I thought "Saving Mr. Banks" was going to give Emma Thompson the Lady Big Oscar but I'm wrong. Amy Adams, the owner of magnificent cleavage despite small breasts, will win it.And I thought Forrest Whitaker would win for "The Butler." Wrong again. It'll be Christian Bale who offers the finest lead actor emotion and dialogue I've just about ever seen. The man is amazing. And last but not least, we have Jennifer Lawrence doing a tremendous job as the gorgeous but lonely wife who will win Best Supporting Actress. This film will win for Best Screenplay, Best Director and last but not least, Best Picture of the Year. What a story based on ABSCAM. Using crooks to nab crooks and the twists and turns are phenomenal.And of course, every movie must have the great Robert DiNiro who sneaks into this one, does a spellbinding cameo and then disappears. Is the picture long? Yes, but who cares? I didn't want it to end-that's how darn good it is.I write reviews not for the purpose of telling anyone the storyline of the picture. That's because anyone can read a synopsis. My job is to tell you how a movie hits me and this one is a Howitzer shell. A fantastic movie experience and I personally feel that those who knock this knockout film, has no taste whatsoever.
Reviews
121 Reviews
Saving Mr. Banks
(2013)
Brilliant,Brilliant and Brilliant Again
22 December 2013
Oh brother, what a movie! What meaning! What class! What acting, especially on the part of Emma Thompson who SHOULD win the Best Actress Oscar, hands down. Have you seen "Poppins" in the movies or on the stage? I saw both and fell in love with this delightful story based on imagination but seducing in reality. This film will most definitely seduce the duce out of you. It's heartwarming, sensitive and charming. I don't care if someone's 7 or 75, the story of "Mary Poppins"will get into his/her soul and stay there. How wonderful is the human mind whose imagination is so powerful,it captivates the world. And Mr. Disney knew Miss Travers's imagination would do exactly that and refused to give up despite the aggravation the lady caused him and his staff. I'm so happy that Walt refused to let go until he got what he wanted because by doing so,he changed us for the better.
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
(1945)
A Motion Picture for the Ages
14 February 2013
Peggy Ann Garner was just 13 years old when filming "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn." Thank you Mr. Turner because I never saw a finer acting performance by any young teen in any film. Peggy died at age 52 , was never a BIG STAR but her performance in this film could have never been matched had she lived and continued in the motion picture industry for a full lifetime. Simply stated: I was stunned by her ability. Incidentally she did win the Academy Juvenile Award in 1945.
Dorothy McGuire as Peggy's mom.Enormously gifted. A lifetime of monumental acting achievement which didn't deviate one iota from this role. Then we have James Dunn who played Peggy's dad and for which he won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor 1945. Dunn is absolutely superb as the community drunkard and a waiter with big dreams.
You will see the hustle and bustle of 1912 Brooklyn. You will hear the calliope filling the streets with the resounding music of that era. You will see hardship and poverty endured as a 13 year old girl comes of age. The interaction of characters of this film is historic...the entire film is legendary and make sure you have a handkerchief handy.
Dorothy McGuire as Peggy's mom.Enormously gifted. A lifetime of monumental acting achievement which didn't deviate one iota from this role. Then we have James Dunn who played Peggy's dad and for which he won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor 1945. Dunn is absolutely superb as the community drunkard and a waiter with big dreams.
You will see the hustle and bustle of 1912 Brooklyn. You will hear the calliope filling the streets with the resounding music of that era. You will see hardship and poverty endured as a 13 year old girl comes of age. The interaction of characters of this film is historic...the entire film is legendary and make sure you have a handkerchief handy.
Little Caesar
(1931)
The Granddaddy of Them All
6 February 2013
By today's standards, "Little Caesar" could be considered corny but if one wants to put himself in 1931, the film is masterful. I call it the grandaddy of all gangster films and very reminiscent of the biography of Al Capone.
Edward G.Robinson was more than just a "pretty face." This man could act up a storm. Recently I saw "Key Largo" and was very impressed by EGR's acting. Now I see where it came from--he was born to play hard boiled gangsters and why he wasn't nominated in '31 for Best Actor of the Year is beyond me.Lionel Barrymore took home the statue. Robinson was simply fantastic.
I highly recommend your watching it on Turner or renting the DVD because you will see the beginning of the evolution of murder and mayhem on the silver screen. What the Volstead Act spawned. The roots of Capone, Bonnie and Clyde, "Pretty Boy" Floyd, "Machine Gun Kelly" and all the rest of the psychopaths that terrorized good people and honest businessmen.
This movie is not only a movie but a history lesson as well.Because of our marvelous Constitution and Bill of Rights, a two bit hood like Rico could evade the law until.................see the film--it's great.
Edward G.Robinson was more than just a "pretty face." This man could act up a storm. Recently I saw "Key Largo" and was very impressed by EGR's acting. Now I see where it came from--he was born to play hard boiled gangsters and why he wasn't nominated in '31 for Best Actor of the Year is beyond me.Lionel Barrymore took home the statue. Robinson was simply fantastic.
I highly recommend your watching it on Turner or renting the DVD because you will see the beginning of the evolution of murder and mayhem on the silver screen. What the Volstead Act spawned. The roots of Capone, Bonnie and Clyde, "Pretty Boy" Floyd, "Machine Gun Kelly" and all the rest of the psychopaths that terrorized good people and honest businessmen.
This movie is not only a movie but a history lesson as well.Because of our marvelous Constitution and Bill of Rights, a two bit hood like Rico could evade the law until.................see the film--it's great.
Anatomy of a Murder
(1959)
It's Okay If You Can Stand the Torture
2 February 2013
This picture was nominated for seven Oscars. I would have nominated it for one more--the most boring picture of 1959. 2.5 hours of black and white boredom despite the always remarkable Jimmy Stewart but I will say this: the real Joseph Welch, the lawyer who got crazy Sen.Joe McCarthy in front of millions of TV watchers and disemboweled him, was an absolute pleasure to watch.A terrific actor and a terrific American. This film was all about missing panties which self-admittedly Lee Remick wore but not always. By the way, the film does not deal with the garment industry but rather with sexual violation. Ben Gazzara shoots and kills a bar owner who raped his wife; clear cut premeditated murder but Ben can't remember "nuthin.'Jimmy Stewart is a laid back lawyer having a miserable practice who's called on to save the day. George C. Scott is great as a hotshot prosecuting attorney but alas...the movie was the lousiest courtroom drama I ever saw.
Zero Dark Thirty
(2012)
More or Less, Overrated
29 January 2013
Warning: Spoilers
First off, Jessica Chastain should not be in the running for the Oscar. Why not? Because she was stonefaced, poker-faced while walking and running around Afghanistan and CIA HQ in Langley, VA yelling, "Please believe me. I located bin Laden." In other words,Jessie seemed emotionless even when witnessing our waterboarding enhanced interrogation technique which shouldn't be considered torture. I sort of look at it as a way of cleaning the filthy pusses of the filthy RADICAL Muslims who were part of 9/11/01. In fact,waterboarding plus applying shock therapy to the genitalia would have gotten more info out of the scum. Oh by the way there was a scene in which a terrorist's panties were pulled down and Jessie is told to take a gander at his "junk"-she did but remained poker- faced. The terrorist who was being interrogated however did NOT remain poker-faced.
I must say that to all those who thought Pres. Bush was lying about not approving "torture" and about not having CIA sites and prison camps in Europe,you're right.He lied but for the sake of the security of this nation and that's all that counted. Conversely a shot of Pres. Obama is seen-he is saying that torture must be outlawed. The man knows from nothing except vacations.
What impressed me was an answer to a question I had about the role of a woman in the finding of bin Laden. I thought Chastain's character was a concoction for one reason or the other. I was wrong. Indeed, a female CIA operative at Langley had been working on finding the monster ever since the attacks on us occurred. Naturally her real name will never be divulged but it's Maya in the film. All I know is that no one could ever be a misogynist after seeing what she accomplished on behalf of our beloved nation.
I took note of how much effort was applied not to hurt the feelings of, or rile up Muslims worldwide insofar as showing the actual assassination of bin Laden by a Seal Team Six member.I guess it followed suit regarding the non-disclosure of photos showing the torn apart Sheikh. Our guys barge into the room, a quick glimpse of a gray beard is seen, shots ring out and the camera pans down on a rather bloodied face which no viewer can identify as UBL.
Yep, Maya had been telling the frustrated CIA brass that if they got bin Laden's courier, they would get the big cheese. They listened and supposition became reality. Hard to believe that bin Laden was living in plain sight, less than a mile from the Pakistani Military Academy and all along we thought he was in a cave. I learned something valuable from the film. Both the military and government officials HAD to know he was in Abbattabad and we had been treating that country as a valuable ally. The man who ordered the murder of 3,000 Americans was being protected by an "ally." I'll call it a day because I feel like cursing up a storm but want to retain my IMDb account.
I must say that to all those who thought Pres. Bush was lying about not approving "torture" and about not having CIA sites and prison camps in Europe,you're right.He lied but for the sake of the security of this nation and that's all that counted. Conversely a shot of Pres. Obama is seen-he is saying that torture must be outlawed. The man knows from nothing except vacations.
What impressed me was an answer to a question I had about the role of a woman in the finding of bin Laden. I thought Chastain's character was a concoction for one reason or the other. I was wrong. Indeed, a female CIA operative at Langley had been working on finding the monster ever since the attacks on us occurred. Naturally her real name will never be divulged but it's Maya in the film. All I know is that no one could ever be a misogynist after seeing what she accomplished on behalf of our beloved nation.
I took note of how much effort was applied not to hurt the feelings of, or rile up Muslims worldwide insofar as showing the actual assassination of bin Laden by a Seal Team Six member.I guess it followed suit regarding the non-disclosure of photos showing the torn apart Sheikh. Our guys barge into the room, a quick glimpse of a gray beard is seen, shots ring out and the camera pans down on a rather bloodied face which no viewer can identify as UBL.
Yep, Maya had been telling the frustrated CIA brass that if they got bin Laden's courier, they would get the big cheese. They listened and supposition became reality. Hard to believe that bin Laden was living in plain sight, less than a mile from the Pakistani Military Academy and all along we thought he was in a cave. I learned something valuable from the film. Both the military and government officials HAD to know he was in Abbattabad and we had been treating that country as a valuable ally. The man who ordered the murder of 3,000 Americans was being protected by an "ally." I'll call it a day because I feel like cursing up a storm but want to retain my IMDb account.
Lincoln
(2012)
An overrated bomb
23 November 2012
Sure, if you talk to those who've seen it, they'll say that DD Lewis, Sally Fields and T.L.Jones deserve Oscar nominations and it would be right. You'll also hear that Spielberg deserves an Oscar for Directing. Right. You'll also hear that the Academy of Arts and Sciences should make "Lincoln" a nominee for Best Picture. That's right too however I saw it and am saying that despite all the kudos from sheep, I say it was exceedingly boring, terribly slow moving,dark,annoying and nothing but an average movie that will be on DVD in a month. I say three cheers for the Emancipation Proclamation; 3 cheers for the 13th Amendment; discrimination just plain stinks and so does this movie.
Argo
(2012)
Wow----What a Tremendous Movie
1 November 2012
"Argo" is absolutely amazing and guaranteed...no one is sitting relaxed on any theater seat for the final 20 minutes. And is there any need to emphasize it will be up for Best Picture of 2012? Count on it. And Ben Affleck, John Goodman and Alan Arkin will likewise be nominated for Best Actor and Best Supporting. And the cinematography's amazing too.
The story is so intriguing, it's impossible to think it's true but IT IS. I'm not going to write anything that might be construed as a spoiler and to actually discuss the plot is, so all I can say is that if you're old enough to remember that fateful day of 11/4/79 when our Embassy was taken over by Iranian thugs,Islamic fanatics and it lasted under Jimmy Carter's watch for 444 days, you will go ape over "Argo." Word has it they held 52 Americans as hostages. Think again.
What a great title for this movie. What does "Argo" bring to mind? Somethng planetary? How about the name of a spaceship? How about the leader of aliens? And what in heaven's name does all this have to do with Iran under the Ayatollah Khomeini? It's bewildering, isn't it? It certainly bewildered the Iranians.
See this movie. It's absolutely sensational.
The story is so intriguing, it's impossible to think it's true but IT IS. I'm not going to write anything that might be construed as a spoiler and to actually discuss the plot is, so all I can say is that if you're old enough to remember that fateful day of 11/4/79 when our Embassy was taken over by Iranian thugs,Islamic fanatics and it lasted under Jimmy Carter's watch for 444 days, you will go ape over "Argo." Word has it they held 52 Americans as hostages. Think again.
What a great title for this movie. What does "Argo" bring to mind? Somethng planetary? How about the name of a spaceship? How about the leader of aliens? And what in heaven's name does all this have to do with Iran under the Ayatollah Khomeini? It's bewildering, isn't it? It certainly bewildered the Iranians.
See this movie. It's absolutely sensational.
Trouble with the Curve
(2012)
I Wish I Could Go "Skinny-Dipping" With Amy Adams
8 October 2012
This picture has just about every aspect of life, yet, I found it Clint's worst except for the "Unforgiven." When I write "every aspect" I mean love, hate, child abuse, elation, disappointment and all the rest of the stuff we encounter daily. Regarding its relevance to baseball,if you follow the Braves or Red Sox, then you might salivate but I root for neither.
Clint's aging as all of us are but he was better talking to an empty chair than trying to come across as Gus, the one time MLB super scout. He seems too angry and filled with spittle and venom for the role. However Amy Adams is really great "eye candy" but could have shown much more in that "skinny dipping" scene. I was disappointed because she is an absolute knockout. Justin Timberlake is a better singer than actor.
Yes the story has some very good points but overall, the film is overly long and boring. I rate it a 6 with a yawn. I like baseball. I just saw "Moneyball" which I consider a SUPERB baseball film while "Curve" leaves a lot to be desired. Clint, go talk to a chair! Furthermore I predict a box office flop and the film will be out on DVD in 6 weeks.
Clint's aging as all of us are but he was better talking to an empty chair than trying to come across as Gus, the one time MLB super scout. He seems too angry and filled with spittle and venom for the role. However Amy Adams is really great "eye candy" but could have shown much more in that "skinny dipping" scene. I was disappointed because she is an absolute knockout. Justin Timberlake is a better singer than actor.
Yes the story has some very good points but overall, the film is overly long and boring. I rate it a 6 with a yawn. I like baseball. I just saw "Moneyball" which I consider a SUPERB baseball film while "Curve" leaves a lot to be desired. Clint, go talk to a chair! Furthermore I predict a box office flop and the film will be out on DVD in 6 weeks.
For Me and My Gal
(1942)
A Delight
24 August 2012
Judy Garland was just twenty years old when this movie was shot. Just twenty. I enjoyed it immensely because I feel that she was the greatest performer in the history of American show business.Sure, there have been great singers. Yes there have been great dancers and yes there have been great actors but no one besides Judy had all three talents so tightly rolled up into one. I found the storyline quite interesting even though Gene Kelly was the heel of heels but when you see and hear him and Judy in duets...man...that's what makes the world go 'round. How odd. Here we have a picture shot in 1942, 70 years ago and it's better than anything on the screen today. No, it's not a masterpiece but rather terrific wholesome family enjoyment and I highly recommend it to anyone who's disgusted with the stuff now being shown. It's simply top flight entertainment. Incidentally, the musical selections in this film are REAL MUSIC instead of the rock schlock now being heard. I borrowed a bit from Wikipedia to give you the details of that film's songs. * "Oh, You Beautiful Doll", music by Nat D. Ayer, lyrics by A. Seymour Brown, additional lyrics by Roger Edens performed by George Murphy, Judy Garland and others.
* "For Me and My Gal", music and lyrics by George W. Meyer, Edgar Leslie and E. Ray Goetz, performed by Gene Kelly and Judy Garland
* "When You Wore a Tulip and I Wore a Big Red Rose", music by Percy Wenrich, lyrics by Jack Mahoney, performed by Kelly and Garland
* "After You've Gone", music by Turner Layton, lyrics by Henry Creamer, sung by Judy Garland.
* "Ballin' the Jack", music by Chris Smith, lyrics by Jim Burris, sung and danced by Kelly and Garland.
* The film also contains portions of a number of songs popular during World War I, including "By the Beautiful Sea", "There's a Long, Long Trail", "How Ya Gonna Keep 'Em Down on the Farm (After They've Seen Paree)", "Where Do We Go from Here, Boys", "It's a Long Way to Tipperary", "Goodbye Broadway, Hello France", "(There are) Smiles (That Make Us Happy)", "Oh Frenchy", "When Johnny Comes Marching Home Again" and "Pack Up Your Troubles in Your Old Kit-Bag, and Smile, Smile, Smile".
* Two additional songs were intended to be included: "Spell of the Waltz", which was to be performed by Marta Eggerth and a male chorus and "Three Cheers for the Yanks", written by Ralph Blane and Hugh Martin. THAT'S CLASS, people. REAL HONEST-TO-GOODNESS CLASS.
* "For Me and My Gal", music and lyrics by George W. Meyer, Edgar Leslie and E. Ray Goetz, performed by Gene Kelly and Judy Garland
* "When You Wore a Tulip and I Wore a Big Red Rose", music by Percy Wenrich, lyrics by Jack Mahoney, performed by Kelly and Garland
* "After You've Gone", music by Turner Layton, lyrics by Henry Creamer, sung by Judy Garland.
* "Ballin' the Jack", music by Chris Smith, lyrics by Jim Burris, sung and danced by Kelly and Garland.
* The film also contains portions of a number of songs popular during World War I, including "By the Beautiful Sea", "There's a Long, Long Trail", "How Ya Gonna Keep 'Em Down on the Farm (After They've Seen Paree)", "Where Do We Go from Here, Boys", "It's a Long Way to Tipperary", "Goodbye Broadway, Hello France", "(There are) Smiles (That Make Us Happy)", "Oh Frenchy", "When Johnny Comes Marching Home Again" and "Pack Up Your Troubles in Your Old Kit-Bag, and Smile, Smile, Smile".
* Two additional songs were intended to be included: "Spell of the Waltz", which was to be performed by Marta Eggerth and a male chorus and "Three Cheers for the Yanks", written by Ralph Blane and Hugh Martin. THAT'S CLASS, people. REAL HONEST-TO-GOODNESS CLASS.
The Hunger Games
(2012)
A Brilliant Screen Adaptation from a Knockout Novel
26 March 2012
What a movie! I read it, enjoyed it even though it was gruesome but the movie was as good, if not better. The screen adaptation from the novel was superb and the cinematography exceeded all expectations. I thought I was able to visualize THE CAPITOL in the book but was wrong. The film's portrayal was absolutely mind-blowing. I can think of no one more perfect to play Katniss Everdeen than Jennifer Lawrence. She was to "Games" what Vivian Leigh was to Scarlett O'Hara. PERFECT MATCHES. Someone else who amazed me. The character named Caesar Flickerman,the Master of Ceremonies of the televised orgy of death, Stanley Tucci. Come Oscar time in Feb.'13,he's gonna make some noise. One thing for anyone who hasn't read the book but will see the film.You already know it's all about sanctioned "kids murdering kids" supposedly for the entertainment of all in the 12 Districts of Panem.However where does "Hunger" come in? Why not call it, "The Competitive Games" for example. Remember Malthus's theory about population outlasting food supply? It causes mass starvation.But if 24 tributes fight to kill each other and one is left standing, isn't there more food to go around? And if those tributes are of child bearing ages (adolescents and teens) and they propagate, then their children must eat too. Hence, just one of 24 must be allowed to survive to preserve that vital food supply.I did not mean the aforementioned to be a spoiler--I do not think it is--but that title "HUNGER games" had to be clarified. That ends my clarification without any film details divulged. See this movie. It truly is brilliant.
My Week with Marilyn
(2011)
The Raging Hormones of a Young Man Explored
12 December 2011
The memoirs of Colin Clark is the fantasy of any straight fellow from puberty to when life becomes serious. To go from a person hanging around Olivier Productions, looking for any type of work in the movie industry to a special, dear and meaningful confidant to the sexiest woman in the world is one heck of an achievement and on top of it, for him to see her naked, is like mind-blowing. Yes, I'll admit that watching Eddie Redmayne running around drooling from the mouth for 1:36 was a bit disconcerting but to see the brilliant portrayal of Marilyn by Michelle Williams was astounding. I'll be most disappointed if she were not nominated for Best Actress of the Year. It's a most unusual, highly interesting and mesmerizing film that I and my wife truly enjoyed. Keep this in mind:Marilyn had a short career; will be gone 50 years this coming August but the impact she had on cinema has the clout of a nuke. Norma Jean...you'll never be forgotten.
Midnight in Paris
(2011)
It Blew Me Away
6 September 2011
Most certainly, "Midnight in Paris" DID blow me away because Woody Allen's a proved genius; Owen Wilson is far better than the kook seen in his other films; the melodies "Si tu vois ma mère" and "Bistro Fada" were haunting and the entire story line was so unique and mesmerizing, I'll see it again next week. Even though we are close to four months away from Jan.1st, this mid-summer release will win for Mr. Allen either or both the Best Director of the Year and Best Original Screen Play Not Based on a Book. Are you a nostalgiaphile as I am? If so, you'll go ape over this movie--totally bonkers by the way Mr. Allen weaved the past into the present and it happens so unexpectedly, the viewer is taken by storm and held until the end. Its the best picture I've seen thus far in '11 and say it's one of the best, if not the best film Allen's ever done. And let's not forget about "Match Point" either. The film is a pleasantly eerie fantasy adventure into a new-old dimension that's whimsical and far better than clever. An absolute DON'T MISS.
The Help
(2011)
Brilliant
25 August 2011
Let's see now, who will be nominated for Best Actress or Best Supporting Actress of 2011, Viola Davis or Octavia Spencer? Bet your bippy that either one or both are going home with a statue. This is one heck of an excellent film because it SHOULD awaken Caucasians to how we humiliated African-Americans for so long. The film is so gripping, it hurts. I myself saw in Washington, DC buses marked "Whites Only." I saw segregated rest rooms, water fountains..you name it. And of course things were even worse for blacks in Mississippi where the movie takes place. How strange.Black maids were good enough to make meals, serve meals and tend to white children but not good enough to be equal in every aspect with whites. How vividly I remember Mississippi racist governor Ross Barnett finally challenged and beaten by Jack and Robert Kennedy. Our President and Attorney General got sick and tired of all the murder and mayhem Barnett knew about yet always had alibis and excuses. Indeed, the racist was taken down and OUT, thank God. "The Help" is a vivid look into those rotten years and why intelligent evolution began to take place. Kudos to the entire cast of this very excellent film.
Sarah's Key
(2010)
The Worst Holocaust Movie of all Time
21 August 2011
Of course French anti-Semites had a field day as soon as the Germans marched into Paris in June 1940. In one more nation were Jews betrayed and herded off to concentration/extermination camps which alone should make us all pro-Israel today, but the premise of this film was so stupid, confusing, bewildering and on top of it, deluged with a cast of so many French-speaking characters that no one knew who from whom and after forty-five minutes, who cared? My feeling is that without having read the book, the picture's a waste. Something similar to "The DaVinci Code" but even after having read it, the film still stank like a three day old fish wrapped in paper. I won't go into details about what "Sarah's Key" means but in my estimation, Jewish life and culture under Nazi rule were to be snuffed out because Hitler feared both but this movie should be snuffed out of theaters in two weeks because it's a disaster.
Larry Crowne
(2011)
Wow, did it STINK!
4 July 2011
How's it possible to team up two of Hollywood's biggest stars, Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts and come out with a really lousy movie? Beats me but Universal Pictures, Vendome Pictures and Playtone Productions certainly did. The storyline was pathetic and Hanks annoyed the living hell out of me chugging around on a quasi-moped to save gas money while wearing a crash helmet and maintaining throughout the movie a squinty grimace that indicated his jockey shorts could have been two sizes two small. Julia Roberts's acting indicated she never wanted to be in the film to begin with. After subjecting myself to this picture, equivalent to self-flagellation, I regret that Hanks ever got home from being a "Castaway."
Water for Elephants
(2011)
I'll Bet Rosy Used to Wear a Babushka
27 April 2011
What a wonderful movie. A+ baby. Top notch stuff and if you think Christoph Walz was great in "Inglorious Basterds," wait 'til you get a load of him in this one playing the screwball August, owner of the circus. I'm not here to tell you the plot because you can pick up that info from a ton of websites including IMDb but instead to tell you the film's overall impact. JUST GREAT, thank you. Pattinson,although somewhat stiff, is adequate and anything Reese Witherspoon is in is top-of-the-line but Walz, comes Feb.'12, will be awaiting his 2nd Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. And how 'bout Rosy the elephant? Talk about some fine acting. Man can she blow one heck of a trumpet. An elephant being the key to this whole movie? Unthinkable but true. It's a remarkable picture and those critics who are panning it must be off their rockers. It's thoroughly enjoyable. Don't miss it.
The Lincoln Lawyer
(2011)
I Thought It Was Gonna Be About Abe Lincoln
6 April 2011
Gee, what a pleasant surprise. A movie about lawyers that wasn't anywhere as boring as a courtroom. In fact, it wasn't boring,period. Matthew McConaughey is more than a handsome guy--he's a whale of an actor and shows it. Marisa Tomei likewise is excellent and so is William Macy. It's a legal eagle movie with a twist--like who's gonna outfox whom? And I was about to pose a question about being a defense attorney but I re-thought it because I don't want my review to be a spoiler and my question just might get me tossed off imd.com. So we'll forego it. You know that films about lawyers are a dime a dozen because in this litigious minded nation, lawyers are a dime a dozen however this is no run-of-the-mill legal eagle beagle. "Lincoln Lawyer" is, uh...COOL baby..COOL. A very interesting story, smoothly acted & engrossing which is why I gave it a 9 out of 10. And I'm a critical reviewer, believe me. Go see it and have some fun.
The King's Speech
(2010)
Truly a phenomenal film
10 January 2011
"The King's Speech" is simply one of the best films I've ever seen and a sure bet to walk away with a truckload of Oscars. I've never seen finer acting that that of Colin Firth as a wreck of a successor to the throne and especially Geoffrey Rush, the friend, confidant and speech therapist who was directly responsible for the combination of the rhetoric of Prime Minister Churchill and King George VI working in concert to buoy the spirits of and encourage the shell-shocked citizens of a beleaguered United Kingdom.
An exceptional film in every sense.A situation that's been kept under wraps for over 80 years. A now- exposed situation that's simply too hard to believe. An astonishing film, filled with pathos and dignity--the story of a man having to fight his own demons while acting as the determined and resolute royal figurehead of a great island nation in its most perilous hour.And of course let us not forget that it was a great American leader named Franklin Roosevelt who led us through those days from a wheelchair. Yes, it's history that makes men and not the other way around.
An exceptional film in every sense.A situation that's been kept under wraps for over 80 years. A now- exposed situation that's simply too hard to believe. An astonishing film, filled with pathos and dignity--the story of a man having to fight his own demons while acting as the determined and resolute royal figurehead of a great island nation in its most perilous hour.And of course let us not forget that it was a great American leader named Franklin Roosevelt who led us through those days from a wheelchair. Yes, it's history that makes men and not the other way around.
Passage to Marseille
(1944)
Entertaining
11 November 2010
I suppose Warner Brothers was trying to make hay out of "Casablanca" which, in 1944 when "Passage" was filmed was still very far from becoming one of, if not the greatest American film;I say it was. Yes, as I viewed it thanks to Mr. Turner, I did feel a bit "Casablankish" but it was merely spotty, illusory but not serious. In no way can "Passage" compare to "Blanca" yet I found it, although a bit corny at times, quite entertaining. Bogart's cynicism, the linchpin of "Blanca" is quite obvious because his main duty was to get back to France to see Michèle Morgan rather than to fight Nazism while the rest of his fellow escapees from Devil's Island were true blue patriots. Vive la France and so on and so forth. Bogart, on the other hand, was framed by his "beloved" France which resulted in his sweating out the brutality of French Guyana in all its splendor. Although missing the incredible Ingrid Bergman, this film does offer some of the "Blanca Boys" such as Peter Lorre and Claude Rains. By the way, even though Lorre was an odd looking little guy, in real life he was one of Bogie's best friends thanks to his boozing and then losing money in card games.Some of the battle action at sea is interesting but as phony as phony can be--it's quite obvious those scenes were shot in a gigantic bath tub on the Warner lot.Incidentally if a reader hasn't visited Hollywood and taken a tour or two through the studios,allow me to tell you this as my wife and I were aboard a tram touring Universal Studios. Those wartime battle scenes at sea were actually shot using miniature ships and planes sailing in and hovering over large barrels of water.All in all, "Passage" could never be rated, at least by me, as BAD just by virtue of Humphrey Bogart's starring role. The guy didn't become an icon for doing nothing.
Hereafter
(2010)
Hereafter I'll Be More Careful about Movies I Choose
24 October 2010
The name Clint Eastwood equates to EXCELLENCE.But even Clint is allowed to stumble and he did with "Hereafter." Not that it was a BAAAD movie but one I could have "lived without."
First one, point of excellence.The cinematography of the tsunami.It scares the wits out of you.As for the rest of the film, a rather touching exploration of what a Dr. Moody wrote about years ago in "Life After Life." And one good point for both that book and this picture is that religion plays no importance whatsoever. No one tries to force any belief on anyone."Thank God."
This film certainly will give John Edward of "Crossing Over" a boost.And it may help the skeptical become less skeptical or then again reenforce the afterlife belief in those who already believe in it.Whatever floats one's boat.
The acting? Matt Damon does an adequate job as a forklift operator after having given up his once lucrative fulltime job of doing readings. He says it's a curse not a blessing.But that's all subject to change.
Very nice acting by the twin brothers torn apart by tragedy. If one likes the French language and subtitles, one will enjoy mop- topped Cécile De France who plays Marie LeLay,assigned to write a book about Francois Mitterand. She gets a bit sidetracked which naturally is a very important part of the film.
Why did I give the film a rating of six? Because it's too long and too slow moving. Or maybe it's too slow moving because it's too long? Either way, it's tedious. I also found the acoustics at various times, too bass and mumbled but that might because my hearing isn't as good as it used to be. But then again I did use earphones for the hearing impaired and it still sounded garbled at times.
So we have a movie that is really being hyped everywhere but for a Clint Eastwood film, I found it quite forgettable. It however may have a powerful positive psychological effect on those who are grieving the loss of someone close and if so, then my applause to Clint for helping those in distress. I wish what I saw on the screen was true; maybe it was but until I die and then do a film review on imd.com,I remain doubtful.
First one, point of excellence.The cinematography of the tsunami.It scares the wits out of you.As for the rest of the film, a rather touching exploration of what a Dr. Moody wrote about years ago in "Life After Life." And one good point for both that book and this picture is that religion plays no importance whatsoever. No one tries to force any belief on anyone."Thank God."
This film certainly will give John Edward of "Crossing Over" a boost.And it may help the skeptical become less skeptical or then again reenforce the afterlife belief in those who already believe in it.Whatever floats one's boat.
The acting? Matt Damon does an adequate job as a forklift operator after having given up his once lucrative fulltime job of doing readings. He says it's a curse not a blessing.But that's all subject to change.
Very nice acting by the twin brothers torn apart by tragedy. If one likes the French language and subtitles, one will enjoy mop- topped Cécile De France who plays Marie LeLay,assigned to write a book about Francois Mitterand. She gets a bit sidetracked which naturally is a very important part of the film.
Why did I give the film a rating of six? Because it's too long and too slow moving. Or maybe it's too slow moving because it's too long? Either way, it's tedious. I also found the acoustics at various times, too bass and mumbled but that might because my hearing isn't as good as it used to be. But then again I did use earphones for the hearing impaired and it still sounded garbled at times.
So we have a movie that is really being hyped everywhere but for a Clint Eastwood film, I found it quite forgettable. It however may have a powerful positive psychological effect on those who are grieving the loss of someone close and if so, then my applause to Clint for helping those in distress. I wish what I saw on the screen was true; maybe it was but until I die and then do a film review on imd.com,I remain doubtful.
Mao's Last Dancer
(2009)
A sure fire Oscar contender
5 September 2010
A charming, stirring, visually and emotionally stirring film. The best I've thus far seen in '10. The story of a mainland Chinese 11 year old boy,supposedly forever indoctrinated by daily school- taught commie propaganda garbage,is chosen to attend a special school to be trained for ballet. He does well and in due time, is sent to the USA to the Houston Ballet Company. Then and there he awakens to not only his manhood but to the realization that all he's been taught about the "glory of Chairman Mao's communist revolution, was the furthest thing from the truth. Not only is the lead a wonderful danseur but his acting ability could win him a Best Actor nomination as well. A film NOT TO BE MISSED.
Winter's Bone
(2010)
Incredibly BAD
30 July 2010
Before I render my opinion of the film, I must ask this: why is my government giving away billions of dollars every year to every country imaginable while allowing such poverty to exist in this nation? Why isn't this foreign aid green being used to create work and schools for the backwoodsmen depicted in the movie? What you will see on the screen is ultra disturbing to those with feelings and a conscience. This is the richest nation on earth so why don't we care for our own FIRST and then worry about nations that practice no birth control and don't give a damn whether or not its children will ever stand a chance of success. To me, it's a downright disgusting situation.
"Winter's Bone" has to rank as one of the worst films I ever saw. Slow moving, speech garbled, dreary...I mean this thing is sludge. Filmed in the backwoods of the Ozarks where really poor uneducated people live, surviving on a very low subsistence level, you wonder why they earn bucks selling moonshine and dope? Lock them up and you'll still have more than enough moonshine and dope-that's how bad it is.
The movie presents a cast of unknowns, wannabes and has beens. The dialog is so bad, you wonder if it's English. Bones, schmones, who gives a flying fig? It's just a miserable 100 minutes and if I hadn't been with friends, I would have walked out.
"Winter's Bone" has to rank as one of the worst films I ever saw. Slow moving, speech garbled, dreary...I mean this thing is sludge. Filmed in the backwoods of the Ozarks where really poor uneducated people live, surviving on a very low subsistence level, you wonder why they earn bucks selling moonshine and dope? Lock them up and you'll still have more than enough moonshine and dope-that's how bad it is.
The movie presents a cast of unknowns, wannabes and has beens. The dialog is so bad, you wonder if it's English. Bones, schmones, who gives a flying fig? It's just a miserable 100 minutes and if I hadn't been with friends, I would have walked out.
The Joneses
(2009)
A Fascinating Look at Skullduggery
26 April 2010
But then again,there's no skullduggery involved but it sure smells like it.But then again,does skullduggery mean, in a sense, trickery or manipulativeness? Hmmm....this thing is perplexing.
Upon exiting the theater, this thought came came to mind;there's a program preceding "Desperate Housewives" that's all about building homes for free for unfortunate families. You know, the show MCed by the guy with all the wild hair? Well anyway,are we positive that the familial recipients of the free home are really family? Could it possibly be that they are actors hired as part of a " TV game" to sell big ticket items by well- known companies whose products must either be in or on every home in the United States or else the home really isn't a home? Before you come back and accuse me of being heartless, which I'm not,think about the possibility and if you can't, then by all means, see "The Jonses."
Could it be that writer Randy T. Dinzler came up with the "Jonses" storyline from seeing that aforementioned program? Maybe. Maybe not but it's something to think about or then again, maybe the reverse is true? At any rate, it's fun to speculate.
"The Jonses" is an ACE picture, from start to finsh. The story is simply this: a fake family moves into a ritzy neighborhood with the intention of selling everything possible but surreptitiously in order to make scads of money for the company for whom they work, for themselves and to become an "icon class" i.e. a CELL with such a high volume selling status that manufacturers would have to consult with them first before releasing new products.
The story isn't, by a long shot, all about selling. There is a heck of lot more to this film than that..you know, stuff like love,deceit,sexual preferences,a bit of nudity but to go into specifics would spoil this terrific movie for you readers, so all I can say is that if you want to spend 90 or so very enjoyable minutes watching a top notcher from 2010, "The Joneses" fits the bill.
Upon exiting the theater, this thought came came to mind;there's a program preceding "Desperate Housewives" that's all about building homes for free for unfortunate families. You know, the show MCed by the guy with all the wild hair? Well anyway,are we positive that the familial recipients of the free home are really family? Could it possibly be that they are actors hired as part of a " TV game" to sell big ticket items by well- known companies whose products must either be in or on every home in the United States or else the home really isn't a home? Before you come back and accuse me of being heartless, which I'm not,think about the possibility and if you can't, then by all means, see "The Jonses."
Could it be that writer Randy T. Dinzler came up with the "Jonses" storyline from seeing that aforementioned program? Maybe. Maybe not but it's something to think about or then again, maybe the reverse is true? At any rate, it's fun to speculate.
"The Jonses" is an ACE picture, from start to finsh. The story is simply this: a fake family moves into a ritzy neighborhood with the intention of selling everything possible but surreptitiously in order to make scads of money for the company for whom they work, for themselves and to become an "icon class" i.e. a CELL with such a high volume selling status that manufacturers would have to consult with them first before releasing new products.
The story isn't, by a long shot, all about selling. There is a heck of lot more to this film than that..you know, stuff like love,deceit,sexual preferences,a bit of nudity but to go into specifics would spoil this terrific movie for you readers, so all I can say is that if you want to spend 90 or so very enjoyable minutes watching a top notcher from 2010, "The Joneses" fits the bill.
The North Star
(1943)
"The North Star" Leaves Not Much to Glitter About
19 April 2010
First off, the entire movie can be viewed online at http://www.archive.org/details/TheNorthStar/
Secondly, the film's all about the Nazi invasion of the Ukraine beginning with an all out assault on the SU on 6/22/41 from Lake Ladoga to the Black Sea. But there's a very large misconception inherent in this film. The Germans didn't come into the Ukraine with guns blazing. On the contrary, they tiptoed in knowing they might have a valuable ally in Ukraine which despised Stalin who brought upon it the mass starvation in the '30s.The movie however depicts the German invasion of the Ukraine as a ruthless killing orgy. It's FALSE.Thousands of Ukrainians welcomed the Nazis as liberators.In fact, Ukrainian General Vlassov formed an army equipped to fight alongside the Germans.
Was the film made to engender liking for the pre-Cold War Soviet Union? You bet.Was it wrong to have supported the S.U. before and during WWII? Absolutely not. Was it wrong to have supported the S.U.after WWII. You betcha if you were an anti-communist and I sure was and STILL AM.However let's keep things in perspective instead of in the realm of Joe McCarthy thinking.
Nazi Germany was OUR enemy.The Soviet Union was attacked by our enemy.The SU therefore began killing German soldiers. An enemy of our enemy is our friend. Of course Stalin was a murderous dictator. Just look alone at the millions he starved to death in the Ukraine (no wonder why so many Unrainians welcomed the Germans as liberators).However when compared to the biggest murderous maniac of all time, Adolf Hitler, Joe Stalin was a saint.
"The North Star" was by no means any cinematic miracle. If we look at it from the vantage point of 1943, it comes across very differently than viewing it in 2010. Seeing it '43, inspired Americans to cheer on Russia but in '10,it made me realize how corny it was.
No one spoke with either German or Russian accents.The Nazi pigs and Russian peasants and partisans sounded like they had come from Brooklyn. Certainly Erich von Stroheim, a German, could have sounded like the evil doctor who killed children by siphoning their blood serum to wounded German soldiers. The act alone was enough to make us hate that creep but had he added a bit of Deutsch, we'd hate him more.
The acting by the big 9, Anne Baxter,Dana Andrews,Walter Huston,Walter Brennan,Ann Harding,Jane Withers,Farley Granger,Erich von Stroheim and Dean Jagger belonged in Ebbets Field. The movie was nominated for 6 Oscars, won 1 however not in the field of "meat and potatoes." Although I did watch the entire film, I feel it was certainly not up to par with good war movies but what the heck, we won the war anyway.
Secondly, the film's all about the Nazi invasion of the Ukraine beginning with an all out assault on the SU on 6/22/41 from Lake Ladoga to the Black Sea. But there's a very large misconception inherent in this film. The Germans didn't come into the Ukraine with guns blazing. On the contrary, they tiptoed in knowing they might have a valuable ally in Ukraine which despised Stalin who brought upon it the mass starvation in the '30s.The movie however depicts the German invasion of the Ukraine as a ruthless killing orgy. It's FALSE.Thousands of Ukrainians welcomed the Nazis as liberators.In fact, Ukrainian General Vlassov formed an army equipped to fight alongside the Germans.
Was the film made to engender liking for the pre-Cold War Soviet Union? You bet.Was it wrong to have supported the S.U. before and during WWII? Absolutely not. Was it wrong to have supported the S.U.after WWII. You betcha if you were an anti-communist and I sure was and STILL AM.However let's keep things in perspective instead of in the realm of Joe McCarthy thinking.
Nazi Germany was OUR enemy.The Soviet Union was attacked by our enemy.The SU therefore began killing German soldiers. An enemy of our enemy is our friend. Of course Stalin was a murderous dictator. Just look alone at the millions he starved to death in the Ukraine (no wonder why so many Unrainians welcomed the Germans as liberators).However when compared to the biggest murderous maniac of all time, Adolf Hitler, Joe Stalin was a saint.
"The North Star" was by no means any cinematic miracle. If we look at it from the vantage point of 1943, it comes across very differently than viewing it in 2010. Seeing it '43, inspired Americans to cheer on Russia but in '10,it made me realize how corny it was.
No one spoke with either German or Russian accents.The Nazi pigs and Russian peasants and partisans sounded like they had come from Brooklyn. Certainly Erich von Stroheim, a German, could have sounded like the evil doctor who killed children by siphoning their blood serum to wounded German soldiers. The act alone was enough to make us hate that creep but had he added a bit of Deutsch, we'd hate him more.
The acting by the big 9, Anne Baxter,Dana Andrews,Walter Huston,Walter Brennan,Ann Harding,Jane Withers,Farley Granger,Erich von Stroheim and Dean Jagger belonged in Ebbets Field. The movie was nominated for 6 Oscars, won 1 however not in the field of "meat and potatoes." Although I did watch the entire film, I feel it was certainly not up to par with good war movies but what the heck, we won the war anyway.
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