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Parkland - Hey, finally one I've seen!
I watched both JFK for the first time & Parkland around the same time (some time last year).
Since there'd been decades of hype surrounding JFK, I had high expectations (loved the fact that John Candy had a serious cameo), but it ended up that I think I liked Parkland better even though JFK had a star-power cast & seemed to have higher production values. The only thing I didn't really like about Parkland was the casting of Zac Efron.
But I agree with Rules review, Parkland was a good film about the assassination aftermath and the Zapruder film.
(JFK almost seemed misnamed because it was more about one man's investigation of the assassination than about the President... kind of like Lincoln (2012), it should've been called "The 13th Amendment" because it was far more about that event than about the man.)
I watched both JFK for the first time & Parkland around the same time (some time last year).
Since there'd been decades of hype surrounding JFK, I had high expectations (loved the fact that John Candy had a serious cameo), but it ended up that I think I liked Parkland better even though JFK had a star-power cast & seemed to have higher production values. The only thing I didn't really like about Parkland was the casting of Zac Efron.
But I agree with Rules review, Parkland was a good film about the assassination aftermath and the Zapruder film.
(JFK almost seemed misnamed because it was more about one man's investigation of the assassination than about the President... kind of like Lincoln (2012), it should've been called "The 13th Amendment" because it was far more about that event than about the man.)
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Hey, I'm glad I finally reviewed one you seen! I know, I watch a lot of bio-pics and period pieces, some are not that well watched.
You know I forget John Candy was in JFK. I'm still trying to watch all of Candy's movies. I have Splash at home right now. I'll have to get JFK and give that a watch too. I know it will PO me with the bogus conspiracy stuff, but I remember it was a well made film.
The 13th Amendment, Ha, more apt...but less catchy. I liked Lincoln OK but I liked the other movie better about the accused woman conspirator in the Lincoln Assassination, (I swear I can never remember what it's called?)
You know I forget John Candy was in JFK. I'm still trying to watch all of Candy's movies. I have Splash at home right now. I'll have to get JFK and give that a watch too. I know it will PO me with the bogus conspiracy stuff, but I remember it was a well made film.
The 13th Amendment, Ha, more apt...but less catchy. I liked Lincoln OK but I liked the other movie better about the accused woman conspirator in the Lincoln Assassination, (I swear I can never remember what it's called?)
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Hey, I'm glad I finally reviewed one you seen! I know, I watch a lot of bio-pics and period pieces, some are not that well watched.
You know I forget John Candy was in JFK. I'm still trying to watch all of Candy's movies. I have Splash at home right now. I'll have to get JFK and give that a watch too. I know it will PO me with the bogus conspiracy stuff, but I remember it was a well made film.
The 13th Amendment, Ha, more apt...but less catchy. I liked Lincoln OK but I liked the other movie better about the accused woman conspirator in the Lincoln Assassination, (I swear I can never remember what it's called?)
You know I forget John Candy was in JFK. I'm still trying to watch all of Candy's movies. I have Splash at home right now. I'll have to get JFK and give that a watch too. I know it will PO me with the bogus conspiracy stuff, but I remember it was a well made film.
The 13th Amendment, Ha, more apt...but less catchy. I liked Lincoln OK but I liked the other movie better about the accused woman conspirator in the Lincoln Assassination, (I swear I can never remember what it's called?)
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Ha! or just a loyal subject of Google Gotta go, dinner time and a movie....which I will probably get around to reviewing. Have a good one! Capt.
Gotta go, dinner time and a movie....which I will probably get around to reviewing. Have a good one! Capt.
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Forbidden Planet is awesome! I nominated it for Movie of the Month back in November. I hope it makes it high of the 50s list.
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Trumbo (2015)
Director: Jay Roach
Writers: John McNamara, Bruce Cook (book)
Stars: Bryan Cranston, Diane Lane, Helen Mirren
Genre: Biography, Drama
During the Un-American House Committees investigation during the late 1940s-1950s into Communism in America, a number of prominent Hollywood people were accused of being Communist and were summoned to testify. Many of these people were Hollywood writers being accused of writing subversive Communist themed movie scripts. One of the accused was the very talented writer, Dalton Trumbo.
I first learned of Dalton Trumbo's unique story when I watched the documentary, Trumbo (2007) based on the many letters he wrote about his personal beliefs and experience with blacklisting. It was clear that Trumbo was a highly principled man who was willing to go to jail rather than testify before Congress in what he deemed to be a unconstitutional witch hunt.
About the movie, after watching the documentary, I then watched the movie about Trumbo. The movie paints a different character than the documentary did. I was disappointed that they left out the part of his life when he and his family fled to Mexico, as the cost of living there was less and Trumbo after being blacklisted had to sell his home and was broke. The movie portrayed Trumbo as a workaholic who had a 'production line' of movie scripts that he wrote and sold under various front names. Thus making him a lot of money but estranging himself from his family.
Review, I like the movie, I wish it could have included more of the events in Trumbo's life. I did like Helen Mirren portrayal of Hollywood gossip columnist Hedda Hopper. A women who wielded great power and did not hesitate to threaten and abuse people with it. The charater J.J. Hunsecker played by Burt Lancaster in The Sweet Smell of Success (1957), was reputedly based on Hedda Hopper....The roles that John Wayne, Kirk Douglas and Otto Preminger, played in history is shown as they interact with Trumbo.
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Writers: John McNamara, Bruce Cook (book)
Stars: Bryan Cranston, Diane Lane, Helen Mirren
Genre: Biography, Drama
During the Un-American House Committees investigation during the late 1940s-1950s into Communism in America, a number of prominent Hollywood people were accused of being Communist and were summoned to testify. Many of these people were Hollywood writers being accused of writing subversive Communist themed movie scripts. One of the accused was the very talented writer, Dalton Trumbo.
I first learned of Dalton Trumbo's unique story when I watched the documentary, Trumbo (2007) based on the many letters he wrote about his personal beliefs and experience with blacklisting. It was clear that Trumbo was a highly principled man who was willing to go to jail rather than testify before Congress in what he deemed to be a unconstitutional witch hunt.
About the movie, after watching the documentary, I then watched the movie about Trumbo. The movie paints a different character than the documentary did. I was disappointed that they left out the part of his life when he and his family fled to Mexico, as the cost of living there was less and Trumbo after being blacklisted had to sell his home and was broke. The movie portrayed Trumbo as a workaholic who had a 'production line' of movie scripts that he wrote and sold under various front names. Thus making him a lot of money but estranging himself from his family.
Review, I like the movie, I wish it could have included more of the events in Trumbo's life. I did like Helen Mirren portrayal of Hollywood gossip columnist Hedda Hopper. A women who wielded great power and did not hesitate to threaten and abuse people with it. The charater J.J. Hunsecker played by Burt Lancaster in The Sweet Smell of Success (1957), was reputedly based on Hedda Hopper....The roles that John Wayne, Kirk Douglas and Otto Preminger, played in history is shown as they interact with Trumbo.
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I think I seen them all? Was the last one with the girl? If so I didn't like that one either.
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The Great Escape (1963)
A WWII film based on actual events and on the book written by one of the prisoners of war. This is a light movie, with a fun feel to it (most of the time) and that's OK. The first part of the film is drama with light comedy (at times), the second part of the film is action-suspense. I like it that we see how the prisoners coordinated and manage to build a very elaborate escape tunnel, actually three of them. I don't want to give away too much. So I'll just say:Director: John Sturges
Writers: Paul Brickhill(book), James Clavell(screenplay)
Cast: Steve McQueen, James Garner, Richard Attenborough, Charles Bronson, Donald Plesence, James Coburn, David McCallum, James Garner
Genre:Adventure, Drama, War
During World War II several hundred Allied service men being held in a German prisoner camp, come up with a daring plan for escape.
Writers: Paul Brickhill(book), James Clavell(screenplay)
Cast: Steve McQueen, James Garner, Richard Attenborough, Charles Bronson, Donald Plesence, James Coburn, David McCallum, James Garner
Genre:Adventure, Drama, War
During World War II several hundred Allied service men being held in a German prisoner camp, come up with a daring plan for escape.
This is a very enjoyable film. I liked the star filled cast: Steve McQueen, Donald Pleasence, Charles Bronson, James Garner all were great personalities in this film and added to the huge ensemble cast. I learned in the DVD extras that the exterior shots were filmed in Germany, so no wonder Germany looks like Germany! and not California! That alone makes the film worth watching...The Stalag prisoner camp was built almost to duplication of the original, which was located in Poland. The sets look great and so does the movie itself as it was shot in wide screen Cinemascope.
I'm guessing that the The Great Escape was the inspiration for the TV show Hogan's Heroes. Though that's just my guess, but there's a lot of similarities going on.
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I didn't remember that but Mark mentioned that the other day. Have you seen Trumbo?
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A bit more about Hedda Hopper who's featured in Trumbo. She was a power broker and used her position as a famous Hollywood gossip columnist to extort and hurt people.
From Wiki
From Wiki
- After she published a "blind item" on Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy's relationship, Tracy confronted her at Ciro's and kicked her in the rear.
- Similarly, after she had printed a story about an extramarital affair between Joseph Cotten and Deanna Durbin, Cotten ran into Hopper at a social event and pulled out her chair, only to continue pulling it out from under her when she sat down
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A bit more about Hedda Hopper who's featured in Trumbo. She was a power broker and used her position as a famous Hollywood gossip columnist to extort and hurt people.
From Wiki
From Wiki
- After she published a "blind item" on Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy's relationship, Tracy confronted her at Ciro's and kicked her in the rear.
- Similarly, after she had printed a story about an extramarital affair between Joseph Cotten and Deanna Durbin, Cotten ran into Hopper at a social event and pulled out her chair, only to continue pulling it out from under her when she sat down
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I haven't seen it, but it's on my watch list, which is a long watch list. If you highly recommend it I will bump it up towards the top. Thanks
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Au Revoir Les Enfants (1987)
Director: Louis Malle
Writer: Louis Malle(scenario)
Cast: Gaspard Manesse, Raphael Fejtö, Francine Racette
Genre: Autobiography, Drama, War
During World War II, a French boarding school run by Catholic priest becomes the last refuge for children in occupied France. This is based on the true life experience of the director & writer Louis Malle. The character Julien is modeled after Malle's own childhood experience during the time of Nazi occupation of France.
I was knocked out by this, what a great film! I had never heard of it but as soon as the film started I could tell it was going to be special. The director Louis Malle does everything right.
I kept expecting the same old gimmicks or tired archetypes that most movies rely on, but thank goodness not here! This is an intelligent, well crafted, controlled film. It never goes over the top, and never insults the audiences intelligence. It doesn't rely on sensationalism or spectacle to tell it's story.
Instead this is a quiet film, even low key. The SS is of course the antagonist, but they don't 'twirl their mustaches' or 'laugh methodically' as they go about doing their dirty work. Instead we see the German soldiers and SS as quiet, orderly and even polite at times, but of course still dangerous...In one exceptional scene we see a German solder has to read something so he puts on reading glasses, this simple act makes him seem human and so makes the story all the more believable.
I also loved the look of the film. A light greenish tinge is used and adds a feel of nostalgia, as does the sets and clothing that's done in dark or earth tone colors. That's the art of cinema. The film is as beautiful to look at as it is to watch.
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I was going to call Au Revoir Les Enfants buy it's English title Goodbye Children, but IMDB refers to it by the original French title, so I went with that.
I know of an American Indie film that reminds me of the film style of Au Revoir Les Enfants. I might nominate it someday for an Hof.
I know of an American Indie film that reminds me of the film style of Au Revoir Les Enfants. I might nominate it someday for an Hof.
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I didn't know much about Dalton Trumbo before I watched the movie Trumbo, but I liked the movie a lot.
I usually prefer to watch movies based on real people or events before I watch the documentaries because it's easier to enjoy the movie when you don't know what's been changed for dramatic effect. Then, if I like the movie, I sometimes watch the documentary to find out the real story.
I usually prefer to watch movies based on real people or events before I watch the documentaries because it's easier to enjoy the movie when you don't know what's been changed for dramatic effect. Then, if I like the movie, I sometimes watch the documentary to find out the real story.
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