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Whatever Works, a review by Tom

Whatever Works (2009/United States) IMDb | Wikipedia Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (United States) Director: Woody Allen, Big Film Design Writing: Woody Allen (Writer), Big Film Design) Length: 92 min. Video: Widescreen 1.78 Audio: English: Dolby TrueHD 5.1 Subtitles: English

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Stars:
Larry David as Boris
Boris' Friends
* Adam Brooks
* Lyle Kanouse
* Michael McKean

Clifford Lee Dickson as Boy on Street

Plot:Whatever Works. Director-writer Woody Allen returns to his comedy roots in this poignant and wildly hilarious romp that Gene Shalit of "The Today Show' calls "Colossally funny!"

Extras:

• BD-Live
• Scene Access

It was my turn to select a movie to watch in the theatre. I have chosen this one not because it is a Woody Allen movie, but because I like both the stars and I was curious. I enjoy watching Larry David on Curb Your Enthusiasm and I could really imagine him working in a Woody Allen picture. I enjoyed Evan Rachel Wood's work since I first saw her on the series "Once and Again". She was only about 11 at the time, but she already was a great actress. Much better than most child stars. The most recent movie I saw with her was "The Wrestler".
"Whatever Works" is a really funny movie and both the stars did not disappoint. They were terrific. This movie was also well received with the group I dragged into it.


Rating:

(From December Marathons - DISCUSSION AND REVIEW THREAD on December 21st, 2009)

An Evening of Edgar Allan Poe, a review by Danae Cassandra

An Evening of Edgar Allan Poe
Year of Release: 1970
Directed By: Ken Johnson
Starring: Vincent Price
Genre: Horror

Overview:
Brace yourself for a fearsome fright fest...times four! Maestro of Mayhem Vincent Price narrates this quivering quartet of Edgar Allan Poe's most spine-tingling classics, including: "The Tell Tale Heart," "The Sphinx," "The Cask of Amontillado," and "The Pit and the Pendulum." Dripping with gruesome torture, live burials, monsters, madness and murder most foul, An Evening of Edgar Allan Poe will chill you to your very marrow!

My Thoughts:
This short anthology film is a treat for fans of Vincent Price.  He is the sole actor here, doing four of Poe's short stories as, basically, one-man stage shows.  It's very much a showcase of Price's talent, since each story allows him to develop a different character. 

"The Tell-Tale Heart" and "A Cask of Amontillado" are both two of Poe's best known stories and the best of these four features.  One showcases Price as a raving madman, the other as cold and calculating a villain as you'll ever see.  "The Pit and the Pendulum" is good, but I don't find it as engaging as the other two, though Price plays desperate terror quite well.  I find "The Sphinx" the weakest of the lot, though still enjoyable.

This was made for television, and obviously very cheaply, but if you're a fan of Vincent Price it's well worth seeing. 

Bechdel Test: Fail

Overall: 3.25/5

2015 Horror Movie Count: 11

(From Horror/Halloween Marathon 2015 on October 21st, 2015)

Tom's Random TV Episodes Reviews, a review by Tom

Columbo
No Time to Die
Writer: Ed McBain (Story By), Richard Levinson (Created By), William Link (Created By), Robert Van Scoyk (Screenwriter)
Director: Alan J. Levi
Cast: Peter Falk (Columbo), Joanna Going (Melissa Alexandra Hayes), Thomas Calabro (Detective Andy Parma), Dan Butler (Sergeant Goodman), Doug Savant (Detective Dennis Mulrooney), Daniel McDonald (Strassa), Daniel Davis (Alex Varrick), Lance LeGault (Police Captain), Juliet Mills (Eileen Hacker), David Byrd (Bailey), Don Swayze), Donald Moffat (Sheldon Hays), Patricia Huston (Louise Hays), Cliff Emmich (Tubby Comfort), Beth Chamberlin (Cindy), Siobhan McCafferty (Samantha), Stack Pierce (President Loren Jefferson), Yvonne Farrow (Janet), Richard Assad (Abdul), Tom Marvich (Technician #1), Gary Hollis (Technician #2), Jose Rey (Bartender), Darnell Harrison (Technician #3), Mark Alan Kaufman (Sandy)

Different to the usual Columbo episode. In this one no murder takes place but a kidnapping. And Columbo and the other cops are trying to find out who the kidnapper is througout the episode. There is no scene where Columbo is talking to the criminal trying to get him to slip up.
It answers a question: Is the behaviour of Columbo towards a criminal a complete act or is he like that by nature. This episode shows him as a very competent and highly regarded police officer throughout. There is no scene with the typical Columbo mannerisms at all.

Rating:

(From Tom's Random TV Episodes Reviews on March 1st, 2011)