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Reviews
Daredevil (2015)
Netflix/Marvel shows should be 8 episodes or less per season
"Daredevil" is a beloved character from my youth. I read him throughout the 80's....my childhood.
But the Netflix show, upon many hours of review, is a total slog. The action scenes are wonderful but the writerly drama is so obviously padded.
No worries, Netflix: there's so much good in the show that I'm sure you'll agree.
Seriously....Season Two is a drag, because clearly it's too fleshed out, no doubt by contract. The Punisher is clearly awesome. Why did I spend 130+ hours waiting for a finish we all knew was coming.
You guys have to fix that.
Here's to hoping Netflix and Marvel realize there can be "too much". Make stuff like DD or Jessica Jones (another show that suffered between an amazing start and finish)a 6 or 8 or 10 episode season.
I spent way too much time and you spent way too much money on telling Daredevil stories.
Running Scared (2006)
7.3? Seriously?
This movie was basically two hours of crazy (and I'll admit truly inspired) visuals, complete and total overacting, ridiculous characters, and the incomparable Paul Walker screaming the F word as much as humanly possible. Normally I like movies that follow that recipe (minus the Paul Walker part of course), but seriously....how is this meriting a 7.3? The director has guts---I'll give him that---but "Running Scared" is just too much. It's like somebody gave a Japanese music video director a lifetime supply of Red Bull to drink in three months and then let Mark Borchardt from "American Movie" script his idea of a mob movie. (Actually that movie idea sounds pretty kickarse now that I think of it). Okay, it's much worse than even that idea.
I even watched the DVD documentary just so I could maybe come to terms with what I just watched. Kramer seems to think he has made a masterpiece. And to hear that producer guy describe it as a "gritty and realistic mob movie' was the funniest thing about the whole "Running Scared" experience.
Give me Billy Crystal, Gregory Hines, and Jimmy Smits any day. What an insane mess this thing was.
The Lives of a Bengal Lancer (1935)
Gary Cooper fans should know
For those of you young Gary Cooper fans out there, like myself, check out this great movie. It was filmed in the era of Gunga Din, Robin Hood, and They Died With Their Boots On and more than holds it's own with all of them. The Coop is at his best in this one, though for some reason this film is not touted as among his best. It doesn't receive the fanfare High Noon, Pride of the Yankees, or Sergeant York do, and that is a shame. This is a truly entertaining film for people of all ages---it has laughs, plenty of action, and surprising emotion. Check it out.
Narc (2002)
This is a great movie
"Narc" is a truly great movie. It is a lean and mean rush, with a great look and feel to it. The story itself is great in that it preys upon the expectations of the regular viewer of this sort of movie. As you see it for the first time, while enjoying it, you tend to think you know how things will turn out. Then the final scenes play out and the viewer is floored by the implications of what has happened. The Nick Tellis character really does have a hell of a decision to make in a very short time span. What an ending! Patric and Liotta are excellent as usual, and it is about time Ray Liotta is recognized as the extraordinary talent he can be. I think he's past the "Turbulence" phase of his career and the way he championed this film from start to finish is evidence of that. Henry Oak is one of the most unforgettable characters I've ever seen and is added to the list of my all-time favorites. Director Joe Carnahan is a talent to watch. I have and will continue to highly recommend this film to anyone who will listen.