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McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971) Directed by Robert Altman

Posted by: Frank Veenstra Posted date: 1:30 PM / comment : 0 , , , , , , , ,



You could say this is a western only by its settings and time period it is supposed to be set in. Just don't go and what this movie expecting gunslingers or people riding on horses for half of the movie its duration. This is simply not that type of western. It's a western done Robert Altman style!

I am still learning and starting to get and see Robert Altman's style. Still can't say I am a big fan of him but I can still certainly appreciate this movie. Seems that Robert Altman movies are ones that aren't necessarily focused on its storytelling but are more movies that just moves along. It's a movie that observes, instead of tells. It makes his movies slow and not all that exciting but still realistic feeling ones, also especially with its characters and dialog.

It's still not entirely my cup of tea but I could still like and appreciate this movie for its style. I could especially appreciate for being different. Here is a movie that still has some of the familiar western tropes and characters in it but it takes a totally different approach on things, making it a pretty unique watch as well.

It also has a pretty solid story in it, that besides provides the movie with plenty of rich characters. It also definitely has some good acting in it, especially by its two leads Warren Beatty and Julie Christie. It even earned Christie an Oscar nomination.

The movie has a pretty raw and gritty feeling to it and not just due to its storytelling. Also its visuals really support this, making this an 'ugly' and 'dirty' movie to watch, in the best sense of the two words. It's a compliment really and means that the movie succeeds in creating a certain mood and atmosphere for this movie that suits its storytelling and characters well.

Not really my thing but I could still appreciate the movie and all of the effort and talent that went into making it.

7/10

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Eyes of Laura Mars (1978) Directed by Irvin Kershner

Posted by: Frank Veenstra Posted date: 12:39 PM / comment : 0 , , , , , , , , , , ,





(Review originally written at 15 March 2009)

Well, to be honest this movie was a bit of a disappointment. I'm in to the genre and always enjoy a '70's movie and the movie had an impressive cast as well but the overall movie is just not that interesting to watch. It's a bit of a waste of such a fine main concept.

Yes, this really could had been one fine supernatural thriller with lots of suspense and mystery. Instead the movie now is one filled with missed opportunities and wasted potential. Blame the script for that (written by none other than John Carpenter) that just doesn't provide the movie with much interesting or much tension. I mean you basically know from the beginning on that the movie is going to have a twist at the ending, so when it comes it's hardly a surprise or a shock anymore. Besides it's rather weak and thin, as is the entire movie its story basically.

The movie could had also really used a bit more '70's style. Guess Irvin Kershner is a bit of a too old fashioned director to include some experimental '70's oddities, though it could had really uplifted the movie with that particular style.

When you look at the cast list you will be rather impressed. However most of the actors (Tommy Lee Jones, Brad Dourif, Rene Auberjonois, Raul Julia) weren't any big stars yet at the time of this movie and most of them still stood at the beginning of their career. Now days the cast list looks far more impressing than it did back in 1978. Faye Dunaway is the star of the movie and she shines as the female lead.

As far as the genre- and '70's movies in general are concerned, this movie isn't among the best. It's still a perfectly watchable movie but not halve as good or interesting as it concept could had allowed it to become.

6/10

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The Little Mermaid (1989) Directed by Ron Clements & John Musker

Posted by: Frank Veenstra Posted date: 1:40 PM / comment : 0 , , , , , , , , ,





(Review originally written at 27 October 2006)

After a few slow and disappointing years for the Disney animation studios, this movie marked their official comeback. The movie set the standards and raised the bar for the later and most classic Diseny movies, such as "Beauty and the Beast, "The Lion King" and "Aladdin". After this movie a decade of successes follow for Walt Disney Pictures.

The movie is perhaps not as childish and simple as the earliest Disney works. It makes this movie more accessible and enjoyable for people of all ages, although it of course will be the kids that will enjoy this movie still the most.

Main thing that makes this movie such a great and memorable one are its classic characters. They are all memorable and entertaining in their own way. Ariel is a great main and likable main character that I'll bet many little girls admire. The comical reliefs of the movie are Scuttle, Flounder and Sebastian the crab. They mostly make the movie entertaining, although the movie lies its emphasis on the love-story between the mermaid Ariel and the human prince Eric, that is well developed and written in the movie. The love-story is very pleasant to watch, which without kidding makes this one of the very best romantic movies ever made, that never gets too sappy or not believable. But also the villain is a great and memorable. Ursula the sea witch is perfectly villainous that works of course as an entertaining one as well.

Also a reason why this is a classic are it's great memorable sing along songs. This movie features some of the very best and most memorable songs out of all Disney movies.

The imaginative underwater world is well made and works perfectly entertaining as the backdrop for the movie its story. The best sequences of the movie are also set underwater. The animations are superb.

The voice cast is great. It doesn't feature any big names, with perhaps the exception of Rene Auberjonois but he plays a very, very little part in the movie. Ariel has a perfect girlie and signing voice, both provided by Jodi Benson. Pat Carroll is also perfect as the villain Ursula but perhaps the best piece of casting is Samuel E. Wright as Sebastian. His voice is what makes the character interesting and is the reason why his character works entertaining as well.

The movie is of course not without its flaws. The movie is quite short with means that some things are too rushed and the story doesn't always get developed to the max. Some of the characters are underused in the movie as well, such as King Triton and the villain Ursula, who perhaps appears a bit too late and too sudden in the movie. The movie is also perhaps not as humorous as most other Disney movies but it really is the wonderful well written love-story that compensates for this.

A great and wonderful bar raising animated picture, that marked the beginning of the decade of perhaps the greatest full length Disney animated pictures.

8/10

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