A controversial and difficult film to watch, Straw Dogs can be viewed as different things by different people. Some argue it is a sick indulgence in violent behavior and misogyny, while others have stated that it is an examination of masculinity and an intersection between thoughts on what it takes to be a man.
Dustin Hoffman plays a gangly mathematician who has moved to England with his new wife (Amy) to escape the violence in America’s cities. They settle into a farm house in Amy’s old town and are hassled by a gang of thugs, the leader of which happened to be pretty involved with Amy at one point. Essentially, the louse still thinks Amy wants him and is willing to harass and torment her husband, showing that he’s not “man enough” for her.
In the end, there’s a huge confrontation in which Hoffman’s character gives in to violence and kills everyone in the gang that’s tormenting him. There is also a scene where Amy’s old flame beats and rapes her, which is graphic and disturbing, as Amy seems to actually enjoy the violation at one point.
A solid adaptation of an excellent novel. The child actors do a remarkable job, while the adults detail the ignorance and bigotry of the Old South very well. The book was told through the eyes of a child and the filmmakers do a tremendous job of creating a world that a child can understand.
The story is about growing up. Scout is a tomboy, reluctant to grow into womanhood. Her lawyer father, Atticus Finch (played by Gregory Peck), is trying to get her to embrace the changes that are coming for her and tries to break her of her tomboy ways. A bit of a hellion, Scout’s adventures get her into trouble and she learns valuable lessons about treating people with respect and being right with those around you.
All this takes place in 1930s Alabama, where segregation and racism run rampant, creating the opportunity for unique parallels. Scout’s rebelling against accepting change is mirrored by those in her town who refuse to give up their racist beliefs. While subtle, it shows that adults can be no better than children when dealing with change. The town is divided over the trial of a black man accused of raping a deadbeat redneck’s daughter.
Sharp viewers will note that this is Robert Duvall’s debut in a major motion picture, but I’ll leave it up to you to figure out who he plays. While it can’t possibly recreate the world of Harper Lee’s book to a T, To Kill a Mockingbird is a hard-hitting film with themes that resonate with young and old alike.
This is about as black as black comedy can get. Only Stanley Kubrick could make the annihilation of mankind via nuclear weapons funny. This film blows by pretty quickly at 96 minutes, but it’s got a lot of meat to it.
So what would happen if a paranoid high ranking general went off the deep end and decided to make it his personal mission to win the Cold War? What failsafe measures are there to prevent such a thing from happening? Dr. Strangelove examines the fragile balance that could very well be going on with our stockpiled nuclear arsenal. While some would say it’s dated because the Cold War is over, this movie is still very poignant today. There are some rather loose cannon dictators in the global community with itchy trigger fingers. It’s really not too hard to envision such a situation.
Peter Sellers is delicious, playing three different characters with three wildly differing personalities. The entire cast is excellent, in fact, creating a rousing film with many famous scenes and memorable quotes. Definitely worth seeing.
I will warn you though, if you aren’t very receptive to dark comedy, you’ll find this movie either boring, silly in a bad way, or very depressing.
It’s the last night of summer in 1962. Several teenage friends are enjoying their last taste of freedom in their small town in different ways. Some are looking for love, others for answers, and some for one last thrill before they are split up and forced into adulthood. Fueled by a stellar soundtrack that is quite literally a who’s who listing of 50s and 60s rock icons, American Graffiti helped fuel the surge of nostalgia for the 50s during the tumultuous 70s.
Many people are surprised to learn that this charming film was directed by Star Wars creator George Lucas. Lucas’ sense of timing and multi-layered story makes the film work. There are intersections between the storylines that make the film cohesive and you never follow one character for too long that you either lose interest or forget the other subplots.
Stylish, funny, and all around enjoyable, American Graffiti is an American classic about classic America. While times have changed, the moods and feelings expressed by the teenage cast still resonate with today’s youth. Often imitated, but never duplicated, American Graffiti is one of the best coming of age tales ever made.
A genuinely tense and dramatic adventure about three men falling prey to gold fever. Humphrey Bogart films seem to be hit or miss with me, but this one was a sure hit. The pacing got a little slow, but there was always a sense that something was just about to happen. The main characters all turn out good performances and really portray the kind of emotions you could anticipate from three men slowly growing suspicious of each other.
Greed is always a tough subject to sell, and it usually doesn’t make for the happiest of movies (unless you’re making a chick flick, but they hardly count). Indeed, Treasure of the Sierra Madre opens doors to the dark side of humanity, where one is willing to go to regrettable extremes to get what they want, whether they need it or not. Filled with anti-hero antics, it’s a tad bleak at times, but the scenery, cinematography and music make it all work.
WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD!
WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD!
This is about as black as black comedy can get. Only Stanley Kubrick could make the annihilation of mankind via nuclear weapons funny. This film blows by pretty quickly at 96 minutes, but it’s got a lot of meat to it.
It’s the last night of summer in 1962. Several teenage friends are enjoying their last taste of freedom in their small town in different ways. Some are looking for love, others for answers, and some for one last thrill before they are split up and forced into adulthood. Fueled by a stellar soundtrack that is quite literally a who’s who listing of 50s and 60s rock icons, American Graffiti helped fuel the surge of nostalgia for the 50s during the tumultuous 70s.
A genuinely tense and dramatic adventure about three men falling prey to gold fever. Humphrey Bogart films seem to be hit or miss with me, but this one was a sure hit. The pacing got a little slow, but there was always a sense that something was just about to happen. The main characters all turn out good performances and really portray the kind of emotions you could anticipate from three men slowly growing suspicious of each other.
