Movie Hindsight 2020 | Page 11 | The Boneyard

Movie Hindsight 2020

nelsonmuntz

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"The November Man" is a solid espionage thriller starring Pierce Brosnan and Olga Kurylenko. Brosnan's Bond movies were terrible but he's done plenty of good work since then.

I liked Brosnan as Bond. The movies were just OK, but they are Bond movies so I am not sure what anyone was expecting.
 

nelsonmuntz

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Da 5 Bloods (2020) - A Spike Lee Joint. Four black Vietnam Vets go back to Vietnam to retrieve the squad leader left behind and...to get the gold they all found back in the day.

Delroy Lindo with a pretty powerful performance.

There are some 'no freakin' way' moments but overall a pretty entertaining movie. There is a message here. MLK gets some play. And there is a Black Lives Matter salute at the end.

2 1/2 hours.

Good movie. Delroy Lindo should be in the mix for an Oscar nomination, and Isiah Whitlock was very good too. The movie's perspective was interesting, and the character development was well done. Each of them was unique and I felt like I understood their motivations.

Cons: Typical Spike Lee movie problems. It was too long and the ending was not great.

Overall, I would recommend it.
 

Dove

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The Old Guard (2020) - Very entertaining movie starring Charleze Theron as a bad-ass time traveler saving the world, tho she doesn't see it because she's in the thick of it.

A great action flick on Netflix.
 
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Donovan’s Reef (1963) - Starting in 1939 with “Stagecoach”, John Wayne starred in 17 movies directed by the great John Ford. With the exception “The Quiet Man”, which is arguably the best film these two film giants made together, for the most part these films were either westerns or had a military theme. "Donovan’s Reef" is the last film Ford and Wayne did together, and it is more or less the exception to this rule. "Donovan’s Reef” abandons the usual Ford/Wayne Monument Valley western setting, and instead is set on an island in French Polynesia in the south Pacific.

The basic setup to this movie is that the characters played by John Wayne, Lee Marvin, and Jack Warden were all in the U.S. navy during World War II and were shipwrecked on this island, during which time they conducted guerrilla operations against the Japanese occupiers. The movie takes place after the war and after their military service. For various reasons the three chose to stay and live with the native population on the island, with Lee Marvin at the start of the movie returning after an absence to live on the island again, at which point Marvin and Wayne resume their long standing tradition of brawling on the birthday they share. The film really gets going when Jack Warden’s millionaire daughter from Boston played by Elizabeth Allen arrives on the island to seek out the father she has never seen in her life.

John Ford films often make good use of supporting characters, and this film is no exception. Caesar Romero, Marcel Dalio (the croupier in Casablanca), and Dorothy Lamour all make good use of their bit roles in this film. This is especially true of Romero, who plays the French governor of the island. In 1963 Romero is just a few years off from his run at playing the Joker in the 1960’s Batman television series. As for Dalio, I always enjoy getting a chance to see him in old movies, no matter how small the role is.

John Ford movies generally contain quite a bit of pageantry and music, and this film is no exception to that. Ford's use of pageantry and music in this film highlights very well the local culture of the island. Ford movies generally have a fair amount of humor in them no matter how serious they are, however, "Donovan’s Reef” is definitely more of a comedy and more light weight than most Ford movies. It is hardly unusual for fights and brawls to break out in a John Ford movie, and this one is no exception. My main complaint about this film is that it really over does the brawling, which often seems to take place with no real reason to advance the plot. Aside from that, I rather enjoyed this film, it grew on me as time went on. "Donovan’s Reef” is nowhere near the best of John Ford’s films, but it is solid and very watchable.
 

storrsroars

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The Old Guard (2020) - Very entertaining movie starring Charleze Theron as a bad-ass time traveler saving the world, tho she doesn't see it because she's in the thick of it.

A great action flick on Netflix.

It moved crisply, action was good, plot made sense and should lead to sequels.

I had one bugaboo at the end, in the climactic scene which involves the villain and a car, there's nary a soul that sees the action, but the moment the good guys leave the scene, hundreds of people and cops show up. That bugged me after an otherwise enjoyable watch.
 

Dove

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It moved crisply, action was good, plot made sense and should lead to sequels.

I had one bugaboo at the end, in the climactic scene which involves the villain and a car, there's nary a soul that sees the action, but the moment the good guys leave the scene, hundreds of people and cops show up. That bugged me after an otherwise enjoyable watch.
Maybe all of the shooting and explosions in the Merrick building had people .

And the very last scene screamed sequel as Charleze told Chiwetel Ejiofor to go out and get her crew some jobs.
 

storrsroars

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Maybe all of the shooting and explosions in the Merrick building had people .

And the very last scene screamed sequel as Charleze told Chiwetel Ejiofor to go out and get her crew some jobs.

I mostly said "should lead to sequels" because who knows how much $ it would've made in theatres. IMDB says it was a $70 mill budget, so not too expensive as action movies go. I assume there will be one. Theron wants one, but not right away. And the Booker/Quynh storyline begs maybe even a third.
 

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"I Am Dragon" was interesting, something different. Streaming on Amazon Prime. I don't think I've ever seen a movie that's all in Russian w/ English subtitles. Fantasy genre, decent FX for a smaller budget film. Although there is a dragon, it's really not an action movie.
 

Dove

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I mostly said "should lead to sequels" because who knows how much $ it would've made in theatres. IMDB says it was a $70 mill budget, so not too expensive as action movies go. I assume there will be one. Theron wants one, but not right away. And the Booker/Quynh storyline begs maybe even a third.
I look forward to seeing how Quynh got out of that scenario she was left in.
 

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Unsane (2018) - Claire Foye (The Crown) carries the film about a woman who moves away in order to lose a stalker. Yep, he finds her. I found the movie entertaining and had to overlook a couple of plot "yeah right" moments. Foye is really good.

Matt Damon and Amy Irving have small guest appearance parts.

Worth a watch if you like psychological thrillers.
 

nwhoopfan

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"Never Let Me Go." It's not one you would want to watch frequently, but I've seen it 3 times in the 10 years since it was released now. Continues to be a haunting, thought provoking film. Some brilliant performances.
 

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Bone Tomahawk (2015) - Crazy western with Kurt Russell and Patrick Wilson. Entertaining, but stretching reality. A woman is kidnapped by violent Native American troglodytes and a group travels days to got get her.

Becky (2020) - Okay, an interesting movie with the little girl (Becky) coming off as a pretty good badass. Alas, she kills 4 escaped prisoners...uh huh. Still, Kevin James is the lead escapee and does well. Weirdly, he seems inept once he gets to the house where he keeps the family hostage while Becky is in the woods. Fun movie, tho.

The Hunt (2020) - A liberal group organize a hunt of right-wingers. Betty Gilpin does a great job as an ex veteran who is the last hunted standing and faces off in the end vs. Hillary Swank. O fun movie to watch.
 

Waquoit

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First Cow - I guess you could say this is a movie about a friendship in 1820's Oregon territory. I thought it was an intriguing period piece.
 
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First Cow - I guess you could say this is a movie about a friendship in 1820's Oregon territory. I thought it was an intriguing period piece.

First Cow is definitely on our list of "recent" movie releases that we want to see. Sooner or later we'll get around to it.
 

Waquoit

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I just noticed Pick Of The Litter is up on Netflix. It's a doc that follows 5 adorable puppies as they train to become guide dogs for the blind. Who will be the picks of the litter? What becomes of those that don't make the cut? No spoilers from me. This movie was one of Real Art Ways' biggest hits.
 
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"Never Let Me Go." It's not one you would want to watch frequently, but I've seen it 3 times in the 10 years since it was released now. Continues to be a haunting, thought provoking film. Some brilliant performances.
Excellent book. I’m sure it’s great as a film too I’m the type who avoids movies when I’ve already read the book.
 

nwhoopfan

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I keep finding hidden gems occasionally thru various streaming platforms.

Why isn't Katherine Hughes a star? She's talented, she's beautiful, she plays interesting characters in the roles I've seen her in.

"Say You Will" (Amazon Prime) is about a mother and son grieving a death by suicide. Travis Tope plays the son, Michelle Forbes his mother, wasn't really familiar with either. Israel Broussard (the Happy Death Day series) is his neighbor/friend. Hughes is the girl he's always had a thing for but never really talked to thru 4 years of high school. Finally after they graduate they strike up a friendship that quickly becomes very close. It's a beautiful, bittersweet story about people just trying to figure out life.
 

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It's not really intentional, but I keep watching these movies about young people dealing with grief. Brand new Amazon Original flick "Chemical Hearts" became available for streaming. Wasn't familiar with most of the cast, other than Lili Reinhart. It was pretty slow, I wasn't quite sure how I felt about it, but it won me over at the end.
 
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King of California - This is a 2007 film starring Michael Douglas and Evan Rachel Wood. Douglas plays a guy who has just been released from a mental institution where he has been for the last couple of years. He goes to live with his 16 year old daughter, played by Wood, who has been living on her own at the family home and supporting herself. Douglas has spent a lot of his time away reading up on the travels and adventures of a Spanish explorer who he is convinced left a load of treasure buried nearby his suburban home, and Douglas is obsessed with finding it, no matter on whose property the stuff may be buried. From past experience, his daughter is pretty skeptical of this adventure and what it entails, but well, the old man is her father, and that provides something of a pull for this story. The best thing about this movie are the two leads. This is especially true of Douglas, who is terrific at playing this role of a really crazy guy who means well but seems to never know when he has gone too far until it is a bit too late. Not a great film by any means, but I found it to be of interest.
 

nwhoopfan

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The best thing about this movie are the two leads.

I saw it quite a while ago, I've been curious to watch it again. I recall it had an interesting soundtrack as well. Some good Americana/alt country stuff.
 
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I saw it quite a while ago, I've been curious to watch it again. I recall it had an interesting soundtrack as well. Some good Americana/alt country stuff.

Closing credits had the song "King of California" by Dave Alvin. That song has been around a bit longer than the movie has.
 
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nwhoopfan

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Closing credits had the song "King of California" by Dave Alvin. That song has been around a bit longer than the movie has.

The one that really stood out to me is "California Stars" by Billy Bragg & Wilco. I think it came from that album they did of previously unknown Woody Guthrie songs.
 
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The one that really stood out to me is "California Stars" by Billy Bragg & Wilco. I think it came from that album they did of previously unknown Woody Guthrie songs.

Mermaid Avenue, Volumes 1 and 2. "California Stars" was on the first album. I've got both of those albums which put music to songs Woody Guthrie wrote but never recorded or put music to. Good stuff.
 

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I thoroughly enjoyed the travelogue "Dear Albania" with Eliza Dushku a while ago. Watched something similar w/ British comedian Kev Orkian called "Armenia Uncovered." I found him to be a little annoying, but overall it was still enjoyable. Informative quick overview of some of the history and culture of the country. At one point there was a guy rockin' a "UConn anthropology" t-shirt.
 

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