“Anvil! The Story of Anvil”
Released: 2008
Rating: NR
Length: 90 minutes
Cast: Steve "Lips" Kudlow, Robb Reiner, Malcolm Dome, Lars Ulrich, Scott Ian, Lemmy, Slash
Director: Sacha Gervasi
Genre(s): Documentary, Music
Reviews and recommendations of movies from my NetFlix queue.
“Anvil! The Story of Anvil”
Released: 2008
Rating: NR
Length: 90 minutes
Cast: Steve "Lips" Kudlow, Robb Reiner, Malcolm Dome, Lars Ulrich, Scott Ian, Lemmy, Slash
Director: Sacha Gervasi
Genre(s): Documentary, Music
Netflix’s liner notes for “Priceless” call it a “wacky French farce.” I didn’t find it particularly wacky. And while it does have it farcical moments, it’s a really a romantic comedy – a pretty charming one at that. Part of its charm has to do with its set up. Irene (Audrey Tautou) is a gold digger plying her trade on the French Riviera, trying to land the big fish. One night Irene mistakenly assumes that Jean (Gad Elmaleh), the hotel’s bartender, is a rich playboy. It’s only after her behavior toward Jean causes her current relationship to fall apart that she discovers the truth. That forces her to go back on the hunt. But Jean, hopelessly smitten, follows. Once she drains his bank account with her expensive tastes, Jean succumbs to an older woman advances and becomes her gigolo. And pretty soon, the two of them are comparing notes and falling for each other. It’s all in good fun, with a great setting and an appealing cast. My rating: 7 (out of 10)
“Priceless”
Released: 2006
Rating: R
Length: 104 minutes
Cast: Audrey Tautou, Gad Elmaleh, Vernon Dobtcheff, Marie-Christine Adam
Director: Pierre Salvadori
Genre(s): Romantic Comedy, Foreign
My Tweet: Michael Jackson’s This Is It-That was it? 5 (out of 10) This behind-the-scenes documentary was an attempt for the leeches in Michael Jackson’s life to cash in shortly after his death. I found the whole affair rather sad. You see a lot of the moves you’ve seen before, hear a lot of the songs you’ve heard before. Jackson looks emaciated. In the few close-ups that there are (especially the ones in the classic movie scenes he’s spliced into), his face is rendered almost featureless and expressionless, like a kabuki mask. There are plenty of videos out there in the archives that show him as a youthful, promising and truly innovative performer. “Michael Jackson’s This is it” just made me long for what once was and what should have been.
“Michael Jackson’s This Is It”
Released: 2009
Rating: PG
Length: 112 minutes
Cast: Michael Jackson, Nick Bass, Daniel Celebre, Mekia Cox, Misha Hamilton
Director: Kenny Ortega
Genre(s): Documentary, Music