Tuesday, August 27, 2024
Hanna
- Commentary: Mmm, mmm, mmm! I love this film. I know. It's not classic film art. Whatever. It just mesmerizes me from beginning to end, no matter how many times I see it, which is why I decided I need to own it. Our library has about four copies in the system, including the branch I frequent, but it is always checked out of my branch, so, when I yearn to see this movie I have to wait at least a week.
Why do I love this film? I think it's because I like to imagine myself in the heroine's shoes, scientifically altered body and brain and all. I like the fact that she is "plussed" (vs. "nonplussed") throughout, no matter what comes her way, and only slightly cracks when she hears her father being shot. She is in-the-moment-to-the-near-future to the extreme, completely, unshakeably self-possessed. I wouldn't mind being that way. As well, Cate Blanchette is terrific fun in this movie. Although some critics panned her for her over-the-top acting, she reminded me of Anthony Hopkins when he's having lots of fun acting. You know, it's funny, since I began exploring thrillers some years ago (hmmm...I guess it's been about eight years, now) I've become more critical of them, too, and can be easily bored by chase after almost-catch after narrow escape. Some critics place this movie in that category. One critic even called it "derivative", at which I wonder, derivative of what? Is there something else out there like this movie that I might love even more? If so, let me know. I'm ready. Until then, you'll find me on the floor watching Hanna.
Update 6/4/2022: No, I didn't follow the TV series Hanna, despite its increasingly good to excellent reviews. I tried, but the movie did it all for me, wrapped it up with a bow, and left the rest to my imagination, which I prefer.
Update 8/27/2024: I've actually had this movie for quite awhile, at least 5 years, but the post became corrupted and I had to salvage what I could, repost and redate it and re-enter it into my Alpha List. It seems to be okay, now.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Saoirse Ronan Hanna Eric Bana Erik Heller Vicky Krieps Johanna Zadek Cate Blanchett Marissa Wiegler Jessica Barden Sophie Aldo Maland Miles Olivia Williams Rachel Jason Flemyng Sebastian
Release Date: 2011
Directed by Joe Wright.
Labels: action1, adventure1, cate-blanchett, drama4, fantasy1, mystery1, saoirse-ronan, science-fiction1, spy, super-hero1, suspense1, thriller1, violence2
Thursday, October 27, 2022
The Fourth Protocol
- Commentary: Under construction.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Michael Caine John Preston Pierce Brosnan Major Valeri Alekseyevich Petrofsky/James Edward Ross Ned Beatty General Pavel Petrovich Borisov Joanna Cassidy Irina Vassilievna Julian Glover Brian Harcourt-Smith Michael Gough Sir Bernard Hemmings Ray McAnally General Yevgeny Sergeyevich Karpov Ian Richardson Sir Nigel Irvine Anton Rodgers George Berenson Caroline Blakiston Angela Berenson Joseph Brady Carmichael Matt Frewer Tom McWhirter
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1987
Directed by John Mackenzie.
Labels: §5, goflexA, michael-caine, ned-beatty, nuclear, spy, thriller3
Friday, October 21, 2022
Notorious
- Commentary: Under construction.
Roger Ebert christened this movie as one of his Great Movies.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Cary Grant T. R. Devlin Ingrid Bergman Alicia Huberman Claude Rains Alexander Sebastian Leopoldine Konstantin Madame Anna Sebastian Louis Calhern Cpt. Paul Prescott Reinhold Schünzel Dr. Anderson Moroni Olsen Walter Beardsley Ivan Triesault Eric Mathis Alexis Minotis Joseph, butler Wally Brown Mr. Hopkins Sir Charles Mendl Commodore Ricardo Costa Dr. Julio Barbosa Eberhard Krumschmidt Emil Hupka Fay Baker Ethel Bea Benaderet File Clerk Friedrich von Ledebur Knerr
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1946
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock.
Labels: §5, alfred-hitchcock, cary-grant, claude-rains, Criterion4, film-noir2, ingrid-bergman, melodramaB, spy, thriller3
Thursday, June 09, 2022
The Bourne Identity
- Commentary: I can't remember how I discovered the existence of this series. Apparently, I knew about it when I purchased the Bourne collection, because I mention it in the write-up for the first of the Damon series. I can't recall how I was reminded recenty that Richard Chamberlain had done his take on the circuitous identity known as, in this movie, simply "Bourne". But I'm glad I was. This time, I decided to see if the series was available. It was. As well, this series runs, episodically, for 185 mins and is based on only the first book. You'll notice, as well, it preceded the first of the Damon/Bourne series by 14 years.
More later, after I watch this series.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Richard Chamberlain Bourne Jaclyn Smith Marie St. Jacques Anthony Quayle Gen. François Villiers Donald Moffat David Abbott Shane Rimmer Alexander Conklin Yorgo Voyagis Carlos Denholm Elliott Dr. Geoffrey Washburn Peter Vaughan Fritz Koenig Michael Habeck The Fat Man Wolf Kahler Gold Glasses Philip Madoc D'Armacourt Bill Wallis Chernak
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1988
Directed by Roger Young.
Labels: §4, spy, thriller3, TV3
The Bourne Classified Collection
- Commentary: Go ahead. Make fun of me. I don't care. I love this series of movies for just pure action thriller enthrallment. I even like the one without Matt Damon. I was introduced to these movies through a friend of mine who you wouldn't expect would like them, since she's not ordinarily a fan of spy action-thrillers. She nagged me, though, until I finally started checking them out of the library, one by one. It is these movies that hooked me on action-thrillers. I don't know why I developed a taste for them late in life but, well, I did, and I'm enjoying the hell out of the flavor.
They are all personal guilty pleasures. Not much more to say about these movies that hasn't already been said, except I understand there's another in the theaters and I can't wait until it hits DVD. Well, I can wait until the price drops. There is even a slot in the collection's case for that DVD. You can bet I'll be filling it.
Update 6/2/2022: This post was originally published on 8/14/16 but disappeared from public view. I am now reinstating it.
The movies in this collection are:
The Bourne Identity
Did you know there is a 1988 version of this film (same name), a TV Mini Series starring Richard Chamberlain and Jaclyn Smith? Although IMDb rated it a bit lower than this one, it wasn't a ratings slouch. If you read the comments, you'll notice that almost everyone liked to loved it; some even preferring it to the Matt Damon/Jeremy Renner franchise.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Matt Damon Jason Bourne/David Webb Franka Potente Marie Kreutz Chris Cooper Alexander Conklin Clive Owen The Professor Brian Cox Ward Abbott Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje Nykwana Wombosi Gabriel Mann Danny Zorn Julia Stiles Nicolette Parsons
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 2002
Directed by Doug Liman.
The Bourne Supremacy
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Matt Damon Jason Bourne Joan Allen Pamela Landy Brian Cox Ward Abbott Franka Potente Marie Kreutz Julia Stiles Nicolette Parsons Karl Urban Kirill Marton Csokas Jarda Oksana Akinshina Irena Neski
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 2004
Directed Paul Greengrass.
→ joan-allen
The Bourne Ultimatum
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Matt Damon Jason Bourne Julia Stiles Nicolette Parsons David Strathairn Noah Vosen Scott Glenn Ezra Kramer Paddy Considine Simon Ross Édgar Ramírez Paz Albert Finney Dr. Albert Hirsch Joan Allen Pamela Landy
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 2007
Directed by Paul Greengrass.
→ joan-allen, david-straithairn
The Bourne Legacy
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Jeremy Renner Kenneth James Kitsom/Aaron Cross Rachel Weisz Dr. Marta Shearing Edward Norton Col. Eric Byer Stacey Keach Mark Turso Dennis Boutsikaris Terrence Ward Oscar Isaac Outcome #3 Joan Allen Pamela Landy Albert Finney Dr. Albert Hirsch David Strathairn Noah Vosen Donna Murphy Dita Mandy Željko Ivanek Dr. Donald Foite Shane Jacobson Mackie
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 2012
Directed Tony Gilroy.
→ joan-allen, željko-ivanek, david-straithairn
Jason Bourne
Update 2/5/2018: Yes, I purchased the fifth installment to fill the fifth slot in this collection, Jason Bourne, which surprised me. I actually expected it to be, well, more of the same. It was, but different. Interesting. Yes, I enjoy it as much as the first four. Yes, the purchase included a DVD copy, as well as a Blu-Ray copy. I may, later, pass the DVD copy off to someone who wants it.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Matt Damon Jason Bourne Tommy Lee Jones Robert Dewey Julia Stiles Nicolette Parsons Alicia Vikander Heather Lee Vincent Cassel The Asset Ato Essandoh Craig Jeffers Riz Ahmed Aaron Kalloor Scott Shepherd Edwin Russell
→ tommy-lee-jones
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 2016
Directed Paul Greengrass.
Labels: §4, action1, adventure1, chris-cooper, david-strathairn, drama5, edward-norton, joan-allen, neo-noirB, oscar-isaac, political2, rachel-weisz, spy, super-hero2, thriller2, tommy-lee-jones, violence2, željko-ivanek
Tuesday, December 07, 2021
Worricker The Complete Series
- Commentary: This series is, essentially, about international politics gone rotten through attempting to manipulate terrorism to acquire personal and national political power and monetary reward. As well, the three segments are closely interrelated. For instance, one of the key characters dies in the middle of the first segment but isn't replaced in the highly important position he occurpied until the third segment. When he is replaced, his replacement is someone who is in cahouts with another important character who is attempting to keep an explosive secret. My memory of this trilogy is dim, but not so dim that I can't remember being electrified by it. That's why I added it to my collection. The machinations and motivations can be confusing and elusive, so it's best to watch closely, perhaps with the remote in hand. Finally, many of the roles are handled by a team of top-notch British actors, which is always a thrill. As you can imagine, many of the roles and their actors reappear throughout the series. I'll attempt not to repeat too many of them from segment to segment.
I may be moved to write more later, after I watch all three shows again. Really looking forward to watching the complete series, back to back! And, then, watching it again whenever I want!
Page Eight Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Bill Nighy Johnny Worricker Rachel Weisz Nancy Pierpan Michael Gambon Benedict Baron Judy Davis Jill Tankard Tom Hughes Ralph Wilson Saskia Reeves Anthea Catcheside Ewen Bremner Rollo Maverley Felicity Jones Julianne Worricker Ralph Fiennes Alec Beasley Alice Krige Emma Baron Holly Aird Anna Herve Richard Lintern Max Vallance
→ alice-krige
Turks & Caicos Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Helena Bonham Carter Margot Tyrrell Rupert Graves Stirling Rogers James McArdle Ted Finch Winona Ryder Melanie Fall Christopher Walken Curtis Pelissier Dylan Baker Gary Bethwaite Meredith Eaton Clare Clovis Zach Grenier Dido Parsons
Salting the Battlefield Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Valeria Vereau Elisabeth Olivia Williams Belinda Kay Leanne Best Amber Page Pip Carter Freddy Lagarde Daniel Ryan Bill Catcheside Kate Burdette Allegra Betts Shazad Latif Jez Nichols Malcolm Sinclair Reverend Bernard Towers
The Wikipedia links for each of the episodes are as follows: Page Eight, Turks & Caicos, Salting the Battlefield
Release Dates: 2011, 2014, 2014
Director (all three episodes): David Hare
Labels: alice-krige, christopher-walken, dramaE, dylan-baker, rachel-weisz, spy, TV3
Tuesday, November 05, 2019
3 Days of the Condor
- Commentary: I can't believe it's taken me this long, and this movie, in particular, to initiate the label category "spy". Clearly, I have other "spy" movies, the Jason Bourne movies coming most immediately to mind. Didn't occur to me, though, back then, to create a "spy" category. Let's see, I'm thinking Hanna, too, and, well, I'm sure, more.
In fact, although I have some spy movies, I'm not really a spy movie aficionado. There are, for instance, so many James Bond movies I haven't seen that, frankly, I can't remember the ones I have seen.
I'm not much of a Robert Redford fan, either. I own some movies in which he stars or is a member of a celebrated ensemble cast (i.e. The Sting), but my curiosity about any movie isn't piqued because he happens to be in it. I think, in fact, that I've seen (and probably own) more movies that he's produced and/or directed than those in which he's acted.
That being said, I really enjoy this movie. It's my kind of spy movie: You know but you just don't know; you never know; too bad for you; now what're you gonna do?!?
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Robert Redford Joseph Turner Faye Dunaway Kathy Hale Cliff Robertson Higgins Max von Sydow Joubert John Houseman Wabash Addison Powell Leonard Atwood Walter McGinn Sam Barber Tina Chen Janice Chong
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up for this film.
Release Date: 1975
Directed by Sydney Pollack.
Labels: adventure2, detective1, drama2, faye-dunaway, max-von-sydow, political1, robert-redford, spy, suspense1, thriller1
