billnich-1 Reviews

High Road to China (1983)

Never fails!! One of my all time favorites!

[10/10 · 26 April 2020]

As a person who has a great love for movies, this relatively unknown is one of my all time favorites for a number of reasons!

1) I was already a fan of Tom Selleck, who was well entrenched in his Magnum, P.I. fame (had never heard of Bess Armstrong, but...).

2) This was the first movie I saw (at age 12) without another adult.

3) I saw this with one of my best friends. And event though our friendship has fallen by the wayside in recent years, the connection to this movie is not lost.

4) The music, by A-lister John Barry and

5) Pound for pound, the story is engaging, well paced, not overlong, with numerous scenes that are always a joy to watch -- a) Eve commissioning O'Malley, b) the first barnstorming flight "lesson", c) the WWI story O'Malley tells to British troops, d) Brian Blessed (period!), e) the argument after the dogfight, f) the "lonely" flight across the Himalayas, g) Wilford Brimley's long awaited entrance, h) etc. etc. etc., all this in just less than two hours.

I wish more people knew of this film because it is a great, safe movie (minimal violence, no nudity, tame profanity) for the whole family, with a great balance of adventure, romance and sentiment between friends, family and lovers.

Find it! Watch it! Pass it on! I wish it would experience a rebound and become a true classic among movie fans, as it is one of the more important films for me and my experience as a movie buff!

The Bishop's Wife (1947)

My all time favorite Christmas Movie

[10/10 · 2 December 2019]

I watch this movie every year before celebrating Christmas Midnight Mass. The sermon at the end of the film is a great segue to celebrating Christmas. A little corny in some places, and with the obligatorily "Boys Choir Scene", this film still holds up well as a great pre-Christmas delight. Be sure you see it before Christmas, preferably right before Christmas, Christmas Eve, in fact.

A great movie that reminds us of what is really important, with a sprinkle of religious faith that underlies everything. As a Catholic priest, Dudley is everything I wish I could be to the people I serve - pure positive joy that at times challenges us in the most profound, even irritating ways, while affirming the basic, innate goodness in people.

No villain or bad guy in this movie, because sometimes the misdirection we find ourselves in from time to time serves as antagonist enough. "The Bishop's Wife" reminds us of this simple truth, and that in the hustle and bustle of the world we should remember to keep our focus on what is truly important, underlied by simple faith in God.

"Angels come down and put ideas into people's heads. And then they feel very proud of themselves because they think it was all their own idea."

You cannot escape the charm and truth encompassed in this movie and your Christmas will be greatly enriched if this film can be as much a part of your Christmas tradition as "It's a Wonderful Life."

Magnum, P.I.: Mr. White Death (1982) Season 3, Episode 8

This episode started it for me

[9/10 · 6 January 2019]

I saw the pilot and one or two episodes in Season 2, but this is the episode that got me started watching Magnum, P.I. as a solid fan (better episodes preceded it but I saw those in re-runs after watching this one).

I remember one of my biggest laughs watching TV was in this episode at the climax with the bad-guys (won't spoil it, but it involves poor Rick, who gets more than his share in this one).

Ernest Borgnine was an unknown to me until this episode (I was a novice then).

Not my "favorite" of Magnum episodes, but it's up there because this is the one that got me hooked.

Magnum P.I. (2018–2024)

Hollywood needs to close up shop and die a dignified death!

[1/10 · 6 October 2018]

I know the title is outlandish but let's review:

--Disney, remaking animated movies with live actors. --Classics being remade by mediocre actors and crew trying to re-capture the natural magic of the talent that made the originals such groundbreaking classics. --Cinematic phenomenons adding sequel upon sequel in a never ending effort to milk an original until the cash cow becomes the goose that laid the golden egg. and now... --Classic television shows being remade or rebooted.

...all because Hollywood is devoid of talent - writers, actors, producers, you name it - and completely lacking in original ideas.

Now it has come to this. Making a new "version" of Magnum P.I. (in which Higgins is now a woman no less - no political correctness there!), as if anything can improve on the true originality of the 1980s series.

Sometimes I marvel at how the original came up with the whole concept and structure -- film noir style narration, set in Hawaii, ex-Navy Intelligence, down on his luck aspiring P.I. (no, I prefer Private Investigator), living on the estate of a perpetually absent novelist, under the supervision of an English major-domo with two dobermans, with two fellow Vietnam vets, one with a chopper to enable our hero to move among the islands (something Hawaii 5-0 was lacking) and the other with mafia ties that help our hero in his investigations, and driving a Ferrari, that was not his to begin with, to give him a flare and machisimo that nothing holds a candle to today. Truly original! and still a classic.

Now there is this -- for the simple reason that such originality and creativity is TOTALLY lacking in Hollywood today.

I am not even going to bother with this series! Instead I am breaking out my DVDs of the original series and will enjoy every minute of them, while this series dies and early, and deservedly undignified death, and their creators vanish into obscurity, hopefully never to enter the realm of television entertainment without taking a few classes on creativity, imagination and originality.

Listen, Darling (1938)

Pure Schmaltz! And I loved it every minute of it!

[8/10 · 4 August 2016]

This movie is pure unadulterated schmaltz. It was schmaltz before schmaltz was schmaltzy! But was one of the most enjoyable movies I've ever seen. It was great to see the three young actors (Judy Garland, right before her rise with the Wizard of Oz; Freddie Bartholomew, just as his star was starting to face; and Scotty Beckett, a former Our Gang star who played numerous supporting roles in the 30s), hold their own with three seasoned veterans (Mary Astor, Walter Pigeon and Alan Hale, Sr.).

The plot is contrived, the conclusion predictable, the setting a bit outdated (women were only trained to be homemakers, leaving widows with children in danger of poverty) and the situation completely contrived, but there is nothing to not enjoy in this pure piece of entertainment from Hollywood's Golden Age.

Enjoy it, try not to roll your eyes too much, and recommend it to your friends! They just don't make movies like they used to.

Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (2015)

Star Wars is indeed back!

[7/10 · 20 December 2015]

After watching it twice, I've decided that SW:TFA is, in fact, a very good addition to the series.

For those used to the prequel trilogy, in which things were pretty much spoon-fed to the audience, much to the chagrin of those fans who wanted something a little more sophisticated in terms of story- line and dialogue, "The Force Awakens" delivered that in spades.

After viewing it the first time I found myself overwhelmed with the spectacle and story-line (as well as the event that took everyone by surprise -- no spoilers here!). I was left guessing at many things that were not necessarily left unresolved, but are definitely hinting at further story development for the subsequent movies.

When I saw it a second time I noticed many of the subtleties that I had overlooked (but nonetheless remembered from) the first viewing and realized that TFA delivered on what fans had wanted in the prequel trilogy but did not get: an exciting film with an underlying story- line that the director was not going to spell out to the audience, but still left enough in the action and dialogue (including when the scenes shifted) to draw the audience into themselves being engaged with the story.

As for the score, John Williams did not disappoint. While "The Empire Strikes Back" is still, in my humble opinion, the high watermark of Star Wars scores, TFA delivered a new set of themes for both characters and action that heralded a new era in the Star Wars saga, while revisiting old themes, thus providing a continuity.

All in all, I liked it (putting it mildly). I think it was worth the hype. I just think that the low watermark of the prequel trilogy (which I still enjoyed) is leaving many fans with mixed feelings because the spectacle and sophistication of the movies has shifted so noticeably from one trilogy to the next.

Since "The Force Awakens" has given me "A New Hope" for the Star Wars series, I am looking forward to the next installments.

Jurassic World (2015)

One of the Dumbest movies I have EVER seen

[1/10 · 13 June 2015]

Within the first fifteen minutes of this film I could see the acting was not very good at all.

Within a half-hour, I began to think -- "It's got to get better."

Within the first hour, I was thinking it over and over again.

By the last half hour, I had just surrendered myself to the fact that this was one bad movie with great special FX. "A Boy and his Dog" meets "Land before Time" meets "Honey, I morphed the Dinosaurs, again".

If I saw one more close-up of that dino-snout, or saw another hand/arm holding back those kids, or another close up of Bryce- Dallas Howard looking cute, but scared (believe me, they are the only assets she has -- acting is a non-talent with her), then I think I would have reached a state where I was glad I did not get any popcorn because I would have lost it.

Moments intended to be tense evoked laughter from the audience, and I can only hope the applause from the sold-out crowd was only that the movie was finally over.

In short, one of the dumbest movies I have ever seen.

The Black Stallion (1979)

A retelling of an old myth

[10/10 · 2 September 2012]

Carroll Ballard and Francis Ford Coppolls succeeded in taking a children's book and elevating it to a multi-layered story of the mythological journey of Alec and the Black, reminiscent of the ancient mythology of Alexander and his horse Bucephalus.

Looking over the many reviews of this film, none (although I might have missed it) mentioned the parallels between Alec and the Black with the story of young Alexander the Great and his horse Bucephalus, told by Alec's father at the very beginning of the film. You have to hear the father tell that story if you are to understand the multiple levels of the rest of the film. In that vein you can't understand the nuances of the "home" sequence without the island sequence, nor the island sequence without the story of Alexander.

The shipwreck occurs immediately after Alec's dad tells the story. After the shipwreck, Alec and the Black leave the world (a death of sorts falling into the dark sea) and enter a realm of timelessness on the island. No indication of when the story takes place is found on the island once Alec cuts the Black free from his ropes and Alec's pajamas deteriorate to little more than a lion cloth. On the island, they enter the realm of timeless myth where Alec, like Alexander (in Dad's story) tames the wild Black Stallion (we even see from Alec's point of view the Black passing behind the figurine of Bucephalus). When Alec tames and rides the Black he/they is/are now master of the island. Once Alec/Alexander has tamed the Black/Bucephalus, they now return to the world of 1946.

Once home, Alec must again train/tame the Black as a racehorse, with the help of his mentor, Henry Daly. However, to win the race, the Black and Alec must retain some of their wild island nature (Alec casts off his helmet, lets go of the rains and grabs the Black's mane during the final race). (The racetrack is like the arena of Dad's story at the movie's beginning.) Also, Alec's connection to the Black is part of his coming to terms with his own father's death. An important scene is the one with his mother before she agrees to let him race. In this scene he makes the connection between the Black and his father ("I was in the water. I couldn't breathe. It was dark. I called out for dad. I looked up and there was the black, and I grabbed on to him.")

With a mind for mythology, I saw this film on many levels that are consistent with a typical mythological story. The Dad's story of Alexander and Bucephalus slingshots you through the rest of the film, in which the story, links the island and "home" sequences to the story told at the beginning of the film.

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (2010)

An Intelligent story neglected in favor of action-adventure (possible spoiler)

[1/10 · 10 December 2010]

On the whole it was enjoyable, but it was yet another example of Hollywood bastardization of the original story in order to make an "exciting" rather than intelligent film. CS Lewis' works are more intelligent than exciting, while not neglecting the latter.

To begin with, one cannot deny (although many try) the Christian themes in the stories. As such, Voyage of the Dawn Treader is the most mystical of the Chronicles of Narnia; a Voyage into the realm of the divine. Each island visited shows a progression toward that and the temptations that try to divert them from that encounter. In the end, some are granted, others are denied, some go only part way, all for reasons that are implied throughout the story.

The film tries, but is not successful to the point of neglecting the intelligence in favor of an adventure. While the Islands of the story are pretty much covered, the order is rearranged in favor of the film-makers' efforts to add a few twists or turns of their own. While I admire the spectacle, I am disappointed with the overall treatment of the series (something the Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings films have been more successful in accomplishing.

All in all, glad I saw it, but not a film I am planning to include in my DVD/Blue Ray collection.

Clash of the Titans (2010)

If it were possible....

[1/10 · 17 April 2010]

If it were possible to remake a film that was more campy, more corny than the original, this movie accomplished that in spades.

Aside from great special effects (the film's only real attraction) and A-list stars, the final product is a loud, tiring film that one is glad to see come to an end.

As campy as the original was -- also with A-list talent and state-of-the-art special effects for its time -- at least it had a storyline that was not too rushed so as to get to more action and more special effects, characters you care about because they were somewhat developed and enough dialogue to keep even the mythological novice informed as to who the characters are, why they are important and what makes them heroic.

SPOILER ALERT (if you know nothing about the myth of Perseus) My biggest disappointment was the Medusa sequence, which in the life of Perseus is the climax of the myth. Perseus was born to kill Medusa and bring back her head. Here, it is just another fast-paced action sequence with no sense of climax or importance to the story other than he has to do it to get to the next awesome special-effects laden action scene. End possible SPOILERS

All in all, if you are a lover of Greek mythology, see the original, and try to forget that Pegasas was ridden by Bellerophon, not Perseus (he had the winged sandals). If you want a mindless action film that could just as well have been Jason Bourn in ancient Greece, see this movie.

Star Trek (2009)

Time continuum plot ruins it

[1/10 · 11 May 2009]

Star Trek was an exciting and enjoyable reviving of the franchise. However, why do we have to go and re-write the back story in order to make it interesting? Are we now to assume that all of the "Future" (i.e. previous) Star Trek episodes and movies are irrelevant because (spoilers) Vulcan is no longer there, Amanda is no longer there (end spoilers), thereby omitting many of the more enjoyable episodes of both the television and movie series which have yet to occur from the perspective of this film and now never will because of it? It would be nice to see if in future Star Trek films the writers do not resort to time travel, alternative time-lines, rewriting history, re-writing back stories in order to create and solve every problem that pops up for the crew of the Enterprise.

Enjoy it for what it is - fun film, great cast. The plot could have been better, where we would have gotten to know familiar characters in their earlier years, without rewriting their history as a part of the plot.

The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)

One of my favorite movies of all time

[10/10 · 20 July 2006]

One of my earliest memories is watching this particular version of Robin Hood on television. Even then the quality, the characters and even the music stuck with me (it has one of the most perfect scores ever composed!).

Years later, after seeing it countless times on video, I saw it on the big screen when it was shown locally, and it was a whole new experience of the film. Seeing it with a crowd that was enjoying it with me, the families that had brought their children, the applause at Robin's first appearance and at key moments of the film (which I will not spoil for anyone who has not seen it) added to the joy and excitement at seeing it in a theater.

If you have never seen "The Adventures of Robin Hood" then do so as soon as you can, show it to your kids and, if possible, see it on the big screen. You will not regret experiencing one of Hollywoods finest achievements!

Jeremiah Johnson (1972)

Never ages

[9/10 · 20 July 2006]

I remember watching this film as a young child and finding it totally engaging. I then came across it on one of the cable channels and couldn't tear myself away from it. I have recently rented the movie and for the first time watched it straight through from beginning to end and again enjoyed it thoroughly.

It is one of the most hauntingly spectacular films I have ever seen. It has a quiet atmosphere, letting the scenery, the subtle acting and the simple but profound dialog speak for itself.

While not quite a ten (which I reserve for blow out of the water classics particularly from the 30s and 40s with few exceptions) Jeremiah Johnson is a quality film for all times and ages.