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Ikimono no kiroku (1955)iMDB Rating: 7.4
Date Released : 22 November 1955
Genre : Drama
Stars : Toshirô Mifune, Takashi Shimura, Minoru Chiaki, Eiko Miyoshi
Movie Quality : BRrip
Format : MKV
Size : 870 MB

Kiichi Nakajima, an elderly foundry owner, is so frightened and obsessed with the idea of nuclear extermination that his family decides to have him ruled incompetent. Nakajima's fervent wish is for his family to join him in escaping from Japan to the relative safety of South America. Harada, a civil volunteer in the case, sympathizes with Nakajima's conviction, but the old man's irrational behaviour prevents the court from taking his fears seriously.

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Review :

Good film

I felt I had to post because this film, not one of my favorites by Kurosawa but still a one of quality and intelligence, keeps getting bashed by reviewers. The low score (compared to other Kurosawa films) shouldn't discourage potential viewers. Granted, this film takes more patience than some of his other films. However, the subject matter of the atomic bomb and how Japanese society and individuals deal I thought was very seminal. The whole concept of fear is deeply imbued into the film and it questions the sanity of the viewer and the world who live under the constant threat of universal destruction with ignorant self-assurance. The ideas are intelligent and presented with clarity. This film is complete and good in itself and doesn't need to rely on the name of Kurosawa to justify itself. Not a good Kurosawa film to start off with if one is trying to nurse an interest in his fecund movies but a good movie to watch nonetheless particularly if one is at all curious about how Japanese people feel about the horror of the atomic bomb.

Behind the High Wall (1956)iMDB Rating: 7.0
Date Released : 1 July 1956
Genre : Crime, Drama
Stars : Tom Tully, Sylvia Sidney, Betty Lynn, John Gavin. A group of convicts break out of prison, killing a guard, kidnapping the warden and forcing a reluctant inmate to accompany them. However, when a car accident kills everyone except the warden and the inmate hostage, the warden steals $100,000 of the gang's money, then when police arrive he accuses the inmate of the guard's murder in order to cover up his own crime." />
Movie Quality : HDrip
Format : MKV
Size : 870 MB

A group of convicts break out of prison, killing a guard, kidnapping the warden and forcing a reluctant inmate to accompany them. However, when a car accident kills everyone except the warden and the inmate hostage, the warden steals $100,000 of the gang's money, then when police arrive he accuses the inmate of the guard's murder in order to cover up his own crime.

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Review :

Terrific Tom Tully, but Sylvia stinks

Tom Tully is one of the best examples - possibly *the* best example - of a Hollywood character actor who played prominent supporting roles in many films yet who remains unknown to audiences (even movie-trivia buffs) because he consistently gave understated and subtle performances, refusing to throw a film's storyline off-centre by calling attention to himself. In 'Behind the High Wall', Tully gets a rare chance in a leading role, and he proves himself an actor of great talent and range. Unfortunately, his leading lady here is one of my least favourite actresses: Sylvia Sidney (snaggled of tooth, bulbous of lips, coarse of accent).

Tully plays Frank Carmichael, a prison governor with money problems and a crippled wife (Sidney, not crippled enough to suit me). Some inmates, who have accomplices and money waiting for them on the out, organise an escape... killing a cellblock warder in the process. They take along two hostages: Carmichael and Hutchins, an inmate who wants to go straight. Once they're on the out, the escapees join up with accomplices who have $100,000 in hot swag. A convenient road accident kills everyone except Carmichael and Hutchins. As the loot can't be traced to Carmichael, he decides to keep it, pinning the warder's murder on Hutchins to get him out of the way. But then of course there are complications...

Sylvia Sidney's role here is too similar to her role in 'Fury', a much better movie than this one. In both films, she forces the protagonist to stay honest when I wanted him to benefit from a circumstance of chance that worked illegally in his favour. I have a lot of problems with Sylvia Sidney: I've never liked her in any performance of hers I've ever seen. Yet my all-time favourite director (Fritz Lang) cast her in the lead roles in his first three American films, so he must have seen some merit in her. Damned if I can find it, though.

Shortly after Sylvia Sidney's death, a tribute for her was held at the Players Club in Gramercy Park, New York City (she had lived there on the club's charity, with her yapping little pug dogs). I covered this event as a reporter. One after another, dozens of celebrities related anecdotes about Sidney, but each of those stories boiled down to one of three punchlines: Sylvia wanted some booze, Sylvia said a dirty word, or Sylvia was rude to somebody who didn't deserve it. If you changed the booze to drugs, any of those stories could have been told about John Belushi. The difference was, all the blue-haired dowagers in the Players Club - who laughed merrily at these stories of Sylvia Sidney boozing, cursing and insulting people - would have been profoundly offended by these exact same stories if they had been attributed to John Belushi.

In the key role as Carmichael's fall guy, John Gavin gives a good performance but is miscast. Gavin is so superhumanly handsome, he isn't believable as a small-time criminal. There are fine performances here (in small roles) by Don Beddoe, Ed Kemmer, John Larch, Peter Leeds and satchel-mouthed Barney Phillips. Tom Tully is a revelation, and deserves to be better known. I was annoyed that all the actors kept using the American pronunciation of the name 'Carmichael', with the accent on the wrong syllable, but that's to be expected in a Yank movie. I'll rate 'Behind the High Wall' 7 out of 10. I might have rated it higher if Sylvia Sidney's lips didn't enter the room five seconds ahead of the rest of her body.

Giant (1956)iMDB Rating: 7.7
Date Released : 24 November 1956
Genre : Drama, Romance, Western
Stars : Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson, James Dean, Carroll Baker
Movie Quality : BRrip
Format : MKV
Size : 870 MB

Texan rancher Bick Benedict visits a Maryland farm to buy a prize horse. Whilst there he meets and falls in love with the owner's daughter Leslie, they are married immediately and return to his ranch. The story of their family and its rivalry with cowboy and (later oil tycoon) Jett Rink unfolds across two generations.

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Review :

A beautiful, sweeping epic

George Stevens' 1956 epic "Giant" is the story of the Jordan Benedict (Rock Hudson), the male heir to one of the largest cattle ranching families in Texas. At the start of the film, we see Jordan traveling to Maryland to look at a horse he is interested in purchasing, There he meets Leslie, (Elizabeth Taylor) the daughter of the man he is purchasing the horse from (and the unofficial "owner" of the horse) and immediately falls in love with her. The feeling is mutual, so after an incredibly brief (two day) courtship, they marry and he brings her back to his ranch in Texas, Reatta. At first, life on the ranch is tough, particularly while dealing with Jordan's overprotective, no-nonsense sister Luz. (Mercedes McCambridge) Leslie soon adjusts, however, and the two of them start a family. Meanwhile, Jordan is at constant odds with one of his ranch hands, Jet Rink (James Dean) whom he always wants to fire, but is eternally protected by Luz. When Luz unexpectedly dies, Jet is ready to walk off the ranch for good, but discovers that Luz has bequeathed a parcel of the land to him. Partly to tick Jordan off, partly for his respect for Luz and partly so that he can have something for himself, Jett eschews Jordan's cash buyout and instead sets up a homestead on the land. Five years later, Jet strikes oil, and soon he is again at odds with the Benedicts, as Jet, having become one of the richest men in Texas, wants to buy out Reatta, while Jordan wants to keep the ranch for cattle raising, and most importantly – to keep it in the family. The next 15-20 years are spent raising their children and trying to cope with a changing family dynamic, one where the children may not want to adhere to the roles that have been pre-attributed to them, a struggle that is particularly hard for their son Jordan III (Dennis Hopper) because as the sole male heir, his dream of becoming a doctor is seemingly out of the question. "Giant" is about life, and the ever-changing role of the American family.

"Giant" is a very long film, (about three and a half hours) but this time frame is necessary because the story is so rich. Despite its running time, there are no pacing issues, and no real superfluous scenes. The cinematography is lush and rich (I never really thought Texas to be all that intriguing, but William C. Mellor's photography was exquisite. The performances by the principals were very good, particularly since they had to age 25 years in the film. This wasn't a mere makeup job, you could feel the aging in the way they carried themselves, and their facial expressions. James Dean in particular, perhaps because he had such a fascinating character, was stunning. Jet Rink is a complex character, and Dean really worked the role fantastically. I was also impressed, considering the overly idealistic Hollywood of the 1950's, that "Giant", while ending on a happy note, did not compromise its characters in any way to achieve its ending. Jordan for example, is typical old-guard Texas, and therefore looks down on Mexicans. When his son marries one, he has marginal acceptance and is always polite, but even after engaging in a fight to defend the honor of his grandson, he still expresses his woe that his grandson is who he is. Also, Leslie is an unabashed free-thinker who often challenges the Texas traditions, much to Jordan's chagrin. Throughout their years together however, she does not compromise her views and need to express them. I really liked this about the film, because it is rare for the time, particularly when the genre is melodrama.

I really liked this film, though when recommending it, have to caution because of the sheer length of the film. Watching "Giant" is an investment of time, but it is certainly a worthwhile investment. 7/10 --Shelly

Aadi (2002)iMDB Rating: 7.2
Date Released : 28 March 2002
Genre : Action
Stars : Ali, Raghu Babu, Chalapathi Rao, Keerthi Chawla
Movie Quality : HDrip
Format : MKV
Size : 700 MB

Aadi Keshava Reddy, A youngster returns to his homeland after 14 years avenges on Nagi Reddy who killed his family

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Dirty Habit (2006)iMDB Rating: 6.3
Date Released : 29 July 2006
Genre : Thriller
Stars : Reagan Dale Neis, Kirsty Hinchcliffe, Sam Anderson, Eloise Root. A crack-addicted prostitute and a nun get stuck on an elevator. One is going to, one is coming from, a meeting with a killer. In a seedy hotel, battered prostitute Leslie flees the scene of a crime only to get trapped on the elevator with young Sister Amelia. When no one responds to their cries for help, they reluctantly turn to each other. Leslie starts smoking crack and goes from standoffish, ..." />
Movie Quality : HDrip
Format : MKV
Size : 870 MB

A crack-addicted prostitute and a nun get stuck on an elevator. One is going to, one is coming from, a meeting with a killer. In a seedy hotel, battered prostitute Leslie flees the scene of a crime only to get trapped on the elevator with young Sister Amelia. When no one responds to their cries for help, they reluctantly turn to each other. Leslie starts smoking crack and goes from standoffish, to giddy, to ferociously hostile at the drop of a hat. The unlucky sister learns more than she wants about the violent crime Leslie has just perpetrated. Tensions mount as Leslie pries into Sister Amelia's private affairs and they discover a shared secret that binds them together in a macabre and surreal plot involving a talking handbag and a Catholic bishop. It's a dark, hallucinatory ride with powerful performances and supernatural thrills that goes straight to the heart of a girl on her way to Hell.

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Coupable (2008)iMDB Rating: 5.4
Date Released : 27 February 2008
Genre : Crime, Drama
Stars : Hélène Fillières, Jérémie Renier, Amira Casar, Denis Podalydès. When the dead body of Mr Kaplan is found, a kitchen knife in the back, all eyes turn to the maid. When the widow reveals that her departed husband was incapable of giving her children, all eyes turn to the widow. Beneath this passionate crime, a modern day detective will discover that temptation, devotion, remorse and desire are the best fuels for killing love." />
Movie Quality : BRrip
Format : MKV
Size : 700 MB

When the dead body of Mr Kaplan is found, a kitchen knife in the back, all eyes turn to the maid. When the widow reveals that her departed husband was incapable of giving her children, all eyes turn to the widow. Beneath this passionate crime, a modern day detective will discover that temptation, devotion, remorse and desire are the best fuels for killing love.

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Review :

French cinema author Laetitia Masson films failure of human relationships.

Coupable/guilty is not really about crime although hints about a criminal act abound throughout this offbeat French film.It is really nice to see how deftly its focus shifts from crime to human beings and their inner emotional turmoil.Failure of human relationships is one of the key themes shown in this film directed by Laetitia Masson.She is absolutely impressive as a director eschewing feminist approach by showing a troublesome catch 22 situation involving failed marriages.A lot of this film's protagonists come closer to various shades of emotional quandaries as those who are married are made to suffer.It is the same annoyance for those characters who are suffering due to lack of marriage as they want to desperately enter into matrimony.It is believed by cinema fans that French films are known to combine philosophy with ideologies.This is one such film where philosophy, ideology, Egocentrism and just about everything related to mysteries of human nature is visible.Coupable/guilty is a very different film directed by Laetitia Masson who is known to have made challenging yet light films in her career.Her film is a difficult visual experience as owing to her uncompromising approach,one can guess from the beginning that it would not be an easy cinematographic experience.

Seven Cities of Gold (1955)iMDB Rating: 6.4
Date Released : 24 February 1956
Genre : Adventure, Biography, History
Stars : Richard Egan, Anthony Quinn, Michael Rennie, Jeffrey Hunter. In the eighteenth century, a Spanish expedition is looking for seven cities of gold in a territory now known as California. A very difficult task due the opposition of the aborigines, but perhaps a divine intervention could help the Spaniards to save the life." />
Movie Quality : BRrip
Format : MKV
Size : 700 MB

In the eighteenth century, a Spanish expedition is looking for seven cities of gold in a territory now known as California. A very difficult task due the opposition of the aborigines, but perhaps a divine intervention could help the Spaniards to save the life.

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Review :

His real faith

If you want to know about the founding of the city I consider the most beautiful in America, San Diego, than Seven Cities Of Gold is the film for you. It's a reverential account from a historical novel with the central figures Gaspar DePortola the soldier/conquistador who took care of the military end of things and Father Junipero Serra who handled the spiritual details. His mission which became the center of San Diego was the first of many he would found in the conquest of California.

Anthony Quinn is Portola and he's certainly my idea of a Spanish conquistador. He's a believer, but has more faith in his ammunition and artillery than in the maxim of the Lord will provide.

The figure of Father Junipero Serra is a controversial one in terms of the damage he did to the Indian culture. But the Catholic church in the Spanish and Portugese conquests also had a role in blunting somewhat the impact of the gold hungry conquistadors, it did shield their converts from the seamier depredations of European society. Serra who is played by Michael Rennie is done in the same saintly manner that Rennie played St. Peter in The Robe and Demetrius And The Gladiators. By all accounts Serra was a spartan figure for a priest.

Jeffrey Hunter plays a new young Indian chief who is not crazy about these people invading his neighborhood. That concern is heightened exponentially after his sister Rita Moreno is despoiled by one of the Spanish soldiers looking for a little action. In fact it throws the fate of the whole expedition in doubt.

Richard Egan is the despoiler who has some big decisions to make. Egan who was a serious Catholic in real life makes a decision commensurate with his real faith.

Real historians might have trouble with Seven Cities Of Gold. But as entertainment, especially if one is Catholic, this should please you.