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tenspearslong
Reviews
3:10 to Yuma (2007)
Elmore
Until 3:10 To Yuma I was convinced that it should be illegal for anyone to make another movie from an Elmore Leonard novel. Get Shorty was okay -- nothing to write home about, but definitely acceptable.
And then at last and out of nowhere come this great thoughtful twisted and twisting movie. All the nonsense I've been reading about whether or not there's a homo aspect is hysterical. What gravy for the filmmakers to have the great unwashed masses discussing that seriously.
This excellent piece of work provokes and entertains. What is the difference between evil and ruthless... Russell Crowe's character defines it. I think you could have flipped the casting and still had a terrific film. What guts though for Christian Bale to take on the non glamorous stiff. That's an actor and a half.
No question about it, it's the best film of the year.
Fire Over Afghanistan (2003)
Location, Location
There's nothing wrong with this movie that some budget wouldn't fix. The acting, dialogue and direction are fine -- the story is derivative of The Purple Plain, but that's 50 years ago and using it as a springboard is not a bad idea. We begin with a struggling pilot's fantasy that his world is exploding around him. When nobody else reacts he and we realize that it's in his mind... and we are supposed to wonder why. Having established him as a helicopter pilot (in a thin but story-forwarding action scene) we learn the reason for the pilot's internal struggle: he lost a son to a suicide bomber's madness. The story unfolds with the pilot being given a chance at salvation, a chance at finding a reason to live: when his chopper is shot down, he and the female reporter on board must find their way across Afghanistan to safety while bounty hunting bad guys pursue them.
Yes, yes, there are never enough stunts or explosions -- but when our hero charges the bad guys, it isn't bad strategy, it's his suicidal side coming out. There are noble ideas at work here. It's a shame there wasn't enough dough to silence the idiots who care what the cockpit looks like more than they care what characters are feeling.