Reviews by JR1220

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.

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.

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 is served up milk toast to attempt to keep him calm.
Danny Kaye is perfect for this role and is able to showcase his multiple characters as well as delightful musical numbers and physical comedy. Speaking of, his timing is impeccable and puts him in the upper echelons of comedy stars.
I was also impressed by Virginia Mayo, who plays Rosalind van Hoorn, and follows Walter around through his elaborate daydreams without missing a beat.
All in all, this golden age gem holds up nicely, and would be a nice addition to anyone's wish list.

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 about the money and then learning a valuable lesson along the way.
It was also fun to watch Anna Lee as the stalwart nurse Brooke Elliott, the love interest of The Duke and strong enough to hold her own. I later learned that she portrayed Sister Margaretta in The Sound Of Music. Same war, but a continent apart.
For Disney fans, be on the lookout for Mickey Mouse Club host and composer of the "Mickey Mouse March," Jimmie Dodd as a plucky pilot.
As for The Duke, this is one of my favorite roles of his, and while I'm not as enamored with his off screen persona, he is quite good in these types of roles.
Flying Tigers is worth a look, and may provide a jumping off point for a deeper dive into the months before the U.S. entered WWII.

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 recognize Alan Hale in his role as Little John, as he bears a resemblance to his son, Alan Hale, Jr., better known as the Skipper from Gilligan's Island. All told, this is an entertaining movie with outstanding set pieces and the swashbuckling action holds up like fine wine.

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 passing knowledge of Harvey Houses thanks to my strong interest in history, the fusion of that story with a musical was intriguing. This musical could easily be placed in my top 10 in that category, and one of the most entertaining movies I've seen from the golden age. The Harvey Girls has an embarrassment of riches with respect to the cast. Some favorite moments? When Judy Garland, with a determined gait and two six shooters, goes across to the saloon to take back a storehouse of stolen beefsteaks. Some incredible physical comedy. Unflinching. What's more, we are presented with the beloved Ray Bolger, and a dance number that is hypnotic and filled with pure joy. From top to bottom everyone in this cast is giving their all.

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

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 this cast, and portrays the king of a troupe of renaissance fair types, but they've swapped out the noble steeds for motorcycles. The pageantry, the fanfare, and the jousting and battles are all right there. 
We soon learn that the king seems to be taking this more seriously than anyone else, and it creates a rift in the troupe. 
I very much enjoyed the action scenes, as well as the little moments in between some of the side characters. Also, be on the lookout for the writer, Stephen King, and his wife as spectators during the first gathering.
All, this was a nice surprise, And while the last act felt a bit choppy and rushed, I did appreciate Director, George Romero's style and his ability to show not tell whenever necessary.

a hell of a ride. shouldn't have worked. the odds were stacked against it. the pieces that had to line up in order to get this done were scattered to the four winds. And yet. here it is. the exact proper tone throughout. Amazing performances and an extremely deep bench of talent.

This one really holds up. Outstanding performances throughout matched with some mind-blowing special effects (especially considering the time)
Some powerful messages about love and our place in the universe.