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Jersey Boys (2014)
Great for music fanatics; good enjoyable film for others.
A film based on the rock and roll musical band of the 60s- Jersey Boys has a great pace to it, with the iconic music of Frankie Valli and the era woven in appropriately and well. Where Eastwood falls short however, is in his creation of female characters. Characters that are initially extremely strong and seem to be a large part of Frankie's early life seem to disappear, reappearing only as plot devices. Other female characters that are supposedly to have a large impact on Valli's life (as told through the narration) debut and disappear as well, living out their time on the screen only as background characters that suddenly make impacts on the plot that are larger than the emotional investment that they solicit from the viewer. If you like musicals this is for you. If you have seen the play and know what to expect you will get more. Credit goes to Clint Eastwood for taking the play and adding cinematic elements to take the story to a higher level. The muted cinematography and editing are noteworthy.
Kelly's Heroes (1970)
One of the more average of Eastwood's earlier screen roles.
Kelly's Heroes is a wannabe. Clint Eastwood proves his lack of acting ability here in a script that is both overlong and arrogant. This movie was MADE for the 70s audience. There is no other explanation for Donald Sutherland's character and the amount of anti-establishment ho-haw. The plot itself lacks enough credibility for two movies. Yet, somewhere in this film is an intelligence beyond all the explosions and terrible quips. It certainly isn't in the Mike Curb Congregation's theme song, certainly one of the worst pop songs of the decade. There is no similarity between it and the movie, that's bad licensing. That problem aside, the film would have been much better had the editor not been snoozing on the job. Given the timeframe of this film, I will forgive the DoP for doing a slob-job.
The Truman Show (1998)
An original science fiction feature film.
The Truman Show shook me by its audacity of premise and execution. This is straight out of The Twilight Zone(in fact writer Andrew Nicchol based the screenplay on an episode of The Twilight Zone. Jim Carrey plays an insurance salesman who has no idea that his entire life is scripted and part of a television show. This is a departure of sorts for Peter Weir also and though I have forgotten much of this film I remember liking it a lot. There are many underlying themes and the entire presentation is something you don't see often. This is a healthy recommendation regardless of whether you are a fan of Carrey or not.
The Hidden (1987)
The Hidden is an underrated science fiction film that deserves better.
The hidden, no pun intended is a gem of a movie, barely known. It has an underground cult following but there is no reason why is shouldn't be even better known. Kyle Machlachlan and Michael Nouri are forced partners hunting for a killer, but this is just the tip of the iceberg of this story. It is fast paced and incredibly well executed. Director Jack Sholder is something of a cult favorite and he has made many films which are well received much later. However nothing in my opinion beats the Hidden. Kyle Machlachlan deserves special mention as he is in great form- although still playing the kind of role he is typecast in.
Taxi Driver (1976)
De Niro owns the screen but a tad bit overrated as a whole film.
Taxi Driver is a good film, though a bit overpraised. It is the story of Travis Bickle- a lonely ex Vietnam soldier holed up in a tiny apartment in New York. He develops an infatuation with a woman he sees across the street and befriends a girl prostitute all within a span of time, which pretty much tells you his state of mind. To put it bluntly Travis is a sociopath- a volcano waiting to erupt. The acting is good, especially De-Niro whose works with Scorsese are always interesting but the film isn't all that great in the larger scheme of things. In other words, it's a decent watch but hardly a classic.
Saturday Night Fever (1977)
A soundtrack that'll make you groove in your seat.
His movie put Travolta on the map(before he disappeared and was resurrected by Tarantino again in the 90s). Featuring a badass soundtrack by the then "it" band Beegees. This is a great musical and the dance sequences stand tall even to this day. You can say this movie ushered in the disco phenomenon in night clubs. If you are a fan of musicals, John Travolta or just clubbing this film is not to be missed.
Stephen Fry: The Secret Life of the Manic Depressive (2006)
An honest look at the terrible disease of the mind-depression.
Stephen Fry the celebrated Englishman is a manic depressive and it takes a lot of courage to come out publicly let alone come out to the wide world in a documentary but this is a great effort by the comedian and he charts not just his battle with this disorder but its widespread effects and the ways one can try to work around it. Many are still confused as to what depression is and how devastating it can be- This is the documentary to show them.
Outbreak 1939 (2009)
A good film about a pandemic.
Outbreak is a good movie featuring a stellar star cast (really its almost like spot the star) and a good plot about an outbreak of a deadly virus in a Californian town, brought here by an African monkey. Its well-paced and quite entertaining and probably the last good film by German Wolfgang Peterson.
Creed (2015)
(Even if you haven't seen the Rocky saga, go watch this)
Creed is a great addition to the Rocky saga and Stallone gives one of his most poignant performances since his turn in Copland way back in 1997. Ably directed by rising talent Ryan Coogler.