Movie Review: The Searchers (1956) directed by John Ford Texas, 1868: Ethan Edwards (John Wayne) finally returns to his childhood home, three years after the end of the American Civil War. He evades questions about where he’s been, though he was emphatically not in California. Ethan gets reacquainted with his brother Aaron’s family: wife Martha, eldest… Continue reading Movie Review: The Searchers (1956)
Category: Movie
Movie Review: Seven Samurai
Movie Review: Seven Samurai (1954) directed by Akira Kurosawa It is in the Warring Stages period of Japanese history, but between major battles, so many samurai and soldiers are at loose ends, and bandits roam the countryside. An isolated farm village learns that the local bandit gang that already took their rice harvest is coming back… Continue reading Movie Review: Seven Samurai
Movie Review: Inglourious Basterds
Movie Review: Inglourious Basterds (2009) directed by Quentin Tarantino In 1941 France, SS officer Hans Landa (Christoph Waltz), already known as “The Jew-Hunter”, ferrets out a hidden family, killing most of them, but decides to let Shosanna (Mélanie Laurent) the almost-adult daughter to outrun him to, perhaps, have the pleasure of hunting her down again later.… Continue reading Movie Review: Inglourious Basterds
Movie Review: Beverly Hills Cop
Movie Review: Beverly Hills Cop (1984) directed by Martin Brest In Detroit, small-time grifter Axel Foley (Eddie Murphy) is making a deal to unload a truckload of dubiously sourced cigarettes. One of the people he’s negotiating with makes an insultingly low offer, and the ensuing argument allows some uniformed police officers to sneak up on them.… Continue reading Movie Review: Beverly Hills Cop
Movie Review: Mad Max
Movie Review: Mad Max (1979) directed by George Miller It is “a few years from now” and things aren’t looking good for the Victoria province of Australia. Oil supplies are drying up, economic woes are accelerating, and violent motorcycle gangs operate virtually unopposed. The Main Force Police patrol the highways, but they’re underfunded and undermanned. To… Continue reading Movie Review: Mad Max
Movie Review: Papillon (1973)
Movie Review: Papillon (1973) directed by Franklin J. Schaffner Henri Charrière (Steve McQueen), nicknamed “Papillon” after the butterfly tattoo on his chest, is convicted of a crime he did not commit and sentenced to imprisonment in the penal colony of French Guiana often referred to as “Devil’s Island.” On the ship taking the convicts there, he… Continue reading Movie Review: Papillon (1973)
Movie Review: Celtic Thunder: It’s Entertainment!
Movie Review: Celtic Thunder: It’s Entertainment (2010) directed by Michael Watt This, I think, is the first “concert film” I’ve reviewed under this program of going through all my old DVDs. Celtic Thunder is a singing group that formed in 2007 and still tours, though with several changes in personnel. (Ryan Kelly is the only one… Continue reading Movie Review: Celtic Thunder: It’s Entertainment!
Movie Review: Tampopo
Movie Review: Tampopo (1985) directed by Juzo Itami Truck drivers Goro (Tsutomu Yamazaki) and Gun (Ken Watanabe) get hungry on a long haul, and stop at Ramen Lai-Lai, a failing restaurant. To be honest, the food’s not all that good, but Goro gets into a fight with local drunk Pis-Ken (Rikiya Yasuoka), who’s being rude to… Continue reading Movie Review: Tampopo
Movie Review: Better Off Dead
Movie Review: Better Off Dead (1985) directed by Savage Steve Holland Al Meyer (David Ogden Stiers) is a lawyer in the small Northern California town of Greendale, a short drive away from the mountains. Life is rough for him. His wife Jenny (Kim Darby) is an improbably bad cook who refuses to stop trying and is… Continue reading Movie Review: Better Off Dead
Movie Review: Rio Bravo (1959)
Movie Review: Rio Bravo (1959) directed by Howard Hawks Rio Bravo is a small town in the West Texas county of Presidio, not too far from the Mexican border. The rancher with the biggest spread nearby is Nathan Burdette (John Russell). He also has something of a monopoly on guns for hire in the area, being… Continue reading Movie Review: Rio Bravo (1959)