Other Films Watched in May

Animatrix (Various, 2003) - Good

Saboteur (Alfred Hitchcock, 1942) - Okay

The Constant Gardener (Fernando Meirelles, 2005) - Excellent

Amelié (Jean-Pierre Jeunet, 2001) - BRILLIANT!

Cool Hand Luke (Stuart Rosenberg, 1967)

“What we got here is… failure to communicate"
Cast: Paul Newman, George Kennedy, Strother Martin, Robert Drivas, Joy Harmon, Dennis Hopper

Summary: A man refuses to conform to life in a rural prison

Genre: Crime, Drama

For a good few years now I've been watching the program NCIS (the Naval version of CSI), and for anyone who watches the show Tony Dinozzo is the only reason why I knew anything about this film. After my parents heard me quoting parts of the film they decided to buy me the DVD and well here we are.

When Luke first enters the camp we learn that he is a war hero who climbed the ranks but ended up leaving the same rank that he entered like he “was just passing time”.
Luke is a pretty clued-up guy, he may not speak much but he knows a lot, which you can definitely see in the car washing scene with “Lucielle”. He certainly seems to be the only one who is aware of what's happening in and around the camp.

I really enjoyed this film and then I didn't enjoy it. It was one of those films where the ending made me angry so I didn't know what to think, I did try to watch it a second time but I gave up halfway through because I knew what the outcome was going to be.

“Sometimes nothing can be a real cool hand" - Cool Hand Luke

My Rating: 8/10
One Final Word: Excellent

17 Again (Burr Steers, 2009)

Cast: Zac Efron, Matthew Perry, Leslie Mann, Michelle Trachtenberg, Sterling Knight and Thomas Lennon

Summary: If you somehow had the chance, would you do your life over? Thirty-something Mike O’Donnell would. Then in one mysteriously magical moment, Mike gets his chance. He’s suddenly back at Hayden High where he’s the star of the basketball team, a total hottie and a classmate to his own teenage kids… which gives Mike a chance to go from not-so-good dad to really cool friend.

Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance

When I started watching this film I have to admit I wasn't that interested in it mainly because of Matthew Perry, although I really liked him in Friends I didn't think he was funny in this film.

I also wasn't too sure about Zac Efron. I wasn't a fan of the High School Musical films (although I did watch the first one) so I wasn't sure what to expect from him in this film.

I'm pretty pleased to say that I actually really liked the film. What really impressed me was Zac Efron's acting which I wasn't expecting to be as good as it was, and I also discovered that he is actually quite hot.

My favourite scene definitely has to be when the couple have to attend a court hearing with Mike still stuck in his high school body.

A very enjoyable movie.

My Rating: 7/10
Perfect for: Everyone
One Final Word: Very Good

Family Plot (Alfred Hitchcock, 1976)

Cast: Karen Black, Bruce Dern, Barbara Harris, William Devane, Cathleen Nesbitt

Summary: A phony psychic/con artist and her taxi driver/private investigator boyfriend encounter a pair of serial kidnappers while trailing a missing heir in California.

Genre: Thriller, Comedy


I believe I'm right in saying that this is Alfred Hitchcock's last film and it certainly is very different to his other films.

There were times where I found myself forgetting I was watching a Hitchcock film, although there are still a few typical Hitchcock shots and that Hitchcock thriller feel, the film definitely has a lot more comedic elements to it.

Some people probably won't agree but personally I think this film is really good, I thoroughly enjoyed it and it's definitely one of my favourite Hitchcock films, along with Rebecca (1940).

My Rating: 6/10
One Final Word: Very Good