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Bohan Reviews (215 KP) rated Can You Ever Forgive Me? (2018) in Movies
May 8, 2019
Melissa McCarthy (3 more)
Richard E. Grant
The Script
The title
In some ways, it's refreshing to watch a film stripped away from the elaborate cinematography and spectacle.
Full Review:
https://www.bohanreviews.com/post/can-you-ever-forgive-me
Full Review:
https://www.bohanreviews.com/post/can-you-ever-forgive-me
Ricky Jay recommended Secret Honor (1984) in Movies (curated)
MusicCritics (472 KP) rated Controversy by Prince in Music
Jul 3, 2017
He gives us a blue Little Richard ditty for the Reagan era but minus the family-friendly innuendo and assures us that we’ll find pleasure together in these uncertain times.
Critic- Stephen Holden
Original Score: 9 out of 10
Read Review: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/controversy-19820121
Original Score: 9 out of 10
Read Review: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/controversy-19820121
Robert Englund recommended Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) in Movies (curated)
JT (287 KP) rated Richard Jewell (2019) in Movies
Mar 10, 2020
Richard Jewell (Paul Walter Hauser) is a softly spoken, overzealous university campus security guard whose heart is in the right place and is dedicated to his job – maybe a little too much.
When he discovers a backpack containing a pipe bomb at a celebratory music concert at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, his quick thinking saves countless lives. Unfortunately for Richard, he becomes the prime suspect in the investigation and with it, his life is turned upside down as he’s thrust into the media spotlight.
Directed by Clint Eastwood Richard Jewell follows in similar vein to films like American Sniper and The 15:17 to Paris where the central characters struggle with the media attention they receive in the aftermath of events.
The scene during the concert is recreated with meticulous precision and attention to detail and there is genuine tension as you realise that at any point the bomb is going to explode. The investigation is led by FBI agent Tom Shaw (Jon Hamm) who with little to go on places Richard in the spotlight and will stop at nothing to prove his guilt, using every trick in the book to get Richard to confess.
Atlanta Journal-Constitution journalist Kathy Scruggs played by Olivia Wilde was portrayed unfairly for implying that she traded sex for stories. Having died in 2001 she was not around to defend herself, which is a black mark for Eastwood on an otherwise very well directed film.
The journal ran the story much to the delight of Scruggs, but it painted Jewell as the villain causing considerable pain to him and his mother Bobi (Kathy Bates) who delivers another acting masterclass in her supporting role. Scruggs realised her error later on but it was too little too late as the damage to Jewell’s reputation had already been done.
One of the highlights of the film is the relationship between Richard and attorney Watson Bryant (Sam Rockwell). It’s very heartwarming as Watson stood by him until the end even right up to the point of passing on that the real bomber, Eric Rudolph, had confessed to the crime. Richard Jewell is not a gripping film outside of the first half but it’s a powerful watch heightened by excellent acting.
When he discovers a backpack containing a pipe bomb at a celebratory music concert at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, his quick thinking saves countless lives. Unfortunately for Richard, he becomes the prime suspect in the investigation and with it, his life is turned upside down as he’s thrust into the media spotlight.
Directed by Clint Eastwood Richard Jewell follows in similar vein to films like American Sniper and The 15:17 to Paris where the central characters struggle with the media attention they receive in the aftermath of events.
The scene during the concert is recreated with meticulous precision and attention to detail and there is genuine tension as you realise that at any point the bomb is going to explode. The investigation is led by FBI agent Tom Shaw (Jon Hamm) who with little to go on places Richard in the spotlight and will stop at nothing to prove his guilt, using every trick in the book to get Richard to confess.
Atlanta Journal-Constitution journalist Kathy Scruggs played by Olivia Wilde was portrayed unfairly for implying that she traded sex for stories. Having died in 2001 she was not around to defend herself, which is a black mark for Eastwood on an otherwise very well directed film.
The journal ran the story much to the delight of Scruggs, but it painted Jewell as the villain causing considerable pain to him and his mother Bobi (Kathy Bates) who delivers another acting masterclass in her supporting role. Scruggs realised her error later on but it was too little too late as the damage to Jewell’s reputation had already been done.
One of the highlights of the film is the relationship between Richard and attorney Watson Bryant (Sam Rockwell). It’s very heartwarming as Watson stood by him until the end even right up to the point of passing on that the real bomber, Eric Rudolph, had confessed to the crime. Richard Jewell is not a gripping film outside of the first half but it’s a powerful watch heightened by excellent acting.
JT (287 KP) rated Dead Man's Shoes (2006) in Movies
Mar 10, 2020
British films don’t really come more powerful as this, Shane Meadows has delivered a film so intense it’ll feel like the quickest most terrifying ninety minutes of your life.
Richard (Considine) has returned home from active service in order to seek vengeance against those who tormented his mentally challenged brother Anthony (Kebbell) some years ago.
Those responsible, Sonny (Stretch) the local drug dealer and his gang, attempt to tackle Richard head on, but Richard is stone faced and not in the least bit afraid. All the while Anthony follows Richard around like a lost puppy, happy just to have his brother with him.
Meadows uses black and white flash backs revealing just what happend to poor Anthony, which puts you at ease that what Richard is doing is more than justified. Nobody likes a bully but everyone loves it when they get their comeuppance.
With the group realising that there efforts are all for nothing it becomes just a waiting game as to when Richard comes for them, and come for them he does. Richard initially makes his presence in the town known, subtly at first and in the beginning he toys with the gang before taking his intentions just that little bit further.
It’s a violent film make no question of that, you almost feel sorry for Sonny and his gang.
One particular scene sees Richard spike the kettle with a concoction of drugs that gives three of the gang the most spaced out cup of tea they’ve ever had. Watching it almost makes you feel like you’re high with them. Considine gives a breathtaking performance, Richard is a cold and calculated killer and he’s not in the least bit afraid. He plans everything meticulously, like a lion stalking its prey.
That said all the cast do an amazing job, and its a brilliantly written script as well, with Meadows delving into each character. The film also has a slight black comedy element to it, while we shouldn’t be laughing in some scenes although it is hard not to, this doesn’t detract from the fact its a brutally disturbing film, and is arguably the best British film I have seen.
Richard (Considine) has returned home from active service in order to seek vengeance against those who tormented his mentally challenged brother Anthony (Kebbell) some years ago.
Those responsible, Sonny (Stretch) the local drug dealer and his gang, attempt to tackle Richard head on, but Richard is stone faced and not in the least bit afraid. All the while Anthony follows Richard around like a lost puppy, happy just to have his brother with him.
Meadows uses black and white flash backs revealing just what happend to poor Anthony, which puts you at ease that what Richard is doing is more than justified. Nobody likes a bully but everyone loves it when they get their comeuppance.
With the group realising that there efforts are all for nothing it becomes just a waiting game as to when Richard comes for them, and come for them he does. Richard initially makes his presence in the town known, subtly at first and in the beginning he toys with the gang before taking his intentions just that little bit further.
It’s a violent film make no question of that, you almost feel sorry for Sonny and his gang.
One particular scene sees Richard spike the kettle with a concoction of drugs that gives three of the gang the most spaced out cup of tea they’ve ever had. Watching it almost makes you feel like you’re high with them. Considine gives a breathtaking performance, Richard is a cold and calculated killer and he’s not in the least bit afraid. He plans everything meticulously, like a lion stalking its prey.
That said all the cast do an amazing job, and its a brilliantly written script as well, with Meadows delving into each character. The film also has a slight black comedy element to it, while we shouldn’t be laughing in some scenes although it is hard not to, this doesn’t detract from the fact its a brutally disturbing film, and is arguably the best British film I have seen.
Lee (2222 KP) rated Richard Jewell (2019) in Movies
Jan 15, 2020
Richard Jewell tells the true story of a security guard, hailed a hero for spotting a suspicious package at the 1996 Olympic games in Atlanta, before going on to be accused of masterminding the whole thing and having his life turned upside down by the media and the FBI. Directed by Clint Eastwood, Richard Jewell is another one of those stories from recent history that I knew very few details about, other than there was a bombing at the Olympics, and it's a story that clearly deserves to be told.
We start by getting to know a bit about Richard Jewell (Paul Walter Hauser) and how he eventually found himself working security at such a high profile event. When we first meet Richard, he's working as a supply clerk for a public law firm in 1986. He meets attorney Watson Bryant (Sam Rockwell), who can be heard from across the other side of the office loudly and angrily shouting at somebody on the phone. He's not much friendlier to Richard when he puts the phone down either, discovering that Richard has very kindly replaced some stationery in his desk drawers, and even added some more Snickers bars in there after noticing empty wrappers in Watson's bin. But the pair do eventually build up a good rapport, even sharing an interest in playing video games at a local arcade during their lunch breaks.
Richard eventually leaves the firm to become a security guard at a college. With dreams of some day working his way up into law enforcement, Richard takes his role a bit too seriously, resulting in a number of complaints being made to the dean and his subsequent dismissal. Having moved in with his mother Bobi (Kathy Bates) in Atlanta, Richard lands a job working security at the Olympic games, working alongside police officers in Centennial Park during a number of events. His mother joins him to enjoy a Kenny Rogers concert one night, and then a few nights later Richard gets to work while his favourite group are playing. It's during that time, while trying to move on a group of drunk and rowdy boys, that Richard notices a suspicious backpack beneath a nearby bench. Police are alerted, and the backpack is determined to be carrying a bomb. As Richard and the police officers try to disperse the crowd, the bomb detonates and casualties are much lower than they could have been. Richard is hailed a hero.
As Richard quickly begins appearing on TV, and being offered book deals, the FBI begin their investigation. Agent Shaw (Jon Hamm) was there when the bomb went off and feels responsible for something that happened on his watch, so is determined to find the man responsible. It's not long before they decide that Richard fits the profile of previous bombers - a wannabe police officer who carries out attacks and then seeks fame and glory by helping out his victims. The situation isn't helped when ballsy reporter Kathy Scruggs (Olivia Wilde), who will go to any lengths to get her story, including sleeping around, publishes a front page story declaring Richard to be prime suspect with the FBI. From there, Richard's life, along with his mothers, is sent into turmoil and Richard is forced to contact old friend Watson Bryant to see if he'll help defend him as his lawyer.
The dynamic between Richard and Watson is what really made this movie for me. They're old friends, but clearly two very different people - Watson doesn't take any crap from anyone while Richard is a kindly, thoughtful man who just wants to help everyone, so ends up not doing himself any favours. On one occasion, Watson tells Richard not to say a word while the FBI are searching his home, and then Richard proceeds to talk to them all about anything and everything, blissfully ignorant of the glares he's receiving from Watson. There's a lot of humour in Richard Jewell, which I wasn't really expecting, and while it did make for an enjoyable movie, I felt it detracted a little from the drama and tension at times. Outside of that, both Jon Hamm and Kathy Bates were perfect in their roles, Kathy Bates this week receiving an Oscar nomination for her performance.
As the movie progresses, the injustice of it all is truly incredible. Just by Watson walking the route from the phone-booth where the warning call originated and the location where Richard was when the bomb went off, it was clear that he couldn't have done it. He even passed a polygraph test and yet he still continued to be hounded in the absence of any other leads or suspects, as he was just an easy target. It's an enjoyable watch, and certainly an important story, but because of the humour I described earlier, it just didn't have enough intensity or drama to make a bigger impact on me.
We start by getting to know a bit about Richard Jewell (Paul Walter Hauser) and how he eventually found himself working security at such a high profile event. When we first meet Richard, he's working as a supply clerk for a public law firm in 1986. He meets attorney Watson Bryant (Sam Rockwell), who can be heard from across the other side of the office loudly and angrily shouting at somebody on the phone. He's not much friendlier to Richard when he puts the phone down either, discovering that Richard has very kindly replaced some stationery in his desk drawers, and even added some more Snickers bars in there after noticing empty wrappers in Watson's bin. But the pair do eventually build up a good rapport, even sharing an interest in playing video games at a local arcade during their lunch breaks.
Richard eventually leaves the firm to become a security guard at a college. With dreams of some day working his way up into law enforcement, Richard takes his role a bit too seriously, resulting in a number of complaints being made to the dean and his subsequent dismissal. Having moved in with his mother Bobi (Kathy Bates) in Atlanta, Richard lands a job working security at the Olympic games, working alongside police officers in Centennial Park during a number of events. His mother joins him to enjoy a Kenny Rogers concert one night, and then a few nights later Richard gets to work while his favourite group are playing. It's during that time, while trying to move on a group of drunk and rowdy boys, that Richard notices a suspicious backpack beneath a nearby bench. Police are alerted, and the backpack is determined to be carrying a bomb. As Richard and the police officers try to disperse the crowd, the bomb detonates and casualties are much lower than they could have been. Richard is hailed a hero.
As Richard quickly begins appearing on TV, and being offered book deals, the FBI begin their investigation. Agent Shaw (Jon Hamm) was there when the bomb went off and feels responsible for something that happened on his watch, so is determined to find the man responsible. It's not long before they decide that Richard fits the profile of previous bombers - a wannabe police officer who carries out attacks and then seeks fame and glory by helping out his victims. The situation isn't helped when ballsy reporter Kathy Scruggs (Olivia Wilde), who will go to any lengths to get her story, including sleeping around, publishes a front page story declaring Richard to be prime suspect with the FBI. From there, Richard's life, along with his mothers, is sent into turmoil and Richard is forced to contact old friend Watson Bryant to see if he'll help defend him as his lawyer.
The dynamic between Richard and Watson is what really made this movie for me. They're old friends, but clearly two very different people - Watson doesn't take any crap from anyone while Richard is a kindly, thoughtful man who just wants to help everyone, so ends up not doing himself any favours. On one occasion, Watson tells Richard not to say a word while the FBI are searching his home, and then Richard proceeds to talk to them all about anything and everything, blissfully ignorant of the glares he's receiving from Watson. There's a lot of humour in Richard Jewell, which I wasn't really expecting, and while it did make for an enjoyable movie, I felt it detracted a little from the drama and tension at times. Outside of that, both Jon Hamm and Kathy Bates were perfect in their roles, Kathy Bates this week receiving an Oscar nomination for her performance.
As the movie progresses, the injustice of it all is truly incredible. Just by Watson walking the route from the phone-booth where the warning call originated and the location where Richard was when the bomb went off, it was clear that he couldn't have done it. He even passed a polygraph test and yet he still continued to be hounded in the absence of any other leads or suspects, as he was just an easy target. It's an enjoyable watch, and certainly an important story, but because of the humour I described earlier, it just didn't have enough intensity or drama to make a bigger impact on me.
Peter G. (247 KP) rated Unforgiven (1992) in Movies
Jun 5, 2019
I'm not one for western movies, however this one is the exception, Eastwood' s character is so interesting and multi faceted as the old gunslinger turned vigilante, but it's Gene Hackman's scene stealing turn as the hard talking and hard nosed sheriff Little Bill that adds grit to this movie, Richard Harris is also amazing as English Bob, Morgan Freeman also gives us a glimpse of his greatness in an early role.
Julia Cafritz recommended Medium Cool (1969) in Movies (curated)
