As a frequent and steady contributor to The Large Ass Movie Blog, (The LAMB), I always try to get more people involved with the site.
Every Month, the site runs a poll based on the list of films submitted by LAMB members for the prestigious ability of being named as the Movie of the Month that will be discussed on the LAMBCAST podcast during that given month.
I decided that each month I will watch each of the films chosen and give my rankings of those films in order to decide which film I should vote for and in doing so, maybe help some of you also decide which film to vote for.
The voting is open until Sunday the 31st of Oct, so make sure to get your vote in soon.
This month, there were 5 Contenders suggested so here they are:
- M*A*S*H (1970) [Todd Liebenow, Forgotten Films]
- Killer of Sheep (1978) [Aaron Neuwirth, The Code is Zeek]
- Legend – Director’s Cut (1985) [Bubbawheat, It’s Time To Rewind]
- Johnny Mnemonic (1995) [Heather Baxendale-Walsh, The MILFcast]
- If Beale Street Could Talk (2018) [Latoya, Francais27 Tales]
Here are my rankings along with brief thoughts on each film (click on the film title if you want to read my full review)
5. Legend – Director’s Cut (1985) – Pretty mediocre fantasy film that relies too much on the looks of Sara and Cruise instead of giving us an interesting story. The cinematography is wondrous to watch but since it’s a moving picture, it would have been nice to also enjoy the plot revolving in this fantasy land. Curry stands out as the Lord of Darkness and makes this film worth at least one watch due to his amazing performance. Nice to look at, but that’s about it. (5/10)
4. Johnny Mnemonic (1995) – Great concept that just wasn’t realized as well as it potentially could have. Certain parts seem too prehistoric based on today’s modern technology and it was hard not to laugh at the craziness of it all. This is actually a film concept that I would enjoy to see re-imagined now that we all know so much more about computers and the Internet. (5/10)
3. If Beale Street Could Talk (2018) – Interesting idea that unfortunately isn’t as inspiring as one would hope from such a story. The cast is quite good and we get a clear picture of the way of life in Harlem during the troubling times of the 70’s. Loved the way the film shows the various levels of support both positive and negative that the characters get regarding the ordeal they are dealing with instead of making everyone have the same opinion along the way. The story itself works but it fails to be as powerful or as impactful as this kind of situation feels like it should. Jenkins does a nice job with this film, but once again, he falls a bit short of doing something even better. (6/10)
2. Killer of Sheep (1978) – Intriguing look at the life of a “simple” man living in Watts. The story gives the viewer a very intimate view of his life and lifestyle and things are shot in a way that makes it all seem even more realistic since the story arc is almost non-existent; instead there seems to be a documentary feel for the way things play out. (7/10)
- M*A*S*H (1970) – Hilarious film that manages to be quite poignant the whole way through. The characters are developed really well and it’s so easy to fall in love with all of them in spite of their various quirks and strange personality traits. The cast is superb with Sutherland, Gould and Skerritt making these characters so memorable. The premise of this film helped spawn one of the longest runs of a TV show that continues the antics and adventures of these characters. The chemistry between these characters is superbly done and we get a clear idea as to why they all are able to hit it off so quickly. The dialogue is quite witty and they are able to show both the horrors of war and the way that those experiencing it could try and find ways to avoid letting it consume them. This film takes place in Korea, yet it was also a way to protest the current war in Vietnam when it was made. The film’s theme song Suicide is Painless is extremely poignant and works really well here. Deservingly nominated for an Oscar for Best Picture and Director. It did manage to win an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay. (9/10)
So who should I vote for? – This month has a clear winner IMHO. MASH is by far the best of this crop because it is so engaging and entertaining and will definitely get my vote this time!
To vote, click here
Good luck to one and all!!!
MovieRob 