A (very) widescreen western about the consequences of violence, or something, which I would’ve enjoyed more if not for the super-whiny little kid.
Category Archives: American movies
SOME CAME RUNNING (1958)
A mid-century melodrama in which Frank Sinatra plays a soldier returning to a small town. It has some interesting shots but never really rises above its potboiler status.
THE LEARNING TREE (1969)
The first ever studio movie from a Black director tells the semi-autobiographical story of its director growing up in 1920s Kansas, and I was actually pretty impressed with it as a movie.
KRAMER VS. KRAMER (1979)
Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep fight over custody of a mop-topped little kid who is going to need so much therapy after this.
THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH (1952)
If you love circuses, good for you. This Best Picture winner is way too long and has way too much circus, and when the characters actually talk to each other it’s even worse.
GOING MY WAY (1944)
Bing Crosby plays a laid-back, musical priest in this very laid-back musical that was a huge hit in the middle of World War II but mostly forgotten today.
THE BROADWAY MELODY (1929)
The first of our forgotten best picture winners was such an early sound movie that it is hard to watch, even if it is considered one of the very first movie musicals.
BLUE VELVET (1986)
An, um, unique take on the dark underbelly of a small town from David Lynch, sort of the proto-Twin Peaks.
A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE (1951)
There are several great performances in this Southern Gothic adaptation of a famous stage play, but the whole thing is really not for me.
BRIAN’S SONG (1971)
The ultimate weepy romance, but it’s for dudes because the two leads are football players.
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