Bonnie Scotland

Bonnie Scotland

MGM

August 23, 1935

Comedy
DVD
C-

Yes, we're now under "Laurel & Hardy" alphabetically, although they were of course one of the least interesting parts of the first quarter hour.  James W. Horne directed.

So I Married an Axe Murderer

So I Married an Axe Murderer

TriStar

July 30, 1993

Comedy, Horror?

DVD
B

I saw and, to my surprise, liked this movie over twenty years ago, when it was still relatively new.  Now the '90sness adds to its charm, especially that soundtrack!  And it's set in San Francisco, and I used to live in the South Bay, so there's a certain nostalgia to that.  And then there are the cameos, including Steven Wright as a prop-plane pilot!  So I can forgive the unevenness and plot holes and just enjoy all that, and the still funny and still sweet moments.  Not a great movie, maybe even at the time, but still delightful.

Thomas Schlamme directed.  Note that the third and final disc of this "Laugh Out Loud" collection didn't load, but at least I got to watch this again.

The Cable Guy

The Cable Guy

Sony Pictures Releasing

June 14, 1996

Comedy
DVD
D+

I tried to watch this once before, but it definitely falls into the "annoying" category of Jim Carrey movies.  (The Truman Show would not.)  Ben Stiller directed.

Beverly Hills Ninja

Beverly Hills Ninja

Sony Pictures Releasing

January 17, 1997

Comedy
DVD
C-

Not as offensive as I expected, although still not exactly funny.  Dennis Dugan directed.

This is on a six-movie "Laugh Out Loud" collection, but I already rejected Bewitched well over a year ago.

The Last Witch Hunter

The Last Witch Hunter

Lionsgate

October 23, 2015

Fantasy, Action?
DVD
D

Not as bad as I expected, given the title, star, and studio.  Breck Eisner directed.

The Last Warhorse

The Last Warhorse

JNP

January 1, 1986

Children's, Dramedy

DVD
D+

Low-budget and mildly (as opposed to maliciously) racist, with a similar plot to the Lassie movie I recently reviewed, with a rich kid wanting a poor kid's pet.  Bob Meillon directed.

The Last Time

The Last Time

Element Films

May 18, 2007

Dramedy
DVD
D+

Depressing.  Michael Caleo wrote and directed.

The Last Supper (1996)

The Last Supper (1996)

Columbia

April 5, 1996

Comedy
DVD
C+

A muddled but potentially good dark comedy about politics and murder.  Stacy Title directed but does not have her name above the title.

The Last Station

The Last Station

Warner Bros.

December 4, 2009

Historical Drama

DVD
C-

I found this uninvolving, and I say that as someone who's read Anna Karenina multiple times.  Director Michael Hoffman based the screenplay on Jay Parini's biographical novel of Tolstoy.

Last Passenger

Last Passenger

Kaleidoscope

18 October 2013

Drama

DVD
C

If this remained the story of a doctor, his adorable son, and the friendly blonde woman they meet on a train, I'd stay tuned.  But I know it devolves into an action flick after the first quarter hour.  Omid Nooshin co-directed with Ridoin El Aissati and co-wrote with others.

Last Marshall

Last Marshall

Studio Unknown

September 9, 1999 (Direct to video)

Crime Drama

DVD
D+

This is better than it should be, considering the hero is a violent bigot.  Mike Kirton directed and co-wrote.

Last Man Standing (1996)

Last Man Standing (1996)

Lone Wolf

September 20, 1996

Western, Crime Drama

DVD
D+

A one-horse town during Prohibition, and the horse is dead.  Director Walter Hill rewrote Yojimbo.

The Last King of Scotland

The Last King of Scotland

Fox Searchlight

September 27, 2006

Historical Drama

DVD
C

It's sad that the most entertaining movie I've watched this week for this project is about Idi Amin, although I admit I tuned out while it was still a relatively happy movie.  This is based on the novel by Giles Foden and directed by Kevin Macdonald.

The Last House on the Left (1972)

The Last House on the Left (1972)

AIP

August 30, 1972

Crime Drama

DVD
D

I tuned out before it got violent, but it's not like it was a good film in the first quarter hour.  Wes Craven directed and co-wrote.

Last Exit to Brooklyn

Last Exit to Brooklyn

Allied Filmmakers etc.

12 October 1989

Historical Drama, Crime Drama

DVD
D-

Bleak, especially compared to Brooklyn.  This is based on the Hubert Selby, Jr. novel and directed by Uli Edel.

The Last Detail

The Last Detail

Columbia

February 15, 1974

Dramedy
DVD
C-

Mostly of interest to see Nicholson and Quaid were they relatively young.  This is based on the novel by Darryl Ponicsan and directed by Hal Ashby.

Last Christmas

Last Christmas

Universal

15 November 2019

Romcom

DVD
C-

Well, now I've got the earworm in my head so much I had "Last Castle" going through my head to that tune on the previous review.  Emma Thompson cowrote (with hubby Greg Wise and someone else) and I think plays the mom.  Paul Feig directed.  They've done better but this isn't terrible.

The Last Castle

The Last Castle

DreamWorks Pictures

October 19, 2001

Crime Drama

DVD
D+

Prison, although you might expect a fantasy or historical drama with that title.  Rob Lurie directed.

Lassie (2005)

Lassie (2005)

Samuel Goldwyn Film etc.

16 December 2005

Children's, Historical Drama

DVD
C-

Little kids fight over a dog on the edge of World War II.  Director Charles Sturridge adapted the Eric Knight novel.

Lara Croft: Tomb Raider

Lara Croft: Tomb Raider

Paramount etc.

June 15, 2001

Action, Sci-Fi?

DVD
C-

I kind of like the look of this.  Simon West directed and co-wrote.

Land of the Pharaohs

Land of the Pharaohs

Warner Bros.

June 24, 1955

Historical Drama

DVD
C-

Egypt.  Faulkner co-wrote and Hawks directed.

Land of Mine AKA Under sandet

Land of Mine AKA Under sandet

Nordisk Film

10 September 2015

Historical Drama

DVD
D+

Impossibly young-looking German POWs have to defuse bombs along the Danish coast after WW II.  Martin Zandvliet wrote and directed.  And, yes, I think the English title is a pun.

Land Before Time III: The Time of the Great Giving

Land Before Time III: The Time of the Great Giving

Universal

December 15, 1995 (Direct-to-video)

Children's, Historical Comedy, Fantasy, Musical

DVD
C-

The highlight of the first quarter hour was the bully dinosaurs' song.  Roy Allen Smith directed.

Lady Sings the Blues

Lady Sings the Blues

Paramount

October 12, 1972

Historical Drama

DVD
D+

I watched a quarter hour of the depressing life of Billie Holliday, played by Diana Ross.  This is based on the autobiography Holliday co-wrote, and directed by Sidney J. Furie.

Lady in the Water

Lady in the Water

Warner Bros.

July 21, 2006

Dramedy
DVD
C-

The trials and tribulations of a building super who finds a woman trespassing in the pool.  M. Night Shyamalan wrote, directed, and apparently appears at some point.

Lady in the Lake

Lady in the Lake

MGM

January 23, 1947

Crime Drama

DVD
C+

I like the "gimmick" of the first-person viewpoint, but I had a hard time staying involved in the story.  Robert Montgomery directed and stars.  This is based on the Raymond Chandler novel.

The Lady Eve

The Lady Eve

Paramount

March 21, 1941

Comedy
DVD
C-

I'm a fan of Miracle at Morgan's Creek, but I just couldn't get into this Preston-Sturges-written-and-directed movie.

Lady Death: The Movie

Lady Death: The Movie

ADV Films

5 October 2004

Anime, Historical Drama, Horror

DVD
D+

Weird even by anime standards, as a busty medieval blonde finds out that her dad is The Devil and he's eaten her college drop-out boyfriend's soul.  Andy Orjuela directed.

Lady Chatterley (2006)

Lady Chatterley (2006)

Ad Vitam Distribution

1 November 2006

Historical Drama

DVD
C-

The first quarter hour is a not too boring look at upper-class boredom, helped by nice sets and costumes.  This is directed by Pascale Ferran and based on, well, you know.

Lady Bird

Lady Bird

A24 etc.

September 1, 2017

Historical Comedy (because it's set in 2002)
DVD
C-

I like Saoirse Ronan, but I just couldn't get involved with her character, or any of the others.  Greta Gerwig wrote and directed.

Ladder 49

Ladder 49

Buena Vista (Disney)

October 1, 2004

Action, Dramedy

DVD
D+

Yet another movie about firefighters, bumped up a notch for the good-natured "fake Confession" scene.  Jay Russell directed.

Labyrinth of Lies AKA Im Labyrinth des Schweigens

Labyrinth of Lies AKA Im Labyrinth des Schweigens

Studio Unknown

6 November 2014

Historical Drama

DVD
B-

I'm not quite sure what keeps this from being a great movie, since it's got all the elements-- strong somewhat true story, interesting protagonist, a bit of romance, a lot of friendship, good period details-- but it just didn't make it for me.  Maybe it's the theatricality, like with the process-serving scenes.  Definitely still worth a look.  Giulio Ricciarelli directed and co-wrote.

Labyrinth

Labyrinth

Tri-Star

June 27, 1986

Fantasy

DVD
C-

Bowie is the goblin king, but the film fails to a-maze.  Jim Henson directed and co-wrote.

La La Land

La La Land
Lionsgate

December 6, 2016

Musical

DVD
D

Poorly shot, lit, and staged, and then there's Emma Stone's singing voice.  (And she was perfectly fine in Easy A.)  On the plus side, there were no major acts of violence in the first quarter hour.  Damien Chazelle wrote and directed and will be avoided by me as much as possible in the future.  (He did 2018's First Man, which also earned a D.)

L.A. Confidential

L.A. Confidential

Warner Bros.

September 19, 1997

Crime Drama, Historical Drama

DVD
C-

Not my thing but I can see it's well done.  This is based on the James Ellroy novel and directed by Curtis Hanson, five years before Eight Mile.

Krull

Krull

Columbia

July 29, 1983

Fantasy, Sci-Fi

DVD
D+

It's not that fantasy and sci-fi can't blend of course; they just do it uneasily here.  Peter Yates directed.

Kronk's New Groove

Kronk's New Groove

Disney

December 13, 2005 (Direct-to-Video/DVD)

Children's, Fantasy, Historical Comedy

DVD
D+

Surprisingly flat sequel to The Emperor's New Groove.  Saul Blinkoff and Elliot M. Bour co-directed.

Krampus

Krampus

Universal

December 4, 2015

Comedy (in the first quarter hour)

DVD
D+

I guess this turns into more of a horror movie later, but what I saw played like an even more dysfunctional Christmas family comedy than Home Alone.  Michael Dougherty directed and co-wrote.

Kramer vs. Kramer

Kramer vs. Kramer

Columbia

December 19, 1979

Drama

DVD
C-

I saw this at the time, but I couldn't make it past the first quarter hour today because I didn't care about any of these people, even the kid.  Director Robert Benton adapted the Avery Corman novel.

In This Corner of the World AKA Kono Sekai no Katasumi ni

In This Corner of the World AKA Kono Sekai no Katasumi ni

MAPPA
12 November 2016

Anime, Historical Drama

DVD
C-

I found the character design (like how no one seems to age) and some of the dubbing off.  Sunao Katabuchi directed and co-wrote the adaptation of the manga by Fumiyo Kōno.

Knowing

Knowing

Summit

March 20, 2009

Horror (in first quarter hour anyway)

DVD
D+

The main thing you know is this isn't my kind of movie, especially with Alex Proyas as director, but I liked a bit of the look in the '50s sequences.

A Knight's Tale

A Knight's Tale

Sony Pictures

May 11, 2001

Historical Comedy, Sports Comedy, Romance

DVD
C+

While I liked the deliberate anachronisms and found the Chaucer character a scene-stealer, I don't think this movie sustains itself for the whole two-plus hours.  Also, it offers an odd blend of misogyny and feminism with its three main female characters.  That said, it's a tough movie to dislike.  Brian Helgeland wrote and directed.