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RPHosler
Reviews
Ocean's Twelve (2004)
Oceans 12 picks up where Oceans 11 leaves off.
If you liked Oceans 11 of a few years ago, you'll like the sequel. I enjoy watching good actors act. It is, after all, a movie. I don't care if the plot is entirely fanciful, as this one surely is. I enjoyed watching Matt Damon play the bumbling con man as opposed to his Bourne self. It was fun to see Bruce Willis and Julia Roberts play themselves.
What makes this movie so fun is the twists and turns that take place during their crazy capers. The movie's first hour sets up the second hour when everything comes together. I was left guessing what would happen next, although we all know that the outcome will leave the Oceans 12 gang landing on their feet.
The ending is an obvious set-up for a sequel, which I look forward to seeing.
The movie had enough twists and turns to keep my attention throughout. It was light, fun entertainment. Good for a 7.
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
Best of the Trio
Now that all three movies are out, there's no question in my mind that The Fellowship of the Ring stands above the rest. The characters are nicely developed here, there's plenty of action, and it's a satisfying ending for a movie that has just begun. This is movie making at its best in the tradition of Cecil B. DeMil.
The Black Riders, Nazgûl on horseback, capture the essence of evil without ever having to speak or to reveal themselves. Throw in the captivating musical score, and this movie rates a perfect 10.
It's hard to follow up on perfection, and like the book, which has a few too many descriptions of sunrises and sunsets, we're given more than we could have every asked for or expected.
The Alamo: Thirteen Days to Glory (1987)
Excellent character development
I thoroughly enjoyed this movie because there was a genuine sincerity in the acting. The writing was top-notch. James Arness is a great actor and he showed it here. Brian Keith was too old to be Davy Crockett, and can anyone really play Davy but Fess Parker?
Another great actor in this move was Raul Julia, who gave depth to Santa Anna, a vain and complex person who led Mexico through turbulent times.
While some may think the movie was slow-paced, it captured the battle as it unfolded, lots of tedium followed by a couple hours of horrific terror.
What impressed me most about this movie is that it made you think about a cause and how some people are willing to die for what they believe in. In this day and age when nobody stands for anything, I found it refreshing to think that there was a time when people died for freedom, no matter how you may feel about the politics of the time.