Reviews

But maybe not as powerful and convincing as the Canadian genuine material, back in 2015. This South Korean film is however closer to the European style than the Hollywoodian one or even Korean. Other south Korean movie don't usually look like this actually. Yes, this is a true gripping, engrossing piece of work. However, I will always prefer the Canadian feature, starring Christopher Plummer. Compared to this one, I would say this south Korean movie was more American - though not Hollywoodian, as I just said - than the American - Canadian - film, which was really European. The ending is not that surprising, if you already know the original, but deceiving for my taste. But yes, watch it, it deserves it.

I tried to watch it because it is an early Bruce Humbertsone's film, a director whose filmography will become a little more known during the forties and fifties with the likes of I WAKE UP SCREAMING, TEN WANTED MEN, THE PURPLE MASK and some Tarzan adveture yarns. I am not fond of those all alike thirties mystery flicks, talkative, mostly comedies, and boring for me. So, maybe I am not the best reviewer for this kind of stuff. But if you are courageous enough, go, don't bother my review. It is rare, short and maybe you belong to those who can enjoy it. I don't know very much the actors except maybe Zasu Pitts.

I am sure this movie is regularely forgotten among the list of the best films speaking of Vietnam war. Everyone evokes APOCALYPSE NOW, THE DEER HUNTER, FULL METAL JACKET, PLATOON and I suppose GO TELL THE SPARTANS...And I am dead sure that CASUALTIES OF WAR is forgotten. Such a shame, such a mistake.... It is a psychological study, character analysis more than an action packed item. Anyway, there are different ways of speaking of this terrible war, several angles, several prisms. Not only one and unique. Brian De Palma has done his job, his share - forget REDACTED. It is a so powerful, poignant, gripping movie, more than an action film. Among my De Palma's favourites. One last thing, Sean Penn is so annoying with his mouth, he moves it as if he had something in it, a gigantic chewing-gum, quid of tobacco. Sooo annoying.

Frank Lloyd was definitely the director of sea adventure films. Definitely, entirely, absolutely. And I am sure there are many other gems that are forever lost, silent gems of course. But this one was at least saved, so let's take advantage of it...It is not below nor bettter than the Michael Curtiz's remake starring Errol Flynn, in terms of production design, budget, I mean. Not at all, and the technical elements were not the same either.... Let's consider this please. For me Frank Lloyd would deserve a total research of his filmography, despite the fact that the bulk of it is lost. Back to this one, of coourse the action sequences are jaw dropping, for this period of time: the 1920's...A must see.

I consider that John Carpenter would have done a better thing than this movie. And John Carpenter was not a director who could have given the same filmography as Ken Hughes. They were not the same kind of directors, that's all. But considering the filmography of Ken Hughes - especially CROMWELL, JOE MACBETH, TRIALS OF OSCAR WILDE. LONG HAUL, CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG...you will admit that this one is rather surprising. As if Jerry Lewis had directed a crime drama, or Henry Hathaway a musical with Busby Berkeley.... But why not? This movie is not bad at all, it is a slasher in the pure eighties fashion. Only the choice of the film maker is interesting. Especially for the final part, very surprising.

The director Lew Landers was a prolific film maker during the thirties, forties, fifties.... Hundreds of them, as Sam Newfield, Edward L Cahn, William Nigh.... It was difficult to find a movie to emerge from the mass of yarns. This one is a good time waster, enjoyable but so forgettable. Good directing but a predictable and lame story. Nothing really gritty, as it could have been. There were hundreds of them during those years, nearly one decade before the TV industry wave which will transform this kind of stuff thru episodes frame. Lew Landers was a good technician, a good yes man for the producers. A director without any trademark.

This is one more true psychological horror film from Hammer Productions and directed by one of the "home" film makers: Freddie Francis. But it could have been from Terence Fisher or even Val Guest, who could also have done it, or Roy Ward Baker too. It is tense, riveting, and I will say that I had never seen a so close "relation" between Alfred Hitchcock, Hammer and Edgar Poe in the same time. I am sure though, there are others. Oliver Reed is excellent, of course, in a Vincent Price like role, and the photography could not have been better. Don't forget that the director is Freddie Francis, the greatest director of photography of his time.

Or may I say a musical drama, which is not genuinely my stuff at all. But here, I was literally smashed, wiped out because of the power of this story. An express train lauched at full speed in my groin, my spirit, my mind, my soul. JK Simmons absolutely outstanding, in a very ambivalent role. For me this true masterpiece is the real heir of another musical drama called AMADEUS, from director Milos Forman, released thirty years ago. WHIPLASH is a stunning film that may shock and blast you, beware. An unforgettable movie, that any audience will appreciate, even those who don't particularely like music.

What an exciting and gritty crime action film noir, very surprising, unusual, splendidly directed and acted too. A story where the villains are not necessarily the ones we think about at first sight. I am so happy to watch it again, since four years. I read that the director made mostly TV shows, and among the best ones. I am not surprised. It is action packed - the only flaw would be the 1000 bullets in a handgun or automatic rifle magazine.... This kind of issue could be easily solved if only the makers did care. Such a shame. But forget this, that movie is really worth watching. You won't regret it.

Whatever you may read or even say, this movie is an admirable remake of William Keighley's film VALLEY OF THE GIANTS. This one has nothing less, for me, and Kirk Douglas will always be better than Wayne Morris, whom I also appreciate very much. King of the lumberjacks films for me, among the Republic Pictures SPOILERS OF THE FOREST, TIMBERJACK and many other movies which I don't remember the titles.... But "lumberjack" scheme is a western one, as sheriff on a small town vs villains, fort and military indian wars, possee, riverboat.... Splendid photography and action packed scenes, besides Edgar Buchanan and Kirk Douglas.

This is a so simple but terrific and efficient for the budget, as exciting as any Gordon Douglas or early John Sturges' westerns, and one of Lesley Selander's best. This prolific western provider made so many grade Z stuff that he can only shine here. The director gave us FORT OSAGE, FORT UTAH, FORT COURAGEOUS, REVOLT AT FORT LARAMIE, FORT ALGIERS. So, you have understood that Lesley Selander was the director of forts plots, also with Gordon Douglas - FORT DOBBS, ONLY THE VALIANT, CHUKA.... I am sure that too many movie buffs still despise Lesley Selander for his cheap work, but never forget that he also gave impressive little westerns too, like this one.

The story line, script, is purely brilliant. It is one of the first ensemble movie ever made; at least, as far as I know, several years before Paul Haggis' COLLISION and just before AMORES PERROS. French film industry gave us plenty of more or less films of this genre, Parisian comedies, never boring nor lame stories, enchanting too, and made with very low budgets. But you have to follow those melted stories, melted fates. Very typical French in the way of writing and directing. I repeat, the editing is very important for such a film and makes it even worth watching. The director seemed not to resume his career in a convincing way after this movie.

Oh my God, I tried only a couple of minutes and then used the fast forward button of my computer to check. Just check and be sure not to lose one hour and thirty minutes of my precious time. In the beginning, you have an armored truck heist scene. And guess what, the hoodlums wear masks but NO GLOVES AT ALL !!! Plus, they touch the armored truck with their bare hands !!!! I said, I howled to myself: What the f.....??? Is that serious? And since last wednesday, I decided to watch again BRAQUO - Olivier Marchal's masterpiece - series again. See where I drive at? Watching BRAQUO series and this piece of Sh....in the same time. It would have been a pure torture for me. I am only a human after all. I could only make it for ANTIGANG in 2015 but not the part 2.... Not strong enough. So, imagine a "supposed" part 3...

I did not know this picture before discovering it. I don't know why, but I can compare this Mads Mikkelsen's performance with the one he had in 2010 Nicolas Wynding Refn's VALHALLAH'S RISING, not for the plot but the way of acting. And in both, he dosen't play a villain. Also MICHAEL KOHLHAAS. Both features are historical movies. This one is purely riveting, engrossing, awesome and not destined to any audiences; don't show it to your kids. I guess it's inspired from actual events. Good surprise from Denmark. I guess that without Mads Mikkelsen, it would not have been released in France. This prodigious actor is not alone, here, directing is terrififc too.

Of course, any movie buff will have recognized here a very, very poor man's CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE rip-off, because of the plot, historic line, not that usual concerning Balaclava battle, during the eighteenth century. Poor Jean-Pierre Aumont and Paulette Goddard who had to deal with the infamous producer Sam Katzman, despite the good directing skills of William Castle, the great future director of HOUSE ON THE HAUNTED HILL. This was his Columbia period, under the Katzman's reign, junk factory for thrillers, adventure, westerns - only science fiction did not seem to be too much concerned. So this very movie is fun, amusing, but sooo lame, lousy. Forgive them please. Only Katzman was responsible.

Lame and didactic too. But a realistic portrait of the nineties society, and human behavior. Semi documentary mixed-up with fiction. There is no real story, no real plot line, and we could put it between MA 6T VA CRACK-ER made two years later by the same director, and also LA HAINE, made in 1995. It is a social satyre drama, showing people in revolt with the system and somewhere taking advantage of it too. Patrick Del Isola is excellent in the lead role. And I was so surprised to see Marc De Jonge - a famous French villain roles actor from the seventies and eighties, who played in RAMBO 3 as the villain in chief - Marc de Jonge playing in such a small budget film, and in a so short scene. I could habe done it....

I was very hesitating before trying to watch this film, which I knew in advance it would not be my cup of tea. But because the reviews were mostly pleased about it, i finally decided to try. At least try. And, frankly, I am not deceived. There had been already several films speaking of this topic, but this one is French, made by a female director, who already gave us MARYLAND, a very sensitive film which I was very fond of. That's also why I decided to see this movie which the plot is not that exciting to me. Eva Green is excellent, and the overall atmosphere, thanks to the beautiful score, is absolutely enchanting, riveting. This is not a science fiction film however, don't get misunderstood.

Except for Jimmy Caan, who literally steals the whole film because of his villain character - the only one in his whole career, if I am not wrong, - forget this 2356th movie speaking of Black Ops of the CIA, "phantom" excecutioners monitored by high rate Government executives, corrupted politicians involved in fraudulent transactions.... I am tired of this. Tired. And during the nineties, even 2000's, you were submerged by this. Arnold is bland, only a presence, a physical presence and charisma, that's all. OK, I was not bored, and I am not surprised that director Chuck Russell - as his fellow director Renny Harlin - rapidly sunk after this mid nineties box office action flick success. Remember CLIFFHANGER's director history of career. Both Harlin and Russel, remember, began in the late eighties with FREDDY's franchise movies and some good horror films. PRISON for Harlin - before DIE HARD 2 - and THE BLOB for Russel.

Among the huge quantity of junk garbage stuff that more or less indie action flicks productions give us, if you are lucky, and only in that case, you may find something interesting. But, I repeat, you absolutely have to be lucky and above all, very, very persistant and believe in hope.... From time to time, with a Nick Cage's film, since twenty years, I can be satisfied...And with the "new" John Travolta, the issue is exactly the same. I love being surprised in a film, no matter the quality of the script, acting, score, directing skills; I don't care at all. But here, I am so deceived, I expected something better, because the first part was damn interesting for this kind of junk.

I know, I know, Roger Corman did not actually wrote it, but only directed and produced; which is already awesome. But Charles Griffith the writer belonged to Corman's stabble, same bloodline, if I may say. This is a curious and exciting horror, spy, adventure drama, and very in fashion for this period: Cuba, Castro, Bay of Pigs.... Only Corman's "company" was able to give us something like this. So, if you are tired of monster flicks of this period, and there were galore thru more or less independent lousy and lame productions, please don't miss this exceptional little gem. You won't regret it, and after all, seventy one minutes is not so long in a life time.

Oh my God, I can't believe it!!! I already knew that poor Bruce Willis, because of his brain disease, was not able to play in major films, but I also find out that John Travolta is the same, except - I hope for him - he has no disease. I call it the Nick cage or Mel Gibson - as an actor, and certainly not director - syndrome. That said, if you remember Bruce Willis and John Travolta together in the awesome Quentin Tarantino's masterpiece, back in 1994, which I can't remember the title ( LOL ), please forget it. This very film is pure garbage, as most of Bruce Willis' last features. This nightmare on screen is not fiction, you don't dream, it is real.

Splendidly shot in the Green Erin - Ireland - this beautiful, magic adventure movie is my own favorite from director Douglas Sirk, who was mostly specialized in melodramas; certainly not adventures and westerns. Which he also gave us from once in a while. As an Universal Pictures stuff, you could hardly avoid Rock Hudson - or it could have been Tony Curtis or Jeff Chandler, other "home" stars. It is an enchanted film, I forgive the naive side of this story that could have also been written for a sword and sandal or even One Thousand and One nights tale, set in Arabian desert or palace. I have great tenderness for this beautiful film.

It is not a thriller nor a crime film, but a social, brutal, gritty but also a bit ankward social drama in the line of LA HAINE, or RAÏ, made two years earlier. But there is a thing that I can't realize, I can not believe, is that no one - even in France, on french movie blogs - no one has noticed that the previous Jean-François Richet's film: L'ETAT DES LIEUX, made two or three years earlier, was also a suburb violent social depiction. L'ETAT DES LIEUX was somewhere the prequel, the draft, of this one. Played in both cases, for both films, by mostly non professional actors - as also was LES MISERABLES - made twenty years later, those two features are mainly destined to suburb, ghetto audiences for whom it was a huge success, as also was SCARFACE, one decade earlier.