Category: movie reviews

55. MOULIN ROUGE! (2001)

Great movie in it’s completely unhinged way.  And it’s as visually gorgeous a film as you’ll ever see.  It helps that Nicole Kidman and Ewan MacGregor go all-in with the mood of the thing…their play their paper-thin, stereotypical roles with great energy and heart, and they also sing pretty darn well too.
Verdict: It’s all a little much to take at times, but the two leads, against all odds, make you care. Quite a lot, in fact.

56. NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN (2007)

There’s a lot of ways to take this movie, and I chose to take it as a scathing commentary on the degradation of society and the brutal toll this takes on good people who care about order and decency. I don’t buy the apparent conclusion that there’s nothing good can do in the face of evil, but we sure have a battle on our hands. Did I say “we”? I did.
Verdict: Everyone seems to think this is a truly great movie. I tend to agree, but I can tell you what, I’m never watching it again.

57. DAYS OF HEAVEN (1978)

With the exception of the beautiful cinematography and one performance, this is just a bad movie. Most of the acting, the entire story, and the script is just really awful. Linda Manz, who plays Richard Gere’s tough/tender little sister is great, and she also contributes all of the good dialogue in the form of voice-over narration that she ad-libbed. Shockingly over-hyped.

52. GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL (2014)

As much as I normally love Wes Anderson films, I didn’t really warm up to this one. It’s not that I wasn’t entertained by it, or didn’t enjoy it. Ralph Fiennes was quite brilliant in the lead, but it was as he was performing in an antiseptic void. I wanted to love it, but couldn’t.
Verdict: A rare Anderson disappointment, even though it’s supposed to be his best movie. Not to me it wasn’t. Rushmore rules!

53. SOLARIS (1972)

I’d always heard about this legendary science fiction film, but had never seen it, so I finally decided to take it on. It was as brilliant, profound, ponderous, and pretentious as everyone says. Although the question has to be asked: was that random 5 minute section of driving in Tokyo traffic really necessary in this very Russian space flick? Sure, because that’s the kind of movie this is. Duh.
Verdict: It was quite good in its aggressively art-house way, but I had to break it into 30-minute chunks. Glad I watched it, but I doubt I will again.

54. RED RIVER (1948)

Has there ever been a film whose ending betrayed virtually everything that came before it so utterly? All it takes is the unnecessary presence in the final reel of the smirking, always irritating Joanne Dru to destroy what was shaping up to be a classic, containing arguably Wayne’s best work (in a rare villainous role) and a fine debut performance by Montgomery Clift. Grr.
Verdict: I’ve never been made more angry by a movie.

49. TENDER MERCIES (1983)

Is Robert Duvall the greatest actor this country has ever produced? I think so. Exhibit A — this unassuming slice of life about a washed up, boozy country singer trying to turn his life around. Duvall’s performance is a thing of honest, plain-spoken beauty. Plot-wise nothing really happens, but also Everything does. Here, as in real life, the sacred is all about the mundane.
Verdict: Remember when they bothered to make movies like this, with stories about real humans that were done with subtlety and art?

50. THE RED SHOES (1948)

The melodrama dial goes to 11 in this story about the self-destructiveness of obsession, in the case, obsession with Art and Creativity.  The ballet sequences are glorious, and the performances are vivid, but the  cinematography is the real star here:  it’s staggeringly beautiful and creative and it’s worth seeing the movie for the visuals alone. 
Verdict: Stunning to look at, but I’ll bet you’ve never seen a movie that featured more unstable characters in it. There is literally no one psychologically normal on screen at any time.

51. SOUND OF FREEDOM (2023)

A taut, well-made, excellently acted character-driven thriller that manages to be entertaining in spite of its very heavy subject matter. Now that we’ve gotten the review out of the way…what makes people in certain quarters attack and/or seek to discredit the film and the people who made it? To ask the question is to answer it. A pox on them.
Verdict: A good movie worth seeing on its merits, of which there are many.

46. THE PATRIOT (2000)

Pretty bad as history goes, but still a rousing good time.  This is due largely to a very committed, intense and relatable performance by Mel Gibson and a snarling villainous turn by the always excellent Jason Isaacs. There’s a lot of very bloody violence, but it’s a Mel Gibson movie and a war flick and, well, war is hell, as they say.
Verdict: If the movie’s total indifference to fidelity to historical events doesn’t bother you, it’s well worth a watch.

47. JAWS (1975)

This is what the meeting of popularity and art looks like. Except that last bit with the rubbery shark. But other than that, this is flawless film-making.
Verdict: Inductee, Laurie’s Cinematic Hall of Fame

48. HONOR AND GLORY (1993)

This tale of kickass international spy sisters, has big hair, bigger shoulder pads, lots of Jane Fonda-esque workout gear, half-assed martial arts mysticism, and a outrageously amusing eye-popping scenery chewing villain.  Unfortunately, the only scenery there is to chew belongs to dying strip malls, and houses with such bad decor they seem unfit for human habitation.  Depressing.
Verdict: For a good laugh, see the Rifftrax version. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWYw2j_AgDc

43. JAMES CAMERON’S DEEPSEA CHALLENGE (2014)

Want to explore the deep sea without your submersible imploding? This is how you go about it.
Verdict: The bottom of the sea is an exceptionally boring place. Also, James Cameron has a whole lot of money. A whole lot.

44. WINGS (1927)

The first Best Picture Oscar winner holds up decently, thanks to spectacular (by any standard) flying sequences and stars Clara Bow’s and Buddy Rogers’ timeless adorableness.  And yes, that famous “blink-and-you-miss-it” appearance by Gary Cooper is a real eye-catcher. 
Verdict: Not bad. The action sequences are the real stars. There’s truly some unbelievable aerial photography that probably needs to be seen on a big screen to be fully appreciated.
See it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JG_ZVqLIAU0

45. TRUE GRIT

The Coen Brothers’ treatment of the John Wayne classic is better in every way. Wayne, of course, is irreplaceable, but Jeff Bridges is quite marvelous in his own right. The intentionally overwritten dialogue suits the movie wonderfully and almost stands on its own as a separate character. Great stuff.
Verdict: Highly recommended.

40. TOP GUN: MAVERICK

The flying sequences are great, but it’s the surprising human quality that makes this one work. The actors are good, the writing pays enough attention to character and relationships to hook you, and it’s got a surprising amount of heart. A very pleasant surprise.
Verdict: Much better than the original Top Gun.

41. THE BLACK STALLION

The first half is exquisite — it’s some of the most beautiful, minimalist storytelling you’ll ever see. The second half is more pedestrian, but still looks beautiful and has a great performance by Mickey Rooney.  Kelly Reno, who plays the boy, is excellent throughout, and his partner in most of his scenes — a stunning Arabian stallion named Cass Ole’ — is straight out of a fairy tale. 
Verdict: Uneven, but heads and shoulders above what they’re making for kids today.

42. DOG DAY AFTERNOON

What a great movie this is. What more is there to say about this except how the hell did Art Carney beat out Al Pacino for the Oscar in 1975?  I’ve seen “Harry and Tonto” and Carney was good, but…come on now. 
Verdict: Just flat-out tremendous.