I have absolutely no idea how anybody could like this movie. It moves at a snail's pace, the plot is extremely thin, the acting is wooden (John Wayne) or exaggerated (nearly the entire rest of the cast), the characters are unbelievable, Wayne and O'Hara have zero chemistry, the fight looks ridiculous, Ireland is portrayed in the most cliched way and the misogyny is of the worst kind I have ever seen in a mainstream movie (and I have seen plenty of classics). I know it is unfair to measure a 70 year old film to today's standards but I could find very, very little to enjoy in this film. I really doubt that I would have liked it in 1952. Maureen O'Hara and the scenery were beautiful. That's about it.
Reviews
11 Reviews
The Age of Innocence
(1993)
Unengaging costume drama
27 January 2024
I watched this film twice, with a twenty year interval and both times I was underwhelmed. To start with a positive note: the production values were great. In fact the main characters of this film seem to be the locations where the story takes place. Scorsese is dazzled by the lush settings, giving us one close up after another of details of the sumptuous houses and costumes. There is nothing that any British tv costume drama could not do at least as well but never mind, this is about America. There does not seem to be a particular plot in this movie. A man is required by convention to marry one woman while he lusts for another one, and she for him. We are somehow supposed to feel sorry for the man only, whereas he is clearly the one who is most at liberty to make his own choice. Despite the great names, I found the acting mostly mediocre. There are no sparks between Archer and Olenska, so it's difficult to feel for them. Daniel Day-Lewis conveys his suffering through pained looks and intense stares. Michelle Pfeiffer looks like she's in a different movie. Winona Ryder does a good job. Richard E Grant plays his usual slick fop character, but this time with an American accent. Bonus points for Mirjam Margolyes horrific hairdo. I liked the scene with the hands in the carriage and the final scene. I found the rest tedious, slow and unnecessarily complicated. Most of the information was actually passed through a narrator, never a good sign in my book. I would not recommend this film.
Unforgiven
(1992)
Boohoo, it's really difficult to be a murderer
21 January 2024
Warning: Spoilers
It is difficult to understand how this film could have won so many Oscars. It moves at a snail's pace with endless irrelevant scenes and repeats (how many times can Clint Eastwood fall in the mud or have trouble to mount his horse?). Despite the apparent intention to reinvent the western genre, most cliches remain firmly in place. All women are prostitutes, all men are villains, all landscapes are spectacular, Clint barely manages a sentence of more than 5 words, etc. You get the idea. Only this time we are supposed to appreciate that it is really hard to be an elderly murderous scumbag because you might actually feel some remorse. The film makes sure that we get this point by repeating it over and over again. Thanks to a generous amount of plot armour old Clint survives his murderous but profitable mission unscathed and at the end we are informed that he used his blood money to move to the city and live a comfortable life. Now that part of the story could have made for an interesting film. This film was a pointless bore. The mountains of Wyoming looked gorgeous, though.
1917
(2019)
Beautifully shot but left me cold
5 January 2024
Warning: Spoilers
This film is no doubt a technical triumph. The seemingly continuous shots are beautifully choreographed and keep the story flowing. The acting was good and the shots of the trenches looked very realistic.
I found the plot a bit difficult to follow and there were several unlikely or inexplicable scenes. The two soldiers seemed extremely naive and inexperienced, even I (with 0 military experience) was yelling "watch out for booby traps!" to the screen when they were in the German underground shelter. Thanks to their 'plot armour' they survived many events that would have surely killed them in the real world (the shelter caving in, the plane crashing on them, the shooting at the bridge, the hunt in the village, the rapids and waterfall -?! In Northwest France LOL- the run in no-man's land.
Emotionally the film left me cold and the ending was quite predictable.
All in all, technically a triumph but I will have forgotten everything about this film by next week. Except for that hilarious waterfall near Arras (the trenches in the west were on a plain as any Europan and anybody with any interest in WW1 will know)...
I found the plot a bit difficult to follow and there were several unlikely or inexplicable scenes. The two soldiers seemed extremely naive and inexperienced, even I (with 0 military experience) was yelling "watch out for booby traps!" to the screen when they were in the German underground shelter. Thanks to their 'plot armour' they survived many events that would have surely killed them in the real world (the shelter caving in, the plane crashing on them, the shooting at the bridge, the hunt in the village, the rapids and waterfall -?! In Northwest France LOL- the run in no-man's land.
Emotionally the film left me cold and the ending was quite predictable.
All in all, technically a triumph but I will have forgotten everything about this film by next week. Except for that hilarious waterfall near Arras (the trenches in the west were on a plain as any Europan and anybody with any interest in WW1 will know)...
Lost in Translation
(2003)
Beautiful and sensitive and very funny
4 January 2024
I saw this movie in the cinema in 2003 and was blown away by it. At the time I was a bit older than Charlotte. I saw it back recently and by now I am about the age as Bob. It blew me away again. Both characters are completely relatable, both being at a point in their lives where they are not quite sure where they are going and how happy they are. Add to that the alienation of staying in the self-contained bubble of an expensive hotel in a completely foreign culture and you have the perfect setting for a brief encounter. Two people who discover to their own surprise that, while they seem to have little in common, they are somehow completely compatible. Their growing friendship and (non-sexual) intimacy is beautifully portrayed. They both occasionally seem to consider whether they should take things further but that would no doubt ruin their connection and upset their lives. It is beautiful and so recognisable to see their hesitation. Haven't we all had such encounters that we knew would just be brief and intense, with a hint of melancholy about what could have been under different circumstances?
The film is shot beautifully, with Tokyo as the perfect backdrop. The dialogues are sharp and witty, and Bill Murray has never been better with his deadpan comedy (the scene in the gym had me in stitches) and tender, melancholic glances at Charlotte. Scarlett Johanson did a great job too, and she was only 17 years old. I liked it that there is not really a plot but rather a meandering storyline in which we see the friendship between the characters develop. The ending is perfect. They both know that they will probably never meet again and that their connection was only meant to happen at that place and time. This was it and it was great while it lasted. But they will both fondly remember this episode for the rest of their lives.
I definitely plan to see this movie again. I am sure that it will still speak to me twenty years from now, when I hope to be old and wise.
The film is shot beautifully, with Tokyo as the perfect backdrop. The dialogues are sharp and witty, and Bill Murray has never been better with his deadpan comedy (the scene in the gym had me in stitches) and tender, melancholic glances at Charlotte. Scarlett Johanson did a great job too, and she was only 17 years old. I liked it that there is not really a plot but rather a meandering storyline in which we see the friendship between the characters develop. The ending is perfect. They both know that they will probably never meet again and that their connection was only meant to happen at that place and time. This was it and it was great while it lasted. But they will both fondly remember this episode for the rest of their lives.
I definitely plan to see this movie again. I am sure that it will still speak to me twenty years from now, when I hope to be old and wise.
Thelma & Louise
(1991)
Still a good film
1 January 2024
I saw this film in the cinema in 1991 with 2 girlfriends and we were blown away by it. We were students living in Europe and we decided on the spot that we would one day make that road trip in that ultra cool car and that we would kick ass like Thelma and Louise. But without the drama, please.
More than 30 years later these girls have long disappeared from my life and we never made that trip. But watching this film again after many years certainly brought back memories.
It is now difficult to imagine how groundbreaking this film was. A road movie about two women, real women with real feelings and real, flawed characters. Men behaving badly in ways that were sadly recognisable for a lot of women. These women taking their fate in their own hands and coming to life as they break away from their boring, restricted existence . It was so refreshing. I remember that at the time Ridley Scott said that it was good that a film about women, with a script written by a woman was directed by a man, to balance things out. Imagine anybody making that argument about the gazillions of films that have been made without the involvement of a single woman in a key role. That's how groundbreaking this film was.
So many years later this film still holds up well. It is a pleasure to watch Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis act together and to see these women evolve as the story unfolds. They make some pretty awful decisions but they remain real and relatable characters. The story balances drama (the near-rape, Louise and Jim's farewell) and comedy (the robbery, the trucker, JD jumping on the bed) very well. Most of the man are cartoon villains, in that sense the film shows its age and limitations. But the sexism and brutality they represent is sadly still very present today.
And after watching this film again, that road trip in a convertible in the Southwest US has jumped to the top of my list again. Just wow!
More than 30 years later these girls have long disappeared from my life and we never made that trip. But watching this film again after many years certainly brought back memories.
It is now difficult to imagine how groundbreaking this film was. A road movie about two women, real women with real feelings and real, flawed characters. Men behaving badly in ways that were sadly recognisable for a lot of women. These women taking their fate in their own hands and coming to life as they break away from their boring, restricted existence . It was so refreshing. I remember that at the time Ridley Scott said that it was good that a film about women, with a script written by a woman was directed by a man, to balance things out. Imagine anybody making that argument about the gazillions of films that have been made without the involvement of a single woman in a key role. That's how groundbreaking this film was.
So many years later this film still holds up well. It is a pleasure to watch Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis act together and to see these women evolve as the story unfolds. They make some pretty awful decisions but they remain real and relatable characters. The story balances drama (the near-rape, Louise and Jim's farewell) and comedy (the robbery, the trucker, JD jumping on the bed) very well. Most of the man are cartoon villains, in that sense the film shows its age and limitations. But the sexism and brutality they represent is sadly still very present today.
And after watching this film again, that road trip in a convertible in the Southwest US has jumped to the top of my list again. Just wow!
Goodfellas
(1990)
The horrible lives of gangsters
31 December 2023
I am not much of a fan of maffia films but I see the great quality of this film. The acting, the direction, the camera work, the sets and costumes are all top notch. This film kept me interested and engaged throughout, if a bit baffled at the depressingly violent lives that the characters chose to live.
We follow the life of a gangster with a voiceover (unnecessary in my view) telling us how young Henry is attracted to the glamour and power of the gangster lifestyle from childhood. It appears to be his only way out of a boring working class life.
Henry makes his way up the ranks, although he realises that as a non-Italian he will never reach the top. Other than the money and the power it is difficult to understand what it is Henry enjoys about his maffia life. The mobsters live in a claustrophobic, paranoid world, where supposed friends can turn on each other at any moment. Most of the mobsters are obnoxious, violent psychopaths as well as complete morons. They blow their blood money on tacky homes, cars and clothes, greedy wives and sleazy girlfriends.
Henry's wife gets a voice in this movie too, which is interesting. She willingly chooses this mobster to start a family with, despite the danger, the stress and the trauma it causes to her children (which we see crying a lot).
All in all, all of the main characters come across as highly unsympathetic and I found it difficult to understand what kept them in the horror lives they were living. But then again, once you've entered the world of crime, it is probably very difficult to get out.
So, perhaps it was a morality tale: stay away from the world of crime and drugs are bad, m'kay.
We follow the life of a gangster with a voiceover (unnecessary in my view) telling us how young Henry is attracted to the glamour and power of the gangster lifestyle from childhood. It appears to be his only way out of a boring working class life.
Henry makes his way up the ranks, although he realises that as a non-Italian he will never reach the top. Other than the money and the power it is difficult to understand what it is Henry enjoys about his maffia life. The mobsters live in a claustrophobic, paranoid world, where supposed friends can turn on each other at any moment. Most of the mobsters are obnoxious, violent psychopaths as well as complete morons. They blow their blood money on tacky homes, cars and clothes, greedy wives and sleazy girlfriends.
Henry's wife gets a voice in this movie too, which is interesting. She willingly chooses this mobster to start a family with, despite the danger, the stress and the trauma it causes to her children (which we see crying a lot).
All in all, all of the main characters come across as highly unsympathetic and I found it difficult to understand what kept them in the horror lives they were living. But then again, once you've entered the world of crime, it is probably very difficult to get out.
So, perhaps it was a morality tale: stay away from the world of crime and drugs are bad, m'kay.
When Harry Met Sally...
(1989)
Just the perfect romantic comedy
30 December 2023
I have seen this film so often that I basically know it by heart and still it makes me laugh every single time. Meg Ryan is adorable as the fussy, over-organised Sally. Billy Crystal is hilarious as the smart oddball Harry. Despite being complete opposites the evolving friendship between them is completely believable.
The dialogues are brilliant and so clever. Baby Fish-mouth, the wagon wheel table, the day-of-the-week underpants, I can watch it a hundred times and I will laugh a hundred times. The setting in a fairytale Manhattan, where young professionals can afford roomy apartments and where old jazz standards fill the air, adds to the magic. The scenes with the old couples telling their love stories are very sweet.
A perfect film for the Christmas period. Highly recommended, this film has aged well.
The dialogues are brilliant and so clever. Baby Fish-mouth, the wagon wheel table, the day-of-the-week underpants, I can watch it a hundred times and I will laugh a hundred times. The setting in a fairytale Manhattan, where young professionals can afford roomy apartments and where old jazz standards fill the air, adds to the magic. The scenes with the old couples telling their love stories are very sweet.
A perfect film for the Christmas period. Highly recommended, this film has aged well.
Aretha Franklin: Duets
(1993 TV Special)
It's not easy to sing a duet with the queen
29 December 2023
Aretha Franklin is in a very good mood and happy to sing with her guests. Except for Smokey Robinson they all seem to be feeling from overwhelmed (Bonnie Raitt) to terrified (Gloria Estefan) to invisible (PM Dawn) in her presence. She is such a force of nature that her partners are mostly reduced to background singers, with Gloria Estefan literally singing along with the backing vocals.
Still, it's fun to watch the interaction, with Rod Stewart making a complete fool of himself, and Aretha is clearly amusing herself (and not used to not singing solo). The songs are great and so is Aretha's singing. The costumes are amusing in a tacky 90's way.
Still, it's fun to watch the interaction, with Rod Stewart making a complete fool of himself, and Aretha is clearly amusing herself (and not used to not singing solo). The songs are great and so is Aretha's singing. The costumes are amusing in a tacky 90's way.
Turning Red
(2022)
Not very engaging or interesting
28 December 2023
I get the idea of this film, I think. Girl hits puberty and is torn between meeting the expectations of her Chinese-American family and the need to be herself and choose her own path. It's just that the story did not come to life for me. The characters (all of them) are exaggerated cliches. The events make no sense and the red panda metaphor feels contrived. I did not like the animation either. However, the scenes about and with the boy band were quite amusing and recognisable and I liked the part in the bamboo forest. That's about it. Being European, the controversy about the references to menstruation and the awakening interest in love and (very mild) sexuality are puzzling to me. If you're into puritanical child raising you may prefer to give this film a miss.
The Wild Bunch
(1969)
What did I just watch?
9 December 2023
While this was a revolutionary film in its time, it has aged very badly. Unengaging characters, plenty of gratuitous violence, endless confusing shootouts, stilted dialogues, horrible overacting, the near complete absence of a decent plot, racist depiction of Mexicans, an extremely sexist portrayal of women, an endless amount of plot holes, far too many close-ups of Ernest Borgnine's teeth, I can go on and on. Most of the time I had no idea what I was looking at, and frankly I did not care either. I find it difficult to understand what other people might like about this film. Probably being European doesn't help, although there are some westerns that I do like. Overall a very underwhelming film for us (watched with my husband and adolescent son, none of us liked it).
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