Actually it was quite good. I heard awful things about it - and wasn't expecting much - considering that all the loose ends were tied up with in the first movie - but it was good - and very funny in parts.... some of the lines were classic (and not really repeatable on this family friendly site ) )
She's worth whatever chaos she brings to the table and you know it. ~ Mark Anthony
Insert usual sequel to Henry joke here... anyway, this BBC 1970s adaptation does the business. Watch with subtitles on to get the measure of Shakespeare. It's about Henry Bolingbroke who deposed Richard II for being too flouncey and with his own cabal, but he now has concerns about his wayward son Hal (who goes on to be Henry V, of Agincourt fame). Quantum of Solace's Tim Piggott-Smith is Worcester, the young toothy challenger to Bolingbroke, Anthony Quayle (of Ice Cold in Alex and other war movies) is a revelation as the boozy knight Falstaff. Good stuff though not really sexy or cinematic; Welles did Chimes of Midnight, a variation on this play, but it's not on lovefilm.
"This is where we leave you Mr Bond."
Roger Moore 1927-2017
Mr MartiniThat nice house in the sky.Posts: 2,707MI6 Agent
Toy Story 3.
I may be 34 years old, but still a kid at heart. I watched the first two Toy Storys before going to see TS3. Even though it wasn't necessary to do so, I'm glad I did. Pixar movies are some of the best animated movies made today, and Toy Story 3 continues the tradition. From the very creative animated short at the beginning of TS3 (titled Day & Night) to the final credits rolling on TS3 I was a very happy man for almost two hours today. Only a handful of people were in the theater today, mostly kids who dragged their parents to see the movie. I heard lots of laughs coming from the parents (mostly from the subtle adult humor Pixar tosses into it's films. I thought for sure when our toy friend were
on their way to the big fireball
I'd hear some screams from the kids. I never heard a peep. Infact, I was getting choked up and almost cried. In the end though
I'm glad the toys were saved and given to Molly at the end
Highly recommend. 9.5/10
Some people would complain even if you hang them with a new rope
"Now where's that damn battle? I'm two hours late!"
What with the World Cup, I've missed out on a lot of movies of late, but I haven't missed airing my tedious opinions on them all, to the point where I'm thinking what I'm going to write on ajb during the second half of the film...
This is acclaimed as a realistic medieval yarn, and it is, but it's still got a bit of Hollywood about it in the orchestration and American accents (though we don't really know what accents they had back them, it doesn't sound quite right). It's a bit like The Vikings with Kirk Douglas in that respect. It's almost quite right, but instead of projecting back to real medieval times, gets stuck somehow around the Mad Men era.
Chuck Heston is a Norman knight who is given an area to command on the north coast of France, he must protect it from Fresian incursions (that's where Holland is today). But the pschyic octopus tells you it's going to turn out badly. He doesn't take to the swamp area or the local people who are not Christians but Druids or something, pagans at any rate.
It's a bit like Black Narcissus in that we are invited to root for someone in a position of authority who is put in charge but finds themselves out of their depth and at odds with the surroundings, with unfamiliar stirrings of lust v celibacy, and inexperience or in this case fatigue being a factor.
That said, by the 50 minute mark it's plodding a bit and you know it's gonna go bad when he fancies a local lass who's promised to another. There is, however, an excellent seige on a castle for the last half hour and let's face it, this year's Robin Hood won't have been any more realistic. Heston is very good, with a savage medieval haircut (or wig) but none of them are meant to be that charismatic. Still, at least the sun comes out a lot in this, it doesn't have to be all dark and medieval. That said, a Scandinavian or Continental made medieval yarn, like The Seventh Seal, will always be more credible to these ears. Not an English yarn mind, because 1960s period films often sound like they're out of a Hampstead drawing room.
I may be 34 years old, but still a kid at heart. I watched the first two Toy Storys before going to see TS3. Even though it wasn't necessary to do so, I'm glad I did. Pixar movies are some of the best animated movies made today, and Toy Story 3 continues the tradition. From the very creative animated short at the beginning of TS3 (titled Day & Night) to the final credits rolling on TS3 I was a very happy man for almost two hours today. Only a handful of people were in the theater today, mostly kids who dragged their parents to see the movie. I heard lots of laughs coming from the parents (mostly from the subtle adult humor Pixar tosses into it's films. I thought for sure when our toy friend were
on their way to the big fireball
I'd hear some screams from the kids. I never heard a peep. Infact, I was getting choked up and almost cried. In the end though
I'm glad the toys were saved and given to Molly at the end
Highly recommend. 9.5/10
My 5 year old has been asking for the last year when TS3 is coming - and I CAN'T wait to take him. In fact I think I'm more excited than he is....
I haven't read your spoilers..... and trying not to read them as I type.... but the fact that there is a good review already..... that makes me even more excited
Can't wait..... )
She's worth whatever chaos she brings to the table and you know it. ~ Mark Anthony
From Paris with Love. It has a Bondian title and it's about secret agents, but there the comparisons to our beloved 007 ends. Basically, this is a plotless, incomprehensible excuse for violent, bloody action scenes and for another hammy John Travolta performance. There's also some comedy, but the director--who also helmed the dour Taken--handles it like a Bergman drama. Avoid.
Unlikely action hero Adrien Brody leads a ragtag group of soldiers, mercenaries and killers who have been dropped onto an alien planet to serve as game for a group of alien predators. The movie, which clocks in at a lean 94 minutes, wastes no time in setting the plot in motion as the characters are literally dropped onto the planet from the heavens.
The first third of the film takes its time to introduce us to each character and gradually builds up the tension and suspense as our heroes come to realize how dire their predicament is. After an interlude with Lawrence Fishburne as a wacked out soldier who's been alone on the planet for a little too long, the action really ramps up; the body count starts to rise and the inevitable mano-a-mano confrontations between human and Predator are all well staged and, when necessary, suitably explosive.
The cast is very good. Brody makes for a believable lead as hardened merc who is not above using his own comrades as bait to achieve his goals. Alice Braga is his effective foil, bringing a more human and humane touch to the proceedings. Topher Grace is...well, Topher Grace; he plays a cowardly, sniveling character who you can't quite pin down. Fishburne has gotten some flack for his loopy performance but given that he's playing a character who's been hunted on an alien planet for who knows how long, I found it pretty appropriate.
The music by John Debney is well done, mixing in classic cues from the original movies with pieces that have an Alien-era Jerry Goldsmith vibe to them. Likewise, the predator designs (and there is more than one) are also well presented. The film is also peppered with homages to the original Predator movie both subtle and overt as well as subtle references that harken to other classic genre films.
After seeing the Alien and Predator franchises get gutted by 20th Century Fox (AvP: Requiem being the low point) this was a refreshing return to form. The film, while modestly budgeted at only $40 million, plays like a spiritual successor to the original movie while completely ignoring the sequels. Director Nimrod Antal and producer Robert Rodriguez deserve kudos for putting together a very entertaining film, even if it is somewhat derivative of the original. Overall an enthusiastic thumbs up by myself and SpectreIsland. We'll be picking up the BluRay when its released.
Initially this is another Bond film that Spielberg never got round to; wonderful shots of Paris and Munich and so on that don't look too touristy, excellently stylish and suspenseful assassinations. Lots of Bond personel; Daniel Craig - but again, he seems mumbley and I can't make out what he was saying, everyone else's diction is clear, this oppposite number in QoS Mathew Almeric (sp?) and Michel Londsdale (Drax).
But it did seem a bit obvious from the start; that revenge doesn't pay off and it's all an eye for an eye. To stretch that out into 3 hours seemed a bit much. There's a number of these films doing the 1970s colour thing; Bader Meinhoff Complex is another.
Last night I watched The Sons of Katie Elder (1965).
Although I enjoy westerns, I am not very familiar with the western films starring John Wayne. I have been more interested in revisionist and spaghetti westerns. I got this one in a box set of westerns and approached it not expecting too much, as it is one of Wayne's lesser known films. It exceeded expectations though, and was an enjoyable film. I find myself inexorably drawn to John Wayne's larger than life persona. Also, George Kennedy makes a quirky villain in the film. The director is Henry Hathaway, and his work is solid. Good use of widescreen ratio with typically western vistas and shots. Also a pretty good score by Elmer Bernstein - the main theme is very reminiscent of his main theme for The Magnificent Seven.
I will definitely check out some of John Wayne's other films. I also got True Grit in the boxset which I look forward to watching, especially in light of the Coen Brothers' upcoming remake.
Last night I watched The Sons of Katie Elder (1965).
Although I enjoy westerns, I am not very familiar with the western films starring John Wayne. I have been more interested in revisionist and spaghetti westerns. I got this one in a box set of westerns and approached it not expecting too much, as it is one of Wayne's lesser known films. It exceeded expectations though, and was an enjoyable film. I find myself inexorably drawn to John Wayne's larger than life persona. Also, George Kennedy makes a quirky villain in the film. The director is Henry Hathaway, and his work is solid. Good use of widescreen ratio with typically western vistas and shots. Also a pretty good score by Elmer Bernstein - the main theme is very reminiscent of his main theme for The Magnificent Seven.
I will definitely check out some of John Wayne's other films. I also got True Grit in the boxset which I look forward to watching, especially in light of the Coen Brothers' upcoming remake.
7/10
The Sons Of Katie Elder was one my parents had a VHS dub in the early 80s. So I've pretty much got the FYEO syndrome of memorizing every line of dialogue! I think everybody is marvelous in this film. Particularly James Gregory as the heavy and Dennis Hopper, "Curly smoked in here!" -- "You're not Curly!" as his weakling son.
The Dean Martin - Strother Martin "raffle my eye" is also terrific.
This was Hopper's return to hollywood after being blacklisted for difficult behavior. He often credited Wayne for giving him new life. Also the Duke's first movie after a successful operation for lung cancer. He had one lung until his death in 1979.
If you want to branch out from Leone I'd suggest Sam Peckinpah's The Wild Bunch and Pat Garrett and Billy The Kid - They'll both blow you away. Other favorite Wayne westerns are numerous but check out Red River, The Searchers, The Man who shot Liberty Valance and Hondo for starters. I envy you watching these for the first time. As I remember my first Duke period with fondness.
If you want to branch out from Leone I'd suggest Sam Peckinpah's The Wild Bunch and Pat Garrett and Billy The Kid - They'll both blow you away. Other favorite Wayne westerns are numerous but check out Red River, The Searchers, The Man who shot Liberty Valance and Hondo for starters. I envy you watching these for the first time. As I remember my first Duke period with fondness.
PS: Almost forgot Rio Bravo!
Thanks for the advice, Alex!
I also got a box set of Peckinpah westerns, so I will be checking them out in due course...
Incidentally - my DVD of Pat Garrett and Billy The Kid has two different versions - a 1988 Turner version, and a shorter 2005 cut. I don't know which one is the best to watch as my 1st viewing. Have you seen both versions? Which is better?
Hmm. That's a good question. There appears to be three dvd versions available. 122 min (1988 restored version) | 115 min (2005 DVD Special Edition) | 106 min (Cut theatrical version). I'd probably go for the "restored" & longest first.
Sorry I couldn't be of better assistance here. Although I don't own any of the dvds I've seen it so many times on television (I'm guessing it was the theatrical version as it was shown on Armed Forces Network)
I'm not sure if I'll see the third one, currently out. Some say it makes grown men cry, well, I'm not sure I'm up to having a breakdown in the cinema thanks all the same.
Mind you, this one had me on the verge, the scene where the cowgirl toy reminisces about her owner to a song that has more than a whiff of Secret Love about it, the song Doris Day sings as Calamity Jane, which has since been taken up as a lesbian ditty, if it wasn't in fact always intended to be anyway.
It gets a bit frantic towards the end, and I'm not sure how different it is to a normal cartoon really, I thought the whole thing was meant to be CGI? Anyway, good fun.
If you want to branch out from Leone I'd suggest Sam Peckinpah's The Wild Bunch and Pat Garrett and Billy The Kid - They'll both blow you away. Other favorite Wayne westerns are numerous but check out Red River, The Searchers, The Man who shot Liberty Valance and Hondo for starters. I envy you watching these for the first time. As I remember my first Duke period with fondness.
PS: Almost forgot Rio Bravo!
Thanks for the advice, Alex!
I also got a box set of Peckinpah westerns, so I will be checking them out in due course...
Incidentally - my DVD of Pat Garrett and Billy The Kid has two different versions - a 1988 Turner version, and a shorter 2005 cut. I don't know which one is the best to watch as my 1st viewing. Have you seen both versions? Which is better?
Sam Peckinpah, my favorite director and westerns one of my favorite genre's, so I think I will chiime in. The Wild Bunch is an absolute classic, the climatic scene is a showcase in editing. Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid is also very good, but you have to see the Peckinpah edited version. After completion of filming, the studio, MGM took the film away from Peckingpah because they didn't like his edit. They then re-edited the film, cutting down the running time
and released it to very poor reviews. In 1988 Turner released Peckinpah's version which won rave reviews. So I believe the 1988 version is the one you want to see. BTW, Peckinpah's earliest western was Ride the High Country, a slower paced, but beautifully filmed movie. The movie stars an old Randolph Scott and tells the story of two down on their luck law men hired to transport gold over the mountains. Along the way they debate stealing the gold for themselves, or keeping their honor and delivering the gold as they were hired to do.
Finally, if you want to see Peckinpah at his best, see Straw Dogs, my all time favorite film. It's not a western, but the morality tale is similar to his best westerns.
Inglorious Basterds.
Started well, and the scene with the "Jew Hunter" in the farmhouse was excellent, though heart-searingly diabolical in its execution, but the film on the whole was just rubbish. Utter rubbish. Of course there were good scenes, and good acting by most, but I just didn't get the point of it.
Amazon #1 Bestselling Author. If you enjoy crime, espionage, action and fast-moving thrillers follow this link:
This was the BEST film I have seen in a long time coming from the standpoint of pure enjoyment! It was incredibly engaging, and has left me trying to figure out when I will see it again!
No spoilers, but be on the lookout for many nods to Bond films! One of them was so blatant and worked so well I'm surprised the character didn't actually say something! B-)
I am a big fan of the Pixar films and of the first two Toy Story films, so I was excited to see Toy Story 3, I wasn't disappointed. Woody's and Buzz's owner, Andy, is all grown up and heading off to college, so mom wants the toys, thrown out, donated, or put in the attic. Through a series of misadventures the toys end up donated to a local child care. They think the child care will be a cool place with kids playing with them all the time. But, they come to learn that the child care is controlled by an evil teddy bear. Along with his henchmen, which includes a fairly creepy baby doll, he controls the toy world at the day care. An analogy of the toy world at the child care and real world dictatorships like Venezuela and Iran could be made, but I was looking for fun, not political lessons. Luckily, the film was fun from end to end.
The first two Toy Story films centered on the relationship between the boy and his toys, this film is more a chase and escape film. although some heart felt moments of a young boy becoming a young man and leaving his toys behind are included. This was a very enjoyable film, full of laughs, excitement, hero's, good deeds, sadness and joy. The audience broke into applause at the end and it was well deserved. Very highly recommend.
As with all Pixar films, a short film preceeded, the feature attraction, this short was called Day and Night. Day and night meet and try to show the other they are the better part of the day. Can't explain it, you have to see it, but it was very creative.
I saw this today with my 5 year old - I think I was more excited than he was - I have to say, 3D is an interesting format - not sure I would want to see all films like this - and certainly NOT everyday TV - BUT it worked well - they didn't overdo it - and the film itself was just as good as the other 2 - in fact the end made me cry - just as well I was wearing the glasses
There is a rumour going around that Avatar is being re-released..... I missed it the first time round, and would VERY much like to see it 3D - it certainly adds to the movie going experience -{
She's worth whatever chaos she brings to the table and you know it. ~ Mark Anthony
I'm on vacation, and today my father and I took in Inception. Loved it, loved it, loved it! It pulls off the rare trick of being a good action film that is also smart (despite a few dodgy issues surrounding the "break-in" plot) and well-acted, with a dynamite cast. It's also a return to form for Christopher Nolan--as much as I love his two Batman films, it's Memento and Insomnia that convinced me he's a genius, and Inception is in that league. Now if I could only get Edith Piaf's "Non, je ne regrette rien" out of my head. . .
Carry On Up The Khyber
Carry On Up The Jungle
Carry On Henry
Carry On Matron
Carry On Girls
Carry On Behind
Recently, I decided to check out the long-running Carry On series. I got a box set as an introduction, and have so far found them most enjoyable films. They're very silly, low budget, low brow comedies, but they certainly are funny and the hilarious double entendres never stop. Of these I enjoyed Carry On Up The Khyber and Carry On Behind the most. I will definitely be checking out more of the series, especially the earlier films as I got a job lot of newspaper promo dvds on ebay which has 12 Carry On films. I'm especially looking forward to watching the Bond/spy spoof Carry On Spying.
Recently, I decided to check out the long-running Carry On series. I got a box set as an introduction, and have so far found them most enjoyable films.
I'd rate Carry On Doctor and Carry On Camping as the best, but then there's also Carry On Screaming (a spoof on Hammer films) and the one the critics rate as possibly the best, Carry On Cleo.
some buddies and I were bored last night, so we went to a late show. he had the ENTIRE theater to ourselves, so we sat all the way back in the last row loudly cracking jokes. The movie itself was predictable, but still much more enjoyable than I thought it would be. Cute little references to things abounded throughout. Deff. worth a watch.
Hey! Observer! You trying to get yourself Killed?
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Mr MartiniThat nice house in the sky.Posts: 2,707MI6 Agent
This was the BEST film I have seen in a long time coming from the standpoint of pure enjoyment! It was incredibly engaging, and has left me trying to figure out when I will see it again!
No spoilers, but be on the lookout for many nods to Bond films! One of them was so blatant and worked so well I'm surprised the character didn't actually say something! B-)
Saw this today but missed the many nods to Bond films. Could you help me out and spoiler your response and point out the nods?
As for the movie. Brilliant. You really have to pay attention or else you'll get lost. And how about that ending. So did
Cobbs Totem stop spinning
What do you think?
Some people would complain even if you hang them with a new rope
LoeffelholzThe United States, With LovePosts: 8,998Quartermasters
"The Taking of Pelham 123"
This one's the remake of the classic '70s crime picture starring the great Walter Matthau and Robert Shaw...boys and I caught it on Netflix, and I must say it was a good time. I'm not generally in favour of remaking classics, as some here might remember--but this one is a different enough reinterpretation of the premise that it works all on its own.
John Travolta has made some nice paychecks in the middle act of his career playing over-the-top heavies...and this is one of those...but he's simply having too much fun to dislike the performance or otherwise cast aspersions. Denzel Washington's part, as a disgraced Mass Transit manager with some bad decisions in his past, gives the narrative some depth and added dimension. Tony Scott directs, so of course we've got cars flipping in midair, and the requisite mayhem---but again, IMRO it all works in context. Supporting roles, by the likes of James Gandolfini and Luis Guzman, are spot-on.
I love a good crime/caper picture...and this is one. 3.5 out of 5 stars.
Check out my Amazon author page!Mark Loeffelholz
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
Comments
Game of Death 78 anyone 8-)
Actually it was quite good. I heard awful things about it - and wasn't expecting much - considering that all the loose ends were tied up with in the first movie - but it was good - and very funny in parts.... some of the lines were classic (and not really repeatable on this family friendly site
Insert usual sequel to Henry joke here... anyway, this BBC 1970s adaptation does the business. Watch with subtitles on to get the measure of Shakespeare. It's about Henry Bolingbroke who deposed Richard II for being too flouncey and with his own cabal, but he now has concerns about his wayward son Hal (who goes on to be Henry V, of Agincourt fame).
Quantum of Solace's Tim Piggott-Smith
Roger Moore 1927-2017
I may be 34 years old, but still a kid at heart. I watched the first two Toy Storys before going to see TS3. Even though it wasn't necessary to do so, I'm glad I did. Pixar movies are some of the best animated movies made today, and Toy Story 3 continues the tradition. From the very creative animated short at the beginning of TS3 (titled Day & Night) to the final credits rolling on TS3 I was a very happy man for almost two hours today. Only a handful of people were in the theater today, mostly kids who dragged their parents to see the movie. I heard lots of laughs coming from the parents (mostly from the subtle adult humor Pixar tosses into it's films. I thought for sure when our toy friend were
Highly recommend. 9.5/10
"Now where's that damn battle? I'm two hours late!"
What with the World Cup, I've missed out on a lot of movies of late, but I haven't missed airing my tedious opinions on them all, to the point where I'm thinking what I'm going to write on ajb during the second half of the film...
This is acclaimed as a realistic medieval yarn, and it is, but it's still got a bit of Hollywood about it in the orchestration and American accents (though we don't really know what accents they had back them, it doesn't sound quite right). It's a bit like The Vikings with Kirk Douglas in that respect. It's almost quite right, but instead of projecting back to real medieval times, gets stuck somehow around the Mad Men era.
Chuck Heston is a Norman knight who is given an area to command on the north coast of France, he must protect it from Fresian incursions (that's where Holland is today). But the pschyic octopus tells you it's going to turn out badly. He doesn't take to the swamp area or the local people who are not Christians but Druids or something, pagans at any rate.
It's a bit like Black Narcissus in that we are invited to root for someone in a position of authority who is put in charge but finds themselves out of their depth and at odds with the surroundings, with unfamiliar stirrings of lust v celibacy, and inexperience or in this case fatigue being a factor.
That said, by the 50 minute mark it's plodding a bit and you know it's gonna go bad when he fancies a local lass who's promised to another. There is, however, an excellent seige on a castle for the last half hour and let's face it, this year's Robin Hood won't have been any more realistic. Heston is very good, with a savage medieval haircut (or wig) but none of them are meant to be that charismatic. Still, at least the sun comes out a lot in this, it doesn't have to be all dark and medieval. That said, a Scandinavian or Continental made medieval yarn, like The Seventh Seal, will always be more credible to these ears. Not an English yarn mind, because 1960s period films often sound like they're out of a Hampstead drawing room.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
My 5 year old has been asking for the last year when TS3 is coming - and I CAN'T wait to take him. In fact I think I'm more excited than he is....
I haven't read your spoilers..... and trying not to read them as I type.... but the fact that there is a good review already..... that makes me even more excited
Can't wait.....
Unlikely action hero Adrien Brody leads a ragtag group of soldiers, mercenaries and killers who have been dropped onto an alien planet to serve as game for a group of alien predators. The movie, which clocks in at a lean 94 minutes, wastes no time in setting the plot in motion as the characters are literally dropped onto the planet from the heavens.
The first third of the film takes its time to introduce us to each character and gradually builds up the tension and suspense as our heroes come to realize how dire their predicament is. After an interlude with Lawrence Fishburne as a wacked out soldier who's been alone on the planet for a little too long, the action really ramps up; the body count starts to rise and the inevitable mano-a-mano confrontations between human and Predator are all well staged and, when necessary, suitably explosive.
The cast is very good. Brody makes for a believable lead as hardened merc who is not above using his own comrades as bait to achieve his goals. Alice Braga is his effective foil, bringing a more human and humane touch to the proceedings. Topher Grace is...well, Topher Grace; he plays a cowardly, sniveling character who you can't quite pin down. Fishburne has gotten some flack for his loopy performance but given that he's playing a character who's been hunted on an alien planet for who knows how long, I found it pretty appropriate.
The music by John Debney is well done, mixing in classic cues from the original movies with pieces that have an Alien-era Jerry Goldsmith vibe to them. Likewise, the predator designs (and there is more than one) are also well presented. The film is also peppered with homages to the original Predator movie both subtle and overt as well as subtle references that harken to other classic genre films.
After seeing the Alien and Predator franchises get gutted by 20th Century Fox (AvP: Requiem being the low point) this was a refreshing return to form. The film, while modestly budgeted at only $40 million, plays like a spiritual successor to the original movie while completely ignoring the sequels. Director Nimrod Antal and producer Robert Rodriguez deserve kudos for putting together a very entertaining film, even if it is somewhat derivative of the original. Overall an enthusiastic thumbs up by myself and SpectreIsland. We'll be picking up the BluRay when its released.
Initially this is another Bond film that Spielberg never got round to; wonderful shots of Paris and Munich and so on that don't look too touristy, excellently stylish and suspenseful assassinations. Lots of Bond personel; Daniel Craig - but again, he seems mumbley and I can't make out what he was saying, everyone else's diction is clear, this oppposite number in QoS Mathew Almeric (sp?) and Michel Londsdale (Drax).
But it did seem a bit obvious from the start; that revenge doesn't pay off and it's all an eye for an eye. To stretch that out into 3 hours seemed a bit much. There's a number of these films doing the 1970s colour thing; Bader Meinhoff Complex is another.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
Last night I watched The Sons of Katie Elder (1965).
Although I enjoy westerns, I am not very familiar with the western films starring John Wayne. I have been more interested in revisionist and spaghetti westerns. I got this one in a box set of westerns and approached it not expecting too much, as it is one of Wayne's lesser known films. It exceeded expectations though, and was an enjoyable film. I find myself inexorably drawn to John Wayne's larger than life persona. Also, George Kennedy makes a quirky villain in the film. The director is Henry Hathaway, and his work is solid. Good use of widescreen ratio with typically western vistas and shots. Also a pretty good score by Elmer Bernstein - the main theme is very reminiscent of his main theme for The Magnificent Seven.
I will definitely check out some of John Wayne's other films. I also got True Grit in the boxset which I look forward to watching, especially in light of the Coen Brothers' upcoming remake.
7/10
The Dean Martin - Strother Martin "raffle my eye" is also terrific.
This was Hopper's return to hollywood after being blacklisted for difficult behavior. He often credited Wayne for giving him new life. Also the Duke's first movie after a successful operation for lung cancer. He had one lung until his death in 1979.
If you want to branch out from Leone I'd suggest Sam Peckinpah's The Wild Bunch and Pat Garrett and Billy The Kid - They'll both blow you away. Other favorite Wayne westerns are numerous but check out Red River, The Searchers, The Man who shot Liberty Valance and Hondo for starters. I envy you watching these for the first time. As I remember my first Duke period with fondness.
PS: Almost forgot Rio Bravo!
Thanks for the advice, Alex!
I also got a box set of Peckinpah westerns, so I will be checking them out in due course...
Incidentally - my DVD of Pat Garrett and Billy The Kid has two different versions - a 1988 Turner version, and a shorter 2005 cut. I don't know which one is the best to watch as my 1st viewing. Have you seen both versions? Which is better?
Sorry I couldn't be of better assistance here. Although I don't own any of the dvds I've seen it so many times on television (I'm guessing it was the theatrical version as it was shown on Armed Forces Network)
I'm not sure if I'll see the third one, currently out. Some say it makes grown men cry, well, I'm not sure I'm up to having a breakdown in the cinema thanks all the same.
Mind you, this one had me on the verge, the scene where the cowgirl toy reminisces about her owner to a song that has more than a whiff of Secret Love about it, the song Doris Day sings as Calamity Jane, which has since been taken up as a lesbian ditty, if it wasn't in fact always intended to be anyway.
It gets a bit frantic towards the end, and I'm not sure how different it is to a normal cartoon really, I thought the whole thing was meant to be CGI? Anyway, good fun.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
Sam Peckinpah, my favorite director and westerns one of my favorite genre's, so I think I will chiime in. The Wild Bunch is an absolute classic, the climatic scene is a showcase in editing. Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid is also very good, but you have to see the Peckinpah edited version. After completion of filming, the studio, MGM took the film away from Peckingpah because they didn't like his edit. They then re-edited the film, cutting down the running time
and released it to very poor reviews. In 1988 Turner released Peckinpah's version which won rave reviews. So I believe the 1988 version is the one you want to see. BTW, Peckinpah's earliest western was Ride the High Country, a slower paced, but beautifully filmed movie. The movie stars an old Randolph Scott and tells the story of two down on their luck law men hired to transport gold over the mountains. Along the way they debate stealing the gold for themselves, or keeping their honor and delivering the gold as they were hired to do.
Finally, if you want to see Peckinpah at his best, see Straw Dogs, my all time favorite film. It's not a western, but the morality tale is similar to his best westerns.
Started well, and the scene with the "Jew Hunter" in the farmhouse was excellent, though heart-searingly diabolical in its execution, but the film on the whole was just rubbish. Utter rubbish. Of course there were good scenes, and good acting by most, but I just didn't get the point of it.
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This was the BEST film I have seen in a long time coming from the standpoint of pure enjoyment! It was incredibly engaging, and has left me trying to figure out when I will see it again!
No spoilers, but be on the lookout for many nods to Bond films! One of them was so blatant and worked so well I'm surprised the character didn't actually say something! B-)
I saw this today with my 5 year old - I think I was more excited than he was - I have to say, 3D is an interesting format - not sure I would want to see all films like this - and certainly NOT everyday TV - BUT it worked well - they didn't overdo it - and the film itself was just as good as the other 2 - in fact the end made me cry - just as well I was wearing the glasses
There is a rumour going around that Avatar is being re-released..... I missed it the first time round, and would VERY much like to see it 3D - it certainly adds to the movie going experience -{
Carry On Up The Jungle
Carry On Henry
Carry On Matron
Carry On Girls
Carry On Behind
Recently, I decided to check out the long-running Carry On series. I got a box set as an introduction, and have so far found them most enjoyable films. They're very silly, low budget, low brow comedies, but they certainly are funny and the hilarious double entendres never stop. Of these I enjoyed Carry On Up The Khyber and Carry On Behind the most. I will definitely be checking out more of the series, especially the earlier films as I got a job lot of newspaper promo dvds on ebay which has 12 Carry On films. I'm especially looking forward to watching the Bond/spy spoof Carry On Spying.
I'd rate Carry On Doctor and Carry On Camping as the best, but then there's also Carry On Screaming (a spoof on Hammer films) and the one the critics rate as possibly the best, Carry On Cleo.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
some buddies and I were bored last night, so we went to a late show. he had the ENTIRE theater to ourselves, so we sat all the way back in the last row loudly cracking jokes. The movie itself was predictable, but still much more enjoyable than I thought it would be. Cute little references to things abounded throughout. Deff. worth a watch.
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Saw this today but missed the many nods to Bond films. Could you help me out and spoiler your response and point out the nods?
As for the movie. Brilliant. You really have to pay attention or else you'll get lost. And how about that ending. So did
Roger Moore 1927-2017
Yes - and no. You would be better off watching 1 & 2 - you would then get a much better feel for the characters..... BUT it's not a must.
The first 2 films are so good anyway, you wouldn't be wasting your time
This one's the remake of the classic '70s crime picture starring the great Walter Matthau and Robert Shaw...boys and I caught it on Netflix, and I must say it was a good time. I'm not generally in favour of remaking classics, as some here might remember--but this one is a different enough reinterpretation of the premise that it works all on its own.
John Travolta has made some nice paychecks in the middle act of his career playing over-the-top heavies...and this is one of those...but he's simply having too much fun to dislike the performance or otherwise cast aspersions. Denzel Washington's part, as a disgraced Mass Transit manager with some bad decisions in his past, gives the narrative some depth and added dimension. Tony Scott directs, so of course we've got cars flipping in midair, and the requisite mayhem---but again, IMRO it all works in context. Supporting roles, by the likes of James Gandolfini and Luis Guzman, are spot-on.
I love a good crime/caper picture...and this is one. 3.5 out of 5 stars.
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM