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Reviews
Jo (2013)
What a shame
Just when it was getting interesting, it was cancelled. The criticism about American accents notwithstanding, very little about this show disturbed me at all. The unFrenchness of the cast made Jean Reno's role stand out much more and I suppose my bilingualism made me not only appreciate his English accent more, but also allowed me to understand it.
It definitely had things going for it, although yes, the casting was a tiny bit weak: Reno's boss didn't quite have the stature one might expect of a senior cop, and Reno's daughter might have been a tad TOO vulnerable but in a way, these small apparent failings were not really negative and certainly didn't detract from my enjoyment overall.
Interesting stories, interesting routines (I liked the semi-comical back and forth between team members at the beginning of each case), a very believable and likable cop in Jean Reno and of course, Paris, all went to make it something of a disappointment for me that there won't be any suite.
Casablanca Express (1989)
Not at all the worst movie of its kind
While this is nothing extraordinary perhaps, it is a worthwhile piece of cinema for many reasons. The basic plot is sound, there are some fine actors involved, and it relates a sideshow of the war which might have had very far-reaching consequences had things panned out otherwise. I also thought the female lead was excellent, and that surprised me, in a movie of this type. Jason Connery is a believable commando and it would probably surprise some people to learn that just this type of operation was carried out on more than one occasion in the Second World War. Altogether, a good entertainment, with very nice touches from Donald Pleasance and Glenn Ford, and a highly efficient (Nazi) villain to boot.
Go for Broke! (1951)
WWII film with strongly anti-racist theme - ahead of its time
This film held a few surprises for me and it may for many other people as well. I don't think it is spoiling the film at all to say that it mainly concerns the activities of a Japanese regiment which took part in campaigns in the European theatre in the latter part of WWII. Obviously, the mere thought of infantrymen looking and sounding like Japanese, but wearing American GI uniforms, was hard for a number of people to accept, and this is where the film draws its dramatic tension as these not-so-usual American troops try to redeem the bad name of their ancestral lands.
Well-directed with certain dramatic generic battle scenes (added from newsreels and other sources I imagine) to give the film more impact. As usual in films of this era, the character acting is very good, and this in spite perhaps of the limited number of actors who might have been available at the time to play roles as GIs of Japanese origin. Very competent lead role played by Van Johnson is also a major plus for this entertaining, thoughtful film.
A Walk in the Sun (1945)
Great little film from the 1940s
Fascinating film depicting the reality of infantry life in the Italian campaign towards the middle and end of the Second World War. The character acting is marvellous, the dialogue interesting and well-written and the story well scripted. Yes it's a bit slow, and you get to read an awful lot of thoughts in people's heads, as it were, but for me this was part of the film's magic, as the reality of an infantryman obviously has little enough to do with guns going off, and lots more to do with time being spent waiting for the shooting to start. Nevertheless, the battle scenes are also well done and there is some interesting camera-work and other technical features that cine fans will appreciate.
Thoroughly enjoyable and quite suitable for younger people of high school age, who might learn a great deal if they listen carefully, but who might also find it a bit too slow moving.