since I finally checked out Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors, it’s time to start my review and share my honest opinion!

Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors (1965) poster created by Amicus Productions, Hollywood Classics International, Regal Films International, and Paramount Pictures

Things I liked about the film:

The interior design: Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors is presented like an anthology; five passengers learn their fate from Dr. Terror himself. Throughout the film, the audience takes a peek into each character’s life as well as their living/working space. These spaces featured interesting design choices that gave them their own distinctness. In the segments titled “Werewolf” and “Disembodied Hand”, a fireplace was the focal point in one room. The fireplace in “Werewolf” was covered in a glossy black paint, while the fireplace in “Disembodied Hand” shone in a glossy blue paint. Biff Bailey’s apartment in the segment titled “Voodoo” featured a zebra patterned couch, which actually complimented the black-and-white checkered floor and black-and-white striped walls. The design choices I described stood out due to the film’s creative team utilizing materials, patterns, and colors that were more unique. I can honestly say I’ve never seen a blue fireplace until I saw Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors!

Incorporation of music: In the segment titled “Werewolf”, Jim Dawson learns about a legendary werewolf buried in the basement of the home he’s remodeling. Any time this werewolf is brought up or poses a threat to the characters living and working in the home, drumbeats, the pattering of a xylophone, and other suspenseful musical sounds can be heard. This segment utilized music to emphasis the fear factor the werewolf contributed to the story. Because Biff Bailey is a musician, music plays a large role in the “Voodoo” segment. One of the songs featured in this specific segment is ‘Give Me Love’. Performed by Sammy Coin (portrayed by Kenny Lynch), the instrumentals provided a cheery jazz tune that can put any listener in a good mood. Kenny’s smooth vocals not only complimented the song itself, but also made me wonder what his vocals would sound like in a song with a more serious tone. ‘Give Me Love’ is one of those songs that is so memorable, I’ll listen to it long after the end of the movie!

The creativity of each story: As I mentioned earlier in this review, Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors is presented like an anthology. With the segments chronicling each of the five passengers, the creativity woven into the script highlighted the uniqueness every passenger brought to the train car! The segment, “Disembodied Hand”, revolves around Franklyn Marsh. An art critic who took his job a little too seriously, Franklyn carries guilt for how he mistreated a popular artist, with his guilt represented by the disembodied hand of that artist. Meanwhile, in the segment titled “Vampire”, Dr. Bob Carroll is confronted with the possibility his wife may be a vampire. This concept gave Bob an internal conflict between loving his wife and protecting his patients. In my review of 2010’s Let Me In, I said vampire stories can be as creative as film-makers want it to be. A similar statement can be said about the horror genre, with Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors presenting strong evidence.

The Hammer-Amicus Blogathon V banner created by Gill from Realweegiemidget Reviews and Barry from Cinematic Catharsis

What I didn’t like about the film:

No clear explanation for tarot cards: Throughout Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors, Dr. Terror (portrayed by Peter Cushing), predicts each passenger’s fate by selecting tarot cards. While the tarot cards themselves are shown on screen, no clear explanation for how exactly the cards correlate with the fates was given. Before the start of the “Werewolf” segment, Dr. Terror selects two cards called “Enchantress” and “Priestess”. But after watching that segment, I was confused by what werewolves had to do with those aforementioned cards? It seemed as if the creative team behind the movie assumed their audience would already know the meaning of the cards shown in the film.

Limited sense of urgency: Each segment in Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors incorporates a horror element that poses a threat to the passengers in Dr. Terror’s train car. These segments also contain a limited sense of urgency. Most of the time, the “slice of life” parts of the story were emphasized. When a suspenseful or horrifying moment was about to happen, the segment would end and move on to the next one. This flaw was the result of squeezing five separate stories into an hour and thirty-eight-minute film. I honestly think this script would have worked better as an anthology television series.

A frustrating ending: For this part of my review, I will be spoiling Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors. If you have not seen this film and are planning on watching it, skip ahead to the part of my review titled “My overall impression”.

Like I mentioned earlier in my review, Dr. Terror uses tarot cards to predict the fates of the five passengers. After these fates are revealed, he removes the death card from the deck. This implies all the passengers will eventually die. When the passengers get off the train, they learn through a newspaper article five passengers died in a train crash. That detail clarifies the passengers from Dr. Terror’s train car did, indeed, die, with Dr. Terror himself becoming a skeleton. Personally, I found this ending frustrating because it made the previous stories amount to nothing. While I recognize the movie’s creative team was trying to create the ultimate plot twist, with the death tarot card used as foreshadowing, this creative decision almost made me feel like I wasted my time watching Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors.

Scared audience image created by Katemangostar at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/terrified-friends-watching-horror-movie-in-cinema_1027311.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/people”>People image created by Katemangostar – Freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

My overall impression:

Whenever I review a movie on 18 Cinema Lane, I present my opinion as honestly as possible. In my most honest opinion, Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors was such a mixed bag. On the one hand, I appreciate the creativity woven into each of the five segments. This creativity brought distinctness to the stories, interesting interior design choices, and good incorporation of music. But, on the other hand, the ending was too frustrating for my liking. I wish the script provided clear explanations for how the tarot cards correlated with each character’s fate. I also wish there was a stronger sense of urgency throughout the film. At best, Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors was just ok. But, at worst, it left me confused and frustrated. Though I’ve only seen (and reviewed) a few Hammer-Amicus films, I’m starting to wonder if I’ll find a title that is my cup of tea?

Overall score: 6 out of 10

Have you seen Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors? Which Hammer-Amicus film would you like to check out? Please tell me in the comment section!

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: The Innocents (1961) Review

On By 18cinemalane4 Comments

Film recommendations from my readers are welcomed here at 18 Cinema Lane. These suggestions are then placed on a Pinterest board, which I use as a reference for upcoming reviews. Some movies have been on the board for so long, they’re at the very bottom. One of these titles is 1961’s The Innocents. Recommended by Maddy (from Maddy Loves Her Classic Films), this is a Deborah Kerr starring production that is quite different from the other projects of hers I’ve reviewed on my blog. That’s because The Innocents is classified as a horror film. Because of this distinct, I’ve been trying to find the right opportunity to talk about the movie. Hoofers and Honeys’ 4th Annual Spooky Classic Movie Blogathon became that opportunity! Deborah’s films covered on 18 Cinema Lane have fluctuated in quality. While I liked titles like The Chalk Garden and The King and I, I wasn’t a fan of Marriage on the Rocks. What will my opinion be of The Innocents? Keep reading my review to find out!

The Innocents (1961) poster created by Achilles, Flair Communications, Twentieth Century Fox, and Twentieth Century Fox Film Company

Things I liked about the film:

The acting: A large portion of The Innocents prominently features two young characters: Miles and Flora, as Deborah’s character, Miss Giddens, believes they are in danger. In stories like this, where younger characters play a significant role, it’s important to cast actors and actresses that can, acting wise, carry some of the film. Flora reminded me somewhat of Eloise (from the 2003 adaptations, Eloise at the Plaza and Eloise at Christmastime), marching to the beat of her own drum with a bit of a mischievous spirit. Meanwhile, Miles possessed the precociousness of Cedric from Little Lord Fauntleroy and the sweetness of Tiny Tim from A Christmas Carol. These concepts were displayed well through Pamela Franklin’s and Martin Stephens’ performance! Vocal inflections, facial expressions, and even body language worked in their favor, making Miles and Flora captivating characters. Because of Martin’s and Pamela’s acting talents, their convincing portrayals kept me invested in their characters’ story!

As I mentioned before, Deborah Kerr portrays Miss Giddens, who becomes Flora and Miles’ new governess. Looking back on her films, including The Innocents, I’ve noticed how expressive Deborah’s performances have been. Specifically speaking about the 1961 film, Deborah uses her eyes to display thoughts and feelings instead of just relying on dialogue. In one scene, Miss Giddens learns the truth about Miss Jessel and Peter Quint, the governess and valet who worked at the estate before Miss Giddens’ arrival. While she discovers this information from a housekeeper named Mrs. Grose, Miss Giddens’ eyes show concern, sadness, and even fear. She also raises her eyebrows from time to time, emphasizing how shocking the information about Peter Quint and Miss Jessel is. This example of Deborah’s expressiveness elaborates Miss Giddens adapting to the strange things she’s been seeing and hearing during her time at the estate. Similar to Martin’s and Pamela’s performance, Deborah’s portrayal of Miss Giddens was convincing!

The set design: The Innocents mostly takes place at the Bly estate, which belongs to Flora and Miles’ uncle. Though this story was character-driven, the set design was an underrated yet impressive component of the movie. The fireplace in the main sitting room appeared marble with a carved design. Each room features tall windows, implying the large scope of the rooms themselves. Though shown during brief moments, a detailed tapestry hung on a wall near the main stairway. Elaborate tapestry even covered a long seat in one of the rooms. Details like the ones I described emphasized how financially well-off Miles and Flora’s family is. They also helped make Bly estate visually appealing!

Mise-en-scène: In my recent review of 2010’s Let Me In, I talked about how the movie’s mise-en- scène (the way a film’s scene is presented to the audience) was one of the strengths of the movie. This was also a strength in The Innocents, as some scenes’ presentation added intrigue to the story! One evening, Miles confesses to Miss Giddens how his uncle doesn’t have time for him and his sister. At first, the conversation is shown in a medium shot. The very next shot is a close-up of Miles’ face, with light shining on his cheek to reveal a tear rolling down. Through this visual presentation, the audience is told how his uncle’s lack of acknowledgement deeply troubles Miles. It also provides possible motivation for Miles’ actions later in the film.

The 4th Annual Spooky Classic Movie Blogathon banner created by Kristen from Hoofers and Honeys

What I didn’t like about the film:

Limited horror elements: I mentioned in my review’s introduction how The Innocents is classified as a horror film. Because of this classification, I expected the script to emphasize the horror elements within the story. But these elements, like potential ghost sightings and unexplained noises, had such a limited presence in the film, they were featured in “don’t blink or you’ll miss it” moments. In fact, the script placed more emphasis on the “slice-of-life” parts of the story. As a movie blogger who doesn’t review horror movies often, I found this creative decision disappointing. Some of my interest in The Innocents waned because I don’t really find “slice-of-life” stories compelling.

Scenes that feel like padding: One evening at Bly estate, Miss Giddens stays up in the middle of the night in order to discover the cause of the strange happenings throughout the home. The majority of the scene takes place in the upstairs hallway. But the overall scene lasts over five minutes. Moments when Miss Giddens attempts to open doors and walks through the hall seem repetitive due the how long the scene is. With The Innocents having a run-time of an hour and thirty-nine minutes, some of those five minutes could have been trimmed to make the movie about an hour and thirty-four minutes. This is just one example of scenes feeling like padding.

Conclusion with little to no evidence: For this part of my review, I will spoil The Innocents. If you haven’t seen this movie and are planning on watching it, skip ahead to the part of my review titled “My overall impression”.

After witnessing what she believes is the ghost of Miss Jessel, Miss Giddens comes to the conclusion Flora and Miles are possessed by the spirits of Miss Jessel and Peter Quint. She even comes up with a plan to make the children admit this is true. But up until that point, the film doesn’t show how Miss Giddens reaches her conclusion. Little to no evidence is presented, denying the audience an opportunity to see Miss Giddens putting the pieces together. I, personally, couldn’t take her conclusion too seriously because of the lack of evidence. Miss Giddens’ weaker conclusion also added confusion to the overall story, leaving me wondering what I had just watched.

Image of ghost reading created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/book”>Book photo created by freepik – http://www.freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

My overall impression:

I’m going to be brutally honest, The Innocents is one of the most confusing movies I’ve ever covered on 18 Cinema Lane. When the film ended, I audibly said, “What the heck did I just watch”? Without spoiling The Innocents, all I’ll say is I recognize how the movie’s creative team tried to give their project an ambiguous ending. But when the 1961 picture is also classified as a mystery film, that type of ending doesn’t work due to the genre being known for reaching definitive resolutions. Another flaw that contributes to The Innocents’ confusion is a conclusion with little to no evidence. That lack of evidence prevented me from taking the conclusion too seriously. Despite this confusion, the movie was intriguing enough to keep me invested in the story. The strength of the acting performances and the mise-en-scène are two factors that worked in the film’s favor. Out of Deborah’s films reviewed on 18 Cinema Lane, The Innocents was just ok. While there are things about the movie I liked, the overall execution could have (and should have) been stronger.

Overall score: 6.5 out of 10

Have you seen 1961’s The Innocents? What “classic” horror movies do you like watching? Let me know in the comment section!

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: Let Me In (2010) Review

On By 18cinemalane6 Comments

I apologize to my readers for my lack of blog posts these past two weeks. I’ve been working on an editorial I’m publishing on Halloween. Researching, writing, and curating that editorial has taken up a lot of time. But I wasn’t going to miss out on participating in Taking Up Room’s Secret Places and Trippy Houses Blogathon, especially since my selected film is a perfect choice for Halloween! When I learned one of the eligible subjects was “strange neighbors”, I was reminded how I was recommended the 2010 movie, Let Me In. Suggested by John L. Harmon, I had heard it was one of the better vampire films in the world of cinema. Since I had heard of the movie, but never saw it, I couldn’t agree or disagree with that statement. But now that I’ve finally seen Let Me In, I can now give my honest opinion about the film!

Let Me In (2010) poster created by Overture Films, Exclusive Media Group, Hammer Films, EFTI, and Relativity Media

Things I liked about the film:

The mise-en-scène: As I explained in my review of 1955’s The End of the Affair, mise-en- scène is how a film’s scene is presented to the audience. Throughout Let Me In, the way mise-en- scène was utilized presented scenes in visually creative ways. At the very beginning of the movie, a snowy forest was shown during the night. The only source of light comes from two police cars and an ambulance. A long shot slowly becomes a close-up shot, giving the audience a reason to focus on the bright vehicles. Anytime Owen and Abby look through the peephole of their apartment door, the shot is shown in a fish-eye lens. This film-making technique puts the audience in Abby and Owen’s perspective, allowing them to see what the children are seeing. It also emphasizes how, despite their differences, Owen and Abby have shared experiences like seeing who is at their door.

How music was incorporated: Music can be an effective component of film-making. It can elevate a scene’s emotions or set a scene’s tone. In Let Me In’s opening scene I just referenced in this review, a rhythmic drumbeat is one of the first sounds the audience can hear. That specific sound creates a sense of urgency, signifying danger is on the horizon. When Abby moves into Owen’s apartment building, gentle angelic-sounding singing can be heard. This is symbolic of how Owen sees Abby; an angel who will provide a light in his darkness. The two examples from Let Me In I discussed add additional context to the scenes themselves. How the film’s creative team incorporated music into the 2010 picture shows the understanding they had for how music can work in their project’s favor.

Disguising Abby’s vampire identity: Before watching Let Me In, I knew it was a vampire movie. But I was pleasantly surprised by how Abby’s vampire identity was disguised. Most of Abby and Owen’s interactions take place at night, at first seeming like just a coincidence. When Owen notices Abby isn’t wearing shoes, she states how she doesn’t feel cold. Abby even tells Owen she’s stronger than he thinks. These verbal and visual clues creatively signified how Abby was a vampire. But because of the clues’ subtlety, it leaves the audience guessing why, on the surface, Abby seems so strange. New twists on vampire cliches, like vampires avoiding sunlight, made Let Me In more unique from other vampire films.

The Secret Places and Trippy Houses Blogathon banner created by Rebecca from Taking Up Room

What I didn’t like about the film:

The audio: When I reviewed Fist of Fury, I talked about the film’s audio being one of the major flaws. I had to turn up my television’s volume in order to hear what the characters were saying. Let Me In shares this same issue. Once again, I had to raise my television’s volume just to hear the dialogue, as the characters’ speech was quiet. As I suggested in my review of the Hallmark Hall of Fame movie, Face to Face, Let Me In’s creative team should have used ADR (automated dialog replacement).

The bullying subplot: One of the subplots in Let Me In involves Owen dealing with bullies. This subplot gave Owen a conflict to resolve, with the conflict eventually reaching a resolution. But because the script prioritized Abby and Owen’s friendship, the bullying subplot wasn’t consistently focused on. In fact, Owen stands up to his bullies about an hour into this hour and fifty-six minute movie. The inconsistency of the bullying subplot also drew that story out longer than necessary.

Underutilized religious undertones: In a scene taking place at a hospital, President Ronald Reagan is delivering a speech on television. During the speech, he talks about evil being present in the world and how people are joined together by Scripture. Owen’s mother says prayers during mealtime and features religious relics in her apartment. These are some examples of the religious undertones in Let Me In. With the movie set in early 1983, I thought the “Satanic Panic” was going to play a large role in this story, especially with Abby being a vampire. However, the religious undertones present in the script were underutilized, not providing any commentary or interesting perspective. In fact, it felt like this part of the film was there just for the sake of being there.

Happy vampire image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/several-vampires-ready-for-halloween_1317599.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/party”>Party vector created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

My overall impression:

Vampires are no stranger to 18 Cinema Lane. Out of the vampire movies I’ve seen (and reviewed), these projects have shown that this type of story can be as creative as film-makers want it to be. 2010’s Let Me In is an interesting and creative vampire film! Abby’s vampire identity was disguised in very clever ways, even putting new twists on vampire cliches. How mise-en-scène and music were incorporated into the movie showcases the creative team’s more unique approach to a familiar type of story. While Let Me In has its merits, it also has its flaws. Religious undertones that could have provided commentary or an interesting perspective to the script were underutilized instead. Poor audio and an overshadowed subplot also didn’t help. But the 2010 project does stand out from other vampire titles. If you don’t mind a slow-burn story that primarily focuses on the power of friendship, then I’d say give Let Me In a chance.

Overall score: 7 out of 10

Have you seen Let Me In? What kinds of movies do you like to watch around Halloween? Let me know in the comment section!

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: To Be or Not to Be (1942) Review

On By 18cinemalane8 Comments

When one of my readers recommends a movie to me, I add that title to my film recommendation board on Pinterest and then write about it in one of my reviews. A movie that has been featured on the board for a while is 1942’s To Be or Not to Be. This presentation was suggested by Patricia (from Caftan Woman), Vincent (from Carole & Co.) and Allen Rizzi. Originally, I was going to select it for an upcoming Blog Follower Dedication Review. But when I learned about Hoofers and Honeys’ Carole Lombard Blogathon, I found a good reason to write about the movie sooner! While I received recommendations of Carole’s films, I’ve only reviewed two of those which she received a starring role. The first picture, In Name Only, was fine and likable. Meanwhile, Twentieth Century, is one of the worst movies I’ve ever seen. Now that To Be or Not to Be is the third film of Carole’s I’m discussing on 18 Cinema Lane, it’ll be interesting to see where I rank this title compared to Twentieth Century and In Name Only.

To Be or Not to Be (1942) poster created by Romaine Film Corporation and United Artists

Things I liked about the film:

The on-screen chemistry of Carole Lombard and Robert Stack: In To Be or Not to Be, Carole Lombard portrays a Polish actress named Maria Tura. Toward the beginning of the movie, Maria develops an attraction for a Lieutenant named Stanislav Sobinski. Portrayed by Robert Stack, Stanislav is enthusiastic to meet Maria, especially since he’s never met an actress before. Though they shared very few scenes together, the on-screen chemistry between Carole and Robert was pleasant! The scene where Stanislav and Maria first meet is a perfect example, as their interaction felt so realistic. During the conversation, Maria confidently talks about her career, carrying an easy-going personality. But when Stanislav asks her about a farm she brought up in an interview, she is caught off guard, but uses her acting skills to adapt to what Stanislav told her. Meanwhile, Stanislav is so happy to see Maria. A genuinely bright smile is displayed on his face and his eyes light up. Because of the strength of Carole’s and Robert’s acting abilities, they sold the idea of their characters sharing a mutual relationship.

Clever writing: While good writing receives praise and accolades, clever writing can, sometimes, become underappreciated. This is why I take the time to address when a movie’s script contains clever writing. That was certainly the case for To Be or Not to Be, as I was impressed with some of the writing in the film. A great example can be heard during a conversation between Maria and her husband, Joseph. She accuses him of seeking opportunities to steal attention away from her. Maria even claims, “if we should ever have a baby, I’m not so sure I’d be the mother”. Joseph reassuringly tells his wife, “I’m satisfied to be the father”. The aforementioned conversation could have been straightforward, which would have made it sound typical. But the screenwriting, as well as Jack Benny’s delivery, allowed scenes like this one to be memorable!

How war was incorporated in the film: Some of the opening shots in To Be or Not to Be focus on shops in Warsaw, Poland, specifically the names of those who own these shops. When, later in the movie, war breaks out in Poland, those same shops are burned down, torn to shreds, or collapsed. The names on those shops are also destroyed. These shots are a good representation of how war ruins not just buildings, but livelihoods, daily routines, and human connections. One of the actors who performs alongside Maria and Joseph is Greenberg. When he first observes the destruction in his neighborhood, he quotes Shylock’s monologue from the play, The Merchant Venice. This quote spoken against the backdrop of Poland during World War II changes the context of the quote itself, making it seem relevant to the story of To Be or Not to Be. Through visuals and the script, the film’s creative team addressed the seriousness of war and its impact on anyone of any profession.

The Carole Lombard Blogathon banner created by Kristen from Hoofers and Honeys

What I didn’t like about the film:

A dialogue heavy story: Dialogue is an important component of any movie. It helps the audience learn more about the characters, discover potential plot twists, and follow along with the story. But in the case of To Be or Not to Be, the script was very dialogue heavy. There were long stretches of time where characters shared conversations with each other. This is the result of how much the creative team relied on telling instead of showing. If one isn’t actively paying attention to the story, they may miss important details. Had play performances or more action-focused scenes been evenly sprinkled throughout To Be or Not to Be, it would have created a balance between what the characters say and what the characters do.

The run-time: IMDB lists To Be or Not to Be’s run-time as an hour and thirty-nine minutes. This run-time, to me, seemed much longer. The long stretches of time of characters’ conversations I already mentioned made the film feel drawn-out. There are also parts of the story that don’t lead anywhere, such as Maria’s concerns about Joseph trying to steal attention away from her. If the script had been trimmed down, the run-time of To Be or Not to Be could have been an hour and thirty minutes or less.

Inconsistent sense of urgency: As I discussed earlier in this review, To Be or Not to Be takes place in Poland during World War II. The characters are directly impacted by this global conflict, even going undercover to stop the Nazis. These parts of the story create a sense of urgency. But this sense of urgency isn’t consistent within the 1942 presentation. That flaw was caused by the dialogue-heavy scenes I referenced in my review. These scenes’ length of time takes away from moments where immediate situations can be resolved. The imminent threat of war is also placed to the side because of the dialogue-heavy scenes. Having a more consistent sense of urgency would have strengthened the suspense and intrigue in To Be or Not to Be.

Theater seats image created by weatherbox at freeimages.com. “FreeImages.com/weatherbox.”

My overall impression:

Last year, I reviewed For Me and My Gal, a film I ended up liking. One of the reasons why I gave that movie a good review is because of how World War I was incorporated into the script. With a steady progression and subtle changes, realism was woven into a musical like For Me and My Gal. I’d actually prefer that movieover To Be or Not to Be. Though To Be or Not to Be is a fine, interesting film, the run-time felt longer than an hour and thirty-nine minutes. The story’s sense of urgency was inconsistent and the script was too dialogue-heavy. However, there are merits within the 1942 title. I wish Carole and Robert shared more screen-time together because their on-screen chemistry was pleasant. How war was incorporated in the film allowed the creative team to show the seriousness of war and its impact on anyone of any profession. I also liked the movie’s clever writing. Compared to the other films of Carole’s I’ve written about, Twentieth Century and In Name Only, To Be or Not to Be is somewhere in the middle. With over seventy movies on her IMDB filmography, I have plenty more projects of Carole’s to check out!

Overall score: 7 out of 10

Have you seen To Be or Not to Be? Would you like to see me review more of Carole Lombard’s movies? Let me know in the comment section!

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen