Tag Archives: Sam Elliott

Action, No Spoiler Reviews, Thriller

ROAD HOUSE (1989): The Things I Liked…

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There are two reasons why I watched director Rowdy Herrington’s Road House (1989). Patrick Swayze’s undeniable magic is one reason – the camera seems to just fully love him, right? The other is I’ve heard several men rate the film quite highly. Add to that the recently released remake starring Jake Gyllenhaal, (which I’m yet to see), and I had to satisfy my curiosity.

As predicted, Swayze is his usual magnetic self as Dalton, a smaller-than-expected bouncer, hired to clean up the roughest bar in a Missouri town, thanks in part to his black belt in karate.

‘Well-paced with a good amount of suspense built-in’ is one way to describe Road House. I believed Dalton to be as capable as his Karate background would suggest. There are certainly some fun and impressive fight sequences. Nevertheless, my favourite scene has more to do with dialogue than fighting. It’s the one when Dalton introduces himself to his new team and lays down the law. 

There came a point in Road House when I was exhausted by all the fighting and wanted the conflicts resolved. No surprises there, I guess, since the movie is made predominantly for a male audience. I’ll probably still watch the Jake Gyllenhaal remake. After all, he too is talented and magnetic. I will, however, need the music to be different because the rock music in Herrington’s film isn’t my favourite.

If you’re curious enough, give Road House a chance. Especially if you’re into fighting/fight choreography. Lastly, the story is quite romantic – though, mostly not in the lovey-dovey sense. 

Happy Film Loving, 

G

Adventure, Animation, Family

LADY AND THE TRAMP (2019): New Trailer Starring Tessa Thompson, Justin Theroux, Sam Elliott, Kiersey Clemons…

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Lady And The Tramp (2019), Disney+, Walt Disney Studio
Lady And The Tramp (2019), Disney+, Walt Disney Studio

The time has come for Disney’s 1955 classic Lady and the Tramp to get the live-action treatment.

The Charlie Bean-directed remake of a romantic tale about a sheltered uptown Cocker Spaniel dog, and a streetwise downtown Mutt stars Tessa Thompson, Justin Theroux, Sam Elliott and Kiersey Clemons.

When I think of Lady and the Tramp, I simply picture the iconic spaghetti scene. And since that’s almost the full extent of my knowledge of this story, I look forward to watching it unfold.

Are you excited about this remake? Maybe the original is your favourite Disney film. Share in the comments below.

Yvette Nicole Brown, Janelle Monáe, Thomas Mann, Benedict Wong, Arturo Castro, Adrian Martinez, Jason Burkey, Parvesh Cheena and Michael Tourek also star.

Lady and the Tramp Release Dates: November 12th, 2019 US & UK), Disney+ / Internet…

Happy Film Loving,

G

Comedy, Drama

THE HERO (2017): New Trailer From Sam Elliott, Krysten Ritter, Laura Prepon, Nick Offerman…

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The Hero (2017), Sam Elliott, Laura Prepon
The Hero (2017), Sam Elliott, Laura Prepon

Starring Sam Elliott, Nick Offerman, Krysten Ritter and Laura Prepon, The Hero is about an ailing movie star (Elliott) who’s coming to terms with his past and mortality.

I like the subject matter, and, not to drag things to the dark side a little bit, but we’ll all be ailing at some point. It can’t hurt to learn a thing or two about how other people deal with it.

I liked Elliott’s performance in I’ll See You In My Dreams (2015), almost as much as I did the deep bass in his wonderful voice. *Sigh.

The Hero Release Dates: June 9th, 2017 (US)…

Happy Film Loving,

G

Adventure, Animation, Comedy, No Spoiler Reviews

THE GOOD DINOSAUR (2015): There’s Something I Liked…

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The Good Dinosaur (2015), Arlo
The Good Dinosaur (2015), Arlo

It was my curiosity about the movie’s title that lead me to watch. I just had to know precisely what it is that makes a dinosaur good.

Directed by Peter Sohn and starring the voices of Jeffrey Wright, Frances McDormand and Maleah Nipay-Padilla, Disney’s The Good Dinosaur is a film about a very unlikely friendship. One between a dinosaur (Arlo) and a young human (Spot).

In terms of the  story elements, there unfortunately isn’t much that I haven’t already seen before in other Disney movies. Except maybe the period in time. Beyond the setting, the film sticks very closely to the Disney animated movie formula – which is good in some ways but mostly it just left me longing for difference. This I’m sure isn’t how the films most obvious target market feels, but such is the way, that only with time and experience can cliches be called out, first hand.

The Good Dinosaur (2015), Spot
The Good Dinosaur (2015), Spot

For me personally, unless a movie is really, really terrible, there’s usually something that stands out in a good way about it. Now, I definitely wouldn’t place The Good Dinosaur anywhere near the most memorable of Disney movies. However, I did enjoy the surprise of what unfolds soon after Arlo asks for help from the flying creatures, as I also did the cuteness of the ‘critter.’

The Good Dinosaur, It’s not the best, but see it if something really, truly  appeals.

Happy Film Loving,

G

Comedy, Drama, No Spoiler Reviews

GRANDMA (2015): For The Comedy, No Nonsense Grandmother…

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Grandma (2015), Julia Garner, Lily Tomlin,
Grandma (2015), Julia Garner, Lily Tomlin,

Written/directed by Paul Weitz, Grandma is a comedy/drama that follows a troubled, no nonsense grandmother played by Lily Tomlin, as she tries to help her teenage granddaughter with a time-sensitive personal crisis.

Also starring Nat Wolff, Judy Greer, Julia Garner and Marcia Gay Harden, I enjoyed this movie as a well-written and acted production. A lot of the humour comes from Tomlin’s troubled and acerbic grandma character, and the encounters she has with people. People including her family, strangers and friends.

By the end, I found myself thinking about whether the so-called ‘great mother/daughter relationship’ is actually a myth. My conclusion is that nothing is perfect. Families face challenging times together and they make a decision to reach a resolution or not. Some people face bigger challenges than others which can make resolutions less likely.

Watch Grandma because it’s a good movie, well-paced and it will make you grateful for everyone that has ever been there for you in your time of great need, including those you didn’t even know you needed until you had them there.

Happy Film Loving,

G