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thepoetbandit
Reviews
The Jackie Robinson Story (1950)
Done on the cheap, but good nonetheless
This has to be one of the most cheaply made movies I have ever seen. But it is a good movie anyway, well worth a few bucks to rent and an hour and fifteen minutes of couch time. Jackie Robinson does a decent job as an actor. Hollywood should remake this film because today it can be told with more truth than back in 1950. A remake would be able to graphically detail just what Robinson had to put up with to break the color barrier in baseball. The only thing that really bothered me about this film is that it made a hero out of Branch Rickey. Maybe Rickey deserves such status for seeing it through with Robinson, but I don't think his motives were as altruistic as portrayed in this movie.
Angel on My Shoulder (1946)
Worth seeing for Paul Muni
I didn't know anything about Muni, but I was hooked into this film by his performance. At nearly 50 when he made this movie, he quite effectively conveyed a boyish marvel when he crossed over from the dark side (trying not to include any spoilers). I believe his performance is what makes this film work. He brought comedy and dry wit into the scenes, without, himself, being too corny. He also brought energy and resilience. Watching the movie, I felt I was watching a 21st century actor. His performance is quite different than the somber, pensive performances of characters his age in noir films of that day. In summary, while this is not a great film, it is a gem just because it so different, made that way especially by Muni's performance.
Paycheck (2003)
Stop. If you have rented this movie, return it.
Hope I get to you before you waste your money. Or your time. Absolutely one of the dumbest movies I have ever seen. No wonder I have been reading so much bad press about Ben Affleck. If he keeps signing on for movies like this... I will never see a John Woo movie again. I wasted two precious hours watching this refuse. 120 minutes I'll never get back. The sad thing is for the budget Woo had to make this foolishness, the debt of an impoverished Central American nation could probably have been paid off. Tragic. They say I have to write 10 lines to publish this comment. The truth is, this movie is not worth 10 lines. But I can sum it up in five syllables: Absolute rubbish.
The English Patient (1996)
My favorite movie
Reading one reviewer's comments about not liking the English Patient, I feel I have to respond. This is my all-time favorite movie. But I admit it's a matter of taste. I think World War II is the most fascinating period of modern history. Great upheaval in all parts of the world. The three globally dominate political systems clashing in a conflict that reshaped the world into the one we live in today. Most World War II movies are about great clashes on the battlefields. But in this movie they are a mere backdrop to one of the most romantic tales ever told, in my opinion. I am an incredible romanticist, and you have to be to like this movie. It also helps that I am the product of parents whose lives were shaped by World War II. My father fought the Germans and spent years in one of their prisoner of war camps. World War II was the dominant theme in our household growing up. I believe the makers of this movie did a great job of capturing the scale of World War II without putting us through endless battle scenes, like Saving Private Ryan. But most of all they captured the torture of a burning romance torn asunder by forces these lovers could not control. Although the English Patient and Casablanca are very different films, the themes are similar.