Hurdy Gurdy Man
Junior Member
![*](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/stars/star_yellow.png) ![*](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/stars/star_yellow.png)
@hurdygurdyman
Posts: 1,626
Likes: 930
Member is Online
|
Post by Hurdy Gurdy Man on May 6, 2024 2:55:37 GMT
Hello, good folks of FG. The weekly film discussion thread is back. The topic under discussion is made clear in the title. Made-for-TV, direct-to-video, streaming, TV series/episodes, documentaries, short films can also be listed. The minimum requirement is that a numerical rating out of 5 or 10 be provided - whichever the poster wishes to choose - and it'll be even more helpful if he/she also writes a few thoughts regarding his/her experience with the feature/documentary/short/TV series' season. This will help in starting discussions, which is one of the main intentions of this thread. I also request all those who reply here to go through the whole thread once and see if you can see some common topic to discuss with other posters. I finished the Rocky franchise for the first time in the last week :
I liked that the emphasis was more on character drama, on the poverty, the hardships and the courtship between Rocky and Adrian as opposed to purely boxing spectacle. Easily the best screenplay Stallone ever wrote.
8/10
Trailer :
Rocky II (1979, Sylvester Stallone) : Suffers a little from sequel-itis, as the words "no rematch" were spoken at the end of the first film and yet this film begins with Apollo Creed goading Rocky for a rematch. Rocky staying up in the ring for ten rounds was a miracle in the first film and that he outright wins in this one despite being inferior to Apollo Creed in every area is merely fan service and another example of sequel-itis. Still, the character drama is as strong as before and the character of Creed is more fleshed out than in the first film. 7/10Trailer :
This film is the point where the franchise stopped focussing on character drama and became purely a popcorn spectacle. Right from the opening montage, set to a 80s glam-rock song "Eye of the Tiger" and featuring the impossible feat of Rocky Balboa defending his title several times and becoming enormously wealthy, it is clear that the franchise now exists purely to entertain in a mindless fashion.
However, viewed simply on those terms, it is in fact pretty good entertainment. The first half is rough going with Mickey taken out of the game early. However, once Apollo Creed re-enters the story in a new role, the film improves tremendously. Mr. T is great fun to watch as the antagonist, someone who is obsessed about winning title from Rocky and is not doing it for fame or glamour or money but simply to prove his worth to the world as well as to himself.
7/10
Trailer :
The lowest point of the franchise. It has the same goal as Rocky III - to be mindless popcorn entertainment and nothing more - but fails at it utterly because: 1) none of the returning characters have the same heft to them that they did in the previous films; and 2) the new characters are purely one-note and filtered through Stallone's simplistic political viewpoint. Ivan Drago is nowhere near as memorable as Creed or Clubber Lang; he might as well have been played by a seven-foot block of reinforced concrete.
The only aspect of the film I liked was the difference between Rocky's and Drago's training regimen. While Drago's training is typical gym-based, Rocky's training consists of him doing manual labour in harsh weather conditions. I thought it was interesting symbolism; to depict Rocky as being a natural human being and Drago as something like state-operated machinery.
3/10
Trailer :
Regarded by most people as the worst of the franchise but i found it to be an improvement over part IV. I liked Rocky's scenes with Adrian and director Avildsen's return to the franchise also returned it to the kind of dirt, grit and rawness that the first two films had.
6/10
Trailer :
This one is fuelled purely by nostalgia and Stallone's acting. I cannot say I disliked it but I won't be surprised if, in the future, I end up remembering this one the least of all the Rocky films.
6/10
Trailer :
|
|
|
Post by jcush on May 6, 2024 3:41:19 GMT
Rocky - 8/10
Rocky II - 6/10
Rocky III - 7/10
Rocky IV - 6.5/10
Rocky V - 5.5/10
Rocky Balboa - 6.5/10
First Time Viewings:
Greta (2018, Neil Jordan) - 6.5/10
Bambi II (2006, Brian Pimental) - 5.5/10
Men at Work (1990, Emilio Estevez) - 6/10
Love Lies Bleeding (2024, Rose Glass) - 7/10
Jedi Junkies (2010, Mark Edlitz) - 7/10
Your Name. (2016, Makoto Shinkai) - 8/10
From 'Star Wars' to 'Jedi': The Making of a Saga (1983, Richard Schickel) - 7/10
Repeat Viewings:
Jurassic Park (1993, Steven Spielberg) - 9.5/10
The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997, Steven Spielberg) - 8/10
Jurassic Park III (2001, Joe Johnston) - 6.5/10
Falling Down (1993, Joel Schumacher) - 8.5/10
Kill Bill Vol. 1 (2003, Quentin Tarantino) - 9.5/10
Kill Bill Vol. 2 (2004, Quentin Tarantino) - 9.5/10
South Park: Joining the Panderverse (2023, Trey Parker) - 8/10
|
|
|
Post by theravenking on May 6, 2024 8:17:13 GMT
Hello, good folks of FG. The weekly film discussion thread is back. The topic under discussion is made clear in the title. Made-for-TV, direct-to-video, streaming, TV series/episodes, documentaries, short films can also be listed. The minimum requirement is that a numerical rating out of 5 or 10 be provided - whichever the poster wishes to choose - and it'll be even more helpful if he/she also writes a few thoughts regarding his/her experience with the feature/documentary/short/TV series' season. This will help in starting discussions, which is one of the main intentions of this thread. I also request all those who reply here to go through the whole thread once and see if you can see some common topic to discuss with other posters. I finished the Rocky franchise for the first time in the last week :
8/10
Trailer :
7/10
Trailer :
3/10
Trailer :
6/10
Trailer :
6/10
Trailer :
Another week where I haven't seen any of yours. I never watched any of the Rocky films with the exception of Creed II which weirdly I liked. It was a quiet week for me with only one movie: First Time Viewing: Black Narcissus (1947; Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger) – My first film from these directors. On a purely technical level it’s a stunning achievement, especially considering, that it was all shot in a studio, with gorgeous visuals and impressive sets, but I did not find the story particularly gripping. The central conflct might've been controversial in the 1940s, but is hardly a big deal today. The beginning also felt a bit slow. The second half got a bit more interesting with some strong scenes, and I understand why this is so highly regarded, but for me it's a movie to be admired rather than loved. 6.5/10 TV Burn Notice – Season 1 (2007) – I had heard good things about this show, but it turned out to be a typical generic network series about an ex-spy settling down in Miami as a private detective of sorts. Bruce Campbell is fun in a supporting role, but I feel, that I’m just too old for this sort of shallow entertainment. 5/10
|
|
|
Post by FridayOnElmStreet on May 6, 2024 8:38:10 GMT
Rocky - 8/10 Rocky II - 6/10 Rocky III - 7/10 Rocky IV - 8/10 Rocky V - 2/10 Rocky Balboa - 7/10
Mine: Not too many this week.
Thunderball (1965) - 8/10 Really fun James Bond entry. Not one of my favorites though.
The Mean One (2022) - 4/10 A horror twist on the story of The Grinch. No joke. Stats out fine but the novelty wears off fast.
The Pumkin Man (2023) - 5/10 OK supernatural horror film.
|
|
|
Post by James on May 6, 2024 12:40:11 GMT
Rocky - 8.5/10 Rocky II - 7.5/10 Rocky III - 8/10 Rocky IV - 7/10 Rocky V - 6.5/10 Rocky Balboa - 7.5/10
Funny enough, I got done watching another Stallone movie but it wasn't from last week, of which I haven't seen any.
|
|
|
Post by brandomarlon2003 on May 6, 2024 19:22:59 GMT
Wish (4/10) - A king (voice of Chris Pine) and his wife establish a kingdom on an island in the Mediterranean Sea. The king is a sorceror and is able to grant wishes to his subjects. Each of them give up the memory of their wishes to be sealed and protected by the king until he can grant them. Once a month, at a ceremonial event, King Magnifico chooses one wish to be granted. A teenager (voiced by Ariana DeBose) discovers that the king never intends to give the memories of the wishes back to his citizens. She sets out to foil his plans. The movie is very lackluster and generic. Even the animation is "meh". Good voice performances by DeBose and especially Chris Pine are the only merits.
The Fall Guy (6.5/10) - Colt Seavers (Ryan Gosling) is a Hollywood stunt man who doubles for famous actor Tom Ryder (Aaron Taylor-Johnson). Seavers gets badly injured in a stunt gone wrong and turns his back on the movie business and his camera operator girlfriend Jody (Emily Blunt). Nearly 2 years later, Seavers is contacted by a film producer who asks for his help in locating the missing Tom Ryder. Gosling is very likeable and the film has memorable action scenes. There is also solid chemistry between Gosling and Blunt. Otherwise, the film is quite silly at times but still worth a watch on a slow day. Aaron Taylor-Johnson (who was outstanding in the 2022 film "Bullet Train", also directed by "Fall Guy" director David Leitch) is wasted here is a lame supporting role. There are a handful of amusing surprise cameos that may put a smile on the viewer's face too.
Harper (6/10) - 1966 film that pays homage to the Humphrey Bogart detective films of the 1960's (even featuring Bogart's wife Lauren Bacall in a supporting role). Paul Newman plays a private detective named Lew Harper who is hired by Elaine Sampson (Bacall) to find her missing husband Ralph Sampson, a multi-millionaire. The film is definitely watchable but too long and at times draggy. Good supporting performances from Arthur Hill, Shelley Winters, and Robert Wagner. Newman is very well cast in the lead as well and you can tell he is having fun making the movie. Good 1960's atmosphere as well.
Arcadian (5/10) - A father (Nicolas Cage) and his two teenage sons struggle to survive in a post-apocalyptic world. They are constantly fending for their lives against a group of vicious monsters (that look like a strange hybrid mixture of a giant tarantula mixed with a gorilla). The film has its moments but is very slow moving for the first 40 minutes. The best parts are when the monsters attack. Despite top billing, Cage is barely in the movie and has at most 25 minutes of total screen time (out of the 95 minute running time). Worth a one time watch but nothing more.
|
|
|
Post by Roberto on May 7, 2024 18:25:21 GMT
I'm long overdue for a Rocky rewatch actually. Here are my old IMDb ratings. I suspect they may change a fair bit.
Rocky 9/10
Rocky II 7/10
Rocky III 6/10
Rocky IV 9/10
Rocky V 8/10
Rocky Balboa 8/10
Just this one for me this week. Finally finished the DCEU.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023) It was okay, enjoyable enough, but more of the same really, just not as memorable. It's very visually pleasing, other than a lot of the CGI, which looked very half baked. Something about the performances felt a bit off too, like maybe some of the actors did not want to be there or something, other than Randall Park and Patrick Wilson who were the most enjoyable to watch. Whoever played the villain was quite good too, good screen presence, but he just did not have much to work with. Ending was a bit rushed and anticlimactic. 5.5/10
|
|
|
Post by lostinlimbo on May 8, 2024 0:32:17 GMT
Rocky - 9/10 Rocky II - 9/10 Rocky III - 7/10 Rocky IV - 7/10 Rocky V - 5/10 Rocky Balboa - 8/10
I would have the first two Rocky films as equal, though I slightly leans towards the sequel. Balboa was surprisingly good. IV is ultra silly and heavy-handed, but I thought entertaining. Rocky V is decent, but a comedown for me. Starts strong, but fades away by the end. As for III, my memory is probably the weakest of the lot. Outside Pauly and the robot scenes, Hulk Hogan’s cameo and Mr T’s antics… I don’t remember much else.
Last week’s viewings; Prison on Fire (1987) 8/10 Up there with Director Ringo Lam’s best films, and Chow Yun-Fat is excellent too.
The Heartbreak Kid (1993) 5/10
Force 10 from Navarone (1978) repeat 7/10 The story and action feels like it never gets out of first gear, but the ensemble cast work off each other well and bought their a-games.
Boy on a Dolphin (1957) 5/10 Rather uninteresting and ponderous treasure hunt adventure/comedy/romance fare. Beautiful locations though, and a feisty Sophia Loren.
Finished Season 2 of Walker, Texas Ranger. Not as consistent as Season 1. As it took twice as long for me to finish this season. Some episodes were decent, while other episodes were a slog to get through. Chuck Norris really felt like his was on cruise control this season. Just didn’t feel the same. Gladly his chemistry with Clarence Gilyard still is the shows highlight. Also the music score had changed, and not for the better. Overall a really patchy season.
The previous week; The Hand that Rocks the Cradle (1992) 6/10 Daft thriller, but Rebecca De Mornay easily stands out with her deviously sly and unhinged performance.
Lonely Hearts (2006) 6/10 Fascinating story, but a touch messy and rushed. The cast kept me glued.
Vicki (1953) 6/10 A flashback framework filters through this film noir. Engaging enough, with a dominating Richard Boone performance.
The Night has Eyes (1952) 5/10 Slow-burn, and stiff gothic dramatic thriller led by James Mason. Some nice atmosphere with a forlorn homestead in a marsh, but doesn’t come alive until the end.
Buchanan Rides Alone (1958) 6/10 Easily the weakest of the Budd Boetticher/Burt Kennedy/Randolph Scott westerns.
|
|
|
Post by theravenking on May 8, 2024 7:29:43 GMT
Rocky - 9/10 Rocky II - 9/10 Rocky III - 7/10 Rocky IV - 7/10 Rocky V - 5/10 Rocky Balboa - 8/10 I would have the first two Rocky films as equal, though I slightly leans towards the sequel. Balboa was surprisingly good. IV is ultra silly and heavy-handed, but I thought entertaining. Rocky V is decent, but a comedown for me. Starts strong, but fades away by the end. As for III, my memory is probably the weakest of the lot. Outside Pauly and the robot scenes, Hulk Hogan’s cameo and Mr T’s antics… I don’t remember much else. Last week’s viewings;Prison on Fire (1987) 8/10 Up there with Director Ringo Lam’s best films, and Chow Yun-Fat is excellent too. The Heartbreak Kid (1993) 5/10 Force 10 from Navarone (1978) repeat 7/10 The story and action feels like it never gets out of first gear, but the ensemble cast work off each other well and bought their a-games. Boy on a Dolphin (1957) 5/10 Rather uninteresting and ponderous treasure hunt adventure/comedy/romance fare. Beautiful locations though, and a feisty Sophia Loren. Finished Season 2 of Walker, Texas Ranger. Not as consistent as Season 1. As it took twice as long for me to finish this season. Some episodes were decent, while other episodes were a slog to get through. Chuck Norris really felt like his was on cruise control this season. Just didn’t feel the same. Gladly his chemistry with Clarence Gilyard still is the shows highlight. Also the music score had changed, and not for the better. Overall a really patchy season. The previous week;The Hand that Rocks the Cradle (1992) 6/10 Daft thriller, but Rebecca De Mornay easily stands out with her deviously sly and unhinged performance. Lonely Hearts (2006) 6/10 Fascinating story, but a touch messy and rushed. The cast kept me glued. Vicki (1953) 6/10 A flashback framework filters through this film noir. Engaging enough, with a dominating Richard Boone performance. The Night has Eyes (1952) 5/10 Slow-burn, and stiff gothic dramatic thriller led by James Mason. Some nice atmosphere with a forlorn homestead in a marsh, but doesn’t come alive until the end. Buchanan Rides Alone (1958) 6/10 Easily the weakest of the Budd Boetticher/Burt Kennedy/Randolph Scott westerns. Lonely Hearts (2006) 6/10 Agree, fascinating story with a good cast, but overall somewhat mediocre movie.
|
|
Hurdy Gurdy Man
Junior Member
![*](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/stars/star_yellow.png) ![*](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/stars/star_yellow.png)
@hurdygurdyman
Posts: 1,626
Likes: 930
Member is Online
|
Post by Hurdy Gurdy Man on May 10, 2024 11:57:33 GMT
Rocky - 8/10 Rocky II - 6/10 Rocky III - 7/10 Rocky IV - 6.5/10 Rocky V - 5.5/10 Rocky Balboa - 6.5/10 First Time Viewings:Greta (2018, Neil Jordan) - 6.5/10Bambi II (2006, Brian Pimental) - 5.5/10Men at Work (1990, Emilio Estevez) - 6/10Love Lies Bleeding (2024, Rose Glass) - 7/10Jedi Junkies (2010, Mark Edlitz) - 7/10Your Name. (2016, Makoto Shinkai) - 8/10From 'Star Wars' to 'Jedi': The Making of a Saga (1983, Richard Schickel) - 7/10Repeat Viewings:Jurassic Park (1993, Steven Spielberg) - 9.5/10The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997, Steven Spielberg) - 8/10Jurassic Park III (2001, Joe Johnston) - 6.5/10Falling Down (1993, Joel Schumacher) - 8.5/10Kill Bill Vol. 1 (2003, Quentin Tarantino) - 9.5/10Kill Bill Vol. 2 (2004, Quentin Tarantino) - 9.5/10South Park: Joining the Panderverse (2023, Trey Parker) - 8/10Jurassic Park is an all-time great favourite, of course. The Lost World was rather lame and overlong and its only really fun section was its climax in L.A. Jurassic Part III is un-ambitious conveyor belt filmmaking but somewhat entertaining if you keep your expectations low.
I remember thinking Kill Bill Vol. I was okay but Vol. II was a bore. They need to be revisited though.
|
|
Hurdy Gurdy Man
Junior Member
![*](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/stars/star_yellow.png) ![*](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/stars/star_yellow.png)
@hurdygurdyman
Posts: 1,626
Likes: 930
Member is Online
|
Post by Hurdy Gurdy Man on May 12, 2024 7:38:19 GMT
Another week where I haven't seen any of yours. I never watched any of the Rocky films with the exception of Creed II which weirdly I liked. It was a quiet week for me with only one movie: First Time Viewing: Black Narcissus (1947; Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger) – My first film from these directors. On a purely technical level it’s a stunning achievement, especially considering, that it was all shot in a studio, with gorgeous visuals and impressive sets, but I did not find the story particularly gripping. The central conflict might've been controversial in the 1940s, but is hardly a big deal today. The beginning also felt a bit slow. The second half got a bit more interesting with some strong scenes, and I understand why this is so highly regarded, but for me it's a movie to be admired rather than loved. 6.5/10 TV Burn Notice – Season 1 (2007) – I had heard good things about this show, but it turned out to be a typical generic network series about an ex-spy settling down in Miami as a private detective of sorts. Bruce Campbell is fun in a supporting role, but I feel, that I’m just too old for this sort of shallow entertainment. 5/10 I haven't seen Black Narcissus but I want to; it's in my watchlist.
|
|
Hurdy Gurdy Man
Junior Member
![*](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/stars/star_yellow.png) ![*](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/stars/star_yellow.png)
@hurdygurdyman
Posts: 1,626
Likes: 930
Member is Online
|
Post by Hurdy Gurdy Man on May 12, 2024 7:39:37 GMT
Rocky - 8/10 Rocky II - 6/10 Rocky III - 7/10 Rocky IV - 8/10 Rocky V - 2/10 Rocky Balboa - 7/10 Mine: Not too many this week. Thunderball (1965) - 8/10 Really fun James Bond entry. Not one of my favorites though. The Mean One (2022) - 4/10A horror twist on the story of The Grinch. No joke. Stats out fine but the novelty wears off fast. The Pumkin Man (2023) - 5/10OK supernatural horror film. I don't recall Thunderball too well. Somehow I think that my response to it wasn't very favourable. It shall be clear to me only after another viewing.
|
|
Hurdy Gurdy Man
Junior Member
![*](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/stars/star_yellow.png) ![*](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/stars/star_yellow.png)
@hurdygurdyman
Posts: 1,626
Likes: 930
Member is Online
|
Post by Hurdy Gurdy Man on May 12, 2024 7:41:58 GMT
Wish (4/10) - A king (voice of Chris Pine) and his wife establish a kingdom on an island in the Mediterranean Sea. The king is a sorceror and is able to grant wishes to his subjects. Each of them give up the memory of their wishes to be sealed and protected by the king until he can grant them. Once a month, at a ceremonial event, King Magnifico chooses one wish to be granted. A teenager (voiced by Ariana DeBose) discovers that the king never intends to give the memories of the wishes back to his citizens. She sets out to foil his plans. The movie is very lackluster and generic. Even the animation is "meh". Good voice performances by DeBose and especially Chris Pine are the only merits. The Fall Guy (6.5/10) - Colt Seavers (Ryan Gosling) is a Hollywood stunt man who doubles for famous actor Tom Ryder (Aaron Taylor-Johnson). Seavers gets badly injured in a stunt gone wrong and turns his back on the movie business and his camera operator girlfriend Jody (Emily Blunt). Nearly 2 years later, Seavers is contacted by a film producer who asks for his help in locating the missing Tom Ryder. Gosling is very likeable and the film has memorable action scenes. There is also solid chemistry between Gosling and Blunt. Otherwise, the film is quite silly at times but still worth a watch on a slow day. Aaron Taylor-Johnson (who was outstanding in the 2022 film "Bullet Train", also directed by "Fall Guy" director David Leitch) is wasted here is a lame supporting role. There are a handful of amusing surprise cameos that may put a smile on the viewer's face too. Harper (6/10) - 1966 film that pays homage to the Humphrey Bogart detective films of the 1960's (even featuring Bogart's wife Lauren Bacall in a supporting role). Paul Newman plays a private detective named Lew Harper who is hired by Elaine Sampson (Bacall) to find her missing husband Ralph Sampson, a multi-millionaire. The film is definitely watchable but too long and at times draggy. Good supporting performances from Arthur Hill, Shelley Winters, and Robert Wagner. Newman is very well cast in the lead as well and you can tell he is having fun making the movie. Good 1960's atmosphere as well. Arcadian (5/10) - A father (Nicolas Cage) and his two teenage sons struggle to survive in a post-apocalyptic world. They are constantly fending for their lives against a group of vicious monsters (that look like a strange hybrid mixture of a giant tarantula mixed with a gorilla). The film has its moments but is very slow moving for the first 40 minutes. The best parts are when the monsters attack. Despite top billing, Cage is barely in the movie and has at most 25 minutes of total screen time (out of the 95 minute running time). Worth a one time watch but nothing more. I haven't seen those yet; only Harper is in my watchlist.
|
|
Hurdy Gurdy Man
Junior Member
![*](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/stars/star_yellow.png) ![*](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/stars/star_yellow.png)
@hurdygurdyman
Posts: 1,626
Likes: 930
Member is Online
|
Post by Hurdy Gurdy Man on May 12, 2024 7:42:39 GMT
I'm long overdue for a Rocky rewatch actually. Here are my old IMDb ratings. I suspect they may change a fair bit. Rocky9/10 Rocky II7/10 Rocky III6/10 Rocky IV9/10 Rocky V8/10 Rocky Balboa8/10 Just this one for me this week. Finally finished the DCEU. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023)It was okay, enjoyable enough, but more of the same really, just not as memorable. It's very visually pleasing, other than a lot of the CGI, which looked very half baked. Something about the performances felt a bit off too, like maybe some of the actors did not want to be there or something, other than Randall Park and Patrick Wilson who were the most enjoyable to watch. Whoever played the villain was quite good too, good screen presence, but he just did not have much to work with. Ending was a bit rushed and anticlimactic. 5.5/10 I am afraid I haven't seen a single DCEU film. Never felt the desire to.
|
|
Hurdy Gurdy Man
Junior Member
![*](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/stars/star_yellow.png) ![*](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/stars/star_yellow.png)
@hurdygurdyman
Posts: 1,626
Likes: 930
Member is Online
|
Post by Hurdy Gurdy Man on May 12, 2024 7:57:14 GMT
Rocky - 9/10 Rocky II - 9/10 Rocky III - 7/10 Rocky IV - 7/10 Rocky V - 5/10 Rocky Balboa - 8/10 I would have the first two Rocky films as equal, though I slightly leans towards the sequel. Balboa was surprisingly good. IV is ultra silly and heavy-handed, but I thought entertaining. Rocky V is decent, but a comedown for me. Starts strong, but fades away by the end. As for III, my memory is probably the weakest of the lot. Outside Pauly and the robot scenes, Hulk Hogan’s cameo and Mr T’s antics… I don’t remember much else. Last week’s viewings;Prison on Fire (1987) 8/10 Up there with Director Ringo Lam’s best films, and Chow Yun-Fat is excellent too. The Heartbreak Kid (1993) 5/10 Force 10 from Navarone (1978) repeat 7/10 The story and action feels like it never gets out of first gear, but the ensemble cast work off each other well and bought their a-games. Boy on a Dolphin (1957) 5/10 Rather uninteresting and ponderous treasure hunt adventure/comedy/romance fare. Beautiful locations though, and a feisty Sophia Loren. Finished Season 2 of Walker, Texas Ranger. Not as consistent as Season 1. As it took twice as long for me to finish this season. Some episodes were decent, while other episodes were a slog to get through. Chuck Norris really felt like his was on cruise control this season. Just didn’t feel the same. Gladly his chemistry with Clarence Gilyard still is the shows highlight. Also the music score had changed, and not for the better. Overall a really patchy season. The previous week;The Hand that Rocks the Cradle (1992) 6/10 Daft thriller, but Rebecca De Mornay easily stands out with her deviously sly and unhinged performance. Lonely Hearts (2006) 6/10 Fascinating story, but a touch messy and rushed. The cast kept me glued. Vicki (1953) 6/10 A flashback framework filters through this film noir. Engaging enough, with a dominating Richard Boone performance. The Night has Eyes (1952) 5/10 Slow-burn, and stiff gothic dramatic thriller led by James Mason. Some nice atmosphere with a forlorn homestead in a marsh, but doesn’t come alive until the end. Buchanan Rides Alone (1958) 6/10 Easily the weakest of the Budd Boetticher/Burt Kennedy/Randolph Scott westerns. I was too lazy to write my thoughts in detail but I thought Rocky III was a lot of fun aside from the utterly pointless Hulk Hogan sequence. Once Carl Weathers makes his entrance, the story picks up speed and never loses its grip. Even Mr. T is a hell of an antagonist.
Force 10 from Navarone: I felt this was a lazy attempt to cash-in on nostalgic fondness for the previous film. It should have been made in the 60s when the iron was still hot and the main cast members could have returned. The climactic flood scene was quite poorly handled; it never felt that the water had enough force in it to topple the bridge.
The Hand that Rocks the Cradle: My thoughts are on similar lines as yours.
Boy on a Dolphin: The gorgeous Grecian locations were the only watchable thing about this travesty.
Haven't seen a single Boetticher-Scott western yet but they are all in my watchlist.
|
|