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County Line (2017)
Very Watchable not Terrible
This movie is very watchable and not at all terrible. But it does have a TV movie vibe and plot. The acting fine, the sound and picture are fine and the dialogue is fine. Nothing innovative here but you care about the characters. The action is not special but it's not boring. So I don't understand the low score but I also dont understand the high scores. I think I saw there are a couple of sequels so I'll check them out if they are no charge. By the way the soundtrack is also decent. Say a Prayer by Geoff Lenox is a nice tune for example. There's really not that much more to say about it but there are worse time wasters than this flick.
Baby Face (1933)
Brave Movie Sells Ultimately Sells Out
The movie is riveting and refreshing until the last few scenes as this young woman-literally inspired by writings and philosophy of Neitzche-sleeps her way up the corporate ladder. She leaves bodies in her wake as men sacrifice their families and careers to be with her. She cuts them loose when they're no longer useful to her, but does so quickly, cleanly and without guilt. As much as you may despise what she's doing you can't help but root for her, given her backstory of abuse and exploitation at the hands of her father and powerful men as she came of age. Also inspiring is her loyalty to Chico, an African American girl who was with her from the beginning. The luster starts to come off that as Chico never rises above her station as a servile lackey and maid for the woman.
Spoiler Ending: Rather than let the movie play out as it probably might in real life, in the end the movie falls into the phony "beautiful girl meets a rich prince" storyline. Her last scene with Chico is scolding her and then running off to save her prince. We're told that this prince legitimately fell in love with her, and ultimately she him, but nothing we see in the film earns that. He comes off as no different than any of the other men. She even calls him out on that before the movie sells out. So the movie writers and director are self aware of the art they are creating but still choose to go for a hokey, unearned happy ending. Sad that they also had to make it clear she must first reject her lifelong friend Chico before she can truly dedicate herself to the rich playboy prince. (The movie ends as she declares her love but there were enough hints along the way that he was being unfairly accused and would ultimately be able to off the oligarchs who have framed him and regain his wealth so they live happily ever after.)
The other unfortunate theme of the movie is that men will hurt themselves and others, sometimes fatally if the woman in their life abandons them. True. But used here as a cudgel to warn other women of the harm that THEY cause by not being pure.
The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial (2023)
Excellent Acting, Ending Badly Done
First of all, the ending couldn't have been more telegraphed. And I was on board to a point but needed to be shown why. Instead of a lecture on mental illness and the need to give someone support if/when they are having a crisis not turn on them and make them feel even more isolated...Instead we got a self serving sanctimonious soliloquy another how dare you young ungrateful whipper snappers question the moral superiority of a boomer.
That said the acting of this movie and the writing (until the last scene) were flawless. Ok the acting of the prosecutor was one note, over bearing and bad and the red headed sailor was not believable but other than that.
A lot of the scripting to be fair seemed inspired, to a degree, by A Few Good Men. The last moments of the film are as cliche as a drink in the face unfortunately.
Something Big (1971)
The Worst Story Ever Told
This ultimately creepy 1971 Western doesn't seem to know if it wants to be a light-hearted drama or an oddball comedy, but it utterly fails at both, despite a great comedic performance by Brian Keith as a rigid Army colonel. The western sets and costumes and a few good acting performances make the movie watchable-even though an out of place cheesy 70s soundtrack undercuts all of the "action" scenes.
The lead cowboy, Dean Martin, barely makes any effort at acting. But who could blame him, with the movie's ridiculous premise, slipshod plotting, irredeemable characters and illogical character motivations. The main plot is that Dean wants to do "something big" (illegal) to make his fortune, but he must do it before his aggressive and motherly fiancee comes looking to bring him back to Pennsylvania to settle down. I guess because Dean is so gorgeous. Fortunately for Dean, the plot goes, a hillbilly outlaw with a menacing sidekick shows up to offer Dean a gatling gun in exchange for a woman. You see, the bandit hasn't done the wild thing in a very long time and doesn't "even remember what it's like." He can't leave the desert territory to find one himself, we're supposed to believe, because he's wanted dead or alive.
So, what else can Dean do except agree to his terms and kidnap a random woman from a stagecoach to fill the outlaw's smarmy needs? Hilarious right? Remember, this is supposed to be a comedy. Such a funny premise to kidnap a woman to be assaulted. Wait, this isn't even the slightest bit funny.
But hold on. When Dean accidentally kidnaps the wife of a local army colonel (leader of an F Troop of dufuses), she is immediately endeared to Dean and his dog because he's so respectful to her. Huh? Dean says he loves his horse (which has gold teeth) and even has a small cute dog that he carries in his saddlebag, so he can't be all bad, can he? Who couldn't resist such a loveable rogue? Unfortunately for Dean, she is still in love with her husband. Despite that, though, she still wants to help Dean complete his goal of robbing a Mexican fort, because she overheard him say to his sidekick, Tommy:
"Why do you suppose a man's supposed to love only one woman? You know something, Tommy. If she wasn't the colonel's lady and it wasn't for (my fiancee), and if she was willing, which she naturally would be, and me being me and all, I'd keep her for myself." Charming. What woman wouldn't swoon?
Meanwhile, the colonel gets assaulted at gunpoint by some party girls with guns. Ha ha. You know, because the screenwriter, James Lee Barret, seems to think assault is so humorous.
Honestly, I expected more from Barret who does has a string of classic TV and movie writing credits including Smokey and the Bandit, Shenandoah, The Green Berets, the TV adaption of Heat of the Night, and the 1965 epic bore The Greatest Story Ever Told.
In summary, you won't start laughing.
Toughest Man in Arizona (1952)
A singing sheriff can't save this plot pointer
So.... Who is the toughest man in Arizona?
This film doesn't seem to care or even try to answer that question, leaving the audience to decide it's sheriff I suppose. The film trods through plot points with tepid action or little suspense. The sheriff himself is no John Wayne...more of a middle aged Hoss Cartright type who has lost some weight. The cinematography consists of a lot of "green screens" for close up action scenes. The wide and long shots are acceptable but not great.
The dialogue is stilted and not well acted; but not horrible. The acting of the women in the film is good. Why are the females in these old westerns always way out of the league of the male actors with little to no chemistry? Much of the movie is dedicated to banal family scenes to build up the relationship between the widow and the "tough guy." and his family like a newly created brady bunch.
By the way, nobody seems to miss the dead daddy very much-who at this point they believe was killed, giving the widow and their two children time to escape. Oh well, a girl's gotta eat I guess. The children's dialogue is embarrassingly over-written and cutesy. The toughest guy in Arizona has a nice singing voice but the unnecessary songs are dreadful (one accompanied by an invisible orchestra rather than a cappella) and there are some jigs by the butler.
To be fair, there is one scene near the beginning of the film with some well written banter when the sullen coward of the movie (played flatly by Harry Morgan) shows up at a local hotel and gets bullied by the owner and two no-good regulars. He's the dead dad who actually escaped (how dare he?) The bullies turn out to be allies of the bad man in the movie.
The bad guy's gang helps the bad guy escape from the sheriff, who they shoot up but fail to kill. Back home the widow is very concerned he hasn't come home. So that's what an upset wife looks like. She goes looking for the sheriff and finds he has returned to town severely injured. The sheriff's children grieve appropriately even though he will be ok.
At this point, the first sigh of "when will this movie be over?" sets in. Introduce a new barmaid at the hotel saloon who giggles coyly like an insane teenager when the ugly bad guy shows interest. Finally, the final plot is set up as there is a shipment of silver scheduled by the local mining company that the bad guy and his gang-along with the coward dad-plan to rob. Fortunately, the sheriff has already recovered and is using a cane. Now time for a third unnecessary song!!!!
Every song in this movie is worse than the one before it (along with the invisible orchestra! Yeah!)
The suddenly mouthy widow orders the sheriff to stay inside and the sheriff jokingly calls her a "typical nagging wife." Oops. She doesn't like that. But the sheriff follows with a quick marriage proposal as romantic as a baboon's backside. She reveals that she was never in love with her "dead" husband (do say!) but can't move on because she feels guilty for treating him like white collar trash.
Next scene, it becomes clear the big heist has already happened as the sheriff reads about it in the newspaper. Riveting!!!
SPOILER: Now the movie becomes a procedural - WHO gave the robbers the information about the shipment?! (We already know from almost the beginning of the movie that the dead dad is a telegrapher who gives the information to the bad guys.) But instead of following these super detectives through the streets like an episode of Law and Order, everything is solved around the sheriff's desk complete with a Perry Mason type scene, around the desk, where a woman who helped the bad guy reveals all! The wires were tapped! But BY WHOM???
"His wife is living at your house!" DUM DUM DUM!!!!
I won't "spoil" the ending because ... if I had to watch it, then so do you.
Overall, this is not an unwatchable movie, but it's not good either. It's an ok waste of time if you are in the mood to watch an old western you haven't seen yet. Peace.
See (2019)
Season One 10 Stars, Season Two 6/10
Season 2 would be unwatchable if Season 1 had not done the heavy lifting of world building and character development. Season 2 is watchable, though it has a 100 vibe, losing it's original style established in the first season. I haven't seen the 3rd season yet. Season 2 basically follows the Young Adult fantasy show formula. Establish what it is at stake (often a red herring), uh oh, all is lost, TWIST and/or Dues Ex Machina; and repeat, interspersed with silly dialogue; dumb character decision making; convenient, unearned romances; and "SHOCKS" that ultimately serve no purpose to the story. Add to that the season 2 contrivance that being sighted is actually a disadvantage in combat to being blind. Dave Bautista, who I usually enjoy, sleep walks through every second season episode. I don't understand why season 1 got such low reviews, because it is awesome. The combat, the interesting world, and Jason Mamoa are what make See worth watching. Enjoy.
Rambo: Last Blood (2019)
Watchable but Unsatisfying Waste of John's Final Chapter
After 50 years of film making Sylvester Stallone fails to realize 3 things that could have made this a really good action flick:
1. Once the girl dies, nobody cares anymore, making the 3rd act dull.
2. The only reason to make this film was to give the protagonist if not a happy ending a satisfying one. This movie fails on both counts.
3. Mean Mexicans being cut up like sausage is not substitute for a story. This is 2019/2020 not 1985.
Star Trek: Voyager: Initiations (1995)
If Klingons were Cavemen
If you ever wondered what it would be like if you traveled back in time to when Klingons were cavemen but they overpowered you and went to the future where they acquired advanced technology....uh nvm
Giri/Haji (2019)
One of the best shows in any language
There is some reading involved as the shows goes back and forth between Japanese and English. This show has many layers. It's a hardcore crime drama but also has humor and some action. I don't have the words to give this show justice but I just finished in episode 2 and I'm hooked. Sopranos eat your sushi out.
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
The final half of the Fellowship of the Ring is spectacular
I've gone from someone who read all the books and bought the special extended editions to someone who wishes the first movie in this series were more streamlined than extended.
These are all nitpicks (my favorite movie is part 2 The Two Towers which I consider a near perfect movie.)
The soundtrack of part one is beautiful but can be relentlessly brooding and heavy handed. I find it hard to sit through all three hours without a break. In fact, watching it one hour at a time like episodes of GOT make you appreciate it more. I could have also done with less exposition, voiceovers and mumbling foreboding whispering.
My final nitpick is the casting of Bilbo Baggins. He's nothing like the hobbit I imagined when I read the books or any artist illustrations I've seen. He's too scrawny and lacks charisma in my opinion.
The Witcher (2019)
Great ideas/action but awful dialogue
GOT this is NOT.
But it's a very entertaining fantasy series with interesting characters, situations and monsters.
The corny dialogue, hacky metaphors and excruciating song lyrics are awful; but the action moves along briskly enough that you can overlook it and enjoy the ride.
The King (2019)
Boys are treated like drones and pleasure slaves for men
The writer of the movie John Edgerton wrote a scene for himself that had no bearing on the plot of the movie. The troubling scene is during the first night Falstaff arrives to the new king's castle. The scene shows Edgerton enjoying a bath and moaning in pleasure as his foot is massaged by an unseen servant. The young king comes in to speak to Falstaff. When he does the servant nervously jumps away from the bath now standing at attention. It's a young boy. The prince and Edgerton exchange creepy glances as the scene quickly ends.
The next scene we are told Falstaff is a "good man."
In a later scene, boys are brutalized to show how evil a villain is.
Throughout the movie young boys are always treated by the writer and director as props or drones not as human beings.
Deadwood (2019)
Bad Writing in Final Episode of Deadwood continued in movie finale
The bad writing in the final episode of the series continued in movie finale. The series had been a fresh and dirty interpretation of the old west. But it was reduced to an immorality tale of a defenseless and innocent prostitute being murdered and the self chosen ones in the town going along with it. There is no justice and no one in the end pays for their vile sins. Redemption comes via having babies and two main characters getting married. Perhaps this is how the west was. But if so, I would have sooner watched two hours of swearenger's testicles. Because that basically is what this series in the end turned out to be.
Watchmen (2009)
Watchable, Unoriginal Obomination
This movie is very watchable film. If you turn off your brain, it's an excellent film. If you are someone who cares what enters your brain, watch out. Sorry, but anyone who gives this movie a rating of more than 6 does not deserve access to your consciousness. Set aside the blatant rip off of other DC characters that is hidden in plain site. Batman should file suit in Gotham small claims court. The problem with this film, as in many bad movies, is not just the bad acting and the cringe-worthy romance but the culmination or ending. The smartest man in the world supposedly has concocted one of the most needlessly complex (if he truly were smart) and ultimately ridiculous plans to ....SPOILER ALERT ... "save" the world not conquer or destroy it (though he does a lot of that too.) And the godlike superhero in the film...without whom the plot would not be even possible..SPOILER alert murders the righteous "superhero" at the end but lets the mass murder go unpunished...why? BECAUSE he agrees the his Ends justify the Means goal. We're supposed to believe that if he wipes out all of the major superpower cities then Russia and USA will become allies...but only if the god character makes them think he's always watching them. ... Ayn Rand even gets a shout out. ... We're also supposed to believe that without war or the possibility of war there is automatically no anger, strife, corruption, crime or antagonism among countries or within countries...thus making journalism unnecessary. Bottom line this movie is insulting to anyone who can think beyond their popcorn.