garbstanley Reviews

The Da Vinci Code (2006)

Way overhyped for its own good

[27 December 2018]

Boy, talk about a letdown. This film is a poster child for what hype and too much positive publicity can do to a film- The Da Vinci code isn't a bad movie but nor is it the second coming of Christ(no pun intended). When you boil away the hype and hysteria, all that remains is a pedestrian murder mystery that isn't sufficiently challenging or scandalous to raise anyone's hackles. It's preposterous, overlong, and saddled with a sloppy denouement that defines the term "anti-climax." The film's two big "surprises" are telegraphed early, and the ease with which they can be guessed (using the "conservation of characters" process) leeches the movie of a large measure of its suspense. Individual scenes are entertaining in their own right, but the production as a whole is a lumbering mess.

Coogan's Bluff (1968)

Before Dirty Harry there was Coogan

[18 December 2018]

Coogan's Bluff ranks as one of my favorite Eastwood films. Partly because of the time period & location which the story takes place. It's an excellent period piece. Late 1960's New York city in all it's Glory. I live in NYC and it's was nice to see the Pan Am Building in the backdrop. It's now the Met Life building. The Pan Am building was also the location of the final scene where the helicopter takes off. The other reason I like this movie is that Eastwood is essentially playing Dirty Harry before Dirty Harry. Coogan is just like Harry Calahan without the 44. magnum. The story is solid but it's the locales and the situations that Coogan finds himself in that sell the movie. Who cares of it's dated? Of course it's dated but that's part of the experience. Actually most movies made more than 20 years ago (or less) are dated. If you look at it in the context of the time it was made then you'll enjoy it. Ignore the negative reviews and check it out.

Citizen Kane (1941)

Orson Welles's masterpiece

[22 October 2018]

Is Citizen Kane truly the greatest of all films? That depends on who you ask but the film is indeed a force to be reckoned with. The story is about a lonely newspaper magnate as he loses touch with society and descends into madness and frustration. The cinematography was so influential that many DOPs even today consider Kane to be the film that influenced their style. The emphasis on deep focus, long takes and shadows is revolutionary. Of course at the center of Citizen Kane is Orson Welles who not only is the main lead but also the soul producer and co-writer, and of course the director- this film defines the wunderkind talent and genius of Kane. Such was the impact of this film Orson Welles probably never came out of its shadow. Citizen Kane is a masterpiece and there is no reason to not be enthralled by it.

Sunset Boulevard (1950)

A haunting noir from the old days

[14 September 2018]

Sunset Boulevard is an iconic film and its easy to see why. I don't have to talk about Sunset Boulevard as the film is highly rated as it is. This is a great noir film, brilliantly lit and acted. The premise is simple: A Hollywood screenwriter chances upon an aging actress who orders him to rework a screenplay. He is relocated to her mansion- which is as much as a character as she is, and soon he realizes that not only is he trapped, but that the mysterious aging actress is a loose nut. Billy Wilder's film was a massive success upon release and its reputation has only grown since. William Holden is well cast as the tragic young scriptwriter and Gloria Swanson is magical as the elusive silent screen siren. This is dark comedy of the highest order.

The Abyss (1989)

A middling effort by the "King of the world

[23 July 2018]

The Abyss is one of Jim Cameron's lesser known efforts and one can see why. Its rather long, most of it is underwater(probably 90%) and the subject just might not be of interest to most people. The film itself is more known for its behind the scene shenanigans. The plot takes a bunch of civilian divers who go down to the trenches of the Ocean to recover a lost submarine. What they don't realize is that there are far more powerful forces at play here. The original version of the film was derided on release but a director's cut with additional footage sets most of the detractors straight. The last few minutes of this director's cut are rather good so watch this version of the film. Still, the film is just alright and nowhere on the level of say The Terminator or Titanic.