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Reviews
One-Eyed Jacks (1961)
Generic plot with some good acting makes a decent movie
The first time I saw this movie, I had that deja vu feeling. I swore up right and center that I had seen it before. I was pretty well calling the next scene before it even happened. Of course, I had never seen it before, it is just that the plot is that generic. Stop me if you heard this before: Hero gets double crossed, hero comes back for revenge, bad guy makes life unnecessarily hard for hero, hero narrowly escapes death by some improbable action, hero prevails and gets the girl.
That's it. No surprise twists, no humorous dialog to carry the characters, nothing. There also is not a whole lot of action in the movie. Not to mention that for such a cookie cut western, the movie was about an hour too long. Much of this can be accredited to the fact it was Brando's first time behind the camera, but to put the blame entirely on him would be unfair. One man (despite being star and director) does not make a movie.
I would like to explain further Lechguilla's comment ""One-Eyed Jacks" is a character study of these two outlaws, one who changes, and the other who only appears to change.": The term "one-eyed jacks," refers to the human nature of being two-faced - with one face on top, the public face or image, and another face that is hidden from public, the private, or real person. To the public, Dad would appear to have repented of his old wicked ways, and turned a new leaf. The people believe him so much so that they even elect him Sheriff. In the privacy of his own home, during the discussions with his wife, we are shown that Dad is still the slimy coward that we are first introduced to at the beginning of the film. In fact, he is so slimy, that he sets Rio up to be executed despite knowing his innocence for the crime that he is accused of. Dad simply wants to remove Rio from the picture before it becomes public knowledge of Dad's betrayal.
It is Rio who actually undergoes the significant change in personality.
I feel initially Rio's plan was to use Louisa as a pawn in his revenge. This is a probable scenario, given Rio's attitude toward Louisa the next morning on the beach. By taking her innocence, he was showing Dad that not only was he coming for revenge, but also that there was no part of Dad's life that was safe. Once Dad realizes this, he is forced to confront Rio head on, which he does in his typical cowardly way. What neither realizes however, was that Rio would fall in love with Louisa and change his ways for her. The 180 in Rio's personality by the end of the movie demonstrates the ability of love to conquer all, and I think that is the underlying theme at play.
To conclude, the movie is slow moving, the plot is generic, but the acting makes it worth watching. 7/10.
American Graffiti (1973)
shot in 28 days and it shows
The soundtrack is the best thing about this movie. Oh yeah, and the bitchin' cars don't hurt.
Otherwise, the plot is sssllllooowww. This movie drags along. Don't get me wrong, the nostalgia associated with it (even at the time it was made) is great, but the action (if I can even use that word here) is definitely lacking.
This is one of those films that launched a career for virtually everyone involved. Even proved TV actors (Dreyfus, Howard, Ford) first found real success in the movie industry with American Graffitti.
Maybe I am so used to seeing movies with so many hot rods in it have more racing or chase scenes, but the one small 30sec. one we are treated to at the very end is just not satisfactory enough for the oil in my veins.
I am not an expert on this period, but the look of the characters (greasers, preps, girls on rollerskates) seems to remind me more of a mid - late 1950's scene, not an early '60s. Even the soundtrack would seem to suggest that. Of the 41 tracks, only 11 of them were written or released after 1960, and one of them "All Summer Long" by the Beach Boys was released in 1964, two years after the movie was supposed to have taken place. The remaining 30 tracks all came from the '50s.
Good to watch on a lazy afternoon one day when you don't have much else to do.
M - Eine Stadt sucht einen Mörder (1931)
A masterpiece artistically, morally, and historically.
Technically/Artistically, Lang uses suspense and visual imagery that few others have been able to accomplish. The film moves at an ever increasing pace - starting from an already fast pace, the film quickly and continually increases the suspense and overall action until finally reaching the ultimate climax in the final act. As a viewer, you are left emotionally drained by the end, as literally every emotion possible is thrown at you. The scenes between the parents and children leave one particularly emotional as anyone with children must have felt what those poor parents were going through. Peter Lorre's performance was spectacular and is in my opinion the best of his career, unmatched even by his performances in "The Maltese Falcon" and "Casablanca". I am sure that it is this performance that lead to his being cast in his first English movie, "The Man Who Knew Too Much", directed by the Master himself Alfred Hitchcock.
Morally, the film forces the viewer to make his own decision on issues that are still very contentious even today. We are given insight into the mind of a very sick individual, and it is up to you, the viewer, to determine your own opinion on such matters as: What determines right from wrong? Is guilt/innocence determined by ones will, or one's actions? Who has the right to persecute - society in general, or a few elite individuals who have been elected to represent the best interest of said society?
Furthermore, as a piece of historical fiction, I think this movie captures the essence of Germany following WWI, and immediately preceding the rise of the Third Reich perfectly. We see repeatedly the dangers of living in Germany at this time, the lack of rights afforded the average citizen, and the absolute power of the state police. The scene at the beginning where they display the paraphernalia taken off just one raid on one local bar says much for the environment of Germany at that time. The causality of the conversations between citizens and those between the local proprietors and the police show you that this type of action, although extreme under the circumstances, obviously was not unprecedented.
The Fountainhead (1949)
slow and unremarkable
A real tall tale (pun fully intended) of an architect who stands by his work and refuses to compromise on his buildings, even to the point of losing contracts.
The dialogue is monotonous and really dreary towards the end. Although there are some very good monologues delivered, there was no real drama or excitement. The love triangle was unnecessary and played out terribly. The actors did the best they could, but the drama was not there. It is difficult to make something out of nothing.
I was not very entertained by the show. I recommend it for anyone on a late night who is trying to get something to put them to sleep.
Hot Fuzz (2007)
Very impressive. A must see.
I was extremely impressed with how this movie turned out. It was totally different than what I expected. I had heard it was good, and the comments I had read sounded good, but nothing prepared me for this gift that came on a round piece of plastic called DVD.
As a typical English dark comedy, the entertainment flip-flops from completely vaudeville comedy to virtually bone chilling suspense and horror.
The action is non-stop, as are the laughs. Lots of car chases, fantastic fist fights, guns shooting, an insane bad guy, and a trick ending make it a perfect movie to sit down to on a Saturday night.
Cars (2006)
Very Good. Highly entertaining with stunning graphics.
This movie is very entertaining. The entire family will enjoy it again and again. I have seen this movie probably about a million times because my children ages 2 and 1 absolutely love it, and I have to admit that I still enjoy it every time I see it.
I think most serious actors should never lower themselves to do voice overs of a cartoon character, however in this case I think we can forgive Paul Newman. His choice of role in this film is not unexpected, given his love of racing cars.
The graphics are stunning, and the story is exciting. Rarely is there a dull movie in the entire film. Even the racing sequences are superb. Good family entertainment with a bit of morality thrown in for good measure.
Adam's Rib (1949)
Good, but not that good.
I wasn't as impressed by the movie as I had hoped. With Tracy and Hepburn headlining, maybe I put my expectations a little high. Anyway, the story is decent, but the ending is long and drawn out a little too much for my liking. The two actors do as good as job as you can expect, but I personally think neither should have signed up. My guess is that they told Tracy his leading lady was Hepburn and vice versa, which is why they both signed on for a movie which personally I think is unsuitable for either.
Perhaps I am being a little overly critical because of who starred. If it was lesser known actors who did this movie, I probably would have given it higher marks. It isn't bad at all. It is worth watching just to fulfill any requirements for either actor.
Judgment at Nuremberg (1961)
A must see for everyone.
Great movie. One of the best out of any era. Most movies longer than a couple hours I usually could care less for, but not this one. Worth repeated viewings over and over again.
Without a doubt in my mind this is Spencer Tracy's greatest movie. The all star cast supports him well, but he steals the show (as he should as the major headliner).
Other movies have tried to repeat what is shown here, but none have come close to the original. A great movie both from a historical perspective and entertainment value. No serious individual who would consider themselves even a minor critic (as I do) could go through life without seeing this movie at least once - preferably more than that.
Halloween (1978)
Good view. Perfect starter for the "Queen of Scream"
Despite the fact that they make the police look like complete moron's in this movie, and the annoying repeatedness of the eerie music, this movie still pulls off a realistic and highly entertaining view. For Jaime Lee, it is by far and away one of her best, which goes to prove once again that when you start out on top, the only way to go is down (Freaky Friday anyone?).
It is good though, especially since it ushers in the whole slasher phenom from the '80s. And it is much better than any of the sequels, including the newest one coming out I am sure.
Overall, worth viewing more than once, but probably only about once a year (you can figure out which day).
Dead Calm (1989)
Everything to expect from a B level thriller
My summary says it all. Everything you would expect from a thriller of this level - the haunting music, lots of jumpy moments, a semi-believable story line, and a pretty cool ending. The onus is on the three actors to carry the movie, and they all perform admirably - thank god, otherwise this movie could easily have been a lot worse.
I like it enough to recommend it if there isn't much else to watch. I probably could have used the 2 hours spent watching this movie better, but I have no regrets either, as I'm sure I could have wasted them easier too.
It's easier to pull apart a movie like this than it is to give it proper credit, but lets face it - you get what you pay for with this movie. No one will ever call it a blockbuster milestone, but it does it's job.
Tall Story (1960)
Enjoyable and Humorous
I was pleasantly surprised to find this playing one morning on TCM. I didn't know anything about the film before, so I was completely unprepared for what turned out to be a truly delightful comedy. At first I thought the movie was serious, then it started turning sillier and sillier. Anthony Perkins and Jane Fonda do a great job. This was a perfect vehicle for Fonda to launch her acting career. And I must admit I agree with her - she does have quite beautiful legs, and I feel fortunate that we are treated to seeing them in her cute little cheerleader outfit.
This movie is entertaining and I recommend viewing it on a lazy afternoon one day, it is much better than watching re-runs of Gilligans Island.