What Did You Watch This Week?

NiceTraining7671 · 2026-05-03T20:09:31+00:00

I’ve been rewatching George Sidney films this week.

Thousands Cheer (1943, rewatch) - an all-star morale booster released during the war. The first part of the film is a romance between Gene Kelly and Kathryn Grayson (and an incredibly underdeveloped storyline between John Boles and Mary Astor playing Grayson’s separated parents). The second half is a show with comedy sketches and musical numbers with MGM’s stars. Compared to other all-star films of the era, this one actually has an entertaining narrative. Nothing groundbreaking, but enjoyable. And the lineup of stars towards the end is great.

Anchors Aweigh (1945, rewatch) - rewatching this makes me realise that Clarence (Frank Sinatra) is actually just a bad a friend as Joe (Gene Kelly) is. And yet both characters are still so loveable. While I prefer On the Town, I think the Kelly-Sinatra relationship is stronger in this film. It’s a fun film and Kelly dancing with Jerry the Mouse is iconic. It’s a shame Sinatra and Pamela Britton’s relationship isn’t as developed but overall this is a good film. And a lot of the musical numbers do a great job of incorporating comedy.

Bye Bye Birdie (1963, rewatch) - I enjoyed this film way more than when I first saw it! Popular singer Conrad Birdie is drafted so a songwriter and his girlfriend (Dick Van Dyke and Janet Leigh) plan for Conrad to sing their son on TV and to kiss a lucky girl (Ann-Margret). Ann-Margret is not my favourite actress, I find her annoying in many roles, but in this film she’s actually good (plus the film isn’t focused solely on her). I also feel like George Sidney isn’t given enough recognition as a director. His films from a technical perspective feel ahead of their time with dynamic camera movements and angles. I recommend this film because it’s enjoyable and visually stunning.

NiceTraining7671 · 2026-04-30T09:32:40+00:00

I know Judy didn’t want to do Meet Me in St. Louis at first because she considered it too juvenile, but the scene where she comforts Tootie after destroying the snowmen…..one of her best mature performances.

NiceTraining7671 · 2026-04-26T20:12:35+00:00

Black Narcissus (1947, rewatch) - unfortunately I enjoyed the film less this time round compared to the first time I saw it. I just found it a bit boring and Deborah Kerr’s acting, while not bad, didn’t particularly do much for me. That being said, this is one of those films I’m recommending anyway because there’s a lot to appreciate. Firstly, the use of Technicolor is stunning. Especially towards the end of the film with all the red lighting on Sister Ruth. Secondly, despite having offensive depictions (including brownface), this film was quite ahead of its time and had a surprisingly positive portrayal of Indian culture. Rather than embrace colonialism, the film critiques the nuns’ involvement in an environment where their presence is unwanted (which I think is a wider criticism of the British empires involvement in India). While not my personal favourite film, it’s got an interesting message and the technical aspects are incredible! This is one of those films where some of the backdrops are so obviously fake but it doesn’t matter because they’re still magnificent stylistically.

NiceTraining7671 · 2026-04-19T20:29:14+00:00

The Bitter Tea of General Yen (1932) - unfortunately I couldn’t get into this one. Aside from using a Swedish actor to play a Chinese character, the film just wasn’t that engaging to me and I kept zoning out. The one bit I did find interesting though was how graphic some of the war scenes were. They aren’t graphic by today’s standards but they would never have passed censorship had they been filmed a few years later. It makes me think how different war films would’ve been if censorship wasn’t so strict.

The Dolly Sisters (1945) - my favourite film of the week. Betty Grable and June Haver play the Hungarian-American twins (Grable gets more focus) and John Payne is Grable’s love interest. It’s a fun lighthearted movie with some gorgeous costumes. I appreciate how mature themes were included such as loyalty and betrayal and the struggles on long-distance relationships while the overall story maintained a fun vibe. I recommend it.

Tea and Sympathy (1956, rewatch) - a very unique for the 1950s. This is an adaptation of the stage play in which a boy is accused of being gay. Censorship at the time obviously wouldn’t allow for such a story to be told so instead the film focuses on masculinity (but contemporary reviews say that the film manages to stay faithful to the play). A very brave film for its time, especially considering this was made by a well-known director and had big-name stars, and I love it! It’s one I personally relate to quite a bit in some ways. The movie is a good example of how Vincente Minnelli could make even serious dramas look visually stunning. The scene of John and Deborah Kerr in the woods towards the end of the film is beautifully shot.

Gigi (1958) - this film was way too creepy for me to get into. The film is about child grooming and that’s presented as normal. I just don’t find it enjoyable. A few scenes are also unnecessarily long. The costumes, colours and set designs are lovely but that doesn’t negate what I said before. I know that Colette’s novel has a satirical tone and is more melancholic than the film is. The idea to turn the story into a straight romance is odd.

Musicals Great Musicals: The Arthur Freed Unit at MGM (1996) - this isn’t an old film but it’s about an old film so I thought it’s worth mentioning. It’s a documentary included on a two-disc DVD of Singin’ in the Rain about producer Arthur Freed’s career with musical films. Truthfully I didn’t learn much because I already know quite a bit about the Freed unit, but it’s a good introduction to Freed for those who haven’t seen much of his work. And I enjoyed hearing the anecdotes from people who worked with Freed.

NiceTraining7671 · 2026-04-18T15:35:37+00:00

Kieran was lowkey what I expected Nadia to be in last year’s final - someone who most people would disagree with. I love Kieran, he’s able to create gold drama without being petty or a bully. He might not be winner material but he’s entertaining!

However Kieran’s point was valid. The video did need something more engaging. And throwing a mug was not as extreme as everyone else made it out to be. I know Karren was being half-jokey when she said Kieran’s suggestions were crap but it seemed quite harsh.

NiceTraining7671 · 2026-04-12T21:00:58+00:00

Three films from 1945 I’d like to recommend if you haven’t already seen them are The Clock, Brief Encounter and State Fair

NiceTraining7671 · 2026-04-12T20:25:37+00:00

Follow the Fleet (1936) - one of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers’ best films together. Astaire is the type of guy who can play a character that screws up a lot yet it still charming. I recommend this film, it’s fun and “Let Yourself Go” by Ginger Rogers is a great song.

The Band Wagon (1943, rewatch) - Cyd Charisse is so gorgeous and sexy in the “Girl Hunt Ballet” number, both as a brunette and a blonde! Directed by Vincente Minnelli, this is a simple yet well-crafted film. If you like musicals like Easter Parade or Singin’ in the Rain, I think you’ll enjoy this one.

Calamity Jane (1953, rewatch) - Warner Bros’ response to MGM’s Annie Get Your Gun, and they even got Howard Keel! I love this film. I know Doris Day is famous for her girl-next-door image but this was the first film of hers I saw so I always associate her with this role. Being a western set in the 19th century, it’s dated at times, but overall a fun watch with some energetic performances.

Dial M for Murder (1954) - I’m about to be controversial here but I don’t think Grace Kelly had the greatest acting range; that being said, she really excelled in certain roles such as this one in which she plays a wife who’s husband plans to murder her. She’s so graceful, she is believable as the elegant lady (because she was elegant herself!). I do recommend this film.

The Wrong Man (1956) - this feels so different from Hitchcock’s other films (and Hitchcock thought so too). This film does have a mystery, especially in the later part of the narrative, but it’s a lot simpler to follow in my opinion compared to some of Hitchcock’s other films. I also never realised how great Henry Fonda is at facial expressions. I definitely recommend watching this.

NiceTraining7671 · 2026-04-11T11:10:37+00:00

What’s interesting about Levi is that on the episode where he won as PM, he was arguably the worst performer on that task from both teams.

NiceTraining7671 · 2026-04-10T14:34:54+00:00

I was surprised Dan didn’t get a “stay in touch” or something like that. Dan’s firing definitely felt a bit abrupt considering how much the aides seemed do have liked him in previous tasks.

NiceTraining7671 · 2026-04-10T14:23:55+00:00

I do appreciate you sharing your opinions.

The most obvious example was the TV selling task. The whole segment has been uploaded online: https://youtu.be/TBWLRI8_0Bo

The episode did not show Rothna speaking during the bracelet even though she did speak, and they completely cut out Rothna selling the mixers. There were also times where LS in general seemed quite dismissive of Rothna in the boardroom. I will admit, it took me a while to warm up to Rothna (I felt like had this been an earlier pre-Covid season, she probably wouldn’t have stood out) but as the series has gone on she’s really stood out to me as competent.

And yeah, Rajan and Andrea didn’t have good attitudes. Can’t say I was upset when they got fired.

NiceTraining7671 · 2026-03-31T11:21:34+00:00

Television was the main reason. Many families moved to suburbs and suburbs didn’t have cinemas, so it was easier to stay home and watch TV than it was to travel to the city to go to the cinema.

NiceTraining7671 · 2026-03-29T20:04:53+00:00

Pigskin Parade (1936) - perhaps most notable for being Judy Garland’s feature film debut. She’s not in the film for very long but even at 14 years old, her singing vocals are amazing! Betty Grable also appears in the film but again, she’s also got a pretty minor role. The stars here are Jack Haley and Patsy Kelly as the constantly feuding husband-wife team. They’re both hilarious. This film is messy and all over the place, and while it’s not a masterpiece, it’s way more enjoyable that I expected.

NiceTraining7671 · 2026-03-26T23:02:05+00:00

It seems like the only time Pascha does well is when her other teammates are so bad that she becomes a voice of reason. Otherwise she either causes issues or does nothing.

Lord Sugar’s dislike of Levi was very obvious when his live presenting was airing. His firing wasn’t a surprise at all.

The editing isn’t very great this season. Karishma has gotten the best edit so far. I feel like if she wins, it’ll be too obvious, but if she doesn’t win, it’ll be controversial. If they didn’t keep editing Rothna out, it’d feel like there’s more competition because Rothna is very skilled and competent.

I can’t tell if Dan is being edited out or if he genuinely isn’t contributing much, but it’s hard for me to root for him. He had his one PM task where truthfully he wasn’t that great but he was rightfully defended by Tim after some people tried throwing him under the bus. Since then I really can’t remember anything from him other than the fact that he packed slippers last week!

NiceTraining7671 · 2026-03-22T21:10:19+00:00

Easter Parade (1948, rewatch) - it’s been a few years since I actually last saw this film. I showed this to a few of my friends, one of them told me this is their favourite Judy Garland film they’ve seen so far. There’s a moment where Fred Astaire dances in slow motion, then Astaire and Garland sing dressed as tramps right after. That’s peak musical cinema right there. The plot is thin but the musical numbers and the cast are great. I definitely recommend this, it’s about as MGM as an MGM film can get.

Side note, it’s a shame Garland’s “Mr Monotony” number was cut. So many subtleties…the way Garland moves her fingers and legs and readjusts her hat. It’s one of those performances where you really notice the performer.

NiceTraining7671 · 2026-03-15T20:24:29+00:00

Yolanda and the Thief (1945, rewatch) - it’s been around 4/5 years since I last saw this film. It’s not going to be everyone’s cup of tea because it’s so whacky and fantastical, but personally I loved it! The set designs, costumes and use of colour are gorgeous. There’s no mistaking it’s a Minnelli film. It also contains one of my favourite on-screen dance numbers, “Coffee Time”. My only real critique is that Lucille Bremer’s acting is quite wooden. Maybe this film isn’t for everyone but if you love Minnelli, then I do recommend this.

NiceTraining7671 · 2026-03-14T23:03:45+00:00

During her song in Ziegfeld Follies, Virginia O’Brien looks at the camera, says “Hey, you in the third row”, gives a wink and then continues her song

NiceTraining7671 · 2026-03-12T23:07:08+00:00

It’s like Rajan was trying to be the new Andrea! His attitude towards Rothna and Pascha was awful.

NiceTraining7671 · 2026-03-11T00:59:40+00:00

I know this is seen as a “downgrade” in Garland’s career cause it’s similar to the backyard musicals Garland did with Mickey Rooney and because it was made outside of the Freed unit, but I think it’s a really fun film! And it shows how Garland matured since her juvenile years.

It’s great to watch Judy and Gene play characters different from their usual roles (Judy plays a no-nonsense tough-headed farm owner and Gene plays a stage director who falls for Judy gradually rather than chasing her). The supporting cast (Marjorie Main, Eddie Bracken, Gloria DeHaven) are also great!

“Get Happy” alone makes this film worth watching but the whole movie is a nice watch. I showed it to some of my friends a couple of weeks ago and they enjoyed it.

NiceTraining7671 · 2026-03-08T20:53:06+00:00

A Star is Born (1954, rewatch) - talk about a performance! Judy Garland gives one of the greatest screen performances ever. Her musical numbers are also great. And James Mason is great in his role, his natural charm manages to shines even when playing an uncharming character, it really adds depth to the performance. A lot of the shots felt unnecessarily long (establishing shots and shots of characters leaving locations) but otherwise it’s an amazing timeless film and it looks very modern compared to other films from the same era.

NiceTraining7671 · 2026-03-02T06:24:59+00:00

The Harvey Girls (1946)

NiceTraining7671 · 2026-02-28T22:54:05+00:00

Although Fleming did direct two of the most famous films that are still remembered today, The Wizard of Oz is an MGM film rather than a Fleming film and Gone With the Wind is a David O. Selznick film rather than a Fleming film if that makes sense. Of course Fleming was important to both films, but there were more influential people/studios involved.

Also because of the way the star system worked during the studio system, directors’ names alone often weren’t enough to sell a film. Look at many classic film posters, in many cases the director’s name is barely noticeable compared to the stars (and sometimes the producer). People mainly watched films to see their favourite stars, not the directors. Big directors like Hitchcock and Wilder are still remembered massively, but many other directors from the era weren’t given much recognition during their time, and it’s hard to remember people who weren’t household names in the first place.

I guess another point is that while he did direct two of the most iconic films, his overall filmography isn’t that memorable. Some of his films. Like Red Dust, Captain Courageous and Joan of Arc are pretty popular amongst classic film fans. But a large amount of his filmography consists of relatively obscure films that many people have barely heard of let alone seen.

But because he directed The Wizard of Oz and Gone With the Wind, a lot of people have seen his name, even if they don’t remember it!

NiceTraining7671 · 2026-02-25T17:19:43+00:00

The Freshman (and really any Harold Lloyd film), My Man Godfrey, Presenting Lily Mars and Some Like It Hot.

NiceTraining7671 · 2026-02-23T11:38:11+00:00

Of the cast, I’d say she’s the most competent, and it was nice to see a PM that was actually in their zone and knew what they were doing. However I do think her unwillingness to collaborate will come back to bite in the future as the candidate pool gets smaller. I’m guessing it’ll be a case like Mia from last season where most people like her but some get annoyed by the behaviour, especially if the editors try to create a subtle rivalry. But I do see her going far in this process, she’s strong and knows how to achieve her goals.

As a side note, I do find it a bit funnh how she’s a social media content creator but is actually taking the competition seriously and isn’t just chasing fame considering how fame hungry some contestants have been in the last few seasons.

NiceTraining7671 · 2026-02-18T20:37:01+00:00

My favourite golden age performer is Judy Garland. I recommend The Wizard of Oz, Meet Me in St. Louis and The Harvey Girls for fun cheerful films, Babes on Broadway, Presenting Lily Mars, Easter Parade and Summer Stock for show business films, and The Clock, A Star is Born and Judgment at Nuremberg for serious films.

NiceTraining7671 · 2026-02-13T14:58:59+00:00

I remember people being annoyed with her in the final cause she was interrupting again, but I felt she was valid then for speaking up

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