An admirable effort. That is what I can call this 1977 Richard Attenborough feature A Bridge Too Far. This movie had all the ingredients to become a war classic. A great director, an all-star cast (and that is putting it lightly), a World War Two story that no one seems to know about, and the promise of Nazis being destroyed. The thing is, the film does not live up to its full potential. In that sense, the movie is a slight disappointment. I wanted to really enjoy the movie, but I mostly got mild entertainment. Based on from what other people say, my opinion seems to be what the majority thinks. A good war movie, but it could have been much better.
Now why exactly isn’t this movie heralded as an all-time favorite? I actually think the main reason lies in the story itself. The story is interesting, but it is about an Allied failure. People don’t want to see that, especially since the time of this mission was occurring as the Nazis were loosening their hold on Europe thanks to the strong Allied efforts. The movie also pushes three hours long, and the movie moves very slowly at times. This war film actually holds the least action in any war film I can ever remember. That is impressive considering the running time of the movie. My main concerns are the constant repetitions and the long running time.
That being said, there are some great things about the movie. Being a history film, the creators have the liberty to change the story to make a better movie. Not here. I value the historical accuracy, and I actually found it to be what kept me engrossed in the movie. It was a story I did not know much about, so I found this to be a learning tool. I also really enjoyed the performances from the cast. If you want a great cast, just check this film out. With a cast featuring Sean Connery, Gene Hackman, Anthony Hopkins, James Caan, Laurence Olivier, Michael Caine, and Robert Redford just to name a few. At the very least watch the cast do a fine job, even if some of their roles are glorified cameos.
So let’s dive into a history lesson. This movie was about an unsuccessful Allied mission called “Operation Market Garden.” It took place in September 1944 in the Netherlands and Germany. Basically, there were two sub-operations. The first operation consisted of Airborne forces being parachuted behind enemy lines to capture several bridges. That would allow the next operation, the ground forces to advance and cut off the heart of German industry. Mainly due to bad luck, poor communication, and bad weather, this operation failed at the Arnhem Bridge when the Allied forces at the ridge was overran, thus delaying an Allied victory.
Despite some problems, I thoroughly liked A Bridge Too Far. I consider it to be a serviceable war film because it does the story justice. The movie had strong potential, but I guess it wasn’t meant to be. Strong performances are everywhere (especially from Anthony Hopkins and James Caan). The movie does have strong visual effects that thoroughly complement the story. So I guess that is another plus. I loved the admirable, ambitious attempt famed director Richard Attenborough did in trying to make this a masterpiece. I can see he tried so hard, but he does get somewhere with that effort at least. If you want to see a quality bridge film during this era, definitely watch The Bridge of River Kwai before this film. But if you’re a sucker for war films, then this is a good one to watch.
Well, we finally go back down to earth in this fourth episode of Breaking Bad. The first three episodes were crazy, non-stop fun but now we need a quieter episode that will set up the building blocks for future episodes. Mostly, this reflective episode succeeds. Although it’s an episode based on the future, it’s still plenty of fun to watch. There are several cool one-liners (mainly by Jesse). “Check out these mad Pop-tarts. They’re mad tight.” See, isn’t that awesome? But this episode does have moments of sadness. After all, this is where Walt finally tells his family about his cancer. He tells Skylar at first, but her breakdown at a family dinner forces him to let Hank and his wife, Marie as well as Walter Jr. in the scoop. It was interesting to see how his family make up ways for him to get treatment although Walt does not believe it’s the right thing to do.
In this episode, Walt finally tells Skylar about his cancer. After she breaks down at a barbecue, he is forced to tell the rest of his family. His family sets about on finding the best oncologist available and they are ready to pay the money required for treatment. However, Walt is worried about putting financial debt on his family especially if the treatment is proven to be unsuccessful. The DEA discovers the car of Krazy-8 that still has some meth in it, and Hank agrees that there is a new drug lord in town. Jesse returns to his estranged parent’s house but is immediately in conflict with his parents because of a marijuana joint. Finally, Walt reconsiders working with Jesse in cooking more meth when he receives his money from the first batch.
Overall, this is a somber but still entertaining episode of Breaking Bad. There is nothing incredibly special about the episode, as its concerned about moving pieces for the next big event. This is a necessary episode, however. It’s important that Walter finally discloses the cancer information, because it will have a profound impact on what happens next. The acting remains impressive. Bryan Cranston collected himself a niche as Walter White. I was onboard with Cranston from Day 1, and he remains great as ever. Anna Gunn can improve on her dramatic acting, but this episode is a start. Aaron Paul as Jesse remains an ass as usual, but I do love the conflict that arises between him and his family. The ending of his storyline this episode is quite cool. I enjoyed this episode, but I know things will get crazy again soon.
If you ever wanted to see what The Fast and the Furious would look like in the 1970’s, look not further than this 1977 feature, Smokey and the Bandit. The movie is filled to the rim with cars, more cars, and even more cars. The movie also displays a good amount of vehicle destruction, which is common in the forementioned Fast and Furious series. The cars were quite impressive to look at, even though I am not a big fan of car watching. If it has an engine and a steering wheel, that is okay by me. But seeing these 1970’s models was actually pretty cool. The main car was a 1977 Pontiac Trans Am, and that is my kind of ride. So if you’re into cars, then this wouldn’t be a bad film to check out. When these cars are put into action….look out!
I desperately wanted to hate this movie. I refused to watch the movie for years because it did not seem so appealing. But my love for the Fast and Furious franchise got me curious to check this film out. Color me surprised when the credits rolled onscreen, because I was pleasantly surprised. I did not expect to be thoroughly entertained the entire film. From start to finish, I was involved with the action, and most importantly the characters. My two favorite characters were the main character named Bandit and the sheriff chasing after him, Buford T. Justice. I wouldn’t call these characters likable, but definitely entertaining.
Admittedly, the story is very silly. But then even silly stories can work sometimes if you have the right actors and the right material. Bandit (Burt Reynolds) and Cledus (Jerry Reed) are two truck drivers who decide to take a dare from these bigshot rich men. The dare consists of picking up beer from Texas and transporting it to Georgia. After they pick up the beer, Bandit decides to pick up a runaway bride named Carrie (Sally Field). Her husband-to-be’s father happens to be the Sheriff Buford T. Justice (Jackie Gleason). When Justice realizes what is going on, they begin a pursuit of Bandit, his new lady, and his beer. Sounds silly, right? But my gosh, I was incredibly entertained. I also learned a fact, believe it or not, from this plotline. The famed Coors beer brand was actually illegal east of the Mississippi River during this time. So even high-profile people such as Dwight Eisenhower or Gerald Ford had to smuggle the beer from the West.
The characters helped elevate the mediocre, silly story into something that was entertaining. At the time, Burt Reynolds was a movie superstar. I was impressed at his tough-guy performance in the 1972 drama, Deliverance. He brings more of that persona into this role, but with a sense of humor. His character was actually funny at times in the midst of the action that is occurring. He is also portrayed at times as a drunk and a womanizer, but compared to people he is dealing with, I’d consider Bandit a hero. I also loved the character of Sheriff Buford T. Justice. His high-speed pursuit ended up in failure most often, but one thing his character is known for is his foul mouth. (He actually gave credence to the term “sumbitch”) I also thought Sally Field turned in a strong performance as Carrie. This is one of her early roles, and she gained instant fame because of this role.
Smokey and the Bandit turned out to be a much better film than I could have ever anticipated. It’s not an all-time favorite, but it is a solid, serviceable action film. Watching Bandit escape dozens of cops was entertaining for me. There are plenty of car chases, cool stunts, and enough characterization to give any action junkie a rush of adrenaline. There is also a good sense of humor. I particularly loved the scenes between Cledus and his dog. They were funny, but it helps there was a cute dog. I would hesitate to call the movie a classic as some people do. This movie may be silly and over-the-top at certain points, but I was incredibly entertained.
If you have noticed, last episode and this episode share interconnected titles. I will say an interesting piece of trivia on the origins of these titles, which is a good way to start off this review. This title is based of the 1957 film, Sweet Smell of Success. One man asks another man if he can deliver. The other’s man response is, “Tonight, before you go to bed. The cat’s in the bag and the bag’s in the river.” I enjoy modern media that pulls from older media. The title of these episodes aroused my curiosity, and it’s nice to get my answer. If you can relate these words to the context of the plot, then you know what the title means.
So does this third episode follow in the footsteps of the first two great episodes. My answer is a big, resounding yes. Actually, I think this improves upon those episodes just a little bit. The episode consists of rather dark, heavy material but there are some instantly memorable deadpan comedic moments. There are two excellent scenes in this episode that are great proof of that. The first instance is when Walter creates a list with the pros and cons of not killing Krazy-8. He rights Judeo-Christian principles as a pro, but as a con he writes the guy will kill him and his entire family. The second instance is when Hank takes Walter Jr to a shady motel to lecture him about how drugs are bad and Walt Jr’s response, “I thought we were going to the Coldstone Creamery.” Just a classic response.
The episode starts off with Walt and Jesse cleaning up human remains after Jesse’s mistake involving hydrochloric acid from the previous episode. Jesse realizes he would rather smoke their product rather than sell the product. Walt then still has to deal with what to do with Krazy-8. He creates a list listing pros and cons on killing him, but that plans fails. Instead he makes him another sandwich, but as he delivers the sandwich he goes unconscious causing him to shatter the plate. When he wakes, he begins a rapport with Krazy-8 as he is the first human Walt tells about his lung cancer. But Krazy-8 is able to get one of the shards from Walt’s broken plate, and that may make Walt’s decision to kill Krazy-8 easier. Meanwhile, Skylar is worried about her husband. She believes marijuana is the cause of Walt’s personality change. She broaches her sister, Marie (played by Betsy Brandt) about marijuana, whom she excuses it as part of a short story she’s writing. Marie, whom is a nurse and is married to Hank, jumps to the conclusion Walter Jr must be on the weed, so she arranges Hank to speak with him. Finally, Hank discovers the location of the meth lab used by Walt and Jesse.
So, this was a very fun episode to watch. This is the first episode where family becomes a big player in Walt’s newly-formed drug business. It will be interesting to see what happens with Hank on Walter’s tail. Now with Walt alienating his wife and now someone who committed murder, this is only the beginning of the end for Walter White. This is an excellent episode, and a prime example why Breaking Bad is called the greatest television series of all-time.
A cultural revolution. That is what perfectly describes Star Wars: A New Hope. Movie historians have longed said that Steven Spielberg and George Lucas gave cinema a rebirth. The early 70’s were a period for American and arthouse films, but these two men allowed movies to become fun again. According to Lucas, who created THX-1138 and American Graffiti, the purpose for this movie was just for movies to become fun again. What he did for cinema today, well we have this man to thank for it. This small low-budget sci-fi film spawned six more movies with many more to come. Star Wars has now spread across three generations, three generations of love. I love hearing stories from people who saw this when it came out in 1977. They tell me how much this cultural phenomenon impacted their lives. My father is a mega Star Wars fan, and it’s safe to say this is one of his favorite movies. How could such a small movie impact the movie business the way it did? Well, it helps that it’s a fabulous movie. The movie features an iconic villain named Darth Vader who is known for his deep breathing noises. We have two incredibly memorable heroes in Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia. The two most famous robots in movie history are C-3PO and R2-D2. We have everyone’s favorite scoundrel in Han Solo, the pilot of the Millennium Falcon and his favorite sidekick Chewbacca, a bear-like Wookiee. So what I’m trying to stay here, is the film has instantly memorable characters. This film pushed new ground with visual effects. Luca’s own company, Industrial Light & Magic worked very hard in creating never-before-seen effects from the humming of the lightsabers to the robotic language of R2-D2. The film looks impressive for a 1977 feature, and that could have attracted scores of people. Most of all, this is a fun movie. It’s simple story of good versus evil set in a space setting, and many people were looking for such a feature.
Lucas, who is the director of the film, wanted to engage the audiences in a fun, space-filled adventure. Believe it or not, the production of this film was nearly a disaster. The honest fact is Lucas is not a great director, and he had a hard time keeping the cast in line. Lucas lost the support of nearly everyone, and he suffered from anxiety issues. The cast hardly took their jobs seriously, and they often called the movie a joke. Harrison Ford, who plays Han Solo criticized a princess who has her hair in a bun and he called Chewbacca a giant, hairy monkey. The film also went over-budget and nearly over-schedule. An eight-million dollar budget ended with ten-million plus by the end of shooting. Post-production also was troublesome for Lucas. Lucas wanted an opening scrawl, which was very unconventional for its time, and everyone was against that idea. His company had to create special effects that would normally take over a year to make in just six months. The film was originally scheduled for a 1976 release, but it had to be pushed to a May 1977 release, which would end up as a godsend for the movie. With all these troubles and then some, it just amazes me how great this movie turned out to be.
Why do I love this film? Firstly, it’s a very engaging story. A simple one, but an engaging one. I love science fiction films, so this film would be in my wheelhouse. Maybe it’s because of Star Wars that I love sci-fi so much. George Lucas had to go through so much to bring his vision to cinema. He had his ideas early as 1971, but it look many years to get Alan Ladd Jr. of Twentieth Century Fox studios to back his vision. Despite the lack of great direction, the performances were still sharp as I will discuss later. Memorable performances from everyone. I mentioned in earlier reviews on this site that composer John Williams is my favorite composer. Well just listen to this mighty impressive score and you’ll see why. The movie was fun to look at and to listen to and it enhances the story in a very positive way. The planets and their landscapes are wonderful to look at. I was impressed with the scale of the desert on the planet of Tatooine. There is a scene located at an intergalactic bar and it’s just amazing how good practical effects looked with all of these aliens together. (This bar also happened to be where the controversial scene where you wonder who shot first. Han Solo or the bounty hunter, Greedo?) Believe it or not, I hated Star Wars as little kid. Luckily, that has changed as the years went on.
So without further ado, let’s go into the story of the film. It’s a very simple, but well-defined story. The characters are simple ones, but they are given such deep characterization. This film follows a young man named Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) as he sets out with his older, wiser Jedi mentor named Obi-Wan Kenobi (Alec Guinness) and a scoundrel pilot named Han Solo (Harrison Ford) as they set out to rescue the Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) from the evil second-in-command of the Empire, Darth Vader. (David Prowse, but famously voiced by James Earl Jones). They also must destroy the Death Star, a moon turned into a planet-destroying weapon, if they have any chance in stopping the Empire. See how wonderfully simple this story is? It’s incredibly easy to follow, but there are layers to everything in the story.
Which such a wonderful story, there has to be good performances right? Of course there are amazing performances! Career-defining performances in fact. Harrison Ford later stated it was because of Star Wars that he had such a great career. Shoulda not talked thrash about this movie during filming Harrison, huh? Well, despite Ford talking crap, he delivers the goods as Han Solo. I loved his cocky attitude, but deep down he was a man who is caring (if you count his love towards Leia) and someone who had no love for the Empire. Mark Hamill is great as Luke. His performance is shaky at first, but he grows as the film moves on. Carrie Fisher is great as Leia. A powerful heroine, which is something not seen in many 70’s movies. Alec Guinness added a veteran presence as Obi-Wan and he truly embodies his character. Of course then there is Darth Vader. He is played by David Prowse, but is voiced by James Earl Jones (an iconic voice for the villain). Wonderful performances all around, even from the robots. The first thirty minutes of the film is mainly R2 and C3 wandering around in the desert. These scenes were very fun to watch, even if the pacing became ploddingly slow at times during the beginning.
So to sum up my feelings about the movie, I just about loved it. I have this movie to thank for giving me my undying love for the science fiction genre. I appreciate what this film did to change the way movies were made. Starting in 1977, summer blockbusters were going to be very prominent. Star Wars is a series that will live on forever and ever. This is something that everyone loves. But way beneath the implications, the film is a low-budget sci-fi film that only wanted to deliver fun to audiences worldwide. It certainly did that. One of my favorite movies of 1977. Thank you, George Lucas, for creating Star Wars.
What I normally find about television shows after a powerhouse premiere is that the quality tends to go downhill. Not to say these episodes are bad, but they tend to settle in a routine-to tie up events that occurred in the premiere. So just imagine my surprise when I discovered this episode was just as strong as the first episode. This is when I realized just how special this series truly is. This episode manages to be funny, dramatic, and tense. Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul continue to prove their skills and chemistry in this episode. Another thing that sticks out is detail. This show is all about detail, and sometimes it’s just the small details that make each episode engaging. There are some detailed scenes that stick out. One: how Walter and Jesse bribe their way out of the desert after they killed the drug dealers by trying to explain their situation to a Native American and that involves the spilling of coffee. Just priceless dialogue. Two: This show is good in learning chemistry. There is a scene where Jesse tries to dispose of one of the bodies, and you just learn why plastic and hydrochloric acid does not mix. Three: The other drug dealer, Krazy-8 actually is alive and Walter decides to keep him in captivity. The funniest scene is where Walter precisely rolls him, one-by-one, water jugs, a bologna sandwich, a bucket for bathroom waste, toilet paper, and hand sanitizer. The way that scene occurred is just one of sheer brilliance. Although I loved this episode, not all is perfect. The storyline featuring Walter’s wife snooping around was rather poor, and not quite believable.
Walter and Jesse brings the RV back to Jesse’s house, and there they realize that Krazy-8 is still breathing. Krazy-8 is taken to the basement where he is tied to a pole with a bicycle chain. They try to decide how to get rid of the dead body, and Walter suggests using hydrochloric acid. But they must flip a coin to see who will dispose of the body and who will kill Krazy-8. Jesse wins the coin toss, so he decides to get rid of the body. Jesse goes to the store, but in unable to find a bin big enough for the body. Meanwhile, Walter is pondering how to kill Krazy-8 but all he does is feed him. Meanwhile, Skylar begins to suspect Walt of his secrecy. She finds about Jesse online and she confronts Walt, whom lies and says Jesse is his marijuana dealer. Skyler then warns Jesse about her brother being a DEA agent. Jesse decides to dissolve the corpse in the bathtub, but it does not go according to the plan.
So, this is a very wonderful episode. The scenes with Jesse and Walt are perfect. When Jesse tries to dissolve the corpse….well just see for yourself. That scene is one for the history books. I also love how Walt attempts to use logic when he gets into crazy situations. Ah, the beginning of the end must always be fun. I felt like Skyler’s scenes should have been better. But I do not believe Anna Gunn to be a capable actress as of yet. Myspace, Skyler? Really? Anyhow, this is a fun episode and I’m ready for what comes next. Hopefully you all feel the same way.
Annie Hall was 1977’s Best Picture winner at the Oscars. I don’t think it should have been. It was a solid movie for sure, but I couldn’t buy the movie as the best film of 1977. While Woody Allen’s Bananas was a screwball comedy, this film does mark Allen’s most mature film up to this point. The comedy is still there, but the movie is deeper than in Allen’s previous efforts. Allen cited advancing age for his more philosophical views (as he turned forty in 1975 which gave him strong opinions about death.) These philosophical views involves what it means to be romantic, Jewish heritage, the ideas of getting older, the banality of life, and of course as in most Allen’s film, a love story to the great city of New York. It also has been told that the movie resembles the personal life of Woody Allen. I wouldn’t find that surprising because he did date the star of the film, Diane Keaton at one point. I thoroughly enjoyed the philosophical views that Allen had in the film.
That also comes to the crux of my problems I had with the film. All the philosophy is fine and dandy, but people don’t realize how much this film is talking. People call this film a masterpiece, but they fail to see that this film is 121 minutes of talking and walking. I was mesmerized by Allen’s incredible dialogue, but eventually the talk wore me out (which is hard to do). This is a major issue, but luckily for the film it was the only issue I had. Too much talk, but the words were incredibly fluid thanks to the thoughtful script by Allen. There are some memorable monologues, and I liked how Allen spoke to the camera. It is rare for a movie to have an actor speak to the camera in a successful way, but Allen made it work here. He created a romantic comedy that made people laugh, and also made people cry. It represented more of a mature side to him that people seldom saw before this. Sure his screwball antics are still here, but his maturity level was elevated by several notches.
Alvy Singer (Woody Allen) is a neurotic stand-up comedian who reflects on the demise of his last relationship. He dated a woman named Annie Hall (Diane Keaton) who was an aspiring nightclub singer. Alvy reflects over the good times and bad times over the course of their relationship and also on factors that caused this relation to happen. He talks about growing up near C0ney Island, how he had sexual desires from a very young age, and how he always felt guilty about his Jewish heritage growing up.
I’ve seen this movie twice. The first time, it took awhile for me to appreciate Woody Allen’s acting in this film. This time, I was instantly brought in to the story by his inner monologue. Allen is essentially playing himself with lots of rapid intellectual dialogue. But I enjoyed watching him piece out the information on why his relationship failed. I really did like how be added depth to his character. He may be funny, but it’s not all about the comedy this time around. Diane Keaton, whom we know from The Godfather, does very well in her role. Her character is somewhat based off herself she admitted. Her character is shy, insecure at times, but she’s sweet and honest. There are some good supporting roles here too. We get to see a young Christopher Walken as Annie’s brother Duane. We see two other women that Alvy got into relationships with and they were performed decently from Carol Kane and Shelley Duvall. Also, there are two blink-or-you-miss cameos in the film. Keep any eye out for Jeff Goldblum and Signourey Weaver!
Overall, I enjoyed watching what is probably Woody Allen’s most personal movie. He later admitted he was not happy with the film because it was not the film he intended to make. But that didn’t stop critics and audiences alike all around the world from calling Annie Hall the best movie of 1977. Unfortunately, I do not share that sentiment. I do, however, think this film is a good watch. It’s funny at times, but it is also a thoughtful film. I would even call it a semi-experimental film. It’s a film that you need to pay utmost attention to or you’ll be lost. The story is not linear because there are mnay flashbacks spread throughout. Only Woody Allen could create enough witty and strong dialogue where you wouldn’t need action to complement those words. For that reason alone, this film is deserving of its Best Screenplay Oscar win. This movie is a solid watch thanks to a strong, intelligent screenplay and very strong performances from Woody Allen and Diane Keaton. However, it falls short from the masterpiece everyone claims it to be.
Breaking Bad, over the course of its five seasons, has often been given the praise as “the best television show in history.” Quite frankly, that is actually a sentiment I can wholeheartedly support. From this first episode aptly named “Pilot,” we can tell right away the show, which premiered on AMC, won’t hold back on its gruesome imagery. I also like the realistic tone of the story. Many shows or movies will intentionally give their product an over-the-top tone, but this show gave me a realistic vibe. I enjoyed this episode very much. It really packs a lot into the first episode, but its important that the story is set up correctly. The showrunner, Vince Gilligan, created an episode that is dark and intense, but also features some humor. I mean, I laughed when I saw a naked middle-aged man running around in a desert. I also liked how this episode was told via flashback method. We figure out in the five minutes that hardcore stuff went down. I won’t forget the opening where our main character, Walter White films himself in the desert wearing only his underwear saying that he loves his family as he thinks he is about to die.
So let’s delve right into the storyline for our pilot episode. Walter White (Bryan Cranston) leads a normal life as a high-school chemistry teacher in New Mexico. His income is poor, so he also works at a car wash to gather more money. He lives with his pregnant wife, Skyler (Anna Gunn) and his teenaged son Walter Jr (R.J Mitte) who suffers from cerebral palsy. One day, his life becomes complicated when he is diagnosed with terminal stage-three lung cancer after collapsing at his car-wash job. For the time being, Walt decides to keep this information away from his family. His brother-in-law, Hank Schrader (Dean Norris) is a DEA Agent and he offers Walt the chance to tag along for a meth lab bust. During the bust, Walt notices former student, Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul) fleeing the scene. Walt tracks down Jesse and blackmails him into starting up a meth lab, in order to gather money to support Walt’s family after he is gone. Jesse and Walt attempt to sell their product to two dealers, Emilio and Krazy-8 (Maximino Arciniega). They make it clear that they want to kill Walt and Jesse, so Walt takes drastic action to protect their lives.
So we are introduced to a variety of characters, many of them enjoyable. The acting is excellent and is one of the top strengths of the show. The main thing that stands out is the performance of Bryan Cranston. Cranston is very delightful as Walter White. He shows good chemistry with Aaron Paul, who also delivers a good performance. However, Jesse does come across as a whiny character who uses profanity more than he should. The supporting cast does a fine job as well. I liked Dean Norris’s character Hank. Hank is a man whose sarcasm I value. I love the dry humor he brings to the show. The jury is still out for Anna Gunn. Her performances are usually hit-or-miss.
Overall, this is a really fun beginning to an incredible series. Over time, you see a man change into a monster. I guess that it was terminal cancer can do to a human being. Greed is also a big theme of the show. Walter White gets the feeling that you can never have enough. Well this pilot was a success and I liked the high-pace, the action, and the incredible acting.
“I’m mad as hell, and I’m not going to take this anymore.”
This is the most famous line in 1976’s Network and could possibly be one of the most famous lines of the decade in film. That quote is said by Howard Beales, perhaps the most memorable character of the movie. When people think about this movie, most of them think about the antics of Howard Beale in the movie. His character is associated on a real-life scenario where some news reporter committed an on-air suicide. We shall talk more about this character later, but this film is more than just about Howard Beale. This is a scathing satire about the decline of actual news reporting. The theme is simple and it leads into today’s news reporting. They just report what people want to hear, not actual stories. If ratings are bad, you can say goodbye to reporters, newscasters, programs, etc. and they will be replaced no matter how good they are. What the movie does very well is conveying those themes to the audience. The movie wasn’t kind to the route the future of news reporting was heading.
The 1970’s was a very strong decade for movies, and people arguably agree this may be the best decade for movies. The decade was mostly known for character-centric movies such as this film. It seems like more often than not, each film brings out the best in the director, the actors, and everything else. When I saw that Sidney Lumet directed the movie, I said “of course this film would be good and it would have something important to say.” I already said Lumet was on top of the themes and he made the film very believable (for the most part). He was the director of classics like 12 Angry Men and Dog Day Afternoon. Lumet did a wonderful job creating instant classic after instant classic.
One incredible part of the movie which stood out to me is the screenplay. The film was written by Paddy Chayefsky and it was one of the four Oscar wins the film earned. He really understood the news business and he once said a quote which provided an inspiration for the movie, I believe. He said, “Television would do anything for a rating…..anything.” Unfortunately, that holds true today. If a critically-acclaimed show gets poor ratings, it will probably get canceled despite the strong reviews. It was more or less the same in the 1970’s, but more with the news. Chayefsky also brought across a point saying that you can do anything or say anything you want on television, but if you threaten the profits of the networks they will end you. This was a very good inspired screenplay that set up the base for the movie.
So let’s discuss what this film is about. In the 1970’s, extreme violence headed by terrorists were the source of the nightly news. Meanwhile, the corporate structure of the UBS Television Network was in the midst of a drastic change. Howard Beale (Peter Finch) is an aging news anchor who has poor ratings and the network decides to fire him. Beale reacts by saying on-air that he will commit suicide. That causes his ratings to skyrocket to high levels and he is changed as he becomes a preacher of a sort. We see how this affects members of the corporate team such as Diana Christensen (Faye Dunaway) and Max Schumacher (William Holden).
As with most if not all films directed by Sidney Lumet, the performances are all great. I was wowed by Peter Finch’s portrayal of Howard Beale. He became some sort of a drunken preacher and my favorite scene is right after he said the famous quote from the opening of this review, he told his viewers to go to their windows and shout “we are not going to take it anymore!” There was a shot that had people shouting out their windows in the apartment buildings and I found that to be some comedic gold. Finch was fantastic and he won the Academy Award for Best Actor. In fact, he died shortly after this film’s release and he was the first actor to receive a posthumous victory. Even though most people remember Finch as Howard Beale, this film is centered on the exploits of Diana Christensen whom is played marvelously by Faye Dunaway who was previously in 1974’s Chinatown. This film had more focus on women, which I love to see from a 70’s film. She would do anything for ratings- even if it means meeting up with terrorists. (that scene featuring her and the terrorists in a meeting was weak, however). William Holden continues his long Hollywood career in this film as the elder executive who is mesmerized by Diana despite her ruining his news division and begins an affair with her. He was very convincing. Also convincing was the portrayal of Max’s wife, Louise whom was played by Beatrice Straight. She won an Oscar for Supporting Actress despite getting only five minutes of screentime. But she delivered a heart-wrenching, emotional speech to her husband after she found about the affair and because of that speech, I believe she earned her Oscar statue. In addition to getting caliber talent for the leads, Lumet stacked up his supporting cast very well. He was able to get the likes of Robert Duvall and Ned Beatty to make very convincing cameos.
I enjoyed Network to a large degree. It was a sensation when released it 1976 because it earned ten Oscar nominations. In terms of the themes, it holds up incredibly strong. In terms of production design and cinematography, well you can tell the movie is forty years old. What stood out to me is Paddy Chayefsky’s classic screenplay, Sidney Lumet’s fluid directing, wonderful acting performances across the board, and the messages that are very influential today. Despite the antics of Howard Beale, this film is women-focused and I love that. But also see this movie for Peter Finch’s incredible performance. This movie is angry at television and will forever be. After all, networks only care for their ratings not the content. Instead of delivering news and heart-warming stories, news are all about terrorists and violence. Nothing much has changed in that regard since 1976. While not the best movie of 1976, it is worth the watch.
Here is a good trivia question to ask. That question is, “What was the first sports movie to ever win Best Picture at the Oscars?” The movie with that special honor is 1976’s Rocky. This movie is an American classic and it’s widely known to be one of the most influential sports movies of all time. This movie spawned many sequels and a spin-off movie. The character of Rocky Balboa remains to this day a heavy cultural presence. In fact, if you travel to the Philadelphia Art Museum, you’ll be able to see a statue of Rocky at those famed steps. There is nothing special about the story itself. It’s a by-the-numbers underdog story, but it’s the underlying themes that make this movie so special. The themes of heroism and being the underdog really elevated this movie.
The making of this movie is part of that underdog theme, and it took a very long time for this movie to make it to the big screen. Sylvester Stallone wrote the screenplay and it was widely acclaimed in the movie industry. The studios felt it could have been a star vehicles for the likes of Robert Redford. But Stallone only wanted the movie to happen if he can act in the movie as the lead role. The studio executives thought that wouldn’t work because of his lack of acting experience. But with a very low budget, MGM/United Artists was able to get the movie made with Stallone in the lead role. This is an example of those classic underdog stories that I love to see.
Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) nicknamed “The Italian Stallion” is a boxer who is struggling to make the big-time. He earns some money by collecting debts for a debt collector. He gets his lucky break when heavyweight boxing star Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) arrives in Philadelphia to set up a match for show. In order for “nobody” to become a “somebody.” Apollo Creed chooses Rocky Balboa because of his nickname. Of course, Apollo believes he will win. But with the help of his trainer Mickey (Burgess Meredith) and his oft-quiet girlfriend Adrian (Talia Shire), Rocky seizes this opportunity to leave his struggles and bring a name to himself.
The film is an American classic in part due to its iconic performances. Sylvester Stallone wasn’t a name before this movie, so that makes it even more amazing the success of this movie. I previously seen him in 1971’s Bananas as one of the hoodlums on the subway. But here, with his heavy physical presence and his instant recognizable voice, he brings himself into the public spotlight and forever, Stallone will be known as Rocky Balboa. Stallone drew inspiration from the likes of Joe Frazier and Mohammad Ali. He created such a tender performance in my eyes. He may act tough in the ring, but he had such a good heart otherwise. A classic example is where he would visit the very shy Adrian in her pet store job just to visit her. Speaking of Adrian, Talia Shire delivered a good performance as Adrian. Her character is vastly different than her Connie Corleone character from The Godfather and I appreciate that. Carl Weathers does a great job as Apollo Creed. The look on his face when he realized Rocky was trying to beat him was just a priceless look. Burt Young, who portrays Adrian’s brother Paulie, also does a solid job. He was a very abusive brother and the scene where he destroys the house with a baseball bat because he was not pleased with Adrian, added more drama to the movie and it showed the kind of man Paulie is. Last but not least, I must mention Burgess Meredith in his incredibly powerful performance as Mickey. Meredith was cast against type and despite being an old man, he helped Rocky get into the ring against Apollo Creed.
The movie has many iconic scenes to it. There is the training scene where Rocky is punching the meat carcasses. I loved that scene, but here’s another trivia. That scene was actually influenced by the training of Joe Frazier. Then who can forget about the iconic scene of running up the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum and punching the air to the tune of Bill Conti’s “Gonna Fly Now.” I loved that scene and I loved that music-both which remain cultural influences to this day. It’s just worth watching Rocky just to see these awesome training scenes.
Overall, I enjoyed watching Rocky very much. Admittedly, I am not much of a boxing fan. However, I was able to get engaged in the movie because it’s not just a story about boxing. It’s story about being a underdog, a true American hero. The story itself is a simple story and nothing that hasn’t been seen before, but it does draw you in and it keeps you engaged. I enjoyed the underdog aspect of the film. To see Sly from collecting money to facing the heavyweight champion, a feat that most people can only dream of. If you watch this movie, you can see why this film remains such an inspiration for many-especially athletes. Keep an eye on the performance by Stallone. A very incredible performance. One that was so good, that Roger Ebert compared him to Marlon Brando. The film lacks originality, but it makes up for it in everything else. John G. Avildsen directed a wonderful engaging sports film and one that will live on and on.
Let me tell you readers something about newspaper movies. They are generally about the excitement of the events that is occurring, but seldom do these kind of movies allow the audience to know that the majority of retrieving information is dull and tedious. In 1976’s All the President’s Men, that is exactly what it’s all about. This is a newspaper movie that takes you through the finer points of the newspaper business accurately as possible with very little action and mostly dialogue. I see that as a good thing……and a bad thing. See, there are some movies that should be accurate as possible and this is one of them. This movie is about how the Washington Post uncovered the Watergate Scandal and accuracy is about the best you’ll see in any film. But does that sacrifice the entertainment value of the movie? It depends on the moviegoer you are. If you like movie with lots of exposition, then you’ll have no problem. I think it also depends on your historical knowledge of the film and the more you know, the more interesting it can be. That being said, the movie has a reputation of being one of 1976’s finest films. I may not think so, although I thoroughly enjoyed the film. The story lends some historical value and it can grow tense at times. This film needs strong acting and it received excellent performances from everyone down to the last man. We can also credit the director for the relative success of the movie. William Goldman’s screenplay is all dialogue, and director Alan J. Pakula was able to take those words and bring them onscreen while keeping the movie’s tempo at a fast pace and getting performances out of all his actors.
So to understand this movie means you need to understand what led up to the infamous Watergate Scandal. That is essentially the plot of the movie. Heading up to the 1972 presidential elections, Bob Woodward (Robert Redford)-a reporter for the Washington Post, uncovers what seems to be a minor break-in at the Democratic Party National Headquarters. He grows suspicious when he sees that top defense lawyers are on the case already. The editor of the Post, Ben Bradlee (Jason Robards) wants to run the story and he assigns Woodward and Carl Bernstein (Dustin Hoffman) to do so. As they uncover more information, they see how high up the Republican Party is involved in this cover up.
Another reason why this movie worked is because of the charm and pedigree of the cast. The movie is given an unusually stacked cast given the time period of the film. What I really liked about this cast is how they become so immersed in their roles. I wasn’t watching Robert Redford or Dustin Hoffman, but instead I was watching Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein. They truly became reporters onscreen, and that is the mark of a good actor. To become the person the actors are playing. Redford and Hoffman were outstanding and they show great chemistry with each other. Let’s not forget about the smaller characters though. Jason Robards did an excellent job as the executive editor Ben Bradlee who always shown support in his reporters even if things went south. Martin Balsam does a solid job as the managing editor, Howard Simons. Then we have Jane Alexander as the woman who provided the men with their best leads. Last but not least, we have the great Hal Holbrook as Deep Throat, the mysterious source of the men. Everyone was able to take the words from William Goldman’s screenplay and make it their own words, which it’s very hard to do in the movies.
On the whole, All The President’s Men is a fine movie. Although I feel this could have been an instant classic that could have been destined for greatness. In some eyes, it is. Given its long length, this film could have been overly dull and tedious, but the cast, Pakula’s incredible direction, and a really interesting story were able to make this a taut, entertaining thriller. We get to learn about the journalistic process given that its repeated in several cycles, which can grow tiresome at some point. I liked this movie enough to give this movie a recommend, especially if you’re interested in seeing how the Watergate Scandal came to be with the utmost historical accuracy. Also this movie is just a good vehicle for the starpower of Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman.
Taxi Driver is truly the movie where director Martin Scorsese really comes into his own. 1973’s Mean Streets did not really connect with me as it did with other people and 1974’s Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore was a very entertaining road trip movie but it’s not a classic. Now Taxi Driver is absolutely the definition of an instant classic. This film, about a loner with borderline homicidal tendencies, was well-received upon release and to this day, the movie holds up incredibly strong. There are many themes that can be applied to the film which we will get more into later, so this film is one of those rare ones that will challenge you to think; to make your own personal opinions about what is occurring onscreen. Paul Schrader’s screenplay is well-written and his words are easily brought onto screen with such effectiveness. Then again, I also think Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro helped bring those words to life.
So the film focuses basically on one main character. His name is Travis Bickle (Robert De Niro) and you might recognize the name because how iconic this character is. Anyhow, Travis Bickle is a Vietnam War veteran suffering from bouts of insomnia. He spends his days in porn movie theaters and his nights driving a taxi around New York City. Essentially, Travis is a man who is socially inadequate and he often thinks about what is wrong with the world-particularly in New York. He generally despises people, but he has a soft spot for Betsy (Cybill Shepherd) who works for the office of Senator Charles Palantine, whom he later wants to assassinate. Also important to Travis is helping an eleven-year-old runaway prostitute named Iris (Jodie Foster) whom Travis wants to protect from her pimp, Sport (Harvey Keitel).
So who is Travis Bickle and what does he stand for? I ask this because this movie is all about him and it is effective it getting the audience to sympathize for this character despite possessing qualities of a bad human being. We are told he is a veteran from Vietnam and that he was psychologically affected from the experience overseas. His voiceover in the beginning of the film suggests very strong opinions about people of NYC. As he cruises down the city streets, he talks about the filth of the city. The pimps, the prostitutes, the robbers, etc. He mentions if he had his own way, he would clean up these streets. We also learn that Travis is a man with a quick temper and a violent edge to him. I loved how he pretended to know everything about the political candidate, Senator Palantine just so he can get the girl. My favorite scene (or one of my favorites) is when he drives the Senator himself in a taxi pretending he knows all about his campaign. And I wont do spoilers, but there is a certain connection between Palpatine and the mohawk on Travis’s head.
This is a film that requires powerful performances if you want to make this a good movie. But with Scorsese at the helm, everyone performs amazingly. Of course, Robert De Niro did an astounding job in making Travis Bickle his own. He performed the character with ease, though this must have been tough on the actor. But I truly believed this character as a loner who is violent and has very strong beliefs. I loved the rapport he had with the young Jodie Foster. Foster began acting at such an early age, and you can see how skilled she is when she holds her own against De Niro and both have strong chemistry with each other. The rest of the cast is rounded by the likes of Albert Brooks, Harvey Keitel, and Cybill Shepherd (who is a joy to watch as Betsy).
I must say the cinematography and the score are standouts of the film. Michael Chapman filmed mostly at night and the picture has a gritty, real-time feel to it. The score was created by Bernard Herrmann, and this would be his last score before his passing. What a way to end a storied film career! His score yearns for the loneliness of Bickle’s heart. The saxophone is synonymous with the empty shell that is Travis Bickle. It’s a powerful, though often haunting score.
The film does not go without its controversies. The ending was deemed way too violent and Scorsese actually had to de-saturate the color to get an R rating. Though I believe it plays an essential role of the film, I agree the film (especially the ending) is very, very violent. Essentially, the end has Travis going on a murderous rampage against Sport so he could return young Iris to her family. The film is also home to a political assassination, which was set up very well. Though this is a characterization piece, expects lots of violence and blood. In fact, The attempted murderer of Ronald Reagan, John Hinckley Jr. based his assassination attempt off the events in this movie.
Taxi Driver, admittedly can be a hard film to watch. Though an iconic character, Travis Bickle is not a pleasant man. But one cannot help but root for him. I thoroughly enjoyed the movie and I found some interesting interpretations of this character. There are religious and social interpretations. He can be described as “an avenging angel,” and I can see that point very well. I loved how Scorsese kept the movie ending up to grabs. In other words, each person may have a different interpretation on what happens in the end. The film wouldn’t have worked unless it got excellent acting and powerful directing. And that is what we get. Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro pulled off a cinematic gem. Although you might get a little depressed watching at times. Don’t say I did not warn you.
