9 posts tagged “films”

I've been avoiding this film for over a year due to the negative reviews. I finally checked it out recently and it really is a major disappointment. As I feared, Colin Farrell was just wrong completely as Sonny Crockett. Jamie Foxx was OK but wasn't any more memorable as Tubbs. The two completely lacked chemistry and paled in comparison to Don Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas.

The movie lacked any sense of style and fun - two of the original series' strongest elements and while Mann was as usual visually stunning, his story lacked depth and interest. The love story between Crockett and Isabella was lame and forced and at no point did I ever really care about these characters. Instead of being Sonny Crockett and Ricardo Tubbs, they could've been any old movie cops doing the things movie cops do.

Mann's a great filmmaker and like all of his films this is incredibly well made and visually impressive. However, as a whole, this film was nothing short of disappointing and fell far short of the greatness his television show often achieved.

This is the first image from the new film. On the plus side, Ford doesn't look like somebody's grandfather in a fedora. I'm cautiously optimistic that this film won't ruin the legacy because unlike the last three "Star Wars" films, George Lucas isn't running the show here. Steven Spielberg is.

Here's the pic:

Indy20070621

1 comment

For my money this is classic Norris. You have the stilted acting; you have Norris at his most ferocious peak form; you have the red-hot Barbara Carrera and one of the best martial arts showdowns in film history between Norris and David Carradine (whose ego was so great he had it written into the contract that Norris couldn't kill him in their climactic fight scene). You even have a little person in a wheelchair and Jane Kennedy's husband.

What's not to love about this film?

If you're a Norris fan, this film is his "Citizen Kane."

I remember seeing this film with my brother-in-law when it was first released back in 83. I had an interest in the space race and outer space exploration but it wasn't a deep passion by any means. But this film provided such a powerful and enchanting look at that important period in U.S. history that it was impossible for me to walk away from the film without feeling the true depth of the power that part of our history had in this country's development.

The film is smart, witty and at no point during its 31/2-hour length does it feel dull or tedious. It provides a wonderful look not just at the importance of the space race but the men who fueled it and a country's passion for continued exploration.

Sending a man into outer space seems rather ordinary today. Been there. Done that. But this film does a tremendous job of capturing the newness of it all and how every step that was taken pointed in a bold and significant direction. I cannot recommend this film enough. It is, without question, one of the greatest films I have ever seen.

Check out the Wikipedia link for more info about the film:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Right_Stuff

First you did a sixth Rocky movie - which by the way was three Rocky's too many. And now ... now ...

A FOURTH RAMBO MOVIE?

Who's financing this stuff? Seriously, why in the hell does anyone think we need more John Rambo stories? Have moviegoers been sitting around since 1988 wondering what in the hell happened to John Rambo? Have Hollywood studios been stormed by moviegoers acting like the crazed villagers at the end of a Frankenstein movie carrying torches and signs demanding more John Rambo movies?

Is there really anybody outside of the Stallone family who really wants to see this? Please Sly, give it up. I'm begging you. Stop taking steroids into foreign countries and stop recycling films from your past that had their time but have come and gone.

What's next ...

"Rhinestone 2?"

No two film fans will ever have identical taste, but haven't you often seen a film that was popular and/or critically praised and wondered what the fuss was about? Me too. Here are a few films that many others loved that just didn't do it for me.

"Fargo" - yea everyone talked funny. We get it.

Any film with Adam Sandler where he talks in a funny voice and acts like a moron. Maybe you have to be a Jerry Lewis fan to appreciate that type of humor.

"Gladiator" - did that film ever end?

The final 10-15 minute sequence in "The Last of the Mohicans" is about as perfect as one can get in terms of cinematic excellence. From the escape from the Huron camp to the final confrontation with Magua, this is filmmaking at its finest. Shot almost entirely without any dialogue, the sequence is framed with incredible visuals from director Michael Mann and an exquisite musical score.

If you've never seen this film I highly recommend it. If you have it at home, watch it again. Or just watch those final moments I'm speaking of. You may never see a better sequence of filmmaking than that.

Check out the trailer.

"Why Johnny Ringo. You look like someone just walked over your grave."

This is one of my favorite westerns and the main reason is Killmer. He steals every scene he's in. I know the Oscars aren't the end all of acting and cinema but it really is shocking to me that he wasn't even nominated for a Best Supporting Actor award for this film. If I was to teach supporting roles in films to an acting class, I'd hold this performance up for the only example the students need to learn from.

There have been a lot of great supporting performances in films but this one is right at the top of the list as far as I'm concerned.