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Reviews
30 Is a Dangerous Age, Cynthia (1968)
Like a birthday cake - sweet and fluffy
"30 Is A Dangerous Age, Cynthia" shares a producer (Walter Shenson) with the Beatles' "Help!" and runs along the same lines as well - the flimsy so-called plot is merely an excuse for endless musical segments, fantasy sequences and comic gags. It's very clear from the beginning how things are going to turn out for our hero (Dudley Moore as Rupert Street), and even moments of worry or conflict for the characters pass very quickly or are made humorous. Several chances for drama are wasted - much like Rupert's own musical, you could imagine that this movie began life with some thought and delicacy that was discarded in favour of more harmless frolic. Well, it's undeniably full of that, with its swinging 60's colour, fun and music. The detective who fancies himself an American-style "private dick" with appropriate voiceovers is very funny, as is Eddie Foy Jr. as Oscar, Rupert's endlessly scheming agent. Those who are looking for something along the lines of "Bedazzled" (ie. the Moore/Cook version, a personal favourite of mine) will likely be disappointed with the fluffy non-plot and lack of anything resembling drama (not to mention the absence of Peter Cook's witty scripting). However, this really is a must-see for Dudley Moore fans - the imaginary bits display him in a vast array of costumed guises, and he performs several of his self-penned songs in their entirety. If you're just looking for a bit of "Help!"-style silly fun, you'll enjoy this one.
Before and After (1996)
Disappointed
The plot of Before And After is a good idea, but is ruined by the trite treatment given here. Liam Neeson (Ben) and Meryl Streep (Carolyn) turn in surprisingly weak acting jobs here. It gets boring real fast. Personally, I was annoyed by the obvious attempts to manipulate viewers into sympathizing with the Ryan family, for instance when Martha (Jacob's girlfriend) was portrayed as selfish and promiscuous, and when Martha's mother was shown as ugly, bitter and snipy in contrast with saintly Carolyn. The postcard device was also confusing and contrived, and the lawyer was too much of a stereotyped caricature. The only character I cared about was Judith (Jacob's sister), as an innocent victim of the rest of the family's panicked stupidity. Too much oversimplified moralizing, not enough character development. A timewaster.
Bridge to Nowhere (1986)
Pretty good stuff
Five teenagers head off into the forest on a weekend camping trip to see the "bridge to nowhere". Fighting starts within the group, but disagreements are forgotten when the hermit who lives across the bridge begins to hunt them down. The fight-for-survival plot is too familiar to make this truly riveting, but it's enjoyable nonetheless because of the excellent acting from all involved. Much to its credit this production resists the temptation of dramatic overacting, and the teenagers are thoroughly believable (although Leon is an annoying jerk that you start to hope gets killed fast). Hermit Mark and his companion Lise are more mysterious and erratic, and Lise's relationship with Mark is never really explained, which is somewhat disappointing but adds further interest. A bit of a nostalgia trip for me with the 80's clothing styles etc., and the NZ soundtrack (Annie Crummer, Car Crash Set etc) adds a nice local touch. A good rental choice for a rainy afternoon.
And Now for Something Completely Different (1971)
Say No More!!
This movie was my first introduction to the insanely hilarious world of Monty Python, and an excellent intro it was too! One really good point is that you get to see so many different characters and hilarious situations with the collection-type format. A few of my favourites are the Blackmail game show, "nudge nudge wink wink", the mountain climbing thing in the office, the Twit of the Year competition and too many others! Fabulous!