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Mr. Inside/Mr. Outside (1973)
Basic 70s Cop Movie
The Linden and Lo Bianco characters are partners on the NYPD. On a call that turns out to be to an embassy, they get separated, and in the mêlée Lo Bianco's arm is injured so badly that he eventually loses it and has to go on disability. He's obsessed with finding out who did this to him, but the perpetrators have diplomatic immunity, so the NYPD won't pursue it. Lo Bianco (Mr. Outside) works on his own with unofficial help from his former partner Linden (Mr. Inside) who remains on the force. In addition to the main plot of finding the culprits, there is a lot of interesting dialogue and interplay between Linden and Lo Bianco. The plot summary says the bad guys are drug smugglers, but I distinctly remember they were smuggling diamonds not drugs.
It's standard fare for 70s cop movies, but I like it, so I gave it a 7.
Muscle Shoals (2013)
Not what I expected, but quite good nonetheless
I always loved listening to the great albums recorded at the two Muscle Shoals studios, so I looked forward to seeing this documentary in the hopes of learning what exactly made the Muscle Shoals sound so distinctive.
Unfortunately, I think the musicians interviewed couldn't really explain what it was that made Muscle Shoals so special from a technical perspective. Bono, as always, was quite articulate, but he didn't offer anything technical. He instead talked philosophically about the power of the Tennessee River just as the Mississippi influenced the Blues. Most of the other musicians fell back on platitudes and clichés about funky white guys. Keith Richards was beyond hopeless as an interviewee. He seemed like he was doing a really bad Saturday Night Live impersonation of himself.
Don't get me wrong. The stories were entertaining. I particularly liked Greg Allman's story about how his brother Duane learned to play the slide guitar and Wilson Picket's story about the first time he came to Muscle Shoals. I also thought the documentary did a good job telling the history of the original FAME studio as well as the second studio started by the so-called "Swampers".
Nevertheless, I think at least one interview segment with a Rock historian or a musicologist to put everything in context and offer technical explanations would have been a great addition.
Finally, although it's clear that the Muscle Shoals musicians were far ahead of their fellow southerners on the issue of race, and the film rightly showcased this, it also showed clips of Lynyrd Skynyrd in concert proudly displaying a confederate flag. Displaying a confederate flag in 2013 is beyond bad taste. It's simply unacceptable.
Gandhi (1982)
Terrific in every way.
This movie has everything you would want: magnificent performances led by the incomparable Ben Kingsley, wonderful writing, inspired direction by the equally incomparable Richard Attenborough, and breathtaking cinematography that pays homage to the natural beauty of the Indian sub-continent. The emotion, which ranges from humor to pathos, is so seamless and real that you feel you are watching history as it unfolds. It is also painstakingly accurate from a historical perspective, so it has excellent educational value as well.
I have given several movies a 10 rating, but Gandhi is my favorite movie of all time. It can do more than merely entertain you. It can change your life. Its message of courageous yet non-violent opposition to tyranny as the most effective means for ensuring positive and lasting social change is, in my view, among the most important lessons any of us can learn.
The Parent Trap (1998)
Even better than the original.
This is a remake of the classic 1960's Disney movie of the same name starring Haley Mills. I actually like this updated version a bit better than the original one, although the original was also quite good. It's basically the same story (twin girls separated at birth discover each other at summer camp and decide to switch places in the hopes of reuniting their parents) but the updated version has a more modern feel.
The cast is perfect, especially Ms. Lohan in the role of the twins. With all the drugs, alcohol, bulimia, car accidents and other tabloid aspects of her life, it's easy to forget how good an actress Lohan is when she sobers up and eats a healthy diet.
The Greek Tycoon (1978)
An ethnic slur
This movie serves up every imaginable Greek stereotype. In one particularly galling scene the tycoon says "I'm just an ignorant peasant." As the grandson of Greek peasant immigrants who passed on a legacy of wisdom and love to their children and grandchildren, I found this movie contemptible and odious.
Bang the Drum Slowly (1973)
Not my favorite baseball movie.
I remember hearing Bill James, the famous baseball writer and analyst, once say that Bang the Drum Slowly was his favorite baseball movie, so I decided to rent it this weekend. I really admire James as a baseball writer but not as a movie critic.
First, the film is extremely dated. The star pitcher, Moriarty, sells life insurance in the off season. The huge salary he demands at the beginning of the film ($125,000) is below the current major league minimum.
Second, the actors don't even look like ballplayers when the hit or throw. Truly awful swings turn into solid hits. It's embarrassing.
Finally, the plot is a maudlin cliche and the dialogue is stilted.
As baseball movies go, I much prefer Field of Dreams or even The Natural to this movie.
The Day of the Jackal (1973)
The most riveting thriller I've ever watched
I first saw The Day of the Jackal while I was a graduate student in Madison, Wisconsin. I had joined the choir of the local Greek Orthodox Church, and our practices were at 7:30 pm on Thursday nights. Our choir director was a stickler for showing up on time, so you incurred some serious embarrassment/grief when you showed up late. On one particular Thursday evening, I decided watch some TV and eat dinner before going to choir practice. Big Mistake. While channel surfing, I came across The Day of the Jackal and literally could not leave until the movie ended. I showed up almost an hour late for practice and incurred the wrath I deserved from the choir director, but it was worth it. I have never seen a movie with so many twists and turns where both the villian and the hero are so relentless and resourceful. Watch this movie!
Banacek (1972)
A wonderful but flawed show.
This was my favorite show growing up as a teenager in the 1970s. It doesn't hold up that well due to the embarrassingly sexist dialog in literally every episode, but if you can overlook that unfortunate aspect of the show, it's a lot of fun even now. It had great plots, a wonderful theme song, dry humor and wonderful stock characters.
Ralph Manza, who played Banacek's Chauffer, never failed to crack me up with his "theories" about how the thieves pulled off the job.
Murray Matheson played Felix Mulholland, the owner of Mulholland's Rare Books, who possessed a compendium of arcane knowledge that Banacek would draw upon to obtain important technical information needed for solving the crime.
Christine Belford played Carlie Kirkland, Banacek's competitor and sometimes love interest. She deserved better than those sexist scripts, but I think she did a fine job considering the two-dimensionality of her character.
Every episode had an "Old Polish Proverb" that Banacek would recite with great humor.
Vanilla Sky (2001)
Way too frustrating!
Throughout the whole movie you never know when Tom Cruise is dreaming and when he's actually awake. Mercifully, everything is cleared up in the final scene, but until then I was totally confused, and I just don't want to work that hard when I'm watching a movie. Nancy Wilson (member of Rock Group Heart and wife of director Crowe) produced a fine musical score but that's about the only thing I enjoyed about this movie.
Twelve O'Clock High (1949)
My favorite Action Movie of All Time
Not only does this movie show us thrilling scenes using actual combat footage, it also touches on the timeless themes of personal sacrifice for a greater cause and balancing loyalty to ones friends against loyalty to a larger group--issues that real-life bomber pilots face every day during a time of war. Gregory Peck, an American icon, leads a brilliant cast. A thousand years from now, when people have long forgotten Stallone and Schwarzenegger, they will still watch and enjoy Twelve O'Clock High.