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The Homesman (2014)
Tommy Lee takes an ego trip.
I think the world of Hillary Swank and can't imagine why she would have accepted a part like this. Tommy Lee just used her and the other stars appearing in cameos to enhance this immature ego trip of his. The part of Mary Bee is played beautifully by Hillary Swank and one can only wonder why any of the male characters wouldn't be knocking her door down, instead TLJ tries to convince us that these dirt poor farmers would prefer to send back East for a younger more attractive mate - they can't all be that stupid Tommy Lee. Well you probably know the premise of the film so I won't go into that but I will say that there were far too many unnecessary violent and cruel things to witness in order to establish that Tommy Lee was tougher and smarter than just about anyone else around and that everyone he faced was a two-dimensional cartoon like character with the exception of Mary Bee. How on earth do you expect an audience to believe that this amazingly wise,competent and talented rancher/farmer/homemaker/religious/moral woman would commit suicide before completing a mission she committed to? What an utter disappointment this movie was. By the way - I have never been so moved to write a review as with this dog of a movie and I feel it's because Tommy Lee Jones is one of those Hollywood stars who is so narcissistic that he's mesmerized by his own reflection.
All the Way Home (1963)
Would Love to see this again!
I caught this movie on TV many years ago and was so touched by it I wish it was available on DVD but sadly it seems to be one of those movies that disappears into the ether. Strangely enough the people who make the decisions as to what to program on broadcast and cable and those who market DVDs etc. are in lockstep with one another, offering the big hits and so called "classics" as well as truckloads of trash from the last quarter century. This film is an adaptation of James Agee's "A Death in the Family" and is beautifully filmed and acted and it's one of those films that seems somehow better on the home screen because of it's intimacy. If you think as highly of Robert Preston as I do you must see his performance in this movie.
The Winslow Boy (1999)
Superb, story, direction, performances.
Subtlety, restraint and reserve are the hallmarks of this beautifully crafted version of a classic piece of theater. The characters are all flawlessly created by a cast of brilliant actors. Jeremy Northam is amazing in everything he does but never better than in this film where he plays a politician who takes the case with reservations and then sticks with it risking his own future by his courageous stand in defense of a young boy who seems guilty but swears he is innocent. The sacrifices each person in the family makes to uphold the family honor and name is an inspiration and the sexual chemistry between Jeremy Northam's character and that of Catherine Winslow who plays the feminist older sister of the title character is like a smoldering ember about to burst into flame.