“Pearl” – Houston, we have a problem. When I walked out of the theater after watching Pearl, my initial response to “what did you think?” was “I was bored.” What I couldn’t articulate at the time was why I found the film boring. On the drive home, my thoughts kept circling around the fact that […]
Pearl (2022)
September 16, 2022 by
Film Title
PearlSynopsis
What’s wrong with Texas? Everything
Director
Ti WestCast
David Corenswet
Mia Goth
Emma Jenkins-Purro
Alistair Sewell
Matthew Sunderland
Tandi Wright
Duel In The Sun (1946)
September 13, 2022 by
Film Title
Duel in the SunSynopsis
A hot Pearl Chavez is torn between two very different brothers.Â
Director
King Vidor Otto Brower William DieterleCast
Jennifer Jones as Pearl Chavez
Joseph Cotten as Jesse McCanles
Gregory Peck as Lewton "Lewt" McCanles
Lionel Barrymore as Senator Jackson McCanles
Herbert Marshall as Scott Chavez
Lillian Gish as Laura Belle McCanles
Walter Huston as Jubal Crabbe, The Sinkiller
Charles Bickford as Sam Pierce
Harry Carey as Lem Smoot
Charles Dingle as Sheriff Hardy
Sidney Blackmer as The "Lover" of Mrs. Chavez
Butterfly McQueen as Vashti
Otto Kruger as Mr. Langford
David O. Selznick wanted another big blockbuster like Gone With the Wind. He had room for plenty more Oscars on the ego shelf where his awards were available for all to ”ooh and aah” and offer praise like, ”You did a hell of a job on that one, Mister Selznick”. There for all to see, […]
Barbarian
September 9, 2022 by
Film Title
BarbarianSynopsis
Just say no to AirBNB
Director
Zach CreggerCast
Georgina Campbell
Bill Skarsgard
Justin Long
Matthew Patrick Davis
Richard Brake
“Barbarian” – My eyes! MY EYES!!! There are a couple of film genres that I generally try to avoid. One genre is comedies that rely on embarrassment humor. Meet the Parents and Anger Management are two prime examples of comedies that I did not find amusing in any way, shape, or form. In fact, my […]
The Last Movie Star
August 27, 2022 by
Film Title
The Last Movie StarSynopsis
An aging movie star faces the reality of his career and choices
Director
Adam RifkinCast
Burt Reynolds
Chevy Chase
Ariel Winter
Clark Duke
Ellar Coltrane
Al-Jaleel Knox
Nikki Blonsky
Anyone who was alive in the last century has to be aware of Burt Reynolds. He burst on the scene as the arrow-slinging hot hunk in Deliverance and then was immortalized in Smokey And The Bandit as a Coors Beer runner who stayed just ahead of the venerable Jackie Gleason as Sheriff Buford. After that, […]
Slap Shot (1977)
August 25, 2022 by
Film Title
Slap ShotSynopsis
A failing hockey team finds its footing with a trio of Hanson Goons
Director
George Roy HillCast
Paul Newman
Michael Ontkean
Strother Martin
Steve Carlson
David Carlson
Jeff Hanson
Jennifer Warren
Every time I think of hockey, I am reminded of my late, great friend, Ed Arndt. Ed was a friend luckily met from the Fidonet era, in the early 90s, before the internet was what it is today. A bunch of us guys would go to the hockey games at the Memphis Mid-South Coliseum. I […]
Hell Or High Water
August 20, 2022 by
Film Title
Hell Or High WaterSynopsis
A duo of brothers rob small town banks to save the family farm
Director
David MackinzieCast
Jeff Bridges
Chris Pine
Ben Foster
Gil Birmingham
Dale Dickey
I had been intending to watch this movie for a long time. I was intrigued by that famous gas station fight scene, which I ran across on YouTube. I’ve probably watched it over a half a dozen times, and it is a very satisfying seeing some young punk getting a well-deserved comeuppance. Let me get […]
Beast
August 19, 2022 by
Film Title
BeastSynopsis
I’m not a lion tamer, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night
Director
Baltasar KormakurCast
Idris Elba
Martin Munro
Chris Langa
Leah Jeffries
Iyana Halley
“Beast” – I’m not a lion tamer, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night. I often wonder what it is about any given movie that makes people like or dislike it. For example, I recently screened Emily the Criminal, a movie so uninteresting and lacking entertainment value that every time I […]
Good Will Hunting
August 18, 2022 by
Film Title
Good Will HuntingSynopsis
A young genius struggles with his past, his potential and his relationships.
Director
Gus Van SantCast
Matt Damon
Robin Williams
Ben Affleck
Casey Affleck
Stellan Skarsgard
Minnie Driver
Cole Hauser
Good Will Hunting is a movie written by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck and was directed by Gus Van Sant. It also starred the late and legendary Robin Williams who won an Oscar for his memorable performance. Damon and Affleck also won the Oscar for Best Writing and Screenplay. This movie is almost 25 years […]
Bullet Train
August 10, 2022 by
Film Title
Bullet TrainSynopsis
Five would-be assassins take a train ride
Director
David LeitchCast
Brad Pitt
Sandra Bullock
Michael Shannon
Aaron Taylor-Johnson
Zazie Beets
Joey King
Brian Tyree Henry
“Bullet Train” – Come on ride the train. As I struggled to come up with a theme for my review of Bullet Train, I skimmed through other, early reviews for ideas. To my surprise, Bullet Train has divided other critics almost right down the middle (currently sitting at 53% positive on Rotten Tomatoes; 49 on […]
Prey
August 4, 2022 by
Film Title
PreySynopsis
We can still see you Mr. Predator guy
Director
Dan TrachtenbergCast
Amber Midthunder
Dakota Beavers
Dane DiLiegro
MIchelle Thrush
Mike Paterson
“Prey” – We can still see you Mr. Predator guy. I don’t know who is clamoring for more Predator movies, let alone one that takes place in colonial America, but Prey is the latest installment in the Predator franchise. Clearly, neither does Twentieth Century Studios, as Prey is going directly to Hulu+. Do they really […]
