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I wanted to watch The Road Warrior again. But I watched Matrix Resurrections instead. It’s...not great. There’s stuff to like here, especially in the first half but the more it goes on the more my interest waned.
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Every day a voice in my head tells me I should watch The Road Warrior. And I have to be like, “No, I have things to do, I can’t sit around watching The Road Warrior.” Some days I lose that argument. Today was one of those days. The Road Warrior remains one of the finest films to come out of this era of man and machines.
I remember a time of chaos... ruined dreams... this wasted land. But most of all, I remember the road warrior...
WARNING: spoilers below
Mad Max was always a series I was aware of growing up, but never one I had much experience with firsthand; I watched the original movie when I was about sixteen, and I remember being kind of unengaged by it at the time, so I just never got interested in seeing the rest of the movies after that. However, having enjoyed Fury Road for the first time in 2016, and being aware of the high praise for the 2nd film, I decided it was finally time to check out The Road Warrior, and I definitely did not regret the decision; a colorfully intense, high octane post-apocalyptic actioner, TRW is a great time, and well deserving of its status as a classic of early 80's Action movies.
Maestro of Max George Miller achieves this by constantly including little details that color in the Aussie-flavored world of the film, as the costumes, props, and actors give their all to bring its characters to larger-than-life, er, life, with the animalistic, boomerang-throwing "Feral Child", Bruce Spence's eccentric, rattlesnake-loving gyro captain, and of course, the barbaric, leather-clad gang of maruders, lead by Vernon Wells's wide eyed, war crazy "Wez", and the muscle bound, Jason Vorhees-mask wearing leader Lord Humongous all adding a ton of personality to the film, and that's just barely scratching the surface of the crazy cast in this movie.
And, while one could argue some of the performances here are a bit too over the top, I find them rather apt for the exaggerated, comic book-ish future of the world, and enjoy the zeal with which certain actors chew the scenery (what little scenery remains in "The Wasteland", that is). Additionally, there's a lot of small happenings that help to spice the film up further, and make you forget about the admittedly simple plot; I mean, how can you not find Lord Humongus's "spokesman" getting all his fingers cut off when he tries to catch a metal boomerang morbidly hilarious? The crazy stuff comes so fast and heavy that you'd need to pause this movie every frame just to catch it all (and even then, you're gonna miss something), but doing so would only slow down the no-nonsense pacing that drives TRW so relentlessly forward.
And the supporting characters serve as a welcome contrast to Mel Gibson's Max, who, after violently losing his family in the first film and going "mad" at the end, now wanders The Wasteland endlessly, only interested in surviving the gangs of roving thugs, and scavenging for what little "guzzoline" he can scrape up, his only remaining sentimental connection lying with his faithful, scrawny little guard dog (who he imaginatively names "Dog"). You could say he's a spin on the classic, strong, silent hero type we've seen so often, but he really isn't all that, er, heroic during Warrior, as he makes zero attempt to rescue a woman he witnesses being assaulted (and displays almost no emotion as he watches), only comes to the aid of the group of under-siege settlers because of the all-you-can-guzzle gas deal they offer him, refuses to respond to any of the hero worship they direct at him, and tries to abandon them to a certain doom as soon as he can.
However, I find Max's cold, self-centered pragmatism to be a refreshingly honest direction for a lead protagonist, and his character here both fits in perfectly with both Miller's savage cinematic world, and serves as a well-motivated continuation of the arc that began in the original film. And, conversely, Max's emotional distancing ends up rendering the moments where shows the barest hints of humanity, like his silent bonding with the Feral Child over the gift of a music box, all the more impactful for their rareness within the film.
Finally, the action within The Road Warrior excels in a gritty, old-school DIY fashion, with every stunt being executed without the sort of CGI trickery that, over the last few decades, has all too often been used as an unnecessary crutch for blockbusters. No, every action scene here was, in one way or another, pulled off for real, as the stuntmen go above and beyond the call of duty, putting life and limb at severe risk in order to fully achieve Miller's vision of violence, and it looks like almost every stunt here came periously close to injuring someone (and indeed, some very serious injuries did occur), as the film's wreckless stunts, sheer sense of momentum, and overall vehicular mayhem all work together to create a thrilling rush within the audience. And, in the aftermath of TRW's unleashing, what was almost an entire subgenre of B-movies from all over the world tried to rip off its particular style, but all of them ended up being left far, FAR behind in The Road Warrior's dust, so forget all about those wannabes, and just bow before this towering warrior of post-apocalyptic action, baby.
Maestro of Max George Miller achieves this by constantly including little details that color in the Aussie-flavored world of the film, as the costumes, props, and actors give their all to bring its characters to larger-than-life, er, life, with the animalistic, boomerang-throwing "Feral Child", Bruce Spence's eccentric, rattlesnake-loving gyro captain, and of course, the barbaric, leather-clad gang of maruders, lead by Vernon Wells's wide eyed, war crazy "Wez", and the muscle bound, Jason Vorhees-mask wearing leader Lord Humongous all adding a ton of personality to the film, and that's just barely scratching the surface of the crazy cast in this movie.
And, while one could argue some of the performances here are a bit too over the top, I find them rather apt for the exaggerated, comic book-ish future of the world, and enjoy the zeal with which certain actors chew the scenery (what little scenery remains in "The Wasteland", that is). Additionally, there's a lot of small happenings that help to spice the film up further, and make you forget about the admittedly simple plot; I mean, how can you not find Lord Humongus's "spokesman" getting all his fingers cut off when he tries to catch a metal boomerang morbidly hilarious? The crazy stuff comes so fast and heavy that you'd need to pause this movie every frame just to catch it all (and even then, you're gonna miss something), but doing so would only slow down the no-nonsense pacing that drives TRW so relentlessly forward.
And the supporting characters serve as a welcome contrast to Mel Gibson's Max, who, after violently losing his family in the first film and going "mad" at the end, now wanders The Wasteland endlessly, only interested in surviving the gangs of roving thugs, and scavenging for what little "guzzoline" he can scrape up, his only remaining sentimental connection lying with his faithful, scrawny little guard dog (who he imaginatively names "Dog"). You could say he's a spin on the classic, strong, silent hero type we've seen so often, but he really isn't all that, er, heroic during Warrior, as he makes zero attempt to rescue a woman he witnesses being assaulted (and displays almost no emotion as he watches), only comes to the aid of the group of under-siege settlers because of the all-you-can-guzzle gas deal they offer him, refuses to respond to any of the hero worship they direct at him, and tries to abandon them to a certain doom as soon as he can.
However, I find Max's cold, self-centered pragmatism to be a refreshingly honest direction for a lead protagonist, and his character here both fits in perfectly with both Miller's savage cinematic world, and serves as a well-motivated continuation of the arc that began in the original film. And, conversely, Max's emotional distancing ends up rendering the moments where shows the barest hints of humanity, like his silent bonding with the Feral Child over the gift of a music box, all the more impactful for their rareness within the film.
Finally, the action within The Road Warrior excels in a gritty, old-school DIY fashion, with every stunt being executed without the sort of CGI trickery that, over the last few decades, has all too often been used as an unnecessary crutch for blockbusters. No, every action scene here was, in one way or another, pulled off for real, as the stuntmen go above and beyond the call of duty, putting life and limb at severe risk in order to fully achieve Miller's vision of violence, and it looks like almost every stunt here came periously close to injuring someone (and indeed, some very serious injuries did occur), as the film's wreckless stunts, sheer sense of momentum, and overall vehicular mayhem all work together to create a thrilling rush within the audience. And, in the aftermath of TRW's unleashing, what was almost an entire subgenre of B-movies from all over the world tried to rip off its particular style, but all of them ended up being left far, FAR behind in The Road Warrior's dust, so forget all about those wannabes, and just bow before this towering warrior of post-apocalyptic action, baby.
Final Score: 8.75
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I'm scared to watch this, but it's Matrix, so I have to
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"Some people just doesn't understand the dangers of indiscriminate surveillance."
"Some people just doesn't understand the dangers of indiscriminate surveillance."
The Road Warrior is a good one, which is why this post makes me want to repost my old review of it in here, so I'm going to go ahead and do that right now:
I remember a time of chaos... ruined dreams... this wasted land. But most of all, I remember the road warrior...
Final Score: 8.75
I remember a time of chaos... ruined dreams... this wasted land. But most of all, I remember the road warrior...
WARNING: spoilers below
Mad Max was always a series I was aware of growing up, but never one I had much experience with firsthand; I watched the original movie when I was about sixteen, and I remember being kind of unengaged by it at the time, so I just never got interested in seeing the rest of the movies after that. However, having enjoyed Fury Road for the first time in 2016, and being aware of the high praise for the 2nd film, I decided it was finally time to check out The Road Warrior, and I definitely did not regret the decision; a colorfully intense, high octane post-apocalyptic actioner, TRW is a great time, and well deserving of its status as a classic of early 80's Action movies.
Maestro of Max George Miller achieves this by constantly including little details that color in the Aussie-flavored world of the film, as the costumes, props, and actors give their all to bring its characters to larger-than-life, er, life, with the animalistic, boomerang-throwing "Feral Child", Bruce Spence's eccentric, rattlesnake-loving gyro captain, and of course, the barbaric, leather-clad gang of maruders, lead by Vernon Wells's wide eyed, war crazy "Wez", and the muscle bound, Jason Vorhees-mask wearing leader Lord Humongous all adding a ton of personality to the film, and that's just barely scratching the surface of the crazy cast in this movie.
And, while one could argue some of the performances here are a bit too over the top, I find them rather apt for the exaggerated, comic book-ish future of the world, and enjoy the zeal with which certain actors chew the scenery (what little scenery remains in "The Wasteland", that is). Additionally, there's a lot of small happenings that help to spice the film up further, and make you forget about the admittedly simple plot; I mean, how can you not find Lord Humongus's "spokesman" getting all his fingers cut off when he tries to catch a metal boomerang morbidly hilarious? The crazy stuff comes so fast and heavy that you'd need to pause this movie every frame just to catch it all (and even then, you're gonna miss something), but doing so would only slow down the no-nonsense pacing that drives TRW so relentlessly forward.
And the supporting characters serve as a welcome contrast to Mel Gibson's Max, who, after violently losing his family in the first film and going "mad" at the end, now wanders The Wasteland endlessly, only interested in surviving the gangs of roving thugs, and scavenging for what little "guzzoline" he can scrape up, his only remaining sentimental connection lying with his faithful, scrawny little guard dog (who he imaginatively names "Dog"). You could say he's a spin on the classic, strong, silent hero type we've seen so often, but he really isn't all that, er, heroic during Warrior, as he makes zero attempt to rescue a woman he witnesses being assaulted (and displays almost no emotion as he watches), only comes to the aid of the group of under-siege settlers because of the all-you-can-guzzle gas deal they offer him, refuses to respond to any of the hero worship they direct at him, and tries to abandon them to a certain doom as soon as he can.
However, I find Max's cold, self-centered pragmatism to be a refreshingly honest direction for a lead protagonist, and his character here both fits in perfectly with both Miller's savage cinematic world, and serves as a well-motivated continuation of the arc that began in the original film. And, conversely, Max's emotional distancing ends up rendering the moments where shows the barest hints of humanity, like his silent bonding with the Feral Child over the gift of a music box, all the more impactful for their rareness within the film.
Finally, the action within The Road Warrior excels in a gritty, old-school DIY fashion, with every stunt being executed without the sort of CGI trickery that, over the last few decades, has all too often been used as an unnecessary crutch for blockbusters. No, every action scene here was, in one way or another, pulled off for real, as the stuntmen go above and beyond the call of duty, putting life and limb at severe risk in order to fully achieve Miller's vision of violence, and it looks like almost every stunt here came periously close to injuring someone (and indeed, some very serious injuries did occur), as the film's wreckless stunts, sheer sense of momentum, and overall vehicular mayhem all work together to create a thrilling rush within the audience. And, in the aftermath of TRW's unleashing, what was almost an entire subgenre of B-movies from all over the world tried to rip off its particular style, but all of them ended up being left far, FAR behind in The Road Warrior's dust, so forget all about those wannabes, and just bow before this towering warrior of post-apocalyptic action, baby.
Maestro of Max George Miller achieves this by constantly including little details that color in the Aussie-flavored world of the film, as the costumes, props, and actors give their all to bring its characters to larger-than-life, er, life, with the animalistic, boomerang-throwing "Feral Child", Bruce Spence's eccentric, rattlesnake-loving gyro captain, and of course, the barbaric, leather-clad gang of maruders, lead by Vernon Wells's wide eyed, war crazy "Wez", and the muscle bound, Jason Vorhees-mask wearing leader Lord Humongous all adding a ton of personality to the film, and that's just barely scratching the surface of the crazy cast in this movie.
And, while one could argue some of the performances here are a bit too over the top, I find them rather apt for the exaggerated, comic book-ish future of the world, and enjoy the zeal with which certain actors chew the scenery (what little scenery remains in "The Wasteland", that is). Additionally, there's a lot of small happenings that help to spice the film up further, and make you forget about the admittedly simple plot; I mean, how can you not find Lord Humongus's "spokesman" getting all his fingers cut off when he tries to catch a metal boomerang morbidly hilarious? The crazy stuff comes so fast and heavy that you'd need to pause this movie every frame just to catch it all (and even then, you're gonna miss something), but doing so would only slow down the no-nonsense pacing that drives TRW so relentlessly forward.
And the supporting characters serve as a welcome contrast to Mel Gibson's Max, who, after violently losing his family in the first film and going "mad" at the end, now wanders The Wasteland endlessly, only interested in surviving the gangs of roving thugs, and scavenging for what little "guzzoline" he can scrape up, his only remaining sentimental connection lying with his faithful, scrawny little guard dog (who he imaginatively names "Dog"). You could say he's a spin on the classic, strong, silent hero type we've seen so often, but he really isn't all that, er, heroic during Warrior, as he makes zero attempt to rescue a woman he witnesses being assaulted (and displays almost no emotion as he watches), only comes to the aid of the group of under-siege settlers because of the all-you-can-guzzle gas deal they offer him, refuses to respond to any of the hero worship they direct at him, and tries to abandon them to a certain doom as soon as he can.
However, I find Max's cold, self-centered pragmatism to be a refreshingly honest direction for a lead protagonist, and his character here both fits in perfectly with both Miller's savage cinematic world, and serves as a well-motivated continuation of the arc that began in the original film. And, conversely, Max's emotional distancing ends up rendering the moments where shows the barest hints of humanity, like his silent bonding with the Feral Child over the gift of a music box, all the more impactful for their rareness within the film.
Finally, the action within The Road Warrior excels in a gritty, old-school DIY fashion, with every stunt being executed without the sort of CGI trickery that, over the last few decades, has all too often been used as an unnecessary crutch for blockbusters. No, every action scene here was, in one way or another, pulled off for real, as the stuntmen go above and beyond the call of duty, putting life and limb at severe risk in order to fully achieve Miller's vision of violence, and it looks like almost every stunt here came periously close to injuring someone (and indeed, some very serious injuries did occur), as the film's wreckless stunts, sheer sense of momentum, and overall vehicular mayhem all work together to create a thrilling rush within the audience. And, in the aftermath of TRW's unleashing, what was almost an entire subgenre of B-movies from all over the world tried to rip off its particular style, but all of them ended up being left far, FAR behind in The Road Warrior's dust, so forget all about those wannabes, and just bow before this towering warrior of post-apocalyptic action, baby.
Final Score: 8.75
Some of the smaller moments of RW that I love:
WARNING: spoilers below
Max being all about making deals, with the Gyro Captain to take him to the oil, with Papagallo to get them the rig, etc. It’s what keeps him truly neutral for most of the movie. I love Papagallo’s line, “He fulfilled a contract. He’s an honorable man.” He delivered it with both admiration for a noble deed he doesn’t see much any more and annoyance that he isn’t getting what he wants out of Max. It’s a terrifically delivered line.
Even at the end when he volunteers to drive the rig it’s not out of the goodness of his heart. Max knows it’s his best chance of getting out of there alive. And the set up at the beginning of three cars going one direction to distract the marauders while one car goes in another to try to get away is the same plan at the end with the oil. And all that “hero worship” they heap on Max while asking him to drive the rig. Nobody bothers to tell him he’s the decoy. They’re using him just like he’s using them to get out alive.
Even at the end when he volunteers to drive the rig it’s not out of the goodness of his heart. Max knows it’s his best chance of getting out of there alive. And the set up at the beginning of three cars going one direction to distract the marauders while one car goes in another to try to get away is the same plan at the end with the oil. And all that “hero worship” they heap on Max while asking him to drive the rig. Nobody bothers to tell him he’s the decoy. They’re using him just like he’s using them to get out alive.
I saw Silent Partner a completely Meh! caper film. I kept expecting it to have more of a sense of humor about itself. I mean John Candy and Michael O'Donahue are in it. The music is very Klute like and keeps the atmosphere very Klute like but without a Klute like screenplay.
The best thing about this movie is the beautiful brunette supporting actress who seduces the anti-hero. Her name is Celine Lomez and I couldn't believe that she wasn't a huge star. She had so much charisma. Turns out, though I had never seen her before, she was a popstar in Canada.. I guess she didn't make it in the States because she is a francophone and America already had its sixties and seventies francophone star Genvieve Bujold.
I give it 2 popcorn boxes and I'll add a Hershey with Almonds for Celine Lomez.
The best thing about this movie is the beautiful brunette supporting actress who seduces the anti-hero. Her name is Celine Lomez and I couldn't believe that she wasn't a huge star. She had so much charisma. Turns out, though I had never seen her before, she was a popstar in Canada.. I guess she didn't make it in the States because she is a francophone and America already had its sixties and seventies francophone star Genvieve Bujold.
I give it 2 popcorn boxes and I'll add a Hershey with Almonds for Celine Lomez.
Last edited by beelzebubble; 12-23-21 at 05:39 PM.
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THE MATRIX RESURRECTIONS:
While only one Watchowski made this, it’s clear that a solo Lana is every bit as ambitious as their duo was. This is very much in keeping with their post-Matrix output: stylish, ambitious, philosophical, campy and messy. The latter points can often cause the other elements to stumble (and sometimes fall) but I think this one, against all odds and expectations, keeps it’s footing.
Doubling down on the human elements, the emotion and drama of this film almost feel alien after watching the stilted, robotic and verbose sequels, making it feel closer to the original on an emotional level, which is a welcome change.
However, perhaps because of this decision, the action seems to have been put on the back burner and while more than competent, it can’t hold a candle to the previous entries of the franchise. If you watch the Matrix films for their impeccable action rather than their philosophical/existential/sci-fi pastiche, you may end up fairly disappointed.
Another issue is that the film seems to struggle under the weight of its own ambition. The first half cleverly introduces a new world and does so with energy and vigor. This seems to be the movie Lana primarily wanted to make, commenting on her own success with the original trilogy and the state of reboots. However, when the focus shifts to the more traditional Matrix narrative and becomes more focused on the action, it loses something.
As is, when compared to the previous sequels, it’s at least comparable and as a fan of the franchise, it was nice to see Lana come out swinging, not content to simply rehash and make another Matrix film. It’s a modern blockbuster in which most of my trailer based predictions were not only inaccurate, but I wasn’t dissatisfied with the truths provided. That has to count for something.
4/5
While only one Watchowski made this, it’s clear that a solo Lana is every bit as ambitious as their duo was. This is very much in keeping with their post-Matrix output: stylish, ambitious, philosophical, campy and messy. The latter points can often cause the other elements to stumble (and sometimes fall) but I think this one, against all odds and expectations, keeps it’s footing.
Doubling down on the human elements, the emotion and drama of this film almost feel alien after watching the stilted, robotic and verbose sequels, making it feel closer to the original on an emotional level, which is a welcome change.
However, perhaps because of this decision, the action seems to have been put on the back burner and while more than competent, it can’t hold a candle to the previous entries of the franchise. If you watch the Matrix films for their impeccable action rather than their philosophical/existential/sci-fi pastiche, you may end up fairly disappointed.
Another issue is that the film seems to struggle under the weight of its own ambition. The first half cleverly introduces a new world and does so with energy and vigor. This seems to be the movie Lana primarily wanted to make, commenting on her own success with the original trilogy and the state of reboots. However, when the focus shifts to the more traditional Matrix narrative and becomes more focused on the action, it loses something.
As is, when compared to the previous sequels, it’s at least comparable and as a fan of the franchise, it was nice to see Lana come out swinging, not content to simply rehash and make another Matrix film. It’s a modern blockbuster in which most of my trailer based predictions were not only inaccurate, but I wasn’t dissatisfied with the truths provided. That has to count for something.
4/5
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The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf (2021)
It was suggested to me, that I should watch this before the second season of the series. I guess I'll postpone the series for a while, as this one was so dull and uninspired. I can imagine I'd have liked this in my tweens, though.
--
Black Magic Rites (1973)
aka The Reincarnation of Isabel, Riti, magie nere e segrete orge nel Trecento...
What complete nonsense, but such fabulous nonsense. A dreamlike journey not so different from Fulci's more obscure offerings, but with witches, vampires, and nudity instead of zombies and grotesque gore. Most of the time I had no idea what's happening, but a fascinating watch nonetheless.
It was suggested to me, that I should watch this before the second season of the series. I guess I'll postpone the series for a while, as this one was so dull and uninspired. I can imagine I'd have liked this in my tweens, though.
--
Black Magic Rites (1973)
aka The Reincarnation of Isabel, Riti, magie nere e segrete orge nel Trecento...
What complete nonsense, but such fabulous nonsense. A dreamlike journey not so different from Fulci's more obscure offerings, but with witches, vampires, and nudity instead of zombies and grotesque gore. Most of the time I had no idea what's happening, but a fascinating watch nonetheless.
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'C'Mon C'Mon' (2021)
Dir. Mike Mills
Dir. Mike Mills
A truly remarkable performance by Woody Norman as Jesse, a 9 year old who's mother needs to leave him for a while, so his sound recordist uncle Johnny (Joaquin Phoenix) takes care of him. Johnny takes Jesse to New York as he has alot of work on, from there the characters need to find themselves and help each other. All the while, Johnny records groups of youngsters for his next radio documentary project, whos words act as lovely intermissions describing us, them and the state of the world.
This film explores the struggles of our minds, how we connect and cope, how we relate and deal with others, how we make memories and much more. The script is just fantastic - I have no idea how anyone can make a 1 hour 50minute film on such a simple premise that has such depth and emotion. Mike Mills has just created a humdinger of a script.
The cinematography of New York (and of Detroit, New Orleans and Oakland) is reminiscent of Manhattan. The choice to shoot in black and white gives the film a nostalgic feel, like it's someone's diary we are watching play out. Mills' film has many layers as we slowly find out a little about the characters and why they have the personalities they do. There are some things we can change and there are some things we can't.
'Finding a way to find yourself' - the message is clear, the film is great.
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Cringe and awful!
I have dreamed a dream, but now that dream is gone from me.
I have dreamed a dream, but now that dream is gone from me.
I kinda had the same feeling for T2 (Trainspotting)... I always thought how cool it would be to modernize it, as they have aged, but because the world has changed so much due to the internet.
The trailer was the only good 2 minutes of that movie.. The rest was absolute garbage. Slow-motion, Spud being some kind of business genius -- no originality. I hope it bombed at the box office.. I've never seen anyone even mention this movie, but I do see people mention "Trainspotting"
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Blast of Silence
90/100
90/100
Watch this a few nights ago, pretty forgettable that's why I forgot to post about it
Lisbon (1956)
Dir. Ray Milland
Dir. Ray Milland
I'd say that's the best screenshot from the film. Not because there's a pretty woman in it, because if that was the case I'd include a screenshot of Maureen O'Hara who costars. That above shot was interesting as in context, the star Ray Milland was walking outside of a villa in Portugal and encounters a local sun bathing beauty with only her big brimmed hat to cover her, modesty. Ray takes notice of her!..Of course when she stands she has a full one piece bathing suit on. But it was a great way to introduce a femme fatale in this would-be drama noir.
Lisbon is second of only four movies directed by Ray Milland who not only stars but produced it. Shot on location in Lisbon the widescreen color film is best for showing of the beauty of that city. Milland himself makes a fairly statically directed film with camera work that's uninspired. The typical interior shot has hardly any background dressing and the camera is just locked down for a two-shot with both actors perpendicular to a long wall. But I guess the camera work matches the ho-hum story.
Claude Rains was the most interesting character here, just think of Casablanca but only now he's in Lisbon. Not Maureen O'Hara or Ray Milland's best work.
Lisbon is second of only four movies directed by Ray Milland who not only stars but produced it. Shot on location in Lisbon the widescreen color film is best for showing of the beauty of that city. Milland himself makes a fairly statically directed film with camera work that's uninspired. The typical interior shot has hardly any background dressing and the camera is just locked down for a two-shot with both actors perpendicular to a long wall. But I guess the camera work matches the ho-hum story.
Claude Rains was the most interesting character here, just think of Casablanca but only now he's in Lisbon. Not Maureen O'Hara or Ray Milland's best work.
Last edited by Citizen Rules; 11-04-23 at 07:01 PM.
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By The poster art can or could be obtained from the distributor., Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=54170950
Logan Lucky - (2017)
There's a nice conglomeration of actors who I really enjoyed watching in Logan Lucky. Channing Tatum (who really showed an aptitude for comedy in the Jump Street films,) Adam Driver, Daniel Craig, Dwight Yoakam, Katie Holmes, Seth MacFarlane, Hilary Swank...they kept on popping up at perfect moments, gelling with a clever script. This is Steven Soderbergh's 'Hillbilly Ocean's Eleven' and is looser with adding even more fun to proceedings. This heist involves a NASCAR race instead of casinos, and things really kick up a notch when Tatum's Jimmy Logan and Driver's Clyde Logan recruit Joe Bang (Craig) from a prison with Yoakam as warden. A whole side-plot involves Clyde getting put in prison so they both can escape and then break back in later. This is light entertainment, but has colour and flair to burn, so I enjoyed it very much. It really revels in it's characters, allowing the performers to really let go and create goofy (but smart) Southern caricatures. Glad I finally caught up with it.
7.5/10
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We miss you Takoma
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Latest Review : Le Circle Rouge (1970)
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'C'Mon C'Mon' (2021)
Dir. Mike Mills
Dir. Mike Mills
A truly remarkable performance by Woody Norman as Jesse, a 9 year old who's mother needs to leave him for a while, so his sound recordist uncle Johnny (Joaquin Phoenix) takes care of him. Johnny takes Jesse to New York as he has alot of work on, from there the characters need to find themselves and help each other. All the while, Johnny records groups of youngsters for his next radio documentary project, whos words act as lovely intermissions describing us, them and the state of the world.
This film explores the struggles of our minds, how we connect and cope, how we relate and deal with others, how we make memories and much more. The script is just fantastic - I have no idea how anyone can make a 1 hour 50minute film on such a simple premise that has such depth and emotion. Mike Mills has just created a humdinger of a script.
The cinematography of New York (and of Detroit, New Orleans and Oakland) is reminiscent of Manhattan. The choice to shoot in black and white gives the film a nostalgic feel, like it's someone's diary we are watching play out. Mills' film has many layers as we slowly find out a little about the characters and why they have the personalities they do. There are some things we can change and there are some things we can't.
'Finding a way to find yourself' - the message is clear, the film is great.
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