The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly (1966)Dir: Sergio Leone
Cast: Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef, Eli Wallach
IMDB: 8.8 (#12 on Top 250 of All-Time)
Considered THE western, I was surprised to find tGtBatU was not your typical western, at least not to viewers mostly familiar with 80's and 90's gunslinging flicks. It's technically a foreign film, shot by an Italian director, the immortal Sergio Leone. (In case you've wondered what a Spaghetti Western was, it was in the 1960's when a slew of American westerns using Big Name American stars were shot in Europe by Italian directors and crews, because northern (I think it's northern) Italy has an uncanny resemblance to the American Southwest. BUT, this doesn't totally apply for this film because it was shot in Spain. nootch!) This is much more an art film then an actioner. There's no dialog for the first 10 minutes. And there's at least 3 other scenes that just drop all the dialog and just let's the actors act. It is occasionally more conventional, but there's not a lot of gunfights or stunts. Make no mistake about it, this film is about character and setting, so much so that you will appreciate the bond between Leone and his three leads. This is a mood film. The breathtaking scenery blends with the classic score set the stage for double crosses upon double crosses, and although Eastwood is good, Eli Wallach steals the film as Tuco, and he gets all the best lines. Unlike other movies from the 60's, westerns don't age, it's just as relevant today as 40 years ago. A thinking man's western, the kids won't sit through it, but fans of Tarantino will respect it.
The Sneaky Cheetah's Grade: B+
One Flew Over the Cukoo's Nest (1975)Dir: Milos Forman
Cast: Jack Nicholson, Louise Fletcher, Brad Dourif, Danny DeVitto, Christopher Lloyd
IMDB: 8.7 (#13 on Top 250 of All-Time)
It's a good film, but a bit overrated and overrewarded. I find it hard to believe it swept the Grand Slam of the Oscars (Best Picture, Director, Actor, Actress, and Screenplay). Jack turns in a classic performance, and the script and direction are fantastic, but Louise Fletcher did nothing I could see for a best actress win. This movie did shape our expectations of what a mental hospital looks like and has been copied ever since. It's a great ensemble cast also, DeVitto, Lloyd, Dourif, Will Sampson, and William Redfield all shine. It probably make a better play then a film. I do hold a grudge however, and just thinking that this film beat Jaws for best picture give me the red-ass.
The Sneaky Cheetah's Grade: B
Hotel Rwanda (2004)Dir: Terry George
Cast:Don Cheadle, Sophie Okonedo, Nick Nolte, Joaquin Phoenix
IMDB: 8.5 (#64 on Top 250 of all-time)
Great picture about the ethnic cleansing in Rwanda and a hotel manager who called in every favor he could to save hundreds of refugees. Don Cheadle was nominated for best actor and he could've won it and got applause from me. He's always been an underrated side player, but he's on of the best actors working today. Not as shockingly revolting as Schindler's List or especially The Pianist, it put the focus on one selfless man's struggle rather then an entire people. This makes this more rewatchable then either of those films. Nolte is pretty good also, after becoming a joke of an actor, maybe he's back on track. Hotel Rwanda is inspiring and you'll come away from it wanting to change the world. All I'm saying, man, is give peace a chance.
The Sneaky Cheetah's Grade: A
The Longest Day (1962)Dir: Ken Annakin, Andrew Marton, Bernhard Wicki
Cast: John Wayne, Henry Fonda, Robert Mitchum, Richard Burton, Rod Steiger, Sean Connery
IMDB: 7.7
Caught this on the fourth of July and thought it was really well done. This was probably THE D-Day film until Saving Private Ryan and Band of Brothers came out. The cool thing is, it covers the botched paratrooper drops and the landing on the beaches of Normandy. It also has scenes with the commanders of the different forces, something the newer World War II films don't show, even the German commanders. (I learned the Germans couldn't call up Panzer Tank reinforcements to stop the invasion because Hitler had taken some sleeping pills and ordered that he not be disturbed!) This makes the scope of the picture huge and so is the cast, which may be it's biggest drawback. Besides Wayne and Mitchum, it's hard to recognize the characters, there's just so much going on. I couldn't even pick out Sean Connery in this pre-Bond film. Also like all films from this era, there's not much graphic violence, just guys clutching their chest and falling down. I think I remember one guy getting shot in the head, but can't remember how realistic it was. Some people think the graphic violence in Private Ryan is too much, but that's really how shitty that war was. The Longest Day is still a great film from an era of ambitious filmmaking and covers all aspects of that incredible day. (TRIVIA - This was the most expensive black and white film ever made...until Schindler's List!) (MORE TRIVIA: Director Ken Annakin also directed the best movie of the 80's, The Pirate Movie!)
The Sneaky Cheetah's Grade: B
Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle (2004)Dir: Danny Leiner
Cast: John Cho, Kal Penn, Paula Garces, Neil Patrick Harris, Fred Willard , Christopher Meloni, Ethan Embry
IMDB: 7.1
Loved this movie! I don't watch as many comedies as I used to, mainly because of the garbage Hollywood pumps out, but Harold and Kumar is a worthy addition to the canon of Stoner Comedies! You have to see it to appreciate it. Battleshits! Extreme! Doogie Hauser! Freakshow! The Cheetah! Also has some of the best DVD extras. Just sit and watch the menu and H & K get pissed cause you won't hit "play." I laughed HARD! There's a reason this has a 7.1 on IMDB. Only the best comedies ever crack a seven. I had doubts whether John Cho (MILF!) and Kal Pen could pull off leading rolls, but the hit a homer here. This is a future classic that we'll see endlessly and badly edited on TNT. But we'll watch it everytime.
The Sneaky Cheetah's Grade: A
Johnson Family Vacation (2004)Dir: Christopher Erskin
Cast: Cedric the Entertainer, Vanessa Williams, Solange Knowles, Bow Wow, Shannon Elizabeth, Steve Harvey
IMDB: 3.6
You know after you eat a lot of BBQ and just sit on the sofa fat and happy and someone else has the remote and they put it on the channel and fall asleep and you resign yourself to watch whatever is on that channel cause there's no way you're getting up to change it? That's what happened to me and it should be the only way you watch this movie! It's an unashamed remake of the classic National Lampoon's Vacation, but Cedric is no Chevy and this film sucks left and right. There isn't a thing in this movie that makes a lick of sense! Vanessa Williams is still hot, and Beyonce's little sister's in it, as is Shannon Elizabeth, who only has a career cause she showed those Tig Bitties in American Pie. Also has my least favorite King of Comedy, Steve Harvey. GARBAGE!
The Sneaky Cheetah's Grade: F
p.s. TWO DOLLARS!!
1 comment:
Harold and Kumar rocks! Agree 100 percent.
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