Flicks I rented...

I love Blockbuster Video on Monday through Wednesday, where for every new release I rent, I can rent an older one for free. So, I naturally rent three new movies and get six total for the price of just three. It's beautiful. This week, I went oldies, foreign, and indie.

Some Like It Hot - Yes, it was the first time I'd seen this film. It stars Jack Lemmon, Tony Curtis, and Marilyn Monroe, where Lemmon and Curtis witness murders by some mobsters, flee the scene, and wind up disguising themselves as women in a musical act in attempt to not be recognized by those same mobsters, who want them killed. Lemmon and Curtis have a thing for the ladies, which makes some of the situations they're in and some of their choice words even more hilarious than they would naturally be. The film was rated by the AFI as the most hilarious movie of all-time. Although, it's difficult for me to rate it as such (I honestly don't know if there's a film I could do so with), it's definitely a very humorous and entertaining movie from start to finish.
Comedic Grade: 8/10
Overall Grade: 6.5/10

Hard Candy - An Indie film starring up-and-coming actress Ellen Page, alongside Patrick Wilson (Little Children) in a story about the world of Internet hook-ups. Page is a 14-year old who grabs the attention of 32-year old Wilson, but for what reason(s)? As we learn through the film, it appears as if Page had more on her mind about the meeting of Wilson than Wilson did upon the meeting of Page. Although the acting by the two leads is admirable, the plot is too thin and there is too much shock and not enough substance for this to be a very effective film. Not only that, but it was one of the few films I've ever had difficulty sitting all the way through. I almost had to shut it off at the midway point. But, even with that, look out for Page in the future. She could be something special.
Overall Grade: 4/10

Focus - An indie film starring William H. Macy and Laura Dern. It takes place toward the tail-end of World War II, when Macy is mistaken for a Jew. With this, he loses his job, receives threats, and in the end, has a newfound respect for the Jewish people, in catching a glimpse of what they'd gone through. Macy and Dern do a solid job in the lead spots, but the acting around them is average to below average. Some portions of the film feel a bit too preachy, and the character development isn't very strong, either. I don't feel that it's a bad film, but do feel that it could've been much more enticing and effective with a few adjustments outside of Macy and Dern.
Overall Grade: 5/10

La Moustache - Ever wonder what a French film would look like if directors David Lynch and Alfred Hitchcock teamed up with one another? If you ever have, then La Moustache is right up your alley. I was rather frustrated throughout this film, but after I got to thinking about it after the end credits, I realized there was a good reason for my frustration and it made me that much more impressed with La Moustache. I may need to view it again to garner an even greater appreciation for it, but as of right now, I'd already say that it's an impressive piece of work.
Overall Grade: 7/10

Stir Crazy - This is the second Gene Wilder/Richard Pryor tag team offering, following their hit, "Silver Streak". In "Stir Crazy," Wilder and Pryor are two guys who are having a rough go of it in achieving their dreams on the East Coast, so they decide to head to Hollywood. However, their plans are temporarily delayed due to being falsely accused of robbing a bank. While this film is no match for "Silver Streak," it still manages to carry with it a few laughs here and there and in the end, is a decent film, even without the laughs. For Wilder/Pryor fans, I recommend it.
Comedic Grade: 6/10
Overall Grade: 6/10

The Lives of Others - I will write an entirely separate blog for this film. Why? Well, chances are that I felt the film was either THAT good or THAT bad...