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Jane Russell burst into vibrant tabloid life when, at 19 years of age, she was cast by Howard Hughes as the smoldering object of desire in his new western "The Outlaw." Scintillating details , such as Hughes having designed a special bra for the amply endowed Russell to wear , kept the movie in the papers. But censors objected to scenes in which they declared the actress revealed too much of her bosom. The negative publicity resulted in the 1943 film not getting a full release until 1950, but it did make Ms. Russell a star.

Howard Hughes' infamous "sex western" featuring Jane Russell in her film debut. The film was started by Howard Hawks as director and Hughes took over after Hawks left to make his brilliant "Sergeant York." I'd never actually seen this film before until now and it is a surprisingly enjoyable opposed to all the bad reviews. The bro-mance / and genuine camaraderie between Doc Holiday and The Kid was great --- action packed as they tangle with sheriff Pat Garrett. Then the two go up against each other for the attention of beautiful bombshell Jane Russell. There's a fair amount of talent in this film on camera and behind it.

Now Jane in her first film is just starting to learn her craft as an actress . She is not just all-looks you can tell she has a charismatic personality and is talented foe being so young and new to film making! Russell was known for her beauty, silhouette, and a great presence that combined charisma and seriousness. It all started with this film ! She is a real beauty with substance !

The 1943 American Western film The Outlaw is considered an early example of the psychological Western. It's also notable for being Jane Russell's first role and for bringing sex to the western genre.

It's an underrated film that's offbeat and absorbing, a must watch for Jane Russell fans 7/10.

The penultimate episode of House of the Dragon Season 2 saw Rhaenyra stage the most chaotic boot camp ever.

In this episode we saw three common men becoming dragon riders, and two powerful men being humiliated. We cannot know what made the dragons choose these men, but it sends a great message that even the common men can be blessed ad chosen by a powerful god.

While many have suggested this season is too slow, I have thoroughly enjoyed the writing and

in-depth character study season 2 has offered through 7 episodes. The second seasons strength lies in the clear and direct dialogue between characters.

Technically speaking ... the cinematography is incredible. Great episode in terms of CGI

New dragon riders. Rising tensions. Strategic maneuvering to me this is what GOT is about and itis all included in The Red Sowing 8/10.

While the tale of an alcoholic washed up singer may not have the same appeal as Crosby's "White Christmas" he has never given a finer performance. It is certainly Academy Award material. The Country Girl is a slow-paced, heavy drama. One of the three main characters is an alcoholic and his problems are explored in detail. This is a crisp drama that will reward fans of these fine actors as well as discovering a Bing who gets to show off hidden acting in talents in a dramatic role.

The film tells the story of a troubled marriage between a washed-up alcoholic actor (played by Bing Crosby) and his long-suffering wife (played by Grace Kelly). The ex-theater actor is given one more chance to star in a musical yet his alcoholism may prevent it from happening.

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Grace Kelly plays a domineering wife who pushes her failed husband, Bing Crosby, to succeed. Kelly's role is totally out of her comfort zone of glamor and class, wow! Did she ever deliver a compelling performance ! I watched this film mainly to see Kelly out of curiosity and I was blown away by her maturity as a performer in this role at the young age of 25 it was remarkable.

Kelly is gorgeous even when made up to look very plain.

Grace Kelly claimed her well-deserved moment in the spotlight at the 27th Academy Awards. Her compelling performance in "The Country Girl" earned her the coveted Oscar for Best Actress, securing her place in Hollywood history. Grace Kelly's journey to Oscar glory was not merely a stroke of luck; she was prepared, innately talented, and driven. Her career spanned just 5 years in which time she performed in 11 feature films. From her early role in the beloved "High Noon," to Hitchcock classics like "Rear Window" and "To Catch a Thief," . She retired from acting at the age of 26 to become Princess Grace of Monaco. She acted in what was called "the golden age of Hollywood.' I just ponder what splendid roles we could have been treated to if she were to have continued her journey as an actress ? Grace was a tremendous talent . Seeing Kelly in The Country Girl has helped me appreciate her talent even more , I am so glad I sought out this hidden gem of a film.

Saoirse Ronan is still only 30-years-old, but she's already a four-time Oscar nominee ! Scoring her first bid when she was 13 with a key part in the 2007 Best Picture contender "Atonement," which brought her a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination.

She earned three Best Actress nominations for three films that all competed in Best Picture: "Brooklyn" (2015), "Lady Bird" (2017) and "Little Women" (2019).

Although she fits perfectly into any period dress, Ronan is at her best as a contemporary teen trying her best to fit into the world in Greta Gerwig's semi-autobiographical comedy. She plays "Lady Bird" McPherson, a precocious, rebellious high schooler who longs to leave her Sacramento hometown for college in the Big Apple. The film follows her coming of age, from her sparring with her mom (Supporting Actress nominee Laurie Metcalfe) to her perils in dating, and Ronan proves a perfect muse for Gerwig's unique sensibilities. The role brought her yet another Best Actress Oscar nomination, plus victories at the Golden Globes and New York Film Critics Circle Awards.

Lady Bird doesn't reinvent the coming-of-age film , but it does subvert many of our expectations for the genre in various subtle ways . What stopped this film from feeling cliche was the strength of the writing and acting behind it all. All of the characters felt very genuine and "lived-in", and their interactions with each other had a natural flow while still developing plot and character.

I most again praise Greta Gerwig's direction, even though it was her directorial debut. Gerwig believes that writing the screenplay for the film is key to her being an effective director. She believes that in-depth knowledge of your characters is the foundation of any story. Greta Gerwig says she "grew up on" Woody Allen's films which influenced her projects.

Greta Gerwig's unique approach to filmmaking, focusing on character-driven stories, realistic dialogue and coming-of-age themes, Ida Lupino, One of the Pioneering Woman Directors would be proud.

Lady Bird's happiness and unhappiness combine to create the key ingredient of a feel-good movien with weight...... it captures the turbulence of a girl growing up with great feeling. 9/10.

Futuristic thriller about a contained, seemingly utopian facility in the mid-21st century. The residents hope to be chosen to go to the Island - the last uncontaminated place on Earth, but when one inhabitant discovers that there are sinister forces at work, he and a female friend make a daring escape.

It's a thought provoking movie . Trust me, this movie is very underrated . Panned by critics they felt it was a loud, bombastic Michael Bay movie . Urm ...No **** its a Michael Bay movie ... loud, bombastic is what Bay does best ! This is one of the director's Best Movies. Maybe The Best. It is completely watchable . He makes everything come together in such an exciting package with Mega-Budget Madness and beautiful stars and incredible set pieces and stunning cinematography. He places all that beauty in front of some horrific and modern concerns about cloning, and manages to ask some good questions. 8/10.

I Married a Communist is an example of Cold War propaganda within post-war cinema. It combines standard film noir plotlines -- hidden pasts, personal failings and doomed relationships -- with unsubtle political warnings about subversive communists, troublesome unions and their alleged secret agenda.

A future of happiness awaits San Francisco shipping executive Brad Collins (Robert Ryan) and his new bride (Laraine Day). Yet Brad's past could undo everything. Back in his days as a dockworker, he was an activist member of the Communist Party. Now the Party has resurfaced like a bad dream in Brad's life, putting the screws on and threatening to spill his past if he doesn't play ball and stir up a labor strike. In an era when some officials sought to weed out Communists real and imagined, Hollywood made numerous films that exploited the times.

This is a powerful and highly tense drama with the towering Robert Ryan playing a man who was, and still is (because you can never quit) a card-carrying Communist Party member in the USA who has tried to go straight. The picture is wonderfully , noir shot and features some surprisingly effective bursts of violence. For all of you Film Noir lovers out there this film is worth the money and a definite bonus to your noir library. 7/10.

Krysten Ritter, Amanda Fix and Keeley Hawes star in this spinoff about human printing The show is captivating. From the writing to the acting by the incredible core cast, Orphan Black: Echoes is thrilling, engaging & evenly paced. I is totally WOKE and absurd but I really don't care Krysten Ritter is great as always I really like her style ! I never saw the original series so I can not compare .

Krysten Ritter and Amanda Fix are very good in this series ! It is dark and brooding too , something I appreciate , the story takes it self seriously , it is no comedy I like the dire vibe of the show ! The sci-fi storyline is compelling . Explore human connections, love and grief, and also varying viewpoints.

Orphan Black: Echoes is rewarding, even if it might take you a few episodes to fall down the rabbit hole. Get through the first episode, the rest is golden ! The show needed to find it's groove and it does by episode 3 ! This is great sci-fi television . 7/10.

As Rhaenyra makes sure there is no other way to end this conflict but war, dragons flew, and the dance begun

House of the Dragon's fourth episode soars to new heights with a spectacle of fire and blood. This episode delivers an adrenaline-fueled, dragon-centric thrill ride that will leave you breathless.

The war for the Iron Throne ignites in a breathtaking display of dragon-on-dragon combat that is both visually stunning and emotionally charged. Amidst the fiery chaos, the episode delves deeper into the complex motivations and desires of its characters. Loyalty, ambition, and the thirst for revenge drive them to make choices that will shape the destiny of Westeros.

The Day the Earth Stood Still, American science-fiction film, released in 1951, that is considered a classic of the genre and that reflects the fears and anxiety of the Cold War era and atomic age.

"The Day The Earth Stood Still" is THE seminal Sci Fi film of the 50's, the film that finally treated extraterrestrials as something more than bug-eyed monsters intent on taking over the World.

A flying saucer lands in Washington, D. C., carrying Klaatu (played by Michael Rennie) and his robot servant Gort (Lock Martin). Klaatu is shot shortly after landing and is taken to an army hospital. Klaatu tells the president's secretary that he wants to meet the leaders of Earth but soon is told that an agreement on a meeting site has proved impossible to obtain. Klaatu subsequently escapes from the hospital and takes a room in a boarding house, where he befriends a young widow, Helen Benson (Patricia Neal), and her son, Bobby (Billy Gray). With Bobby's help, Klaatu meets the eminent scientist Professor Barnhardt (Sam Jaffe) and reveals that he is a representative from a federation of other planets sent to Earth to warn humankind that their experiments with atomic weapons are threatening the safety of other civilizations. After Barnhardt tells Klaatu that he needs to demonstrate his power to Earth's leaders, Klaatu arranges for the loss of all power on Earth except where such loss would be life-threatening. Realizing that he is the alien visitor, Helen helps Klaatu get back to his saucer. Before leaving, Klaatu warns Barnhardt and his fellow scientists that unless humankind gives up violence, other planets will destroy Earth in their own defense.

Patricia Neal's "Helen" is a single mother, an unusual lead role in 50's cinema, and she imparts her character with a great deal of self-sufficiency and "grit." Again, not the usual running/screaming/fainting leading lady. Billy Gray is a joy to watch, he portrays "Bobby" with that breathless wide-eyed innocence .I think it's this casting, plus the characterization, that does so much to make the film work.

Luminous black and white photography, a solid story, a tight, pared-to-the-bone script, superb performances, integral "news broadcasts" and "interviews," plus a gorgeous soundtrack, all come together to tell the fantastical tale this is a superb, intelligent Sci Fi film, fully deserving of its "classic" status. 8/10

The Day the Earth Stood Still received recognition from the American Film Institute and was selected for preservation in the United States Library of Congress's National Film Registry.

This is definitely one of the better and original B noirs of the 1950s. This film noir is a bit of a hidden gem! It has a great plot with some good acting. The opening scene is our narrator running from the police, but within 10 seconds we flash back to what brought us to that point.

No Questions Asked is a classic film noir from 1951 .With the help of some seedy gangsters, young attorney Steve Keiver (Barry Sullivan) makes some quick cash by bending the law, and in the process he impresses the mobsters so much that they invite him to work for them on a regular basis. But when Police Inspector Duggan (George Murphy) realizes that Steve is working as a middleman for the mob, the young lawyer finds himself in a life-threatening situation. In order to clear his name, he must betray the deadly crooks he's been working for.

Coming from MGM , No Questions Asked is a sleeper noir film with a lot of high gloss productions values not normally associated with noir. Yes this one is worth seeking out . 8/10.

The Locket is about the creation of a psychopath . Director Brahm keeps a firm grip on the extraordinary multiple-flashback structure told in a flashback, within a flashback, within another flashback.

Lovely Nancy seems like the ideal bride to fiance'e John Willis... until, just before the ceremony, Willis is approached by Harry Blair, claiming to be Nancy's former husband. The tale Blair unfolds (in a flashback within a flashback within a flashback!) paints Nancy as a kleptomaniac, habitual liar, and perhaps worse. But is Blair telling the truth? And does fate have another surprise in store?

This is a film worth watching for more than just its often-heralded, unique narrative structure. It has great performances, a great script and beautiful black and white cinematography. All of the elements really come together here to make The Locket an unexpected, underrated and completely unique noir.

Jimmy Stewart is terrific as P. J. McNeal, a Chicago newspaper reporter determined to free a convicted killer (Richard Conte) he believes has been unfairly imprisoned for eleven years. Despite a mountain of seemingly irrefutable evidence, McNeal follows his gut and unravels a string of bad luck and miscommunication that would appear unbelievable were it not based on a true story.

Stewart rarely ventured into the noir world, but when he did, his heroism took on an obsessive bent giving his performances a notable edge. The first Hollywood feature to be shot entirely on location in Chicago, Call Northside 777 also boasts fantastic cinematography and stellar supporting performances by Conte, Lee J. Cobb, and Helen Walker. Winner of the Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America for Best Motion Picture of 1948. Definitely an overlooked gem of Jimmy Stewart's great career. 8/10.

Star Wars: The Phantom Menace is better than you remember.

Battle droids, podracers, Jar Jar, Darth Maul, and all of the Episode I goodness !

The film also holds a special, nostalgic place in my heart.

This is outstanding (even if flawed) blockbuster popcorn Sci-Fi .

I enjoy this movie. Always have. Has its problems, but the highs outweigh the lows !

The Phantom Menace's score is consistently good and adds to the ambiance of every scene.

Liam Neeson and Ewan McGregor are excellent.

Action is handled with flair

, like the opening 10 minutes and the pod race, have the old Star Wars feel!

Natalie Portman's portrayal of Padmé was a remarkable blend of grace, strength, and vulnerability, making her a standout presence in the Star Wars universe.

The Phantom Menace will always be vital to film history. Regardless of how anyone feels about its quality, it was an incredibly epic FX work from a genuine auteur who sought to do things never before seen in blockbuster cinema. 8/10.

I'm a giant fan of fallout video RPG game ,

I've logged hundreds hours into Fallout 3 game and just absolutely dig the world Bethesda has created. Today we crave more and more of a good show, so much so that our culture defines this obsession as "binging", a term often used to describe a multi-day drug bender that now reflects the quality of a good show.

Well, this isn't just good, it's binge worthy and then some.

It's what myself and every other Fallout player have dreamed of; a completely original story set in the Fallout universe, and we get to start with the Bloody Mess perk.

This is a dark, violent and emotional series with enough humor and romance to even it all out, making sure that every element of good storytelling is there, and that it all takes place in both the Wasteland and the Vault. This is a hard-R rated series with gore, cursing, sex, nudity, the whole lot. But not in a way that feels exploitative for its own sake just... In a future, post-apocalyptic Los Angeles brought about by nuclear decimation, citizens must live in underground bunkers to protect themselves from radiation, mutants and bandits.

Ella Purnell in Fallout (2024)

All the people living in these underground communities are forced to come up and live. Ella Purcell stars as Lucy, one of the people who's never been above ground before and wasn't prepared for the lawless society it has become. One of the most underrated actress I seen in some time she has great comedic timing , charm ....and grit !!

Looking forward to what's to come and so far it's good. I highly recommend it, Fallout fan or not!!!

They nailed the vibe spot on and the story and characters are well cast. 8/10.

Sometimes you just need to turn your brain off and just go and enjoy some ridiculousness.

The film got pretty bad reviews from critics because of the wacky cheesy human storyline. I was sort of feeling similar but it grew on me because the science fiction elements of this film are really kind of profound. Most of it takes place in the center of the Earth that is actually hollow and is teaming with monsters and there's all kinds of creative creatures and also native humans that live in this realm; Hollow Earth

Basically centers around four characters the travel where they find King Kong living in this underworld and they summoned Godzilla to come down to the subterranean level to fight an evil creature I want to take over the world ! I mean I've been following king con for many years starting with the first film of 1933 when was the first king Kong released.

I've always liked Japanese kaiju films. Anyway there's lots of kind of eye rolling cheesy human comedic dialogue which is a little bit out of place but the film really brought it's A game with science fiction and intense monster Mayham and actually the characters and comic relief kind of grew on me ! Bottom line 'Godzilla x Kong the New Empire' is a great science fiction creature feature ! The Hollow Earth design is beautiful and the monster fights are impactful. 7.5/10.

Vice Squad, tapping the affordable Edward G. Robinson and Paulette Goddard for marquee appeal.

Unjustly graylisted by the pamphlet Red Channels. The Report of Communist Influence in Radio and Television( Issued by the right-wing journal Counterattack on June 22, 1950, the pamphlet-style book names 151 actors, writers, musicians, broadcast journalists, and others until they cleared their names, the customary requirement being that they testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) and name names, which the vast majority refused to do. )

Robinson no longer commanded a top salary. Ironically, the movie was a property he had purchased six years earlier, before the HUAC debacle crippled his career. Ms. Goddard had been out of circulation for a while, and traded a reasonable paycheck for what looks like a few day's work. The team came up with a serviceable script about a police captain trying to get a handle on a gang of murderous bank robbers.

All credit to Edward G. Robinson, who makes all these shenanigans look like noble social work!

This isn't a big show for Paulette Goddard, but she does give Mona Ross an appropriately flirtatious quality - and looks cute in furs entering and leaving the captain's office, as if it was a second home.

A reasonably exciting crime tale put together with modest resources, Vice Squad achieves an interesting vibe somewhere between Dragnet and L. A. Confidential. The action is restricted to a couple of sequences, but it's certainly good enough; the bank robbery actually takes place in the Beverly Hills, and locals will easily recognize the streets. 7/10.

I especially liked the film's setting and location filming. Relatively few movies were filmed in Orange County, where I spent my summers as a youth at Newport Beach hanging out on Balboa Island Fun Zone and Pier .

THE BREAKING POINT is a (very) loose remake of TO HAVE AND HAVE NOT (1944), with both films inspired by a story by Ernest Hemingway. THE BREAKING POINT's screenplay was by Ranald MacDougall. John Garfield was the type of leading man who came out of that kind of working man play -- more rugged than romantic, more blue collar than white collar, more at home in a leather jacket than a tuxedo. That leading man type would peak post-war with the likes of Dean, Brando, Steiger, Newman, McQueen, and others. But their predecessor was John Garfield.

Garfield plays Harry Morgan, who lives on Balboa Island with his wife (Phyllis Thaxter) and young daughters. Once a captain of a PT boat in World War II, (John Garfield) is now trying to earn a living commanding a sport-fishing vessel in Newport, California. The Breaking Point is a character study draped loosely in traditional crime-film garb.

John Garfield plays Harry Morgan, the owner of a charter boat who is having trouble making enough money to support his wife and daughters. When he accepts a charter to take a man named Hannagan and his mistress to Mexico to do some fishing, his client skips out without paying, leaving Morgan with Hannagan's girlfriend Lenora (Patricia Neal), and a docking fee he can't pay. In order to make enough money to get home, Morgan reluctantly agrees to smuggle Chinese people into the United States, but the Coast Guard finds out about it and impounds his boat. The situation becomes increasingly desperate for Morgan as a gang of crooks blackmails him and kills his first mate, forcing him into a fateful confrontation.

Garfield turns in a fine performance as Harry Morgan, married this time around . Phyllis Thaxter is excellent as his world-weary wife and Patrica Neal's whore in all but name complements her perfectly and gets the lion's share of the one-liners. Wallace Ford is suitably oily as the architect of all Morgan's troubles and Juan Hernandez lends sterling support as Morgan's crew-cum-friend.

The final image of the movie is one of the sadder and more haunting shots in cinematic history. Terrific movie. One of Garfield's last efforts.

VIOLENCE (1947) is an offbeat crime film about a Los Angeles veterans organization, United Defenders, which is a front for racketeers and murderers.

Entertaining Noir ... films coming out of Hollywood that would later be dubbed film noir by French critics (and 1947 was a prime year for film noir).

Violence is a B-movie programmer . The film is a curious melding of postwar angst, mob drama, and amnesia.

It's almost a little too much plot for a 72-minute film. It's interesting enough and I enjoyed it, yet one senses the movie could have been better if the film was a bit more coherent .

A vague chronicle of a group run by ex-cons attempting to fleece veterans who at the time the film was made were having a difficult time readjusting to postwar US society. Violence, a movie that attempts to cash in on the fears and the tumult of a country trying to get back to work, and hoping to recover from too many years of war and depression.

Nancy Coleman stars as photojournalist Ann Dwire using the alias of Ann Mason, working undercover as a secretary to the organization's boss True Dawson (Emory Parnell) who reminds me a little of tough guy thespian Broderick Crawford.

Adorable Nancy Coleman (1912-2000) stars as an undercover reporter looking into a veteran's organization that promotes violence. She was active in the 40s and then switched to TV.

Coleman (HER SISTER'S SECRET) is an interesting actress and makes the film worth watching she is very wholesome and charming. VIOLENCE (1947) It's a delightfully noirish and a very obscure 1940's film . Dispite not being a top tier noir I recommend this one ! It is of great interest as an expression of murky political turmoil in the early US Cold War years. 7/10.

Tonight I watched PUSHOVER, a very entertaining film noir with brand-new star Kim Novak. Novak being 'introduced' in this film as Columbia's answer to Marilyn Monroe. Novak plays a femme fatale who entices a cop (Fred MacMurray) to go bad.

Novak plays Lona, a bank robber's girlfriend. She's initially contacted by Detective Paul Sheridan (MacMurray) while the police are looking for the robber, but Sheridan soon finds himself falling for Lona, hard. (Shortly after they meet he asks "Your place or mine?" and she purrs "Surprise me.")

Lona suggests that when her boyfriend turns up, maybe she and Paul could take off with his bag of money themselves instead of turning it over to the police. Paul tries to put the idea out of his mind but can't resist Lona...in other words, he's a PUSHOVER.

Pushover is an entertaining noir film . It is not particularly well known at all which is a real shame as it is very well done .

Comparisons with the superior Double Indemnity are fair enough, but really there is enough here, and considerable differences too, for the film to rightfully be judged on its own merits.

MacMurray ... proves once again I could do serious acting . Novak makes a stunning debut as the ultimately luckless moll and the rest of the cast backs them up with a splendid ensemble effort. 7.5/10.

A masterpiece of bad taste ! An exaggerated celebration of the roller derby lifestyle. I liked the lowbrow sport of roller derby when I was a youth growing up in the 70's ! I was a very accomplished roller skater in my own right in 1974 -1979 . I had a special blue Roller Rink Jacket from the rink that was embroidered Skate City .

I was also an alpine ski-racer and bigtime skateboarder . My point is that I took my Kryptonics from Boulder Co. Was founded in 1965 and originally manufactured polyurethane products for the mining and computer industry. In the mid-1970s, the company introduced the Kryptonics Star Trac line of wheels that drastically changed the functionality of skateboards. I put my Kryptonics wheels on my roller skates and would jam out of the Skate City in door rink at a local hard core cement skate board park ! My wheels that outperformed the competition. I was an extremely ballsy preteen 😝 These Roller Derby Jam Straps/Skate straps would help with control of fast torque and speed.

Unholy Rollers..... Raunchy , violent , hard, fast, and vulgar ! This is trash cinema at its finest !

"A locker room look at the toughest broads in the world!"

The film's low budget limitations lend added authenticity to its depiction of this seedy American pastime !! Loved it 7.5/10 Karen wants more action out of life and quits her job at the cannery to become a skater in the roller derby. She encounters friction from the other skaters - especially Mickey, the current number one star of the team. Karen proves herself a feisty competitor but refuses to be a team player. As she skates her way to roller stardom, she incurs the wrath of jealous team members and the owner of the team.

FUN FACT! Martin Scorsese was a supervising editor on this film, the year before "Mean Streets" was released.

Roller derby became popular in the 1940s and 1965, and by the 1970s, the International Roller Derby League (IRDL) was at its peak. The IRDL featured regional teams like the Midwest Pioneers and Northeast Braves, and in 1971, over 19,000 people attended a championship game. However, the league ceased operations in 1973, and roller derby eventually became scripted entertainment with predetermined outcomes.

Just Orderd DVD !!!

In Dednis Villeneuve's follow-up to the 2021 hit, Timothee Chalamet's Paul Atreides has a whole host of hurdles to clear. His family has been decimated during the conflict on Arrakis. If that wasn't enough, Paul's been having terrifying visions of a future that he's trying not let come to pass.

Dune: Part Two delivers stunning visuals and action, continuing Paul Atreides' journey on Arrakis. It's a lengthy film with a rather complex plot, so be prepared to invest some time. If you enjoyed the first movie's sci-fi world, this sequel offers a return to that epic adventure.

Sadly, the two main characters do drag the film down there is no chemistry between Timothée Chalamet · Paul Atreides and Zendaya · Chani . Certain casting decisions were questionable. But the visuals, along with dune's rich story make it worthwhile. All in all I was a bit disappointed but its worth the spectacle.

It was a visual feast of a movie and I enjoyed it ; but it just felt like it was lacking a soul with the leads . It just felt like it was a little forced. I just didn't get the tingles I was hoping for like I got when watching the David Lynch Dune. I feel like if 1984 Dune was not so ingrained in my love of space opera lore cinema I would really have enjoyed this film to its full potential . Dune : Part 2 is an epic piece of film making and I will be watching it again . I think I will actually enjoy it more the second time as my expectations are now in check.

I must say I really missed the The weirding modules . A sonic weapon that allows the user to speak words into it, which then shoots out sonic waves and destroys things. The modules are important in the story because they enable Paul to overpower the emperor's forces, the Sardaukar. For example, without the modules, Paul could not defeat the most powerful army in the universe.

What this brilliant addition did by Lynch was to really build a relationship with the outerworld Altaties and the Fremin . They worked together using the Wierding way to train for combat and it helped build the acceptance of Paul Muad'dib.

Zendaya .....she was fine in the first half but in the second half, her expression is just a bit... surprising.

She has that distinctive sullen expression

Her frowning acting in Dune 2. You can sense the passion in Sean Youngs face . We do not get this with Zendaya.

"Tell me of your homeworld, Usul." Young nails this Iconic line .

It is lost when delivered by Zendaya.

Zendaya's Fremen cast mates acted circles around her. They had great accents . Zendaya is having a hard time staying in character. I felt like I was watching a girl from Compton, CA put in an epic Sci/Fi . She good actress in Spiderman , but doesn't fit the role here . Always broke the immersion for me whenever she's in the scene. This is how I feel some one who has not seen every other TV and film adaptation of Frank Herbert's DUNE my be ok with her acting . I was not.

The role was originally occupied by Sean Young, who has also appeared in films such as Blade Runner, I definitely appreciate Sean Young as Chani .

The costumes of new characters Princess Irulan (Florence Pugh) were among the stand-outs. West says that she was inspired by "the circles of hell in Dante Inferno" Princess Irulan, adds West, is "kind of the voice of reason, so you want her to have a certain intellectual simplicity about her." That translated into Brutalist and Japanese influences melded with the Bene Gesserits' "modieval" - which is West's combination of medieval fashion with a modern twist - and nun-inspired touches, culminating in a spectacular chainmail gown and headpiece for the warrior princess that took two weeks to make.

She's got to be one of the most elegant and sexiest women around. One two knockout beauty (Florence Pugh)

Worth the price of admission was Swedish actress Rebecca Ferguson is one of the most compelling performers in Dune as Lady Jessica !!!

Paul Atreides unites with Chani and the Fremen while seeking revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Facing a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the universe, he must prevent a terrible future only he can foresee. 6.9/10.

I think this new series has some great melodramatic and entertaining period piece potential . And the "Icing on the Cake" is the very interesting actress Helena Bonham Carter (The Crown, The King's Speech), will be playing the role ! Based on the true story of Noele Gordon, one of British TV's most famous faces in the 60s and 70s. I will be tuning in for sure on this one !!

It would be nice to see Helena Bonham Carter nominated for a BAFTA TV . Masterpiece have won numerous Emmy awards. OK fellas I am calling it right now Helen Bonham-Carter is certainly going to get a nomination for best actress !!! Yes she is that good in her portrayal of Noele Gordon (Nolly) (played here by Helena Bonham-Carter !

I am on the third episode and I am hooked . The writing is first class . The ensemble of cast members are traffic, the period 1980's wardrobe and set design is spot on and the lead character Carter as Nolly is the icing on the cake. She's amazing.

The series starts some two decades before Crossroads hit the nation's screens, when, in 1938, a young Gordon became the first woman in the world to appear on color television. Cut to 37 years later, and Gordon - better known as Nolly - is one of the most famous women in the UK thanks to her long-standing role as motel owner Meg Mortimer on the Birmingham-based soap.

The series follows Nolly's dramatic and unceremonious sacking from Crossroads, a national scandal at the time and one that remains a mystery to this day. 9/10.

Lanthimos is part of a postmodern film movement known as the Greek Weird Wave. Yorgos Lanthimos is known for his unique and unconventional filmmaking style, characterized by dark humor, deadpan delivery, and a penchant for absurdity. He is not for everybody that's fore sure. His most approachable film is The Favourite , I think you boys would really like this one . Emma Stone does her own thing and shines brightest with art house cinema . Poor Things celebrates sexuality. It is also one of the most divisive films of the past year thanks to its ample nudity and profanity. Emma is fantastic she really embraces her weird and is willing to declare her shelf to the world in this gem of an arts house film as character Bella Baxter . I am such a fan of Emma Stone she gets it...... always her own unbridled creative self. I totally get how some folks may view Poor Things as more of a softcore . I think it is brilliant thanks to Stone and Lanthimos direction . The film is definitely worth checking out to decide for your self I am glad it is accessible to the masses through the HULU app or it may have been pasted up by many.

Is Out of Africa Based on a true story?

Isak Dinesen's book was a memoir: that is, she related the story in part and gave it certain flourishes that were only approximately true. The Hollywood film "Out of Africa" was loosely based upon her rendition and four other books by or about Isak Dinesen, whose real name was Karen Blixen.

Pollack hit the Oscar jackpot with this sweeping romantic epic, a sort of "Gone with the Wind" set in Africa. This epic drama charts the journey of an affluent, worldly-but-somewhat-naive young woman, Karen "Isak" Dinesen (Meryl Streep), from her marriage to the aristocratic Baron Blixen (Klaus Maria Brandauer), a friend and sometime-lover who commits to her mainly for money, to her evolution as an strong plantation owner, avid storyteller, and survivor, set against 1900s colonial Kenya. Her marital arrangement leaves her feeling abandoned and unappreciated; she'd hoped to at least develop a deep friendship -- even love -- with her often-absent and unfaithful husband, but it doesn't appear to be. But she finds solace in Denys Finch-Hatton (Robert Redford), an adventurer who teaches her much about independence, love, and Africa, and, in the end, remembering.

If you didn't know any better, you'd swear it was some young Danish actress cast for the sake of authenticity in the American film. But it's not. It's just a girl from New Jersey, Meryl Streep. Meryl has set the standard for acting in accent. She's given us Danish in "Out of Africa, Meryl makes it look easy. Meryl Streep developed her accent by listening to. Actual recordings of Isak Dinesen (Karen Blixen) reading her works.

Awards & Nominations for Meryl Streep David DiDonatello Award - Best Foreign Actress Kansas City Film Critics Award - Best Actress Academy Award - Best Actress in a Leading Role Golden Globe Award - Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama Los Angeles Film Critics Award - Best Actress British Academy Award - Best Actress

This is, for me, Sydney Pollack's masterpiece. "Tootsie" finds Pollack in full command of his talent, perfectly blending comedy, romance, satire and pathos is a close 2nd Out of Africa , a period piece is right down my alley. How good is this film? So good that I can even accept Robert Redford in the Finch-Hatton role, a role for which many would think he would be ill-suited--the all-American leading man playing an English adventurer & hunter, and playing it with no English accent because . . . Well . . . He's Robert Redford and I suppose he doesn't need accent! 😉

Cinematographer David Watkin's work is praised for capturing the film's beauty. The widescreen shots of the African landscape, especially during the flying scene, are said to perfectly capture its dangerous beauty. Watkin wins the Oscar for Cinematography for Out of Africa

John Barry's score is also praised for its ability to express the magnificence, grandeur, and wonder of the African vistas. The score won Best Score at the 1985 Academy Awards and includes Mozart's Clarinet Concerto and haunting African music

Out of Africa won Best Picture at the 58th Academy Awards in 1986. The film also won Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay

Out of Africa is Meryl Streep at her iconic best, armed with a flawless accent and a deep understanding of her character. Streep owns every inch of this film. As good as Redford is ...it's Karen Blixen's story and Redford's Finch Hatton merely plays a meaningful part in it. Much admiration for Sidney Pollack's brilliance and for putting together a team of people both in front and behind the camera that have created such a entralling film. All the Actors were superb with Meryl setting the pace for the 2 hours and 41 minutes long piece of outstanding cinema.

This is a magnificent, intelligent, moving film . 10/10.

The Battle of the Alamo lasted 13 days - from February 23rd to March 6th, 1836 - and is still considered a symbol of the fight for freedom in the USA today. It was mobilized by Texans who wanted to fight for their independence. At that time the country was still Mexican territory. But more and more white settlers populated this area north of the Rio Grande. As part of the Texas War of Independence, the battle took place between a 7,000-man Mexican force under President Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna and the heavily outnumbered opponents with around 200 soldiers who were entrenched in Fort Alamo, a small mission station.

"Alamo" was John Wayne's only directing work . And he prepared this film for years. In an interview he admitted "I wish with all my heart that the Battle of the Alamo remains a symbol and proves that the love of freedom is not dead." Or as Davy Crockett, John Wayne's character in the film, once said, "Without freedom, man is as dead as a beaver-skin hat." First-time director Wayne wanted to tell a tale of larger-than-life heroes, taking a stand for what was right, and being willing to die for that cause. It was a firm belief in these truths that pushed Wayne into investing over ten years of his life, and much of his personal fortune, in telling this story, and 'The Alamo' was, and is, a triumph.

Wayne used thousands of Mexicans as extras in the film, which gives the viewer a far greater sense of the magnitude of the siege. The 155 minute long film is never boring.

John Wayne is also allowed to fall in love with Linda Cristal and shows with historical accuracy the chronological sequence of this unequal battle, which is a suicide mission from the start. So that General Houston can raise an army of more than 1,000 men for the fight for freedom in Texas, Colonel Travis is supposed to defend the Alamo mission in San Antonio together with Colonel Jim Bowie (Richard Widmark). Both men are fundamentally different. Travis, a perfectionist and counterpart - Bowie sometimes gets drunk and doesn't care about military precision. Soon the well-known Congressman Davy Crockett joins them with his 23 brave men. They do come from Tennessee - but the argument that Mexico could take over other states after Texas is valid. The brave men become death-defying and ultimately madmen. This is all wrapped up in wonderful pictures.

The battles, particularly the final one, as row after row of Mexican foot-soldiers overrun the pockets of defenders, are unforgettable! Each character is allowed to die heroically, and is given a lingering moment to make a final gesture (Travis breaks his sword over his knee as Mexicans surge past, Bowie fires his unique gun, a brace of pistols, and swings his famous knife, Crockett, bayoneted to a door, still manages to pull free, and torch the magazine). The film's climax, alone, would make the film a 'must' for any action fan. I say this is essential viewing for all John Wayne fans , I am so glad I took the chance to discover this epic film. As usual (I still do not get this) I had to turn to foreign countries to find this gem on Blu-ray at least it is region free ! 8/10.