Viewed in
2000
Formats
DVD
Premise
David Lean's tale of a POW British colonel (Alec Guinness) agreeing to build a bridge for their Japanese captors - while oblivious to a plan by the Allies to destroy it.
Thoughts
It's been a while, but I recall a cool performance from the late great Sir Alec Guinness. Also, the whistling version of "Colonel Bogey March" was kind of annoying.
What I would change
No idea.
Showing posts with label 1957. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 1957. Show all posts
Old Yeller
Viewed in
2012
Formats
HDTV w/ ads
Premise
The "classic" tale of a young farmer boy who takes in a stray yellow dog.
Liked
Cute animals.
Disliked
Story.
Hated
Younger brother.
Thoughts
Well, it had a bunch of cute creatures throughout the movie. There was a wide variety of critters inhabiting rural Texas, from rabbits to boars. Frankly, I was amazed by the amount of animal interaction. This was very much pre-CGI, and probably pre-PETA too.
I liked the acting by Tommy Kirk as the main character, Travis. Thanks to him, the famous (and well-spoiled) climax still had some emotional punch.
But I couldn't help but lose interest as the movie progressed, partly due to outdated acting and exposition story-telling. I found the younger brother super-annoying. The writing was pretty shoddy, as basically it was a series of little adventures that "lead" to the final act. I felt misled, as the first scenes seemed to indicate the younger brother was the main character, but in reality, it was Travis, the older brother who we should've been following.
Lastly, it didn't make sense that Travis couldn't handle the loss of Old Yeller. Earlier in the movie, they mentioned that he had a dog when he was younger, so you'd think he would've learned to deal with death at an earlier age.
Obviously Old Yeller was geared for kids, but even my inner child couldn't help but notice the outdated vibe. But maybe it will still entertain today's youngsters, after all, who doesn't like cute little animals?
2012
Formats
HDTV w/ ads
Premise
The "classic" tale of a young farmer boy who takes in a stray yellow dog.
Liked
Cute animals.
Disliked
Story.
Hated
Younger brother.
Thoughts
Well, it had a bunch of cute creatures throughout the movie. There was a wide variety of critters inhabiting rural Texas, from rabbits to boars. Frankly, I was amazed by the amount of animal interaction. This was very much pre-CGI, and probably pre-PETA too.
I liked the acting by Tommy Kirk as the main character, Travis. Thanks to him, the famous (and well-spoiled) climax still had some emotional punch.
But I couldn't help but lose interest as the movie progressed, partly due to outdated acting and exposition story-telling. I found the younger brother super-annoying. The writing was pretty shoddy, as basically it was a series of little adventures that "lead" to the final act. I felt misled, as the first scenes seemed to indicate the younger brother was the main character, but in reality, it was Travis, the older brother who we should've been following.
Lastly, it didn't make sense that Travis couldn't handle the loss of Old Yeller. Earlier in the movie, they mentioned that he had a dog when he was younger, so you'd think he would've learned to deal with death at an earlier age.
Obviously Old Yeller was geared for kids, but even my inner child couldn't help but notice the outdated vibe. But maybe it will still entertain today's youngsters, after all, who doesn't like cute little animals?
12 Angry Men
Viewed in
2007
Premise
The twelve members of a jury must decide if the defendant is guilty or not.
Who should watch
Film buffs.
Thoughts
A well made film that succeeded at making twelve people talking in a single room exciting. I liked how the filmmakers made all twelve characters distinct without resorting to caricatures. As each actor got their share of the spotlight, the truths of each character and the case are unraveled. The coolest scene was when the others used their silence to quiet a bigoted man.
The film was educational as well as dramatic. Many characters explored and gave great speeches about the jury experience, and the amazing burden and privilege we Americans have with our justice system.
My only problem was that it became more of a detective story, as the jurors questioned and examined each evidence. Even though I have only been on one jury so far, how the characters treated evidence was not the way real jurors treated evidence. With the great dialogue, writing, and acting, the film would have been just as riveting without the sleuthing.
What I would change
Made the plot a bit more realistic.
2007
Premise
The twelve members of a jury must decide if the defendant is guilty or not.
Who should watch
Film buffs.
Thoughts
A well made film that succeeded at making twelve people talking in a single room exciting. I liked how the filmmakers made all twelve characters distinct without resorting to caricatures. As each actor got their share of the spotlight, the truths of each character and the case are unraveled. The coolest scene was when the others used their silence to quiet a bigoted man.
The film was educational as well as dramatic. Many characters explored and gave great speeches about the jury experience, and the amazing burden and privilege we Americans have with our justice system.
My only problem was that it became more of a detective story, as the jurors questioned and examined each evidence. Even though I have only been on one jury so far, how the characters treated evidence was not the way real jurors treated evidence. With the great dialogue, writing, and acting, the film would have been just as riveting without the sleuthing.
What I would change
Made the plot a bit more realistic.
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