Local Hero (1983) I really enjoyed this film. It's about and American oil company exec who is sent to Scotland to purchase a town for the company. Many have called it a treasure of a film and I agree. I think this film was ahead of it's time. In the end it's a funny, very well done study in human nature. 8.2
My favorite film ever. Magical. ‘It’s an electric briefcase. I need to charge it.’ I dearly wish Forsyth’s next film, Comfort and Joy would find a release in more advanced format than VHS. Me, I finally saw Dune 2 Christopher Walken totally took me out of Dune world when onscreen and Timothee doesn’t have the raw machismo to carry off the full Maud’Dib, but otherwise, two sandstorm-chapped thumbs up.
Anyone But You - 3/10 Predictable, contrived crap excuse for a romantic comedy. Rich, beautiful young people bump into each other and then like each other and then hate each other, pretend to like each other, and then like each other. It all feels so contrived and unnatural. I know this is supposed to be an adaptation of Shakespeare but it still sucks. On the plus side, the leads are attractive and often wear little or no clothing so that's something. And there's some nice Australian scenery.
"The spice..................................must flow". Haven't seen it yet but that's what I like to imagine.
Civil War - 1/5 stars Very disappointed in this hollow and rather cliched movie - it was so padded that two entire (awesome) Suicide songs were used in filler segments
Juggernaut (1975) – Blu-ray / Projected at 1.85:1 – Despite my initial anticipation due to the promising cast of Richard Harris and Omar Sharif, along with a strong word of mouth from friends and co-workers, I found myself uninterested in this film. The plot revolved around six bombs on an ocean liner---oddly, it lacked tension and felt surprisingly dull, failing to captivate my attention. Again, many love this film, but it’s didn’t work for me. *1/2 out of **** Texas Across The River (1966) Blu-ray / Projected at 2.35:1 – Elvis movies have been harshly criticized for almost sixty years, while Rat Pack films, both as a group and individually, have somehow managed to escape criticism despite being arguably worse. Despite their flaws, Elvis films still manage to provide some entertainment value, which is often lacking in most Rat Pack movies, with the exception of a few like Oceans 11 and Robin And the 7 Hoods. Texas Across The River may not be the worst Rat Pack film (that title goes to "One More Time"), but it definitely lacks humor or any redeeming qualities. Although I enjoy Dean Martin and find Joey Bishop amusing in small doses, this film is a huge letdown...in Tecniscope. Despite sitting through the entire film hoping it would get better, only to feel relieved when the screen said "THE END - A UNIVERSAL PICTURE." Even the Kingston Trio's theme song fails to salvage the overall experience, adding to the disappointment of the film. 0 out of **** Showdown (1973) Blu-ray / Projected at 2.35:1 - A relaxed western from the early 1970s that would have been a better fit in the late 1950s or early 1960s. Rock Hudson and Dean Martin make a remarkable duo as childhood friends turned sheriff and outlaw, respectively. The storyline, though typical for a Western, surpasses expectations with its laid-back vibe and the chemistry between the two leads. Despite being towards the end of their careers, Hudson and Martin do genuinely shine on screen, leaving viewers wishing they had collaborated earlier in their prime. "Showdown" is a cozy Sunday morning movie, perfect with a cup of coffee, offering pure comfort....from the fine folks at Universal. **1/2 out of ****
That movie was loved by critics for one simple reason: It was the opposite of every other movie in the disaster genre--a genre despised by many/most critics.
Just watched The Zone of Interest this afternoon. Incredible film. The New York Times review's talking out its' behind.
I was worried about that...my wife and I consider Muad'Dib to be an almost impossible role to play - given the transition from kid/apprentice to totalitarian dictator.
A recent conversation about Caitlin Clark led me to this one from 2000. Solidly entertaining, definitely recommended for hoops fans.
Well I finally saw Oppenheimer and the best thing I can say about it is that Christopher Nolan should be praised for his visual aesthetic throughout the movie. The way it goes from color to black and white and back again made for an odd but pleasing palette, and some of the scenes especially with the bomb itself was quite interesting. The performances were mostly quiet and subdued, but did get intense at times too. My favorite performances were by Matt Damon and Robert Downey Jr., though Cillian was interesting too. And of course the music was a full-blown force of nature at times too. All in all the story itself didn't do too much for me, and frankly I found most of the scientific discussions and such to be boring as heck. Plus the movie itself crawled around at a snail's pace, making the movie feel like it was about five hours long instead of just three. Shakespeare this most certainly was not. So I guess I'd give the film maybe a six out of ten. It may have been long and boring at times, but also somewhat intense, quite pleasing to look at, and did raise some interesting questions, so yeah six out of ten seems about right to me. Compared to last year's big Oscar winner it thankfully wasn't as weird and nonsensical, so at least I can see more why Oppenheimer won so many awards. I just think I would have liked it more or been better engaged by it if I actually enjoyed science stuff way more than I do, since that stuff went way over my head. And I'm glad I only rented it from the library instead of actually seeing it on the big screen. Fighting to stay awake at home is better than trying not to fall asleep in a movie theater, lol.
The Hell With Heroes (1968) – Blu-ray / Projected at 2.35:1 – This film was difficult to access for a long time as it was not broadcast on TV and not available in any home entertainment format until the recent Blu-ray release from Kino. After viewing it, one might argue that this limited availability was actually a blessing in disguise. The plot revolves around two pilots post-World War 2 who become involved with a corrupt international smuggler. Yawn. Starring Rod Taylor, Harry Guardino, Kevin McCarthy, Claudia Cardinale and is directed by Joseph (Jaws 4) Sargent. Other than admiring Claudia's “performance”, there is little else to praise about this unimpressive, cheap-looking Universal backlot slogfest. Did I mention Claudia Cardinale in this film? ½ out of ****
North by Northwest. A few months ago found a 50th Anniversary Blu-ray issue for $1. Some Cool Extra Features, Great Packaging. Seen it many times of course and always enjoy it. 10 / 10
All Of Us Strangers (2023) d. Andrew Haigh It's a ghost story but it's also about being haunted — by the past, by grief, by loneliness, by the decades-old trauma of growing up gay in a less forgiving world. All of these things merge in a kind of fever-dream of a film in which you're never quite sure what is real and what is imagined. I've long been a fan of Haigh's work and although I don't think this is quite as good as Weekend (2011) it's still a fantastic film. The performances are incredibly strong: Andrew Scott and Paul Mescal deserve all the praise they've garnered but I thought Claire Foy and Jamie Bell were also perfect. The 80s soundtrack is also a standout, with some truly inspired selections. 9/10
Shock Treatment (1981) - 6.5/10 Created by Richard O’Brien and Jim Sharman. It’s a follow-up film to Rocky Horror Picture Show. Brad and Janet are in it too, played not by Barry Bostwick / Susan Sarandon but Cliff DeYoung / Jessica Harper. Although it’s not as energetic as RHPS, it has charm that’s similar to David Byrne’s True Stories and the songs were entertaining. Plus, there were easter eggs here and there. You can also spot some of the Transylvanians. Full movie is available on YouTube. Hoopla!
The Color Out of Space. It was better than I expected, dir. Richard Stanley did very good by the story. I'm hoping we'll get to see more from him. The wrap up was pretty good and answered a question that was hanging in the plot. B
