Movie review - "The King of Marvin Gardens" (1972) ***

 The career of BBS weirdly echoed that of Peter Bogdanovich: three hits, three flops. This was one of the latter, along with Drive He Said and A Safe Place although its reputation is higher than others. It's got Jack Nicholson and Bruce Dern as brothers, the gimmick being Nicholson plays the quiet, depressed one. He's a radio host who is allowed to ramble on in monologues - does this happen?

Lovely acting (by everyone except that fourth lead girl), photography and boardwalk atmosphere. Ellen Burstyn very good. Ditto Dern and Nicholson.  I did wish there was more sex and violence because the glimpses of it (the gals being nude in Dern's room playing cards, Scatman Crothers' gangster) are good. I know that wasn't the point it just would've sparked things up. Like a Bergman film.

Movie review - "Five Easy Pieces" (1970) ***1/2

 The "two" in the one-two punch from Jack Nicholson following Easy Rider. A big hit, critically acclaimed - very much a moment in 1970. Not obviously commercial - I know that's not everything but jeez, it hit the moment. I guess it had a big new star in a charismatic performance. It also had a bit of nudity and sex - Nicholson rooting Karen Black then also his brother's girl, Susan Anspach. There's some interesting quirks like location filming in Washington and the gimmick of Nicholson being a pianist and oil field worker.

While it's got selfish man-itis - lots of sex, dumping women, abusing waitress - the female roles strong, thanks to a female writer, one feels: Karen Black's low rent girlfriend, Anspach's lust object (human enough to be attracted to Nicholson, smart enough to not go with him), Toni Basil as a hippy type, Helena Kallianiotes as a rebel type.

Beautiful photography.

Book review - "Hal Wallis" by Bernard Dick

 Wallis' ghosted memoir Starmaker didn't shed that much light on him. This book is better but still not a piece that Wallis deserves - he was a giant figure in Hollywood.

Spends a lot of time discussing Lizabeth Scott and Walter Seltzer. Goes on some interesting detours - production of Becket and Anne of a Thousand Days, Martha Hyer getting involved in con artists, losing a leg, posthumous fights over art. It doesn't feel like a completely cohesive biography but is still interesting.

Movie review - "Event Horizon" (1997) **1/2

 It's weird I'd never seen this. Decent budget, effects and cast, amiable Alien knock off with chunks of science and some shocks. (The monster is the ship, etc etc). None of it is terribly involving. Actors like Laurence Fishburne, Sam Neill and Joely Richardson class up the joint despite all the third act gore. Don't quite get why it has a cult reputation

Movie review - "Head" (1968) ***

 The Monkees trashed their career with this nutty movie. It's imaginative, far out, clever, fun. It spends a lot of time spoofing old movies - Arabian nights, Westerns, war films - throws in some anti-Vietnam stuff. I think even if it hadn't made a point of toying with the Monkee image it wouldn't have made money - too plot less (even Hard Day's Night had more unity). Also a downer ending with the Monkees trying to escape and being recaptured. Maybe if it had some out earlier - by the late 60s the tide was going out on bands appearing in films (eg Good Times). Maybe if it had nudity.

Great songs. Genuinely good soundtrack. Endearingly odd cast, including Annette Funicello (who has two scenes I think), Victor Mature (the Monkees are dandruff in his head), Frank Zappa, Sonnie Liston. I don't love it the way other people do but it's totally worth watching.

Movie review - "Uncharted" (2022) **

 I get what they were going for and I wanted them to get there - an old 80s style adventure, with twists and tongue and cheek action - but it's a quite sluggish trip. Tom Holland is okay at first but Mark Wahlberg seems bored then after a while Holland seems to be bored too, Sophia Ali lacks spark and Antonio Banderas is clearly just paying the rent.  Tati Gabrielle is good. No one has any chemistry.

Movie review - "Rosaline" (2022) **1/2

 Kaitlyn Dever is one of the best actors of her generation. I think her casting throws this movie off a little - because she's clearly so sensible she's never going to be really into Romeo. Indeed the film makes that clear - she likes the romance of it but wants a job, and then introduces a hunky alternative guy. I think the movie would've worked better with someone more clearly boy crazy who then gets liberated. 

Because after a super bright start the film has no stakes. Romeo isn't worth it, she kind of knows it. The film recovers in the last act because it becomes a race against time to save Romeo and Juliet's life so there are stakes again. And I love she calls Juliet on her terrible plan.