Movie Reviews
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence
What a cast! Scroll on past the marquee names of Jimmy Stewart, John Wayne, Vera Miles, and Lee Marvin, and you will find that this features … well, everybody! Just about everybody who ever played a supporting role in a classic western movie, anyway. Edmond O’Brien, Andy Devine, John Carradine, Jeannette Nolan, John “Yumpin’ Yimini’!” Qualen, Woody Strode, Denver ... Read more »
A Lego Brickumentary
We didn’t have Lincoln Logs or LEGO when I was growing up. My granddaddy managed a Duke & Ayres 5&10 store in Corsicana, Texas, so what we had was what he sold, at a discount. I remember Tinkertoys, and I had an Erector set, but what I mostly had was something called American Plastic Bricks. They came in a big rigid cardboard tube, and you could have the bricks in any color you ... Read more »
You, Me and Dupree
Matt Dillon and Kate Hudson are getting married in an elaborate ceremony in Hawaii, but right from the start there are signs of trouble, first from her horrible father (Michael Douglas), one of those personable guys who will smile as he thrusts the knife into your gut. But a far bigger threat is Matt’s best asshole buddy, Dupree (Owen Wilson), a child-man who shows up at their house right ... Read more »
We Don’t Live Here Anymore
(Second Review) I don’t think I’m ever going to be a big fan of movies about adultery. I just find it hard to find sympathy for people who go down that route. This is the story of two couples, best friends, who are torn apart when one man has an affair with the other man’s wife. Then the other two start having sex. The writing is excellent. So is the acting by Naomi Watts, who I love, Mark ... Read more »
The Bad Seed
Nature or nurture? That’s the center of this disturbing movie. Is human bad behavior determined by the environment in which a child is raised? Or is it the result of a “bad” gene? It is clear to me that the first notion is ridiculous. Take two brothers raised side by side in a terrible home and neighborhood. Abusive father, addict mother, killings on the streets, gangs threatening your ... Read more »
San Andreas
It’s like they had a checklist of cliches. The Rock is a man of action, but with a troubled past. Check. His wife is divorcing him because of something in the past. Check. She has taken up with a super-rich man who seems like a nice guy. Check. When the chips are down, the rich bastard abandons their daughter to her fate. Check. I could go on, but you have the picture by now.
Then ... Read more »
Father of the Bride
Spencer Tracy could be very good at comedy. His sense of timing was flawless, and he knew how to make the smallest gestures tell volumes about what he was thinking. I’ve always really enjoyed this little trifle, about a man going through the horrific ordeal of marrying his daughter off. She wants a small wedding somewhere out in the country, and naturally it evolves into a huge shindig in ... Read more »
The Last of Sheila
It seems that Anthony “Norman Bates” Perkins and Stephen “Into the Woods” Sondheim had a fairly lengthy affair in the ‘70s. They were both deeply into puzzles and mysteries, and one of the things they liked to do was arrange elaborate parties, masquerades, scavenger hunts and the like for their friends, who included most of the celebrities in New York. This film, ... Read more »
The Bridge at Remagen
When I was young and visited my Aunt Cokie and Uncle Billy in Corsicana, Texas, I often looked at a display case mounted on their wall. There were several medals in it, most of which were unknown to me. But even at that age I knew what a Purple Heart was, and there was one of those in the case. I don’t know if I ever asked him how he got it, or the others. If I did, he must not have told ... Read more »
Dog Day Afternoon
Based on a true story, and apparently more accurate than most films that claim to be true. The center of attention, a sack of shit named John Wojtowicz, was still alive, and in fact made $7500 and 1% of the profits by selling his story. I believe, or anyway I hope, that could not happen today, as laws have been passed preventing assholes from profiting from their felonious deeds. ... Read more »