Thursday, March 18, 2021
The Last King of Scotland
- Commentary: Under construction.
So, I have three reviews for you. The title is linked to one that questions the movie's veracity. Here is a review that simply praises the movie and its motives (and, twice, mispells "ensue" as "ensure") without question. Here is Glenn Erickson's review (of DVD Savant) that treads a moderate, thoughtful path between the two previous reviews.
Finding good reviews of this movie is incredibly hard. Roger Ebert spoke of it many times, reviewed it on his television program, but either didn't write a review or, if he did, it's unavailable. Everywhere.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Forest Whitaker Idi Amin James McAvoy Dr. Nicholas Garrigan Kerry Washington Kay Amin Gillian Anderson Sarah Merrit Simon McBurney Stone David Oyelowo Dr. Junju David Ashton Garrigan Sr. Barbara Rafferty Mrs. Garrigan
I, frankly, find Whitaker's performance and the story riveting, no matter how much of it is fact, or, for that matter, truth.
Here is the Wikipedia write-up on this movie, which, as well, disputes some of the elements of the movie. It even reminds us that the movie is based on a novel and characterizes Giles Foden, the author as indicating, "...the film's depiction of Amin is comparable with the Shakespearean character Macbeth, whom he had in mind when writing the novel."
Release Date: 2006
Directed by Kevin Macdonald.
Labels: drama1, forest-whitaker, historical1, me-favorite1, period1
Hail Mary
- Commentary: Under construction.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Myriem Roussel Marie Thierry Rode Joseph Philippe Lacoste L'ange Gabriel Manon Andersen La petite fille Juliette Binoche Juliette Anne Gautier Eva Johan Leysen Le professeur Malachi Jara Kohan Jésus
Here is the Wikipedia write-up of this film.
Release Date: 1985
Directed by Jean-Luc Godard.
Labels: §, drama1, jesus-dvds, religion1
The Emigrants
- Commentary: Under construction.
As well as the review, linked to the title of this post, Roger Ebert also wrote an interesting article containing a mini-interview with one of the two screenplay writers. More than an interview, though, it is a reflection on many aspects of Swedish cinema with the views of multiple people respresented.
This movie is a companion to and encased with The New Land.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Max von Sydow Karl Oskar Nilsson Liv Ullmann Kristina Nilsson Eddie Axberg Robert Nilsson Sven-Olof Bern Nilsson Father Aina Alfredsson Nilsson Mother Allan Edwall Danjel Andreasson Monica Zetterlund Ulrika Pierre Lindstedt Arvid Hans Alfredson Jonas Petter Ulla Smidje Inga-Lena Andreasson Eva-Lena Zetterlund Elin Gustaf Färingborg Provost Brusander Åke Fridell Aron Agneta Prytz Fina-Kajsa Halvar Björk Anders Månsson Bruno Sörwing Sherriff Lönnegren
Here is the Wikipedia write-up of this movie.
Release Date: 1971
Directed by Jan Troell.
Labels: §3, Criterion1, drama1, immigration, max-von-sydow, period1
The New Land
- Commentary: Under construction.
The essay above is about the companion movies "The Emigrants" and "The New Land".
This movies is a companion to and encased with The Emigrants.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Max von Sydow Karl Oskar Nilsson Liv Ullmann Kristina Nilsson Eddie Axberg Robert Nilsson Pierre Lindstedt Arvid Allan Edwall Danjel Andreasson Monica Zetterlund Ulrika Hans Alfredson Jonas Petter Agneta Prytz Fina-Kajsa Halvar Björk Anders Månsson Tom C. Fouts Pastor Jackson Per Oscarsson Pastor Törner Oscar Ljung Oscar Ljung
Here in the Wikipedia write-up of this movie.
Release Date: 1972
Directed by Jan Troell.
Labels: §3, Criterion1, drama1, immigration, max-von-sydow, period1
Monsieur Verdoux
- Commentary: Under construction.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Charlie Chaplin Monsieur Henri Verdoux Mady Correll Mona Verdoux Allison Roddan Peter Verdoux Robert Lewis Maurice Bottello Audrey Betz Martha Bottello Martha Raye Annabella Bonheur Isobel Elsom Marie Grosnay Marilyn Nash The Girl Irving Bacon Pierre Couvais Edwin Mills Jean Couvais Virginia Brissac Carlotta Couvais William Frawley Jean La Salle
Here is the Wikipedia write-up on this film.
Release Date: 1947
Directed by Charlie Chaplin.
Labels: charlie-chaplin, comedy1, Criterion1, film-noir3, melodramaB
Wise Blood
- Commentary: I don't know why (although, maybe it's because, on my mother's side, two of my ancestors were preachers, one of whom was a fire-and-brimstone circuit rider; another ancestor was a deaconess; a third was a PhD trained church organist as well as a music professor; I never met any of them, they were long dead when I was close enough in the world to meet them, but, you know, DNA and all ...) but I love "preacher" movies, especially the weird ones (weird preachers, that is) and this one sounds like a delightful doozy.
This is definitely the first and likely the last movie write-up in which a car is one of the characters. Hazel's car, though, plays an important part in this story and in Hazel's life. Remember, although this story takes place after an unspecified war, car culture was clearly in its prime throughout most of the 20th century, so it should be no surprise that Hazel's car is an extension of himself, his "home", as he casually christens it, and he treats it as such. In a way, Hazel's car narrows the time frame of the story, at least in the movie. Its model speaks to the Vietnam War era, although Motes could have been returning from service in any part of the world within the time frame suggested by the car. It was an old car, remember.
More later. Under construction.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Brad Dourif Hazel Motes John Huston Grandfather Dan Shor Enoch Emory Mary Nell Santacroce Landlady Harry Dean Stanton Asa Hawks Amy Wright Sabbath Lily Hawks Ned Beatty Hoover Shoates William Hickey Preacher J.L. Parker Karl Marvin Sapp Raymond Betty Lou Groover Leora Watts Hazel Motes' Car 1958 Fairlane 500 Town Sedan
The Wikipedia write-up for this film is here.
Release Date: 1979
Directed by John Huston.
Labels: brad-dourif, Criterion1, ned-beatty, religion2, southern-gothic
