Life 5/10. A sort of sub Alien monster in space, it was okay(ish), I won't bother to watch it again. Under Fire 6/10. I really enjoyed this when I saw it at the cinema all those years ago, good film, but I sort of lost interest about two thirds in. Both Blu-rays for the charity shop.
I like Larry Cohen a lot and enjoy these films directed by Bill Lustig. They're refreshingly played straight with no winking humour, no character is safe. 2 has some great unforeseable plot twists, and they have some great stunts. 2 has an epic burn suit stunt.
Under Fire 6/10. I really enjoyed this when I saw it at the cinema all those years ago, good film, but I sort of lost interest about two thirds in.
Really? I recall liking UNDER FIRE (though I recall precious little of JG's score) but not as much as I liked Oliver Stone's SALVADOR, which I enjoyed for the superb James Woods performance. I have to wonder if these films have indeed lost their luster over the years.
Speaking of which, what the Hell happened to James Woods, anyway?
Admittedly stagey--this film would make for a better stage play-- take on Mildred Pierce, but with good performances from Kate Winslet, Jim Belushi, Juno Temple, and...wait for it: Justin Timberlake! Belushi is "supposed to be" a working-class lout, but his performance indicates otherwise. Timberlake, whom I've never heard sing or act in anything, actually does an admirable job playing a budding intellectual(!).
Fine use of 1950-52 era pop songs, nice period costumes, and stunning photography from master Vittorio Storaro.
The Natural, 8/10. A magical film, I loved it, & I don't even like sports films, but it's not really about baseball, & a beautiful looking Blu-ray from Sony.
...& I loved the soundtrack, it looks deleted (I'm surprised it hasn't had an extended release by now) , but I've just bought it s/h from ebay for £3
Pat Garrett & Billy The Kid, 9/10. The Warner DVD (& not the crappy Seydor cut). I'm still not sure if it flows as it should & is all of a piece, but it's one fantastic scene after another.
The Natural, 8/10. A magical film, I loved it, & I don't even like sports films, but it's not really about baseball, & a beautiful looking Blu-ray from Sony.
...& I loved the soundtrack, it looks deleted (I'm surprised it hasn't had an extended release by now) , but I've just bought it s/h from ebay for £3
I don't know why I saw this film in the theater. Baseball is one of my least favorite sports. But like you said, it's not really a baseball movie in the traditional sense.
Robert Redford is one of the greats, who commanded your attention. Spectacular supporting cast, and awesome score. The cinematography was gorgeous.
Legal Eagles 4.5/10 Redford is decent but Winger doesn't have much personality or chemistry with him and Darryl Hannah is a disappointingly blank canvas. The romance doesn't work and much of the humour falls flat. Brian Dennehy and David Clennon have nice supporting moments.
Transformers the Last Knight 0.5/10 Unwatchable. I suffered about 25 mins. Starts in The middle ages in England which bizarrely includes black fellas as knights fighting some sort of Germanic-looking tribe (obviously somebody liked the first 10 minutes of Gladiator) which also includes a few black fellas (but no Asians, as anachronistic diversity only goes so far), and giant weird objects being thrown by siege machines, then gets worse very quickly. Mind-numbing. 0.5 for some great effects in all the millions of effects on screen (which include some not so great).
This little film became the darling of the festival circuit, the independent film enthusiasts, and the film critics, as it was a coming of age love story told from the perspective of a 17 year old gay male who has a brief but intense love affair with a an older(mid 20's me thinks) visiting college professor assistant in northern Italy in 1983.
I've seen my fair share of gay themed love films and to be honest, most have left me not as enthused or as moved as most of the movie going public or critics hailed them to be. Case in point was "Brokeback Mountain", hailed as ground breaking in that it showed a love story between 2 macho cowboys in the 1960's/70's, filmed by a class A director and 2 of the hottest male leads at that time. But it didn't "get" to me as it seemed to have gotten everyone else, and this coming from a gay man myself.
Even "Moonlight" didn't resonate as much with me as I though it would(beautifully done and acted story as it was) But "Call Me By Your Name" got me and for many reasons. Mainly is that it eschews many Hollywood conventions of a love story and particularly gay ones. The main lead, Timothy Chalamet, makes this picture shine. He is amazing and was well deserving the Oscar nod. He is as believable as one could possibly get with this role. The writing, by the legendary James Ivory, is fresh and spontaneous in it's adaptation of the original material. He lets the story breath and the characters develop into their own. I also fell in love with the Italian locale and all of the supporting characters, who come across as real people. And finally, the fathers "speech" with his son at the end of the film is something that should be conveyed to all kids that age, male/female, gay/straight, etc. It's beautifully written and sublimely conveyed by Michael Stuhlbarg, who these days is seemingly everywhere(Shape of Water, Fargo(tv), The Post, Dr Strange to name a few) and fittingly so. He slips so easily into character.
All around it is a pitch perfect love story that moved me emotionally at the end and stuck with me long after it was over.
Great reviews, Wanderer and TominAtl. Really useful guide to what to see and especially what to avoid!
I've fallen behind a bit. Took half an hour to pick out a few thoughts on Cat o' Nine Tails and lost it all, so got discouraged.
Cat o' Nine Tails - 8/10 Karl Malden as a blind puzzle enthusiast strangely caught up in nefarious doings at a pharmaceutical factory in Italy. Not Argento's strongest but some great Hitchcockian moments, an excellent score and the least sexy leading lady boob reveal in cinema.
Cross of Iron - 9/10 My favourite Peckinpah film (sorry, Wild Bunch fans) thanks to sympathetic turns from Coburn, Mason, Schell, Warner, Berger and in fact everyone else. Great score by Ernest Gold, could have used more of the main theme throughout the film.
Annihi 3/10 Sorry, only had the patience to watch the first half of Annihilation. Might try the rest of it another time, but that doesn't mean it'll get 6/10. Because it already won't.
Thor Ragnarok 8/10 I was reluctant to watch this, given the reviews underlining the comedy moments, but in fact I really enjoyed it and it really succeeded within its own aspirations. Made me want to see "What We Do In The Shadows" again, but I haven't yet. Enjoyed the score.
True Romance 8/10 I think that was the third time I've seen it and I've liked it more every time. Great cast with a telling scene for each character.
There have been others and when they come back to mind I might well add them...