Easter Parade

 

           Even though Easter is over, I still need to rush into a film about the Easter Parade. And although there's no Easter Bunny involved nor the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus. This happy Musical is all about finding love on the Easter Parade, hence the title of the film Easter Parade. A year ago, I tried to make it a mission to get my hands on any Judy Garland films that I haven't seen besides Wizard of Oz and Meet me in St. Louis. And with this film I have got to say it has all the elements of a musical for which I don't believe they had a script, just suggestions in a Musical suggestion box. 

            In this lavish musical, Broadway star Don Hewes' (Fred Astaire) dancing partner goes solo, and Don declares that he can make a hit performer out of the next dancer he sees. This turns out to be the inexperienced Hannah (Judy Garland), who bristles as Don tries to make her into his old partner. But as he realizes that he is falling in love with Hannah, Don knows that he must let her grow into her own kind of dancer if he wants her to reach her full potential. 

            Originally Gene Kelly was going to play the lead role of Easter Parade, the same Gene Kelly infamous for numerous Musical roles like Signin' in the Rain. Unfortunately, Kelly couldn’t accept the role due to an ankle injury while playing Volleyball in his back yard, for which if I was the producers at MGM, upon hearing the news I would probably have this sigh of "F*ck sakes" then pour a bottle of whisky. Luckily Kelly suggested Fred Astaire for the role and producers I'm assumed we're all like "what the hell". Although Gene Kelly wasn't the first injury towards this movie, actress Cyd Charisse was originally going to play the partner who becomes too big for her mentor, but withdraw due to torn ligaments in her knee, for which brought in Ann Miller for the role. So, with all these injuries that occurred during the pre-production of the film I would imagine that the producers, after the film’s release, all took a long vacation to avoid that cluster bomb. After watching so many musicals throughout my 39 years of existence I have to say that this is without a doubt one of those many musicals that you know where it's going from the very beginning of the film, I mean sure this film does carry some really good drama but I feel like even from a writers stand point, this is like the writers and the producer all had a conference meeting had a bag of writers ideas almost like a bag full of suggestions and each of them took turns picking out a writer's idea and that's how Easter Parade was formed, because this is one of those musicals where you can predict where it's going just because you know both Fred and Judy are going to end up together till the very end. Now that being said, does this film hold up in terms of entertainment value? For sure it does, because this film provides great musical numbers as well as great dancing sequences to disguise itself as a predictable musical. For a Judy Garland movie that I've not seen, the film alone holds up to one of her beloved classics it's both entertaining and enjoyable to watch on screen, moreover, provided something new and fresh to watch in the Easter season. So, if you’re a huge fan of Turner Classic Movies or have Live TV on either Direct TV or Hulu then I would highly recommend watching this for this Easter week or next Easter season. 

  

Easter Sunday Recommendation: Lilies of the Field

 

           Easter Sunday is among us ladies and gentlemen, for which I honestly say that even in these years of Lent I often wonder why not start the seasons of lent on a specific day or month just like Thanksgiving or Christmas are always on the same day. I mean not that I'm complaining because in all fairness it's all part of God's plan, I guess. Sadly, with all the evil shenanigans I couldn’t get caught up on season five of the Chosen, though I might be getting back sooner since season six is coming out later this year. Luckily, I found a movie that brought memories of seeing a long time ago, moreover, starring the great Sidney Poitier.

         When traveling African American Homer Smith (Sidney Poitier) stops by a farm in rural Arizona, he is welcomed by a group of Roman Catholic nuns who have emigrated from Germany. Realizing that the farm needs a lot of work, Homer takes on several repair projects for the women, who are led by a head strong Mother Maria (Lilia Skala). Impressed by Homer's kindness and strong work ethic, the nuns come to believe that he has been sent by God to help build them a chapel. 

          I do in fact have a memory in seeing this movie, though granted it's been quite a long time since I've actually seen this movie whole, though I would imagine it's been my childhood years when I went to my Grandfather's house during Easter season, and all I remember is Sidney being concerned for breakfast when you can't eat before Mass. Now if your Catholic or Christian you would understand but if you’re not then no worries. The film alone was made for 240,000-247,000 and yet did a successful run at the box office with 5 million worldwide, for as a Catholic that's awesome considering now you don't see a whole lot of Christian based movies doing well at the box office unless it's The Chosen. Going back and watching this film all the way through this film does in fact bring a lot of Noah's Ark vibes to me to the extent that the character of Homer is being tasked by God in the form of a nun to task him into building a chapel and although the man is not perfect or up to standards of a good Christian, but with kindness towards others he feels compelled to build the Chapel. If there was anyone to make this film believable or authentic, you have to cast Sidney Poitier in the role of Homer Smith for a gillion reasons, the man brings a great sense of realism and relatability towards the character in that he's just a drifter, looking out for himself until he meets these group of nuns that slowly change his life one step at a time, and that to me is something more believable to me because we're all trying to get by on life and life isn't a great thing to rely on but we all have to find the inner kindness in all of ourselves not matter how life throws at you and when you see something that's in need of help you just have to help and that's what Poitier does really well in making the character relatable for the audience member. The surprising factor is that yes this is the movie that made Sidney Poitier a acting legend as well as being the first African-American actor to win the Oscar, but it's his only Oscar besides the lifetime achievement Oscar in 2002, for which sure it's great but I could of swore he won more Oscars especially with his great performance, In the Heat of the Night. But on the other hand, Denzel Washington has two Oscars under his belt so, can't win them all, I guess. Having the opportunity to go back as well as remembering, this great Christian movie classic this is hands down one of the best Catholic films since The Trouble with Angles because it, more importantly brings the diversity in terms of both religion as well as culture, but also brings a positive spin on faith and human kindness that everyone should see, especially on Easter Sunday, furthermore if you have Amazon Prime subscription and looking for a perfect Christian movie to watch this Easter than I would highly recommend watching this Sidney Poitier classic.  

        

Megalopolis

    

         So, here we are ladies and gents. We're here, well technically me, to talk about a film that I would declare is one of the worst films I've ever seen in my entire life. Now sure I've probably said that multiple times, though of course sure most of them are either every Adam Sandler movie or watching something that nobody is ever going to watch in this life time although this film, for reasons why I consider this the worst film ever made is because this film is directed by legendary director Francis Ford Coppola.

         To tell you the truth I can't really understand the plot in the movie, in fact I don't believe anyone can describe this film. I would imagine if you asked Gemini or Alexia or Siri to explain Coppola's Megalopolis. All I can tell you is that mental health is a series condition and sometimes when you don't have enough in the tank to tell a story it's probably best to quit while you’re ahead. 

          To explain the concept or if there is a concept to the madness behind Coppola's idea we must start almost 49 years ago. Back in 1977, Coppola had an idea to make a film drawing parallels between the fall of the Roman Republic and the future of the United States by retelling a conspiracy theory from Ancient Rome into modern New York, which is a good concept to start off with but like most concepts this idea went into developmental hell through the past decades. Moreover, after years of making some great too decent films, more importantly being disillusioned by the Studio system in general, Coppola decided to take a loophole of sorts and use the fortune he made from various wine-making businesses and financed the film himself. And despite the fact that yes all the things he says about the studio system being afraid to take risks and not trying something new all of those things are true except you made the worst movie ever made and you made it in a way where the acting as well as the story is polarizing to the point that you can't believe Coppola himself directed this movie. And this is the same Francis Ford Coppola who made such great and iconic movies from the Godfather to Apocalypse Now, and he's written a script that would best be described as if Charlie Kelly (from It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia) had written and the big problem to that is he can't read, moreover the man also knows how to bring out the best of actors and actresses but I feel like the actors themselves once they read the script are bewildered or terrified because they may have made a big mistake. And Shia LaBeouf claims in an interview that he came to blows with Coppola in terms of understanding the story or wanting to understand the movie well, but at the end of the day it was a never ending battle especially when it was said that even Coppola would have new ideas at the last second for which I despise beyond measure because I've dealt with a ton of egotistical monsters and they all do that at the last second for which is bad for business in my opinion. And some of these veteran actors like Lawrence Fishbourne, Jon Voight, Dustin Hoffman and even Talia Shire (aka Adrian Balboa) have this miserable look on their faces through the course of the movie where they don't even know what this film is and I feel bad for all of these actors and actresses because this is what they have to live with for the rest of their lives especially Jon Voight because there's one scene where he asks Shia about a boner he's got.  Look there is so, much I can tell you about this movie that just seems to bad and beyond measure of explaining but I'm starting to realize that even words can't explain MegaFlopolis but I will be posting some videos so you can understand more because those scenes that you can watch on YouTube speak for themselves. Furthermore I've said many times about what makes a terrible movie and what is the worst movie but this film by Francis Ford Coppola is to me the worst film of all time just because it's created by a crazy 85 year old man whose completely lost his mind as well as losing touch on reality and I would say the same for Steven Spielberg but that's a discussion for another time hopefully when he doesn't make a film like this but it's made by a man whose created some of the greatest films of all time and has somehow made a personalized film that makes no sense and you can tell he's angry about Trump for good reasons he's making a movie about Rome and today's society. Sadly, and for good of mankind you can't see this film on streaming because Coppola believes we don't understand it and are just selling the movie on Blu-Ray so you can watch the movie that way. Though all jokes aside, this film is a great example of keeping tabs on your mental health as well as quitting while you’re still ahead of making iconic films, because the worst thing you want to remember is the one movie you did last then your accomplishments. But, more importantly, take care of your mental health as well, for many reasons you don't want to be like Coppola and Spielberg, even George Lucas quit while he's still ahead even though he doesn't care anymore. 

            

 

March Recommendation: The Dressmaker

 

          There are times when a movie comes around and it's either a good movie or a decent film or something that's a good treasure that you would usually find of Tubi. But I rarely go on Amazon Prime, and I would finally find a hidden treasure that's outstanding from start to finish but also has that story that's worth watching repeatedly but more importantly a relatable movie to watch as well. The Dressmaker is a film based on the book by Rosalie Ham. Furthermore, as director of the film Jocelyn Moorhouse describes the film, she best described the film as "Unforgiven with a sewing machine" and this film is without a doubt one of the greatest hidden treasures I've seen in a long time. 

          Decades after an incident that changed her life, Tilly (Kate Winslet) a skilled dressmaker, returns to Dungatar, Australia seeking answers to the questions that drove her from the town.

           I honestly don't know how I found this movie to be truthfully honest, it's pretty much the same way I found Happiest Season, where Facebook always releases some of the strangest and yet intriguing movies to watch on like the reels or shorts that you would normally find on Facebook where once you selected the reel, it automatically shows you another one, furthermore one of those reels was Kate Winslet in a gorgeous dress attending a Australian Soccer/Football match in the middle of nowhere and 15 dollar/Thor makes an appearance, aka Liam Hemsworth. And so, being curious of what the film is and after so many clips on Facebook as well as the help of Google for research, I found The Dressmaker basically made by an Australian director, though mostly made entirely by a Australian film crew all set in fictional town in Australia that's so, small makes my home town of Juniata Nebraska look like a New York style of a city. And this is without a doubt one of the greatest hidden treasures I've ever found as well as seen in my lifetime. I think what makes this film compelling is that it's about a femme fatale who returns to her hometown to write the wrongs of the people who wronged her and it's directed in a best way possible but also has that type of story that's almost a blend of both a Coen Bro's movie to a western movie directed by Clint Eastwood. Now sure I've seen Titanic and love Titanic but after watching this movie I got to say this is single handily Kate Winslet's best performance, I mean she does an excellent job playing the protagonist in the movie whose searching for answers but you also feel for her character through the course of the movie and through her eyes you see how awful the townspeople were awful to this woman that you have this great sense of relieve by the end of the film. As great as Kate was in the movie her counterpart Judy Davis who portrays her unstable mother does an excellent job as well playing the mother whose at first a mom that makes me fear my later years because I'm getting the sense of terror or realization that my Mom might be unstable though I strongly hope that's not the case but through the course of the movie the Davis begins to have the warm, hearted and caring felling helps makes this movie a compelling story to tell as if these two characters who are both flawed and had traumatic past are finally being able to rekindle with one another, in their dire need of accepting a terrible truth. Hugo Weaving is simply outstanding in the movie as a loyal friend to Kate who’s both a police officer and a secret crossdresser, for which in a comedic type of a film he does it perfectly, that you can see the man having the time of his life. I think the last film I ever saw Liam Hemsworth in was of course the Hunger Games films but I also liked his performance in Expendables 2 and with this movie he actually does a excellent job playing the love interest to Kate's character that you forget about making fun of him in terms of him being the last minute stand in for Chris Hemsworth in case you Chris Hemsworth. Another actress I have to five recommendation for, is Sarah Snook who the whole world knows her for her performance as Shiv in Succession, and I didn't recognized her until she appeared in a beautiful dress and yet through the first act of the film she's an awkward nerdy grocery clerk and she does a great job out shining Kate Winslet in wearing glamourous dresses. This film is on Amazon Prime for free despite having to pay a subscription fee. But this is one of those films that feels right moreover has that great feel of a dark comedy and a sense of revenge story set in the outback of Australia and like I've said earlier it has one of those elements of a story being developed by the Coen Bros, as well as a western tale directed by Clint Eastwood where you can see the horribleness of the townspeople and you feel for Kate's character through the course of the movie and to be truthfully honest it's like a fine wine of films you haven't seen and when you watch the movie you slowly realize "where has this movie been all my life?" And so, I would highly recommend anyone who has Amazon Prime, should stop what they’re doing and watch this great movie from beginning to the very end and if you don't have Prime or can't afford it you can also find the movie on YouTube just look up the title and you'll find the entire movie for free. In conclusion, yes, this isn’t the greatest films of all time, but this is one of those films I would defiantly rank in my favorite movies to watch, list. Especially when this is a movie about a woman who finally stands up to her bullies and who doesn't love those kinds of films. Moreover, I need to make sure that everyone well, almost everyone sits down and watch this movie all the way through because this movie is just flat out amazing. 

           

Donovan's Reef

 

          After my incredible time watching John Wayne's Hatari I decided to watch another John Wayne classic that's on Amazon Prime along with Hatari as well. Donovan’s Reef is another film like Hatari that has some fun love stories but great comedic performances by Lee Marvin. As a matter of fact, this is another round that John Wayne and Lee Marvin pick off after their duel in The Man who shot Liberty Valance. Speaking of which, Donovan's Reef is both John Wayne and legendary western Director, John Ford's last collaboration together and although it’s a sad fact but could this be in a sense of a Christmas movie to watch this Holiday season? I guess we're going to have to find out. 

          Three World War II Navy Veterans -- Donovan (John Wayne), Doc Dedham (Jack Warden) and Gilhooley (Lee Marvin) -- converge on the French Polynesian island of Haleakaloha and team up to deceive Dedham's prim daughter (Elizabeth Allen), who has just learned of her father's existence and his inherited stock from the company of which she is chairman, and hopes to find just cause to reclaim his shares. Dedham's marriage to an island woman serves further threaten his share in the company.

          I believe I watched this film a bunch of times through the month of March to the point that I almost considered this to me my monthly recommendation, although there's another film I watched where I just need to recommend but will get to that some other time. Though this movie is just a breath of fresh air from both John Wayne and Lee Marvin fighting each other as well as the comedy involved as well as some heartwarming moments that you can't help but love this movie from beginning to the final frame. John Ford explained in his own words that this film would be "a spoof picture -- a whammy crazy sort of thing. We're not going for any prizes", and I would imagine even at Ford's old age, speaking of Ford's age, during the mid-sixties he was in fact suffering from health and the duke became an assistant director on set, mostly setting up equipment and checking dallies each day. More importantly I think, Ford knew that this was going to be his last collaborations with Wayne for good reasons, Ford was going through his last and final couple of years due to health concerns and creative differences with Wayne, one of them was during this movie where the Duke felt a little uncomfortable romancing a woman twenty years between his age though again if it were me I would simply tell the Duke "have you seen Lolita?, Go watch that movie right now and tell me you feel uncomfortable romancing a woman whose 34 years of age", though with this movie they both realized it was going to be the last dance so why not make this the best movie possible. Now when it comes to a John Wayne movie, The Duke is simply the greatest, I mean the man can do both drama as well as action as well as romantic comedies but more importantly he's really funny onscreen so, look as a big fan of the Duke there's really nothing to say the man is a legend that can do anything as an actor for which is a reason why he's an Icon. Now when it comes to Lee Marvin, granted I haven't seen a whole lot of his films but I can say with this movie he's flat out funny and this was his second round with Ford, moreover told Marvin about the movie he was going to make, he told him it didn't matter what the movie was about just simply said that it's going to be a good excuse for the cast and crew to have a free holiday in Hawaii, and with Marvin he's playing the best friend to Wayne for which is weird because their last round they were against each other and now their bro's, but more importantly this movie shows that Marvin can do comedy instead of playing a great antagonist like Liberty Vallance and again both him and Wayne play off each other so well, that there were times I almost though is certain scenes with Marvin that I thought the man was drunk, and the interesting fact both him and Wayne actually went on a drinking binge out in Hawaii together. Now I don't know how that fiasco would turn out but I would imagine Ford's perspective, he'd probably have that typical phone call but instead of him picking them up he called the duke’s son Patrick Wayne to pick them up. No, they basically rescheduled until he got sober, but if I were Ford, I would just call Pat and tell him to pick up Dad and Marvin because they’re at a bar not feeling well. Elizabeth Allen I don't know a whole lot about but, she certainly steal the whole movie as the daughter and love interest to the Duke, for many reasons she starts off as a huge stickler but through the course of the movie she begins to blossom in loving the island as well as getting the chance to know her father and also falling in love with the Duke and who doesn't want to fall in love with him, hell if I were a woman I would totally audition to be the Duke's love interest. To clarify if this stands as a Christmas movie and yes, I will consider this film to be in the spirit of Christmas, and sure all of you can share a different point of view but last year in Nebraska we didn't have any snow in Christmas time we just had fog. But all jokes aside, this film does have a lot of Holiday cheer of a stranded daughter meeting her father for the first time, as well as realizing she has a young bother and sisters moreover she finds love so, if that doesn't give you Holiday cheer, I don't know what does. So, for me I'm defiantly watching this on the month of December this film provided a ton of great comedic humor from both Wayne and Marvin as well as I have a great uplifting story of a woman not knowing her father but then starting a new life with a brand new family which that's something special to see even with Ford at the helm of directing. So, last I checked the film is still on Amazon Prime and you can watch this film on YouTube for free, though I'll let you all be the judge of this film being a contender for a Christmas film but for me I would highly recommend watching this film even if you haven't seen this film as well as being a fan of The Duke's filmography.

            

High Anxiety

 

            Continuing with a list of movies I need to watch, High Anxiety is a Mel Brooks film that I was strangely in sense, aware of this being a Mel Brooks parody to Alfred Hitchcock though in a honorable sense a tribute to Hitch himself. Now in all the research I looked for in terms of development and in all fairness, I couldn't find anything on what made Mel Brooks decide on why he chose to make a parody with all well, half of Sir Alfred Hitchcock's films. Though I would imagine that Hitch was making his final movie in 1976, furthermore he decided to call it retirement from Hollywood and would imagine when Brooks heard about it decided to make a tribute parody in his honor. 

            Just after becoming the director of the Psychoneurotic Institute for the Very, Very, Nervous, Dr Richard H. Thorndyke (Mel Brooks) is greeted by a series of mysterious events. When his colleagues -- including the militaristic and mustachioed Nurse Diesel (Cloris Leachman) -- become leery of his question as he struggles to clear his name during a crippling bout of a condition known as high anxiety.

            Before the release of the film, Mel Brooks invited Sir Hitchcock himself to a private screening. And through the course of the screening Brooks was in a state of fear because Hitch wasn't showing a whole lot of emotion furthermore left without saying a word. Then days later Hitch sent Brooks a case of some expensive wine, gave him a note of his approval and stated he wished he worked on this parody as well. For which shows a lot of class to some of these icons that aren't afraid to show their sense of humor and goes back to when Brooks was working on Blazing Saddles, offered legendary actor John Wayne a role in the movie, though Wayne sadly turned him down due to keeping his public image though promised Brooks that he would certainly be the first person to go see Blazing Saddles. I was aware of the films existence though I was a bit uncertain in terms of wanting to actually watch the movie, though again this was on the list my brother made for me and so, I had to watch this movie and really I wished I watched this movie sooner, hell this film speaks for itself and proves that I should never underestimate the power of Mel Brook's comedic talents, I mean this is the same guy who improvised the greatest joke by screwing with a talk show host when asking Brooks about losing his father at a young age and Brooks reply's "No, my father died and if we lost him we would send people out to find him", furthermore if you look up Mel Brooks and dad dying I would assure you, you'll find it and have a great laugh. Now granted I would always say yes in watching High Anxiety but if you haven't seen a Alfred Hitchcock movie or a young buck then I would wait on High Anxiety and watch the important Hitchcock films first before you dive deep into High Anxiety because the worst thing and the last thing, I would want anyone to do is watch this film right away and not get the jokes. Moreover, it's best you watch a good chunk of Hitch's films so you can get the context of the comedy as well as the references along the way. Now to all of those whose been raised on Hitch's films then I would highly recommend watching this film from start to finish moreover proves that this was a great tribute to Sir Alfred Hitchcock's legacy as a filmmaker as well as something to laugh at and experiencing some great jokes in the film as well and especially how they were able to execute the great references as well. Moreover this and a good portion of Brook's films are great examples of how you should do a parody, and not overdo it with a whole lot of references like A Million Ways to Die in the West, and the most important things you have to do, is basically keep it simple and you a good three movies top to make a great parody and use a few movie references as possible. The film alone is on both HBO Max and Hulu unless you don't have the bundle package so, if you’re ever looking for a great comedy to sit down and enjoy from beginning to final frame then I would highly recommend watching this great Brooks classic.  

     

                   

30th Anniversary of Fargo

 

            

           Trying to find that one film to get me into watching more films and at times you must go back to the films that are so, perfect as well as right. And personally, Fargo by the Coen Brothers is one of those films that is so perfect that there's nothing bad about it. Moreover, this year marks its 30th Anniversary of the film’s release so, of course this it's a perfect time to sit down and watch this incredible Coen Bros movie that hands down is their greatest movie ever made second of course is the Big Lebowski and maybe third No Country for Old Men. 

           "Fargo" is a reality-based crime drama set in Minnesota in 1987. Jerry Lundegaard (William H. Macy) is a car salesman in Minneapolis who has gotten himself into debt and is so desperate for money he hires two thugs (Steve Buscemi), (Peter Stormare) to kidnap his own wife. Jerry will collect the ransom from her wealthy father (Harvey Presnell), paying the thugs a small portion and keeping the rest to satisfy his debts. Unfortunately, the scheme collapses when the thugs shoot a state trooper. 

            Both Joel and Ethan Coen grew up in the Suburban area of Minnesota and always describe the state as Siberia with family restaurants, and through the course of their careers together they decided to pull together and make a crime drama based on their childhood memories in the Upper-Midwest. Though of all the childhood memories what makes this film memorable is introducing the world to the Minnesota Nice culture, moreover what makes this great is that we get to experience a world where everyone is super happy and supper nice, furthermore you never really see that in anywhere else especially in Minnesota and granted I never been to the state but after loving the movie as well as loving the show I would imagine the state as well as the town's, they would sound just like that and even if I go to Minnesota for a Hockey game I would got up to someone and as if I can get some true coat on my Nachos. Although it's been ages since I watched Herb Brooks interviews and he never has a sort of Minnesota Nice accent, though I am guessing it's because the man believes in being a tyrant than being nice. Although this film is in fact, a goofy and dark comedy, it's more importantly a beautiful portrait of a Norman Rockwell painting but if Norman Rockwell decided to paint a crime scene happening in the upper parts of the Midwest and really the combination of both the Coen Bros and Roger Deakins is so, great from wide shots of the snow landscape as well as the statue of Paul Bunyan is both beautiful and scary at the same time especially when it's a bleak landscape with zero percent of sunshine through the course of the movie, and yet my favorite shots of the films is both the large snowy landscapes as well as the scene where both Buscemi and Peter Stormare's characters are shooting the three people and it's almost a scene out of a film noir classic and sure those are my favorite shots of the movie but the entire film of shots is both amazing at the same time. The other perfect aspect of the film is the cast ensemble, and everyone is right for the roles from Francis McDormand who of course won in Oscar for her performance to both Buscemi and Peter Stormare is a dysfunctional criminals on a road trip to Minneapolis, and even William H. Macy who plays a underdog type of character but deep down is both dumb and a terrible person, although he doesn't seem a horrible person, he's more dumb as well as in over his head about the situation he's in and Macy was aware on the aspect of the character and had no complaint in terms of how the character should be portrait. The heartwarming fact about the film is during his days off Peter Stormare actually took some small road trips because a good portion of immigrants that immigrated to America a lot of the Swedish immigrants came to Minnesota and Peter, felt emotional especially when talking to an old man, he actually recognized a dialect and even he felt emotional because it was his grand-parents that spoke the language and it's something heartwarming finding your heritage in an unexpected places. Like Star Wars, The Godfather or Raiders of the Lost Ark or even Casablanca. Fargo is one of those many few films that is just perfect from the beginning of the opening frame to the ending frame moreover it's defiantly the Coen Bros greatest film but more importantly if you’re looking to make a film of your own all you got to do is keep it simple and this film is a great example of what it means to keep a crime drama/dark comedy and just keep it simple as possible. Moreover, it's defiantly one of those films that you can have your own parents as well as your own kids, well maybe not kids more like kids in their seventeen years of age to watch this amazing film. Now even though we’re getting close to springtime I would imagine Minnesota, Colorado or Wisconsin would be still in snow watch warnings, I would highly recommend watching Fargo in celebrating its 30th Anniversary release. Furthermore the film is on HBO Max and Hulu as well as Amazon Prime so, you’re in the best of luck if you’re feeling like wanting to watch a movie like Fargo, and if you want you can always go back and watch the Fargo TV series on Hulu if you feel the need for more Minnesota or North Dakota crime. 

           

Mortal Kombat (2011) Replay Review

 

           This Replay Review is close to a thousand years in the making although this is one of those Replay Reviews we're I personally need to blow off some steam, but when you think about it, it's hilarious when figuring it all out in my old age. Mortal Kombat on the PlayStation 3 has been that one great fighting game on the PS3, where everything about it is excellent although some combo movies on two of the thirty maybe thirty-five characters and when it comes to beating the toughest boss character since the original MK games well I'd say this is the one game that left me personal scars.

           The game basically sets during the MK Armageddon, aka PS2 era. And Shao Kahn is about to kill Raiden until; the Thunder God delivers a final message to his younger self. And thus, the game begins as a reinvention to the previous first-three arcade classics. Almost like X-Men Days of Future Past meets Mortal Kombat when you think about it. 

           By the time of the games release it was actually a big deal, considering the creators of NetherRealm Studio's we're just starting up after the demise of Midway games, as well as being bought by Warner Bros. for which I guess after the release of Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, the Studio heads we're like maybe we should by this company so, we can transition this with DC Universe. Though I never paid attention to the merger of Warner Bros. and yet the important factor was that the MK guys going back to the original gameplay of a straightforward combat rather than in the PS2 years where you can fight your opponent around in open circle almost like the Tekken games. Though a side from the brief history, this game to me is infamous for numerous things the main one is having to finally beat Shao Kahn with Raiden who just has special movies and very unreliable combo moves, and when I'm playing a fighting game like Mortal Kombat I have to know the characters combo moves, as well as their special moves but with both Raiden and Kung Lao combined, they both have the worst combo moves ever and I have to fight our opponents in a medium level and through the last fifteen years since the games release I could never in a million years beat Shao Kahn as Raiden during the story mode for which leads to the greatest WTF moment in my entire life, is finally noticing that I can turn the story mode difficulty from medium to BEGINNER'S MODE. And I'm sorry in stating this but when I do a story mode, I tend to finish something I mean it explains a lot after watching my Freddy and Jason slasher movie marathon back in October. And through the years I could never beat Shao Kahn in the final battle of Story Mode, and it just drove me the point of madness where even left thumb could possibly be broken or is suffering from PTSD because every time, I pop my knuckles my left thumb will still pop. Now, I don't know where I found the story mode setting maybe Mortal Kombat 1 or Mortal Kombat 11, either way it could be one of those games but once I found out about this, I decide to try it all out on Mortal Kombat 2011, then I was in a state of shock because of all of those years of playing this damn game I could of done this a long time ago but yet nobody ever said to just turn the settings down. And I can beat Shao Kahn with characters like Sub-Zero and Scorpion on the medium setting no doubt, but with Raiden it's almost impossible so, if you have a PS3 or still playing PS3 and playing MK 2011 all you got to do is go to the gameplay settings and just select the story mode settings and just set it down to beginner's mode. The other thing that's makes this game infamous is all of the women in the game all dress like their porn stars and granted if you take a look at the PS2, Mortal Kombat's sure they're dressed risqué but when you have Mileena whose wearing absolutely NOTHING, but a few strips of linen clothes between her knockers and her WAP almost as if it's supposed to be a bikini from the sixties and yet the laws of physics are able to hold on, moreover their wearing stripper heals as well, while fighting for which really you can't do that in the movies but you can get away with it on the animated films. Look a side from finally after fifteen years of not defeating Shao Kahn I finally defeated the bastard and I relished the moment as well as I may go back and play the game again, but look this is another one of those great fighting games that has its unique quirks of characters not having best combos but checking out the women in the game and yet they look almost like porn stars, because you can't make it now since Dead or Alive has ceased to exist. So, if you’re wanting to go back to your PS3 since everyone is considering the PS3 and Xbox 360 as retro gaming systems, I would highly recommend getting your MK fix going by playing Mortal Kombat 2011. 

      

The Naked Kiss

 

             

              I'M BACK! That's right everyone I'm like Jason Statham; I can't be killed. There's been a lot of hectic things happening over the past few weeks but I'm not here to talk about my evil nonsense, I'm here to talk about movies. And luckily with a list my brother provided I found an excellent film noir that escalated for the beginning frame and I'm not lying when I say this, it got out of hand fast furthermore that's defiantly something I never see in a movie like The Naked Kiss.

              A former proustite attempts to assimilate in a suburbia after fleeing her pimps; shortly before her wedding, she finds out that her philanthropic fiancée has a shocking sexual interest.

              Samuel Fuller director of Naked Kiss, actually started off as a reporter at the age of 17, famously broke the case story of a famous actress in New York City at the time then became a pulp novelist then for a short time throughout the late thirties, he began a leap of faith by writing his first screenplay, later in life Fuller claimed that "if reporters got paid a thousand dollars like directors do, I'd still be reporting today". Fuller's films through the fifties and early sixties explored a ton of controversial subjects almost the same way like Kubrick does with his films and really when it comes to this film I'm surprised Fuller doesn't get a whole lot of reputation though I personally feel it's because people in the fifties as well as sixties were not going to allow this kind of movie in their local theater for which sure that's fine but it would at least be convenient to have a movie like this at a later time right? I mean sure citizens as well as MPAA don't want to show this to their kids, but you can't deny a scary act that would happen in your local neighborhood. Now I'm not going to spoil a whole lot of details just because I want everyone to watch this movie, but this is an excellent film about a woman whose trying the best of her ability to have a fresh start on a new life from her past, as well as going straight, especially wanting to set an example to the fellow girls she works with but when she witness a disturbing secret, and of course, she acts and found to be guilty but through the course of act 3, you continue to root for actress Constance Towers (who plays the lead in the film) because you know what she's doing is justified but everyone doesn't believe her and as an audience member that puts a lot of hate in your heart. And personally, I look at this movie and give this a ton of praise from both Towers as well as Samuel Fuller because they knew the subject they were approaching with the film and went full force with it and this film is a great definition of sticking with your guns from beginning to end. If you have Tubi and love watching hidden gems as well as some classic movies then I would highly recommend watching The Naked Kiss and trust me when I say this, this film literally gets you sucked in from the very first opening frame and never let’s go till the very end of the closing credits. 

     

Lolita

 

            Ladies and gentlemen, we've gone through five films so far, the month of February we're all the male actors are much older looking than their love interests, though granted majority of the ladies looked in a strong older consent age hence, 25 and up. Now we're going to dive deep into the older men stalking VERY, VERY young ladies, and trust me when I say this, you're going to be wanting to rethink your life. Directed by yours truly Stanley Kubrick the master of pushing the limit, Lolita is one of those movies, Like A Clockwork Orange, this is another one of those films that you only need to watch once.

            With the screenplay penned by the author himself, Stanley Kubrick brings Vladimir Nabokov's controversial tale of forbidden love on screen. Professor Humbert (James Mason) is a European educator who relocates to an American Suburb, renting a room from a lonely widow Charlotte Haze (Shelley Winters). Humbert marries Charlotte, but only to nurture his obsession with her comely teenager daughter, Lolita (Sue Lyon). After Charlotte sudden death has Lolita all to himself -- or does he?

            Now according to sources circa 1958, Kubrick was offered to direct One-Eyed Jacks, starring Marlon Brando, unfortunately either Brando fired him or Kubrick resigned bottom line Brando wanted to focus on Vladimir Nabokov's controversial book about a middle-aged man having an infatuation with a 14-year-old girl. And really when you cast actors and actresses to play high school students, you tend to feel like they’re in their early twenties for which looks unrealistic but with this movie, when Stanley Kubrick cast a teenager he LITERALLY, cast a teenager and when you see Lolita aka Sue Lyon in her first appearance in the film your like OMG that girl is YOUNG! For which is the reason why this film works so well because if this was a woman in her twenties then this wouldn't work at all, it would literally not be so, believable and Sue Lyon strangely enough does a fantastic job playing a girl next door but is a great manipulator in terms of playing with Mason's character moreover I think it's a unique dilemma both horrible people each trying to get what they want. The genius behind Lolita is Kubrick able to balance, the extreme dark topic with comedy furthermore that evil comes in the most unexpected places and sometimes we don't see the evil as well as evil coming in all shapes and sizes moreover you never expect knowing your neighbor or you closest friend could be a sexual predator and that's the scariest part. On the comedy side to the film is simply moments where Mason's character tries so hard to seduce Lolita, it literally becomes sad and pathetic that you can't help but laugh at the man's attempts especially when he's even trying to unfold a bed or must put up with Lolita's mother aka Shelley Winters. Peter Sellers deserves a ton of credit because at first when you see him he's this goofy character but then through the course of the movie you begin to see a scary side to this guy that I literally had to watch the film twice to know that "oh" this guy is a monster, and in fact Kubrick shot a total of 3 camera's at once. And Sellers did the most inspired (ad-libbing) work on the first take, so Kubrick used this technique to get all the angles needed, without losing the spontaneity. Out of all the Kubrick movies I've seen so far and granted I only have two more to go in order to rewatch 2001 and the Shining, I would rate this between six or five of the best movies on Kubrick's filmography, and while A Clockwork Orange is a f**ked up movie where you need to watch that movie only once. Lolita is a film where you need to watch only once but you need to take a long cold shower despite this being a great film with a lot of themes, you by the end of the film feel disgusted in terms of Humbert just staring at Lolita and more importantly just feeling way to uncomfortable watching those scenes. In fact this is probably one of the many reasons why I won't watch Sinners just because I first seen Hailee Steinfeld in True Grit back in 2010 and whenever I watch cut scenes of her talking about Michael B. Jordan sticking his tongue in her "cooze" I just want to take a shower as well as wanting to rethink my life. And with this film this LITERALLY wants you to rethink your life and just question the nature behind how disgusting sexual predators are and sure mid-twenties and thirties for ladies I would make an exception but teens I hit my limit in terms of feeling grossed out. I would highly recommend watching Lolita although this film is only available for renting or buying the movie. But when you finish the movie, you can simply not watch the film again and put the movie in the deepest part of your mind. And this movie alone gets you thinking that Bogart, John Wayne, William Holden and Cary Grant in terms of making out with mid-twenties women was nothing compared to Mason's character staring at a fourteen-year-old though the same goes to Sellers too, though we don't see the implications, but we know.   

             

February Recommendation: To Catch a Thief

 

       

         

         Usually, I would recommend a romantic comedy that I loved moreover believe intriguing the first time around. And at times I just have a sense of boredom and sometimes just need a good sense of inspiration as well as something new and in all fairness this February Recommendation is a sense a romantic movie with a blend of both suspense and drama. And more importantly it's directed by Sir Alfred Hitchcock so, what's not to love about To Catch a Thief, especially when you have the best leading man and one of the most beautiful women in 50's Hollywood.

          Notorious cat burglar John Robbie (Cary Grant) has long since retired to tend vineyards on the French Rivera. When a series of robberies is committed in his style, John must clear his name. Armed with a list of people who own the most expensive jewels currently in the area, John begins following the first owner, young Francie (Grace Kelly). When her jewels are stolen, Francie suspects John, destroying their tentative romance. John goes on the prowl, to catch the thief and clear his own name. 

          Now let’s not forget Cary Grant turned down the roles for both Roman Holiday and Sabrina, all because he felt he was too old for those roles and yet with this movie he's in a role where he's falling in love with Grace Kelly and Grace Kelly was only twenty-five years of age when the film was made and released. So, yeah talk about massive hypocrisy in the sense of Cary Grant moreover I thinks it's funny because majority of those guys in the fifties films we're making out with the young dames, and hell Bogart married Lauren Bacall in her mid-twenties I mean if you can't find the strong sense of what true love is I don't know what is, moreover it's not like you having intercourse with the women in the fifties your just kissing that's like first base when it comes to the forties and fifties, and I would imagine Hitchcock gave Grant the talk about his ego maybe called him a "whore" (just my opinion) moreover told him to sign for this movie. Now all jokes a side, To Catch a Thief is probably the best collaboration with Cary Grant and Alfred Hitchcock moreover I look at this film as a prototype for what the Bond films would be in the later years furthermore I think Hitchcock would make a great Bond film although I doubted he wanted to but still I would almost look at this as Hitchcock's own version of a Bond movie. But more importantly Hitchcock was still making a great suspenseful movie while weaving a great blend of a love story between Grant and Grace Kelly moreover I thought these two actually have a great on screen chemistry like you want these two to be together in the very end and you even have a great sort of love triangle with actress Brigitte Auber who becomes a big flirt to Cary Grant as well as being jealous towards Grace Kelly. Majority of the film was shot in the Paramount Studios but a good chunk of the movie was shot in the southeastern parts of France and I think even the ocean scene almost looks like it was shot in France and I may be wrong but either way I love the whole confrontation between both Grant and the attractive women was great on screen. This movie came out in 1955 and Grace Kelly had one year left before she went on to marry the Prince of Monaco and her career was done which really I haven't seen her movies in 56 but I guess if your closing out a remarkable career like Grace Kelly, To Catch a Thief I would say is one of her best films close tie with Rear Window but I would say those years between 54 and 55 were for sure Grace Kelly's best years as an actress. Now if you’re looking for something fresh and new, moreover getting bored of all the romantic comedies or the lame Nicholas Sparks films as well as the romance movies that Hallmark movies binge out each year. To Catch a Thief is one of those great blends of romance and suspenseful/action film that can satisfy both male and female. And so, if you’re looking for something to bridge the gap with love or your life then I would highly recommend purchasing or renting To Catch a Thief this February, especially today on Valentine's Day.

       

Play Misty for Me

 

        Well ladies and gentlemen, we are in the Friday the 13th of today, so, it makes sense that I talk about a creepy love story about getting a little one-night stand with a psycho. And sure, this type of situation can resort to both male and female alike, though in all fairness males make the not so good choices but females do evenly make bad choices too only this time it's Clint Eastwood that doesn't make good choices even when he makes his directorial debut. 

         Popular radio show host David Garver (Clint Eastwood) becomes restless in his relationship with his girlfriend (Donna Mills). Impulsively, he goes out and sleeps with a woman (Jessica Walter) he meets at a nightclub. After that, he finds out she was not anonymous hookup, but an obsessive fan who has called repeatedly to request he play the song "Misty". Garver soon discovers extricating himself from the woman will be no easy feat as she becomes increasingly psychotic.

          This maybe the best stalker movie I've ever seen and that's not saying a whole lot considering the idea of having a one night stand or having a friend that's a bit psycho is a bit on the overrated side, because let's be frank, the male and female don't make the greatest of choices and even if you get a glimpse of what this person is it's almost too late to call things off, I mean if you have the idea of a psycho killer and a rapist hooking up and the psycho killer is taken aback that would be interesting but that's a whole another conversation for another time maybe never. Getting back to the topic I believe the way Clint Eastwood was able to direct the film is way more better than any other stalker movies I've seen, basically because there’s a mystery to it but more importantly the whole reveal gets to be very interesting through the course of the third act of the film and that's what I like most is him trying to figure what the reveal is. And even my favorite shot of the whole movie is Clint sleeping and slowly awakens and he sees his stalker and is about to stab him but misses and all of a sudden disappears and he begins to look around is really great and something you don't see and it's also the suspense of the killer is right behind you and its shot in a way were we see Clint's head first and then slowly turns and that's what I like about it and really is the best shot of the whole movie to me. And sure their times where I make fun of Eastwood not making good choices, but when it comes to Clint Eastwood and his first time directing a film like this you have to let that man have a slide at least especially when he has some sea shots where they are jump cuts, for which again the man is a acting legend so for his directorial debut I'll at least let that slide. For a day of Friday the 13th I would imagine at least spice things up with your lover and watch a movie about a 41 year old radio host being stalked by a middle aged woman, I mean at least they’re the same age, hell at least he's not making out with a twenty five-ish year old woman like John Wayne, Gregory Peck, or even Bogart and William Holden. Though let’s be honest life is too short for us middle-aged men so, when are you not able to get the chance to make out with a twenty-five-year-old right? Anyway, if you’re looking to spice things up or have a Amazon Prime account then I would highly recommend watching Clint Eastwood's directorial debut and maybe play "Misty" for the love of your life. 

  

Sabrina

 

        

        Out of the two films I've seen with Audrey Hepburn, this movie just happens to be my favorite movie with her as well as two other great leading actors that star alongside Hepburn. Moreover, this movie took me down memory lane because while watching Sabrina (based on the playwright "Sabrina Fair" by Samuel Taylor) I've begun to remember another small Harrison Ford movie with the same title as well as the same premise although with this movie has the killer edge considering it's directed by one of the greatest directors in Billy Wilder. 

        Chauffeurs’ daughter Sabrina (Audrey Hepburn) returns home from two years in Paris a beautiful young woman and immediately catches the attention of David (William Holden), the playboy son of her father’s rich employers. David woos and wins Sabrina, who has always been in love with him, however their romance is threatened by David's serious brother Linus (Humphrey Bogart), who runs the family business and is relying on David to marry an heiress for a crucial merger to take place.

         This film was another one in which Carey Grant turned down because of age differences moreover didn't want to carry an umbrella and sure whatever, but I've recently watched To Catch a Thief so I'm saving all my jokes for when I get to that movie. Between the two Audrey Hepburn films I've watched, Sabrina is most certainly my favorite of Audrey Hepburn's infamous films and for many reasons this film shows off her great comedic talent as well as, playing the innocent/childish girl in the first act of the film and then blossoming into one of the most beautiful women in the golden age of cinema. And when you pair Audrey Hepburn with an amazing filmmaker in Billy Wilder you most certainly get the best of both worlds as well as a perfect duo to make the film believable and great to watch. More importantly a lot of credit goes to both Edith Head and Hubert de Givenchy for creating lavish costumes to make Hepburn so iconic in the movie and granted Edith Head got the Oscar for best costume and went on to collaborate with Audrey Hepburn throughout their careers both Head and de Givenchy deserve a lot of praise in bringing the fashion statement as well as making Audrey such an iconic star in the fifties and sixties. Apparently Humphrey Bogart and William Holden didn't get along and the same with Audrey Hepburn too, and yet for some reason both actors and actresses are able to perform in the best professional way possible, hell its almost the same way Harold Ramis is able to get both Chevy Chase and Bill Murray in a scene together I mean it's amazing how actors don't like each other and yet for some reasons their able to work together well, although let's be fair I would imagine producers and Billy Wilder telling these guys to make it professional or you’re going to pay for everyone's time on set. I will say William Holden I never expected to play this comedic and playboy-ish type of a character but yet him and Audrey Hepburn are both perfect together and the same goes with Humphrey Bogart, and really throughout his career the man played mostly tough guys and adventurers but deep down the man is a great charmer and let’s not forget the man owned Casablanca let's not forget that fact, moreover despite Bogart was annoyed with Hepburn claiming that working with her was "okay, unless you like doing multiple takes" and I'm sure Hepburn would be professional and say nothing but I would imagine Hepburn behind closed doors said "that's nice, you’re not going to make it till three years", because he died in 57, in case you don't know he died in the beginning months of 1957. Out of the three Hepburn movies I've seen, Sabrina is hands down my favorite one of Audrey Hepburn's just because it's the most classic and iconic performance of hers, and more importantly she's perfect through the course of the whole movie, and while watching this classic I've suddenly had flashbacks of another Sabrina film that starred Harrison Ford and majority of that movie consists of the same shots so, that's going to be one movie I'm going to try and watch this month, but deep down this film will always win because the 54 version has the greatest director in Billy Wilder as well as three iconic actors and actresses. So, if you’re looking for something fresh and something you haven't seen I would highly recommend watching this Valentine's Day weekend. 

      

Roman Holiday

 

           I went down a trip in Audrey Hepburn Lane if you sort of catch my meaning, mainly because it was on my brothers list of cinemas I needed to watch but more importantly, they represent the month of February as well as Saint, Valentines Day also. Roman Holiday is in fact Audrey Hepburn's first major role in a movie, moreover, won her a Golden Globe for her performance in the movie as well. Also staring Gregory Peck and if your curious about the films I watched in terms of the males being older than their female co-stars I didn't really peg this till after watching this film as well as another Audrey Hepburn classic. 

           Overwhelmed by her suffocating schedule, touring European, Princess Ann (Audrey Hepburn) takes off for a night while in Rome. While falling asleep on a park bench, reporter Joe Bradley (Gregory Peck), who takes her to his apartment for safety. At work next morning, Joe finds out Ann's legal regal identity and wagers his editor he can get an exclusive interview with her, but romance gets in the way. 

           Audrey Hepburn long before Roman Holiday came into her life she started off mostly in the British movies during Post World War II era, moreover during finished production of Secret People, director Thorold Dickinson made a screen test with the young Hepburn and sent the screen test to director William Wyler, saw the test and was immediately wanting to cast Audrey Hepburn in the role and even the producers during pre-production wanted to cast Elizabeth Taylor, though after watching Audrey Hepburn's test they were also on board in skipping out on Elizabeth Taylor, which I would actually love to hear that situation in terms of who the producer that had to give Ms. Taylor the bad news and after that conversation got so upset that she married her latest male victim. And for me personally that was a great choice because she indeed has a great sense of charm and innocence and more importantly, she was funny and that shows from this movie as well as another Audrey Hepburn classic as well. Granted I've remembered seeing Breakfast At Tiffany's and thought that it was okay-ish considering she abandon's a cat for which me being an animal lover is a d**k move spoilers she really does reunite with her cat in the movie but still a d**k move I mean if you’re going to abandon anyone abandon your toxic boyfriend or girlfriend. But seeing this movie all the way through, I must say that she really does a fantastic job playing a Princess overwhelmed with of course being a Princess like most of the royal family is around the world (Hell take Prince Harry for example), and she gets one day where she gets to have all the time to herself as well as having fun with no one telling her what to do, moreover think that's a nice warm hearted story that everyone can relate too. And you have the ever-talented Gregory Peck playing the leading man for the young Audrey Hepburn too and let's not forget Cary Grant turned down the role because he himself, considered himself to be too old and yet he makes out with Grace Kelly, two years later with To Catch a Thief talk about hypocrisy. What I like most about the movie is that they simply shot the entire movie in Rome and used real locations as well as real shots of Rome in 1953. More importantly this film ends in the best way possible, mainly I imagined that something I would predict would happen and it didn't and I'm glad that they made me feel silly. I think if any movies to watch on Valentines Day or never seen any of Audrey Hepburn's filmography I would start off with the movie that made her famous and Roman Holiday is a perfect romantic comedy to set down with the love of your life and enjoy from beginning to the final frame. 

          

Hatari!

 

          Well, now I'm most certainly done with going to the movies for now. I decided since we're in the month of Saint Valentine, that I find some more romanticize movies for my taste, and no none of that lame Nicholas Sparks or Hallmark chick flicks crap. And since I haven't watched a whole lot of John Wayne movies as of late, I figured why not watch a John Wayne movie that I haven't seen. Hatari! in the English language means danger, is an action adventure/romantic comedy set in the jungles of Africa where all the hunters are tracking animals for our local Zoo's all over the world.   

          A Tanganyika-based group of hunters (Red Buttons, Hardy Kruger, Gerard Blain) led by Sean Mercer (John Wayne) trap wild African animals for zoos. A curvaceous photographer (Elsa Martinelli) documents their exploits while having epic clashes with the gruff Irishman. She is initially frozen out of testosterone-filled group until her strong-willed personality endears her to the men. 

          I have to say that this is hands down one of the most craziest adventure films I've ever seen mainly because all of the animal captures in the film look amazingly real, especially when they bring a huge rhino in the mix for which looked extremely real and terrifying moreover according to director Howard Hawks, all the animal captures were performed by actual actors; no stuntmen or animal handlers were substituted onscreen. And the Rhino in the third act escaped, and the actors really did have to recapture it - for which Hawks included the sequence for its realism. Moreover it's fantastic because all of the animals they capture in each of the scenes are really good in terms of the camera angles they used for each sequence is both great and real because again no stunt men were involved, and even John Wayne himself admitted to being terrified in being on that passenger side of the front of the truck or in the back because there was no seat belts so, he had to hold on for dear life which again majority of these sequences that Hawks shot were outstanding. Both Hawks and Wayne worked on another film together titled Rio Bravo which was Wayne and Rat Pack legend Dean Martin's first film together, moreover Hawks made more surprising classics as well as collaborated with a ton of great actors such as Humphrey Bogart in To Have and Have Not and The Big Sleep. Hell, Hawks even made the original Scarface movie the one that Oliver Stone copied and pasted for his script for Al Pacino's version I mean he even has more great films as well as been in Hollywood since the Silent film age. To all of those who haven't seen a ton of John Wayne's films like I have, hence my Dad raised me on loving John Wayne films, you actually be surprised that John Wayne is in fact a great charmer with the ladies and the guy has been in a ton of romantic comedies that are in fact great, but more importantly show's off is comedic side as an actor especially when he's charming actresses in their thirties? Either way I thought the chemistry between John Wayne and Italian actress Elsa Martinelli are great on screen despite the fact there were times where I felt like Elsa has a French accent, I mean I'm obviously wrong but just my aspects on what an Italian accent sounds and a French accent sounds became blur through the course of the film. In fact, French actress, Michele Girardon who plays the daughter of a deceased father in charge of the Zoo in Africa, spoke no English when being casted in the film, though through the course of filming and her performance as well as everyone else's is great to watch. I don't want to talk, so, much about how great this film is great and furthermore this is definitely one of those great John Wayne comedies as well as romantic comedies almost up there with The Quiet Man and McClintock though this doesn't have Maureen O'Hara, I really liked Elsa Martinelli performance as Wayne's love interest, she's great on screen and I personally wish I had a nickel any woman would ask me how I like to be kissed. Filled with a ton of action as well as comedy and more importantly a small love story this film has the best of both worlds that I truly believe both married couples and or any man or woman watching a movie with either their boyfriend or girlfriend to watch this upcoming Valentine's Day. And you can find this movie on your local Amazon Prime moreover you can watch the film for free on YouTube so, don't be afraid to try out a John Wayne movie you haven't seen yet. 

    

Send Help

 

         Well ladies and gentlemen, this is a movie I was intrigued in wanting to see although, I was also weary in wanting to see this movie because you can never get what you want, especially when it comes to movies these days. Moreover, I had one of those days where I decided to take a leap of faith and go to the movie theaters and finally watch the movie, and as luck would have it, I made it one time for the movie considering there was a ton of trailers playing, moreover the movie didn't start till 4:30 PM! Yeah, this shows that all the promos and trailers are getting a little on the overrated side in my opinion.

          A woman (Rachel McAdams) and her overbearing boss (Dylan O'Brien) become stranded on a deserted island after a plane crash. They must overcome past grievances and work together to survive, but ultimately, it's a battle of wills and wits to make it out alive.

           I remember when watching the trailer for the first time, I felt that this was something new and different but more importantly it dives into the narcissistic bosses or co-worker's that are selfish, failed up-wards, anyway just deep down horrible human beings in a work environment just treating co-workers like Rachel McAdams as if their  looking down on them, or soft people that can be bullied for a living and through the course of the movie she finally breaks free and brings that character of O'Brien down to the point of what it feels like to be helpless and having to deal with somebody's bullsh*t and that's what excited me about this movie, because through my years I've always had to deal with narcissistic a-holes who for some reasons where able to succeed in life without having to do anything or in their own mind can be horrible people moreover treat people like sh*t and this was something I would  finally enjoy and see the horrible person be breaking down into a person who has to swallow sh*t for the first time without having to ever do that for which really that was something that excited me. But, then when you watch the movie and some of these twists and turns that make you feel a bit of mixed emotions, then I began to have a problem, and look if your planning to watch this movie you should probably discontinue this review because I'm only going to spoil one, maybe two things that happened in the movie, the first being that Rachel McAdams has always been psychotic and she needed to a reason to be a savage for which this a battle of two horrible people who begin to clash at who is the superior person on the island, which I guess would be fine? Although why would you have the first act of the movie where she's a innocent person you'd feel for but through the course of the movie you lose the remorse that her, moreover should have the same resemblance of like the movie The Menu where the girl who isn't supposed to be here you feel for that person because she's surrounded in a island with terrible people, and that's what this movie should be, but then again it isn't. The other thing is that the main twist is that there's been a huge beach house the whole time and Rachel has kept it a secret the whole time which I'm don't know because sure she's pretty through the course of the movie but she's a huge fan of Survivor and travel's a lot probably watched a lot of Discovery shows so, she could at least found ways to take a shower on the island or something and yet there's a huge mansion on the island for which I don't know, hell there's a million things they could of done with this movie but what they did do, didn't work for me personally. Now, having watched this movie in the theater I have to say that this movie wasn't worth 22 dollars plus the large soda and popcorn, and now having talked about this movie this for sure is going to be a once over type of a film where I don't need to re-watch this movie ever again. So, if you’re looking for a movie to start off 2026 or want to take your girlfriend, boyfriend, hell even husband and wife movie night for Valentine's Day, then go nut's if you share a different opinion than I had about the film. Or you can always wait till this movie is available to stream on your local streaming service, that way you don't have to waste your time watching lame promos and so many movie trailers that you're probably not going to watch this year.