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Reviews
Stella Maris (1918)
Mary Breaks Away From Her Norm (Mostly)
By 1918, Mary Pickford was the Queen of Hollywood. Her fans craved her "Little Mary" character and adored her pictures. Within a few years she would be, by far, the most popular performer in the movie world. That's why "Stella Maris" was an important departure for her. Playing two roles who were so different was, for her, a brave move, and allowing what impishness that there was in the film to come out through the character of Unity was a good decision. Mary Pickford was a beautiful woman, and probably the best businessperson in Hollywood. She knew what her fans wanted and this film allowed them to have it and still let her be more grown up. Pickford was also a better actor than we may realize and shows it through the poignancy of her portrayal of Unity.
Pickford's popularity made it difficult to move on to more mature roles. She may have chosen to have a much longer career if she could have played them. It's sad to note that she eventually became reclusive and had to be convinced to allow her films to be shown. Maybe if she had, we'd think of her as more than America's Sweetheart today.
Locked Down (2021)
Two movies aren't always better than one...especially when they're the same one
There are many aspects of Locked Down that are exceptional. The movie is filled with close shots and gives a feeling of how cramped and constrained our world has become. Even when the movie moves into the outdoors, such as the garden and the van, we still have a closed in feeling. The added pressure of the lock down on the main characters, both personally and professionally, makes the movie hit home in these incredibly trying times. The lock down metaphorically tells the story of two people who are becoming more and more lost. Therefore, movie one is interesting but a little slow.
Movie two, the heist, is the opposite. It is less thought out and has holes that are distracting. It felt as if the writer and director needed a way to give the film a happy ending.
Movie one is an 8, movie two a 4.
The Sons of Katie Elder (1965)
A 60s western with unbelievable casting.
The Sons of Katie Elder is a typical western of the era. The cinematography is beautiful, and the story is interesting. The theme of less than noble characters finding their redemption is always a good one. However, this movie doesn't age well, like many westerns of the time, and the cast is made up of good actors (with the possible exception of Michael Anderson,Jr.), but they just don't belong together. It's difficult to suspend belief that John Wayne, Dean Martin, Earl Holliman, and Michael Anderson, Jr. are brothers. Beside the fact that there is absolutely no family resemblance between any of them, Wayne was 58 at the time of filming (and looked every year of it) and Anderson was 22. When movies rely on star power alone, distractions like this will always exist.