Friday Night DOUBLE Round-Up
I didn't get around to a round-up last week. That means I have twice the amount of movies to go through.
Seven-Ups- B, this is a very good film from the 70s that features one of the best car chases in film history---up there with the French Connection chase scene
Circle of Iron- B+. love this for a couple reasons, Bruce Lee and David Carradine playing the flute. Then watch it and see what an intriguing movie this film is especially since it also features Christopher Lee.
Targets- A, Peter Bogdanovich's debut film featuring the great Boris Karloff is amazing. Given stock footage of a movie called the Terror which featured Jack Nicholson and a small sum of money from Roger Corman for making his first film, Bogdanovich managed to create a truly original and simple film that is stirring 40 years from when it was made.
Taking of Pelham 1 2 3- B+. this is an action flick from the 70s where Robert Shaw and a couple others hijack a train (Pelham 123). Walter Matthau negotiates with Shaw and allows for some great lines of dialogue to be delivered throughout. This is truly part of the beginnings of the hijack film movement where we had Speed, Con Air, Air Force One, etc. I'm not saying this is the first one but a model of it.
Bone-C-, this is the second Larry Cohen movie I saw. This is the one where I caught on to the auteur that is Larry Cohen. He starts out with a great premise and then he beats the living shit out of it until you wish he would stop because he either A) has made it last too long or B) taken it in a direction you hate with a passion.
Black Caesar- B-, this soul cinema flick that takes a crime boss, makes him black, and bases the story on the rise and fall of Julius Caesar is entertaining. But it's Cohen. And somewhere along the line he...refer to previous comment on Bone.
It Happened One Night- A, classic romantic comedy that set the standard for all romantic comedies in the era. Frank Capra is a genius. I don't think I need to say anymore. His record speaks for itself.
The Graduate-A, I loved this movie. It definitely is a film that exemplifies a period of history. And I think for Dustin Hoffman, it was the right role at the right time.
Point Blank-A, Lee Marvin became one of my favorite actors after I watched this performance. Not only is this a great story about the psychology of a man but the performance is a fine one.
The Chase- B, I think if Arthur Penn had cut the runtime of this down 20-30 minutes he would have had something that rivaled Bonnie and Clyde especially since this features Brando, Redford, and Jane Fonda.
Shaft- A-, I got to listen to Richard Roundtree speak after viewing this film. The film itself is culturally rich film about being a detective in Harlem. Breaks the mold beautifully.
Magnificent Seven- A, it doesn't even matter that the basis of this film was stolen from Kurosawa's Seven Samurai. This is one of the greatest westerns I've ever seen. The cast is a stellar ensemble too with Brynner, Coburn, Bronson, and McQueen.
Great Escape-B, it might be a classic but psychologically, I didn't care about this movie after this ensemble (with many who starred in Magnificent Seven) escaped.
Cleopatra Jones- B-, it's a fun soul cinema film. The characters and storyline are far-fetched. But I don't think the intention of this film was to be taken seriously.
Venus- B+. Peter O'Toole makes this film worth watching. There's really not a story since everything happens based on a character and his feelings for a girl who reminds him of a painting.
Last King of Scotland- A, this film is gripping and startling and one of the best historical films on Africa I have ever seen. Forest Whitaker makes Idi Amin look like the scariest dictator in history and I hope he wins his Oscar for his performance,
Letters From Iwo Jima- A, I give it an A but I probably won't watch this again. The direction is there. Clint Eastwood's direction is remarkable (which is why he's nominated). The color palette is artistically appealing. This the picture he wanted to make on Iwo Jima but I think the studio told him if he wanted to make this he would have to do Flags of Our Fathers. But I was slightly bored with the way this was presented.
Violent City- C+, Charles Bronson has a great presence in action films. The story for this was flimsy plus after the opening sequence, I wasn't convinced that he should have lived.
Major Dundee- A, Sam Peckinpah directs a very well-executed Civil War story here. And it has nothing to do with Union vs. South but everything to do with crazy Charlton Heston chasing down some Indians with one-armed James Coburn. Yes!
Bad Day at Black Rock- B, like a long Twilight Zone episode. The best thing is Ernest Borgnine even though Lee Marvin is pretty good too. Spencer Tracy is the main character and his performance is classic.
Hard Times- B+. Walter Hill's debut film about fighters during the Depression features Coburn and Bronson. Bronson kicks ass. And this is an interesting raw take on the Depression.
Forty Guns- A-, great western from the 50s. Samuel Fuller has a raw in your face way of capturing action and I like it.
Dillinger- C, I bought this movie to see Warren Oates play John Dillinger. This looked like a great gangster movie. It's presented in a fashion that answers the question of why we do not talk about John Milius being a great director today. If I like this movie, it's because some of the gunfighting sequences are played out nicely.
The Big Heat- A, Fritz Lang's take on corruption in the 1950s is one of the most engaging films I've ever seen. It looks like you're average film noir. But with Lee Marvin, it's one helluva a detective film.
Barbarella- C-, utterly ridiculous. The sets are cheesy but fun. The dialogue is pretty lunatic. Jane Fonda is hot. And I think they should have just gone all out and released this as a hardcore porn film. But I think Jane probably objected to that.
Fistful of Dollars- A, Eastwood and Leone kick ass. Just like...
Death Wish- A, Bronson kicks ass.
For those last two films, it's the presences that kill.
Dark City-A, I read a thing where Roger Ebert was raving about this being the best of 1998. I want to check out what was released but I might wind up agreeing. This sci-fi film's premise is almost as good as Blade Runner.
Dead Man- D, dull black-and-white ludicrous take on the western that is way too long. Only Johnny Depp would agree to believe in this kind of film. The characters are kooky as all get out. The only thing I like about this movie is Billy Bob Thornton's Big George character. That scene is hilarious. But Jim Jarmusch's addiction to fade to blacks is invigorating.
That's all. Next.
Seven-Ups- B, this is a very good film from the 70s that features one of the best car chases in film history---up there with the French Connection chase scene
Circle of Iron- B+. love this for a couple reasons, Bruce Lee and David Carradine playing the flute. Then watch it and see what an intriguing movie this film is especially since it also features Christopher Lee.
Targets- A, Peter Bogdanovich's debut film featuring the great Boris Karloff is amazing. Given stock footage of a movie called the Terror which featured Jack Nicholson and a small sum of money from Roger Corman for making his first film, Bogdanovich managed to create a truly original and simple film that is stirring 40 years from when it was made.
Taking of Pelham 1 2 3- B+. this is an action flick from the 70s where Robert Shaw and a couple others hijack a train (Pelham 123). Walter Matthau negotiates with Shaw and allows for some great lines of dialogue to be delivered throughout. This is truly part of the beginnings of the hijack film movement where we had Speed, Con Air, Air Force One, etc. I'm not saying this is the first one but a model of it.
Bone-C-, this is the second Larry Cohen movie I saw. This is the one where I caught on to the auteur that is Larry Cohen. He starts out with a great premise and then he beats the living shit out of it until you wish he would stop because he either A) has made it last too long or B) taken it in a direction you hate with a passion.
Black Caesar- B-, this soul cinema flick that takes a crime boss, makes him black, and bases the story on the rise and fall of Julius Caesar is entertaining. But it's Cohen. And somewhere along the line he...refer to previous comment on Bone.
It Happened One Night- A, classic romantic comedy that set the standard for all romantic comedies in the era. Frank Capra is a genius. I don't think I need to say anymore. His record speaks for itself.
The Graduate-A, I loved this movie. It definitely is a film that exemplifies a period of history. And I think for Dustin Hoffman, it was the right role at the right time.
Point Blank-A, Lee Marvin became one of my favorite actors after I watched this performance. Not only is this a great story about the psychology of a man but the performance is a fine one.
The Chase- B, I think if Arthur Penn had cut the runtime of this down 20-30 minutes he would have had something that rivaled Bonnie and Clyde especially since this features Brando, Redford, and Jane Fonda.
Shaft- A-, I got to listen to Richard Roundtree speak after viewing this film. The film itself is culturally rich film about being a detective in Harlem. Breaks the mold beautifully.
Magnificent Seven- A, it doesn't even matter that the basis of this film was stolen from Kurosawa's Seven Samurai. This is one of the greatest westerns I've ever seen. The cast is a stellar ensemble too with Brynner, Coburn, Bronson, and McQueen.
Great Escape-B, it might be a classic but psychologically, I didn't care about this movie after this ensemble (with many who starred in Magnificent Seven) escaped.
Cleopatra Jones- B-, it's a fun soul cinema film. The characters and storyline are far-fetched. But I don't think the intention of this film was to be taken seriously.
Venus- B+. Peter O'Toole makes this film worth watching. There's really not a story since everything happens based on a character and his feelings for a girl who reminds him of a painting.
Last King of Scotland- A, this film is gripping and startling and one of the best historical films on Africa I have ever seen. Forest Whitaker makes Idi Amin look like the scariest dictator in history and I hope he wins his Oscar for his performance,
Letters From Iwo Jima- A, I give it an A but I probably won't watch this again. The direction is there. Clint Eastwood's direction is remarkable (which is why he's nominated). The color palette is artistically appealing. This the picture he wanted to make on Iwo Jima but I think the studio told him if he wanted to make this he would have to do Flags of Our Fathers. But I was slightly bored with the way this was presented.
Violent City- C+, Charles Bronson has a great presence in action films. The story for this was flimsy plus after the opening sequence, I wasn't convinced that he should have lived.
Major Dundee- A, Sam Peckinpah directs a very well-executed Civil War story here. And it has nothing to do with Union vs. South but everything to do with crazy Charlton Heston chasing down some Indians with one-armed James Coburn. Yes!
Bad Day at Black Rock- B, like a long Twilight Zone episode. The best thing is Ernest Borgnine even though Lee Marvin is pretty good too. Spencer Tracy is the main character and his performance is classic.
Hard Times- B+. Walter Hill's debut film about fighters during the Depression features Coburn and Bronson. Bronson kicks ass. And this is an interesting raw take on the Depression.
Forty Guns- A-, great western from the 50s. Samuel Fuller has a raw in your face way of capturing action and I like it.
Dillinger- C, I bought this movie to see Warren Oates play John Dillinger. This looked like a great gangster movie. It's presented in a fashion that answers the question of why we do not talk about John Milius being a great director today. If I like this movie, it's because some of the gunfighting sequences are played out nicely.
The Big Heat- A, Fritz Lang's take on corruption in the 1950s is one of the most engaging films I've ever seen. It looks like you're average film noir. But with Lee Marvin, it's one helluva a detective film.
Barbarella- C-, utterly ridiculous. The sets are cheesy but fun. The dialogue is pretty lunatic. Jane Fonda is hot. And I think they should have just gone all out and released this as a hardcore porn film. But I think Jane probably objected to that.
Fistful of Dollars- A, Eastwood and Leone kick ass. Just like...
Death Wish- A, Bronson kicks ass.
For those last two films, it's the presences that kill.
Dark City-A, I read a thing where Roger Ebert was raving about this being the best of 1998. I want to check out what was released but I might wind up agreeing. This sci-fi film's premise is almost as good as Blade Runner.
Dead Man- D, dull black-and-white ludicrous take on the western that is way too long. Only Johnny Depp would agree to believe in this kind of film. The characters are kooky as all get out. The only thing I like about this movie is Billy Bob Thornton's Big George character. That scene is hilarious. But Jim Jarmusch's addiction to fade to blacks is invigorating.
That's all. Next.
posted by Kevin at 6:12 PM
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