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The Alphabet Murders (1965)
Slapstick Comedy Unworthy of Christie
Cannot for the life of me understand why Christie signed off on this. Captain Hastings is a buffoon, Poirot is clueless and Japp a caricature of himself. It has atmosphere of Monty Python or Pink Panther. Murder mystery is secondary to comic sketches. Tony Randal shows promise as a credible Poirot but directing and script totally sabotages his efforts. This takes one of the more dark and intense Christie novels and turns it into a 60s sex comedy so common in British movies of the era. The sound track bounces between French and English circus music. The only reason I watched it to the end was to see if it was really going to be as bad as it appeared. Please do not think this has anything to do with the genius of Agatha Christie. If you want to see a true representation of her novels see David Suchet or Albert Finney in Murder On The Orient Express.
Jurassic World Dominion (2022)
Great action but preachy
Great action, good acting but preachy. Preachy in the beginning, then in the middle and finally in the ending. In fact the ending / epilogue comes across as edited in to make sure the preaching sinks in. Too bad. Without its sermonizing I would give a 9 rather than 6.
No Time to Die (2021)
Wrong Actress for Bond Replacement
Ana de Lamas made a better agent than Lashana Lynch. Lynch pretty much sleepwalks through her part while Lamas gives a dynamic performance.
Love Happens (2009)
Heartwarming & Great Acting
Was totally caught up in acting. Great casting from top to bottom. Worth seeing just to know that secondary cast can be great.
Sense, Sensibility & Snowmen (2019)
Best One Yet
I watch or should say endure these with my wife but I have to admit this is an outstanding little movie. Great acting, directing and camera work. They really nailed this one and because of the outstanding acting I totally bought into the storyline.
Peeper (1975)
Disappointed
The only Michael Caine movie I have ever seen, that I didn't like. This movie is populated by quality actors but horribly miss-cast and poorly directed. Too bad, could have been a great spoof.
Welcome to Hard Times (1967)
Whiny Western
Henry Fonda leads the cast in a whining contest. A movie supposedly showing the virtue of pacifism instead confirms the need to protect oneself and one's family. Warren Oats gives the only performance worthwhile.
Barnwood Builders (2013)
Very Real - Not Scripted
This series remains Very Real - Not Scripted. Unlike so many of these shows where after the third season the players either begin playing to the camera or the producers begin bringing in their own actors to pad the production this Shaw remains true to itself.
Sanditon (2019)
PBS/Masterpiece Theater Thumbs It's Nose At Austin Fans
In this series PBS thumbs it nose at Austin fans. Finally freed from the necessity of following Jane Austen's morally and emotionally uplifting plots they show their viewers what they really think of them by deviating from anything she would write. Sexual immorality, toying with incest, an unhappy ending and more. It is almost as if PBS took pleasure in twisting what would no doubt have been an excellent Jane Austen novel into what they really would have liked all of our novels to have been like. Poorly done PBS, poorly done.
Extraction (2015)
Great Fight Scenes
Has the best choreographed fight scenes since the original Bourne Identity.
The ABC Murders (2018)
Strays Far Afield
OK here's my problem with this series. First it is an excellent mystery but they should not have made that an Agatha Christie mystery. The backstory of Hercule Poirot is a complete fabrication. The actor does an excellent job portraying the role given him. The problem is it is a complete variance with the true Agatha Christie character.
Hostiles (2017)
Accurately Depicts Difference In Captives
This movie accurately depicts the difference in the treatment of captives. At the end of the great Native American There was no prisoner exchange. Native Americans we are released, but there were no military or civilian Americans released. The Native Americans either killed them or sold them as slaves, there was no prisoner exchange for they kept no prisoners.
Knives Out (2019)
Daniel Craig deserves an Oscar
Fantastic movie! Far better than your average murder in mystery. Many twists and turns that keep you on the edge of your seat. Hercule + Adams Family + Clue = Great movie so complex it can be satisfactorily watched multiple times.
McQ (1974)
Too Little Too Late
I remember seeing this film when I was in college in 1974, and thinking the same thing then as I do now - John Wayne was way past playing these Steve McQueen or Clint Eastwood cop rolls. His acting is spot on, and if you like John Wayne you'll like this movie. However you will join me with being a little embarrassed for him. Unlike Sean Connery and Clint Eastwood he did not bother staying in shape for his movies he looks winded and tired.
North West Frontier (1959)
Great Family Period Advenure
A melding of Wind and the Lion, Murder on the Orient Express and Stagecoach meets Gingah Din
The Promise (2016)
A Story Which Needs Telling
I found the movie fast paced and captivating. True the love story is a sideline but important historical event is told which is still suppressed
The North Star (1943)
Good Acting - Poor History
A great cast, good sets, accurate historical costumes and plausible plot. All this is mired by a needless pro-collective/communist depiction of Ukraine under Stalin's reign of terror (which culminated in over 5 million Ukrainians starving to death). This happy go lucky peasant life is equivalent to Hollywood's "Step n Fetch" depiction of African Americans during this same time period. True it is a war time propaganda film but the Hollywood socialist bias and blindness to Communist terror would result in the McArthism backlash of the 50s. Film historians have rightly attcked the abuses of McCarthism but never truly come to grips with Hollywood's failure to address the mass murders and reign of terror of Communism.
A Good Year (2006)
A Great Date Night Movie
This is a great easy going movie. Nice plot. Crowe is very believable. It moves along at a nice pace with outstanding music choices. If you want to spend a relaxing date night, with dinner and glass of wine as you watch a very pleasing and enjoyable movie this is the one for you. This movie was made to be enjoyed like a nice glass of wine. No fast action but lots of good dialogue. Reminds me of movies that were made before computers and animation took over. I really bought into the characters and the plot. This is not though to be "over thought". Like the early Cary Grant movies, you are supposed to just sit back, put your arm around your wife or date, sip a good red wine and mellow out with a great cast and movie.