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2023 Movie Diary, Part 12

34. MISSILE X: THE NEUTRON BOMB INCIDENT (1978)

Peter Graves stars as a sexy international man of mystery out to save the world. I’ll just stop there. That should be more than enough.
Verdict: Rifftrax made it bearable. Great fun, even.
See it here: Rifftrax version – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBz5b0tANzc

35. GAMMERA THE INVINCIBLE (1966)

An arctic expedition gone wrong. A enigmatic Eskimo carving. Clueless scientists. Panicky military personnel. A child with a turtle fetish. A guy dressed in a rubber turtle outfit stomping models of cities and power plants. This is indeed a film that has something for everyone.
Verdict: Terrific in all of the ways these kaiju movies are terrific.
See it here: The Rifftrax version is pretty hilarious, but honestly I would have enjoyed it without the riffing.

36. THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN (1960)

Lots to love here, and just enough wrong with it to leave you vaguely disappointed.  The annoying “young kid” character is unbearable. Leaving him and his stupid romantic subplot on the cutting room floor would solve most of the movie’s problems. But then you’ve only got the Magnificent Six, and that doesn’t quite have the same ring to it. Oh well.
Verdict: Good but not great. I don’t care what its reputation is.

Santa Anita – Decor

Horsey touches everywhere.

The fountain, engraved with the names of the winners of the Santa Anita Handicap. Up to a point. They’re gonna need a bigger fountain.

Looking down judgmentally at all of the gambling going on.

One of the many statues in the paddock gardens.

I’ve always loved this pot.

Mare and foal topiary.

The paddock gardens really are beautiful.

They’re doing that public art thing with horses painted by various artists. I kind of liked this one. Sort of mod.

2023 Movie Diary, Part 11

31. GIANT FROM THE UNKNOWN (1958)

False advertising. He’s not a giant, he’s maybe 6′ 3″. And he’s not from the unknown, he’s from 15th century Spain. And he also seems to have lumbago, so his attacks on the unsuspecting are like watching paint dry. This, in addition for the director’s penchant for long metal-detecting grid search sequences, make this one seem far, far, far longer than it’s brief running time.
Verdict: Meh.
See it here (with the guys from Rifftrax): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5d0OEyA6Dc

32. JUNGLE GODDESS (1948)

Oh, but this is a dreary, unpleasant little ditty. But at least the flying sequences are done with little model planes on perfectly visible strings. So there’s that. That’s literally the best thing about it.
Verdict: Trust me when I say that you can go ahead and miss this.
See it here (via Mystery Science Theatre 3000): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdCocIrY864

33. THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS (2002)

Wes Anderson’s movies are an acquired taste, but I acquired it long ago not just because of his wacky/wonderful visual aesthetic, but because of the heart that he puts into his work. This is a story of familial dysfunction, disappointment, betrayal, forgiveness and redemption, and it’s weirdly moving and brutally funny in all kinds of unexpected ways.
Verdict: Wonderful, and a potential HoF member. I have to see it a few times more to make completely sure.

Santa Anita – Statuary

Training great Charlie Whittingham and his dog Toby.

All-time Santa Anita stakes winner John Henry, humble of origin, plain of form, fleet of foot, and evil of temper.

Breeder’s Cup championships will be held here in November, and I am to be there.

The immortal “people’s horse”, Seabiscuit.

Zenyatta, the Queen of Racing. Saw her in person many times. There will never be another like her.

Santa Anita – Pretty Horsies

One of the carriage horses that carries the stewards to their posts. He wanted candy, but I only had carrots. Can’t you sense his disappointment?

Headed to the paddock to get saddled.

Looking ready for a race.

On his toes.

Friendly lead pony would only eat mints. He rejected the carrot I offered. Can you sense his disappointment?

Photo op featuring a cardboard cutout of the great Flightline and Flavien Prat.

Flightline rejected my carrot also.

Santa Anita – Architecture

Santa Anita – built in the mid-1930s – is pure art deco heaven…

Look at those beautiful friezes and those curves….

Grandstand windows and wonderful wrought iron detailing…

The clubhouse…

Also the clubhouse…

Another look at the friezes. I’ve always loved them.

Entrance to the paddock and beyond, the jockey’s room.

2023 Movie Diary, Part 10

28. DINOSAURUS (1960)

Bad acting, worse writing, brain-dead plotting, mediocre stop motion dinosaurs, and schlocky caveman antics all in one movie!  It’s Dinosaurus!  What more can you ask for?  Well, how about a climactic duel between a T-Rex and an excavator.  How about a character named Dumpy?  Tempted now?  You should be!  
Verdict: I love movies like this. I don’t care who knows it.
See it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxsX1iT6260

29. SPACE MUTINY (1988)

A fun bad movie catapulted to immortality by the greatest of all MST3K episodes. That’s it. That’s my review. Put your faith in Blast Hardcheese and watch it.
Verdict: The Mystery Science Theatre 3000 version is an Inductee, Laurie’s Cinematic Hall of Fame. There, I said it. You know what movie will never be in my Hall of Fame? Casablanca. I refuse to apologize.
See It Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sa42pxJyq64

30. MASTER AND COMMANDER: THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD

One of the greatest, most immersive movies ever made.  Patrick O’Brian’s Aubrey/Maturin novels, which serve as the source material, are probably unfilmable as written, at least in motion picture form, and the differences between books and movie are significant. But it’s so beautifully crafted and acted, and so breathtaking in scale yet intimate and nuanced that it’s just miraculous. I will say it again: this is one of the best movies ever made.
Verdict: Inductee, Laurie’s Cinematic Hall of Fame