Thursday, October 13, 2022
Lethal Weapon - WB 20 Film Collection Thrillers
- Commentary: You know, I remember enjoying this the first time I saw it, but it hasn't aged well. Reminds me of so many 80's television "thriller" series (Or maybe it was 90's "thriller series", maybe this movie inspired them): long on action (and not as long as is required, now, for a good thriller), short on story. Its humor hasn't aged well, either.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Mel Gibson Sgt. Martin Riggs Danny Glover Sgt. Roger Murtaugh Gary Busey Mr. Joshua Mitchell Ryan Gen. Peter McAllister Tom Atkins Michael Hunsaker Darlene Love Trish Murtaugh Jackie Swanson Amanda Hunsaker Traci Wolfe Rianne Murtaugh Damon Hines Nick Murtaugh Ebonie Smith Carrie Murtaugh Steve Kahan Cpt. Ed Murphy Mary Ellen Trainor Dr. Stephanie Woods
Originally published in this journal on 081416.
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1987
Directed by Richard Donner.
Labels: danny-glover, loose-cannon-cop, mel-gibson
Sunday, August 14, 2022
Signs
- Commentary: Under construction.
Although Roger Ebert gave this movie a full four stars, one of the other reviewers at this site, Jim Emerson, who wrote the blog Scanners, had some quibbles with it, quibbles that extended through the movie The Prestige. His quibbles involved both movie's attempts to weave literalism and fantasy into the same plot. It's an interesting read, if you're into obscure, deeply thoughtful film criticism. I am.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Mel Gibson Father Graham Hess Joaquin Phoenix Merrill Hess Rory Culkin Morgan Hess Abigail Breslin Bo Hess Cherry Jones Caroline Paski M. Night Shyamalan Ray Reddy Patricia Kalember Colleen Hess Ted Sutton SFC Cunningham Merritt Wever Tracey Abernathy Lanny Flaherty Carl Nathan Marion McCorry Mrs. Nathan Michael Showalter Lionel Prichard
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 2002
Directed by M. Night Shyamalan.
Labels: joaquin-phoenix, m-night-shyamalan, mel-gibson
We Were Soldiers
- Commentary:
I don't remember when this movie was released to video for home viewing, so I don't remember if Mom and I saw it in the theatre or at home on video or on some random television channel. I remember, though, how we were introduced to it and why we sought it out. One of the people who delivered Mom's oxygen tanks in Mesa, AZ, an older man (although not nearly as old as Mom), would chat with us when he made his deliveries. Mom always looked forward to his visits because he was really into the military and both of them enjoyed talking military shop. Of course, Mom's military was the military of WWII. The O2 deliverer's military was Vietnam/East Asia. Anyway, during one of these chats he told Mom and me about this movie and strongly recommended that we watch it, if we had the chance. We did. Much to my surprise, not only did I like it, but Mom did, too. I remember one of her comments, "That seems pretty realistic. I'm surprised. No heroes. No villians. Just war and blood."
More later.
Under construction.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Mel Gibson Lt Colonel/Colonel Hal Moore Madeleine Stowe Julia Moore Greg Kinnear Mjr Bruce P. Crandall Sam Elliott Sgt Mjr Basil L. Plumley Chris Klein 2nd Lt Jack Geoghegan Luke Benward David Moore Taylor Momsen Julie Moore Devon Werkheiser Steve Moore Keri Russell Barbara Geoghegan Barry Pepper Joe Galloway Mark McCracken Cpt Ed "Too Tall" Freeman Đơn Dương NVA Lt Col Nguyễn Hữu An Ryan Hurst Sgt Ernie Savage Marc Blucas 2nd Lt Henry Herrick Jsu Garcia Cpt Tony Nadal Jon Hamm Cpt Matt Dillon Clark Gregg Cpt Tom Metsker Blake Heron Sp4 Galen Bungum Desmond Harrington Sp4 Bill Beck Dylan Walsh Cpt Robert Edwards
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 2002
Directed by Randall Wallace.
Labels: mel-gibson, war3
The Patriot
- Commentary: Under construction.
Since 1938 there have been six movies released entitled "The Patriot".
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Mel Gibson Cpt/Col Benjamin Martin Joely Richardson Charlotte Selton Heath Ledger Gabriel Edward Martin Lisa Brenner Anne Patricia Howard Gregory Smith Thomas Martin Trevor Morgan Nathan Martin Bryan Chafin Samuel Martin Mika Boorem Margaret Martin Logan Lerman William Martin Skye McCole Bartusiak Susan Martin Jason Isaacs Col William Tavington Chris Cooper Col/Brig Gen Harry Burwell Tchéky Karyo Mjr Jean Villeneuve René Auberjonois Reverend Oliver Tom Wilkinson Lt Gen Charles Cornwallis Donal Logue Don Scott Peter Woodward Brig Gen Charles O'Hara Leon Rippy John Billings Adam Baldwin Adam Baldwin Jamieson K. Price Cpt Bordon Jay Arlen Jones Occam Joey D. Vieira Peter Howard Terry Layman Gen George Washington Andy Stahl Gen Nathanael Greene
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 2000
Directed by Roland Emmerich.
Labels: chris-cooper, heath-ledger, mel-gibson, rené-auberjonois, tom-wilkinson, war3
Wednesday, May 18, 2022
Gallipoli
- Who's watched: M & G
- Mentions: *1*
- Commentary: As I recall, my mention of this one in my journal, which is fairly recent, says it all.
Update 11/17/2021: This post was originally published February 6, 2005. It was one of the accidental deletions that occurred, which is covered in this post.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Mark Lee Archy Hamilton Mel Gibson Frank Dunne Bill Kerr Jack Harold Hopkins Les McCann Charles Yunupingu Zac Ron Graham Wallace Hamilton Gerda Nicolson Rose Hamilton Robert Grubb Billy (Lewis) Bill Hunter Major Barton Tim McKenzie Barney Wilson David Argue Snowy (G. S. Wilkes) Steve Dodd Billy Snakeskin
Here's the Wikipedia link for this movie.
Release Date: 1981
Directed by Peter Weir.
Labels: bill-hunter, dramaC, historical4, mel-gibson, peter-weir, war2
Saturday, November 11, 2006
The Year of Living Dangerously
- Who's watched: G
- Mentions: None
- Commentary: This is one of what I consider to be Peter Weir's more mysterious movies. Every time he does a movie about obvious political conflict, I come away with a sense that the big picture is disastrously easy to miss in the detail of living politically.
I never think of this movie when Mom and I are deciding what to watch together. I expect she will never see it, simply because I don't think of it, even when we have a Peter Weir fest, which we do about once a year. I think she would find Linda Hunt's performance entertaining and noteworthy, but in a Samuel Johnson kind of way. Otherwise, I don't think she would find the story at all involving. Although I may be wrong. If I ever discover that I am, I will certainly update this report.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Mel Gibson Guy Hamilton Sigourney Weaver Jill Bryant Bill Kerr Colonel Henderson Michael Murphy Pete Curtis Linda Hunt Billy Kwan Noel Ferrier Wally O'Sullivan Bembol Roco Kumar Mike Emperio Sukarno
As often happens, the title for this post, above, is linked to an alternate source, other than Wikipedia. Here is the Wikipedia article on this movie, if you're interested.
Release Date: 1982
Directed by Peter Weir.
Labels: adventure3, drama8, historical3, journalism, me-favorite2, mel-gibson, peter-weir, political3, sigourney-weaver, war2
The Passion of the Christ
- Who's watched: M & G
- Mentions: *1* *2* *3*
- Commentary: For both my mother and me, the controversy over this movie was beside the point. My mother is an aficionado of both Jesus and religious movies, so, of course, she had to see this one. If I hadn't been living with my mother when it came out, I probably would not have seen it, but not in some sort of intellectual or spiritual protest. I wouldn't have bothered because I know the story so well and know what I believe about the issues it raises.
The rough and violent nature of the movie bothered neither of us. We discussed, briefly, whether Jesus was singled out for unusual torture, as, basically, his crucifixion was all in a day's work, and he wasn't the only person crucified on the day he died, nor was he the only person ever convicted of exactly the type of political treason that sent him to Golgotha.
Other than that, my mother's favorite "character" in the movie is the oblique, white head of who she assumes to be "satan", or, more appropriately, as she expressed it, the spirit of evil and selfishness luring Jesus to turn his back on his mission. The head reminds me a bit of the spirit masks floating about in Spirited Away.
I've linked the title of this post to Roger Ebert's extraordinary and cogent review of this movie.
The movie is definitely a winner from the "Bible Movie" perspective, for my mother.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Jim Caviezel Jesus of Nazareth Maia Morgenstern Mary, mother of Jesus Monica Bellucci Mary Magdalene Luca Lionello Judas Iscariot Rosalinda Celentano Satan Luca De Dominicis Herod Ántipas Pietro Sarubbi Barabbus Hristo Naumov Shopov Pontius Pilate Giacinto Ferro Joseph of Arimathia Sergio Rubini Dismas, Penitant Thief Mattia Sbragia Caiaphas Francesco De Vito Peter
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film, which outlines some of the controversy against which Roger Ebert was writing in his review.
Release Date: 2004
Directed by Mel Gibson.
Labels: bible-movies1, drama8, jesus-dvds, mel-gibson, mom-favorite1, period4, religion1, spectacle2, violence3
