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The Sergeant (1968)
Homosexual Panic
This was an extremely controversial film for its time. It is well acted, especially by Rod Steiger. The supporting cast, for the most part, is okay. The film is very slow paced and most of the cast appear as very dull, listless and without any real energy. What I felt was weird throughout the movie was that numerous people would say how there is something strange about Rod Steiger's character. Seems that as soon as Steiger arrives at the military base that everyone developed homosexual panic. Why would a career master sargent suddenly make every other soldier uncomfortable. A lot of sexual symbolism throughout, a lot of strange stares for no good reason and of course everyone is in a homosexual panic. John Phillip Law was so wooden and void of emotion that it is hard to believe that anyone, male or female could be romantically interested in him. Outdated today, but still interesting.
Three's Company (1976)
The Gay Deceiver
Outdated, but still fun. Politically incorrect today, but who cares. The Gay jokes were milked for all its worth and after a zillion times it just loses steam. However, putting the show in it's time zone, it is funny, lighthearted and entertaining. Also, the threesome theme still generates laughs, but after so many times it just loses its flare. John Ritter was at his slapstick best and had on screen chemistry with all his co-stars. Tragic that he died so young. Don Knotts and Norman Fell were both great and added to the comedy of the series. Of course all the ladies were not only beautiful, but had comedic talent. Entertaining fluff.
Point Break (1991)
Stupid, but fun and entertaining
Cartoonish film with over the top characters and less then believable plot, . ArGbut still a lot of fun to watch and very entertaining. Most of the characters are basically stereotypes of what Hollywood believes surfers look like and act like. The FBI is shown to be "Keystone Cops." The surfing dudes are out of control daredevils who do whatever they want without any consequences. Not sure if most of the movie is made for laughs as most of the scenes are funny. Mr Reeves is not at his performance best. His acting here is mediocre at best, but he looks good at the beach and I guess that is good enough. Gary B. Steals the whole movie with his typical zany over the top performance. Lots of pretty girls, good looking surfers and fights and shootouts. Just a fun time at the movies.
They Died with Their Boots On (1941)
Great Entertainment despite historical inaccuracy
This is a real old fashion entertaining film. Fast paced, well acted most of the time, lots of action and also humorous. Mr Flynn is at his dashing best; handsome, tall, and of course heroic. The film is stolen by Arthur Kennedy as Flynn's nemesis. Kennedy's facial expressions throughout the film are outstanding. Of course the entire film is pure fluff and one hundred percent historically inaccurate. Pure propaganda regarding military glory and pride. In typical Hollywood fashion, the hero and company face certain death with a smile and a shrug of shoulder. In a sidebar, reportedly three stuntmen died in making the film which is tragic. And of course the Urban Legend of Native American sports hero Jim Thorpe knocking out Mr Flynn with one punch in an off camera dispute. Yep, an extra is going to knockout one of the biggest movie stars at that time and not get fired or arrested. Definitely, true.... Not!
Raise the Titanic (1980)
Not that bad
Alright, it's not Macbeth or even Gone With The Wind, but it's entertaining enough. For it's time, the special effects were pretty good. The main standout is Richard Jordan. He is excellent here and looks great. Tragic that he died so young. He definitely has screen chemistry with Ann Archer and he is makes the film. Jason Robards is not bad either, and though his scenes are limited, his acting abilities shine through. Ann Archer is as beautiful as ever and she is not only attractive, but likeable as well. The whole premise of the film is interesting, and you kind of want it to be true. But, it's only a movie.
Warlock (1959)
Gaylock
Yep, this was definitely a film with Gay overtones, which is fine. Anthony Quinn is clearly madly in love with Henry Fonda; almost obsessed. Also, he travels around with curtains and various other dwelling trappings to decorate their hotel room, which Fonda allows him to do. Yep, a very nice couple. Why Quinn had to have a clubfoot is perplexing. Maybe some sort of symbolism of a crippled soul. Remember this was from the 1950s and "gay" characters in films usually had physiological issues and almost always ended up dead. The whole movie had a psychoanalysis to it. Seemed all the men had manly issues and were way overboard trying to show how manly they were. With all this said, I enjoyed the film. Most of the acting was good and Fonda and Quinn worked well together. Richard Widmark was his typical excitable and hysterical self. Warlock is worth a look.
Havana (1990)
More Show Then Substance
I liked this film, but it is only fair, yet entertaining. Redford does his best with what he's given. Corny dialogue which seems written instead of flowing with reality. The film presents a very romantazied version of what Hollywood wants the public to believe was the Cuba of the 1950s and the Revolution. Playing 1950s background music to people being tortured and murdered just seems way off base. If the film makers has presented a realistic portrayal instead of the glossy postcard look, maybe the movie would have been a lot more successful. As for the acting, well, Alan Arkin overplays the typical gangster in a role that has been respected a million times. Nothing new here. Everyone is a characture and come off as fake and even cartoonish. Great card. Great fashion. Great music. Great sets. Beautiful women. The rest is nothing to write home about.
Father Knows Best: The Gold Turnip (1959)
Beyond Cornball
I like this series and for the most part was entertained by it. However, sometimes the writers went way overboard with their ideas of family values and the American Dream. Of course, if all people could follow the overall concepts of truth, honor, dignity, justice, patriotism, etc we would be living in a utopian world. But, as we all know, the real world is not Father Knows Best. This is why I think this episode, which starts off interesting enough, morphs into a soapy, overboard, preachy propaganda lesson in tradition. It's almost embarrassing watching Robert Young try his best, giving this speech. Far from great, but still entertaines.
Killers of the Flower Moon (2023)
Disappointed
I wanted to like this film and was looking forward to seeing it. However, when everything was said and done, I was greatly disappointed. Based on a true story, it seems that they wanted to include every single historical note. In other words, it was way too long and generally became a rehash of the same thing over and over again. The acting was good, but not great. Seemed like everyone was stereotypes and a lot of the cast overplayed their parts. No suspense at all. The script was a continuous rehash of the same storyline which seemed endless. The movie started off fairly well and then got bogged down. The ending was extremely too long and I started to lose complete interest in the whole thing.
Father Knows Best: Bud and the Debutante (1959)
Poor Little Rich Girl
Great episode with Bud dating rich girl Molly. Of course in the perfect world of Hollywood television, Molly is the poor Little Rich girl who thought beautiful and rich, can't seem to get a date. Of course Bud tried to keep with with Molly and her rich friends and of course he can't pay the bills. The actress playing Molly reminds me of a young Audrey Hepburn. She is very beautiful and gives a standout performance. It always amazes me how many very talented performers are unable to become successful; maybe their agents had limited connections. Of course, this is a typical cornball romantic episode, but it is very entertaining.
Dawn: Portrait of a Teenage Runaway (1976)
Shocker For It's Time
I was a senior in high school when this played on TV and it was not only a big hit, but a big shocker. Plus the fact that one of the Brady Bunch girls played a run away who becomes a street walker added to the shock. Today, this made for tv film would be nothing to really write home about. Most of the acting was just average and Bo Hopkins as Swan the pimp basically overplayed his role, which was also very stereotyped. The content matter was raunchy for 1976. Not only female prostitution was addressed, but also male prostitution. Of course this was made a few years before the Aids epidemic, so it sort of lessens the impact. For it's time, pretty good.
Macho Callahan (1970)
Wasted Talent in Worthless Stinker
Honestly, what was the point of this film. Not one appealing character. Everyone is filthy dirty, dishonest, sadistic, crooked and violent. David J looks like he has been on a months long drinking bender. He basically sleep walks his part, mumbling most of his dialogue. They make him irresistible to women, yet he looks like a homeless drunk from the gutter. Jean S looks as beautiful as ever, but her part leaves a lot to be desired. Whoever wrote this garbage should have their head examined or be committed to the insane asylum. Miss Seberg is brutally beaten, humiliated and violently raped, and then she falls madly in love with Mister Macho. The whole movie left a bad taste in my mouth. Surprisingly their is a solid cast of good actors who are totally wasted here. Flush the whole thing down the toilet.
Star Trek: Tomorrow Is Yesterday (1967)
Ed Peck Steals Show in Great Episode
I think this is one of the best, if not the best episode of the entire television series. What makes it great is not only the outstanding acting by everyone involved, but the outstanding dialogue. The story has just the right mixture of drama, excitement and humor. The big surprise for me is the standout performance by veteran character actor, Ed Peck. Peck had many good performances in numerous films and tv shows, but usually very small parts. Here he is just perfect as the Air Force officer who is totally befuddled by Captain Kirk. Peck even manages to do his own stunt when he gets knocked cold by Captain Kirk. Peck went on to have a good role in the Happy Days series. This is a great episode. Enough said. Beam me up Scotty.
The Longest Day (1962)
Excellent despite some bad acting
The Longest Day. Almost a great film. The war scenes are definitely some of the best in war film history. The majority of the cast do well in the acting department, especially the German actors. However, some of the standout stars do a less then credible job. Cases in point, Robert Mitchum. He doesn't act, just screams. He is way over the top almost bordering on hysterica. He runs around the beach like he is out for a Sunday morning walk. Just overplays his part and seems not to really try to add any realism to the whole thing. John Wayne is not much better. He yells his part in and seems more like he is playing a civil war officer then a World. War II officer. He looks too overweight, old and paunchy to be taken seriously as a paratrooper commander. Standouts include Richard Burton, Henry Fonda and Eddie Albert. Worth seeing.
Hardcore Pawn: Trouble Inside (2010)
Paintball Massacre
This whole episode was just basically disgusting and contained senseless violence which bordered on sadism. Seth tests a paintball gun set on one of his employees who volunteered to be a live target. After the employee lifts up the back of his shirt to expose horrible welts from the paint gun pellets, Les Gold is seen laughing thinking the whole thing is funny. Do they stop? Nope, Seth continues shooting paint pellets at the employee who doesn't seem to care about the pain or welts. This type of "entertainment" is geared towards sadistic psychopaths or sociopaths. I wonder if Les or Seth would be laughing and having a great time if they were the targets of the paint gun pellets. The whole episode left a bad taste in my mouth.
Taza, Son of Cochise (1954)
Rock Hudson tries in fair film
I wanted to like this movie, but it was pretty difficult to do so, as it is mediocre at best. A young Rock Hudson looks like a hunky movie star as he runs around showing off his bronze muscular body. However, once he opens his mouth, he just doesn't cut it as a Native American. The dialogue is basically a cartoon character of what most people think Indians sound like. Rock tries his best, but comes across unrealistic. Even the dramatic fight scene between Hudson and an extra appears cartoonish. Rock is stiff, wooden and devoid of any emotion, but like I said, he does try. The rest of the cast isn't much better, but the fault lies in the ridiculous dialogue. If you like Rock Hudson, the film is passable, if not, forget the whole thing.
Wolfen (1981)
Overlooked, but Great
This is a great horror, suspense, mystery film. All the acting is outstanding, including those of the supporting cast and extras. What really adds to the movie is the physical and social decay of New York in the early 1980s. People for the most part have forgotten how messed up New York had become with countless abandoned and run down buildings. Albert Finney is outstanding in his role of the police detective. He plays it straight, no glamour or Hollywood heroics. He has seen it all, or so he thinks. Gregory Hines is excellent as well. He and Finney connect and their on screen pairing seems very realistic and fluid. Some brutal violence, some nice twists and turns, and definitely some great on location scenery of a decayed New York. The scene on top of the bridge will leave you breathless and it is clear that Finney did his own stunts for that scene. Great movie.
Return of the Seven (1966)
Pretty Bad
Why did they bother to make this dismal sequel to a really outstanding film. The whole story is totally ridiculous, idiotic, and down right stupid. Yul Brenner is back as Chris or is it Cris? He wears his same all black outfit and his hat never falls off. He basically sleepwalks through the whole film, yet somehow provides the best performance. The cast has some solid performers like Robert Fuller, Warren Oates and Claude Atkins, but they are completely wasted here. There is some cornball humor which lacks humor. The battle scenes which are unrealistic, are just a rehash of the seven gunfighters shooting and killing an army of bandits over and over again. Seems the leader of the bandits is dubbed in? But, I could be wrong. Not much here, but I guess enough to get through a boring night of insomnia.
Good Times: Getting Up the Rent (1974)
Good Screaming
In general I enjoyed watching Good Times. I didn't always agree with the liberal ideas or the political agenda of the series, but we overall I found it entertaining. However, one thing that bugged me was the constant arguments and the screaming and yelling. For some reason tv writers seems to think that yelling is funny. Good examples of these yelling shows, The Honeymooners, Sgt Bilko, All In The Family, etc. Maybe I am the weirdo, but yelling and screaming and arguing are not funny! Gives me a headache. Evidently the cast of this show had off screen issues, especially between the actors playing the parents and Jimmy Walker and sometimes you can notice the distain on the faces. Oh well, nothing earth shattering here.
Brothers (2009)
Nothing new, but some good acting
I wanted to like this film, but honestly, I thought there was really nothing new or earth shattering here. The movie basically takes scenes from previous war and prisoner of war films and rehash it here as if they were original. The Best Years of Our Lives, Coming Home, and Till The End of Time dealt, I thought, much better with Post Traumatic Stress. The concept of POWS being forced to kill a fellow prisoner is also not new; a 1950s film starring Richard Widmark and Richard Basehart about US POWS in the Korean War addressed that issue. I could go on and on, but the point is, there is nothing new in this film. If anything, the characters fall into various stereotypes from a million other movies. Toby McGuire does stand out and steals the film, but to me, it seems like he is overplaying the whole thing. Fair film.
Bloodsport (1988)
Has Not Aged Well
When this movie first came out I thought it was a really great Martial Arts film right behind Enter The Dragon. I just saw the movie again in 2024 and it has really aged badly. The acting is really bad. The dialogue is infantile and most of the fight scenes are cartoonish. Jean-Claude is likeable enough and has a great screen presence, but his acting skills were limited at this time. The villain of the film was so cartoonish and overplayed that he came across as totally unbelievable, if not laughable. The film is still controversial because it was supposedly based on a true story. What is bizarre about that is it is only a movie, yet some 36 years later, many hardcore martial artists still hold a grudge against the film. Enough said.
The Great White Hype (1996)
No laughs, yet inadvertently tells the inside truth about professional boxing
I did not chuckle once during this whole film. The so called laughs seemed aimed at pre-schoolers or adults with the same mentality. If anything, the humor is sadistic, such as watching real boxing matches where the "white" fighters are shown being brutally knocked out; very funny, unless you're a sadistic psycho.
The "funny" part is that the movie shows the ugly truth about professional boxing world, which does hype up.great mismatches for the sake of a buck or should say hundreds of millions of buck. Peter Berg steals the movie and it seems a bite strange that he really never crossed over to becoming a big movie star. Anyhow, decent film if you don't take it too seriously.
Coffee Shop (2014)
Lauren Vandervoort is a Knockout
This is one of those cute little romantic movies which you can't take too seriously. Nothing really new here, story wise that is, but who cares. It's a feel good film and entertaining enough to keep your attention for the hour and a half that it more or less runs. The lead actress is not only a good performer, she has real on screen chemistry. She is gorgeous. Hard to understand why Lauren Vandervoort didn't become a mega star, she definitely has everything needed to become another Sharon Stone. With that said, in this film, despite her awesome beauty, she comes across as very down to earth, friendly and understanding. Enough said. Cute film. Beautiful star. See it.
Suppose They Gave a War and Nobody Came (1970)
Suppose They Made This Movie and Nobody Came
I saw this film in 1970 as a sneak preview at the Shores Theater in Miami Shores, Florida. My dad had been an infantry sergeant and was awarded a Silver Star Medal in World War II. He liked the film only because it had some of the actors he liked, Tony Curtis and Brian Keith among others. We both agreed the movie couldn't figure out what it wanted to be, a comedy or a serious film. We assumed it was not only an anti-war film, but an anti everything film. Most of the main characters were far from likeable and it seemed everyone was angry, embittered, sarcastic, anti social and bigoted. Only interesting if you're a big enough fan of the cast, not much else.
The St. Valentine's Day Massacre (1967)
Despite some overacting still very good
Honestly I can not figure out why Jason Robards was hired to play Al Capone. He just doesn't fit the role. Also, he horribly overacts the role, especially when he goes berserk and rambles on in Italian. George Segal isn't much better as he basically stereotypes the typical Hollywood version of a psychopath. Some interesting aspects of the movie are that Jack Nicholson and Bruce Dern appear in small supporting rolls. Nicholson says a few words and also seriously overplays a really nothing part. With all this said, the movie is very entertaining and will appeal to any fans of the gangs of the roaring 20s.