jim-862 Reviews

Crimson Rivers 2: Angels of the Apocalypse (2004)

Ditto

[7/10 · 24 June 2011]

I rate this a SEVEN because the film is highly entertaining.

The apartment fight scene with Reda is fantastic, and the mood of the film is somber. One feels drawn into the mystery of where it is going.

But the reviewer on the main page has truly nailed the flaws of this film. What is this demonizing of religion all about? The Catholic Church has a far greater role in French society than in the US, and therefore appears more prominently in this film than in say an American flavor of it. In America, the hooded priest hooligans/angels of death would have been laughable. The attention paid to the Jesus-look-alike in the direction of the film is clearly reverential, to add to the legend of the "last days" theme. But this handling truly reveals a deep divide between American and French audiences.

Then appears the sinister German relic in Christopher Lee, survivor of WWII, and even the Maginot line must echo they echo of German/French antipathy. He holds a secret in the mysterious order; so, subliminal message, the Catholic Church is co-opted by Nazis--the Vatican could NOT have been pleased. As the reviewer on the main page notes, the ending is outright theft of concept from Indiana Jones.

The first Crimson Rivers ends in a muddled pool of pre-sentient Christian/Catholic dogma; Empire of the Wolves, while very good, refuses to take on the real Turkish threat, but instead pursues "right wing Turks" who trade in women, drugs, and train terrorists--right and left wing Turks? Hello, Islamists, which are they? The only French Reno film I have seen that is devoid of this French PC/Religious fear/animus is WASABI. Wasabi is a wonderfully funny film, and well worth seeing.

Angels of the Apolcalypse is very entertaining, but comes whimpering to fin.

3:10 to Yuma (2007)

Worse than bad

[1/10 · 17 February 2008]

This is a stinker of the Nth order. Nothing in this movie rings true. From the moment when the McElroy character played by Peter Fonda is shot POINT BLANK in the stomach, and not only doesn't die, but lives on to lead the posse after cold-turkey surgery THE SAME DAY, this movie lost me. From then on, all I see are its flaws.

They are countless.

The story is muddled and confused. There is dialog that uses contemporary vernacular. The end is SO COMPLETELY unbelievable that it isn't even worth spoiling for you all.

Smells like the old West, though. Like fresh road apples or cow pie.

In short, this was a remake that should never have seen the light of day. James Mangold, director, clearly let everything get away from him, as he did in Walk The Line, a movie that ended up being a really bad film vehicle for Ocsar nominees, but started out being a really good biography of Johnny Cash that NEVER DELIVERED.

Miss this train! The 3:10 to Yuma is garbage.

Man on a Tightrope (1953)

Hollywood Blackball Backlash Buries This Terrific Film

[9/10 · 28 October 2007]

A film about escape from the Stalinist tyranny of the East Bloc? In the 1950s? By the Director who brought you Splendor in the Grass, East of Eden, and On The Waterfront? Never heard of it, huh? Perhaps it is time to look a little more closely at Hollywood's Celluloid Curtain and see if indeed our entertainment industry thinks that exposing totalitarianism is somehow not "politically correct." One seriously has to wonder why this star-studded, exciting, and uplifting film has received so little airtime over the years.

Frederic March, Gloria Grahame, Adolphe Menjou, Richard Boone, screenplay by Robert Sherwood, of Lincoln in Illinois and The Best Years of Our Lives fame...

SEE THIS FILM!

War of the Worlds (2005)

drivel

[1/10 · 22 January 2006]

This movie is why I rarely go to the theater anymore. This is an insult to my intelligence.

Steven Spielberg, how dare you present such a saccharine-coated load of guano? How could you do this? There is nothing here but Tom's excellent adventure. Nothing, nothing nothing! The only thing I question is, are you really that tasteless, or do you just believe your own BS to this extent? Where is the story here? What is up with that ending? Why did you need that Morgan Freeman voice-over at the end? This is awful cinema. I recently excoriated Armaggedon, and now, compared to this, that looked like a John Ford film! I mean, Steve Buscehmi singing "On a Jet Plane" was a better film moment than most of this terrible terrible movie.

The fact that so many people rated this highly frightens me.

L.A. Confidential (1997)

The trappings, but not the substance of greatness

[6/10 · 11 August 2005]

This film gets a six from me, largely because of the very strong acting by everyone.

The story...is a cardboard sham of story, a "Chinatown" wannabe, that has unsatisfactory twists and turns, painfully slow beginnings, and ridiculously stereotyped tinging. The heavy hand of "period feel" is everywhere, a reek of over-exertion to make it "sound" right, "look" right. But, it "isn't" right.

A personal yutz of mine is Dudley Smith's referral in a press conference to "DMV". Small point perhaps, but I doubt you can return to that period and find one reference in any publication to DMV as an acronym for Division of Motor Vehicles. In a desire to "make it feel real", I think, they all forgot to "keep it real."

Screenwriter Helgeland credits include Conspiracy Theory, Bloodwork, this film, A Knight's Tale, Payback, The Postman, Mystic River, and Man on Fire. Mostly good, but you can't win them all. But his purposed use of the "F" bomb over and over again, is, for me, out of bounds, for there is no added dramatic affect from it, and, while certainly used back in that period, wasn't used like we hear it used. Also, the constant referral to "whores cut to look like film stars", followed by the somewhat humorous Lana Turner gag was, for me, a huge nothing. So what? The angle that was interesting is the BLACKMAIL (which connects immediately to the DeVito character), the GANGLAND rubouts, and, of course, the MISSING HEROIN. The plastic surgery angle is a total zero.

Bud White's oh, so predictable relationship with the Madam, and the Exley character's pursuit of her was unsupportable and doesn't come off. But, it has to be there, or else the Beefeater Bud White won't see red enough to accept the truth about Exley-Vincennes' findings.

Chinatown is one of the best examples of a period film that seems to have got it right. Perhaps because writer Robert Towne's father-in-law was actor John Payne, who acted in Noir Films under the direction of Phil Karlson (Kansas City Confidential, for one). And, then, too, there was world-class director Roman Polanski to steer the course, who was, at that time, on top of his game and not yet a convicted sex-offender.

Direction in L.A. Confidential is not obvious, and it could have used some. This film wants strong direction, needed to cut out the fat in this screenplay, which I think was about 20 minutes of unnecessary scenes that add nothing to the plot or suspense of the finale.

Six. Not one for the ages, but, again, memorable performances throughout.

Payback (I) (1999)

There's a 70s feel for a reason

[8/10 · 4 August 2005]

I'll put down my TELNET Nikkor lens now. The fast 2.8 400 mm. I'll throw the half-smoked camel with a flick through the window and lock up the up the black Buick that needs a wash and looks like every other car on the road. I got what I needed. What I need now is a drink.

Come on, Baby, sit down. That's right, sure, light up. Use the ashtray would you, the janitor complains.

You know, Baby, see, you can watch Payback, and wonder, why are all those telephones rotary? Why is the "car phone" in Fairfax's Limo a "car phone?" Why does Resnick say on the phone that he wants to talk to President Nixon? Heck, you can call it "retro." And that's slick.

Look, Baby, there's a generation and a half of you out there that think what you see on the silver screen was written yesterday.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, Donald E. Westlake wrote it. 1999, credits said. He did a lot of research, and painted this piece of noir pulp 70s to see if any of you are breathing out there.

There--there's the file. Go on. Open it. "The Hunter" published 1984. Richard Stark, author. Written in the 70s.

Check it out. This guy has more aliases than all of the cons and crooks he writes about.

Where did I get my information? Wait--here's that drink. Yeah, Cheers! to your baby blue eyes, kiddo. No, I got no ice. This is what you get for free, Baby, this and an almost-clean tumbler of scotch. Next look costs you a couple of Benjis.

So, did you like the movie? I did. James Coburn, uncredited. Kristofferson. Devane. You like movies? Check out their filmography. Magnificent Seven. Marathon Man. Bring Me The Head of Alfredo Garcia.

Twists and turns? This thing has everything. Mel Gibson couldn't have done better. I knew he had it in him.

The director? Gibson took over, you say? Look, the guy, Brian Helgeland, wrote a good screenplay. That don't mean you can get actors to act for Chrissakes.

Say, Baby, don't guzzle that scotch--that's multiple malt. What does he do next, A Knight's Tale? My sweet lord, that tells a tale. Give him the credit he deserves as a writer--Conspiracy Theory, L.A. Confidential, Bloodwork, Mystic River.

All right, time's up. I got things to go, places to do. You got more than you shoulda got. You OK to drive, Baby? Hey, wait a--put that away, little popgun like that, you could break a window. What is that, .32? Won't go through my jacket. Besides, I got my .45 pointed right at your guts. I won't miss. Be a shame to spoil those lovely clothes. No, you can keep the gun, Baby. Your daddy might spank you if you lost it. Go on, nice and slow, get up. Back out. There's the door, now turn, nice and easy.

My, you are lovely though. What a shame you got no manners. Don't let the door hit your, ah, purse, on the way out.

Oh and Baby? Lose my number.

Criminal Law (1988)

An Early Classic for Oldman and Bacon

[8/10 · 2 August 2005]

Criminal Law is a thriller of the first order.

Performances were outstanding by all. The Martin Thiel character, played to dizzy, frightening reality by Bacon, is chilling, to say the least.

The courtroom scenes were excellently written and performed. Oldman, as Ben Chase, acts at a high level as he brings his character through the torturous conflict between his professional ethics and his own humanity. Without, I might add, any British accent showing through, but with a clearly intentional Irish brogue when his blood is up. Nice work, that.

Mark Kasdan--author of Silverado and brother of writer/director/producer Lawrence Kasdan--writes a spare story with immediate suspense. He neatly puts attorney and client in a cat-and-mouse game, where Chase's silence, or betrayal, are equally dangerous for him, and for his love interest, Ellen, played well by Karen Young (Heat, 9-1/2 Weeks).

Elizabeth Shepherd plays the icy mother to perfection. Her blind devotion to her son, along with the absence of any physical display of emotion, are together at the root of the Thiel family dysfunction. This interpersonal rift makes the Martin Thiel character appear stiff and creepy and adds to the confusion and suspense of his innocence or guilt in the string of grisly sex murders that pepper this film.

The use of fire and rain throughout also enrages the imagination and adds clearly to the loathing an animal fear in Criminal Law. It is easy for the viewer to feel stalked or hunted in these parts of the movie--deliciously!

Tess Harper and Joe Don Baker have critical but minor roles, and do nothing to spoil the suspense of it. Both get well into their characters, though, somehow, Harper's Det. Stillwell and Shepherd's Dr. Thiel persona seem too similar...a minor overall script chemistry complaint, at that.

This is a thoroughly enjoyable movie, much better than most we see today almost 20 years hence. Yes, there are minor scripting flaws that I think the true movie-lover will forgive. Any fan of Kevin Bacon and/or Gary Oldman who hasn't seen this film is missing something terrific.

His Girl Friday (1940)

A Picture-Perfect Film

[10/10 · 21 June 2005]

Howard Hawks was completely on top of his game when he shot this film. It is an enduring, eternal film classic.

He took an already popular story, "The Front Page", and fixed it by creating the female Hildy. This came about during a party, at which Hawks, holding forth, was going to have the party goers read "The Front Page" for a lark. So he hands around the scripts, and discovers there aren't enough men. A woman gets the Hildy part.

And the rest, movie-lovers, is Cinema History. What a master stroke!

Great casting! Great acting! Great direction, and photography! Great screenplay that nicely serves up Big City Corruption and dances around the unscrupulous abuse of 1st Amendment freedoms by the Press.

All with taste, artistic and noble. And unbelievably funny throughout.

Perfect.

The Big Sleep (1946)

Not as Good as I thought it once was

[9/10 · 16 June 2005]

Faulkner's screenplay is NOT good. The movie is really not a lot like the novel. Now, that shouldn't be a knock, but the novel makes much more sense than this muddle of Hollywoodized caricatures of Chandler's tale.

The whole thing got cooked into this tongue-in-cheek Bogey/Bacall thing, because of the success of To Have and Have Not, and so they hyped up the Bogey Sex Appeal at the sacrifice of the story, which is about a lady who can't keep her clothes on when cameras are around, and whose husband is "missing".

**Analogy: Chandler's Big Sleep is to Filet Mignon, as Hawk's Big Sleep is to BK Broiler.**

I love Hawk's work in the antic comedy area, but between his hammy directing and Faulker's (give me another mint julep *hic* honey) flat, canned screenplay, this is just a Screen Giant Personality Fest.

It was cute in To Have and Have Not, but give me a freaking' break. Where's the life-and-death in this thing? Film Noir? The only thing "Noir" about this was that it was "Blanc-Noir".

Jim

Pulp Fiction (1994)

A bandwagon-hype-faux-happening

[1/10 · 6 June 2005]

Sorry you QT worshippers. This film first of all was no Reservoir Dogs, and second of all, doesn't have the edge or guts of "Fight Club" or "American History X", for example.

This is a "tour-de-FORCED", "I'm-so-full-of-my-self", pant-load of a movie. Calculated hit for the "I'm-so-full-of-my-self" yuppie-money-punk crowd, who think they are "HIP" and "COOL" because they connect with "The Street".

Analogy:

"Pulp Fiction" is to "Reservoir Dogs" as "Oceans 11" is to The Getaway

This film is a Tarantino Ego Trip that merits no higher, in my humble though strong opinion, no higher than a "5".

Closer (I) (2004)

Effluent waste (of time and money)

[1/10 · 29 May 2005]

After writhing through Jude Law's absolutely awful Alfie several weeks ago, my wife and I thought we'd give Jude Law another chance...what a mistake.

If only "Closer" were JUST salacious and tawdry...the "Closer" I get to it, the more it stinks. There is nothing in this film! Nothing! All right, the shots of London. Yes, Portman has a nice smile...Roberts' great misty looks...and Law is sooooo handsome (gag). But that, really, is it.

One has to wonder why Nichols chose this...ah...flotsam of a film. After a glorious rich early career that features films like "Silkwood", "The Graduate" and "Carnal Knowledge", Nichols seems to have lost his olfactory sense.

Can't you hear the come on, though? "Here's what we do, Mikey: Put a couple of headliners in London, lots of classical music, scenery, (one time) world-class director, sprinkle it with dirty language and sex...You have the newbie starlet Natalie Portman--(who has the acting depth of a kiddie pool)--you got a (fading) star Julia Roberts (with her Bambi-esquire doe-eyes masquerading as grand pathos). You got Jude Law...You got a smash hit! Almost an Art Film! Like Ocean's 11 the Remake! Happening! Cool! Yeah, Baby!"

Jude Law. O Handsome Leading Actor and so full of himself on screen, Jude, you make Richard Burton seem like a shrinking violet.

Jude hasn't done a creditable job in anything since Artificial Intelligence. Perhaps his choice of films is the culprit. I haven't seen Sky Captain (cringe I), and I got through all of 10 minutes of Cold MoleHill, but I'm thinking I don't have the stomach to watch this guy's work.

I'm really, really beginning to wonder if Jude Law himself knows what a good film project is. I know, I know, they are trying to make money, and they go where the money is. But I don't see these absolutely wooden performances (there's a pun in there) as landing anywhere in the top 250 films of all time list that I keep.

Jude, really, check out the filmography of British Film Giants like Cary Grant, Michael Caine, Peter Sellers, David Niven, Rex Harrison, Alec Guiness to name but a few. It wasn't all great, Jude, but you are on a clinker streak that those actors never saw.

And brother and sister viewers, how how how could you give this...film sewage...anything as high as an 8? 6? 4? I give it a one, because this grading system won't take fractions.

Citizen Kane (1941)

The Best Drama Ever Filmed

[10/10 · 23 May 2005]

This is a great movie, the best drama ever made. Everything about it is perfect. And the test of it is that no one at the time of its release knew what to do with it, or what to make of the genius of Orson Welles. These two facts themselves engender a tragedy that should, but probably will never be, a film like Citizen Kane. Yes, it was nominated for all the right things. And son of a gun, the Academy ACTUALLY gave CK an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay.

BEST ACTOR 1941 Sgt. York? I love Gary Cooper, but... BEST PICTURE, BEST DIRECTOR 1941 How Green Was My Valley, Best Picture, Best Director? A great film, and by my list of films, John Ford is a great director, but... BEST FILM EDITING 1941 Sgt. York again? Now, come on! Guys, didn't you see that newsreel mock-up stuff, splicing CFK next to Hitler etc? Sgt. York? MUSIC 1941 All That Money Can Buy...well, at least Bernard Hermann, music man for CK, won.

The Academy is not an Oracle of Film Greatness, and sometimes they even get it right. But in 1941 they looked past the brilliant Jewel that is Citizen Kane and picked up, instead, a handful of shiny pebbles.

Man of the West (1958)

Surprisingly bad film--Cooper was miscast in the lead

[2/10 · 1 May 2005]

Look, anything with Gary Cooper in it I'll look at. And, looking at Mann's filmography, I have loved his films too. "The Far Country" is one of my frontier favorites. And, by the way, there is some wonderful photography in this film. But I have to believe this thing was at TURKEY out of the box.

First, the part he played had to have been written for someone who was 35 years old AT MOST, and not the very aging 50+ he appears--and then, here he is, reuniting with an Uncle, Lee J. Cobb, who is young enough to be COOPER's nephew.

The final scene, in which Cooper berates his "Uncle", and tells him that "you are a ghost," was a most unfortunate pronouncement on his own role in this clinker.

I found it completely miscast, poorly acted, in fact, the acting was if no one could believe their lines or the action in the movie.