yakster1 Reviews

Million Dollar Babies (1994)

Very Well Done

[7/10 · 17 June 2020]

I've been fascinated with the Dionne quintuplets ever since I read their highly sanitized story "We Were Five", supposedly "written" by them back in tne 70's. This movie does a very good job portraying the circumstances of the times and what turned into one of the biggest stories of the Great Depression. The heartbreak we encounter as the Dionne's have their children taken away does not even come close to the real story. Beau Bridges has star billing and rightly so as he is excellent as the "country doctor". He must've studied footage of the actual Dr. Dafoe himself. I had issues with the fictional character of Helena Reid but she was a composite of the media at the time. All in all if you want to know anything about the Dionne quintuplets and the fascination the world had for them for a few brief, sad years, this is the movie for you.

Apollo 11 (I) (2019)

Absolutely Breathtaking!

[10/10 · 26 March 2019]

After recently re-watching Apollo 13 and marveling at how accurate the special effects looked, to see the real deal is breathtaking. No models, blue screen or CGI required. I (and half the world) watched it as a kid but looking back I did not realize the enormity of it all. The Saturn V rocket itself was longer then a football field straight up in the air. Over one million people watching the launch live on the ground. Over half the world's population watched the landing on TV. With no narration and just the words of the astronauts and the people at Mission Control to guide us, I was on the edge of my seat watching velocity numbers increase and decrease accompanied by a pulsating music score. Another aspect that comes across in spades is these guys really did have "the right stuff". Calm and cool under extreme pressure. Check out Buzz Aldrin's heart rate on blast off. An amazing film that just shows what the human race can achieve when we apply ourselves.

Jurassic World (2015)

Seriously!

[4/10 · 18 June 2018]

How can a film with a budget this big be so bad? I wanted to leave my living room. The acting and script are ridiculous and as for the SFX.......If this is what constitutes entertainment these days, give me the original anyday.

All Quiet on the Western Front (1979 TV Movie)

Worthy Remake/Adaptation

[7/10 · 7 June 2017]

I had seen this when it originally aired on TV in 1979 and just watched it again on YouTube. My impressions have not changed in 38 years. Some of the acting is a bit wooden especially by Thomas and it is still weird that even though the unit is comprised of young Germans, you still hear American and various different English accents amongst them. The other actors like Borgnine, Holm, Pleasence and an under utilized Patricia Neal are very good. However the production values alone make this worthwhile viewing. Life on the Western Front of WWI is vividly captured. Desolated landscape, rats, lice, dead bodies everywhere, shell shock, battle fatigue, PTSD (whatever each generation calls it) and just the shear monotony of life on the front. Unlike "Joyeaux Noel", ( a film I do love) no one has the perfect part in their hair or a clean shaven face, everyone is covered in mud and blood all the time. There are a few acknowledgements to its more well known predecessor like the hands on the barbed wire and Paul's aiding of Kat towards the end. Whereas the original tells the story in a more linear fashion, this one sticks closer to the book where Paul recounts his education and recruitment story in flashback. Still a very powerful anti- war film that can stand proudly alongside the more well known classic.

A Bridge Too Far (1977)

The Last Great Epic War Film!

[7/10 · 6 December 2016]

I had read Cornelius Ryan's fine book before seeing the this and was eager to see the film version in the theatre especially when the cast became known. I've never understood the critics hatred for this film when it came out especially from the big names (Ebert, Maltin, Kael etc) because as evidenced here, viewers certainly like it. Although it does have its good points and bad. First off, for any lover of big, epic war films it must be seen for its production values alone. Joseph E. Levine spared no expense from filming at the actual locations in Holland to the all-star cast (more on this later). With many of the main players acting as consultants, the historical accuracy is also something for WWII buffs to revel in. Many find the plot confusing yet Edward Fox (excellent) as Horrocks explains the entire operation early in the film so we know the general outline from what is a massive undertaking. The acting, mostly from the Brits (Connery, Caine, Hopkins, Bogarde,) is pretty good whereas the Americans pale in comparison. Ryan O'Neal further stakes his claim as one of the worst actors ever with his whining Gen. Gavin and Gene Hackman sports the worst film accent this side of Jean-Claude van Damme explaining he is from "kebec". Another criticism is that it is top heavy with stars, with many with little screen time. If James Caan's character was cut from the film it would not deter it one bit. Same thing with Elliot Gould. You did not need an actor of that stature (back then anyway) in a bit part. Olivier also has a small part but makes the most of what he has to work with. All in all, a truly big, epic film that should be see by anyone interested in an unknown story of WWII. Just don't expect a happy ending.

Churchill's Secret (2016 TV Movie)

Unknown Episode In a Great Man's Life

[7/10 · 25 March 2016]

You would think by this time we would know everything there is to know about Churchill and then this comes along. As a huge admirer of Sir Winston I managed to see this on ITV in Canada, not as easy as one might assume even in this day and age. The acting is top notch with every character and having seen many stoke victims, Michael Gambon nails the speech and movement impediments that come as a result. There have been a few complaints of adding the fictional character of nurse Millie Appleyard but I have a copy of Lord Moran's diaries and in referring to them after viewing this he makes many references to several nurses during this period but never by name. She is just a composite character in order to establish some continuity, something that has been in movies since forever. Having stood in his study in Chartwell, filming it there just added another air of authenticity. This would be a welcome addition to a decent trilogy along with The Gathering Storm and Into the Storm.

Eadweard (2015)

Wonderful Film!

[9/10 · 28 September 2015]

Just saw this at our local theatre in Stratford, ON with both Kyle Rideout and Josh Epstein on hand to deliver the print all the way from Vancouver! Wonderful little film that has all of the right elements working for it, script, acting, directing, music and especially cinematography! AND they made it for $150,000. 100X better then most things in theatres today. A real (reel?) gem for anyone who loves film and film history. As I write this there are bigger names trying to get other Muybridge projects off the ground (Cumberbatch, Oldman etc.) but I guarantee they won't have the passion that this has. Sure it has a fairly unknown cast but so did Citizen Kane and Star Wars.

Vietnam in HD (2011)

Decent History of the War

[8/10 · 18 March 2015]

I was looking forward to this and thought it was a decent overview of the Vietnam War but it really only covers the US major involvement from 1965 onwards, when in fact they had "advisors" there since the late 50's. The Ten Thousand Day War series goes into much more depth as it begins begins in 1945 and then ends with the surrender of Saigon in 1975. I did like how they expanded on the major battles (Ia Drang, Khe Sanh, Hamburger Hill etc.) and much of the footage is unbelievable. It hits most of the Vietnam touchstones (Tet Offensive, that guy getting executed, Khe Sanh etc.) but doesn't mention 2 major stories from the war, the My Lai massacre and that picture of the naked girl running down a road after being burned by napalm. Her name is Kim Phuc and she's currently living in Toronto. Now she would've made a great talking head. All in all a pretty informative overview of the war in Vietnam.

Hemingway & Gellhorn (2012 TV Movie)

At Least They Got the History Right

[7/10 · 30 May 2012]

I'm always leery of historical epics and biopics that never get the history right. Composite characters are created, the time line is messed with, people say things that are attributed to others etc. After viewing Hemmingway and Gellhorn and then doing a little background research, Kaufman and Co. at least got the story right especially the events of the Spanish Civil War. These scenes look exactly like the Robert Capa photos taken when he accompanied Hemmingway and Gellhorn. Nicole Kidman is great as usual, Clive Owen is a bit over the top but then again he is playing someone who was in many ways, larger than life. I felt both Robet Duvall and Peter (don't blink or you'll miss him) Coyote talents were wasted in minor roles. The blending of sepia with black and white was a good way to invoke the photos and news footage of the day and by inserting the characters into this historic footage (a la Forrest Gump) really showed that the characters were part of something much larger. At 2 1/2 hours I wasn't bored but it could've benefited from a better script and tightening the story somewhat.