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The Godfather (1972)
Simply the best. Against which all other films should be measured
I must have seen this film 20 times and I will probably see it 20 times more, it is that good.
Why is this? First of all the story is exceptional, almost Shakespeareian and Machiavellian in it's scope and subject. Although the film is about the succession struggle and rise of an American-Italian Mafia Don against the background of gang warfare it is very reminiscent of the stories of European Renaissance Princes. Complete with assassinations, political intrigue, war and cold hearted iron will. Also compared to other films there happens an awful lot in this movie, so much so in fact that I tend to forget half of it which enhanced the 'see it again' factor, because I can't quite remember exactly what happened next.
The second reason why this movie is exceptional are the acting performances which are truly amazingly good across the board. Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, John Cazale, Robert Duvall and Diane Keaton are all great, but so are the all the lesser supporting actors. This is all further helped by the very believable dialog between the characters, the pace and direction of the movie which keeps the suspense up and things going along nicely. Also the social drama with the sister, wife and brothers is really engaging. The balance is also good between moments of relative quiet leading up to moments of action and terror. Great cinematography and production values to boot . Highly entertaining viewing all round. You can't ask for more.
Highly Recommend.
Midway (2019)
Midway between a bad movie and a really good movie.
If like me you are a fan of the computer generated image (CGI) series Battle 360*, about the ww2 adventures of the USS Enterprise and its crew, or the series Dogfights, about ww2 aerial combat you are probably going to like watching this film just for the combat scenes and the CGI generated spectacle which is really impressive. If however you are someone who just likes good movies with a gripping story and characters that move you this film might be a disappointment.
Since this is not the first film about the battle of Midway inevitably it needs to be compared to the 1976 film Midway. Of the two the 1976 film is the superior one in my opinion. It also gives a better understanding of the battle from a commanders point of view. This 2019 film focuses more on the experience in combat of a few naval aviators and their crew. This is done really well, but the story as a whole is rather thin especially if you take in to account that half of the story is taken up by the attack on Pearl Harbor and the Doolittle Raid.
I thought the acting was a mixed bag. The stand out performance for me was Dennis Quaid in a small supporting role as William 'Bull' Halsey (who wasn't even involved in the battle of Midway!). It might have been the material he had to work with or the direction he got, but Ed Skrein, who plays the lead role, was a bit too cliché over the top maverick cowboy for my taste. It didn't really convince in a cardboard sort of way and made him unlikeable to the point you were almost rooting for the Japanese. The words character and development are best not mentioned in the same sentence as this film.
Compared to the 2001 film Pearl Harbor, which is absolutely awful on every level, this film is a decent entertaining movie, but only one I would recommend for people who like war movies.
Planet of the Apes (1968)
Planet of the Apes a well aged scifi classic
The simplest thing to say about Planet of the Apes is that it is a well made and entertaining movie. Even half a century later it is still a good watch even for viewers who are not too keen on scifi.
One of the reasons it is a good film is because most of the scifi element rests on the story and not on flashy special effects and therefore the story needs to be really good and it is. The special effects that are there are mostly the ape faces and their understated stylish futuristic costumes and these are also really well done. At least I am amazed how good and convincing the apes still look for a film made in 1968.
The cinematography is also good. It is a nice looking film with good camerawork. The locations, like the mountains and the beach, are well chosen and make for interesting viewing. I also liked the set with ape village buildings. They looked like something a futuristic ape might build.
For a scifi film the acting is also well done. Heston is in top form playing the cynical astronaut and he looks like he was enjoying himself making this film. The actors playing the apes are also surprisingly good. The apes all have different characters and agendas and there is enough character development, story development and pace to keep you invested in the film. I was also very impressed with the storylines about how the ape society works, including religion, science and their relation to other species.
The only criticism I would have is that this film could have benefited form a little more thriller suspense. The ingredients for that are all there in this film, but the opportunity to get the viewers really tense on the edge of their seat or jump out of said seat is not really taken. Despite this it is still highly entertaining.
Recommended.
Jason and the Argonauts (1963)
Like Greek Mythology a Classic that stands the test of time...
For a film that was made 60 years ago it is still surprisingly good to watch. Although it takes many liberties and omits much from the Greek mythological story of Jason and the Argonauts it does give the audience a good flavour of the sort of story the Greeks were trying to convey and more importantly it is still an interesting story to watch.
I thought the production values were good. The ship and the Argonauts look like you would expect for ancient Greece. As did the chosen locations which I thought were also enjoyable to watch and looked like the Aegean. The special effects are the stuff of legend, but more about that later. The acting is pretty good in this film. I especially enjoyed watching the very talented Nigel Green as Hercules.
The one thing that lets the film down a bit for my taste is that the pace is sometimes slow and many of the scenes are overly long. The film could have done with better editing. Cutting it by 20 minutes would have made a better movie or alternatively if they wanted to keep the length they could have added some extra mythology bits like the Sirens or Chiron the Centaur.
The absolute stars of this film however are the special effects. This is a seven star film at best, but the SFX make it a classic and solid 8. Thalos and the hydra are a joy to watch even now, but the skeleton sword fighting scene is just epic. Even now when we are spoiled with CGI the skeletons can still hold their own. I could watch that over and over again. Love it.
I have always been a fan of Clash of the Titans and I see now that it was greatly inspired by this film.
Recommend.
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (1981)
Hitchhiker's Guide to a Headache. It's that bad!
I know this series has something of a cult status, but to be honest it is about as funny as a root canal treatment or white noise. In fact I found it so abysmal to watch compared to such marvels as Red Dwarf, Dr. Who, Blake's 7, Plebs or Black Books to name a few, that I could not bear to watch more than 2 episodes. I mean I was physically unable to watch any more, mainly because of the pointless and incessant loud noise that gave me a headache, worse cinematography and the boring nonsensical story. The acting performances were also really not good and the same goes for the dialog. The storyline is supposed to be really amazing and funny, but in this series they managed to make it the complete opposite. The production values are non-existent. No-budget is the best way to describe this, but that should not be an excuse. Early Dr. Who, Blake's 7 and even I' Claudius are low to no budget, but all three are well written and amazingly well acted series and a joy to watch over and over again. Not so this. I always wondered why the BBC never commissioned more than one season of this series, considering the radio show ran for years. The answer is that this tv-series of A Hitchhiker's Guide is just not very good viewing and that is an understatement.
Les visiteurs (1993)
Sympathetic and amusing French comedy
I found this to be a sympathetic and amusing film with a few laugh out loud moments. The story is good and well developed, which keep the film interesting to watch and moving along nicely. It has to be said I was not quite sure about his film after watching the first 8 minutes or so, but once the time travel happens things pick up quickly from there.
For an offbeat comedy film the acting is really good. Reno is in top form and truly believable as the medieval count transported to the present, Clavier is good in his double role as his servant and hotel owner, but I thought the performance of Valérie Lemercier was outstanding as the upper class countess descendent. She is very funny and charming in a Penelope Keith To the Manor Born kind of way.
For a comedy film it has a nice social commentary plot line about the oppression of the common people in times gone by and the equality we strive for today which leads Reno's side-kick servant to conclude that today is better.
The production values and cinematography are not exceptional, but solid enough to make a good looking film that is enjoyable to watch. If there is anything bad to say about this film it is that some of the jokes are a bit mediocre and the 11th century knights wear an awful lot of 14th century armour. I did not mind this so much in this well done comedy film, but it would have bothered me to no end if this had been a real historical drama about the 11th century.
The French have a proud history of making fun comedy films and this is another worthy addition. Recommended.
Amsterdam (2022)
Watch Bale play Al Pacino
The storyline is unusual and original, the actors are all talented and it obviously has a sizeable budget so why is this not a really good movie? At least I did not enjoy watching it much.
I think the main problem is the story. It is all over the place and only in the final quarter of the film is it going anywhere. It is also obvious the makers wanted to use the film to make certain contemporary social statements and that is all fine, but that not does not really help the quality of the film. The way the film is shot and the choice of locations is also quite dark which make for a really depressing watch. The title Amsterdam is also a bit of a misnomer. It is more about Amsterdam as an idea or concept than Amsterdam the city (which is quite beautiful, but you wouldn't know it from watching this film).
I was also not very impressed with the acting. Taylor Swift can't act to save here life and mercifully for us she is quickly thrown under the bus. It might have been the material they had to work with, but I didn't think Robbie and Washington were particularly good. Although Bale is usually an amazing actor, in this film half the time he looks and sound as if he is doing a very good impression of Al Pacino. Really he is uncannily accurate, but it also takes you out of the story when you start to pay attention to it. The one stand out actor for me in this film is Mike Meyers of all people. I didn't even recognize him, but I really enjoyed his performance.
My test for deciding whether a film is good (or even one of the greats) is to ask the following question. Would I want to watch this film again sometime in the future? The answer for this movie is a resounding: No.
The Banshees of Inisherin (2022)
Dumb and Dumber in Ireland make a beautiful looking film
The first thing to say about The Banshees of Inishirin is that aesthetically it is one of the most beautifully shot films I have ever seen. The cinematography is really amazing. You should watch it for this reason alone. The scenery, choice of locations, the wide shots and the camerawork make this truly a feast for the eyes. Just breathtaking.
The story of this film is basically two grown man on a sparsely populated Irish island who decide to behave like 6 year olds and take it to it's ultimate conclusion. I know while watching we should look for themes like friendship, loss, mortality angst etc,, but ultimately I felt I was watching nothing more than Dumb and Dumber, where one decided he didn't want to be friends no more and the other could not accept it. Does this make it a bad film? No, the story is unusual and original and engaging enough to keep you watching. Also half way through the film takes a dark turn and you are not sure what is going to happen next. The acting was really great, but I would not have expected anything less with this great cast of actors.
So is this a great film? No. Whereas in a hundred years time we will still be watching Brendan Gleeson and Pat Shortt in The Guard (2011) and Barry Keoghan in '71 (2014), both truly great films that you can see over and over again, I would be surprised if anyone would watch The Banshees of Inishirin again after seeing it once.
Top Gun: Maverick (2022)
Top Gun or Flop Gun?
Before I say anything about this film I must confess to be a great admirer of Tom Cruise. A younger version of myself decided early on not to like him, but time and time again he comes up with amazingly entertaining movies. That is why I was a little disappointed with this latest endeavour.
Was I entertained while watching? Sometimes, but I also got bored and actually feel asleep during the "climatic" assault run.
As I see it the problem is first of all with the story itself. It has a few good moments, but a lot of drawn out repetitive bits. The reason I fell asleep during the actual assault run was because I had seen this run practised about a gazillion times before in the preceding 2 hours. Also the film lacks character development and the acting was not very good. I couldn't have cared less if all the newbies had been shot down at the end of this film. The "young" pilot actors all looked as if they walked out of some fashion catalog and behaved like total cardboard tools. Maybe this is how real Navy aviators look and behave, but it didn't make for interesting viewing. Give me a young Steve Buscemi any day of the week. Also I felt the editing was not very good. Lots of drawn out boring repetitive bits with the constantly annoyed upper echelons. To my mind they could have cut at least 30 min and gotten a better film or alternatively developed the story and characters more and put 30 minutes of interesting viewing in there. One more gripe is that it was not very believable. In real life if 4 F-18's fly nap of the earth over an active combat zone and they get 20+ Sams fired at them at almost zero range simultaneously none are coming home.
The good bits. I thought the first 30 minutes were interesting and Tom Cruise was good as usual. Jennifer Connolly still looks Cliff-tastic and although she is an amazing actress she did not get a chance to show it here. I did liked the unexpected Tomcat surprise and the actual dog fighting at the end.
If you liked the original Top Gun go watch it for nostalgia's sake, but apart from that I wouldn't recommend.
Slap Shot (1977)
Well aged cult classic....
I am not a big fan of ice hockey, but I am a fan of good films and this is a gem. After watching it again after 30 years I was surprised how funny and entertaining this film still is.
Best described as a Sports Comedy Drama it follows a low ranked Ice Hockey team down on their luck when their coach (Paul Newman) decides to start to play dirty to get their mojo back. While at the same time there is some drama with the players girlfriends.
The story is entertaining and you are not sure what is going to happen from one scene to the next which is also refreshing. The pace and dialog are spot on and the acting is also good. Although Paul Newman is excellent as always the stars of this film are the three "Hanson" brothers. After 30 years I had forgotten everything about this film including Paul Newman starring, but what I did remember were these three and their unexpected antics on the ice rink. Literally unforgettable.
All in all a well made very entertaining movie from the 70's. Like First Blood and The Warriors best seen with other blokes. Whatever you do do not show this movie to your woke Cultural Revolutionary friends, because they will demand you burn your copy and renounce Paul Newman and all his works!
Highly recommended.
Ong Bak 2 (2008)
Fighting with no context is quite boring....
I got sucked in to watching this film because of the storyline blurb they give you: Thailand 1431 kingdom conquered etc. You need to have read this before watching the film, because from watching the film you wouldn't know it. I thought this was a missed opportunity since the Thailand/Cambodia region has a very rich and interesting history lending itself to great storylines.
Unto the film itself. It can be summed up as fighting, fighting followed by some more fighting. Although I can appreciate good martial arts I was not so convinced by the Samurai katana fight or the Kung Fu sequence (which I also thought to be both a bit anachronistic for Thailand 1431 AD).
Since the fighting was followed by more fighting without any context or storyline I got bored pretty quickly and must admit I gave up halfway through. Maybe I missed the best second half of a film ever, but somehow I doubt it. Missed opportunity. Only for really non-discerning diehard martial arts fans.
The Northman (2022)
Viking Saga film. Good, but Brutal....
This film is a "Viking Saga" written for the big screen. Like great literary works of old this film has a message: Revenge is a negative pursuit and life not lived. At least that is what I took away from it. As a film it is very well made, very entertaining, well acted, but also quite disturbing.
The film is set in Northern Europe at the end of the 9th century and unusually for a big production it actually looks and feels like that. The dress is historically correct and people behave like they would living then, unlike many American Hollywood productions who have medieval Europeans or Romans prancing about in Fantasy outfits behaving like 20th century Americans.
I thought the acting was excellent, the camerawork was top notch, the flow and pace of the film was also good, very good production values, good locations and dress. More importantly the story was good and entertaining. However if you like a good nights sleep best not to watch this film late at night. The 9th century Viking raids were brutal affairs and so they are here. Blunt force trauma and killing of innocents who they can't use galore. Only saving mercy is that the ubiquitous rapes are alluded to, but not shown.
All in all a good very well made entertaining film. Recommended.
Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)
Some said it's bad, but it is a ripping good yarn!
Because of some really negative reviews I waited 4 years before watching this film. I was all set to not like it, but take it from me these reviews were completely wrong. Solo is not only a very well made and entertaining film, the story is a ripping good yarn. At 49 I enjoyed it tremendously, but my 11 year old and probably 70 year old self would have loved it too. Storyline was really good, the pace and dialog were spot on, the balance between action and character development was also good, very good production values. The acting was also excellent. The only minor point would be that it is very difficult to step in to Harrison Ford's Han Solo shoes. I thought the lead actor Ehrenreich did a really good job, but he lacked the irreverent sarcastic dry wit of Harrison's Solo who came out with such classics like "Your Worshipleness" when addressing Her Royal Highness Princes Leia. I thought the whole Chewie and Lando storyline was also very good. Very entertaining movie. Highly recommended.
When Trumpets Fade (1998)
Good entertaining War is Hell movie
I like war movies and this movie is a very well made entertaining watch. It is set in WW2 during the bloody Battle for Hurtgen Forest. The story is interesting and well written, the dialogues are realistic and to the point. Most of the acting is really good. For a TV movie the production values are also pretty impressive. There are a lot of soldiers and explosions in this movie and they look the part. The camera work is also good and cleverly done, especially giving the impression of 'german' tanks without focusing in on them. The scenery is also very good. The forest looks realistic and European and this is because the movie was made in Hungary as the credits show (many low budget US war movies are shot in US forests and they do not look anything like Europe. With these movies I always expect a bunch of Ewoks to pop-up, because it looks more like the planet Endor!).
Shanghai Surprise (1986)
Just watch it to see the worst beard ever!
The best thing about this movie is how bad Penn's beard is. It looks like the make-up artists shaved a rodent and stuck the hair to his face with kindergarten glue! While watching it I expected it to jump of his face at any moment on to Madonna's face like an Alien face hugger. I really wanted to like this movie. I like history, I like adventure and I like a good movie with good acting. Most of it you don't get with this movie. The acting is not great, but the biggest problem is the story and plot or lack thereof. Both are rather feeble and make for a boring watch. The good news is there are really good films out there that check all the boxes like High Road to China and Romancing the Stone.
Un village français (2009)
Tour de Force! Best French series ever. 12 stars please
I fell half way in to this series while staying in Sweden and was totally hooked after watching 5 minutes of it. This series is really exceptionally well written and the acting from well nigh the whole cast is also really very "I, Claudius" impressive. I am just in awe of the talent working on this production. No cheap sentimentality or superficiality here. It is a gripping study of human nature when trying to survive under the most difficult of circumstances. It is also very tense, exciting and entertaining to watch. The series follows the choices and their consequences of the inhabitants of a small town in France during the second world war. The only downside is that if you are not French it might be difficult to watch this series, because at time of writing most lack English subs. Some fan from Canada made unofficial English subs for this series though. I was lucky to run in to these by accident, but they might be difficult to find. As a Dutchman I found this series to be quality and subject wise quite reminiscent of Verhoeven's film Soldier of Orange ( a master piece in my opinion), but the French makers manage to keep up this type of suspense and quality for hours and hours and hours...and hours.....and hours. If I could take only one series with me to an island this would be it!
Son of Rambow (2007)
Sympathetic, but full of unfulfilled promise.....
Should you watch this movie? The answer is: Yes. It is a comedy drama that is both entertaining, mildly amusing and very sympathetic in a very British sort of way. It is not a memorable film though. I only realized I saw this film before, because of the French boy who is treated like a celebrity. Apart from the title I could not remember anything else from this film. The reason is simple it is not as funny or good as it should be given the title and promo photo (which are both brilliant and memorable). Whereas Sixty-Six is a really good and memorable sympathetic film this one is more average. The film is well crafted though, with enough pace and some good acting and well worth a watch.