landof1000movies

It's been a while since I've posted a proper review, and I felt a little rusty. But it's also really nice getting back to it. The long awaited review of Buster Keaton's The General is here! Link is in the bio; be sure to subscribe!

The General (1926) “The General is a masterpiece . . . pure though by no means simple.” – Vincent Canby

New blog post is on the way! Until then, watch His Girl Friday. I saw for the first time last week, and now my new life goal is to be Hildy Johnson. At the very least, I need her clothes.

#1940

Hello everyone! It has been a while since I've been on here, and I do apologize for it. Teaching took over my life, but this blog was always in the back of my mind. I have sorely missed it. I'm trying something new today. I'm at work on the next movie review, but I have a lot of thoughts about what's been happening in the entertainment industry....

News & Notes Hello everyone! It has been a while since I’ve been on here, and I do apologize for it. Teaching took over my life, but this blog was always in the back of my mind. I have sorely missed it. I…

Hello everyone! Happy belated Fourth of July! I had a movie marathon yesterday if quasi-patriotic films. I’ll let you draw your own conclusions from this list.

Rocky (1976)
Taxi Driver (1976)
Vengeance (2022)
A League of Their Own (1992)

*
In other news, I know it’s been a while since I’ve posted. Teaching took over my life. 😩 I’m trying to get back to blogging this summer. Thanks for sticking with me!

#1976 #2022 #1992

Update: I’ll be taking a break from the blog for a few weeks. I’m moving and starting a new job, so I need to focus my energy on that. But I certainly won’t forget about it, and I should be back by September at the latest. Until then, enjoy this pic of Buster Keaton from The General (pic from The Towerlight).

Best Scene Saturday: The General (1926)

*

Buster Keaton’s beloved train engine has been stolen, and he goes on a one-man mission to get it back. At this point in the story, it’s still early in the journey. Set during the Civil War, Keaton journeys past a battle in progress, where the Confederates are retreating from the Yankees. It’s a powerful scene, a reminder of the outcome of the war and how the high the stakes are for the people involved.

The General is the next movie on the list, so stay tuned for my review!

*

#1926

Heading into the week be like:

*

#1926

Best Scene Saturday: The Imitation Game (2014)

*

At the end of the movie, Joan Clarke (Keira Knightley) visits Alan Turing (Benedict Cumberbatch). Turing is on medication for hormonal therapy, and in a moment of deep sadness and brokenness, Joan shows Turing how much his work has impacted the world. “No one normal could have done that. Do you know, this morning, I was on a train that went through a city that wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for you. I bought a ticket from a man who would likely be dead if it wasn’t for you. I read up on my work, a whole field of scientific inquiry that only exists because of you.” It’s a tender scene at the end of a movie that has a lot of pressure and hardness in it. I love this movie, and I think because of the tenderness and retrospection, this is my favorite scene.

*

#2014

Best Scene Saturday: Jurassic Park (1993)

*

There are so many iconic scenes in this film, but this is the crux of the movie. In between witnessing a bovine murder and the tour from hell, the characters come to together to talk about the ethics of the park (and eat Chilean Sea Bass). Yes, reviving dinosaurs from the dead is cool, but should they even be doing it? What’s the appropriate attitude one should have toward this work? And what are the consequences of bringing the past into the present? It’s a nuanced scene that provides depth to the story and the characters. Sadly, this kind of discourse is what the newer movies are lacking.

*

#1993

Finally! The next blog post is up! Here, I review The Battleship Potemkin from 1925, and talk about the use of montage in the movie. Link for my blog is in the bio!

*

#1925

“. . . it is a production in which the director displays a vivid imagination and an artistic appreciation of motion picture values.” – Mordaunt Hall...

http://landof1000movies.com/2022/06/04/battleship-potemkin-1925/

Battleship Potemkin (1925) “. . . it is a production in which the director displays a vivid imagination and an artistic appreciation of motion picture values.” – Mordaunt Hall

Out of the Past (1946)

*

At this point in the movie, PI Jeff is in Acapulco, trying to find Kathie for her gangster boyfriend Whit. And he finds her, or rather, she finds him, in a small cafe. Her entrance is iconic: she appears in the doorway, in a white dress, almost like a specter. This kind of entrance would be mimicked in future noir and neo-noir movies, like Body Heat (1981). But don’t let the white dress fool you; Kathie is one of the deadlier femme fatales.

*

#1946

Best Scene Saturday: To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)

*

I would argue the climax of the movie doesn’t come at the end, but towards the middle. Here, Atticus Finch gives his closing argument in the trial of Tom Robinson, a long monologue that not only pokes holes in the prosecutor’s argument, but also serves as the moral crux of the film. In 1962, this would have been considered a call to action at the start of the Civil Rights Movement. It’s a call we should continue to listen to today.

*

Hello! I know it’s been a minute, but school took over my life . . . again. But that’s over for now, so I can devote more time to this. ☺️ Watch this space for a new blog post and other exciting things!

#1962

I’m starting a new thing I’m going to try to do each week. Every Saturday, I’m going to post the “best” scene from a movie. It could be the most iconic, the most influential, or just my personal favorite.

This week it’s from Battleship Potemkin, the next movie on our NYTimes list. This movie is best know for it’s use of montage, specifically during the Odessa Steps scene. By intercutting short vignettes with pre-established characters, the scene becomes more emotional and tense. As the audience, we are swept up in the injustice of the act of soldiers firing into an unarmed crowd by swift movement and a driving score.
Montages are common today, but it’s important to remember that this was once groundbreaking.

#1925 #🇷🇺

Hello movie lovers! It’s been a minute, but first: happy belated birthday to the blog. 🥳🎉🎉

I haven’t forgotten it; it’s been haunting the back of my mind all Fall and Winter. This year, I’ve blocked out Saturday as my Writing Day, so hopefully I’m able to stay on top of it year. I’m looking forward to watching more movies with you! Stay tuned!

When you come away with more questions marks than periods. I have some research I’ll have to do for the next post.

*

#1925

“It is as much a dramatic story as a comedy.” – Mordaunt Hall[1] If there’s any movie character as recognizable from the silent era, it has to be Charlie Chaplin’s The Little Tramp. Instantly recognizable in his ill-fitting clothes, cane, and bowler hat, the Tramp is widely associated with physical comedy and dancing dinner rolls. Chaplin as a filmmaker is largely overshadowed by his character; in…...

http://landof1000movies.com/2021/09/06/the-gold-rush-1925/

The Gold Rush (1925) “It is as much a dramatic story as a comedy.” – Mordaunt Hall[1]

“But Nanook of the North . . . is real on the screen. Its people, as they appear to the spectator, are not acting, but living.”[1] Nanook of the North is considered to be the first documentary shot on film. It follows a family of Inuit people living off of Canada’s Hudson Bay: Nanook, Nyla “The Smiling One,” Cunayou, and Allegoo....

http://landof1000movies.com/2021/07/05/nanook-of-the-north-1922/

Nanook of the North (1922) “But Nanook of the North . . . is real on the screen. Its people, as they appear to the spectator, are not acting, but living.”

Hello everyone! Sorry I haven’t been very active on here. I have gone back to school, so my time is divided between work and school. I’m going to try to stay on top of this blog as best I can, but posts might become more sporadic in the next several months. Thanks for sticking with me! Here’s to more movies to come!

*

Pulled some of my film books out from storage. Can you guess my favorite genre?

*

The new blog post is up! I watched What Do Men Want? from 1921. While only a fragment of the original movie survived, I was impressed by how modern the editing and framing techniques were. The best part is that it’s written and directed by a woman! 🙋🏼‍♀️Lois Weber was a power house in early Hollywood (like, 1910s early.) She created her own production company and mentored tons of other women in the industry. I had a blast learning more about this woman. Click in the link in the bio to learn more!

*

#1921

“What Do Men Want? is such a sermon in celluloid. It would have you believe that it is a genuine psychological drama, while it serenely ignores most of the real facts of life that would shake the pat answer it offers to the question it raises.”[1] “What men need . . . is to see themselves as they really are....

http://landof1000movies.com/2021/04/28/what-do-men-want-1921/

What Do Men Want? (1921) “What Do Men Want? is such a sermon in celluloid. It would have you believe that it is a genuine psychological drama, while it serenely ignores most of the real facts of life that would shake the p…

On the inside cover of bonus booklet. I think I like this picture better than the actual boxed set cover; this shows the duality between then-femininity and masculinity.

What do you think?

*

I have to do some research on my next film. Until then, enjoy this cute drawing from my First Women Filmmakers collection!

*
#1921

Hello friends! To new followers, welcome! My next movie had to be ordered, but it’s on the way! Until then, check me out on Letterboxd, an online movie review site. I post my reviews there too, so feel free to explore!

*

In other news, I found out that there is a remake of The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari from 2005. I have . . . a lot of questions. 😂

*

I’m waiting for the DVD of the next movie to arrive. ⏱ In the mean time, check out my latest blog post about The Cabinet of Dr. Calamari (1920). Link is in the bio!

*
#1920

“The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari represents to me something very real and terrible . . . that fear of things having no reason and loving evil instinctively.”[1] Movie poster for The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920), This movie is a lot of things. It starts in a garden. We are introduced to Francis (Friedrich Feher), who says he and his girlfriend have been subject to unspeakable horrors....

http://landof1000movies.com/2021/03/26/the-cabinet-of-dr-caligari-1920/

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920) “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari represents to me something very real and terrible . . . that fear of things having no reason and loving evil instinctively.”

Hello lovers! I’m sorry I haven’t been very active on here. I have some life stuff that I’m preparing for and changes in my work schedule, but this blog is always on my mind. I’m very excited about the next film on the list (number three!). Until then, check out film number two: Pollyanna from 1920. I’ll let you know when this review is live!

#1920

“. . . Miss Pickford doesn’t grow up because she can make more people laugh and cry, can win her way into more hearts, and even protesting heads, as a rampant, resilient little girl”[1] I didn’t want to like this movie. At face value, this is a competent adaptation of a well-known children’s book that is sweet at the right age, but sours quickly as one gets older....

http://landof1000movies.com/2021/02/14/pollyanna-1920/

Pollyanna (1920) “. . . Miss Pickford doesn’t grow up because she can make more people laugh and cry, can win her way into more hearts, and even protesting heads, as a rampant, resilient little girl”[1]   …

“For in spite of its utter incoherence, the questionable taste of some of its scenes and the cheap banalities into which it sometimes lapses, Intolerance is an interesting and unusual picture.”[1] Intolerance – (noun) the quality or state of being intolerant[2] This word gets thrown around a lot in this movie. D.W. Griffith made this film to show how intolerance has affected people through the ages, most notably, young lovers....

http://landof1000movies.com/2021/01/24/intolerance-1916/

Intolerance (1916) “For in spite of its utter incoherence, the questionable taste of some of its scenes and the cheap banalities into which it sometimes lapses, Intolerance is an interesting and unusual picture.”

It’s here! It’s here! 🎉🎉🎉 The blog is actually a thing, and I am so excited to share it with you! Go check it out at landof1000movies.com

landof1000movies updated their website address.

Hello! Welcome to my blog! Would you like some tea? This is the Land of 1,000 Movies, where I’ll be watching and reviewing the list complied by The New York Times chief movie critics A.O. Scott and Manohlia Dargis. (Please keep in mind that I am not sponsored by the newspaper, the film critics, or any affiliated parties. I’m just doing this for fun.)...

http://landof1000movies.com/2021/01/06/lights-camera/

The Land of 1,000 Movies Blogging and Reviewing The New York Times Book of Movies

Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
*
Photo Credit: Mental Floss https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/65207/15-facts-about-monty-python-and-holy-grail
*
King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table go on a search for the Holy Grail. Things do not go as planned.
*
While not my favorite movie, I do appreciate it for its low-budget quality and the backstory as to how it got made. And watching it, there are some quality shots in here; when the Old Crone disappears and leaves King Arthur and Sir Bedevere in the woods, the close-ups of Galahad the Pure as he climbs the hill to Castle Anthrax. It's worth studying if you want to make a low-budget film, need a lesson in comedy, or are interested in Monty Python as a whole. It definitely funnier as an adult.
*
#1975

Jurassic Park (1993)
*
Photo Credit: Prescott Park Arts Festival https://www.prescottpark.org/event/jurassic-park
*
While visiting a theme park that has brought dinosaurs back to life, a power outage forces everyone to fight for their lives.
*
This is one of my favorite screenplays. At first glance, it seems pretty self-explanatory: dinosaurs are brought to life and the characters have to survive the night after they get lose. But it's actually a lot deeper than that. Dr. Alan Grant has to learn not only how to take care of children, but also bond and appreciate them. The core argument of the movie is whether or not bringing the dinosaurs back is ethical, and the dialogue makes this argument easy to follow and easy to for a general audience to understand. I'm interested to see how these classic characters interact with the new ones in Jurassic World 3; for all it's good intentions, the new movies don't have the heart that the original does. Something was lost along the way when we traded science and morality for action scenes and movie making. If anything, this is the only movie from the franchise worth watching.
*
#1993 #

What a Girl Wants (2003)
*
Photo Credit: rogerebert.com
*
When American Daphne finds out her father is a politician in London, she travels to the U.K. to find him and reconnect.
*
Had I seen this movie as a kid, it definitely would have been one of my favorites. It capitalizes on that early 2000s trend of poor-girl-turned-rich-girl, usually via European relatives. Obviously there's a love story, but it focuses on the love between a father and daughter, a nice switch from typical rom-coms. It's lighthearted, it's fun, it has Colin Firth. What more could a girl want?
*
#2003

Silver Linings Playbook (2012)
*
Photo Credit: The Tampa Bay Times https://www.tampabay.com/features/consumer/review-silver-linings-playbook-is-funny-touching-quirky-unpredictable/1262339/
*
Pat Solitano is struggling with bipolar disorder when he is released from a mental hospital. After meeting meeting his match in Tiffany, he devises a plan to win back his ex-wife by winning a dance competition with Tiffany.
*
I remember when this came out, and I'm glad I waited to watch it as an adult. It deals with a lot of stuff: mental health, how to get to where you want to be when you're stuck where you are, how the best things that happen aren't exactly planned. While mental health and mental illness are more openly discussed now, 2012 was a time when it was still taboo. Silver Linings Playbook is very open about the struggle of not only treating mental illness, but the toll it takes on those around you. Featuring the classic duo of Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper, this is a timeless movie.
*
#2012