BUTCH CASSIDY and the SUNDANCE KID (1969)  4.0***

  George Roy Hill's best film and one of the best western movies as well as buddy movies ever made. Excellent direction, cinematography, setting, screenplay and score. Robert Redford and Paul Newman are in top form and deliver knockout performances. Their real life friendship is portrayed naturally on screen. Katherine Ross is also good as Sundance’s girlfriend The plot revolves around two seasoned outlaws who have robbed almost every bank/train in the West. With the law unable to catch these two likeable bandits, a master tracker and band of bounty hunters are set on their trail. Their only option to lose their chasers is to head South, as far as Bolivia. It turns out that the Bolivian government will have nothing to do with the two American The film focuses on the endearing mis-adventures of these bandits/heroes, using  slapstick comedy, conventional Western action, contemporary music, and humorous dialogue to characterize the past and  poke fun at typical western film clichés                  

 The plot is clever, funny, unique, exciting and has one of the most memorable endings in film history. It's a one of a kind western that has all the action and combines that with hilarity. It is a work of art and masterpiece of its genre that has never been able to be duplicated. It has resonated throughout generations and has influenced many filmmakers. To this day fans of the film still quote some of its famous lines such as:

          Butch Cassidy: Well, that ought to do it.

          [after blowing the train car to smithereens]

          Sundance Kid: Think ya used enough dynamite there, Butch?

          

          Butch Cassidy: Who are those guys?

               Butch Cassidy: Alright. I'll jump first.

           Sundance Kid: Nope.

           Butch Cassidy: Then you jump first.

           Sundance Kid: No, I said.

           Butch Cassidy: What's the matter with you?

           Sundance Kid: I can't swim!

           Butch Cassidy: [pauses, then laughs] Are you crazy? The fall will probably kill ya.

          [pause, then they start running to the edge]

           Sundance Kid: OOOOH SHIIIIIT!

                Of the 7 Academy Award nominations, there were 4 Oscar winners :William Goldman for Best Screenplay; Conrad Hall  for cinematography. 2 went to Burt Bacharach for Best Song ("Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head) and Best Original Score. The other three nominations were for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Sound.

    BRIGHTBURN  1.5 ***

  As a horror film it is NOT a bright burn… at its best it may be a slow burn…for me it was a no burn !!!

   The premise of this film is not one we have seen before in the "superhero" genre. What would the world do if a super-powered life form came to Earth and realized that we were all just insects to it? That the world needs to be destroyed bit by bit? It starts out very "Clark Kent" like with the couple who have no children happening upon a child fallen from the shy in a weird space ship kind of thing. The parents see this as a blessing. As if the universe heard their cries for a child and answered them. Soon though, this Smallville scene takes a turn towards absolute terror. This "child" isn't what he seems to be. He isn't a boy, or a human. He's something altogether different. An evil non-destructible, non-feeling alien  in an innocent teenage boys body.

It wasn't good. I had somewhat high hopes, considering the Gunns being involved in this film. I either expected it to be slow, dark and just terrifying, or a brutal, gory, fun movie. It was neither. The characters were written dumb, the scares were just.. scares (almost all being jump scares), plain and simple. You know, the usual cheap stuff. Loud noises, big bad wolf appearing behind the characters, blablabla. There were more in the audience laughing than screaming. And the gore was basically non-existent, so there's that. I love a good horror, I love being truly scared, I love when I can't help myself and just feel the need to cover my eyes. This movie had no effect on me whatsoever. And it's not a fun turn-off-your-brain joyride, it isn't fun at all. It's just cheap. In some reviews people said they liked it, so, good for them. But if you expect a good horror. It is not that.

Rated R for horror violence/bloody images, and language.

I  went to see this huge BLOCKBUSTER (already at 2.189 billion dollars) at the downtown Imax in 3D . It is the ultimate extravaganza of the Marvel series … 3 hours of all the marvel superheroes but only one super villain: Thanos, but he is enough. I hugely enjoyed this well written, well directed and well-acted movie. Rather than tackle such a difficult review I am borrowing from a review that describes it so well without any spoilers. It is set forth below:

AVENGERS Endgame   4.0***

The grave course of events set in motion in the preceding “Avengers Infinity War” by Thanos that wiped out half the universe and fractured the Avengers ranks compels the remaining Avengers to take one final stand in Marvel Studios' grand conclusion to twenty-two films,” Avengers: Endgame”.

Review by Brian Tallerico at Rogerebert.com

“Avengers: Endgame” is the culmination of a decade of blockbuster filmmaking, the result of years of work from thousands of people. It is designed to be the most blockbuster of all the blockbusters, a movie with a dozen subplots colliding, and familiar faces from over 20 other movies. It’s really like nothing that Hollywood has produced before, existing not just to acknowledge or exploit the fans of this series, but to reward their love, patience, and undying adoration. The blunt thing you probably want to know most: It’s hard to see serious MCU fans walking away from this disappointed. It checks all the boxes, even ticking off a few ones that fans won’t expect to be on the list. It’s a satisfying end to a chapter of blockbuster history that will be hard to top for pure spectacle. In terms of sheer entertainment value, it’s on the higher end of the MCU, a film that elevates its most iconic heroes to the legendary status they deserve and provides a few legitimate thrills along the way.

Don’t worry: I will stay very spoiler-free. The main joy of this film is in how it’s incredibly complex narrative unfolds, and you can go elsewhere if you want that ruined. The disappointing “Avengers: Infinity War” ended with Thanos finally getting all of the six Infinity Stones he so desperately sought, and then using them to wipe out half of existence, including beloved heroes like Black Panther, Star-Lord, and Spider-Man. “Avengers: Endgame” picks up a few weeks after “The Snap,” as the remaining heroes try to pick up the pieces and figure out if there’s a way to reverse Thanos’ destruction.

Immediately, “Endgame” is a more focused piece than “Infinity War” by virtue of having a tighter, smaller cast. (Thanks, Thanos.) It’s a more patient, focused film, even as its plot draws in elements of a dozen other movies. Whereas “Infinity” often felt bloated, “Endgame” allows some of the more iconic characters in the history of the MCU a chance to be, well, heroic. No longer mere pawns in a Thanos-driven plot, Iron Man, Captain America, Black Widow, Hulk, and Thor break free of the crowd, ably assisted by Hawkeye and Ant-Man. In a sense, this is the new Avengers, and the tighter group of superheroes reminded me of the charm of Wheldon’s first "Avengers" movie, one in which strong personalities were allowed to bounce off each other instead of just feeling like they were strapped into a rollercoaster headed in the same direction. It also allows space for some of the best acting work in the franchise, particularly from Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr., who one realizes while watching this have turned Captain America and Iron Man into something larger than life for a generation. The most satisfying aspect of “Endgame” is in how much it provides the MCU’s two most popular heroes the story arc they deserve instead of just drowning them in a sea of cameos by lesser characters from other movies. In the way it canonizes them , it becomes an ode to the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe.”

Rated PG-!3 for sci-fi violence and some language.

Below is a review from DVD Talk by Preston Jones posted July 6, 2005 when the DVD came out.

As befits a soldier like few others, George C. Scott (in his Oscar-winning role) delivers a performance like few others in his lengthy and illustrious career - his interpretation of Patton is such that it's startling to watch actual newsreel footage of Patton; Scott nailed not only the physicality but also seemingly the psychology of this ageless warrior trapped in World War II but truly at home in the conflicts of ancient Rome or Greece.

Working from a screenplay by then-wunderkind Francis Ford Coppola and Edmund H. North.  Franklin J. Schaffner's vivid biography of one of America's truly great generals rarely, if ever, flags - Patton pulses with a life and authenticity often missing from conventional Hollywood biopics. By tracing Patton's efforts throughout his various World War II campaigns, Schaffner manages to paint a portrait of both a man and his battles - it's a mammoth war etched in miniature as seen through the poet-warrior eyes of Patton.

Scott is surrounded by a terrific, if minor-key, cast including Karl Malden as Omar Bradley, Patton's long-suffering compatriot and Karl Vogler as Patton's nemesis, German general Erwin Rommel   -    but it's Scott's show the entire way. He doesn't so much command attention as sears the very screen with his presence. Volumes have been written about Scott's performance as Patton but it still somehow doesn't do it justice - this is world-class acting of a rare and magnificent scale. Patton the film is every bit as enduring and compelling as the man.

   

Sara and I watched this 2003 British movie the other night and were delighted . The story sounds more risqué than it is . A charming story about women in their 40 t0 50s who are willing to be a bit risky to make money for a charity. You’ll find it on TV or a streaming channel.

I did not do the review but found one I liked and tweaked it some. I’d give it 3.0***

By; Diana Saenger If you can say "over 40 and nude" in the same sentence, you might enjoy Calendar Girls, a movie that offers laughs, maybe a tear or two and lots of heart. Calendar Girls is based on a true story that takes place in the Yorkshire Dales of England. When Annie's (Julie Walters) husband dies of cancer, her friend Chris (Helen Mirren) decides to do something to help the local hospitals and boost morale in the town. Both Annie and Chris belong to the Women's Institute (WI), a rather conservative group whose members meet regularly and perform good deeds. Chris tells the ladies she wants to produce a fund-raising calendar of them doing their ordinary chores or hobbies -- but in the nude! At first everyone scoffs, but once Ms. June, Ms. November and Ms. January pick their spots, the women fall over themselves to be included in the project. It takes some doing to find the right photographer, get the WI’s approval and market the calendar. But soon these women are national celebrities, and their ordinary lifestyles are as scattered as the months on the calendar. .As long as the story stays in the women's hometown, it's a charmer. We get insight into each of the women representing a different month on the calendar. Whether spurred on to overcome pain, a husband's infidelity or merely to grab the brass ring of feeling alive -- each has her own unique reason for agreeing to bare it all. It may have been a mistake to move the story to Hollywood at the end of the film. At this point the film loses some of its quaintness, but it quickly recovers when it returns to their English home. Most women and middle-aged to older couples will definitely enjoy Calendar Girls.

Sara and I re-watched this on TV the other night and were thoroughly entertained. This has a heartwarming story about the value of friendship and how women must learn to assert themselves to gain self-esteem. But its first and foremost about friendship. It has old Southern charm and modern day concerns since there are two stories going here both about friendship between 2 women. One set in modern day and the other in the 30s. A wonderful movie worth searching out. I’d give it 3.5 out of 4*** The review is not mine but presents as I would.

    Green Tomatoes –  (1991)

 Chuck O'Leary 
FulvueDrive-in.com

I was totally won over by Fried Green Tomatoes when I first saw it theatrically in January of 1992 (it received a limited release in late December, 1991 to qualify for awards consideration before going wide in late January, 1992).  In fact, I ended up seeing the film a second time in theaters a few months later and it ended up in the No. 5 spot on my annual best-10 list.

The pivotal character in Fried Green Tomatoes is an unhappy, overweight Southern housewife named Evelyn Couch (Kathy Bates), who's settled into a humdrum, unfulfilling life with her longtime husband, Ed (Gailard Sartain), who praises her cooking, but would rather eat it sitting in front of the TV watching sports instead of sitting at the table and talking to her.  Ed's not a bad guy like another abusive louse we meet in the movie.  He's simply inattentive and addicted to sports -- if this were a crime, half the men in America would be on death row.

While visiting one of Ed's relatives in a nursing home, Evelyn meets a spirited nursing-home resident named Ninny Threadgoode (Jessica Tandy).  The elderly Ninny starts telling the repressed Evelyn intriguing tales of a tomboyish, independent-minded young woman named Idgie (Mary Stuart Masterson), and her best friend, Ruth (Mary Louise Parker), who together ran the Whistle Stop Café in a tiny town called Whistle Stop, Alabama during the Great Depression.

As the film intercuts between Idgie's story in the 1930s and Evelyn's in the present day, Ninny's tales of Idgie and Ruth help inspire Evelyn to become more assertive, regain her self-esteem and take more control of her life.

Based on Fannie Flagg's novel, Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café, the film's screenplay was co-written by Flagg and Carol Sobieski (apparently with much uncredited help from director Jon Avnet).  Their collaboration is a warm-hearted, touching and funny ode to female bonding and the importance of friendship.

SHAZAM !   3.5***

  A superhero film based on the DC Comics book character of the same name. It is one of the funniest and most entertaining superhero films in a long time that does not come from Marvel.

In modern-day Philadelphia, 14 year-old Billy Batson  is taken in by a foster family after another run-in with police as a run-away while searching for his lost mother. While there, Billy befriends his slightly crippled roommate Freddie Freeman (uses a crutch) who has an amazing knowledge and affinity for superheroes. One day, Billy is mysteriously whisked away by a mysterious wizard who bestows Billy with incredible super powers by having him hold a magical staff and yelling the name "Shazam" out loud. And it works in reverse in that Shazam can return to being the 14 year old by yelling the same thing  Shazam testing his powers with Freddie provides the funniest and most entertaining moments of the film. Each test that he puts himself through is both hilarious and informative.

The film flawlessly weaves its comic relief and heart into every scene with its own distinct flavor, never once feeling as though it is stealing from those before it. This is equaled by  solid action scenes which are a pure joy to watch. Adding to the “feel good mood” is a diverse and sympathetic cast and a film that knows how to keep the balance between funny and decent drama. The comedy is completely goofy but not in a satirical sense, but rather, this is what happens when you give a 14 year old super powers. It also paints a wonderful picture of  foster families that I feel we don't see very often anymore. It's really nice to see the bright side for once with loving foster parents and a diverse but nice group of foster kids.   

All in all, Shazam is a blast! It's one of the most entertaining movie I've seen so far this year.  It also delivers a well-developed bad guy, menacingly portrayed by Mark Strong. Every member of the cast gives a strong performance, but Zachary Levi steals the show as Shazam. His whimsical attitude, reckless personality, and rich facial expressions are guaranteed to entertain you . Asher Angel and Jack Dylan Grazer are outstanding as the young kids, and the former's backstory carries emotional impact which passes on to the big guy he transforms himself into.

The action is packed with beautifully-edited sequences, powerful sound design, and cool, unique moments, but the climactic final battle drags on a little too long. The first act struggles to find its rhythm and its tone, but once it gets going, it's an exceptional journey. The best praise I can give the movie is that I didn't know anything about Shazam before entering the theater, and now I can't wait for its sequel. Well-directed, well-written and remarkably entertaining.  Go see it!  Be sure to stay after the movie ends while the credits run for two bonus scenes.