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6 votes
Before they were stars (21 items)
list by JR1220
Published 9 years, 6 months ago 1 comment
Pre Code Gems (3 items)
Movie list by JR1220
Last updated 3 weeks ago
Spectacular Soundtracks (1 item)
Movie list by JR1220
Last updated 3 months, 1 week ago
From Page to Screen (3 items)
Movie list by JR1220
Last updated 3 months, 2 weeks ago
Magnificent Musicals (1 item)
Movie list by JR1220
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Recent reviews

All reviews - Movies (32) - TV Shows (4) - DVDs (1) - Books (3) - Music (1)

Harper review

Posted : 1 day, 9 hours ago on 25 July 2024 05:57 (A review of Harper)

What better (or perhaps worse, depending on your sensibilities) guide through the Southern California of the mid 1960s than Paul Newman's rough around the edges, but charming nonetheless, Lew Harper. The titular character is back on the case for an acerbic woman of means played by the legendary Lauren Becall. She's desperate to find her husband, who has gone missing, but we get a sense that she doesn't care either way.
Through the case, like all good noir cases, we are along for the ride in Harper's Porsche 356 Speedster, which, like Harper, is dinged up a bit and has some damage to the driver's side panels. Apropos, yes?
Newman seems to be having a great time in this role, and like any good Private Eye, is cool as a cucumber. He'll do whatever it takes, short of romancing an aging movie star, to visiting a religious order up in the hills, in order to get just the right clue to unravel this case.
Harper has a "deep bench" of talent, too, with wonderful performances from Janet Leigh, Robert Wagner, Julie Harris, Arthur Hill, Shelly Winters, and Strother Martin, who was paired up with Newman on four excellent motion pictures in the past.
Harper is an enjoyable ride, and seemed to capture the excitement of that era quite nicely.


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The Mission review

Posted : 1 day, 9 hours ago on 25 July 2024 05:51 (A review of The Mission)

This outstanding film was a feast for the senses. We are transported back to South America in the 1750s and experience both the promise of a community based on love and the basest tragedies of colonialism. Raw performances from some of the greatest actors and actors of a generation as well as supporting roles that match the intensity throughout. All of this paired with exquisite cinematography, which earned Chris Menges his second well deserved Academy Award at the 1987 Oscars.
A film worthy of your time for the beauty and powerful messages.


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Grease 2 review

Posted : 1 day, 9 hours ago on 25 July 2024 05:51 (A review of Grease 2)

Do you know what? This is a movie musical, and by and large, the music and dance numbers are pretty fun.
Most certainly, this doesn't have the legendary status of the original, but there were several moments where the writers and Director "flipped the script" and provided some surprises for us. For example, The T birds were in a locker room and instead of having them spy on classmates of the opposite sex, like many "teenage sex comedies" of the era, they were doing research on their rivals as they rehearsed for the talent show. I found that refreshing.


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Madame Web review

Posted : 1 day, 9 hours ago on 25 July 2024 05:50 (A review of Madame Web)

Madame Web is fun, from a certain angle, and it most certainly didn't deserve all the hate from critics AND the members of the cast.
Flaws, sure, but that's a reflection of life, no? We are all flawed. We are all products of multi-million dollar budgets and hundreds of people pursuing one goal - to get a motion picture to the big screen, and subsequent streaming service.
As for Dakota Johnson's performance as Cassie Webb, I completely understand her indifference thoroughout 90% of the movie. In her mind, her mother drug her along, albeit in utereo, to the Amazon to study spiders and got herself killed for her troubles. That's some heavy duty trauma to dump on a kid. No wonder she is a "tough hang" as Jason Mantzoukas described her in the podcast "How Did This Get Made?"
And let's give a nod to the three young adults that Cassie has been tasked to protect. Sydney Sweeney, Celeste O'Connor, and Isabela Merced were all believable in their respective roles as snarky, know-it-all, and/or indifferent teenagers.
Is this Citizen Kane? Nah. Is it silly escapist fun? Of course.
Oh, and Adam Scott is in it, and that's worth at LEAST 1/2 a star.


Madame Web is fun, from a certain angle, and it most certainly didn't deserve all the hate from critics AND the members of the cast.

wait, I think I already said that. Deja vu!


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We're Not Married! review

Posted : 1 day, 9 hours ago on 25 July 2024 05:49 (A review of We're Not Married!)

An interesting concept, and some fun surprises sprinkled throughout, but it was missing "something."
The best of the five stories was the final one which involved Mitzi Gaynor and Eddie Bracken as they pulled out all the stops to get married before he had to ship out. That was heartfelt and seemed to have the highest stakes. All told, this was another solid collection of talent overall


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The Seven Year Itch review

Posted : 1 day, 9 hours ago on 25 July 2024 05:48 (A review of The Seven Year Itch)

First off, even with the iconic scene of Marilyn Monroe and "the dress," this one fell short of expectations, mostly because of our sad sack protagonist played by Tom Ewell. His inner monologues said out loud seemed to be a weak choice. Richard is unlikable and way too nebbish to hold his own as the lead, even though he made this a hit on Broadway. The only interesting things about him are when he drifts into the various dream sequences.
What's more, the supporting cast, by and large, stole the scenes from him quite often. "Richard's" wife Helen, played by Evelyn Keyes, had some fun moments during two surprising dream sequences and Robert Strauss as the handyman, understood his role. And then there's Marilyn, known only as "The Girl," who really provided most of the laughs. Her timing and and physical comedy was a breath of fresh air amidst all of Ewell's hand wringing.
I'm giving an extra half a point simply for providing a glimpse of New York's original Pennsylvania Station just eight years prior to her destruction. The sequence, at the beginning of the movie, was far too short, but it was appreciated. While I'm glad I was able to finally view this one, it's certainly not up to the quality of Billy Wilder's other classics.


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American Fiction review

Posted : 1 day, 9 hours ago on 25 July 2024 05:46 (A review of American Fiction)

I remember seeing the trailer for American Fiction over a year ago and thinking this was a biting take on the state of publishing today and while I had an idea of where they were going, this far exceeded every expectation. Jeffrey Wright is, once again, such an exceptional talent and handles the role of an exasperated author with deft hands. Wright's " Thelonious 'Monk' Ellison" is joined by a cast of characters where each performance is as strong as the next. His siblings, portrayed by Tracee Ellis Ross and Sterling K. Brown provide a much needed counter balance to Monk's uptight and pretentious demeanor. Monk's mother is played by the legendary Leslie Uggams, in a heartbreaking role, but underscores an issue that many families are navigating. American Fiction is tackles race, family, loss, and the frustration of the creative process in a cynical world. It hits on many levels and most people in the audience will find something to take away from it.


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Miller's Crossing review

Posted : 1 day, 9 hours ago on 25 July 2024 05:45 (A review of Miller's Crossing)

"Hey Tom, what's the rumpus?"

First off, the casting of Marcia Gay Harden as Verna should be studied in film schools across the country. Her portrayal of a tough as nails woman with a "complicated" past is exquisite and she elevates every scene she's part of.
As for the rest of this cast of characters, like all other Coen Brothers movies, there is an embarrassment of riches all the way down the call sheet.
Gabriel Byrne as Tom is the second in command to the legendary Albert Finney, who lords over an organized crime empire. But like any "outfit," there are cracks, double-crosses, and shifting sands of loyalty.
Verna's brother Bernie, played by the impeccible John Turturro, is a bit of a skofflaw and is just asking to be wiped out by both sides. His performance is riviting from the first time we meet him until the final reels.
Joh Polito, as rival boss Johnny Caspar, is electric, and provides a nice blend of friendly banter along with an explosive rage of a man ready to sieze control of the empire.
Finney is the rock as Leo, who seems to have everything under control and friends and foe alike speak about him in reverant tones. His main action set piece in the middle of the movie is like nothing I've ever watched in this genre.
I've been aware of this one for many years, and I'm a little frustrated that I haven't seen it before now. Would have really enjoyed seeing this on the big screen in order to soak in the Depression Era sets and feel the impact of the action sequences. This one takes its time and the Coens trust the audience to go along for the bumpy ride.


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Diamonds Are Forever review

Posted : 1 day, 9 hours ago on 25 July 2024 05:44 (A review of Diamonds Are Forever)

I was thinking back to my first interactions with the James Bond franchise, and I landed on For Your Eyes Only from 1981, which was made all the more memorable because Mad Magazine crafted a spoof of it shortly thereafter, which I had committed to memory. The double entendre went way over my little brain, but I soaked up the action, gadgets, and globe trekking. That, and Bond, James Bond was smooth as glass in the midst of chaos, which made him even more cool.
All of that is a roundabout way to say that Diamonds Are Forever wasn't really on my radar, other than maybe the song, and some clips on various James Bond highlight reels over the years.
On a first viewing, having watched about a dozen other Bond spectacles, was that this one felt a bit campy. Connery's Bond is THE Bond for many fans, and after being in that role for almost a decade by that point, he's a towering figure, however, there were moments where I'm like, "Bond shouldn't be getting his butt kicked by these two goons." Perhaps they wanted him to seem a little less superhuman at this point in the franchise, but he was missing "something."
While some of the opening missions are all over the top action, this one seemed a bit "pedestrian" by comparison, with Bond zipping around the globe and basically beating people up to get some important nugget of information about infamous Bond villan Blofeld. Wasn't the whiz-bang that we've come to expect from other Bond opening segments. (I've since learned that it was ranked in the bottom tier of openers)
The plot centers around the theft of diamonds, of course, but through the course of the movie, it becomes clear that the precious jewels are to be used for more nefarious purposes.


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Simon review

Posted : 1 day, 9 hours ago on 25 July 2024 05:43 (A review of Simon)

Alan Arkin is a force of nature in his portrayal of Simon, an average college professor with big dreams of being awarded the Nobel Prize.
In a secluded research facility in Maine, an eclectic group of five super geniuses, led by Dr. Carl Becker (Austin Pendleton), are at a crossroads and craft the next great question - how can we study how people would react if an extra-terrestrial were to come to Earth?
Well, they set their sights on Simon and after bringing him to the institute and doing tests on him, their plan unfolds. After gaining his trust, they then brainwash Simon by putting him in a sensory deprivation tank for days on end. When they pull him out, they take him back to a primordial state and we see Alan Arkin work through era upon era of evolution from single-celled organisms to a modern human. I have watched Arkin in a few other things, but this is the first I have been able to witness his genius level physical comedy.
From there, they trick him into thinking he is from another world and reluctantly let him make a statement to the world. Wouldn't you know it, his messages instantly resonate with the masses and the eggheads lose control of the situation almost immediately.
All told, Simon puts his finger on the pulse of the zeitgeist of the late 70s -early 80s era of change in the post-VietnamV/post-Watergate era. The questions of "why are we here?' and "what does this all mean?" are tackled along with issues of technology seeping into most aspects of our lives. I would recommend it for Alan Arkin's performance alone, as well as a short but delightful chunk of the movie with the legendary Madeline Kahn. The plot gets bogged down in spots, but there are some amazing surprises along the way.
As a side note, I realized that in 1980, there were TWO movies released that prominently featured sensory deprivation tanks. In Simon, the tank was used for comedic effect, where the in the William Hurt/Blair Brown movie Altered States, the creative team went with the darker science fiction approach.


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Rated 113 tv

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Music

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JR1220 added 1 item to Before they were stars list

1 day, 6 hours ago
JR1220 posted a image

1 day, 6 hours ago
JR1220 added 19 items to their collection
David Letterman

have watched

10/10


1 day, 6 hours ago
JR1220 posted a review of Harper

“What better (or perhaps worse, depending on your sensibilities) guide through the Southern California of the mid 1960s than Paul Newman's rough around the edges, but charming nonetheless, Lew Harper. The titular character is back on the case for an acerbic woman of means played by the legendary Laur” read more

1 day, 9 hours ago
JR1220 posted a review of The Mission

“This outstanding film was a feast for the senses. We are transported back to South America in the 1750s and experience both the promise of a community based on love and the basest tragedies of colonialism. Raw performances from some of the greatest actors and actors of a generation as well as suppor” read more

1 day, 9 hours ago
JR1220 posted a review of Grease 2

“Do you know what? This is a movie musical, and by and large, the music and dance numbers are pretty fun.

Most certainly, this doesn't have the legendary status of the original, but there were several moments where the writers and Director "flipped the script" and provided some surprises fo” read more

1 day, 9 hours ago
JR1220 posted a review of Madame Web

“Madame Web is fun, from a certain angle, and it most certainly didn't deserve all the hate from critics AND the members of the cast.

Flaws, sure, but that's a reflection of life, no? We are all flawed. We are all products of multi-million dollar budgets and hundreds of people pursuing one ” read more

1 day, 9 hours ago
JR1220 posted a review of We're Not Married!

“An interesting concept, and some fun surprises sprinkled throughout, but it was missing "something."

The best of the five stories was the final one which involved Mitzi Gaynor and Eddie Bracken as they pulled out all the stops to get married before he had to ship out. That was heartfelt ” read more

1 day, 9 hours ago
JR1220 posted a review of The Seven Year Itch

“First off, even with the iconic scene of Marilyn Monroe and "the dress," this one fell short of expectations, mostly because of our sad sack protagonist played by Tom Ewell. His inner monologues said out loud seemed to be a weak choice. Richard is unlikable and way too nebbish to hold his own as the” read more

1 day, 9 hours ago
JR1220 posted a review of American Fiction

“I remember seeing the trailer for American Fiction over a year ago and thinking this was a biting take on the state of publishing today and while I had an idea of where they were going, this far exceeded every expectation. Jeffrey Wright is, once again, such an exceptional talent and handles the rol” read more

1 day, 9 hours ago
JR1220 posted a review of Miller's Crossing

“"Hey Tom, what's the rumpus?"

First off, the casting of Marcia Gay Harden as Verna should be studied in film schools across the country. Her portrayal of a tough as nails woman with a "complicated" past is exquisite and she elevates every scene she's part of.

As for the rest of t” read more

1 day, 9 hours ago
JR1220 posted a review of Diamonds Are Forever

“I was thinking back to my first interactions with the James Bond franchise, and I landed on For Your Eyes Only from 1981, which was made all the more memorable because Mad Magazine crafted a spoof of it shortly thereafter, which I had committed to memory. The double entendre went way over my little ” read more

1 day, 9 hours ago
JR1220 posted a review of Simon

“Alan Arkin is a force of nature in his portrayal of Simon, an average college professor with big dreams of being awarded the Nobel Prize.

In a secluded research facility in Maine, an eclectic group of five super geniuses, led by Dr. Carl Becker (Austin Pendleton), are at a crossroads and ” read more

1 day, 9 hours ago
JR1220 added 14 items to their collection
Ted Lasso

Rated

10/10

Ted Lasso: The Missing Christmas Mustache

have watched

9/10

Ted Lasso

have watched

9/10

Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)

have watched

10/10

Woody Strode

9/10


1 day, 10 hours ago
JR1220 posted a comment on this image

"From One Magic Christmas (1985)"


6 days, 12 hours ago
JR1220 voted for 4 images

6 days, 12 hours ago
JR1220 added 25 items to their collection
My Fair Lady

have watched

8/10


6 days, 12 hours ago
JR1220 added 19 items to their collection
3 weeks ago

“A laugh riot! Thrills and chills!

Twists and turns on every page!

Such is life for Walter Mitty, a man working for a pulp fiction magazine and moving through life hopping from daydream to daydream. In his "real" life, his anxious and nebbish demeanor is so severe that he actually” read more

3 months, 2 weeks ago
JR1220 posted a review of Flying Tigers

“Solid performances throughout and while there were some obvious reuse of battle clips, overall the action was dramatic and effective for this era of Hollywood.

Was especially impressed with the acting of John Carroll's portrayal of Woody Jason, the brash pilot who goes in only thinking ab” read more

3 months, 2 weeks ago
JR1220 voted for list
As Cool As It Gets (150 person items)
3 months, 2 weeks ago

“This adaptation of Robin Hood is an exceptional ride of a motion picture in dazzling Technicolor! Some stunning performances throughout from some performers you may have seen in other classics from the era, such as Claude Rains (Casablanca) and Olivia de Havilland (Gone With the Wind). You may also ” read more

3 months, 2 weeks ago
JR1220 posted a review of The Harvey Girls (1946)

“I have been screening dozens of movies from the Golden Age of cinema, and most times I go into them almost completely cold without any expectations. Other than knowing that this starred Judy Garland and her Wizard of Oz costar Ray Bolger, I didn't really know much else about it, While I did have a p” read more

3 months, 2 weeks ago
JR1220 posted a review of Sherlock, Jr.

“A century old this year and it HOLDS UP! This is easily one of my favorite silent movies and had me laughing throughout. Also had many moments when I thought, "how did they do THAT?!"

Outstanding physical comedy as always from the legendary Buster Keaton” read more

3 months, 2 weeks ago
JR1220 added 15 items to their collection
Virginia Mayo

9/10

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

have watched

9/10

Anna Lee

9/10

Flying Tigers

have watched

8/10

They Were Expendable

have watched

8/10


3 months, 2 weeks ago
3 months, 2 weeks ago
JR1220 posted a review of Knightriders

“What an interesting and unexpected movie. Being in Gen X, I thought I had seen darn near every movie from that era. This one alluded me somehow. needless to say, the slang, clothing and hairstyles most certainly brought me back to my childhood. Ed Harris is probably the most recognizable member of t” read more

3 months, 3 weeks ago
JR1220 added 5 items to their collection
Martin Ferrero

8/10

Ed Harris

9/10

Tom Savini

8/10

Brother Blue

8/10


3 months, 3 weeks ago

« Prev12 3 4 5 6 7 » 17 » 57 Next »

Comments

Posted: 2 years ago at Jul 22 23:23
Thanks for the Hipster-tized list vote.
Posted: 2 years, 11 months ago at Aug 25 16:17
Posted: 3 years, 1 month ago at Jun 27 4:21
Posted: 3 years, 2 months ago at Apr 30 2:58
Posted: 3 years, 4 months ago at Mar 6 17:48
Thank you for your new votes!
Posted: 3 years, 4 months ago at Mar 3 16:53
Thank you for your vote!
Posted: 3 years, 5 months ago at Feb 19 18:20
Thank you for your katee sackhoff image vote jr! :))
Posted: 3 years, 6 months ago at Jan 27 5:40
thank you, jr1220, for your list votes! :))
Posted: 3 years, 6 months ago at Jan 26 14:15
Thanks for your vote!

Would you mind going back to my list and provide your 10 favorite movies?

To do so, you just need to use the link here underneath:

www.listal.com/list/listals-100-films-see-before-614

Thanks in advance!
Posted: 3 years, 6 months ago at Jan 8 5:29
thank you, jr1220, for your list vote! :))
Posted: 3 years, 7 months ago at Dec 22 23:15
Thanks for the Paula Prentiss pic votes!
Posted: 5 years, 4 months ago at Mar 5 1:23
Hi,
me playing covers with my wife. Enjoy.

www.listal.com/list/my-covers
Posted: 5 years, 10 months ago at Sep 13 4:37
Thanks for the Alison Brie's Hot 100! list vote and the Minnie Driver pic vote.
Posted: 6 years ago at Jul 5 2:34
Thanks for the Krysten Ritter pic vote.
Posted: 6 years, 2 months ago at May 10 20:14
Thanks for voting for my Karen Gillan picture.
Posted: 6 years, 2 months ago at May 8 11:19
Thanks for the list vote, JR1220!
Posted: 7 years ago at Jul 28 17:10
Thanks for the Isla Fisher and Phoebe Tonkin list vote.
Posted: 7 years ago at Jul 23 8:03
Thanks again, JR! Hope you're having a wonderful weekend. :)
Posted: 7 years ago at Jul 14 10:06
Thanks for the list vote, JR! Have a fabulous Friday. :)
Posted: 7 years, 2 months ago at May 11 12:57
Thanks for the pic votes.