Iron Man

2008 • Director: Jon Favreau
Action • PG-13 • 126 minutes
Paramount Pictures
Color • Language: English
Starring Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow

The fact that wealthy industrialist Tony Stark in the comic books is an alcoholic and is played by Robert Downey Jr. in the movie adds a bit or realism to Downey's portrayal of Stark. Besides this bit of life intersecting with art, Iron Man is no more imaginative than any other superhero movie, and it takes forever to build any momentum. Rating: B–

À Nos Amours

1983 • Director: Maurice Pialat
Foreign • Rated R • 95 minutes
Les Films du Livradois / Gaumont
Color • Language: French (with English subtitles)
Starring Sandrine Bonnaire, Maurice Pialat

À Nos Amours carries the viewer alongside the heroine, fifteen year-old Suzanne (Bonnaire), as she deals with the pain of her dysfunctional home life. She explores her sexuality with promiscuity, and it's uncomfortable to witness. Her father (Pialat) is a credible compatriot for her while he sorts out his own problems. Rating: B+

Attack of the 50 Foot Woman

1958 • Director: Nathan Juran
Science Fiction • Unrated • 65 minutes
Woolner Brothers Pictures / Allied Artists Pictures
Black and White • Language: English
Starring Allison Hayes, William Hudson

The best you can say about this gargantuan bomb is that it has some sassy dialogue and special effects that are…well… most un-special. You can't really blame the times because Them! is frightening and it appeared four years earlier. Still though, for kitsch, there's entertainment value.  Rating: C+

Rebecca

1940 • Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Drama • Unrated • 130 minutes
Selznick International Pictures / United Artists
Black and White • Language: English
Starring Laurence Olivier, Joan Fontaine

In Rebecca, the story parallels Jane Eyre a bit too closely and the story's pace sags suddenly in the second hour. Still, one can easily see Hitchcock's interest in spookiness beginning to flower as he places Mrs. DeWinter (Fontaine) in rooms that appear to diminish her to frightening degrees. Rating: A–

Belle de Jour

1967 • Director: Luis Buñuel
Foreign / Drama • Rated R • 101 minutes
Robert et Raymond Hakin / Valoria Films
Color • Language: French (with English subtitles)
Starring Catherine Deneuve, Jean Sorel

In Belle de Jour, the timeline and depictions of reality blur frequently and often violently. Disturbing images and themes emerge as Séverine (Deneuve) makes the decision to be a prostitute by day and a devoted wife to a man of means at night. Absolutely absorbing and dreamily artistic. Rating: A

Der 20. Juli

1955 • Director: Falk Harnack
Drama • Unrated • 97 minutes
CCC / Herzog-Filmverleih
Color • Language: German (German only subtitles)
Starring Wolfgang Preiss, Annemarie Düringer

Also known as The Plot to Assassinate Hitler, this film is among the earliest about the attempt on Hitler's life in 1944. Unfortunately, it suffers from clunky insertions of war footage and some terrible set design. Despite fine acting by Preiss and the delightful Annemarie Düringer, this is mostly of interest for historical reasons.  Rating: B