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Amistad (1997)
Underrated telling of a true American Story
First, the basic soliloquy by Sir Anthony Hopkins is one
of the best performances by any actor in any film 🎥 I have
ever seen. Even if you miss the rest of the film, concentrate
on THAT soliloquy with every power of concentration you
have. It is the reason why acting is considered a performance
art. To be appreciated, you must see it more than once.
Second, the movie is a prequel to the American Civil War which happens about three decades later. The central theme is that "freedom" is a key concept embodied in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution and extends to all races and religions, and even to the slave states below the Mason/Dixon line.
If you have not seen the movie, ignore the 7.3 IMDb rating and
use an unprejudiced eye to look at the totality of the movie. I am
positive you will elevate that rating to where it belongs, above
8.0 overall and 9.0 for THAT soliloquy alone.
A Christmas Carol (2019)
The problem is not in our stars, but in ourselves >>>
The Guy Pearce "take" on Ebenezer Scrooge with Ridley Scott's
blessing is definitely DIFFERENT. Cold, calculating misanthrope
that he is not beyond redemption, it just takes a journey to get there,
with the help of the spirits of Christmas Past, Present and Future.
To say it was a different interpretation of the Dickensian environment
would be a gross understatement. I particularly liked the opening
of the "relief" on the object of one's scorn. The supporting cast was
more than able to assist.
Production values were quite high as well painting a picture of
despair in the early 1800s. As many have opined prior to me,
watch with an open mind and catch the nuances of both the acting
and how one so contemptible as Scrooge can be redeemed and
you will get there. Worth the time to evaluate "filmatically."
Der Name der Rose (1986)
One of the finest Medieval Films 🎥 made
Frankly, I cannot understand why this ensemble cast did not
get higher marks. I understand why Sean Connery was able
to restart his career with this performance and get his Academy
Oscar the next year in "The Untouchables" (1987). I also did
not know that Christian Slater was 15 years old at the time of
his casting. He appeared to be older than that age based on
performance.
F. Murray Abraham was decidedly despicable based on his
performance as a vile church inquisitor. The plot was sufficiently
complicated that it was not easily solved. The locale was
dank enough to be believable as a remote monastery. The sets
were quite well done. I just saw it again after many years hiatus
and I loved it. It's a great film and should be watched even though
it is approaching its 40th birthday in three years.
Any time spent watching this film will be rewarding.
The Aviator (2004)
Classic showdown between a corrupt Senator and an American Icon
This epic had a lot of ground to cover raising issues about
Howard Hughes sanity and grounding as an Aviator and
as an entrepreneur. The Senate hearing in which Howard
Hughes takes the Senator Brewster to task is worth the
price of admission and makes one want to know what
happened at that hearing.
I was compelled to look at the actual history. DiCaprio did
such a great job, as far as I was concerned, he should have
earned an Oscar for that confrontation. It was, for me, the most
memorable thing about the entire movie. I enjoyed it immensely.
The other portrayals were proper vehicles for the actors involved.
I liked both "K(C)ates" (Cate Blanchett as Katherine Hepburn and
Kate Beckinsale as Ava Gardener). Both Alan Alda as Senator Brewster
and Alec Baldwin as Juan Tripp did yeoman's work.
Director Scorsese deserved an Oscar for making Howard Hughes
understandable as a person. Again, the congressional hearing was
the centerpiece for me.
Contagion (2011)
Underrated film which is surprisingly accurate down to conspiracy theories
THIS FILM GOT SO MUCH CORRECT !!!
I wanted to strangle Jude Law's character because
he was such a lying P/O/S. Everything from bleach
to horse deworming drugs were tauted as a cure for
C-19. It is maddening to see that in 2011 they got
the portrayal of what a real pandemic was like and we
as a nation still had a significant part of the population
not do what was necessary to protect the public, namely
wear effective masks and socially distance.
In 1918 to 1920, the Spanish Flu wiped out whole families.
The public health authorities did not know what influenza
was yet the public was told not to gather and to wear masks.
THAT MADE A DIFFERENCE !!! The basics didn't change
in 100 years yet the deniers caused unnecessary deaths
due to C-19. Moreover, long COVID will continue to be a
drag on the economy.
This film captured to essence of what was necessary, yet
got a crappy rating for being accurate IMHO. If there was
a Medal of Honor for movie making, this film should get it.
Blade Runner (1982)
The Final Cut is bogus >>>>
There are two versions of this film which need review.
First the theatrical release has been maligned because
of Harrison Ford's narration. If Deckard was a replicant
himself, his narration would be dispassionate anyway.
Second, if he is retiring replicants as a Blade Runner,
he will not be emotional, it would likewise dispassionate.
Also, I think the original Soundtrack for the movie was
great and have the audio cd.
Second, it was apparent that Deckard fell for Rachel,
and the escape north along the coast to avoid his former
bosses made sense in the plot. The Final Cut version
doesn't make sense. My vote would be for the theatrical
release over the Final Cut except for certain corrections
in technical terms.
Lastly, see both versions and make up your own minds.
The Canyons (2013)
"The Talented Mr.Ripley" without the talent >>>>
Yep, shoulda looked at the IMDb reviews first
before viewing any portion of this movie 🎥.
Sometimes, ordinary folk reviewers are too
hard on movies 🍿. This time, I cannot disagree.
The self indulgence of the main character (and he
is no James Dean) made me want to throw
something at the screen. The unsatisfactory
result of an unsolved murder yet like most CSI
cases, had plenty of clues. The LA cops aren't
THAT incompetent. Thus, do NOT waste your time.
3.0 out of 10.
Babe (1995)
One of the best ever for this genre
The overall rating is far, far below what is
deserved for this film. It hits all the buttons
of the great films, emotion, technical expertise,
creativity, great foresight, wonderful storyline,
first rate acting and great direction. Roscoe Lee
Browne provided superb narrative voice.
The accolades are truly deserved. Give it a try.
More than one Oscar should have been given.
A truly great film worth seeing. If you haven't seen
it, why have you waited so long ?
Small Town Girl (1953)
Insipid musical, if it can be called a musical
Casting - Farley Granger in a "musical" ?
Ever have a really bad meal, resulting in a nightmare ??
Well, that's what this film 🎥 is. I was wondering why
I had not seen it before tonight. "Insipid" is the only
descriptor that came to mind. I lost the better part of
two hours watching this insipid flick. The ONLY part
that was interesting was the Busby Berkeley inspired
Ann Miller disemboweled dance among the musical
instruments sequence. Other than that, there was
nothing but heartburn !!! Be forewarned. Don't waste
your time !!!
Kingdom of Heaven (2005)
Watch the Director's Cut of this film, NOT the theatrical release >>>
This film, in its details makes far more sense
than the theatrical release which Ridley Scott
discusses in his explanation of the Director's
Cut. AND that version is overpowering in the
tale of the Crusades. The motives of the main
characters becomes clearer. I would ask all
who wish to see the film to avoid the theatrical
release for that reason and for Ridley Scott's
rationale for the director's cut. The only thing
which should be left on the cutting room floor is
the final confrontation between Balian and Guy
de Lusignan. That part was surplusage. Also,
there is extensive background information on the
Crusades in the DVDs in the director's cut.
Perry Mason: The Case of the Vanishing Victim (1966)
The last season of regular Perry Mason episodes
This is a re-tweaked prior episode of Perry Mason.
This episode is based on The Case of the Fugitive
Nurse, Season 1, Episode 22. If you compare the
facts of both they are basically the same, only the
dead man was part of a drug smuggling racket.
The flask had something in it, and the pilot was
mis-identified as perishing in the resulting crash.
I thought I was having Deja Vu all over again like
Yogi the Great. Pardon the pun, but Cheers !!!
🥂🍻🥃🍹🍷🍸🍾
Endeavour: Zenana (2020)
Set up >>>>
In the immortal words of Marion Barry, "the
b*tch set him up." AND, of course, the question
is, was he set up from the beginning ? Ludo
played Moriarty to Morse's Sherlock, so one
has to analyze to what extent did Ludo use Morse
for intelligence as to his scheme.
That being said, the multiple causative factors for
the murders, the interplay between Morse and Thursday
about Morse's growth as a detective as against the
seasoned wisdom of Thursday were fully on display.
And Jim Strange's nuts and bolts attention to detail,
helped round out this episode.
Overall, I must say I still enjoyed season 7 even though
some questions remain about Morse's status at the end
of Episode 3. Season 8 awaits !!! Nonetheless, this series
is the best on TV 📺.
Alien: Covenant (2017)
Natural sense of justice prevents endorsement of this flick >>>
CGI - outstanding
Acting - pretty good overall
Plot - fairly complicated
Production values - fairly high
And yet, if the net result is a zero sum
for watching the story is for 123 minutes
is oblivion because of a psychopathic
synthetic person, most people will refuse
to be sucked in again. What held our
interest in Ellen Ripley was her prevailing
against an unjust results. NOW, this
outcome, calls for abandonment of the
whole series. The ratings ARE a product
of our natural sense of justice. Otherwise,
we are like dinosaurs which were snuffed
out because of happenstance.
Devil in a Blue Dress (1995)
Black man's version of "Chinatown" (1974) but later in time >>>
Despite my title, it was along those lines as a quasi-neo noir.
I thought the cast was decent. The concept was likewise
decent.
Denzel Washington was excellent as usual. Jennifer Beals
likewise excellent as the lady in hiding. Sizemore came across
as a motivated psychopath. AND Don Cheadle was just as
effective as a counterweight to Sizemore's character.
I has remembered Maury Chaykin from "Dances with Wolves"
(1990) in the role of a psychotic Union senior officer. In total,
the cast was very effective.
The plot dealt with the seamier side of Los Angeles just after
the war. It was all reminiscent of "LA Confidential" (1997) and "Chinatown" (1974).
Personally, I like good mysteries and this one kept my attention
all the to the end. There were no unnecessary detours. I had to
give it higher marks than the median reviewers. Watch it, you won't
be disappointed.
M (1951)
The original is a classic directed by Fritz Lang - this effort is not anywhere near that effort
I was gravely disappointed in this effort. The original is one of the greatest films done dealing with the intersection of criminality and mental health issues. And, I thought was extremely forward in dealing with the legal concepts of serial murders at the hands of a child murderer. It is very difficult for me to understand WHY anyone would attempt to remake a classic film against Peter Lorre as the central figure. David Wayne is a decent actor, but out of his league against Lorre who, though young, gave one of the greatest performances of his life. Sadly, I must say, don't bother with this film which has an IMDb rating of 6.8 versus the Fritz Lang classic 8.3 out of 10. It is a waste of time to watch the 1951 version.
Buta to gunkan (1961)
Movie with a message
There are some interesting faces in this flick. The head of gang Tetsuro Tanba, who thinks he is dying hits it big some years later
as the Japanese male lead opposite Sean Connery in "You Only Live Twice" (1967). An old guy who defends the honor of the female lead
ends up playing Admiral Nagumo in "Tora, Tora, Tora" (1970).
Beyond those interesting connections, this flick is fairly complex
and has a bit of a fatalistic theme. Some the main characters have
to break out of their environment to change their destiny. Only one
is able to do that. There are a few comedic moments. It is worth the time to see the plot. :-)
The Boys from Brazil (1978)
Josef Mengele was clearly a sociopath/psychopath > >
The movie does not do justice to just how twisted Mengele was. His experiments on twins were a study in cruelty. It is indeed unfortunate that he did not die the way his character did in the movie. Instead, he died of a stroke at a fairly old age.
One of the issues brought up in another message board was the significance of the bracelet of claws which was one of the ending shots So people with abosltely
The Boys from Brazil (1978)
Josef Mengele was clearly a sociopath/psychopath > >
The movie does not do justice to just how twisted Mengele was. His experiments on twins were a study in cruelty. It is indeed unfortunate that he did not die the way his character did in the movie. Instead, he died of a stroke at a fairly old age.
One of the issues brought up in another message board was the significance of the bracelet of claws which was one of the ending shots So people with abosltely
Endeavour: Degüello (2019)
Compelled to agree with Tweekums >>>
Best of the episodes in Season 6. I looked for flaws in this episode
and found none. Loved how the loose ends were "all sorted" out, except
for Thursday's brother. (They can leave that for Season 7, which will go
forward.) There is ample proof that a number of officers
"are bent", except for the ones who used to work in the City. The only
thing which might be be criticized is failure to fire are the legs of the
fleeing felons after the confrontation. If would have saved them from
rooting them out later. All in all, it was very much appreciated and
worth a 10 out of 10.
One comment, must be added. The quote about DCI Box making a recovery
hasn't appeared in the American release of Episode 6. Was that a mistake
which was edited out of the Episode 6 ? Box was part of the schemes of
DCS Jago and likely to face prosecution he recovers in hospital. So was that
quote for local consumption in the U.K. ? This is from the quotes section-
DI Fred Thursday: "If he can pull through, maybe we all get a second chance."
DS Endeavour Morse: "George didn't."
Nanny McPhee (2005)
Delightful Children's Flick
I really like this film. The children are quite a handful. Yet, they
understand their peril if they don't allow their widower father to
remarry so he can continue to get the stipend from his Aunt Adelaide
to support his family. As things unfold, Nanny McPhee gets more
pretty herself as she loses warts, moles, and general ugliness.
Angela Lansbury makes an appearance as the pain in the kester
demanding Aunt Adelaide. One of my favorite actors Derek Jacobi also makes an appearance as Colin Firth's coworker. All in all,
it is a worthwhile film with a feel good ending. Enjoy !!!
Finian's Rainbow (1968)
I think the film version has gotten a bad rap >>>
First, in 1968, the times were a changing. Civil rights was
a big deal. The simple artifice of turning a racially bigoted
white senator, black puts a whole new view on the senator's
politics. En route to the ultimate conclusion, many very good
songs put a smile 😃 on your face.
Second, strong performances by Fred Astaire, Petula Clark, Tommy Steele,and the strong voice of Don Francks are all appreciated.
"Look to the Rainbow"🌈 , "When the Idle Poor Become the Idle Rich", "How Are Things in Glocca Morra ?", "Old Devil Moon" are ALL
decent songs. It must be noted that the original musical WON
a number of Tony Awards.
Now, more than ever, this musical deserves a closer 👀 look !!!
Going to Blazes! (1948)
Mid- 20th Century Fire Fighting Equipment and techniques
This was justifiably nominated for an Oscar as a two reel short
about fire fighting in Los Angeles. I found it to be both entertaining
and most informative about techniques and locating fires in a huge
metropolitan area. It also revealed how much work was needed to
find the locations of the fire site to prevent a fire maelstrom. Even
mundane things like hanging hoses up to dry for proper maintenance,
statistics cited just how dependent society is on fire fighters and proper
cleaning of residence to prevent fire issues. Now, it is a historical record
of the techniques but many of the practices are the same. It is WELL WORTH
the time to view this short despite the time frame being in 1947-48.
New Tricks: The Gentleman Vanishes (2011)
THIS one is an imitation of The Matrix
The UCOS team is assigned to find out what happened
a physics professor who allegedly knew the key to "cold
fusion" and was abducted from a train and disappeared
for years. The trail was cold until mysterious emails claim
that the author of the emails knew what happened to the
professor. Everything thing appears to be an illusion and
lead to very skilled hacker called "ninetails". It will be more
than worth your time to see this episode. (There is no "I" in
team.)
30 for 30: Broke (2012)
Turns out pro atheletes are just as likely to lose their shirts as lotto winners
Unlike many of the reviewers opinions here, they did not see
the human element of what was going on. The Pro athletes
we love are just as vulnerable as the rest of us, and maybe
more so because their time to make money is SO FLEETING.
In one way, you feel that they should have taken better care
not to get fleeced. Unfortunately, many of them have target signs
painted on their backs by society. Screw me because I am in the
sports industry and making scads of money. On the other hand,
everyone, including relatives are PARASITES looking to suck the
blood of the rewards of their talents dry.
THIS was clearly an eye-opener. They people they trusted the most
were to ones to take advantage of them and steal their money. By analogy,
many laws have been enacted to protect children by requiring parents and
guardians to put monies into trust accounts from damages won in court
proceedings due to the minors injured in accident cases. Many child actors
were fleeced by their own parents in the early Hollywood days. As a result,
many jurisdictions passed laws to protect the kids until they were of age
to hire attorneys to protect their interests.
Many athletes are simply not prepared to deal with the sudden
onset of money. They don't have a clue to know how to deal with the fame
and parasites coming out of the woodwork after them. Because of this documentary, many now are attending classes to help them transition to responsible money handling. The issue will always be, who can you trust ?
They are like the lotto winner who without proper education stands to lose
all that money. See this and ask yourself honestly, would you do any better than some who lost it all due to lack of preparedness ???
The Polar Express (2004)
Refreshingly positive flick that makes me appreciate it more and more every time I see it
It is not the greatest film about Christmas 🎄 but it is a positive effort by all concerned about doubting Thomases everywhere and the Christmas myths which kids grow with. The animation is a little difficult to appreciate, but the soundtrack and main music is very
much appreciated.
Another reason to appreciate it is the ensemble cast which includes Michael Jeter and to whom it was dedicated as his last film. The story follows the outline of the children's book by Chris Van Allsburg.
The viewer is manipulated (as all viewers are in movies 🎥) to see thru kids' eyes about those things they remember later in life as a positive influence on how they remember their childhood and what is important about from whence they came, be it the "wrong side" of the tracks and the friends they meet along the way. In short, a worthwhile time watching a film and part of a Christmas tradition.