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White Heat, a review by Antares

White Heat





Year: 1949
Film Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures
Genre: Drama, Crime
Length: 113 Min.

Director
Raoul Walsh (1887)

Writing
Ivan Goff (1910)...Screenplay
Ben Roberts (1916)...Screenplay
Virginia Kellogg (1907)...Story

Producer
Louis F. Edelman (1900)

Cinematographer
Sidney Hickox (1895)

Music
Max Steiner (1888)...Composer

Stars
James Cagney (1899) as Arthur 'Cody' Jarrett
Virginia Mayo (1920) as Verna Jarrett
Edmond O'Brien (1915) as Vic Pardo
Margaret Wycherly (1881) as Ma Jarrett
Steve Cochran (1917) as Big Ed Somers
John Archer (1915) as Philip Evans
Wally Cassell (1915) as 'Cotton' Valletti
Fred Clark (1914) as Daniel Winston

Review
       In 1943, after the success of Yankee Doodle DandyWhite Heat would be his first offering and would return him to the genre that had made him famous twenty years earlier.

       After World War II, the public's fascination with gangsters had changed. No longer were they seen as romantic rebel heroes of the depression era, but as a menace to the freedom and prosperity we had fought to protect during the war. Cagney understood this change in the taste of the viewing public and decided to turn Cody Jarrett into a ruthless psychopath. Jarrett is a cold-blooded criminal with a deep-rooted Oedipal complex that is nurtured by his doting, and gun-toting mother (Margaret Wycherly). Only
       Of all the gangster films that James Cagney made, this was his greatest. It is the one role that he is most associated with and would be the benchmark for future actors to emulate in their interpretations of maniacal and psychopathic criminals.


Ratings Criterion4 Stars - Historically important film, considered a classic.

(From White Heat (1949) on March 15th, 2010)

Mr. Mom, a review by Dragonfire

Mr. Mom



I first saw Mr. Mom years ago, probably not that long after it originally came out.  I think it was when I stayed with my grandmother.  She had HBO.  I seem to remember watching this movie over and over and over...along with some others.  Anyway, I saw it a lot years ago.  I found it on HBO recently and watched it for the first time in years.  I still really enjoyed the movie.

The idea of the dad staying home with the kids was a bit different when the movie originally came out.  Since then, I know a lot of fathers have ended up staying home with the kids while the mothers worked for whatever reason.  With how things are in this country right now and how so many people have lost jobs, that aspect of the plot is still very relevant even though some things seem a little dated.  The movie is pretty funny, though some of the humor is a bit silly.  Most of the humor comes from how Jack deals with or attempts to deal with things around the house.  The plot is fairly simple and straight forward, but the movie is still very entertaining and definitely worth checking out.  There isn't a lot of development to the characters, but the main characters are likable.  The cast does really well with their parts.



I did get a review posted on Epinions.

Mr. Mom

(From Marie's Random Movie Viewing on October 1st, 2011)

Babylon 5: Marathon, a review by DJ Doena

Synopsis: The Cenaturi emperor arrives at Babylon 5 with the not widely known intent to apologize to the Narn before he dies. Meanwhile a man contacts Garibaldi with a message from an old friend.

My opinion: Again the name-giving episode of the season and once again a turning point of the story. This time Molari used Mr. Mordens forces with the full knowledge of what they are capable of and what they will do to the Narn colony. And ironically we have the same situation as in "Midnight of the Firing Line" although with opposite signs (this time G'Kar tries to kill Londo in the ambassadorial quarters). Great but very sad episode.


Synopsis: 25,000 Earth soldiers, most of them Gropos (Ground Pounder) have arrived at the station and the crew has to find sleeping places for them. Commander of these troops is General Franklin, the father of Dr. Franklin, and he intends to attack a rebel stronghold on a planet allied to the Earth Alliance.

My opinion: Another very sad episode. We spend an entire episode to get to know some of the Gropos just to realize they are all - the good ones as well as the bad ones - dead by the end of the episode. One cannot say that this is an enjoyable episode, but it leaves a strong impression. Especially when you watch it for the second or n-th time and you are aware that they will all die.


Synopsis: Captain Sheridan is kidnapped by an unknown alien species while he is away from the station. These aliens have kidnapped other aliens as well, e.g. a Narn.

My opinion: Let's cut to the chase: I think it is a very boring episode, although some parts are important for the main arc (such as Kosh being in Sheridans mind; the now unbalanced Grey Council and the conversation between General Hague and Sheridan). But the main story with the capture aboard this alien ship is not really interesting.


Synopsis: Since the war between Narn and Centauri has started, open fights have been broken out between the residents of the station. G'Kar is trying to get military aid from the humans and/or the Minbari. Meanwhile Ivanova has to deal with a new race that has it's very own point of view in matters of evolution.

My opninion: I liked it because we see that Londo is not too happy about his new "popularity", because he is aware that things like real freindship matters more. But I think since the events of "The Coming of Shadows" he has passed "the point of no return" and is trapped on the path he set foot on with his choices.

(From Babylon 5: Marathon on August 8th, 2007)