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Reviews
Oppenheimer (2023)
Worthy but overlong biopic
Very detailed lengthy profile of Oppenheimer, in charge of America's race to develop the Atomic bomb by assembling a team of nuclear scientists.. Cillian Murphy must be a shoo in already as the next Oscar best actor winner. Strong support from Matt Damon and an unrecognisable Robert Downey junior.
Several members of the team had certain Communist leanings before WW2 and this continued throughout the project. As usual in Hollywood the contribution of British physicists was minimised, especially that of James Chadwick who was awarded a Nobel prize.
The nuclear tests in the desert are undeniably powerful and awe inspiring. The dropping of bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki certainly curtailed the was in the east. However, Nolan missed a trick by omitting archival footage of the explosions and their aftermath e.g. Pictures of damaged survivors suffering long term effects. The Hiroshima Peace Park should also be includes as a final scene.
Elvis (2022)
Missing key plot line for Colonel Parker
1st half of movie good recreation of Presley's early career. Heavily influenced by black gospel music and early rock and roll. BB King and Sam Phillips (Sun Records) early mentors. Intense relationship with his mother.
However 2nd half dragged somewhat (The Vegas years, increasing drug dependency) although his comeback in '68 was well done. Austin Butler's performance spot on.
Tom Hanks as Parker used unnecessary and jarring foreign accent throughout although physical appearance was okay. The Colonel amassed every possible dollar from Elvis' records, concerts, films and merchandise. The movie just touched on his Dutch origins but no further. There is strong circumstantial evidence that Parker murdered a woman shopkeeper in Rotterdam, fled the country next day and jumped ship in America as an illegal immigrant. Hence he could not possess a passport, was unable to travel abroad and could not allow Presley to undertake any foreign appearances.
Trautmann (2018)
Okay but better detailed bio to come.
1st half rather slow - livens up in 2nd. Two principal actors (German) and supporting British cast good. Film shows initial suspicion and hatred of Trautmann and later full acceptance by Man city supporters. The war scenes are rather glossed over (German script writers). In reality Trautmann was originally a committed Nazi and met the Fuhrer at the Hitler youth games where he was a silver medal winner at 2 events. As an elite paratrooper he won the Iron Cross and took part in the airborne invasion of Crete where he killed a few partisans. His training later helped to further his goalkeeping skills and he dived at the feet of opposing forwards and rolled forward with the ball. He surrendered to the British sector as the Americans would have killed him. He really should have played for Germany in the 1954 World Cup finals in Switzerland but only players with national home based clubs were considered.
After his broken neck in the 1956 cup final it was encased in plaster for 5 months. He was certainly a Manchester city legend. In 1964 I attended his testimonial (last game)which was never finished as the crowd invaded the pitch to shake his hand. He made a moving tannoy address and many were in tears.
He is the only player to win the OBE (Order of the British Empire) and the German equivalent, The Iron Cross and an FA cup winners medal. He died in 2013.
Kajaki (2014)
Harrowing but must see war film.
A 3rd battalion Parachute regiment sniper patrol move to take out a Taliban extortion road block. Whilst crossing a dried out river bed one squaddie detonates a land mine,left over from the Soviet invasion of 1979. His comrades rush to help him only to find themselves trapped in the minefield. Every move is now crucial as there is no way of knowing exactly where the next mine lies.
The realistic and brutal effects of the injuries,involving blood saturated, shredded and mangled limbs are depicted brutally. The audience grimly awaits the next inevitable detonations. The amazing bravery,black humour and crude banter of the platoon as they attempt medical assistance and rescue are key features of this nail biting film.
One jarring note is the British logistics failure to provide helicopters with winch facilities to lift off the seriously injured men. A Chinook is sent but any landing would surely precipitate mass explosions. The Americans ultimately provide the proper necessary aid.
One of the very best war films of all time superbly directed and acted by a previously unknown cast. The movie was shot in Jordan.
An einem Freitag um halb zwƶlf (1961)
Noirish girl trap to steal a million!
Very surprising no previous reviews of this film (a minor classic). (UK title: On Friday at 11/ US: World in my Pocket) Released in 1961 in grainy black and white this was a West German/French/Italian co-production with an international cast: Rod Steiger (USA, Nadja Tiller (Austria), Peter van Eyck (Germany), Jean Servais (French - the original Rififi)and Ian Bannen (Scots).
The plot concerns an enigmatic woman who recruits a gang of specialised criminals (dynamite expert, safe cracker, hired muscle/strong arm and driver)to rob an armoured car bound for Marseilles carrying a US army payroll ($1million). The plan is to stage a phony car accident en route with the woman as badly injured decoy to lure the driver and guard from the truck when they will be taken out (no holds barred). The vehicle will then be hi-jacked to a deserted fairground and the vault opened at leisure.
Tensions inevitably arise during the planning/logistics stage, division of money, and also interaction with the woman (resentment at taking orders and growing sexual interest). However, events don't work out as expected (surprise), several unexpected twists occur and at times the suspense is literally killing. Key elements were rehashed in the 1968 US potboiler - They came to rob Las Vegas with Lee J. Cobb, Gary Lockwood and Jack Palance - but this film is vastly superior.
Taut direction and script, top-notch acting and no wasted scenes make this very effective crime thriller with strong vein of black comedy required viewing.