Reviews: M-N-O 2024 version
Some time ago I started writing short reviews of films I watched and posted them on Film Afficianado, while also rating them X/10. I have been thinking about a way to organize these alphabetically so I could find them easily if I needed to. I will try dividing the alphabet into 4 Lists. I will probably have to wait until I am at a computer to organize each List. I will probably keep sequels chronological. *The original MNO list is messed up, so I am going to split it and redo it over time. I had 3 or 4 #1's and the numbers are messed up. It makes it hard to order a new entry.
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- DirectorJohn SturgesStarsYul BrynnerSteve McQueenCharles BronsonSeven gunfighters are hired by Mexican peasants to liberate their village from oppressive bandits.8/10 - 1st x viewing. I saw this on TV with commercial breaks. There seemed to be some weird cuts and odd character bits. The bad guy almost had more honor than the good guys? Bad guy gives the good guys their guns back and, of course, they go right back. First shoot out seems to start with no real reason. Was it an accident? May be better on 2nd viewing? Really probably at a 7, but may be giving it a higher rating because of its historical value. 11/7/16.
- DirectorAntoine FuquaStarsDenzel WashingtonChris PrattEthan HawkeSeven gunmen from a variety of backgrounds are brought together by a vengeful young widow to protect her town from the private army of a destructive industrialist.8/10 - In the theater. Not bad. Seems like there have been several PG-13 films that I could see with 1 or both of my parents. Some long gunfight/action sequences. Main actress was cute, kinda looks like BDHoward. Theater had free posters out and I got a sun damaged Pete's Dragon. 9/30/16
- DirectorRichard AttenboroughStarsAnthony HopkinsAnn-MargretBurgess MeredithA ventriloquist is at the mercy of his vicious dummy while he tries to renew a romance with his high school sweetheart.8/10 - 1x watch. TCM Underground DVR'd 6/5/21. I didn't know what to expect, but it ended up being a psychological film like a Vampire's Kiss and Joker. The way Burgess Meredith meets his demise is pretty crazy. I had to watch it with interruptions, so that may have hurt how I felt a little. I was surprised by the amount of language, with multiple F-bombs right from the start. It took me looking at Attenborough's wiki to realize he was Hammond in Jurassic Park. 2/9/22.
- DirectorDavid S. WardStarsTom BerengerCharlie SheenCorbin BernsenThe new owner of the Cleveland Indians puts together a purposely horrible team so they'll lose and she can move the team. But when the plot is uncovered, they start winning just to spite her.8/10 - 1x full watch on DVD. I have seen parts of this on cable over the years. I kept expecting scenes from other baseball and sports films that never showed up. It's a fun movie for what it is. 1/15/24.
- DirectorDavid S. WardStarsCharlie SheenTom BerengerCorbin BernsenThe Cleveland Indians are now a World Series contender. But last year's hunger is now replaced with complacency, and bad decisions by the team's new owner Roger Dorn threaten to tear the team apart.6/10 - 1x full watch via DVD. I have seen some of this on cable probably. This had a lot more cliche stuff that wasn't funny. Rene Russo was a big focus on the first one and only had one scene here. Ilsa from Last Crusade is here. Randy Quaid is annoying and cliche. They brought back the villain boss and she didn't do much. Bernson didn't really do much. The movie didn't really do much. 6 may be too generous. 1/15/24.
- DirectorKevin SmithStarsShannen DohertyJeremy LondonJason LeeBoth dumped by their girlfriends, two best friends seek refuge in the local mall.7/10 - 1x full watch via Blu-ray. I have seen maybe half of this on cable. I'm trying to watch Kevin Smith's films in order. I got Clerks on Blu-ray and watched it. I still feel about the same about most of his films. There is some clever writing to it, but I'm not big on pervy jokes. This film had less of this. I will say that I noticed that Kevin seemed to use only dark haired women in this. Shannen and Claire looked very beautiful in this. 7/27/24.
- DirectorPanos CosmatosStarsNicolas CageAndrea RiseboroughLinus RoacheThe enchanted lives of a couple in a secluded forest are brutally shattered by a nightmarish hippie cult and their demon-biker henchmen, propelling a man into a spiraling, surreal rampage of vengeance.8/10 - 1x watch via Blu-ray. This is a standard revenge story told unconventionally. It's very stylistic, sometimes to its detriment. It can be annoying with the very washy visuals and distorted voices. On the other hand, it is unique and be quite fun. And...Nic Cage. 10/25/23
- DirectorRobert MulliganStarsSam WaterstonTess HarperGail StricklandA coming of age story set in the south of the U.S. when Elvis was King.7, maybe 8/10. 1st interested because the screenwriter lives in East Tx. Recently Jimmy Fallon has mentioned that this is his favorite movie, and it just happened to come on again. This viewing was Full Screen though. 3-19-14
- DirectorSkott SniderStarsDean CameronAmi DolenzFelicity WatermanA down-on-his luck beach bum asks a cute female genie to help him seduce the woman of his dreams only to realize that he might be looking in the wrong place.7/10 - 1x full watch via streaming? I'm pretty sure I have seen some of this on cable before. I thought it was a Shawnee Smith movie with a genie, but instead it is Ami Dolenz. Ami is very cute in the movie and it's a lot of fun. When she's sad and crying I just want to give her a hug. I don't remember any swear words at all, so it is mostly R because they had topless scenes. Sad to say this is OOP on Kino Blu-ray. I probably saw this cover and did not realize it was this movie since Ami is not on the cover. I realized she is in She's Out of Control, so I found my DVD of that and watched it for the first time. 3/17/24.
- DirectorChristopher McQuarrieStarsTom CruiseHayley AtwellVing RhamesEthan Hunt and his IMF team must track down a dangerous weapon before it falls into the wrong hands.8/10 - 1x watch via Blu-ray. This was another solid action film with some great stunts. The whole AI thing isn't the greatest though. The actor who played Gabriel almost makes it feel like it will turn out he is part cyborg or has impanted microchips or something. He just seemed really weird. It also felt weird how they accept Hayley Atwell's character so easily. Sad to see what happened to Becky Ferg, but it was actually spoiled when I searched for about her earlier today. The train car / cliff sequence reminded me of The Lost World Jurassic Park, but they maybe doubled the number of cars that went over and had variety of what stuff would be falling on them. The motorcycle cliff stunt was so played in the promos that it really lessened the impact. I don't remember if they mentioned The Syndicate at all. I watched the last 3 all in a row, so I may be confusing some things. Some of the scenes, like being on top of the train, just were a little too CGI to feel real, but not terrible. Now it looks like it will be over a year until the next film, which they seem to have changed their mind in calling it Part Two. 2/10/24
- DirectorGeorge MihalkaStarsPaul KelmanLori HallierNeil AffleckA decades-old folk tale surrounding a deranged murderer killing those who celebrate Valentine's Day turns out to be true to legend when a group defies the killer's order and people start turning up dead.8/10 - 2nd watch via Blu-ray. I think I watched this on TCM Underground, but I had forgotten a lot of it. This is a solid early 80's slasher with atmosphere. I watched the Scream Factory Blu-ray that restored about 3 minutes of the 9 minutes that was cut. I wish we could see the original version. Seeing the dance related stuff reminds me of The Cars That Ate Paris, but unfortunately that movie is hard to get on physical media. The mine and mining suits are interesting and the ballad over the end credits is cool. Kinda sounded like Billy Joel. I own the remake but have not watched it yet. 2/14/24.
- DirectorRobert BentonStarsJeff BridgesKim BasingerRip TornIn 1950s Texas, a woman trying to recover sexy photos of herself and divorce her husband witnesses a murder and uncovers corrupt land dealings.6/10 - 1x watch via Tubi. Jeff Bridges has a lot of cool unknown movies and this also had Kim Bassinger in 1987. Since I knew about this movie, I was interested in seeing it, but it is hard to find on physical media. Recently, I came across it being free to stream. I don't mind seeing Kim any time. This movie had one huge jump scare when a man is hiding in the house - an actor who I recognize from Home Improvement, Mickey Jones, who is also a musician that played with Bob Dylan. There is nothing particularly special about the movie. It's not bad, but nothing great either. Just an OK movie. I bought the press kit off of eBay for a total of $8 and change just for the Kim pictures I'm sure. 3/8/24.
- DirectorJared HessStarsJon HederEfren RamirezJon GriesA listless and alienated teenager decides to help his new friend win the class presidency in their small western high school, while he must deal with his bizarre family life back home.9/10 - I wanted to see this and Garden State so much that I drove to Dallas to see them both on the same day. I've seen this several times, but it'd been a while. It's a lot of fun. They managed to be popular across the spectrum without having crass humor or profanity. I have 2 DVDs of this. I guess I bought the second one because it had more features and was on sale. I need to get it on Blu-ray. I watched this several days ago, but didn't write about it then. There is someone at work who wears a Vote For Pedro shirt, so it put it on my mind. I really have no heard about it or seen the movie referenced in some time, but there was a 4K 20th anniversary screening, so I wonder if that means a 4K is on the way. 4/13/24.
- DirectorSofia CoppolaStarsBill MurrayRashida JonesMarlon WayansA young mother reconnects with her larger-than-life playboy father on an adventure through New York.6/10 - 1x watch via Blu-ray. A Sofia Coppola film starring Bill Murray and Rashida Jones, count me in. This is a solid film, but there's really nothing special about it. It's not really funny. There are few memorable lines. A few nice shots here and there, but no memorable camera moves. Maybe she was going for more natural and realistic instead of feeling like a movie? 5/12/24.