Audience Member
Morris Engel's films are certainly original if nothing else.
Rated 3/5 Stars •
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
02/08/23
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Audience Member
The second and final movie directed by Morris Engel and Ruth Orkin together, Lovers and Lollipops defies the traditional school of filmmaking to create something organic and naturalistic feeling. It feels like a documentary, looks like photo journalism, and is 100% guerrilla film-making. The lovers of "Lovers and Lollipops" are Ann and Larry, a pair of old friends recently re-united and looking to spark up an old romance. Their only obstacle seems to be Peggy, Ann's daughter by a previous marriage, who doesn't mind all Larry's presents, but would rather have her mom all to herself. There's so much to see here, and 1950s New York City is the co-star of the film. The three spend a great deal of the movie doing tourist-y things such as visiting the Statue of Liberty, Central park, and the Museum. The filmmakers use limited dialogue, choosing instead to tell the story through pictures and actions. When the lovers embrace for the first time, we witness it through the eyes of Peggy, as she peers through the crack of her open bedroom door. the scene closes as the door closes, until finally the screen is black. The little girl is a natural actor, and is able to steal away any scene she's in. The lollipops can be found on a trip to the beach, when Larry gives her a handful of them, but Ann tells her not to eat them all at once. Of course the little girl ignores her and sets about sticking them all in a row in the sand and licking them assembly line-style (sand and lollipops just CAN'T be a good combo). It's a slice of life from a movie that is just alot of little slices put together.
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
01/26/23
Full Review
Audience Member
The second and final movie directed by Morris Engel and Ruth Orkin together, Lovers and Lollipops defies the traditional school of filmmaking to create something organic and naturalistic feeling. It feels like a documentary (similiar in vein to "Tokyo Story"), looks like photo journalism, and is 100% guerrilla film-making. The lovers of "Lovers and Lollipops" are Ann and Larry, a pair of old friends recently re-united and looking to spark up an old romance. Their only obstacle seems to be Peggy, Ann's daughter by a previous marriage, who doesn't mind all Larry's presents, but would rather have her mom all to herself. There's so much to see here, and 1950s New York City is the co-star of the film. The three spend a great deal of the movie doing tourist-y things such as visiting the Statue of Liberty, Central park, and the Museum. The filmmakers use limited dialogue, choosing instead to tell the story through pictures and actions. When the lovers embrace for the first time, we witness it through the eyes of Peggy, as she peers through the crack of her open bedroom door. the scene closes as the door closes, until finally the screen is black. The little girl is a natural actor, and is able to steal away any scene she's in. The lollipops can be found on a trip to the beach, when Larry gives her a handful of them, but Ann tells her not to eat them all at once. Of course the little girl ignores her and sets about sticking them all in a row in the sand and licking them assembly line-style (sand and lollipops just CAN'T be a good combo). It's a slice of life from a movie that is just alot of little slices put together.
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
01/13/23
Full Review
Audience Member
The second and final movie directed by Morris Engel and Ruth Orkin together, Lovers and Lollipops defies the traditional school of filmmaking to create something organic and naturalistic feeling. It feels like a documentary, looks like photo journalism, and is 100% guerrilla film-making. The lovers of "Lovers and Lollipops" are Ann and Larry, a pair of old friends recently re-united and looking to spark up an old romance. Their only obstacle seems to be Peggy, Ann's daughter by a previous marriage, who doesn't mind all Larry's presents, but would rather have her mom all to herself. There's so much to see here, and 1950s New York City is the co-star of the film. The three spend a great deal of the movie doing tourist-y things such as visiting the Statue of Liberty, Central park, and the Museum. The filmmakers use limited dialogue, choosing instead to tell the story through pictures and actions. When the lovers embrace for the first time, we witness it through the eyes of Peggy, as she peers through the crack of her open bedroom door. the scene closes as the door closes, until finally the screen is black. The little girl is a natural actor, and is able to steal away any scene she's in. The lollipops can be found on a trip to the beach, when Larry gives her a handful of them, but Ann tells her not to eat them all at once. Of course the little girl ignores her and sets about sticking them all in a row in the sand and licking them assembly line-style (sand and lollipops just CAN'T be a good combo). It's a slice of life from a movie that is just alot of little slices put together.
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
01/14/23
Full Review
Audience Member
i am enjoying these simple/innocence of morris engel films.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
02/27/23
Full Review
Audience Member
Dorky music score and the production value is on about the same level as those old drivers ed movies, but the characters are somewhat endearing, the child actress who plays Peggy is delightful, and the great shots of NYC in the 1950s makes this movie worth seeing.
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
01/18/23
Full Review
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