Ek Saal

My sister owns a cd of the singer Geeta Dutt who participates in this movie.  I thought it was pretty cool to see her used in a movie.  This old movie is about a woman with a brain tumor.  It's about a con man who eventually does fall in love with Madhubala.  In fact, the father and the guy are hiding the truth about her deteriorating condition.  This was all right.  I'm now curious about the actress Madhubala who was the main star.    

It Rains in my Village

The negative reviews on Amazon are mostly about the translation of this movie like the songs weren't translated.  However, this is one of the few movies from the Yugoslavia black wave that are available so it's worth just watching for that.  It's about a swineherder who falls for a school teacher.  She belittles his intelligence.  He kills a mute girl who is in love with him, even though he's in the same unrequited love category as her.  He's a major jerk but you kind of feel sorry for him at the end.  

Fanaa

A blind girl (Kajol) falls for a charming guy.  He has a secret though.  He's a terrorist.  I liked this movie because he was more than the one-dimensional villain.   There are times in the movie where you root for them to get together.  However, he's evil.  There is chemistry between the two plus there's also a kid in the mix but you know it won't end happily ever after.  There were good performances from all involved.  

The Brothers Rico

Richard Conte plays a man who got out of crime a long time ago.  Unfortunately his brothers haven't.  He tries to warn them that they are going to be killed but it turns out he's being watched.  This is an ok noir mostly because Richard Conte does a believable performance.  I've seen better noir but if you're a huge fan of the genre it's worth a watch.

Goodbye Again

A writer comes in contact with a married old flame that he doesn't remember.  Nevertheless, he carries on with the relationship.  His secretary Joan Blondell has a thing for him and is jealous.  This was just ok.  Joan is the best part of the movie.  

Full Confession

Victor McLaglen plays a murderer who is just caught burglarizing.  He considers himself lucky and takes the wrap for that.  At the jail, a priest takes to him.  While on a hospital bed he admits his crime to the priest without full consciousness.  The priest begs him to come forward.  An innocent man is being convicted of the crime.  What is he supposed to do?  Sally Eilers plays a love interest.  She doesn't have much to do here which is a shame since I like her.   

Gate of Hell

Machiko Kyo was one of my favorite actresses in my early 20's so I'm revisiting her movies.  For some reason, though her movie Princess Yang Kwei-fei is still not on DVD which surprises me as it was directed by Mizoguchi.  Gate of Hell is about a samurai who is granted anything he wishes and he desires a married woman Machiko.  This, of course, is not a good idea and creates chaos for all the characters ending into doom.  The colors of this movie were vibrant.  It was a lovely looking movie.  It's really a classic.  

Wheeler Woolsley

I got a disc of them that featured Cracked Nuts/Caught Plastered/Hold 'Em Jail.  Caught Plastered was cute.  It was a comedy about prohibition and Hold 'Em Jail had the two in prison.  Edna May Oliver starred in two of these movies.  I loved her in Ladies of the Jury and she definitely had something.  Wheeler and Woolsey are pretty much a forgotten comedy team from the 30's.  I'll probably watch another disc eventually.  

Wild Orchids

Greta Garbo stars in this movie as a woman torn between her husband Lewis Stone and Nils Ashter.   Lewis Stone starred in a number of Garbo movies.  I was like I've seen him somewhere and sure enough imdb showed me.  This is an ok silent with some sound.  Greta doesn't speak here of course as the movie that introduced her voice was Anna Christie.  This is recommended for Garbo films.  It's just ok. 2.5 out of 5 

Westward the Women

A group of women answer an ad about being brides.  Robert Taylor leads the way as they make their trip to meet the men.  Women die along the way.  There are problems with the wagons.  This movie doesn't make their journey look pretty.  It makes the women look courageous.  There's also a little love story.  Overall this was an ok western. 

Floating Weeds

I watched the silent movie A Story of Floating Weeds a while ago.  I've seen Floating Weeds years ago and thought it was amazing.  This is the superior remake.  Machiko Kyo was one of my favorite actresses when I was in my early 20's.  She was in classic movies like Gate of Hell and Rashomon.  She is great as a villain here.  An actor decides to visit his wife after many years and meet his grown-up son.  His mistress Machiko is jealous so she gets an actress to play the son's interested lover.  Only things don't go as planned.  This movie is simply fantastic.