The Duellists (1977)
A I watched this again since I had it, and enjoyed it just as much on a second viewing. Great fight scenes and beautiful costuming.
Posted by jacknilan
at 8:28 PM EDT
Drunken Angel (1948)
A Early Kurosawa about the Yazuka and a drunken doctor. A vey young Toshiro Mifune was great as usual.
Posted by jacknilan
at 8:27 PM EDT
The Duellists (1977)
A+ I liked everything about this movie. Great acting. Beautifully filmed.
Posted by jacknilan
at 6:25 PM EDT
The Inside Man (1996)
C+ It was just a very mediocre movie. The style and the filming were very good but the story was almost non-existent. There were some magic moments that helped cure plot flaws. Jodie Foster's character was poorly developed. 1950's style melodramatic music didn't work. Throw in something about the Nazis to add to the confusion. Almost a caricature of what a good drama should be.
Posted by jacknilan
at 12:01 AM EDT
Amistad (19997)
A+ Had a lot of critics when it came out but I think this is one of the best movies on American history.
Posted by jacknilan
at 12:01 AM EDT
Woman in the Dunes (1964)
B+ A very different story. i really have to see it again. In some ways in tone and style it reminded me of
Hiroshima, Mon Amour. Life really is a state of mind.
Posted by jacknilan
at 12:01 AM EDT
Double Indemnity (1944)
A+ Just tremendous. Keeps getting better and better.
Posted by jacknilan
at 12:01 AM EDT
The Sentinel (2006)
C+ Good actors and a pretty good story but somehow it never came together. more like a TV episode than a movie.
Posted by jacknilan
at 12:01 AM EDT
Water (2005)
B+ It really is an unbelievable story that needs to be seen. Sixty years after Gandhi and this kind of thing is still going on. Was really more like a documentary than a movie. Reminded me a lot of "Born into Brothels".
Posted by jacknilan
at 9:30 PM EDT
Updated: September 18, 2006 9:31 PM EDT
Akeelah and the Bee (2006)
B Ok. Disney like movie that wasn't as good as I had heard.
Posted by jacknilan
at 4:12 PM EDT
The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman (1974)
A Even though this was a made for TV movie and the production values weren't great it still was a very good story with some great acting.
Posted by jacknilan
at 12:01 AM EDT
Updated: September 17, 2006 5:19 PM EDT
A Raisin in the Sun (1961)
A The story looked like a play being filmed and some of Sidney's acting was a little over the top, but overall very good.
Posted by jacknilan
at 12:01 AM EDT
The Last of the Mohicans (1992)
A+ Great movie. One of the best action/ adventure movies ever made.
Posted by jacknilan
at 12:01 AM EDT
On-Bak (2003)
B Really good fighting scenes, really little story. Fun to watch.
Posted by jacknilan
at 12:01 AM EDT
The Defiant Ones (1958)
A- Must have been pretty shocking in its day, today seems pretty mild. More interesting as a period piece than as a movie but Tont Curtis and Sidney Poitier were both really good.
Posted by jacknilan
at 9:56 PM EDT
Gohatto (Taboo) (1999)
B Kind of a wacky movie about gay samurais. seven years before
Brokeback. Beautifully filmed but the story, like
Brokeback, wasn't really strong. It was interesting, however.
Posted by jacknilan
at 9:52 PM EDT
Updated: September 11, 2006 9:56 PM EDT
Intruder in the Dust (1949)
A Very early examination of the racial climate in Southern America in first half of 20th century. Based on a Faulkner novel, this was very well done.
Posted by jacknilan
at 2:54 PM EDT
A Gathering of Old Men (1987)
B+ Pretty good for a TV movie. Didn't have the tension it could or should have had.
Posted by jacknilan
at 2:51 PM EDT
Updated: September 10, 2006 2:54 PM EDT
Dersu Uzala (1975)
A- A Yoda like character guides a Russian charting group in pre-Revolutionary Russia.
Posted by jacknilan
at 12:01 AM EDT
The Crucible (1996)
A The more times I see it the more I enjoy it. Great depiction of the time period, good story and the McCarthyism theme makes for a great movie.
Posted by jacknilan
at 12:01 AM EDT