Rate The Last Movie You Saw

[noodles_leone]

I saw Les valseuses at time of release and didn't remember it as funny. A 6\10 movie was my rating then.

Give up: Jenkins is right on this one.

[drinkanddestroy]

1. The Big Caper (1957) 6.4/10


Frank Harper (played by Rory Calhoun); Flood( James Gregory) his partner in crime; and Frank's girlfriend Kay (Mary Costa) plan a major heist of a bank holding a million dollars in cash. This is supposed to be their "big caper" that they can retire on. Frank and Kay move into the neighborhood, posing as husband and wife and integrating themselves into the community, while Flood gets a crew together for the job.

This is one of those movies that just pisses me off cuz it has really solid potential and then completely falls off the table.


2. Tension (1949) 7/10 -- a nor starring Richard Basehart and Audrey Totter. Another movie that has big potential but ultimately disappoints.

[titoli]

Give up: Jenkins is right on this one.

Jenkins is always right.

[Groggy]

Jenkins is always right.

If that's the case then my whole belief system is destroyed.

[drinkanddestroy]

Call Northside 777 (1948) 8.6/10

One of James Stewart's greatest performances

[cigar joe]

Call Northside 777 (1948) 8.6/10

One of James Stewart's greatest performances

Its a great Noir film too.

[drinkanddestroy]

Its a great Noir film too.

I guess we've found some common ground, amigo 

[drinkanddestroy]

Escape from Fort Bravo (1953) 5.75/10

I was gonna start listing the ways this film -- which has potential -- went so wrong, but I thought better of it, cuz I'd go on forever. Has some good ideas but never puts it together properly. Very disappointing job by Sturges. And btw, next time spend more money on the script and less on painting scenery. Those "desert" scenes with painted backgrounds were absolutely ridiculous.

[Groggy]

Escape from Fort Bravo (1953) 5.75/10

I was gonna start listing the ways this film -- which has potential -- went so wrong, but I thought better of it, cuz I'd go on forever. Has some good ideas but never puts it together properly. Very disappointing job by Sturges. And btw, next time spend more money on the script and less on painting scenery. Those "desert" scenes with painted backgrounds were absolutely ridiculous.

Hear hear.

[Groggy]

Tom Horn - 7/10 - Starts out really great, with a compelling anti-hero, excellent grungy atmosphere, beautiful photography, and some great action scenes: I loved the barn shootout with shotguns blasting sides of beef. After Tom's arrest it runs out of steam, with lots of odd stylistic touches and really unnecessary flashbacks that screw up the tone. I'm not overly familiar with the true story so I'll leave the "authenticity" issue alone for now. Steve McQueen is excellent and there are lots of familiar faces in the supporting cast: Slim Pickens, Billy Green Bush, Geoffrey Lewis, Elisha Cook Jr., Roy Jenson. Worth a look.

[drinkanddestroy]

Tom Horn - 7/10 - Starts out really great, with a compelling anti-hero, excellent grungy atmosphere, beautiful photography, and some great action scenes: I loved the barn shootout with shotguns blasting sides of beef. After Tom's arrest it runs out of steam, with lots of odd stylistic touches and really unnecessary flashbacks that screw up the tone. I'm not overly familiar with the true story so I'll leave the "authenticity" issue alone for now. Steve McQueen is excellent and there are lots of familiar faces in the supporting cast: Slim Pickens, Billy Green Bush, Geoffrey Lewis, Elisha Cook Jr., Roy Jenson. Worth a look.

I am a huge McQueen fan. Tom Horn is the worst McQueen movie I have ever seen. Not criticizing McQueen's performance, but the movie didn't do much for me.

And btw, the "courtroom scenes" were an absolute joke. Violated more sections of the Bill of Rights than (insert your most hated President here). I mean, one of the most basic laws in American criminal procedure -- the prosecution can't call a defendant to the witness stand to testify against himself! I mean, I am not expecting legal realism from a movie, but that scene had so many violations of the most basic rules of criminal procedure, it may have been the worst courtroom scene I have ever seen. Ever.

Not that the movie had much else to offer. I wouldn't rate it anything more than a 5 out of 10, and that may be giving it too much credit

[Groggy]

It's an Old West kangaroo court for cryin' out loud. They didn't have Oliver Wendell Holmes presiding and the game was rigged to begin with.

[drinkanddestroy]

It's an Old West kangaroo court for cryin' out loud. They didn't have Oliver Wendell Holmes presiding and the game was rigged to begin with.

I still don't believe the prosecution would call a defendant to the stand. One example out of many of how that "trial" was ridiculous. (and Holmes was an asshole, but that's another story  )

[drinkanddestroy]

Hoosiers (1986) 7.5/10

I love sports and I love movies, but I've never really loved sports movies. My opinion has not changed. (There is only one sports movie I have ever seen that i truly consider essential viewing -- The Pride of the Yankees. (I also loved Varsity Blues and have seen it multiple times, but that was all many years ago; I am not sure whether i would feel the same way if I saw it today).


Anyway, RE: Hoosiers:
a) Great performances by Gene Hackman and Dennis Hopper.

b) The production design was spectacular.

c) the basketball players did look like real basketball players (unlike eg. The Natural, where some of the "baseball players," including Redford, looked like what I imagine my little sister and her friends would look like playing baseball)

d) the script interested me at some times and turned me off at other times. Ultimately, you really do care about the team.

e) I wish there had been a more about the Hackman character's backstory.

f) you are really made to feel as if you are right there, in that charming little gym in that little town in the early 50's, rooting on that little team.

Bottom line: I am still not a huge fan of sports movies, but this movie does have some solid achievements.
 

[dave jenkins]

Not that the movie had much else to offer.

Wrong. http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=3049.15