Western
List activity
464 views
• 4 this weekCreate a new list
List your movie, TV & celebrity picks.
39 titles
- DirectorJohn FordStarsJohn WayneClaire TrevorAndy DevineA group of people traveling on a stagecoach find their journey complicated by the threat of Geronimo and learn something about each other in the process.Patternmaker
A coachman, a marshal, a gambler, a drunken doctor, a banker, a runaway convict, a whiskey salesman, a prostitute, and a pregnant girl from higher class travel together by stagecoach. Their class differences and prejudice are highlighted until Apaches attack them. John Wayne successfully keeps Indians at distance until the cavalry arrives to save the day. It seems like this is just one of those "you see one, you saw them all" westerns, and, while I have no objections to this movie, it still is just one of the many movies made in typical western pattern. What distinguishes this movie from the rest in that pattern is the fact that this is the first one, one that wrote recipe many others followed and one that made John Wayne a star. And Thomas Mitchell definitely earned his Oscar, because, in my opinion, the drunken doctor is the highlight of this movie.
7/10 - DirectorHoward HughesHoward HawksStarsJack BuetelThomas MitchellJane RussellWestern legends Pat Garrett, Doc Holliday and Billy the Kid are played against each other over the law and the attentions of vivacious country vixen Rio McDonald."A Sale of Two Titties"
Howard Hughes' controversial Western is the film debut of Jane Russell, the girl who got the role after Howard's thorough pursuit of an actress as busty as possible. As much as it is Western, it is also a "sexploitation movie", even advertised with the slogan: "What are the two great reasons for Jane Russell's rise to stardom?" In addition to taking every opportunity to highlight Jane Russell's lush breasts, the film also contains a scene between her and Billy the Kid bordering on rape. The consequences of this approach were censorship and court proceedings, but also a large audience response. I too was attracted by advertising and I watched it solely because of the controversy it caused, but I have to say that I was not disappointed with the movie itself. The story is interesting and departs from the standard Western pattern, showing us the fictitious relationships of Pat Garrett, Doc Holliday and Billy the Kid in a way you will not encounter elsewhere and with a quite good characterization. It is far from a masterpiece of cinema, but I really did not have any major objections and I warmly recommend it.
7/10 - DirectorJohn FordStarsHenry FondaLinda DarnellVictor MatureAfter their cattle are stolen and their brother murdered, the Earp brothers have a score to settle with the Clanton family.Nothing special
I have no objections, but it didn't leave strong impression on me. Enjoyable entertainment for boring afternoon.
6,5/10 - DirectorHoward HawksArthur RossonStarsJohn WayneMontgomery CliftJoanne DruDunson leads a cattle drive, the culmination of over 14 years of work, to its destination in Missouri. But his tyrannical behavior along the way causes a mutiny, led by his adopted son.Top 10 best westerns of all time ?! Nope. In my opinion just average movie. After Hawks' Bringing Up Baby, His Girl Friday, Scarface, The Big Sleep... this comes pretty much as disappointment. :(
6/10 - DirectorFred ZinnemannStarsGary CooperGrace KellyThomas MitchellA town Marshal, despite the disagreements of his newlywed bride and the townspeople around him, must face a gang of deadly killers alone at "high noon" when the gang leader, an outlaw he "sent up" years ago, arrives on the noon train.A drama disguised as a western
There's no chasing and just a little bit of gunfire, nothing like western movies we are used to. The movie is almost in real-time. The eighty-five minutes of the film cover approximately two hours in a small town awaiting the return of a notorious murderer who escaped hanging and is coming to take revenge on the man who arrested him and sent him to the gallows. There is almost no action at all. The plot is about what is happening inside the people involved, psychologically and emotionally. It's not a masterpiece, but it is quite good.
7,5/10 - DirectorGeorge StevensStarsAlan LaddJean ArthurVan HeflinA weary gunfighter in 1880s Wyoming begins to envision a quieter life after befriending a homestead family with a young son who idolizes him, but a smoldering range war forces him to act.It is considered one of the best films of all time. And once again, I'm too stupid to figure out why... Average tra-la-la western story. It is not bad for a western, although it is not much above the average in the genre, and within the entire history of the film, I'm not giving it a crumb above the six.
6/10 - DirectorJohn SturgesStarsSpencer TracyRobert RyanAnne FrancisA one-armed stranger comes to a tiny town possessing a terrible past they want to keep secret, by violent means if necessary.Psychological western with moral lesson. Quite well done, but nothing special. Although it lasts less than 90 minutes, even that's too much. Given that it leaves the impression of the mediocre Hitchcock movie, it would be a good half-hour episode of the "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" series.
6/10 - DirectorJohn FordStarsJohn WayneJeffrey HunterVera MilesAn American Civil War veteran embarks on a years-long journey to rescue his niece from the Comanches after the rest of his brother's family is massacred in a raid on their Texas farm.Just after watching this movie I run onto the newest list of Top 50 Movies of All Times. This one takes 7th place and Wild Bunch is not on the list at all. Screw that list. The movie is not bad, but it has a tendency to bore a bit. Nice story, solidly made and that's it.
6/10 - DirectorWilliam BeaudineStarsJohn CarradineChuck CourtneyMelinda CaseyDracula travels to the American Old West intent on making a beautiful ranch owner his vampire bride. Her fiance, the reformed outlaw Billy the Kid, finds out about it and rushes to save her."Billy the Kid Versus Dracula"... WTF?! As much as title promises complete nonsense, you must admit it makes you bit curious... I expected mix of western and horror that parodies this two cult movies or spoofs western and Dracula genres in general. I could bet this movie is dumb, but I hoped it is somewhat funny. Even when I realized I can not find it anywhere I simply could not give up. When I finally found online stream and saw its terrible quality of both picture and sound (probably pirate VHS rip of 1966. movie) I still could not resist. And I'm glad I didn't.
Movie is not comedy or parody. It is based on classic Dracula plot, puts it in Wild West scenery, and enriches it with western elements, making plot more interesting. Story is more complex than in original Dracula and combines western, classic Dracula horror and romance in some kind of thriller. Although production is bad and special effects ridiculous, story is good enough to hold your attention in spite everything else being bad. Also, movie is just over an hour long and that leaves no room for idling. And end... to me it is awesome. Final clash between Billy the Kid and Dracula, that last just few moments, is one of shortest, most efficient and funniest fighting scenes in movie history. I had to rewind this scene more than a few times with huge smile on my face.
Objectively, this movie does not deserve more than weak four, but it is original for nine. Overall, warm recommendation to fans of old Dracula movies.
6,5/10 - DirectorSam PeckinpahStarsWilliam HoldenErnest BorgnineRobert RyanAn aging group of outlaws look for one last big score as the "traditional" American West is disappearing around them."We all dream of being a child again, even the worst of us. Perhaps the worst most of all."
I didn't expect a Western to have such depth, plus immense amounts of brutal shooting and destruction, which made it one of the most controversial films of all time. Also, many consider it the best western of all time. I would not go that far, but it definitely is worth your time.
8/10 - DirectorMichael CiminoStarsKris KristoffersonChristopher WalkenJohn HurtDuring the Johnson County War in 1890 Wyoming, a sheriff born into wealth does his best to protect immigrant farmers from rich cattle interests.I can't decide if it is a masterpiece or a piece of crap...
I'm watching this movie and it seems so familiar, but I can't point my finger at anything specific. Then, at the end, I see that the movie is written and directed by Michael Cimino, the same guy who did "The Deer Hunter". This is one very strange movie. It possesses a touch of magnificence and epic greatness but, at the same time, it is unbelievable crap. The original length was five hours but, after the fiasco in theaters, it was cut to three and a half hours and it is still inhumanely stretched considering what the movie has to offer. If it would somehow pull off to keep that epic charm and greatness being cut to ninety minutes, I would give it 9/10 but, as it chokes like a high-school textbook for a boring subject and loses itself in vagueness, I can't go above 6/10.
"Heaven's Gate" was a complete fiasco and it caused the bankruptcy of United Artist studio, which is sold to MGM for a small price because of that. Also, this movie killed the popularity of the western genre during the rest of the '80s.
"It fails so completely that you might suspect Mr. Cimino sold his soul to obtain the success of The Deer Hunter and the Devil has just come around to collect" - New York Times
But after all, it is still worth watching, because it simply has that something...
6/10 - DirectorChristopher CainStarsEmilio EstevezKiefer SutherlandLou Diamond PhillipsA group of young gunmen, led by Billy the Kid, become deputies to avenge the murder of the rancher who became their benefactor. But when Billy takes their authority too far, they become the hunted.Childhood memories
I loved this movie as a kid, and I love it still. It is not a masterpiece, but it was never meant to be. It's a good entertainment with interesting interpretations of the famous names of Old West, brought on the big screen by some famous names of the new, such as Emilio Estevez, Kiefer Sutherland, Charlie Sheen, and Jack Palance. Do not expect too much, just take your popcorn and enjoy the ride.
7/10 - DirectorGeoff MurphyStarsEmilio EstevezKiefer SutherlandLou Diamond PhillipsBilly the Kid and his band of outlaws are pursued across New Mexico territory by Sheriff Pat Garrett, whom the young gunslingers must face-off with if they are to reach the safety of the border.Better than the first one
As a kid I was a huge fan of Bon Jovi and the song "Blaze of Glory" was the only reason I watched this movie. They wanted to include "Wanted Dead or Alive" on the soundtrack for this movie, but Jon thought it had inappropriate lyrics and decided to write a new song especially for "Young Guns II", a new song that became one of his greatest hits. He even has a cameo appearance in the movie, so I definitely had to see it. And I'm glad I did. This stunning Western adventure drama tells the story about Billy the Kid and Pat Garrett. It has an excellent cast, good characterization, story with depth, lots of entertaining action and awesome music, crowned with the legendary "Blaze of Glory".
8/10 - DirectorP.J. PesceStarsMarco LeonardiMichael ParksAra CeliSet 100 years ago in Mexico, this horror/western is the story of the birth of the vampire princess Santanico Pandemonium."You have no idea what you have unleashed"
After the second part, I was at the edge of giving up on the third one. But this one actually is not bad at all. It is a prequel to the original movie, it takes place about hundred years before and tells a story about the origins of Santanico Pandemonium. It is far from the complexity and quality of the first film, but at least it is obvious that Rodriguez was directly involved in making it. While he is just executive producer of the second movie, here he is also the screenwriter and, by default, it makes the movie worth watching.
6/10 - DirectorGore VerbinskiStarsJohnny DeppArmie HammerWilliam FichtnerNative American warrior Tonto recounts the untold tales that transformed John Reid, a man of the law, into a legend of justice.Western "Pirates of the Caribbean"
This is one of those movies that critics destroyed without a good reason. I read bad reviews and I cross myself with left, right and my feet. It got some bad reviews from critics so a bunch of smart-asses decided to lubricate it with their own spit. To be clear, I do not have respect for the majority of professional critics. I especially don't pay attention to negative reviews. On the contrary, they often make me want to see the movie even more. If I skipped everything critics tried to destroy I would miss a bunch of excellent movies.
They say it's not accurate. Accurate to what?! It is not a historical movie and it's not a remake. The old one was a Western classic and this one is an adventure/comedy. They criticize the quality of the screenplay and acting. Sure, no one could get an Oscar for it, but it was not the intention of this movie. This is Disney adventure with the goal to entertain, not to be Nobel prize level literature or Oscar contestant. But what shocked me the most was an argument that appeared in several negative reviews. They said this movie is essentially a Western version of "Pirates of the Caribbean" as if it were a bad thing!!! For God's sake, in what universe this could be shortcoming?! If you did not like "Pirates" why the hell did you even try to watch this? Being a Western version of "Pirates" is probably the main reason I wanted to see this and it is definitely the main reason I loved it.
I had many things to say about this movie, but, after I discovered this phrase, everything else I could possibly say becomes redundant. Those five words are absolutely perfect to describe this movie completely:
Western "Pirates of the Caribbean" equals must watch!!!
8,5/10 - DirectorSeth MacFarlaneStarsSeth MacFarlaneCharlize TheronLiam NeesonAs a cowardly farmer begins to fall for the mysterious new woman in town, he must put his newly found courage to the test when her husband, a notorious gun-slinger, announces his arrival."There is something about connecting over mutual hatred that is just so much deeper than mutual love"
Why the hell does this movie have such a low rating? Ok, it isn't a masterpiece of cinema, but they didn't intend it to be. It was made to make us laugh and I laughed a lot. For its artistic value even 6 is too much, but as a comedy it deserves at least
8/10 - DirectorQuentin TarantinoStarsSamuel L. JacksonKurt RussellJennifer Jason LeighIn the dead of a Wyoming winter, a bounty hunter and his prisoner find shelter in a cabin currently inhabited by a collection of nefarious characters.Tarantino's last movie belongs to western sub-genre known as anti- western. While classic western has clear, even black and white distinction between good and evil, where we know from the start who's good and who's bad and we are drawn to root for good guys, anti- western brings more realistic picture of Wild West. In old movies white folks are good guys and Indians are cruel primitives, or sheriff against evil gang and similar fairy-tale plots. Pretty unfair and unrealistic. Anti-western is trying to show things in shades of gray, from the "villains" point of view, making them just another people who are fighting for their spot under the sun.
This genre by itself raised up my expectations. And when you add Tarantino as writer and director, Morricone in charge of music, and in leading roles we have Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Michael Madsen, Tim Roth, this movie is masterpiece in advance. Board game "who-did- it murder mystery" played out as theater play and made into movie. Everything is played out in single room and it's based more on dialogue than action. It starts slow, gradually builds atmosphere and culminate in explosive finale. Almost everything in this movie is Oscar material, from the screenplay, scenography, camera, directing to excellent acting. Jackson is expectedly great in a role that's perfect for him, but Jennifer Jason Leigh definitely stole the movie with her absolutely magical performance. Still, movie misses "that something" for me to rate it ten out of ten.
9/10 - DirectorDavid MackenzieStarsChris PineBen FosterJeff BridgesToby is a divorced father who's trying to make a better life. His brother is an ex-con with a short temper and a loose trigger finger. Together, they plan a series of heists against the bank that's about to foreclose on their family ranch.Overrated 21st Century Western
Warning: Spoilers
I don't understand how this movie became so popular. Is it good? Yes, it is. But it's not an Oscar material. A classic western story put in the 21st century. Already seen many times, just in different scenery. It is even boring at first half. I was close to giving up on it after 45 minutes, but then I realized it is too late in the evening to start some other movie, so I finished it. And I'm not sorry that I did. But I would not watch it again for sure. I'll try to list what I think is really good about this movie. Jeff Bridges nailed his role. It is the only deserved Oscar nomination for this movie. I especially loved his "racist" jokes about Indians and Mexicans, and perfect timing for them. Jokes are good themselves, but in Jeff's interpretation, they are awesome. Further, the soundtrack is excellent. And finally, Ben Foster had a few really memorable scenes. First, when he leaves the car and goes towards persecutors, like Rambo, shooting bursts of machine gun fire. Second, the moment when he says: "Lord of the plains... that's me." and then takes a bullet in the head. Everything else is mediocre and mostly already seen.
7/10 - DirectorSergio LeoneStarsClint EastwoodGian Maria VolontèMarianne KochA wandering gunfighter plays two rival families against each other in a town torn apart by greed, pride, and revenge.The man with no name
This is the second film by Sergio Leone, one of the biggest names in the western genre, and the first film of his cult "Dollar Trilogy". It opens with an animated sequence showing contours of riders, followed with melody by legendary Ennio Morricone. The soundtrack for this movie is a masterpiece of film music that engraves itself in your mind forever. It will be outmatched in the last part of the trilogy by a similar melody, which has become one of the most famous movie compositions of all time.
Clint Eastwood is a mysterious nameless gunslinger, who comes into a town ruled by two opposed gangs. Using his incredible revolver skill, as well as intelligent intrigues and traps, he makes the gangs kill each other and wipes off the remains himself. Apparently soulless, cruel, and interested only in dollars, he still acts on the side of the good, but his character remains completely covered with the veil of the mystery. Who he is, where he comes from and what are his motives remains unknown.
The film features a mesmerizing camera and directing. Long slow shots shifts with brief flashy action scenes. The story relies more on body language and facial expression than on dialogues, and replicas are short, terse, effective and pervaded by dark humor.
10/10
Interestingly, the movie cost about $ 200,000, which is equivalent to today's million and a half, which is still a pretty small budget for one of the best movies of all time. - DirectorSergio LeoneStarsClint EastwoodLee Van CleefGian Maria VolontèTwo bounty hunters with the same intentions team up to track down a gang of outlaws led by a psychotic Mexican bandit, who is plotting an audacious bank robbery."Thought I was having trouble with my adding. It's all right now."
"Dollars" aka "Man With No Name" trilogy is considered a trilogy because all three movies are written and directed by Sergio Leone, music for all three is written by Ennio Morricone and in all Clint Eastwood is playing leading role. Also, all three are spaghetti westerns with similar theme and atmosphere. However, their stories are not connected and Eastwood plays three different characters.
This time around, Eastwood is a bounty hunter who crosses paths with his match and they together start a hunt for a notorious gang that will bring them a huge reward. The story and characters are more complex than in the first movie and you can see certain progress in many ways, but personally, I find this movie too long and somewhat diluted. The majority consider this movie to be better than "Fistful of Dollars" and I completely understand their point of view and even agree to some extent, but I can not go against my subjective impression. Although I can not point my finger and put forth solid arguments for it, "For a Few Dollars More" has left a bit weaker impression on me. While I rated its predecessor 10 out of ten, here I can not go higher than
8,5/10 - DirectorSergio LeoneStarsClint EastwoodEli WallachLee Van CleefA bounty hunting scam joins two men in an uneasy alliance against a third in a race to find a fortune in gold buried in a remote cemetery.The Good, the Better and the Best
They say nothing's perfect, there's always room for improvement. I say they never saw "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly". It's pointless for me to write about this movie, because it would be just a listing of every single aspect of it and saying it's perfect. So I'll just mention the most perfect of perfections - the music. It's not just the masterpiece among movie soundtracks, it is a legendary monument of music overall.
10/10 - DirectorSergio LeoneStarsHenry FondaCharles BronsonClaudia CardinaleA mysterious stranger with a harmonica joins forces with a notorious desperado to protect a beautiful widow from a ruthless assassin working for the railroad.Who are these people?!
Damn, I don't know where to start. First, there's no Clint Eastwood. Why the hell this movie does not have Clint Eastwood?! There's no John Wayne either. If there is neither Eastwood nor Wayne it is not Western. I mean, who are these people?! Whoever heard of Charles Bronson and Henry Fonda ?! OK, maybe true cinephiles did, but we ordinary mortals did not pay a ticket to watch some unknown faces that only fans of art drama know. Second, the story. The story is so superficial and shallow and linear that it does not hold attention for half an hour, let alone three. And not to speak about racism and sexism. All the main characters are white. Few black people appear here and there as servants and few Indians just briefly pass the screen and that's about all diversity you'll get. And not the single gay man. Leading female character is a prostitute. A prostitute is a woman they pay for sex. And this actress is so nasty that I would not touch her even if she paid me. Claudia Cardinale?! Why didn't he cast Sharon Stone or Charlize Theron to fill theaters properly. Or, even better, Laura Dern, so we can watch this instead of porn. No, he cast some grandma born in '38, my goodness. And this Morricone is all the same. The fourth film in a row he can not think of nothing new, so he steals music from the commercials. And the one with the harmonica that knows only two tones. He could have learned at least one decent song if he wanted to play a musician. I mean, really...
I'm sorry. I read bullshit reviews every day for years and I just had to try. I saw "Dollar Trilogy" several times and I was sure it is a peak of the genre. And until now, when I'm almost forty, I didn't realize I haven't seen "Once Upon a Time in the West". This movie could be added as the fourth part of the "trilogy". Instead of Eastwood, Wallach and Van Cleef here we have Fonda, Robards and Bronson, but although I personally prefer the first three, I must admit that these are no worse. Leone and Morricone managed to maintain the standard that they set up by the "trilogy", and the story, although significantly different than in a trilogy, is no less complex and brutal. For my taste, three hours is a bit too much, but the film is not boring for a moment, and Claudia Cardinale I could easily watch for six hours. However, I have to distance it from "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" at least a bit, so I rate it
9,5/10 - DirectorSergio LeoneStarsRod SteigerJames CoburnRomolo ValliA low-life bandit and an I.R.A. explosives expert rebel against the government and become heroes of the Mexican Revolution.You're a grand hero of the revolution now
"I know what I am talking about when I am talking about revolutions. The people who read the books go to the people who can't read the books, the poor people, and say, 'We have to have a change.' So, the poor people make the change. And then, the people who read the books, they all sit around the big polished tables, and they talk and talk and talk and eat and eat and eat. But what has happened to the poor people? They are dead! That's your revolution! So, please, don't tell me about revolutions. And what happens afterwards? The same fucking thing starts all over again!"
From the very beginning, the film will shamelessly attract your attention. It is opened by the close-up of the urine stream, drowning insects on the tree. Close-up shots on details, especially the face and eyes, are a kind of trademark of Sergio Leone, and he uses them skillfully and frequently to show the atmosphere and more accurately depict the psychological state of his characters. For the fifth consecutive time, music was entrusted to the legendary Ennio Morricone, but it is so different from the music in the previous films that by style I would never have thought that Morricone was in question. Moreover, it did not fit in with the movie, and it irritated me so much that I was tempted to watch the film without sound.
This time, instead of a gunslinger, the main character is an explosive specialist, an Irish revolutionary who is forced to leave his homeland, and goes to join the revolutionaries in Mexico. Along the way, he meets Mexican bandit and tricks him into joining him and helping the cause. Although it definitely is Western, this film greatly differs from the classic representatives of the genre, because it is also socially and politically colored war drama, as well as a psychological study of morality, family, friendship and searching for oneself. The presence of humor somewhat dilutes the rather heavy atmosphere of the film and makes it, in my opinion, much more relaxed than this story deserves, but also significantly more fun.
The biggest drawbacks of this film are John's flashbacks, which, although they support the characterization of his character, completely derail the movie from its path, and the last one, in my opinion, is unnecessarily disgusting and more appropriate to some pathetic romantic drama than the war western, as well as totally inappropriate music, which may not be bad in itself, but it does not fit in this movie. If not for flashbacks and music, this movie would stand shoulder to shoulder with other Leone's masterpieces, but these two flaws totally ruined the overall impression.
7,5/10 - DirectorJimmy HaywardStarsJosh BrolinMegan FoxJohn MalkovichThe U.S. military makes a scarred bounty hunter with warrants on his own head an offer he cannot refuse: in exchange for his freedom, he must stop a terrorist who is ready to unleash Hell on Earth.Megan Fox alone is worth more than 4,7/10
"Jonah Hex" is an adaptation of DC graphic novel. I didn't read it, but the movie definitely has a comic-book story and comic-book atmosphere. In an interesting way, it combines the superhero genre, by which DC and Marvel are known, with Western, and the features of both genres are individually obvious, but also perfectly integrated into a whole that works quite naturally.
Josh Brolin is Jonah Hex, a former war hero, to whom a tragedy from the past gave some supernatural abilities and turned him into a bounty hunter. He somewhat resembles Clint Eastwood in Leone's "trilogy", though he is much darker and, while for Eastwood we can argue whether he is a hero or antihero, with Hex there is no such dilemma. Leone's influence, besides characterization of the protagonist, is also felt in directing, and some of the frames are an obvious homage to Leone. The main villains are interpreted by John Malkovich and Michael Fassbender, so the level of acting shouldn't be doubted. The leading and practically the only female role is entrusted to Megan Fox. Now, I wouldn't go into her acting skills, but I would gladly... Since she was 24 years old and was in the role of a prostitute, it is a pity that the film is PG-13.
The film has no dialogue or replicas worthy of attention and humor can be found only in trace amounts, but everything else is in the range from satisfactory to fantastic. This supernatural anti-hero western has an interesting and nicely developed story with well-measured pace, compelling characters, appropriate music, a great camera, some beautiful shots, striking colors, good direction, a strong cast, and I do not understand at all why the ratings and reviews are so catastrophically bad. Fortunately, I do not have much confidence in the ratings on the movie sites, because otherwise 4.7/10 on IMDb and Metascore 33 would probably turn me away from watching and I would miss a movie I utterly enjoyed. Usually, I like to read a couple of reviews that praise the film, and a few that spit on it, but this time I am really not in the least interested in the arguments of the haters. As far as I'm concerned, screw them, I'm rating it
8/10 - DirectorQuentin TarantinoStarsJamie FoxxChristoph WaltzLeonardo DiCaprioWith the help of a German bounty-hunter, a freed slave sets out to rescue his wife from a brutal plantation owner in Mississippi.Auf Wiedersehen
My day usually looks like this - I get up about half-past seven, work all day, get back home completely beaten, eat something and then watch a ninety-minute movie, and I fall asleep at the half. Today I woke up at four AM, worked all day, got back home more beaten than usual, are something, played three hours log movie, and I saw it through without blinking. Enough said. I wonder if Tarantino knows how to make a movie that is not fantastic. So far, I didn't rate any below nine out of ten. I will not analyze this one because it is perfect in every aspect. I just want to mention the music. The music is, in my opinion, totally inappropriate for the genre, place and time in which the story is set, and often for what is happening on the screen, and it very distinctly stands out from the film. On the other hand, music is excellent and fiercely enhances the effect of the film. The music is in a perfectly harmonious discord. Madness.
10/10 - DirectorGeorge Roy HillStarsPaul NewmanRobert RedfordKatharine RossIn 1890s Wyoming, Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid lead a band of outlaws. When a train robbery goes wrong, they find themselves on the run with a posse hard on their heels. After considering their options, they escape to South America."You just keep thinkin', Butch. That's what you're good at."
You can find this biographical Western on many lists of the best movies of all time and it holds the 219th place on IMDb Top 250 list. The film tells the story of two legendary robbers and gunmen who were harassing the Wild West at the beginning of the last century. The sister of the real Butch Cassidy attended the shooting and was thrilled by how scenario and Paul Newman faithfully portray her brother. Technically, the film has no obvious shortcomings, Paul Newman and Robert Redford are excellent, and the rest of the cast are on the level too. The music is unusual for this genre, but very good and it won an Oscar. The film is an adventure crime drama, but it has a strong comic note, masterfully measured to be extremely fun but it does not escape into comedy. The strongest trump is certainly well-written dialogues that, although humorous and witty, serve not only as "comic relief," but primarily for the characterization. In every respect, this is a great film, but still, it did not leave such a powerful impression that I would rank it at the very top of world cinema.
8/10 - DirectorJohn HustonStarsHumphrey BogartWalter HustonTim HoltTwo down-on-their-luck Americans searching for work in 1920s Mexico convince an old prospector to help them mine for gold in the Sierra Madre Mountains."Ah, as long as there's no find, the noble brotherhood will last. But when the piles of gold begin to grow... that's when the trouble starts."
I'm left speechless. This movie is perfect. John Huston did an awesome job researching background for this movie, writing the screenplay and directing one of the best movies of all time. He won two Oscars for the same movie and his father got the third one. Walter Huston is one of the best actors of his time and, though he had a supporting role, he stole the movie from much more famous Bogart. To be honest, Bogart deserves Oscar for this movie too and Holt is not far behind either. I cannot recall last time I saw a movie whom I cannot find any faults. Although the story has a very complex and deep characterization, all roles are perfectly played and overall atmosphere of the movie is simply magical. It sucked me in completely and two hours just flew in a blink of an eye. The ending is karmically perfect. It gives us innuendo of how stories of our heroes end and more than anything I wished to see those endings, but instead I got only ending credits. Happy endings are left to our imaginations.
One of the very best movies I ever saw. Pure 10/10.
"You know, the worst ain't so bad when it finally happens. Not half as bad as you figure it'll be before it's happened." - DirectorJim JarmuschStarsJohnny DeppGary FarmerCrispin GloverOn the run after murdering a man, accountant William Blake encounters a strange Native American man named Nobody who prepares him for his journey into the spiritual world.Hypnotizing dream
Fantastic choice of actors, led by Johnny Depp, perfectly portraying a man who slowly crosses to the other side and blends with the nature on his last journey, and Gary Farmer, who brings some colour into this black and white masterpiece. Jarmusch overcame himself in this movie. Beautiful black and white cadres followed by Neil Young's hypnotizing guitar make us slip into a trance and drag us in another world, where we peacefully flow towards the end. The story is deep and sad, violent and romantic, at the same time full of death and full of life. The best performances of both Jarmusch and Young mixed together in one of the best movies of all time. It simply has no flaws at all.
10/10 - DirectorGyörgy PálfiStarsIsabelle AdjaniAnouk AiméeWoody AllenA simple yet timeless love story between a man and a woman, told using scenes edited together from hundreds of other films."Umro je drug Tito"
One of the most original films I've ever seen is composed entirely of scenes stolen from other films. Hungarian director György Pálfi has made a universal romantic drama, skillfully and humorously combining clips from several hundred films, so black and white and color scenes, different genres and shooting techniques, actors, locations and epochs, rapidly alternate before our eyes, all followed by nicely blended music, also borrowed from other films and series. Clips were reportedly downloaded from torrent sites and, in order to avoid copyright lawsuits, the film was published as educational material by the Hungarian University of Film and Theater. It may seem confusing and even unwatchable at first, but do not let it deter you, because you will get used to it very quickly and after a few minutes you will no longer need extra concentration. The idea is ingenious, a realization hypnotizing, and I am afraid to even speculate how extensive his knowledge of world cinema is, as well as how much time and patience it took to assemble and edit this madness. Even if we disregard all the other qualities, the effort itself deserves a maximum rating. Bravo!
10/10 - DirectorEdgar WrightStarsGraham LowMartin CurtisOli van der VijverA comic western about a cowboy who seeks a wanted and evil man who caused for the death of his beloved horse Easy."The greatest western ever made...in Somerset"
Edgar Wright's official directorial debut, because for some mysterious reason his high school "Dead Right" doesn't count, is a parody of the spaghetti westerns, with an obvious emphasis on Leone, Eastwood, and even Morricone's music. The film is low(no)budget and the actors are amateur kids, as is the author himself, but you can already see all the elements that characterize his future masterpieces. From his trademark parody stories, through completely wacky characters and silly dialogues, to specific directing and editing, and refined sense of rhythm and detail. The humor is very reminiscent of Monty Python and, although it has some good and original jokes, it is mostly worn out and forced, but when you take into account the age, (in)experience and budget of the author, this film is astonishingly good.
7/10 - DirectorJohn FordStarsJames StewartJohn WayneVera MilesA senator returns to a Western town for the funeral of an old friend and tells the story of his origins."Nothing's too good for the man who shot Liberty Valance."
The nineteenth in a series of films that John Wayne made with John Ford is not a classic western in which the black-and-white division into good and evil forces us to cheer for good guys. "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" is an anti-western or post-western, a subgenre that abandons the division into black and white and shows the Wild West in shades of gray. As this is one of the first films in this subgenre, we still have good and bad guys here, but they are shown much more realistically than in the classic western. Good guys have their bad sides and hidden intentions, while the bad ones have a well-developed motivation for their deeds, which, although it does not justify them, at least makes us understand them and allows us to look at things from their perspective.
The movie shows the modernization of the Wild West, which is slowly ceasing to be a wilderness ruled by the law of the stronger. Instead of cowboys vs. Indians, here we have a conflict of morals and laws against gunslinger lifestyle. While most of the characters still stick to the tested recipe of the classic western, John Wayne's character has tried a more realistic approach to characterization, and the hero we are used to is starting to show the characteristics of an anti-hero.
The story is interesting and tries its hand at non-linearity, but for my taste too simple and naive. A limited budget forced Ford to shoot in the studio, so the film, limited to four walls, lost the visual impressiveness typical of westerns. And James Stewart is too old for his role so much that at times it's ridiculous. With due respect to the idea behind this film and the influence it left on the genre, I think it is quite overrated, but it is definitely worth a look.
7,5/10 - DirectorRobert AltmanStarsWarren BeattyJulie ChristieRene AuberjonoisA gambler and a prostitute become business partners in a remote Old West mining town, and their enterprise thrives until a large corporation arrives on the scene."Sometimes, when I take a look at you, I just keep looking and looking. I wanna feel your little body up against me so bad, I think I'm gonna bust... You're freezing my soul, that's what you're doing."
The story of a gambler and a prostitute who, in a remote settlement somewhere in the Wild West, manage an elite brothel in partnership, until capitalists far above their level interfere. Altman's revisionist western (or anti-western) is more of a life drama and tragic romance set in the Wild West than a western in the classical sense. The fight of heroic cowboys against evil and primitive Indians is replaced by the fight of anti-heroes, small entrepreneurs against corporate capital, and instead of good and bad guys, we have real convincing people with whom we can more easily identify. And the environment itself ceases to be a fairy-tale town on the prairie, instead of which Altman portrays the harsh living conditions of the American Northwest at the time. Everything in this film leaves a realistic impression, from the environment, the characters, and their development, the story itself, to the pace at which it takes place. And the strong emotion that permeates it is further enhanced by the beautiful songs of Leonard Cohen. If you are looking for magical landscapes, constant action and gunfights, heroes and their heroines, and the inevitable happy ending, this film is not for you. But if you like a solid drama that shows life as it really is and that does not hide the flaws of individuals and society under the carpet, you will enjoy it.
7,5/10 - DirectorWilliam A. WellmanStarsHenry FondaDana AndrewsMary Beth HughesWhen a posse captures three men suspected of killing a local farmer, they become strongly divided over whether or not to lynch the men."12 Angry Men" of Wild West
More drama than a western, this film is about a murder and the posse which caught the wrong man and is now trying to decide whether to hang him immediately or bring him to trial. All the evidence points to guilt, but suspicion is ubiquitous, because the defendant seems innocent and has good arguments. Neither guilt nor innocence can be proven on the spot and the final decision depends more on the character of the people in pursuit than on the facts available. The film lasts a little more than an hour and stands out only with diversity and good characterization of the characters, but a story like this doesn't need anything else.
8/10 - DirectorClint EastwoodStarsClint EastwoodGene HackmanMorgan FreemanRetired Old West gunslinger William Munny reluctantly takes on one last job, with the help of his old partner Ned Logan and a young man, The "Schofield Kid.""Dedicated to Sergio and Don"
Eastwood's homage to his roots in Leone's trilogy is the third western ever to win an Oscar for Best Picture. Eastwood's directing, for which he also won an Oscar, is impeccable, and as far as his character and acting are concerned, I had the impression that I was watching the fourth sequel to the trilogy. Apart from playing practically the same character, improved by age and experience, this is also a revisionist or anti-western, even more serious and darker than Leone's. The film tells the story of a middle-aged widower and father of two small children, once an unscrupulous gunslinger with a scary reputation, who, after more than a decade of peaceful farming, embarks on another, last bounty hunt, questioning his own life and personality while karma collects old debts. Eastwood was also nominated for the Best Actor in a Leading Role, but this Oscar deservedly went into the hands of Al Pacino for "The Scent of a Woman". Morgan Freeman played his partner expectedly well, and Gene Hackman took the Oscar for Best Actor in a Supporting Role, the role of a local sheriff trying to stop them. The film is distinguished by excellent characterization, even of the supporting characters, powerful and believable life drama, and beautiful cinematography, where almost every frame is a perfect art photograph, accompanied by a great sound.
10/10 - DirectorAnthony MannStarsJames StewartShelley WintersDan DuryeaA cowboy's obsession with a stolen rifle leads to a bullet-ridden odyssey through the American West.This is the story of the Winchester Rifle Model 1873, "The gun that won the West." To cowman, outlaw, peace officer or soldier, the Winchester '73 was a treasured possession. An Indian would sell his soul to own one.
Although without any awards, "Winchester '73" is considered a film that revived the western genre and restored its popularity. It is the first of five westerns that James Stewart shot with director Anthony Mann. Stewart wanted to change the direction of his career and try his hand at a macho role. This initiative provoked ridicule, but Stewart's performance allegedly proved that he is capable of such roles. I say "allegedly" because he was totally unconvincing to me and I think he's quite a miscast for this role. Maybe some of the remaining four make me change my mind, if I find will to watch them at all. The film itself is a classic western cliché, with perhaps a couple of interesting moments and, although I was not bored, it did not leave a particular impression. It was originally supposed to be directed by Fritz Lang and I'm sincerely sorry it wasn't. I would love to see that version.
6/10 - DirectorAlejandro G. IñárrituStarsLeonardo DiCaprioTom HardyWill PoulterA frontiersman on a fur trading expedition in the 1820s fights for survival after being mauled by a bear and left for dead by members of his own hunting team."As long as you can still grab a breath, you fight. You breathe... keep breathing."
I saw all of Iñárritu's feature films. This is one of the few directors where I have not encountered variations in quality. In all of his films, Iñárritu's determined directing keeps things firmly under control and he knows exactly what he wants, from beginning to end. There is also brutal realism, without embellishment, as well as seismic human drama, which excellent actors convincingly bring to life for us. His films are great in all aspects, but they lack "that something" to be timeless masterpieces.
The plot is set in the Wild West from the beginning of the nineteenth century. A group of fur hunters deep in Indian territory is forced to leave the fruits of hard work and flee. Surrounded by bloodthirsty natives, they retreat across an inhospitable mountain, where their guide is butchered to the brink of death by a bear. The terrain is such that they cannot carry him, and if they wait for him to recover or die, they could all die. Therefore, they leave three volunteers behind to escort the wounded man on his last journey and bury him with dignity. The man on the verge of death refuses to die much longer than they expected, so one of the volunteers, in fear for his own life, kills the other and tricks the third to leave the wounded and hurry home. However, the wounded man, in spite of all probability, overcomes death (then and on several other occasions during the film) and, although in agony, manages to travel a long way, returns to home fortification, and even goes in pursuit of the man who betrayed him.
The story itself is way over the top and there is no chance that anyone, except perhaps Superman, could survive everything that happened to Leonardo DiCaprio in this movie, and in the end, even go back to the wilderness in pursuit of revenge. Despite that, Leonardo presented this fight for survival incredibly convincingly and deservedly won the Oscar, which had eluded him for so long, even though he deserved it at least a few times before. For the role of the main villain, Tom Hardy was nominated for an Oscar for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role. When we add to that the more than deserved Oscars for cinematography and directing, we get two and a half hours of mesmerizing adventure (although the word adventure sounds a bit inappropriate to me), which, despite the very slow pace, will keep you pinned to the screen.
8,5/10 - DirectorAlejandro JodorowskyStarsAlejandro JodorowskyBrontis JodorowskyJosé LegarretaA mysterious black-clad gunfighter wanders a mystical Western landscape encountering multiple bizarre characters.Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do
The film that made Jodorowsky famous deserves a serious review. I am not capable of writing it, because this is my first encounter with Jodorowsky, and this completely crazy western left me speechless for quite a while.
Jodorowsky is a poet, writer, screenwriter, actor, director, musician, painter, comic book artist, sculptor, and even a clown, still active at the age of 92. You can imagine what we can expect from a person like this. In fact, you can't. I don't think anyone expected a movie like "El Topo".
The story is set somewhere on Weird West and follows a lone gunslinger, who is a combination of Leone's Man with No Name and Jesus from "The Last Temptation of Christ", played by Jodorowsky himself.
In the first part of the film, he returns to the village with his seven-year-old son (played by Jodorowsky's son) and finds a massacre. He sets out in pursuit of the perpetrators and finds them in a Franciscan monastery, terrorizing monks. He kills them all and keeps for himself the wife of their leader, leaving his son to the monks.
At the urging of a new woman, he sets out in search of the four best desert revolvers, in order to defeat them, prove that he is the best, and win the woman's favor. He cheats and succeeds, but his woman betrays him and leaves with another, leaving him wounded in the desert.
In my opinion, here is one of the best scenes in the film. The woman's lover shoots him four times, one bullet in both palms and both feet, which symbolizes Jesus' wounds from the nails, and then his woman betrays him, finishing him with a bullet in the side.
In the second part of the film, he is found by a group of deformed dwarves, who live in a deep cave below the mountain. When they nurtured him to full strength, he decides to repay them by digging a tunnel that will connect them with the nearby town. His now-grown son returns to the story. He wants to kill the father, but allows him to complete the tunnel first. But, it turns out that the city is a decadent and in every way perverted place, which will not welcome newcomers with open arms.
The timeline of the story is totally vague and abstract, and the story itself, taken literally, does not make much sense, but is more symbolic. I have no problem with the symbols in the film, when they fit well into the story, but there are only symbols here, and the whole film is one big allegory about sin and redemption.
Apart from El Topo, the characters are not particularly developed and their stories do not intertwine, but our anti-hero meets them one by one or in small groups and their screen-time is rather short. However, that doesn't make them any less impressive, because they are all quite original and extremely bizarre.
Visually, "El Topo" is excellently shot and has a mesmerizing surreal atmosphere, but the scenes captured in these art photographs are not for everyone's stomach. "El Topo" is extremely explicit in depicting nudity, perversions, mental and physical abuse, killing and massacre, which definitely do not lack imagination in the ways they try to turn your stomach upside down. There are freaks, both physical and mental, rapes, incest, and even scenes that would be condemned today as child pornography. And yet, all those situations and the general atmosphere are so surreal that it makes them silly, at times even funny, in a Monty Python way.
General impression - wtf I just watched?!!! "El Topo" kept my undivided attention, I laughed a little, at times it was a little tense, and mostly my jaw dragged on the floor in disbelief. There is a message and a moral, those who are more sensitive may find some human warmth, it is well shot, but you will not find a coherent story here. A warm recommendation to fans of acid western and bizarre art film in general, but the mainstream audience should better skip it.
7/10 - DirectorJohn LandisStarsSteve MartinChevy ChaseMartin ShortThree actors accept an invitation to a Mexican village to perform their onscreen bandit fighter roles, unaware that it is the real thing."You son of a motherless goat!"
Three silent Western stars lose their jobs and accept an invitation to perform a show in a remote Mexican village, unaware that there is a misunderstanding and that they are actually expected to fend off an attack by a real gang of gunmen.
John Landis' ("The Blues Brothers") parody of the Western genre, with an accent on "The Magnificent Seven", is by no means a masterpiece of the seventh art, but it is a masterpiece of lighthearted comedy of its time, a film that does not take itself seriously. Without the profanity and forced humor that are increasingly the basis of comedies of recent date, "Three Amigos!" combines slapstick gags, witty remarks, and humor suitable for all ages into a relaxing film for the whole family.
Steve Martin, Chevy Chase, and Martin Short give us no more and no less than we've come to expect from them, entertaining performances, without much to praise or complain about. Good music (Elmer Bernstein, who also did music for "The Magnificent Seven"), a relaxed and cheerful atmosphere even, if not especially, in "tense" situations, a couple of absurd and a few really hilarious moments, make this movie a classic of the eighties.
If I were to rate it from the perspective of an elementary school student, which I was when I first watched it, it would be a straight ten, but if I suppress the nostalgia and try to maintain objectivity, I think it's realistic to rate it
7/10 - DirectorKathryn BigelowStarsAdrian PasdarJenny WrightLance HenriksenA small-town farmer's son reluctantly joins a traveling group of vampires after he is bitten by a beautiful drifter.Dyin' for a bite
Screenwriter and director Kathryn Bigelow intended to make a western, but since westerns were not particularly popular in the eighties, she decided to mix it with horror. She was not wrong. In a sea of similar vampire movies of the time, this one stands out with ... well, practically everything. Instead of a clichéd vampire horror, we got a Western drama, with an almost noir atmosphere, good music (Tangerine Dream), strong emotion, and striking characters. It is interesting that the leading duo (Adrian Pasdar and Jenny Wright) are supported by a cast (Lance Henriksen, Bill Paxton, and Jenette Goldstein) simply taken from the movie "Aliens" (1986), thanks to James Cameron, whom Bigelow soon married. It would be unfair not to mention here the outstanding performance of Joshua John Miller. Overall, a warm recommendation.
8/10