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Reviews
Dead for a Dollar (2022)
B List Western with A List Actors
Walter Hill has always had an interesting directing style, at least in regards to westerns. I was flipping through his credentials and realized I happen to have seen just about every thing he has done in the genre. He has off beat transitions and will sometimes cut a scene abruptly, just when you might want to learn more about a character. He uses grainy, black and white, almost home video quality footage for flash backs. Anyone who has seen Wild Bill know what I'm talking about. This movie moves at a much better pace than that film.
I think Hill had a budget and used it to his advantage. The whole thing does feel like a longer and more violent episode of a TV western. He uses almost a sepia tone, likely to make up for the cheap sets.
The acting is good all around. The story isn't bad. There's a few storylines going at once and all building to a final confrontation. The gunfights are alright. A little underwhelming at the end. Benjamin Bratt plays a good villain.
Overall, I think fans of westerns would not be disappointed. Neither would they be blown away. The caliber of actors elevates it above your standard direct-to-video release. Hill's unique style gives it some added flavor as well. It might not be a western you'll rewatch again and again, but it's not bad. I'd say it's even better than some bigger budget westerns that have come out recently, or at least has more originality.
One random thing that bothered me is the film is supposed to be set in Mexico and the towns look very much like Anglo-American settlements. A little more adobe and Spanish architecture would leant a touch more authenticity. Again, I think Hill was working with what he had. It's an average to slightly above average western. 6/10.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (2022)
Episode 1 Review - Not so bad
People like to pick things apart nowadays. This show really isn't as bad as the negative reviews would have you believe.
Visually, it is in keeping with the original LOTR trilogy. The costumes and sets and very good. There is a good balance of practical effects and CGI. They didn't get lazy like the Hobbit trilogy and basically end up making a cartoon with people standing in the foreground.
There's a lot going on in the first episode for sure. So yeah, it's a little clunky. A lot of jumping from place to place and introducing characters. That said, I didn't find myself all that bothered by it. Seemed necessary to set up the show.
The acting is good. I didn't find Galadriel to be as wooden as others had described. Episode 1 is just scratching the surface with the characters, so I don't see how people can be so immediately disappointed with them.
I'm not a Tolkien historian. I've read the LOTR trilogy and the Hobbit. I'm not very familiar with the broader history of middle earth. So I don't really know enough to be able to pick apart what is happening and whether or not it is accurate.
I loved the LOTR movies and thought Jackson phoned in The Hobbit. This is much closer to the LOTR trilogy. I think fans of those films will enjoy this, based on episode one. Hopefully it gets better and better...
Alamo: The Price of Freedom (1988)
Excellent Alamo movie
At only 45 minutes long, this still remains one of the better Alamo films. The scenery is breathtaking, especially on IMAX. The costumes are great and probably the most historically accurate ones put on screen. Casey Biggs is the standout as Travis. Bowie and Crockett get less screen time in comparison. Don Swayze also gives a good performance as James Butler Bonham. The theme music is excellent and the battle sequences are well done. It's got a tear-jerker montage of an ending. A great piece of history that isn't told enough and is rarely as told as well as it is here. Highly recommended.