Giant—fabulous—shows great writing skill, great acting skill, great
presentation and has the human element in place. It’s terrific to see a
marriage blend and allowance made for individuality and difference of opinion. It’s
wonderful to see the human evolve and develop as the events of life shape
lives. Great work for all involved in making this interpretation of life.
Whether rich or poor, this movie touches the common elements that we all share
while on life’s journey.
Film Poster Courtesy of Google Images
Storyline
Eastern girl meets Texas boy and they build a life
while learning to integrate two very different lifestyles in Texas.
Additional
Thanks
Thank you to Director George Stevens for directing
effort. Thank you to Producers George Stevens and Henry Ginsberg for making the
film possible. Cast includes: Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson, James Dean,
Carroll Baker, Jane Withers, Chill Wills, Mercedes McCambridge, Sal Mineo,
Dennis Hopper, Elsa Cardenas, and Earl Holliman.
The Rescuers—still great after 45 years—has great animation, great voicing, great
storyline, superb presentation, and can be re-watched again and again. It’s
clean, honest, innocent, and does not play bad jokes on its audience. Terrific
writing shows kindness and care for others which in turn deploys into a nicely
done message that good deeds have good outcomes. This is classic Disney; Disney
and his teams would be proud of this production. BRAVO! This treasure of a film
can be appreciated for many years to come. Watch for the teddy bear that looks
a lot like Winnie the Pooh.
Thank you to Wolfgang Reitherman, John Lounsbery, and Art
Stevens for directing effort. Thank you to Producer Wolfgang Reitherman for
making the film possible. Cast includes: Bob Newhart, Eva Gabor, Joe Flynn, and
Geraldine Page.
Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?
Yes. This film deserves to be a ‘buy to own’ and
can easily be watched again. WOW! It’s the work of master craftsmen.
MIB: International begins with good intrigue but cannot hold that
throughout the movie. Chris Hemsworth seems uncomfortable with his lines. And,
Liam Neeson seems just as unsuited to his assigned dialogue. The presentation
does not equal the last three MIB movies mostly due to its weakly written
script. And, the thought that this series may have run its course and entered
its death stages comes to mind. Hopefully, the errors can be corrected and the
movie freshens itself again. Emma Thompson absolutely works in this movie. It
is intriguing to watch Tessa Thompson as her own personality projects and
dominates her assigned character rather than integrating the character into her own.
Film Poster Courtesy of Google Images
Storyline
MIB Agency believes there is a mole in the agency.
Agent H and Agent M need to discover who the mole is in MIB.
Additional
Thanks
Thank you to Director F. Gary Gray for directing
effort. Thank you to Producers Walter F. Parkes and Laurie MacDonald for
making the film possible. Cast includes: Chris Hemsworth, Tessa Thompson,
Rebecca Ferguson, Kumail Nanjiana, Rafe Spall, Laurent Bourgeois, Larry
Bourgeois, Emma Thompson, and Liam Neeson.
Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?
Maybe. This film is not as high quality as
previous MIB films, but if one wants to see the latest film in the MIB franchise,
this is it. It’s premise is good. But it has a long road to travel to keep pace
with previously made MIB stories.
Dudley Do-Right—okay film—starts well and then begins to fizzle. Brendan Fraser has
the looks for the character, does not have the personality for it. This same challenge
is doubly enhanced with the casting of Sarah Jessica Parker as Nell. The singing
is below average. The movie is ‘kinda’ cute and fun, but doesn’t get there as a
movie despite its happy conclusion.
Thank you to Director Hugh Wilson for directing effort. Thank
you to Producer John Davis, Joseph Singer, and J. Todd Harris for making the
film possible. Cast includes: Brendan Fraser, Sarah Jessica Parker, Alfred Molina, Eric
Idle, Robert Prosky, and Alex Rocco.
Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?
Maybe. This is what it is. An audience will either
like it or not. The acting is not believable and the character personalities
have not been deeply plumbed.
That Darn Cat!—perfect example of an age of innocence that has been bypassed—presents
such a welcome, honest and clean presentation, that it makes one wonder, ‘What
happened?’ The world, as it reflects entertainment, has gone through a major
change in personality and outlook on life. One wonders if there is a way to
make it back to this kind of entertainment…it feels clean and good…like one
feels after a good, long bath and watches the dirty water swirl down the drain.
Besides that, the film is just a good watch and has plenty of value left as an
entertainment piece. It’s an all-around good, family film that features Halley
Mills and Dean Jones. It reminds one of the early days when Walt Disney was
still alive and directing his business. This film needs to be watched to remind
us of where we used to be in thought and choice of entertainment.
Film Poster Courtesy of Google Images
Storyline
A cat searching for a good
salmon snack incidentally follows a robber to his hideout where a kidnapped
woman is held hostage. She slips her watch on the cat’s neck with the partial letters of HELP scratched on the back and turns him
loose so he can go back to his owner. The cat's owner intuits that the watch belongs to the missing woman and goes to the FBI for help.
Additional
Thanks
Thank you to Director Robert Stevenson for directing effort.
Thank you to Producer Walt Disney, Bill Walsh, and Ron Miller for making the
film possible. Cast includes: Hayley Mills, Dean Jones, Dorothy Provine, Roddy
McDowall, Frank Gorshin, and Neville Brand.
Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?
Yes. WOW! The movie more than earns its watch. It’s
wonderful to see the cleanliness of mind and the innocence of thought as
presented in this story. It’s nice to see date nights that do not automatically turn into bed nights.
Black Panther: Wakanda
Forever—the
best of the Marvel films—is the second movie of the Black Panther movie series.
This film plays more like a non-Marvel superhero movie, meaning there is a certain
aura that most superhero films cannot seem to break through, but this movie
does it. Superhero movies have a minor goofiness, cheesiness, comic book
presentation that causes a loss of quality. This movie critic usually overlooks
this quality and critiques around that, but Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
does not have this aura or element at all. This film also does a terrific commemoration
for the late Chadwick Boseman built right into the script that shows feeling
and real sadness for his passing. The movie, itself, has more realistic fight
scenes than past Marvel films. WOW! What
an improvement! It stands head and shoulders above other Marvel films. Thank
you to everyone who had the courage to break the mold and enter a new era for
the superhero movie presentation.
Film Poster Courtesy of
Google Images
Storyline
Conflict, with Wakanda
from a country stationed under water, results in war over a natural resource.
Additional
Thanks
Thank you to Director Ryan Coogler for directing
effort. Thank you to Producers Kevin Feige and Nate Moore for making the film
possible. Cast includes: Letitia Wright, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Winston
Duke, Florence Kasumba, Dominique Thorne, Michaela Coel, Mabel Cadena, Tenoch
Huerte Mejia, Martin Freeman, Angela Bassett, and Julia Louis-Dreyfuss.
The Green Beretsis a John Wayne family
production and they’ve done a terrific job of putting together a movie with a
great storyline, very good presentation, and good/great acting.This film, one of John Wayne’s better movies,
may have a somber conclusion but it tells an important Vietnam war story.
Film Poster Courtesy of
Google Images
Storyline
The Green Berets
endeavor to survive an assignment in Vietnam with regular raids on their base
hindering their ability to survive.
Additional
Thanks
Thank you to Directors John Wayne and Ray Kellogg for
directing effort. Thank you to Producer Michael Wayne for making the film
possible. Cast includes: John Wayne, David Janssen, Jim Hutton, Aldo Ray,
Raymond St. Jacques, Bruce Cabot, Patrick Wayne, Luke Askew, and George Takei.
Buy
a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?
Yes. This movie is more
than worthy and tells a great Vietnam War story. The acting is good to great and
the presentation is very good.
Godzilla seems like a reboot of the 1998, Matthew Broderick and Jean Reno,
version of the Godzilla story. It is the second Godzilla film produced in the
United States. This film replaces the original cast with Brian Cranston, Ken
Watanabe, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Elisabeth Olsen, Sally Hawkins, and David
Strathairn. The movie works at the okay to suitable level and has suitable special
effects that show Godzilla fighting a new antagonist, the MUTO (Massive
Unidentified Terrestrial Organism). This movie is better in some ways and not so good in other ways from the 1998 Godzilla
film, but look for terrific animation of the monsters.
Thank you to Director Gareth Edwards for directing
effort. Thank you to Producers Thomas Tull, Jon Jashni, Mary Parent, and Brian
Rogers for making the film possible. Cast includes: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ken
Watanabe, Elizabeth Olsen, Juliette Binoche, Sally Hawkins, David Strathairn,
and Bryan Cranston.
Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?
Maybe. This movie is the first film in the new Godzilla
film series. The film does not inspire a watch for the sequel; however, one
may be curious to see if there is an improvement in the storyline for the next
movie. The fourth film in this new series may be in the works for a 2024
release.
Game Night—unique—keeps its audience guessing about its purpose. It’s difficult
to see the connections between a couple who should be having children, their
obsession with games, and why an actual role-playing game is ordered (at the first
of the movie, it seems the older brother ordered it and at the end of the movie
it appears that the neighbor ordered it). There is confusion between role playing and real life action. The blur between real events and the reality game during most of the movie works at the obscurity level. The movie
leaves many loose ends when it concludes. If you are going to buy a ticket, read a plotline before buying that
ticket to enhance enjoyment of the movie. Know that there is considerable
sexual, adult dialogue in this movie that makes it an entertainment piece for
adults.
Film Poster Courtesy of Google Images
Storyline
A husband, wife, and friends enter a very
realistic real life role-playing game.
Additional
Thanks
Thank you to Directors John Francis Daley and
Jonathan Goldstein for directing effort. Thank you to Producers John Davis,
John Fox, Jason Bateman, and James Garamente for making the film possible. Cast
includes: Jason Bateman, Rachel McAdams, Billy Magnussen, Sharon Horgan,
Lamorne Morris, Kylie Bunbury, Jesse Plemons, Michael C. Hall, and Kyle
Chandler.
Tron—outstanding in its time, archaic now—uses outdated computer animation with live action actors and a
small storyline to produce the film. It’s rather like watching an old pong game
with its backward, forward movement of a small ball of light except it is far
more sophisticated than that but still relies on repetitive computer action
over and over throughout its storyline. Watching it now makes one wonder why it
was made…was it just to show off new technology? It is what it is...an academic
study of the history of computer animation technique as used in the entertainment
industry. This movie makes one appreciate the significant contributions
entertainment has made toward sophisticated computer work.
Film Poster Courtesy of Google Images
Storyline
A game inventor needs to prove
he invented a game. While trying to hack into a computer for that information, he accidentally gets sucked into the computer. and the adventure is on.
Additional
Thanks
Thank you to Director Steven Lisberger for directing
effort. Thank you to Producer Donald Kushner for making the film possible. Cast
includes: Jeff Bridges, Bruce Boxleitner, David Warner, Cindy Morgan, and
Barnard Hughes.
How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World—interesting, not the best in the series—seems to
definitively show that this series has finished its run. The story died with
the second film and short films, and it is surprising to see another full length film produced
and released. The movie does have great voicing, but this alone does not make a
terrific movie watch.
Film Poster Courtesy of Google Images
Storyline
A hunter wants to kill all the dragons. Hiccup
has to travel to the edge of the world to save the dragons.
Additional
Thanks
Thank you to Director Dean DeBlois for directing
effort. Thank you to Producers Bonnie Arnold and Brad Lewis for making the film
possible. Cast includes: Jay Baruchel, America Ferrera, F. Murray Abraham, Cate
Blanchett, and Craig Ferguson.
Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?
Maybe. It is what it is and falls short of the
original How to Train Your Dragon release. This movie is weak in
presentation although children may appreciate it. Adults will most likely
prefer higher quality animated movies to share with their children.
First Blood—terrific Sylvester Stallone film—shows Stallone
at his best as he depicts a warrior endeavoring to manage in a society that does
not value or respect warrior skills. Stallone has a strong supporting cast that
includes David Caruso, Richard Crenna, and Brian Dennehy (Teasle). The movie is an involving watch that
provides terrific after watching discussion material. This is a ‘do not miss’
movie for an adult audience.
Film Poster Courtesy of Google Images
Storyline
A military veteran gets into trouble with a small
town sheriff.
Additional
Thanks
Thank
you to Director Ted Kotcheff for directing effort. Thank you to Producer Buzz
Feitshans for making the film possible. Cast includes: Sylvester Stallone,
Richard Crenna, and Brian Dennehy.
Buy a Ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?
Yes. This movie runs on a provocative theme that
provides good discussion material afterwards about veterans, their place in
society, how they are valued, and the difficulty of re-adjusting to normal life
after serving in wartime situations. The movie more than serves the Sylvester
Stallone fanbase with complete entertainment value.
TheBourne Ultimatum is the third film in a series of five films with
the fifth film, Jason Bourne, producing in 2016. This series of movies is
surprisingly consistent in both quality and presentation. The writing is
outstanding, the dialogue is intriguing, and the acting above average. Bourne
Ultimatum earns its recommendation as a movie ‘more than worth watching.’ Matt
Damon, as character Jason Bourne, does not overplay his role and delivers a sensible,
believable, well-thought-out presentation of the main character’s challenges to
survive in a world where so many facts are missing. Complicated, multi-faceted,
and interesting, this movie requires audience involvement and active mental
engagement. The movie is both gripping and intellectually driven. It provides
good entertainment value for both time and money investment. Kudos to Director
Paul Greengrass for keeping the story on target.
Film Poster Courtesy of Google Images
Storyline
Jason Bourne continues to unravel clues to his
past.
Additional
Thanks
Thank
you to Director Paul Greengrass for directing effort. Thank you to Producers
Frank Marshall, Patrick Crowley, and Paul Sandberg for making the film
possible. Cast includes: Matt Damon, Julia Stiles, David Strathairn, Scott
Glenn, Paddy Considine, Edgar Ramirez, Albert Finney, and Joan Allen.
Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?
Yes. It’s unusual to find a series piece that
holds interest and produces consistent entertainment fare. This movie, as were
the first two Bourne films, is more than worth watching and easily becomes a ‘must
see’ movie.
Jumanji: The Next Level—sequel to the Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle movie—is the third film in a series dedicated to the game of Jumanji.
This movie allows the characters from the second Jumanji movie to reprise their
roles. The movie gathers its entertainment value from a terrific cast, great acting,
and its sweet ability to intermix comedy with action. The movie is a
great choice to add to the Jumanji series in the home entertainment library.
The film begs for its sequel.
Film Poster Courtesy of Google Images
Storyline
Four friends re-enter the Jumanji game for the
second time.
Additional
Thanks
Thank
you to Jake Kasdan for directing effort. Thank you to Producers Dwayne Johnson, Dany Garcia, Hiram Garcia,
Matt Tolmach, and Jake Kasdan for making the film possible. Cast includes: Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black,
Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan, Nick Jonas, Awkwafina, Danny Glover, and Danny
DeVito.
Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?
Yes. The film provides an unusually good mixture
of both comedy and adventure. The script is creative, fresh, and allows Dwayne
Johnson another opportunity to show his diverse ability to play a variety of
characters well. The movie makes a terrific addition to the home video library.
North to Alaska runs on a shallow storyline and bad to okay
acting. It sticks to a limited set of stage settings and gives no relief with
any outstanding cinematic views of Alaska or the Seattle coastlands. The small
exploration into the logging community in Seattle are the most interesting
scenes in this movie. The film tries to be a comedy but doesn’t quite get there.
Both John Wayne and Stewart Granger do not compliment each other well in this
film and the addition of Fabian does not help.
Film Poster Courtesy of Google Images
Storyline
Friends strike it rich in the Alaskan wilderness. One friend travels to Seattle to get
a wife for the other friend.
Additional
Thanks
Thank you to Director Henry Hathaway for directing
effort. Thank you to Producers Henry Hathaway, John Lee Martin, and Charles
Feldman for making the film possible. Cast includes: John Wayne, Stewart
Granger, Capucine, Ernie Kovacs, and Fabian.
Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?
No. This film is predictable and is one of John Wayne’s lesser performances.
Better John Wayne westerns include: The Shootist or The Man Who Shot
Liberty Valance.
Top Gun: Maverick—WOW!—has terrific action, storyline, and
dialogue lines. The story has come to its maturity and presents onscreen at a
much higher level than the original Top Gun movie. Tom Cruise takes this
film to the next level in entertainment value with his terrific supporting
cast. It easily becomes one of the better military films marketed and easily
establishes itself as a prime candidate for addition to the home video library.
It has entertainment value written all over it.
Film Poster of Google Images
Storyline
This war film is about precision air fighters who must remove a
set of targets perceived as dangerous to world safety.
Additional
Thanks
Thank
you to Director Joseph Kosinski for directing effort. Thank you to Producers Jerry
Bruckheimer, Tom Cruise, Christopher McQuarrie, and David Ellison for making
the film possible. Cast includes: Tom Cruise, Miles Teller, Jennifer Connelly,
Jon Hamm, Glen Powell, Lewis Pullman, Ed Harris, and Val Kilmer.
