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Xian hun hou ai (2021)
Very intense drama, well worth watching
Is 2021 drama was very intense and believable. Cai Zhongliang it's an amazing actor for as young as he is and made his character very scary and intense.
Actually he was the villain in the movie and was a big bully to his darling little wife. You wanted to hate him, but I also knew he was tormented by internal memories of being kidnapped.
Despite everything, his wife was very loyal and generous even when she probably should have been not so caring.
Mia Mi, who played his wife, was extremely believable as well in her terror of the strange man whose family actually purchased her. She had no will of her own because of the contract and her adopted mother's overbearing desire for money.
I felt sorry for the wife character as she was slapped by her sister-in-law, her mother, her boss's wife, and thrown around and grab by her husband all the time.
Cai Zhongliang's character obviously did feel in love in his own way with his wife, however perhaps because of his background he didn't know how to properly express it except by domination.
I look forward to seeing more movies with Cai Zhongliang, as I believe he has an excellent career going for him. I'm actually surprised this is the only movie listed for him.
Little Women (2019)
The Worst Version Ever
This is the worst version of Little Women I have ever seen in my life. It's like they put each different scene in the novel on post-it notes and threw them up against the wall in a hodgepodge. And that is how they decided to film it in that hodgepodge of a mess.
It's all flashbacks and forward flashes and all different directions' flashes and it makes absolutely no sense and ruins all the charm of the entire movie and book and the buildup of the romances and lives.
The characters are shallow with no depth of meaning. They include scenes that are not found in the book or previous versions of the movie. All the girls are really unattractive except for perhaps Amy in a certain light. I really am not able to give any particular one ounce or iota of detail in this movie that I would like.
My recommendation is avoided at all costs. It's not even worth the effort to watch a trailer of it.
Harum Scarum (1965)
So far the worst
So far this is the worst Elvis picture I have yet seen. The plot was terrible, the romance was lame, and whoever put him in those green pants needs their head examined. He looked horrible.
Perhaps the only good thing in the movie was Vicki Malkin, a child star who did a sweet little dance as a slave girl.
Granted I have not seen all of Elvis's movies. My favorites are "Follow That Dream" followed by "Clambake" where, at least, he had a good plot in each one and wonderful chemistry with this co-star. When he sings, "The Girl I Never Loved," I could seriously feel the emotion coming from the screen.
It is seriously too bad that he didn't play more romantic films where he's not bombarded with every girl in the place falling for him.
I am looking forward to seeing more of the films I have not seen, but now I understand why "Harum Scarum" is not shown on television much. He definitely was not a Rudolph Valentino! 😊
My Christmas Family Tree (2021)
Not so ordinary
The plot was a similar facsimile to "While You Were Sleeping" with Sandra Bullock. The romance was a bit weak and chemistry was pretty much missing between the romantic figures. However, the overall family connection and the chemistry between the girl and the father was very good.
Enjoyable but if you're looking for romance you might try something more different.
Furthermore, I didn't about the DNA results in the end.
Alive and Kicking (1958)
Delightful and fun that produces a smile
This is what I do. I search for gems in the mountains of movies produced since film began. This was an accidental gem I found tonight and dearly love.
After all, when you see a still photograph of three delightful old ladies and the title is "Alive and Kicking" you have to be curious.
Amazing little British comedy with a Walt Disney-esk flavor that is delightful and fun with nary a bad guy in it.
Sit down for about an hour and a half for delightful fun and witty humor. And of course, the ol' Irish standards of everything ending happily ever after and an Irish ballad or two.
PS Look for a very young Richard Harris that's almost unrecognizable.🤗
A Winter Getaway (2021)
Stiff as a board
Just because Hallmark puts in two pretty people does not make a good movie. The hero, although good looking and has a great voice, was stiff as a board and not a very attractive personality. The heroine all she could do was smile but she looked way older than the hero.
There is zero chemistry buildup between the two and they look like they were just going through their motions.
I wish them both luck in their future careers but the movie was a great disappointment.
Mistral's Daughter (1984)
Mistral's Daughter
I watched only about 1/4 of the movie and could see it was just absolutely terrible. I am on a Timothy Dalton phase and have been watching as much of him as possible. I hesitated with this movie because I can't stand Stacy Keach, never could.
And I have to say, that the only somewhat good parts of this film IS Timothy Dalton. Lovable character although women who set themselves up for heartbreak with married men is totally stupid.
But after Dalton left the movie, I just couldn't bear to watch the mini-series soap opera hoping for some kind of happy ending. It was yawn city, boring and how many times the "irresistible" Stacy Keach can get women in bed despite treating them like crap. I read the rest of the plot and found it drab, redundant and not worth my valuable time.
The ONLY reason I am giving it 3 stars is for Timothy Dalton who is fantastic in almost anything he does.
Time Share (2000)
Good and fun but missing a few things ...
I waited for months to be able to watch this movie with Timothy Dalton. I am on a phase with him and watching everything I can see of him. Looking at previews and clips of this movie, I knew it had to be good and was not disappointed, except ....
A free, fun-loving father (Timothy Dalton) takes his kids to their favorite beach house on Balboa Island for an annual vacation. Unfortunately, this is the only time he devotes to his children although you can see he loves them very much.
A woman with two children (Nastassja Kinski) is taking a vacation, combined with her genetic vegetable growing business and is fearfully afraid of anything happening to her children. Even prohibiting them from just having some good, clean fun.
Of course, they are total opposites and are forced to share a timeshare property since it was double booked. Although there seems to be a lot of animosity between the two families, the easy-going attitude and quick wit of Matt Farragher (Dalton) and pursuit of enjoying life starts to thaw out both families as well as his continual fun-harassment teasing of Dr. Julia Weiland (Kinski).
The kids bond quickly enough and seem realistic in their interaction with each other, albeit perhaps a little too fast. And the parents begin to find chemistry between each other growing little by little from sharing a harrowing experience worrying about their sons in a storm to finding out Matt Farragher is not as all he-man as he pretends to be and that Dr. Julia Weiland is more sympathetic than she first appeared.
Furthermore, it is nice to see the two start maturing more in their own rights and broadening their viewpoints.
The added addition of the fiance, Russell (Geoffrey Lower), and the trashy girlfriend Felice, (Carlton Elizabeth), are just minor additions to the plot to cause some conflict between the two love interests in the movie, especially with the planned wedding of Weiland and Russell.
However, the irresistible chemistry and attraction between the two parents are overwhelmingly stronger as the movie continues, culminating in a deliciously romantic cooking scene between Farragher and Weiland. In the scene, both express their different types of characters in how they react to the situation. But why, for heaven's sake, why does Farragher and Weiland show animosity toward each other after the romantic kitchen scene? There was no explanation.
Dalton is an amazingly phenomenal actor that delves into each part and becomes the character so much sometimes the viewer cannot see Dalton, the actor. This is not different and he and his co-star, Kinski, are very good in their respective roles. He also has the ability to be extraordinarily funny when he wants to (look at episodes of Chuck) and makes viewers laugh long after some of the lines he delivered. I wish he had played more humorous roles in his career. And as far as his bare chest not being that great (as one other commenter mentioned), I liked it better this way because he seemed more natural.
Nevertheless, the faults of this film are plentiful and have nothing to do with the acting but the direction, writing and film editing. Brief minutus second film pieces of clarification were left out that would have helped the film flow better and help the characters along in their development.
Example 1: Once it was established that Farragher didn't want to sleep alone during a thunderstorm nor let his children know, one or two seconds of film where Weiland took a moment to think would have helped the flow to the living with all kids and parents.
Example 2: The next morning, a few more scenes of the outdoor rain would have helped the process of the film to establish more why they were all staying indoors. Plus, if the film had shown Weiland actually noticing all the other visitors heading toward the clubhouse, it would have helped it as well.
Example 3: Why did they not show Weiland commenting to Farragher that they wouldn't be allowed at the clubhouse and he could have stated that they would bring something that would ensure their access - his food?
Example 4: It would have been best to show Farragher turn up the radio himself at the clubhouse to make the stuffy ones' reaction even more understandable.
There are many more I could mention. The film runs only 1 hr 26 min - it needed the extra half-hour.
Just a few little extra scenes like this would have helped the flow of the film better and made it first rate. And I agree with another commentator, I wish they had made a sequel to this to see how all of them were going to work in as a family. They were, after all, on the brink.
At any rate, it is still a wonderful little feel-good film that I would love to have a DVD in English. I can only find it in German! Rats!
Scarlett (1994)
A Shortened Scarlett Would Have Been Much Better
I saw the movie Scarlett when it came out first in 1994. I was totally unimpressed but granted, I, like many others, were prejudiced against the movie because of knowing the original David O. Selznick version well and by heart. No one, in my mind, could replace Clark Gable as Rhett Butler and Vivien Leigh as Scarlett O'Hara. And frankly, even after all this time, they still can't.
However, since I am on a Timothy Dalton phase, I decided to bite the bullet and give it another try.
The first half of the first segment of the movie Scarlett is simply trying to tie all the strings together to the original Gone with the Wind movie. Unfortunately, it failed miserably which accounts for viewers', like me, prejudice against the film.
More than two-thirds of the rest of the long stretched out film were adding characters that were not in the original film or book or had anything to do with the plot. Also it added locations that were superfluous to the overall plot, and therefore, bogged down the entire film.
Nevertheless, what was left over was actually very good if you can find it. You also must endeavor to forget the connection to GWTW and just look at the two main characters in their developmental stages of growth and connection. This Rhett and Scarlett are nothing like the original Rhett and Scarlett and, taken at face value on their own merit, actually make a pretty good love story.
Some proof of their disconnection to the original characters is, no matter how Clark Gable's Rhett Butler would like to think about it, he would never have taken advantage of an innocent girl before marriage. He had some honor even if he did visit a prostitute's house frequently.
Another disconnection to the main character of Scarlett O'Hara, I wouldn't believe that the original Scarlett, in or out of the book, would have ended up in a sexual relationship with anyone other than a husband unless there was something she could get out of it. From the Scarlett movie, she did it more out of spite against Rhett and also to make Lord Fenton "happy." Scarlett, no matter how many husbands, was not a tramp! She would have honored her mother's memory too much to be a lady.
I do have to compliment Timothy Dalton's performance in Scarlett. Once he stopped trying to be Clark Gable, he was loving, romantic and even a well rounded scoundrel at times. Once again, the actor himself amazes me. Within one decade, Dalton played 1992 Framed, 1994 Red Eagle, 1994 Scarlett, 1996 Salt Water Moose, 1997 The Beautician and the Beast, 1997 The Informant as well as many others. As with every other single portrayal on film he has made you cannot tell it is the same actor from one movie to the next. He is quite amazing as an actor.
Except perhaps for his telling accent which the Brit comes out at the most unexpected times. Smile.
However, his co-star in Scarlett, Joanne Whalley, seemed to have a face permanently affixed with Botox! I hardly saw any change of expression throughout the entire film except when she was mad at Lord Fenton.
(Note here: For the rape scene, since the man was a "lord" and since Scarlett had been sleeping with him already, and since it was in England, it was not surprising that the servants just went about their own business. Though I would like to think if this had happened in front of servants in an American setting, the male servants would have been too red-white-and-blue blooded and endeavored to protect her back then).
To sum up, the film Scarlett was more than twice as long as the original film and would have been much better if it had been cut in half and concentrated more on the main characters' development and not the superfluous added individuals (except Jean Smart's role which was fantastic!) that were unnecessary to the plot. The color was not nearly the quality of the Selznick production or the settings and scene, nor, for that matter, the music. Check out the film, "The Making of Gone with the Wind."
And the original Scarlett would never have let Tara for good! Her soul was connected with it.
Reading some other reviews, I see that the book might be much better than the movie and I might give that a shot!
Penny Dreadful (2014)
Penny Dreadful is truly dreadful and not worth a penny!
Going thru a Timothy Dalton phase, I thought the plot of this series actually sounded pretty good. Who wouldn't like to watch a Victorian era series dealing with many of the interesting plots of English literature and folklore and mystery? I really believed Dalton was going to be more or less a Sherlock Holmes type character.
However, I purchased the first season thru Amazon and wondered why it was so cheap. Now I know!
Penny Dreadful is truly dreadful and not worth a penny!
I watched the first two episodes and realized very quick that this was not my cup of tea. Movies, series, films that deal mostly with the shock element rather than the intelligence and investigative elements in a plot are worthless to me! Obligatory sex scenes and blood and guts are not necessary to make a film interesting. People who watch films like that are only in it for those factors.
So my advice, don't strain your pocketbook or soil your brain watching something so ridiculous and inane. I mean, really, blood can only squirt so far!
Find something else to watch. Thank goodness, Amazon refunded me!
Framed (2002)
Nothing as good
Nothing is as good as the 1992 version of Framed with Timothy Dalton and David Morrissey. Don't waste time on this one.
Sextette (1977)
Heaven forbid it's the 1890s again!
Since I'm going through a Timothy Dalton phase I finally decided to bite the bullet and watch this movie. I paid $3.99 to rent it from amazon.com.
I was not disappointed. It was just as bad as I thought it would be. Perhaps not ever being a Mae West band may have caused me just have some prejudiced against the film.
However everything seemed nothing more than just a review of her old films where she is supposed to be utterly irresistible. If she had been 20 years younger it might have worked. Nevertheless she was not 20 years younger.
Although a great cast the best actors in it were Timothy Dalton and George Hamilton. and I have to say most especially Timothy Dalton.
If it was ever in doubt that he could act this one film proved undoubtedly and he could REALLY act. He came off as a most romantic exciting fellow, adding a twist that he was a bigger secret agent then oo7. Great line since he has been approached and then it ended up playing two films of oo7. But a bumbling ignoramus when interviewed.
Personally, I could go for Lord Michael Barrington.
Dalton said this film was like a carnival frankly with the filthy script and innuendos I didn't have much going for it except Timothy Dalton.
Framed (1992)
James Bond on Steroids!
In conjunction with my Timothy Dalton phase, I ordered and received a copy of the 1992 movie, Framed. I wanted the entire film if I was going to watch it at all and had to order from England. Little did I know that I would have DVD issues because of the "region," however, I was able to view this on my computer using VLC.
Dalton seemed to take all that was underlying of good in the character of James Bond and pitch it to play Eddie Myers, crook extraordinaire or Bad James Bond (like Bad Captain Kirk).
The movie is that a young London detective, Sgt. Larry Jackson (David Morrissey) on holiday in Spain with his wife and children when he unintentionally notices a man who he believes is long dead bank robber by the name of Eddie Myers (Timothy Dalton). Following his instinct, he ascertains the identity of the man by detective work such as photographs, capturing his fingerprints, etc. Eddie, known in Spain as Phillip, feels something is awry, however, is too secure in his standing and position in the community to think anything major is wrong or that the gig is up.
Nevertheless, he is identified and picked up in Spain for living under an assumed identity and having multiple passports. Finicky about his personal necessities and disgusted by the jail's lack of pesticides, it does not take him long to choose to go back to England and once again turn state's evidence and become a Crown Witness against his former bank robber colleagues. Even at the outset of his arrest by the London police, you can feel that Eddie is still in charge, from his personal servants packing his bags of clothes, to refusing to go unless he charters his own plane (which he arranges himself), to even having a "private moment" with his girlfriend before leaving with the police.
Thankfully, a female judge is not overcome by his willingness to cooperate and still won't let him have a reduced sentence until he has coughed up everything he has and then some. You can see Eddie's internal reaction, well demonstrated by Dalton in the defendant's box, to the fact that he is in a spot he can no longer manipulate the outcome of his circumstances.
At the same time, Eddie is furious with his own self for not following his instincts against the young detective who "caught" him. He decides to do a spot of fishing for himself and insists on having the young detective as his handler in gathering facts while already planning his great escape with the added help of his female partners. He also determines to obtain the 1 million pounds he had acquired during the original bank robbery while he is in England and known to be alive by his former partners/bank robbers.
The movie then goes from a "cat and mouse" theme to that more of a Cheshire cat chewing up a mouse or could be renamed a how-to movie on "Best Methods to Corrupt a Police Official."
Eddie tries unsuccessfully, at first, to draw the detective out until his nemesis, DCI Jimmy McKinnes (Timothy West) unwittingly gives him the opening into Jackson's personal life he was trying to ferret out. The young detective is married. With this information, he can't help but laugh exultingly which puzzles McKinnes but Jackson, it seems, has an inkling.
Little by little, though, Eddie works on the detective now making him feel more and more unsatisfactory with his wife, his life and his job.
During a subplot where Eddie's former colleagues try to kill him, Jackson feels that Eddie tried to protect him. Myself, I think Eddie was trying to protect himself in the scene more than Jackson, but Eddie is quick to use this to his advantage. He tells Jackson of his foster brother and how he lost him in the water and replaced his identity on him.
This is one area of the film that leaves the viewer with a question mark. Since it showed flashbacks, was the story as real as Eddie insisted thru the rest of the movie that it was? Or was there blood on the hand he placed his watch and ring and Eddie had murdered whoever it was to make his clean get away?
Continuing with his manipulation, he not only was able to obtain a phone in hospital but the nurse's "affection" as well. (Someday a film will be made to show that women are not as sexually available as all films show!)
Nevertheless, contention rises when Jackson realizes Eddie must have lied to him. Jackson, on the other hand, is getting more and more dissatisfied with his life and wife and career as Eddie wheels him further and further into the trap. Jackson's wife knows that he is losing his balance even before anyone else realizes it and ends up finding "affection" with the police officer assigned to protect her and her family because of his neglect.
More and more Jackson realize he is diminishing farther and farther into the corrupt lifestyle of Eddie, even down to having relations with Eddie's girlfriend. The more he tries to disengage the more he is pulled farther and farther under the spell of the lifestyle Eddie lays out for him.
Even during the last segment of the bank robbery (where all Eddie takes is his cache from the last robbery), you never know if Eddie and Jackson are in it together or if Jackson really is trying to be a good cop.
Still, the results end the same where Jackson has to go under intense scrutiny by his superiors for lousing up a job and letting a criminal such as Eddie escape. His wife, who seems a decent sort, even offers to stand by him no matter the outcome.
He is exonerated but things are ended for him. His wife and him are quits, although demoted, he rightfully resigns from the job he loved the most and he is left destitute with a fine of 3,000 pounds for his negligence. And, rightfully so, he takes down Eddie's number one nemesis in the police department (McKinnes) by informing he had requested to be removed from the case early on and McKinnes refused.
All looks very sad for Jackson while Eddie makes his plans to escape the country with his female cohorts, one being slightly enamored and worried for Jackson's safety.
The ending scene was the double switch that I was not quite expecting, which was a thrill for me. Not many movies can startle me with an ending since I am so engrossed with films from all eras. I knew, of course, that Jackson and Eddie meet (from the previews) but not that everything was a complete plan Eddie had made, even down to the disciplinary action Jackson received! That was the "gotcha" moment for me! (Sorry for the spoiler!)
Questions in the conundrum still puzzle me:
Was Jackson privy to the entire plan?
If so, why did Eddie tell Jackson in private that they would be in Canada? (It was definitely NOT Canada in the ending scene but looked like Spain again.)
Was Eddie telling the truth that Jackson reminded him of his foster brother?
Is that why Eddie did not cheat Jackson so he could never find him again and abscond with all the money?
Did the girlfriend's affection for Jackson change Eddie's mind?
And not once did Jackson think, "this is a bonafide crook who would welch on the deal"?
And to me, will Jackson ever see his sons again? Or think of what example he has given them?
Eddie, himself, apparently was not completely sure of Jackson in the end either. He had a weapon prepared - just in case! And to the very end the viewer is wondering, like Eddie, if Jackson has really turned completely as corrupt as he wanted him to be. And what will their future be like ....
All actors and actresses, especially Dalton, were amazing in this film. I have learned that Dalton is a chameleon in any film he plays in. You know it is him but then again you cannot recognize him from one part to another, even in back to back films. He becomes the character so much, he is amazing!
Framed (1992)
James Bond on Steroids!
In conjunction with my Timothy Dalton phase, I ordered and received a copy of the 1992 movie, Framed. I wanted the entire film if I was going to watch it at all and had to order from England. Little did I know that I would have DVD issues because of the "region," however, I was able to view this on my computer using VLC.
Dalton seemed to take all that was underlying of good in the character of James Bond and pitch it to play Eddie Myers, crook extraordinaire or Bad James Bond (like Bad Captain Kirk).
The movie is that a young London detective, Sgt. Larry Jackson (David Morrissey) on holiday in Spain with his wife and children when he unintentionally notices a man who he believes is long dead bank robber by the name of Eddie Myers (Timothy Dalton). Following his instinct, he ascertains the identity of the man by detective work such as photographs, capturing his fingerprints, etc. Eddie, known in Spain as Phillip, feels something is awry, however, is too secure in his standing and position in the community to think anything major is wrong or that the gig is up.
Nevertheless, he is identified and picked up in Spain for living under an assumed identity and having multiple passports. Finicky about his personal necessities and disgusted by the jail's lack of pesticides, it does not take him long to choose to go back to England and once again turn state's evidence and become a Crown Witness against his former bank robber colleagues. Even at the outset of his arrest by the London police, you can feel that Eddie is still in charge, from his personal servants packing his bags of clothes, to refusing to go unless he charters his own plane (which he arranges himself), to even having a "private moment" with his girlfriend before leaving with the police.
Thankfully, a female judge is not overcome by his willingness to cooperate and still won't let him have a reduced sentence until he has coughed up everything he has and then some. You can see Eddie's internal reaction, well demonstrated by Dalton in the defendant's box, to the fact that he is in a spot he can no longer manipulate the outcome of his circumstances.
At the same time, Eddie is furious with his own self for not following his instincts against the young detective who "caught" him. He decides to do a spot of fishing for himself and insists on having the young detective as his handler in gathering facts while already planning his great escape with the added help of his female partners. He also determines to obtain the 1 million pounds he had acquired during the original bank robbery while he is in England and known to be alive by his former partners/bank robbers.
The movie then goes from a "cat and mouse" theme to that more of a Cheshire cat chewing up a mouse or could be renamed a how-to movie on "Best Methods to Corrupt a Police Official."
Eddie tries unsuccessfully, at first, to draw the detective out until his nemesis, DCI Jimmy McKinnes (Timothy West) unwittingly gives him the opening into Jackson's personal life he was trying to ferret out. The young detective is married. With this information, he can't help but laugh exultingly which puzzles McKinnes but Jackson, it seems, has an inkling.
Little by little, though, Eddie works on the detective now making him feel more and more unsatisfactory with his wife, his life and his job.
During a subplot where Eddie's former colleagues try to kill him, Jackson feels that Eddie tried to protect him. Myself, I think Eddie was trying to protect himself in the scene more than Jackson, but Eddie is quick to use this to his advantage. He tells Jackson of his foster brother and how he lost him in the water and replaced his identity on him.
This is one area of the film that leaves the viewer with a question mark. Since it showed flashbacks, was the story as real as Eddie insisted thru the rest of the movie that it was? Or was there blood on the hand he placed his watch and ring and Eddie had murdered whoever it was to make his clean get away?
Continuing with his manipulation, he not only was able to obtain a phone in hospital but the nurse's "affection" as well. (Someday a film will be made to show that women are not as sexually available as all films show!)
Nevertheless, contention rises when Jackson realizes Eddie must have lied to him. Jackson, on the other hand, is getting more and more dissatisfied with his life and wife and career as Eddie wheels him further and further into the trap. Jackson's wife knows that he is losing his balance even before anyone else realizes it and ends up finding "affection" with the police officer assigned to protect her and her family because of his neglect.
More and more Jackson realize he is diminishing farther and farther into the corrupt lifestyle of Eddie, even down to having relations with Eddie's girlfriend. The more he tries to disengage the more he is pulled farther and farther under the spell of the lifestyle Eddie lays out for him.
Even during the last segment of the bank robbery (where all Eddie takes is his cache from the last robbery), you never know if Eddie and Jackson are in it together or if Jackson really is trying to be a good cop.
Still, the results end the same where Jackson has to go under intense scrutiny by his superiors for lousing up a job and letting a criminal such as Eddie escape. His wife, who seems a decent sort, even offers to stand by him no matter the outcome.
He is exonerated but things are ended for him. His wife and him are quits, although demoted, he rightfully resigns from the job he loved the most and he is left destitute with a fine of 3,000 pounds for his negligence. And, rightfully so, he takes down Eddie's number one nemesis in the police department (McKinnes) by informing he had requested to be removed from the case early on and McKinnes refused.
All looks very sad for Jackson while Eddie makes his plans to escape the country with his female cohorts, one being slightly enamored and worried for Jackson's safety.
The ending scene was the double switch that I was not quite expecting, which was a thrill for me. Not many movies can startle me with an ending since I am so engrossed with films from all eras. I knew, of course, that Jackson and Eddie meet (from the previews) but not that everything was a complete plan Eddie had made, even down to the disciplinary action Jackson received! That was the "gotcha" moment for me! (Sorry for the spoiler!)
Questions in the conundrum still puzzle me:
Was Jackson privy to the entire plan?
If so, why did Eddie tell Jackson in private that they would be in Canada? (It was definitely NOT Canada in the ending scene but looked like Spain again.)
Was Eddie telling the truth that Jackson reminded him of his foster brother?
Is that why Eddie did not cheat Jackson so he could never find him again and abscond with all the money?
Did the girlfriend's affection for Jackson change Eddie's mind?
And not once did Jackson think, "this is a bonafide crook who would welch on the deal"?
And to me, will Jackson ever see his sons again? Or think of what example he has given them?
Eddie, himself, apparently was not completely sure of Jackson in the end either. He had a weapon prepared - just in case! And to the very end the viewer is wondering, like Eddie, if Jackson has really turned completely as corrupt as he wanted him to be. And what will their future be like ....
All actors and actresses, especially Dalton, were amazing in this film. I have learned that Dalton is a chameleon in any film he plays in. You know it is him but then again you cannot recognize him from one part to another, even in back to back films. He becomes the character so much, he is amazing!
The Informant (1997)
Another Winner for Dalton!
Going thru my Timothy Dalton phase, I wanted to see this movie, especially since the only clip I could find was the one in which the bomb goes off. Dalton (DCI Rennie) captured the heroic hero in which I like to see him as he grabbed the wife (Maria Lennon) and children and protected them with his body. And the chemistry between Roisin McAnally (Lennon) and DCI Rennie was very palatable in this scene. Unfortunately, this really was the best scene in the entire movie.
Viewing the complete film, however, I see that the "Informant" was a very realistic version of the terrible situation that existed during the film's time period of the 70s and 80s as well as a constant threat of the IRA vs. the Orange Order in Northern Ireland. Both were vicious with hundreds of years of hatred on their backs and in their memories.
Being stuck in the middle, as Gingy was, who wanted an end living the life of constant threat he only dug himself in deeper with no real view in sight of the simple lifestyle he longed for. He lost the respect of his children and the love of their mother by turning traitor, and the PSNI obviously did not really care or respect him at all. As his wife said at one time to Rennie, "You have destroyed my man." Fear of more prison time and remorse at having been forced into the situation by his "friends" completely deflated his nature. He knew not long after he turned that he had probably made the biggest mistake of his life.
Dalton's character was not only amazing but realistic as the threatening DCI, half threatening and half trying to convince Gingy to turn, whole cynical and even repulsed by Gingy for turning traitor anyway. It was all a matter of control, which Rennie (Dalton) apparently enthused in. He obviously had more respect for the wife than for Gingy and her biting remarks and looks back at him.
Dalton's character for the moment at the window while watching Roisin nurse her baby reeked with a type of hunger for a split second. Possible hunger for sexual pleasure but also could have been a hunger for the innocence of the picture it made until she looked up. The character may have longed for a less violent life as well but kept up the pretense because it was his job. Reflections of Timothy Dalton's James Bond character who hated himself for his lifestyle comes to mind here. Rennie's thoughts are left to the imagination of the viewer.
After thirty years of study of the conflict of the Irish (my mother is writer of Irish books), two visits to Ireland, and talking to the Irish, I feel that the movie was well produced reflecting the signs of the times.
The Irish Republican Army, which began in 1919-1922, were recognized as the real leaders of Independence from the British rule. Their leaders broke open the minds of the people to show that their countrymen did not have to live under constant threat and rule and deserved to control their own land. They had to fight the bloody Black and Tan war where English sent in criminals/convicts to control the people.
Unfortunately, as many good groups that start, over the years in the bitterness of battle, they lose their perspective of what and why they are fighting and crave the violence of death vs. the perspective peace available to them. I thought it was very significant in the plot that the "chief" of the IRA section chose to break the kneecaps and cigarette burn a 13-year old boy because he was the only one they could think might have betrayed Gingy.
There was also a noteworthy scene with Gingy's son, Gerald (Ciarán Fitzgerald), bursting with pain and anger to attack five boys (signifying how really outnumbered his father was) with a rock (or clump of dirt), they endeavored to kick him to death, and then Gerald turned to the officer's gun to kill. It was clearly stating that the urge to use stronger and stronger force until death was indebted into the nature of the young.
On my first visit to the Republic of Ireland, we witnessed armed officers standing around a bank. The bus driver told us it was because of the threat of the IRA bank robbers. Upon further questioning, the bus driver stated that the IRA were nothing but a "bunch of thugs." They made life miserable for all the other people, even in Southern Ireland.
As for the Garda in Ireland, we found, unfortunately, several of them unfriendly and unhelpful to tourists. I endeavored to understand that they had to be on the constant look out for deception, but tourism is their number one industry. The people, strangers, were fantastic though and even one commented, "Americans! Are you spending your money?" Hahaha!
Reading many of the comments regarding the English Army officer, apparently they did not believe that he could be polite and unbiased in that situation. However, I felt Lt. David Ferris (Cary Elwes) was extremely believable. He did not have the hatred of hundreds of years and was only "in deployment" in the area. He stated once, "It is really none of my business." So, it would not be hard to believe that he felt he had no dog in this local fight. He was a "visitor." He saw the humanity of both sides. He was, regrettably, shortchanged by his superior officer which ended up in him getting killed.
The real disappointment of this film, almost any film of this type, is the use of naked bodies and excessive cursing and foul language. In writers and producers yearn for "realism" they do not realize that something can be conveyed strongly, even more strongly, without the necessity of offensive scenes that have nothing to do with the flow of the plot.
The obligatory sex scenes!
Gingy and his wife commencing relations, Ferris and his girlfriend, even the rape scene, understandable for the plot but unnecessary to have the viewer "experience" it. And the use of the "F" word is so overdone, it becomes less effective in nature and takes away from the meaning of the script.
Nevertheless, ending on an upside, Dalton's performance was amazing as usual, his accent, despite other dissenters, was delicious - his deep voice combined with the rumblings of the Irish accent was yummy! Dalton always goes head over heels deep in his roles which has attracted me from the first a couple of months ago and this film is no different.
The Doctor and the Devils (1985)
Slightly Disappointed in Lack of Dalton
On my Timothy Dalton phase, I decided to watch The Doctor and the Devils. Frankly, it was a very informative film with the unfortunate reality of the lower classes during the setting of the early 1800s.
I, of course, had seen the 1945 The Body Snatcher with Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, Henry Daniell so the plot was not really surprising to me.
The Doctor and the Devils gave good representation on how the murderers came to be and their motivation in killing. Timothy Dalton's character, Dr. Thomas Rock, was the disappointment. He was given very little in the film to examine his character and complete motivation behind why he wanted/needed "fresh bodies" to dissect.
We are given a few speeches which gives an inkling behind the doctor's motivation, however, we are not shown what happens when the doctors do not have the proper "materials" to examine. We are given only a brief contact with the doctor's wife, but the viewer understands the feelings and inner spirit of the doctor's sister better than the doctor almost.
The viewer should also have been given more in depth into Dr. Rock's attraction to his students. There was only one less than thirty second shot of Dr. Rock presenting to his students a "sheep's" kidney and how entertaining it was.
As in many historical movies as such, I researched the background for this movie and learned that it was based on the true story of William Hare, William Burke and Dr. Robert Knox. It was more or less close to the actual facts of the case (except the assistant's obsession with a prostitute) - not excluding that William Hare was released as were the two women conspirators.
However, this movie dealing with such a subject could have concentrated more on the life of Dr. Knox before and after the events of 1828 rather than of the portrayal of the debauchery of the murderers and their lifestyle.
It was not a murder mystery; it was not a scientific study in the development of medical research; it was not even very interesting once you knew the set up (hence why they included the subplot of the doctor's assistant and prostitute). And what it lacked the most was the opportunity for Timothy Dalton to shine in more passionate scenes as a dedicated doctor and more interaction with patients that he could not heal for lack of research opportunities.
Too bad. What a great REAL story that needed better script and direction. I will go back to The Body Snatcher. Henry Daniell's inner torture and final mental breakdown, even as a talented physician, was amazingly done!
Possessed (2000)
Possessed with a Passion
I'm going through a Timothy Dalton phase so I decided to go ahead and watch this film even though I try to avoid movies such as this as much as possible. I have never seen The Exorcist not do I care to. I do not get into movies which only attribute is the scare the daylights out of you.
However I have to say that I was very intrigued by this plot and to see Timothy Dalton in such a role. Once I saw a clip or two I knew I had to see the entire movie from beginning to end.
As a Christian, not a Catholic, I believe strongly in the Bible and the horrifying idea of demonic possession. Studying the background of the story it is left up to your own imagination weather the young boy, 14 years of age not 11, was really undergoing a demonic possession of his soul and body.
However, I thought the acting in this movie is superb on all fronts even to the fact that the priests we're not holier than thou. The character of Father Raymond who stated in the chapel, "Sometimes we try to be better then Him," meaning of course Jesus, was a very wise statement for all religious people.
According to the Bible only the name of the Lord Jesus Christ can force a demon to remove itself from someone. I was very pleasantly surprised and happy with the final statement by Father Bill before demanding the demon to leave the child. He finally had made his appeal to the Lord personally.
Timothy Dalton has been a fine outstanding actor to study and this film is no exception. I lost looking at Timothy Dalton, and I was enthralled with a character Father Bill and his personal PTSD as well his strength and determination to overcome his personal problems for the sake of the child's soul. He became the character.
And I have to give a lot of kudos to the child actor who played Robbie. That kid was an amazing young actor but I hope that experience did not scar him. It was such a horrifying part to play.
Good job all around.
The Reef (1999)
Rotten for such a build up
I'm going through a Timothy Dalton phase and frankly this movie fell flat.
It's plot sounded very interesting which is why I paid $3.99 to rent it. However, besides the random thoughts of the characters there is not enough information to illustrate for a movie what is really happening in the people's lives. Many of the circumstances and decisions were left up to the viewer's imagination. It was less better than a silent film.
The heroine's reasons for not getting with the hero 10 years before were utterly ridiculous. The fact that he still wanted her was like you always want what you can't have. After they had conjugal relations it is a wonder he didn't drop her.
The only good reality in this film is a fact she couldn't stop imagining him and the other woman together. That is the only real natural human response in this whole movie.
By the end of the film you could tell there was much more chemistry between him and the governess than him and the stiff heroine. The governess, at least, expressed deep love for him which is sacrificing your own happiness for the one you love. And he still seemed mightily attracted to her. He should have ran off with their governess.
The whole film was a major disappointment and I would like my $3.99 back!
The Beautician and the Beast (1997)
Good for a remade plot (s)
I'm going through a Timothy Dalton phase, therefore, I re-watched "The Beautician and the Beast."
Seeing it with new eyes, I admired Timothy Dalton's performance very much with what little they gave him to work with. His final scene with his prime minister was the best in the movie, besides, of course, the ending kiss.
It is very obvious it was a combination of The Nanny, The King and I, Beauty and the Beast, and, of course, Sound of Music down to the children's clothes. I'm sure there are other mixes of movies in this one but four is enough to notice.
However, despite the play on The Nanny and its plot it was still a very sweet movie with romance.
Nevertheless, dictator or no, I think any father should stop his 16 year old daughter from forming a serious relationship with anyone let alone an agitator.
Strangely enough, I agree with the father that the agitator should remain in jail. Or at least get a fair trial.
The Rocketeer (1991)
Fantastic fun!
For the first time ever I just saw "The Rocketeer." I didn't really know what to expect except that I'm going through a Timothy Dalton phase. From the first moment of the first scene of the movie I loved it. It is full of life, character and pure fun.
Only someone who loves movies as much as I do and loves history as well would get all the tactful innuendos in such a great story.
From Howard Hughes to the Hindenburg to the rumor that Errol Flynn was a Nazi spy and the last words "hey goose!" this movie was full of history and Hollywood history including the history of Hollywoodland.
It also had nuances of the movie "All through the night" with Bogart where the alleged crooks turn pro-American when needed when invaded by Nazis.
I love this movie and hopes I can find more like them by the same writers.
PS Timothy Dalton was superb, smoldering, and stole the show even if he was a bad guy. He also had the best last line as well as making fun of his romantic persona. Great job! And boy is he hot!!
Frankie and Johnny (1966)
Frankie and Johnny a flop
I never realized before tonight when I watch Frankie and Johnny again why I never liked this movie that much. It had all the great elements, Elvis Presley, Donna Douglas, sidekicks. The right jokes.
But frankly I think the direction was terrible.
The characters are flat, there's no depth to them. Donna Douglas doesn't have enough close-ups especially in the love scenes. In fact they made her the flattest character in the whole scene, despite her figure.
The timing was terrible, the characters did not jump out of the screen at you and be bigger than life. In fact Langdon was the only one who felt three dimensional. Everyone else just seemed like they were playing a part, a senseless part that went nowhere.
If a movie is made right the viewers can feel like they're right in the middle of the scene, middle of the movie, even farfetched plots. In the river boat scene of The secret Life of Walter Mitty with Danny Kaye seemed more real, more sentimental, more realistic characters in the extremely short segment than this whole Frankie and Johnny movie.
Frankie and Johnny seem flat and no tempo. Even the music was unenthusiastic.
Donna Douglas, as beautiful as she is in this, her character seems to be an afterthought. Although her singing was dubbed, which is not surprising, her voice seared unrealistic as well and very stilted.
Too bad they couldn't do a better job for these two exceptional handsome and beautiful actors.
Matching Hearts (2020)
Is Hallmark turning slightly off center?
"Matching Hearts" was nearly perfect in many ways, timing right, romance right, plot not too shabby or rehashed etc.
HOWEVER, did I see glimmer of same-sex romance in the very end with the two Asian men set as a "couple"?
Careful, Hallmark. You go that way and me and many other viewers I know will turn you off for good!!
One good thing about your movies is that people don't have to fight with their internal moral compass when watching. Usually just good clean fun, despite Christmas movies with nothing to do with Jesus, the reason for the season, which is a bit offensive.
I would hate to turn off Hallmark because of modern day filth!!
Hope I'm wrong.
Love in Store (2020)
Near perfect
This movie was a very delightful movie with a couple that we're both charming and their own ways. It was great seeing how they were molded together with their common interest in home shopping business and gave viewers A New perspective on that field of industry.
On the side of the female the romance seemed more like a little bit of a rebound an actual real soulmate love story.
How are the real crunch of the movie at the climax of the ending fell flat. Like many hallmarks the story ended too soon and with very little common sense.
Really too bad because it was a good build up.
The Barbarian (1933)
You've got to be kidding!
Any writer who thinks a woman will love a man after he firsts tries to molest her several times, tricks her and takes her to another and encourages him to try to wip and rape her (changing his mind at the last minute), then treating her like crap in the desert, eventually raping her himself when she is too weak and tired to defend herself is NUTS!
That's a sicko plot which is not surprising for early 30s. Found some treasures but this isn't one of them.
Christmas by the Book (2018)
Awful
Okay I don't normally critize a person's looks but this female heroine looked terrible. Her hair chopped off like a preschooler, her make up looks clownish, and her dress in the first scene shoeing her boney bare arms made it too painful to watch anymore of it.
I couldn't even give that Hallmark a try.
And the plot was so hashed from other Hallmarks that it was stupid.
Sorry but give it the lowest rating.