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One-Eyed Jacks (1961)
One reviewer says Masterpiece, another says Best Western Ever, I agree with both
The music from Hugo Friedhofer starts off this film with western splendid imagery together with romance and sadness, I never forget the girl Pina Pellicer who was in love with Brando, you could see it in her face and hear it in her voice. But he moved on and regrettably she didn't... she loved him, it brings tears to my eyes... Anyway, this is a remarkable bank robber and revenge story
which is in the forefront of my western DVD collection, there are very few westerns to compare with this. It is absolutely stunning and riveting, I probably watched it
over the years 20 times, perhaps more. And Brando directed this one too...
Let me just say, you have to watch it... this is a magnificent western movie with dramatic impact, what other words of praise can I use?? I love it...
Longtime actor Brando and Karl Malden partnership... wanna watch it right now
Malcolm in Toronto, Sept 2020 ( during the Pandemic best thing to do)
The Big Sky (1952)
The Grand Tetons, The Big Sky 10/10
The only word for it, magnificent ... As soon as this beautifully photographed 1952 black and white movie appears on screen with Howard Hawks director, and music by Dimitri Tiomkin, we know it is going to be a wonderful cinematic experience... from a novel by American writer A.B.Guthrie, he also wrote "Shane"
From early teens, this is one of my best loved Kirk Douglas movies with director Howard Hawks... Yes, I mentioned his name twice....it cannot be described as just a western, it is far better than the ordinary western. It is an interesting tale of adventure and exploration early upriver travel from St Louis to trade with the Blackfoot Nation, in the background the superb mountains of the Grand Teton Range. There is a strong bond between Kirk Douglas and Dewey Martin, they are both competing for the love of the beautiful Blackfoot Princess, portrayed by NYC model Elizabeth Threatt with English and Cherokee parentage. I was saddened to learn she died alone in a nursing home in North Carolina, just to look at her... so beautiful, She acted well in her one and only movie, never forget her amazing looks. I was pleased when Dewey Martin decided to return to her, as her husband at the end of the movie. Incidentally, Kirk made it to the Hollywood big time, but somehow the good looking Dewey Martin appears to have had somewhat less of a career... strange how things work out in life... Joy to my heart seeing this film again. There are many well written, positive and lengthy reviews which are spot on, so I will just say, Enjoy this marvellous film
Malcolm in Toronto, July 2020
Layer Cake (2004)
Garbage
"You wot mate?" east end Landon accents... such a pity to see fine actors Daniel Craig and Michael Gambon using F words"that facking geezer aint gonna live no moah" I hated watching and switched off
The Great War (2019)
Excellent authentic and absolutely no reason for bad reviews
This movie is very good, sufficiently authentic for me, I consider it excellent and I have seen them all, Steven S. would agree with me on this one, I am sure. I simply am puzzled and also quite angry at the bad reviews here. The main star Bates Wilder is not well know to be sure, (is that the reason?) with Ron Perlmann and Billy Zone playing minor roles, but it is the story in itself that hits home. In fact I did not know any of the other stars... So what??? I was interrupted by a phonecall and could not wait to get back to the film... Malcotoro was my previous review name, and I have reviewed a number of films, now in my DVD collection. Believe me, this one is worthy of 15.00 dollars at the big screen but I saw it on Prime on my Laptop. In fact, I am emotionally exhausted from it, it is a good film... How could it be a copy
or remake of SPR?? Helloooo... This is WW1!!! I urge you to disregard the negatives. Malcolm in Toronto May 2020
Confessions of a Shopaholic (2009)
It's one of those funny romantic movies you can watch again and again
Isla Fisher, Hugh Dancy... the stars are wonderful... This is a very funny movie, heartwarming, delightful and romantic... The beautiful Isla, the handsome Hugh...
I watched it again and loved it, your girlfriend or wife will love it too...
It's one of those movies you can watch over and over again
Malcolm in Toronto May 2020
Mulholland Falls (1996)
This ain't the way to the aiport...
One of my favourite movies, the film is good but the music is incredible...
orchestrated Dave Grusin... Just listen, there is romantic ballad but also an up tempo theme to signify Los Angeles and California, and to create that very independent L.A. PD mood...
I am actually watching it from my DVD collection right now, but decided toi break off and let you reviewers in, by recommending this exceptional movie treat...
The stars are great, so many of them... Well I will let you watch it... and I will get back to it
Malcolm in Toronto April 2020
Blood Ties (2013)
I don't think so, Clive
All these talented actors, what a huge waste! Billy Crudup I like, the wonderful Marion Cotillard, the English Clive Owen, Zoe Saldana looks stunning, James Caan in a cameo role... even the interesting Dutch or Belgian newcomer Mathias Schoenaerts who was great in the recent Far from the Madding Crowd, honestly there is not a single bad actor here... simply let down by a depressing low-grade storyline about low-grade criminal life... Clive, you can do so much better than this. The French director probably thought he could do as well as an American writer with this genre but unfortunately he failed. Just write another interesting and pleasant story with decent dialogue for all these stars and I would be happy so see them all in another movie... I bought this DVD cheaply looking at the star lineup, thinking I had got a deal... no way. I should take it back for a refund... Good actors cannot achieve instant fame with a bad story and script, I am sorry to say and I was greatly disappointed
Born to Be Blue (2015)
A Work of Fiction, not the actual trumpet man Chet Baker
I was going to say initially that Ethan Hawke was miscast, but since this is a work of fiction it does not matter. It is a story of a trumpeter addicted to heroin, who together with his lady friend struggles to establish a career. But Chet Baker has nothing to do with it. Kevin Turcotte played all his solos, and I particularly liked the piano of David Braid, who I had seen in Toronto. There is no mention or reference to Chet's association with Gerry Mulligan the baritone sax player and their pianoless quartet which became world famous. The trumpeter in this story was beaten by a drug dealer and his cronies, so badly that his teeth were purposely knocked out and of course we all know this is what regrettably happened to the real Chet. I heard Chet Baker on Music for Moderns on the radio in the 60s in England and I was fascinated by him and his sound. Happily I can say I have much of the important music he created in my CD collection. And today computer to stereo 20 ft away via Apple Airport Express wirelessly.... Russ Freeman on piano, with Chet playing "Bea's Flat"simply blew my mind. I mean the original 1953 recording version with Larry Bunker on drums (not the Boston 1954 later version). Listen to that and you will hear amazing melodic and inventive trumpet at medium tempo with piano bass and drums, and for any trumpeter reading this I challenge you to play it. I am a jazz fan, Chet was a jazz trumpet man I can never forget... from Malcolm Hopkinson in Toronto Aug 2016
Private Peaceful (2012)
Life in the trenches WW1, exceptional BBC production
Life in the trenches WW1, with malicious sergeant, thoughts of affectionate memories in back home Devon... This movie made a lasting and emotional impression on me, the director Pat O'Connor, screenwriter Simon Reade, and the BBC should all be proud
a grand tribute to one of the cast Richard Griffiths, he is no longer shining his starlight. I was literally taken there to that era, reminding me of time with my grandparents in Northern England, it was WW1 memories for them, with postwar WW2 shortages, ration books for me
No farm labourers left to plough the fields... I have seen a lot of war movies, but this small budget (presumably) film is perhaps superior, certainly more authentic than the big epics before it, with simple undisputed and reliable truths
. the actors portraying the characters relatively unknown to me, yet solid performances from all. This is what it was like for the British lads in WW1
fighting for King and Country, for the generals and the politicians, for the landowners, two brothers trying to survive the war with the Hun
a malicious insecure sergeant does not help
sending his men, following orders, to be mowed down by German machine guns... The storyline nicely interwoven returns to their childhood and first love, very sensitively screened and depicted. At times I found it very gripping and exasperating when Haig is seen playing billiards in his country estate home, a court martial warrant is sent in to be approved and signed. Hardly a moment's notice and the warrant is signed, a British soldier is to be shot for supposed "cowardice"
Haig immediately goes back to his game of billiards. Shocking and tragic
but I have no doubt it happened like that. It is interesting to note that writer Michael Morpurgo first published his book in 2003... and all the British soldiers "executed for cowardice" were pardoned in 2006. Worthwhile BBC production, highly recommended
Malcolm in Toronto July 2015