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Chappaquiddick - (2017)
During the 20th Century Joe Kennedy stood as the father of one of America's most prominent families. He'd had four sons. Joe Jnr, the most senior, died in a virtual suicide mission during World War II. Jack Kennedy became a U.S. President, and was assassinated in an event people will still be talking about 500 years from now. Robert Kennedy became a U.S. Attorney General, and was assassinated himself. Ted Kennedy had the humiliation and disgrace of the Chappaquiddick controversy. He was involved in an automobile accident in which he drove his car into an inlet - it landed roof-down, and while Kennedy was able to free himself, the woman he was travelling with, Mary Jo Kopechne, was left stranded in the car, underwater. Nobody knows the exact, true story of what happened next, for incredibly, Ted Kennedy didn't report the incident for 9 hours. I've read speculation that Kopechne might have been able to survive for quite some time in an air pocket - and that prompt emergency rescue activation might have been able to save her.
Chappaquiddick portrays Edward Kennedy (played by Jason Clarke) as a popular, but somewhat spoiled and dense member of the Kennedy family. He has a great inner turmoil, since he has to live up to his three brothers, all great men of history - but he's just not that kind of person. His father, Joe (Bruce Dern) treats him with absolute contempt - even from his vantage point of being half-paralyzed after a stroke. Despite all of this, Ted embraces his father and treats his words of scorn as if they're words of praise. He blames all of his horrible actions on his many problem-solvers, and often ignores their sage advice. In the end he can't muster up the courage to quit the Senate and live his own life - but luckily for him he's wealthy and a member of a powerful family - despite this being a clear case of manslaughter, he gets the lowest possible jail sentence, and even this is suspended. He reads his televised speech, and the American public continue to love him, despite his flaws. I've always enjoyed the interesting character study that Chappaquiddick is, and this was my second time watching it.
7/10
Really liked this movie...liked the fact that it doesn't portray Ted Kennedy as some misunderstood victim. Jason Clarke was superb in the role.
By The poster art can or could be obtained from the distributor., Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=55801587
Chappaquiddick - (2017)
During the 20th Century Joe Kennedy stood as the father of one of America's most prominent families. He'd had four sons. Joe Jnr, the most senior, died in a virtual suicide mission during World War II. Jack Kennedy became a U.S. President, and was assassinated in an event people will still be talking about 500 years from now. Robert Kennedy became a U.S. Attorney General, and was assassinated himself. Ted Kennedy had the humiliation and disgrace of the Chappaquiddick controversy. He was involved in an automobile accident in which he drove his car into an inlet - it landed roof-down, and while Kennedy was able to free himself, the woman he was travelling with, Mary Jo Kopechne, was left stranded in the car, underwater. Nobody knows the exact, true story of what happened next, for incredibly, Ted Kennedy didn't report the incident for 9 hours. I've read speculation that Kopechne might have been able to survive for quite some time in an air pocket - and that prompt emergency rescue activation might have been able to save her.
Chappaquiddick portrays Edward Kennedy (played by Jason Clarke) as a popular, but somewhat spoiled and dense member of the Kennedy family. He has a great inner turmoil, since he has to live up to his three brothers, all great men of history - but he's just not that kind of person. His father, Joe (Bruce Dern) treats him with absolute contempt - even from his vantage point of being half-paralyzed after a stroke. Despite all of this, Ted embraces his father and treats his words of scorn as if they're words of praise. He blames all of his horrible actions on his many problem-solvers, and often ignores their sage advice. In the end he can't muster up the courage to quit the Senate and live his own life - but luckily for him he's wealthy and a member of a powerful family - despite this being a clear case of manslaughter, he gets the lowest possible jail sentence, and even this is suspended. He reads his televised speech, and the American public continue to love him, despite his flaws. I've always enjoyed the interesting character study that Chappaquiddick is, and this was my second time watching it.
7/10
Really liked this movie...liked the fact that it doesn't portray Ted Kennedy as some misunderstood victim. Jason Clarke was superb in the role.
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This Sporting Life (1963)
It was one of the "new wave" films (which I thought of as an "art film") which continued the style of disaffected rebellious guys bucking society (ala The Wild One, Rebel Without a Cause, and others-- even A Streetcar Named Desire). The Brits referred to this type as a "kitchen sink" film, in contrast to the clean, idealistic films which were typical up to that time.
I watched the film again 20 years or so ago, and it held up at that time. I should watch it again to see if it still has the same impact. Some of the feel of the film and its broodiness put me in mind of the later great Antonioni film, Blow-up.
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I could understand your viewpoint on the rest of the film, but this? You. Are. Mental. 
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Dallas Buyers Club - (2013)
Keeping a long story short, I'm not a big Matthew McConaughey fan, while not being particularly averse to him either. Dallas Buyers Club is a good movie though. McConaughey plays real life character Ron Woodroof - someone who starts out as a horrible person (almost irredeemable) but is eventually forced to put himself in the shoes of others when he's diagnosed with HIV. At first I thought he was heading down the wrong path - ignoring his doctors and getting his hands on drugs that weren't approved by the FDA. But no - it seems pharmaceutical companies and profit-making drug manufacturers made it hard for AIDS victims to access useful medications in a timely fashion. The authorities made life as difficult as they could for Woodroof, and while I don't really approve of the average Joe handing out medication without medical training or any authority, the case with these victims were often so dire that he ended up doing some good. Jared Leto ended up winning an Oscar for playing a trans person - there's an actor with a lot of ups and downs. Interesting to note too, that McConaughey and Leto lost so much weight to play their roles that I don't know whether to tip my hat or be concerned.
7/10
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Mean Girls - (2004)
There seems to have been quite a few teen girl high school dramas where the main character narrates her own story - it feels so familiar by now. I got laughs from Mean Girls - it was funny enough to be consistently amusing, which is always a big plus. If Tina Fey and Amy Poehler are in a film, even in minor roles, it usually means it'll be okay. I wasn't over the moon with Mean Girls, which is about the same thing every other film like it's about - self esteem, bullying, romance and sociotropy. (Yep - I just learned a new word.) Being funny goes a long way though, so my feelings about the film balance out.
6/10
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The Mask - (1994)
I was never a huge fan of cartoons - they were okay, and I watched them as a kid, but I didn't love them the way Stanley Ipkiss (Jim Carrey) does in The Mask. This makes all of the silly stuff that happens when The Mask is unleashed particularly tiresome to me. I actually prefer the parts of this film where Jim Carrey is being funny without the animated help. I gave this another try - I hadn't seen it in forever - but the screenplay is really sub-par, and I find that if you don't like the gimmick here, then that's a deal-breaker.
5/10
Last edited by PHOENIX74; 05-05-23 at 12:16 AM.
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As soon as I saw I had a mention from you I remembered what I'd said and thought to myself "Oh God I've stepped in some doo doo here..." 😳 - yes, it was momentary insanity.
And, if you didn't, then it ok to be mental too. It just has to be called out otherwise it becomes normal, which leads to where we are now in the world.
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This Sporting Life (1963)
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I watched The Rental and The Perfection a couple days ago.
The Rental wasn't anything to write home about. It wasn't a bad film, but it wasn't a particularly noteworthy or distinct film either. Satiable for a new director (Dave Franco), but not a film I will recall in a week or two.
The Perfection was both better and more distinct. I have ignored this film for years, simply because I never heard anyone talk about it and I thought it looked a little generic (like a film Netflix scooped up because it had a low price-tag). I need to sit down and collect my thoughts on it, but I was certainly entertained and intrigued by it. I certainly enjoyed it, but I have to admit it is pretty wacky / stupid the more you think about it (and I'm not saying that with much angry or frustration). It's ridiculous when you think about it, but it's colorful, eccentric, and memorable all the same.
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The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie - 7/10
Good movie, and it's on YouTube for Free. About a teacher who's life is teaching. "In her prime" is another way she keeps describing herself, much to the chagrin of Don Lemon... She also constantly says in order for the old-fashioned to get rid of her, they'll have to assassinate her. I find the emergency of Fascist leaders juxtaposed with the idea of romance an interesting one. The movie got better as it went on.
Good movie, and it's on YouTube for Free. About a teacher who's life is teaching. "In her prime" is another way she keeps describing herself, much to the chagrin of Don Lemon... She also constantly says in order for the old-fashioned to get rid of her, they'll have to assassinate her. I find the emergency of Fascist leaders juxtaposed with the idea of romance an interesting one. The movie got better as it went on.
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I loved this film when it came out. It really put Richard Harris on the map, and started his laudable career.
It was one of the "new wave" films (which I thought of as an "art film") which continued the style of disaffected rebellious guys bucking society (ala The Wild One, Rebel Without a Cause, and others-- even A Streetcar Named Desire). The Brits referred to this type as a "kitchen sink" film, in contrast to the clean, idealistic films which were typical up to that time.
I watched the film again 20 years or so ago, and it held up at that time. I should watch it again to see if it still has the same impact. Some of the feel of the film and its broodiness put me in mind of the later great Antonioni film, Blow-up.
It was one of the "new wave" films (which I thought of as an "art film") which continued the style of disaffected rebellious guys bucking society (ala The Wild One, Rebel Without a Cause, and others-- even A Streetcar Named Desire). The Brits referred to this type as a "kitchen sink" film, in contrast to the clean, idealistic films which were typical up to that time.
I watched the film again 20 years or so ago, and it held up at that time. I should watch it again to see if it still has the same impact. Some of the feel of the film and its broodiness put me in mind of the later great Antonioni film, Blow-up.
I like "The Angry Young Men" -- Albert Finney, especially. Always loved the kitchen-sink English movies; kinda like the 60s mix between neo-realism and contemporary English movies..
"Loneliness of a Long-Distance Runner" is probably my favorite movie from the UK.
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Before the Devil Knows You're Dead (2007)
Good time-line (right word?) story about a family in distress after the two male siblings take matters into their own hands to clear financial worries. This ends in dire circumstances. The performances are all spot on and it's a good claustrophobic story as you can feel the tension cranking up even when the timelines cross. Good watch, excellent direction.
Good time-line (right word?) story about a family in distress after the two male siblings take matters into their own hands to clear financial worries. This ends in dire circumstances. The performances are all spot on and it's a good claustrophobic story as you can feel the tension cranking up even when the timelines cross. Good watch, excellent direction.
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie - 7/10
Good movie, and it's on YouTube for Free. About a teacher who's life is teaching. "In her prime" is another way she keeps describing herself, much to the chagrin of Don Lemon... She also constantly says in order for the old-fashioned to get rid of her, they'll have to assassinate her. I find the emergency of Fascist leaders juxtaposed with the idea of romance an interesting one. The movie got better as it went on.
Good movie, and it's on YouTube for Free. About a teacher who's life is teaching. "In her prime" is another way she keeps describing herself, much to the chagrin of Don Lemon... She also constantly says in order for the old-fashioned to get rid of her, they'll have to assassinate her. I find the emergency of Fascist leaders juxtaposed with the idea of romance an interesting one. The movie got better as it went on.
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Fiddler on the Roof - (1971)
1971 was a great year for films, with A Clockwork Orange, The Last Picture Show, The French Connection, Nicholas and Alexandra and Fiddler on the Roof all vying for Best Picture at the Oscars. A rare year where I actually like every nomination a great deal. It took until now to confirm my feelings for Fiddler on the Roof however - a 3 hour musical that I have to admit breaking into two portions. Topol is marvelous as Tevye the put-upon father of five willful daughters who will test just how willing he is to break with age-old Jewish traditions. I remember getting to know this guy from when he appeared in Flash Gordon and For Your Eyes Only in the 1980s - and sadly, he died only a few weeks ago at the age of 87. He's obviously most famous for appearing in this film, and provides it with it's heart and soul. It's hard to fathom that the young girls in this are now old ladies.
There's something magical about Fiddler on the Roof - almost as if something sacred has been woven into the fabric of the film, and it gives us a glimpse into the world of a Jewish community that, while persecuted, had remained unchanged for centuries until modernity came to disrupt their way of life. The music has a certain timeless quality, and that's why I rate it above the likes of An American in Paris, Easter Parade and High Society, which seem trivial in comparison. The fierce anti-Semitism and growing instability inside Russia creates an upheaval which sets the stage for the struggle these people go through, and makes this specific musical feel important and gives it a weighty depth. The fiddler on the roof represents the precarious balancing act of living life while still playing your personal tune and making decisions - hopefully without falling.
9/10
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Hair - (1979)
Far out man. Like, can you dig that this musical is like a trip man. You never know what these dudes are gonna say or sing next - sometimes they'll just do something completely random and spin you out and you'll be like "far out man" and they don't even care, they'll crash parties and "borrow" cars. But the Vietnam war is in full swing. Bummer man. John Savage, Treat Williams and Beverly D'Angelo lead the cast and while Savage starts out as a real square cowboy from Oklahoma, joining the army and doing what the man tells him, he still becomes friends with a group of hippies who remain loyal to him - an unexpected switcheroo between him and Williams leads to a surprise ending. The standout song is "Hair" of course, and while the film doesn't always hit the highs it does in that sequence, it has a strong finish and is another fine film from Miloš Forman. I believe in God, and I believe that God believes in Claude.
7.5/10
The guy who starts of the song, Woof, is played by Don Dacus, who would go on to play for a couple of years with the band Chicago. He was let go after a couple of years, mainly because he had the nearly-impossible task of filling the spot formerly held by the great Terry Kath who had accidentally shot himself and died. Also, just a bit of personal trivia, Dacus was from Texas and graduated from Cleburne High School, just a couple of towns from where I grew up. From what I understand, he's semi-retired and living in Austin with his wife and kids, but shows up from time-to-time to perform, sometimes with former Chicago players. His list of credits on Wikipedia as a guitarist is impressive. Sorry, I've rambled a bit. But Hair is indeed a fun movie. Love Fiddler on the Roof as well. Good reviews, @PHOENIX74!
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The Swarm (1978)
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One of the worst films ever made - but for me, one of the most enjoyable to watch. Completely nuts.
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