Year Released: 1926
Directed by: Clyde Bruckman & Buster Keaton
Written by: Al Boasberg, Clyde Bruckman & Buster Keaton
Grade: B
"Johnnie Grey - [To the recruiter who rejects him:] If you lose this war don't blame me."I had the pleasure of watching another good silent film the other night, The General. It's a rather humorous take on "The Great Locomotive Chase," and very charming. I love that I am catching up on older black and white movies, especially silent ones that are as entertaining as this one. It's a very simple story following a railroad engineer being rejected from joining the army who has to don the uniform anyways to rescue his fiancee who has been captured by Union spies, while aboard his locomotive, "The General." There are some great action set pieces within the film and Buster Keaton is perfect at getting the right amount of laughs across. Overall, The General is a solid film that will charm the pants right off of you.
Year Released: 2007
Directed by: Mikael Håfström
Written by: Scott Alexander, Matt Greenberg & Larry Karaszewski
Grade: A-
"Gerald Olin: It's an evil fucking room."Horror movies are where it's at. If I am looking for a good movie to watch with my friends, the scarier ones are the ones I tend to gravitate towards. They're the ones that make you huddle together and give you and your group of friends that close feeling of being terrified right out of your seats. You also can't help but compare what you would do in the situation to that of the film's protagonist.
I watched 1408 the other night, for the fourth time and it's still just as great as I remember. John Cusack plays writer "Mike Enslin," who has slunk to the level of amateur ghost hunter, spending his time debunking many "haunted" hotels and writing about them in his books. After a tragedy in his past, and a willingness to not write a second real novel after his first, this is the situation he has placed himself in. After receiving a post card in the mail inviting him to stay in the feared room 1408 of The Dolphin Hotel, New York, "Mike" takes up the offer. Even after trying to be dissuaded by the head of the hotel "Gerald Olin" (Samuel L. Jackson) to not spend the night in the room, "Mike" does anyways. What he encounters is beyond anything he could have imagined, and memories from his past are about to be dredged up in an ugly way.
Stephen King has had many of his stories turned into films and even though I haven't seen many, I've got to think that this is one of the best. It is pretty damn scary at times, and incredibly sad and touching at others. The production design within the hotel room is also quite amazing, surprising us as the story moves along.
John Cusack has always been a solid, reliable actor, but here he is amazing. I dare not reveal his whole back story, but his work here is great, peeling back the layers of his jaded exterior to reveal a scared and heartbroken man underneath. Samuel L. Jackson also does nice work in a more subdued role than normal, conveying authentic worry and a bit of menace when the role calls for it. Mary McCormack is excellent as well in her few scenes as "Mike's" estranged wife, "Lily." Mikael Håfström ratchets up the tension to scary heights, while expertly toning down the horror at times for quieter moments. The writers too, have done a great job at adapting King's short story.
1408 is a nerve jangling thriller and one I highly recommend checking out. It might make you think twice before checking into a hotel room again.
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