kmiller12 Reviews

Quantum of Solace (2008)

This is worst than Craiges first Bond and that's hard to do.

[1/10 · 27 November 2008]

This is worst than the first Bond that Craige did. I just cannot stand his style of "Bond" acting. I am an actor and I have never worked with someone who appears this bad on a characterization. Thought they would have improved after the first one, but nnnnoooooo.

Terrible movie, worst yet, not a real Bond quality actor. Worst of all so far. He is a terrible Bond. Makes a better Inspector Gadget. Not a good scenery direction in my opinion. Have seen better action shots in Disney movies. Main character is just not Bond and needs to be replaced. This remake is not as good as the first and it was not good either. I remember when we were enchanted by good Bond characterizations and better times at the drive-in picture shows entertained by the best Bonds of ever. Wonder what happened to the magic of Bond? Nothing can replace the real actors doing Bond characterization. Go back to real Bond "men" that make the series believable, real and entertaining. Plain talk, the movie sucks.

Casino Royale (2006)

You've Got To Be Kidding

[1/10 · 27 November 2008]

Terrible movie, worst yet, not a real Bond quality actor. Worst of all so far. He is a terrible Bond. Makes a better Inspector Gadget. Not a good scenery direction in my opinion. Have seen better action shots in Disney movies. Main character is just not Bond and needs to be replaced. This remake is not as good as the first and it was not good either. I remember when we were enchanted by good Bond characterizations and better times at the drive-in picture shows entertained by the best Bonds of ever. Wonder what happened to the magic of Bond? Nothing can replace the real actors doing Bond characterization. Go back to real Bond "men" that make the series believable, real and entertaining. Plain talk, the movie sucks.

Riders of the Purple Sage (1996 TV Movie)

Good and Evil depends on ones point of view.

[10/10 · 24 May 2004]

Good and Evil depends on ones point of view. Who's side of the fence are you on and how do you fight that which you perceive as evil. Just as the person before me in his review stated, if you haven't read the book, you might want to, so that you will understand the obvious points that had to be left out of the movie. It really is important to make some understanding of the thought's that Zane Grey, one of the premiere western writers of the past. He was ahead of his time giving psychological reasoning for his character's as well as one of the best describers of surrounding beauty that the characters are enveloped in.

The evil men in this portrait of the depravity of men (even those of "religious' belief's) is portrayed vividly by the men of the Mormon church as they saw their duty. Greed set aside, this was about a belief as well. Right and wrong played out in a violent nature by violent men. Portrayed brilliantly by an outstanding cast.

Then comes Lassiter, who is violent in his own way and yet gentle and kind. He steps up to the plate and helps Jane Withersteen (played by Amy Madigan in one of her most impressive acting to date), while Lassiter (played in a hard as rock characterization by Ed Harris) still after those who caused his family member to commit suicide. I believe these characters played by this particular cast very brilliantly portrayed just as those envisioned by Zane Grey in his book "Riders of the Purple Sage".

The screen play is very well done by Gill Dennis from the book written by Zane Grey. Direction by Charles Haid proves he understands the west as well as how to get the best out of his actors and staff. If it was not a movie made for television, it would rank up there with the best like Eastwoods "The Unforgiven" and Costner's "Open Range" with each of those carrying "star power" and Rider's unsung actors.

Tough interpretation of a hard subject, still beyond it's time.

The Frogmen (1951)

This film has a lot to say of the dedication, hard work and honor of men of war doing a tough job.

[10/10 · 18 May 2004]

The first time I saw this I was 10 years old, very impressionable and wanted very much to be like these men of war. This film has a lot to say about dedication and hard work learning the art of war. As John Wayne once said in "Sands of Iwo Jima" about the learning of the proper procedures of how to fight a war, because if we don't do it right a whole lot of men don't walk away from it, "forevermore they don't". As has been said this is the precursor to the modern day Seals. Sure I know they are tougher men today, but in my estimation not any more honorable and dedicated than the men portrayed in this "great" film.

The acting is outstanding and very real, especially to be so good that an old man like myself, remembers how I felt all the times I saw the film. If a film and the men involved in telling the tale of "The Frogmen" left that much impression and remembered to this day, then it had to be great acting, direction and favorably produced. There was no outlandish computer graphic techniques of today nor scenes of blowing up the world that come so common place in todays action genra films, but a reason and purpose for the gritty life and death struggle each man faced to become a frogman in the U. S. Navy or UDT (Underwater Demolition Teams) as they were and are called.

This black and white picture was dominated by the snarling Richard Widmark in perhaps his best performance in his career. I know many remember him for other films, but to me, he made this film and was the quintessential commander training his men to do a very difficult job with nothing more than shear strength of character and leadership. They did not have the high tech apparatus of todays Seals, but for what they lacked in equipment they more than made up for in "guts and glory" beneath the waters.

The rest of the cast, Dana Andrews, Gary Merrill, Jeffrey Hunter and Robert Wagner, just to name a few seemed to be portraying what is best in the Navy and men of war. Several more gave memorable performances in telling the tale of "The Frogmen" and the U. S. Navy's dedication to the finest in warfare.

The standard war movie is one thing, but this is a classic not seen much today and one in which many that followed learned by this tale of the U. S. Navy.