Blondo Reviews

Night Train to Venice (1993)

Well it's differant...

[9/10 · 22 May 2000]

I was watching TV around midnight last night, and we ALL know what a dangerous thing that can be on a Sunday night. Well, anyway, I come in on this movie, with Hugh Grant, and this guy in a black trenchcoat. Ok, this is new.

Well, I got taken on quite a ride that night.

It's hard to tell you exactly what this film is about. It seems to have many subplots, points, etc...but what I have gathered, is that Hugh Grant is a (writer?) or reporter, going to observe a festival in Venice. Ok, so far, thats pretty easy. It turns out he's written a book on a Neo-nazism.

Well, as they're going along, Grant meets what is to be his love interest, a local of Venice who's daughter gets lost, and is found by Malcolm McDowel. This is where I begain to get fuzzy. McDowel talks to Grant alone, and tells him that he knows his thoughts, and fears...

And from their it turns into a story about memories, a drag queen, Neo-Nazi's, memory-loss, fear, and ultimately dreams. Go rent it, but keep your mind open, and don't say I didn't warn you it was weird.

Wing Commander (1999)

A 2 - but only out of kindness for David Suschet and Jurgen Prochnow.

[2/10 · 1 January 2000]

Many a critic have said that this was a terrible work, because Chris Roberts is a comparitively new director - I've got a better idea...maybe he lacks vision, and style?

This movie was backwash, backwash a`la Lucas, yes, but still bad backwash. The Gift? What! Come on guys! I know you have to keep the kiddies happy, and keep pumpin them out, but could we at least try to not include EVERY cliche? Like maybe just the choice few who weren't done by good films?

My apologies to everyone who liked this movie. It was unbearable.

ZERO STARS.

P.S. I gave it a 2 it the IMDB vote page mearly because I've seen that David Suschet and Jurgen Prochnow can act. Its makes me sad to see one of my favorite actors(Prochnow) in such trash.

Gallipoli (1981)

Rare, and stunning.

[10/10 · 7 December 1999]

The first film of Peter Weir's I saw was the highly over-rated `The Truman Show.' After this, I had a serious doubt in his abilities as a director. However, a few months later, my sister brought home `The Mosquito Coast' to watch, because it had looked interesting, and my perception changed drastically.

A little later, I saw Gallipoli, and it is my mind perhaps the best anti-war film ever-made. The last image is so striking, with the Adagio in the background, if it does not bring a tear to your eyes right then and there, it will at least take your breath away. This movie is not like The Thin Red Line; it is not beautiful film filled with deep philosophical moments (that is definitely my second favorite war movie), but rather the point is blunt, and comes as a devastating shock in the end. I recommend it most highly.

Final: 4/4

Saving Private Ryan (1998)

I enjoyed moments of this film

[4/10 · 28 August 1999]

I don't think anyone is ever going to argue how great that opening landing sequence is – just the shear chaos in which those men were consumed – I found the chaos comparable to the scene in `Platoon' where they assault the V.C. bunker…however, it does not (any part of the movie, in my mind) match up the finale of Platoon, in which one is so confused, your heart pounds, and it is in the end more horrifying than any of the combat sequences in Private Ryan.

What really got to me about this film, were several things though…first and foremost, is the `dumb German' syndrome, which leaves me with a bias feeling. Why in the end, did Miller, Ryan, and Sarge have know problem mowing down the by passing Germans, then survive the same gauntlet, with almost twenty German's firing at them?

Another thing, is I couldn't help but notice how far people flew through the air whenever hit by a mortar, or stepped on a land mine…or hit by a grenade…so on, so on. I won't pretend to be a war-vet, or someone who's witnessed this, but it seems unlikely to me. However, I'll stress my own ignorance, and say `don't take my word for it.'

All in all, I found it to be a worthy action flick – comparable, in my mind, to `The Big Red one.' It has sad moments, and moments of brutality, but in the end, just left me with impressed memories of some of the combat sequences.

As a sidenote, I think that the best ww2 films ever made are "The Thin Red Line" and "Bridge on the River Kwai" two films that don't deal heaviliy with combat (TTRL more so). Saving Private Ryan tried just a little to hard to force feed it. I recomend all of these films, but for your knowledge, those are to me, the best.

A Fistful of Dollars (1964)

My 2nd Favorite western

[22 May 1999]

My favorite western being The Good the Bad and the Ugly (that's where I get my alias). I do however love AFOD, because I think this film is a true classic in almost every sense; from things like the minimilistic approach to the western town, to the final gunfight, which has to be one of the greatest ever. Long live the man with no name!

Dieppe (1993 TV Movie)

Very good for all purposes, but still left something to be desired.

[8/10 · 13 May 1999]

This movie is very well done, all in all, in portraying a very touchy, more touchy than something like the bloody Omaha landings for one reason - it didn't work, and casulaties were just as high. This movie does a good job of portraying how the Canadians got the bad end of the deal, and despite the at times lacking budget, still manages to make out.

However, there are a few things which are hard to stomach. One, is how the movie can't seem to decided if it wants to be bloody or not. Was there not enough money for squibs on the first day of the Dieppe landing scene, but more than enough on the last? I don't get it.

Also, a lot of the combat was just to much confusion. Platoon did a good job of creating a confusing scene, while still being watchable, but there were parts in this film where it was to much camera jerking around.

All in all, I don't know any other good films about the Dieppe invasion, so if it interests you, I suggest you check it out.

Platoon (1986)

The Best War Movie...EVER

[10/10 · 10 May 1999]

I find it interesting that many people continue to put the (don't get me wrong) very good "Saving Private Ryan" over "Platoon" as the best war movie. While I find both to be very good, I find Platoon superior in many ways (first and foremost...OLIVER STONE WENT TO VIETNAM! HE SHOULD KNOW!). One is that I felt much more connected with the characters. They were not politically correct (my favorite being the raspy pot head Rhan) they had more depth than any of the characters in SPR. Also, the combat in Platoon did not feel adventureous, like in SPR. The enemy was all around, and there was an intense feeling of horror everytime the shooting started, as you never knew how it would end.

An interesting thing to me is that many people say the village scene is unrealistic!?! What do you mean? Haven't you people heard of My Lai? Let's leave this one to Stone, ok?