Cat Ballou
1965  NR  WESTERN  1h 37min
CAST— Jane Fonda, Lee Marvin, Michael Callen, Dwayne Hickman, Tom Nardini, John Marley, Reginald Denny, Jay C. Flippen, Arthur Hunnicut, Bruce Cabot
MUSIC— Frank De Vol, Mack David, Jerry Livingston  DIRECTOR— Elliot Silverstein  BASED ON— The Ballad of Cat Ballou (novel), by Roy Chanslor

     And you thought the old West was a man’s world. Not so in this little fable. The beautiful Jane Fonda, future schoolmarm, lives a quiet life on her father’s ranch; that is until the town’s merchants hire an enforcer to gun down the old man. With steely revenge in her heart Fonda becomes an outlaw. Gathering her friends together as her gang, she sets out to avenge her father’s death. Told in a serio-comic fashion, the film tends to stall at points, losing its focus from time to time. Still, it’s fun to see Fonda hold her own amongst the Western set, especially the woolly Lee Marvin (in an Oscar-winning role as twin brothers), who should definitely seek out a designated rider.
OUR RATING— **

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     The Cat and the Canary
1927  NR  HORROR  1h 22min
CAST— Laura LaPlante, Tully Marshall, Flora Finch, Creighton Hale, Gertrude Astor, Lucien Littlefield
MUSIC— Hugo Riesenfeld  DIRECTOR— Paul Leni  BASED ON— The Cat and the Canary (play), by John Willard

     Charming silent comedy-thriller that has it all: a “haunted” mansion, atmospheric thrills, disembodied arms creeping through the walls. Twenty years after an eccentric millionaire dies, various family members gather at his spooky mansion for the reading of his will. That’s when the fun begins. Beautiful set pieces enhance the spooktacular feel of the film, making this one memorable. It’s nowhere close to perfection, but worth a look.
OUR RATING— ** ½
REMADE AS— The Cat Creeps (1930), La Voluntad del muerto (1930), The Cat and the Canary (1939), Katten och kanariefageln (1961), The Cat and the Canary (1979)

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     Castle of the Living Dead
1963  NR  HORROR  1h 30min
CAST— Christopher Lee, Gala Germani, Philippe Leroy, Jacques Stanislawski, Donald Sutherland
MUSIC— Angelo Lavagnini  DIRECTOR— Herbert Wise (Luciano Ricci)

     Horrifyingly dull time-waster involving a traveling comedy troupe performing for maniacal taxidermist Christopher Lee in his strange castle. Those unfortunate enough to watch may notice Donald Sutherland in his film debut as a police captain… and as a mysterious old woman. Interesting. AKA Il castello dei morti divi.
OUR RATING— *

     Casino Royale
2006  PG-13  ACTION  2h 24min
CAST— Daniel Craig, Eva Green, Mads Mikkelsen, Judi Dench, Jeffrey Wright, Giancarlo Giannini, Caterina Murino, Simon Abkarian, Isaach De Bankole
MUSIC— David Arnold  DIRECTOR— Martin Campbell  BASED ON— Casino Royale (novel), by Ian Fleming

     The legend of James Bond begins in this explosively entertaining thrill ride featuring Daniel Craig as British Secret Service agent 007. When a corrupt financier named Le Chiffre invests his funds in the world of international terrorism Bond is sent to infiltrate his operation. To fund his business ventures Le Chiffre gambles in high stakes tournaments at his clients’ expense. To get close enough to his adversary, Bond must enter the same tournament as Le Chiffre, never compromising his mission. Forsaking baccarat for Texas Hold ‘Em poker, the tournament begins, with millions at stake. The real attractions are Bond and action (which go hand in hand); Craig makes the Bond character his own, relying on brains and brawn rather than gizmos and gadgets, and the action is spectacular, including perhaps the most exciting foot chase ever conceived. Hold on to your shaken martinis!
OUR RATING— *** ½
FOLLOWED BY— Quantum of Solace (2008), Skyfall (2012), Spectre (2015)
ORIGINAL— Casino Royale (1967)

     Casino Royale
1967  NR  COMEDY  2h 11min
CAST— Peter Sellers, Ursula Andress, David Niven, Orson Welles, Joanna Pettet, Woody Allen, Deborah Kerr, William Holden, Charles Boyer, John Huston, George Raft, Jean-Paul Belmondo, Jacky (Jacqueline) Bisset
MUSIC— Burt Bacharach  DIRECTORS— John Huston, Ken Hughes, Robert Parrish, Joe McGrath, Val Guest  BASED ON— Casino Royale (novel), by Ian Fleming

     Another film that should not have been. This horrendous spoof of the James Bond franchise is pure celluloid garbage from the start. David Niven plays Bond in this drivel; yet so does Peter Sellers. Niven hires Sellers as a decoy for some odd reason and soon the madness starts. Pseudo-Bond bumbles his way through his mission (not unlike a certain French inspector), soon to encounter the notorious Le Chiffre at the baccarat tables in the Casino Royale. What follows is too hideous to describe. Let’s just say that an instant migraine awaits in this Royale with cheese.
OUR RATING— *
REMADE AS— Casino Royale (2006)

     Casablanca
1942  NR  DRAMA  1h 42min
CAST— Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, Paul Henreid, Claude Rains, Conrad Veidt, Peter Lorre, Sydney Greenstreet, Dooley Wilson, Marcel Dalio, S. Z. Sakall, Joy Page, Helmut Dantine, Curt Bois
MUSIC— Max Steiner  DIRECTOR— Michael Curtiz  BASED ON— Everybody Comes to Rick’s (play), by Murray Burnett and Joan Alison

     Wartime intrigue and the rekindled flame of long-lost love highlight this classic film that The American Film Institute ranked number one on their list of romantic films. In World War II Europe, the German occupation is in full swing. Refugees swarm to safety through debarkation points on their way to America. One such area is in Casablanca, part of the Moroccan desert; but the Nazis restrict all travel from Casablanca, with the help of the local police. In this tiny part of the world lies Rick’s, a tavern owned by a disillusioned man with a heart of gold. Unexpectedly, a woman walks into the bar one night… the very woman that has left Rick himself so bitter. Their past is involved, but he must put that behind him in order to help her get to America, out of the hands of the Nazis. This beloved film has proven to be a tearjerker for many years, and sixty-five plus years later it shows no sign of wear and tear. Oscar-winner for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Screenplay. Deemed “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” by the United States Library of Congress National Film Registry.
OUR RATING— ***

     Cars
2006  G  ANIMATED  1h 56min
CAST— Paul Newman, Owen Wilson, Bonnie Hunt, Larry the Cable Guy, Cheech Marin, George Carlin, Richard Petty, Michael Keaton, Tony Shalhoub, John Ratzenberger, Michael Wallis, Paul Dooley, Jenifer Lewis, Bob Costas
MUSIC— Randy Newman  DIRECTOR— John Lasseter

     Yet another effort from the Disney/Pixar powerhouse, sadly lacking the charm of previous outings. A hotshot race car is on his way to the race of his young life when he gets waylaid in a bump-in-the-road town on the almost desolate Route 66. After driving recklessly he pays community service by repairing the town’s main street. Throughout his time in town he begins to fall in love, acquire friends, and gain a sense of perspective regarding his own priorities… all within a matter of days. Overlong by at least an hour this feels like a Chevron commercial that never ends. The problem lies with characterization; without engaging characters a film goes down the tubes. Not to say the film is a complete loss; the CGI is top-notch, as always; the vocal casting is a creative blend of talented actors spanning all varieties of film. Yet when you have a film that depicts NASCAR-esqe racing as a good thing, you know you have a problem. Paul Newman’s final role.
OUR RATING— **
FOLLOWED BY— Cars 2 (2011), Planes (2013), Planes: Fire & Rescue (2014), Cars 3 (2017)