The Aviator has a few shots of some outstanding Idaho scenery that repeats itself
throughout the movie with the similar picture of a river running down a deep
gorge. Most of the film seems to be shot in artificial stage settings rather
than in an actual outdoor environment. Know that this movie is not about Howard
Hughes. It is about Edgar Anscombe, a U.S. mail plane flier who runs a flight
in Idaho.
Film Poster Courtesy of Google Images
Storyline
A postal mail aircraft is given an unusual piece
of freight…a Teenage girl whose father is sending her to a relative to finish
raising.
Additional
Thanks
Thank you to Director George T.
Miller for directing effort. Thank you to Producers Mace Neufeld and Thomas H.
Brodek for making the film possible. Cast includes Christopher Reeve, Rosanna
Arquette, Jack Warden, and Tyne Daly
Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?
Maybe. It is a suitable to okay watch but loses its
power after the plane crash lands in the wilderness. Christopher Reeve does not
cast well in this movie. Know that the movie is clean with no surprises and is
a good adult/child share.
Last Knights
runs thin on likability factor.
It seems to work and then it doesn’t. The acting does not have that ‘real’
feeling that engages audiences. The movie could easily be skipped with nothing
lost in time or monetary investment.
Film Poster Courtesy of Google Images
Storyline
A battle of loyalties ensues when a cruel
minister plots with lies and corruption to sway political decisions.
Additional
Thanks
Thank you to Director Kazuaki Kiriya
for directing effort. Thank you to Producer Lucy Kim for making the film
possible. Cast includes Clive Owen, Cliff Curtis, Askel Hennie, Peyman Moaadi,
Ayelet Zurer, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Ahn Sung-ki, and Morgan Freeman
Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?
Maybe. There’s not much to recommend watching
here.
Spirit Untamed—simple, suitable film for the younger set—gets to be a ho-hum animated film from its early scenes. The computer animation is poor. Overall, it does not have the quality, complex writing necessary to pull a good child/adult share.
Movie Poster Courtesy of Google Images
Storyline
A young girl becomes involved with gentling a wild stallion.
Additional Thanks
Thank you to Director Elaine Bogan for directing effort. Thank you to Producer Karen Foster for making the film possible. Casting includes Isabela Merced, Marsai Martin, Mckenna Grace, Walter Goggins, Andre Braugher, Julianne Moore, and Jake Gyllenhaal
Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?
Maybe. The movie may make a good watch for younger girls who love horses, but it runs more on the boring side of storytelling.
Guns of Navarone—Gregory Peck—becomes an interesting movie due to
its stage settings. It’s a good watch that emphasizes teamwork needed to
accomplish the impossible. This film is not high quality for a World War II movie
in portrayal. But the presentation is good and the story is well written. Gregory
Peck’s introductory scenes are weak, but as the narrative moves along, his
character gathers strength to match the severity of the movie’s predicament.
This film becomes an important, instructive watch on courage, teamwork, and
strict obedience to military protocol.
Film Poster Courtesy of Google Images and
Wikipedia
Storyline
Thiswarfilm is about a military unit who is
assigned the task of disabling the weapons on an island.
Additional
Thanks
Thank you to Director J. Lee Thompson
for directing effort. Thank you to Producer Carl Foreman for making the film
possible. Cast includes Gregory Peck, David Niven, Anthony Quinn, Stanley
Baker, Anthony Quayle, Irene Papas, Gia Scala, and James Darren
High Plains Drifter—there is not a lot of goodness in this film
other than getting rid of ‘bad guys’. There are several immoral scenes that do
not significantly add to the movie’s value or help it reach a higher quality level of
entertainment. The acting is good to suitable. The portrayal is
good. The storyline is quite different. Watch for the concluding scene that
sheds light on who the high plains drifter is.
Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia and Google
Images
Storyline
This western movie is about a man who drifts into
town and cleans it up.
Additional
Thanks
Thank
you to Director Clint Eastwood for directing efforts. Thank you to Producer
Robert Daley for making the film possible. Cast includes Clint Eastwood, Verna
Bloom, and Mariana Hill.
The Scorpion King 4: Quest for Power—nothing new here—works as a run-of-the-mill
movie that has suitable to weak portrayal, presentation, and acting. It’s good
to see Lou Ferrigno in the movie. The movie works as a light, afternoon watch that
works the ancient hero/villain story.
Film Poster Courtesy of Google Images
Storyline
This action film
is about trying to recover the Urn of Kings which will allow control of the
world to anyone who possesses it.
Additional
Thanks
Thank you to Director Mike Elliott
for directing effort. Thank you to Producers Mike Elliott and Ogden Gayanski
for making the film possible. Cast includes Victor Webster, Ellen Hollman, Lou
Ferrigno, Rutger Hauer, Royce Gracie, Eve Torres, and Ian Whyte
Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?
Maybe. But do not expect the impact quality from
this movie that the original Scorpion King had. This movie works at the
average level.
BlackBerry—fictional treatment of a factual story—earns its watch as it tells
about the rise and fall of the company that built the BlackBerry mobile phone.
It details the processes involved in empire building, endeavoring to keep
cherished ethical mores in place while trying to balance work and pressures of
the market with serious technical competition. The movie works for its audience
and expands an audience’s understanding behind the scenes when a new piece of
tech is released to the public.
Film Poster Courtesy of Google Images and
Wikipedia
Storyline
Thisdramafilm is about the rise and fall of the
company that built the BlackBerry phone.
Additional
Thanks
Thank
you to Director Matt Johnson for directing effort. Thank you to Producers
Fraser Ash, Niv Fichman, Kevin Krikst, and Matthew Miller for making the film
possible. Cast includes Jay Baruchel, Glenn Howerton, Matt Johnson, Rich
Sommer, Michael Ironside, Martin Donovan, Michelle Giroux, SungWon Cho, Mark
Critch, Saul Rubinek, and Cary Elwes.
NOTE: This critique is for the 1992 Tom and
Jerry: The Movie, not the 2021 Tom and Jerry: The Movie.
Ben Meyers’ Rating: 3.9|5.0 Starsììì
Tom and Jerry: The Movie—suitable—does not place its musical numbers well.
It’s almost as if there is an on-going battle: Should this be a musical or just
a straight-forward animation movie? The music itself is well-done, just
misplaced and leaves its audience asking, “And, why?” Compare the musical placement
in the Johann Mouse short film to this movie and see that there is a
substantial difference in the workability of the musical scoring. Not every
song fails to charm though. The song about the little girl’s dad works quite
well as does a few other songs. The talking Tom and Jerry seem a little awkward
but improves as the film moves along. The movie, at some points, seems to link
to Disney’s The Rescuers with slight variations to make it seem
different and new. One particular that adds to viewer interest is a cameo of
Droopy the Bassett Hound. It’s original and audiences will love that scene. The
drawn animation is great and welcome.
Film Poster Courtesy of Google Images
Storyline
This movie shows Tom and Jerry as homeless and
needing to cooperate to survive.
Additional
Thanks
Thank you to Director Phil Roman for
directing effort. Thank you to Producer Phil Roman for making the film
possible. Cast includes Richard Kind, Dana Hill, Anndi McAfee, Tony Jay, Henry
Gibson, Michael Bell, Ed Gilbert, David Lander, Howard Morris, and Charlotte
Rae
Saint Ralph has much to say about faith and determination. It becomes a quality
story because of that main theme. The script has been solidly built with good
timing that moves the story along fluidly. There is a strong underlying theme
that addresses a young man’s move into puberty that some audiences may object
to while others will accept as a fact of life. But for those who object, be
forewarned that this story runs two themes simultaneously. As well as a third
theme of a young man’s tremendous desire to see his mother recover from a
deadly illness. Adam Butcher performs outstandingly as Ralph Walker, the main
character of this story. Watch for Campbell Scott acting the role of Father
George Hibbert.
Film Poster Courtesy of Google Images and
Wikipedia
Storyline
This drama film
is about a boy who needs his mother to survive and live so he is not an orphan
and the steps he takes to work a miracle.
Additional
Thanks
Thank you to Director Michael McGowan
for directing effort. Thank you to Producers Teza Lawrence, Andrea Mann, and
Seaton McLean for making the film possible. Cast includes Adam Butcher and
Campbell Scott
Greyhound—WOW!—easily becomes that movie that theater audiences leave feeling completely satisfied. It runs the complete gauntlet of tension to complete involvement in the story. The camera work is great. The casting is perfect. Tom Hanks completely fills the role of Captain of his ship. The script is perfect. Timing and sequencing are so professionally done that the film literally flows. This movie is an Apple TV+ Movie and is nearly everything one could hope for in a movie. Excellent quality film for the home video library. Revolutionary work of art.
Film Poster Courtesy of Google Images and Wikipedia
Storyline
The movie is about a particularly dangerous section of sea crossing during World War II that resulted in many sunken ships due to lack of air cover.
Additional Thanks
Thank you to Director Aaron Schneider for directing effort. Thank you to Producer Gary Goetzman for making the film possible. Cast includes Tom Hanks, Stephen Graham, Rob Morgan, and Elisabeth Shue.
Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?
Yes. This is a must see for the history lesson and for war movie fans. It’s a quality watch and deserves its place in the home video library.
Ferdinand—WOW!— is a sweet, heart-appealing animated film. It’s a Blue Sky
quality watch with a 10-minute conclusion that is difficult to exceed in quality.
The movie works for a wide, age range and becomes a good child/adult share
flick. The Ferdinand character is taken from a 1936 children’s book expanded
into a full- length movie. The script for the movie is great. The presentation,
portrayal, and voices are good.
Film Poster Courtesy of Google Images and
Wikipedia
Storyline
The story is about a bull who is raised gently
and then ends in a bull fighting ring.
Additional
Thanks
Thank you to Director Carlos Saldanha
for directing effort. Thank you to Producers John Davis, Lisa Marie Stetler,
Lori Forte, and Bruce Anderson for making the film possible. Cast includes John
Cena, and Kate McKinnon.
Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?
Yes. This gentle movie is a terrific child/adult
share.
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward
Robert Ford—messily
organized—has violent scenes that border at the edge of unbearable. Sexual,
immoral scenes are mostly presented discreetly. The movie ends strongly with a
complete surprise. It lingers too long on the cowardness of Robert Ford. There are
some high quality scenes that push the movie forward.
Film Poster Courtesy of Google
Images
Storyline
The story runs exactly as the title states: an
account of how Jesse James is killed.
Additional
Thanks
Thank you to Director Andrew Dominik
for directing effort. Thank you to Producers Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner, Ridley
Scott, Jules Daly, and David Valdes for making the film possible. Cast includes
Brad Pitt, Casey Afflek, Sam Shepard, Mary Louise Parker, Paul Schneider,
Jeremy Renner, Zooey Deschanel, and Sam Rockwell
Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?
Yes. The violence in the film borders on the edge of unbearable.
Casting did an outstanding job of choosing the actors. They are exceptionally
believable in their assigned roles. The film works overall and will serve
western movie fans well..
Ben Meyers’ Rating: 4.2|5.0 StarsBen Meyers’ Rating: 4.2|5.0 Stars ìììì
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny does not have the vibrancy of the first four Indiana
Jones movies. It’s a B-grade movie at best, but much better than many film critics
rated it. Watch for the excellent computer work that de-ages Harrison Ford at the
beginning of the story before it launches into the meat of the film’s story.
The wise choice of mixing computer enhancement with the real Harrison Ford makes it
possible to balance the human spirit with the non-flowing animation. The storyline
is good but not noteworthy as it follows a similar pattern of previous Indiana
Jones movies . While the other films worked in their presentation and storyline, this film seems to falter here.
Film Poster Courtesy of Google Images and
Wikipedia
Storyline
Indiana Jones endeavors to retrieve the complete
Dial of Destiny.
Additional
Thanks
Thank you to
Director James Mangold for directing effort. Thank you to Producers Kathleen
Kennedy, Frank Marshall, and Simon Emanuel for making the film possible. Cast
includes Harrison Ford, Phoebe Waller Bridge, Antonio Banderas, John
Rhys-Davies, Toby Jones, Boyd Holbrook, Ethann Isidore, and Mads Mikkelsen
Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?
Yes. If this is the last Indiana Jones
film, Harrison Ford is going out strong from the series. The story itself is
suitable to good and ‘kind of’ works. The film does have a cliff hanger at the
end to indicate there may be more in the future.
Beverly Hills Cop II—ready-made Eddie Murphy-style comedy—starts with
a highly professional jewelry store heist and levels out to the quality level
of the first Beverly Hills Cop movie. There are several unnecessary,
exceptionally graphic nudity scenes that do not add to the story and narrow the
audience range to the adult only watch.
Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia
Storyline
The movie begins with a well-planned jewelry heist
and ends with a conclusion that apprehends more than just jewelry thieves.
Additional
Thanks
Thank you to Director Tony Scott for
directing effort. Thank you to Producers Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer for
making the film possible. Cast includes Eddie Murphy, Judge Reinhold, Jurgen
Prochnow, Ronny Cox, John Ashton, Brigitte Nielsen, Allen Garfield, and Paul
Reiser.
Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?
Maybe. It has a good storyline and fills the need
for comedy. This is not a child’s watch.
Sandlot 2—cute—fails to add much to the original movie. Samantha Burton’s
performance adds levity and some freshness to the story. And, the Great Fear is
also a good, simple addition that ‘beefs up’ this movie.
Film Poster Courtesy of Google Images and
Wikipedia
Storyline
A group of children hone their baseball skills on
a raggedy sandlot.
Additional
Thanks
Thank you to Director Mickey Evans
for directing effort. Thank you to Producer David Bixler for making the film
possible. Cast includes James Willson, Max Lloyd Jones, Samantha Burton, Brett
Kelly, Cole Evan Weiss, Neilen Benvegnu, Sean Berdy, James Earl Jones, McKenzie
Freemantle, and Jessica King.
Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?
Maybe. Know that the first Sandlot movie
is better than its sequel.
The Right Stuff—wonderful—combines the story of the men who broke
the sound barrier and the men who were first in space. The movie offers full
value for the money spent as it gives three hours of movie time. WOW!
Casting department made excellent choices. The timing, portrayal, and
presentation are unusually well done. The writer, Tom Wolfe, coherently writes the story (see Ben Meyers International Movie Critics for a review of the
documentary about Tom Wolfe and his professional life). Look for appearances of Jeff Goldblum in the
movie. This film is great to watch and makes a worthy addition to the home
video library.
Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia and Google
Images
Storyline
The movie is about the breaking of the sound
barrier and the men who were the first United States astronauts.
Additional
Thanks
Thank you to Director Philip Kaufman
for directing effort. Thank you to Producers Irwin Winkler and Robert Chartoff
for making the film possible. Cast includes Charles Frank, Scott Glenn, Ed
Harris, Lance Henriksen, Scott Paulin, Dennis Quaid, Sam Shepard, Fred Ward,
Kim Stanley Veronica Cartright, Pamela Reed, and Barbara Hershey
Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?
Yes. Not many movies reach the quality range of
this film. It’s a great watch.