armandomontelongo715 Reviews

Goldrunner (1980)

Fun Movie

[8/10 · 6 August 2013]

This is a very rare movie to find. It was made in the early 80's and I do not believe it is in print, unless you find an old VHS copy somehow. It tells the story of wealthy family whose son is kidnapped and held for Ransom. The movie stars Richard Losee as a race car driver who must deliver bars of gold to meet the needs of the mad man kidnappers. It really is an enjoyable movie.

The real enjoyment of the movie comes for those who like cars and miles-per-hour. To get the bars of gold to the right places, a Porsche 911 Turbo is used and used quickly. Throughout the movie you get to see a great deal of neat cars from the day at impressive speeds. The cast of characters from the dopey kidnappers to the guys wanting to race their hot rod against the Porsche add a level of fun to the movie. I think what I remember most about the show was that it was OK for family viewing, and one that you could share with your kids, especially the ones who are into cars.

Flying Leathernecks (1951)

Character Study of Pilots in War

[5/10 · 25 June 2013]

Flying Leathernecks is the 1951 retelling of the air effort in the Pacific and the fighting specifically on Guadalcanal. John Wayne plays Major Kirby a veteran fighter pilot from the Battle of Midway that takes command of a squadron with little combat experience. It is a character study of the effects of combat and war. It is interesting to see its impact on these pilots, particularly Robert Ryan's character, referred to usually as 'Griff.' Different from WWII pictures of the time, Flying Leathernecks depicts some of the harsh realities and casualties of war. Some of the characters that were developed throughout the film, some that you grow to like, are sadly the ones that are killed and injured in combat. However, the best part of the film is the friction of Major Kirby and Griff. Ultimately the tough an unrelenting attitude of Major Kirby is what develops Captain Griffin into a fine pilot and a man Kirby recommends becoming an officer. This movie is good, but is saddled by the era it was created in. For any John Wayne fan, it is of course a must watch.

Tucker and Dale vs Evil (2010)

Surprisingly Fun

[8/10 · 25 June 2013]

It's a horror movie, but not quite, with a lot of humor and a little bit of heart. That is the easiest way for me to describe Tucker and Dale vs. Evil. It's a delightfully fun take on a backwoods redneck slasher movie…told from the perspective of two rednecks, who want to do nothing more, than to fix up their new summer cabin and do some fishing. Unfortunately, this plan is disturbed by a group of college kids armed with nothing but alcohol and their own fears. What ensues is a laugh out loud gorishly twisted take on slasher movies. Alan Tudyk and Tyler Labine play the characters of Tucker and Dale respectively and the viewer is absorbed into their simple lives of beer and fishing. Tudyk continues to impress me with all the many different roles and comedic characters he has adopted in his career. It is a very gory movie, but done in such a playful way it is hard not to laugh. For any fans of the horror genre, Tucker and Dale vs. Evil is a fun time that prods at other slasher flicks based on stupid college kids go into the woods.

The Raven (I) (2012)

I wanted to like it

[6/10 · 24 May 2013]

Hollywood has always tried to give us visual retellings of the works of Edgar Allan Poe. I was excited when reading about the Raven, seeing it as a combination of all Poe's most memorable works. It also stars one of my favorite actors from my younger days in John Cusack. That all being said, it just felt like it had all been done before. I had the end of the story figured out about a half hour into the film and spent the rest of the movie trying to close up the loopholes to the mystery before the film did.

The cast was good. I thought Luke Evans was great as the curious and never satisfied Detective Fields. Alice Eve, as always, was breathtaking as the helpless heroine Emily. Then we come to Poe, played by a man I have always loved in his roles, Cusack. It was interesting to see Cusack's take of an elitist, eccentric and highly intoxicated Poe. There were parts of this movie where I really got into his character. However, it was hard to get past the fact that it was John Cusack playing Poe. It didn't feel like Edgar, just felt like Cusack. That's not a knock, mind you. One of my favorite performers of all time is the immortal John Wayne and he could only play one role, himself.

That said, The Raven was a good thriller although the story does get a bit predictable in this revisionists tale of the last days of Edgar Allan Poe.

A Bag of Hammers (2011)

Makes You Think

[6/10 · 23 May 2013]

The thing that makes me connect with independent films is that they make you think. Hollywood blockbusters just don't seem all that poignant anymore. For this reason I am glad that Netflix suggested A Bag of Hammers to me. It tells the story of two lifelong friends whose bond was developed over hardships in childhood. To make ends meet these two have a very lucrative career as con men. Their lives and friendships are tested when they inherit an orphaned boy, a boy in whom they see a lot of their own struggles of youth.

I really connected with the cast and was genuinely touched by Jason Ritter's speech on the Bag of Hammers that is in the film. It had the perfect feel for a modern independent film with a modest budget, realistic locations and important message that tackles modern-day dilemmas. It is a unique take on the coming of age story, not just for the orphaned boy, but for the two con men who must finally come to grips with growing up.

The Sound of Music (1965)

Classic Film worth watching

[10/10 · 22 May 2013]

This is one of my all time favorite films. It is a classic. Even after all these years when I watch this film I think it is well done. The music is of course the biggest plus of this great film. Filmed on location, they do a great job of bringing you into the story. Julie Andrews gives in my opinion her best performance out of any movie I have seen her in. You can feel the love that that the main characters have for each other. I would highly recommend taking the time to watch this film if you have not seen it before. I also found out that this story is based on a real life story. it is a bit sad to see how people were treated by the Germans. I think it would be hard to leave everything you have, but they did it.

Troll 2 (1990)

One of the scariest movies I have ever seen (as in BAD)

[1/10 · 21 May 2013]

This film was to me a comedy as it has the worst productions values I have ever seen. I think it might have been shot and produced by an elementary student class.

I think when they had production meetings they must have been discussing how could they possibly make this the worst movie ever to have money spent on it. The acting is a joke. I did watch the entire movie just so that I could see how completely unbelievable they could make it. This film is however somewhat famous just because they have a following of people who like to poke fun at the most ridiculous film ever made.