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Reviews
Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid (1973)
New on DVD
After waiting for years for this movie to come out on DVD, I was thrilled when this and three other Peckipah westerns were recently released on DVD. I had seen this movie many times over the years, but recently watched a new version of the movie on the disc that was supposedly edited based upon Peckinpah's original (or final?) notes on the film. I saw this difference immediately and knew that I was in for a fresh ride. This is really a great movie (even with a couple scenes that still feel weird to me) that, like THE WILD BUNCH, really captures a changing time in American history (the end of the Old West) through the eyes of men who have a difficult time changing. The acting is terrific -- especially Coburn -- and features many great little (but memorable) character performances. And Bob Dylan's music really works here (which helps me to overlook his funky jittery performance.) This isn't a fun movie, and it's not on a par with THE WILD BUNCH, but it is an important one.
Munich (2005)
Best Movie of the Year
In a year of really good movies, I believe MUNICH was the best of them all. It's a big movie that because it struck me on so many levels, felt very personal. While I realize that some people like to minimize Spielberg's work at times, this movie proves yet again that there is no filmmaker who can make a movie hum like he can. MUNICH is really a thrilling ride but it is not fun at all. It's exciting but it's painful. It's long and it feels like it never ends but (unlike A.I.) that was okay because it just works so well. In fact, I believe that this was Spielberg's message -- this movie is going to keep going and going, just like the cycle of violence that is represented. To make such a statement resonate, and do it in a way that sucks you into the story and the movie as an entertainment, shows just how ambitious and successful this film is.
Fortunes (2005)
Very Solid Sleeper
This movie struck me because of the cast -- particularly Tony Hale ("Arrested Development") and James Urbaniak (who I saw last year in a terrific one-man play in NYC) -- so I rented it and really found myself liking this movie a lot. While it was very funny (warning: it's not over-the-top humor) it also hit on some ideas and thoughts that I think everyone deals with at some point. Though it's clearly a smaller movie, it is very well done and the acting is terrific -- particularly the leads - Hale, Urbaniak, Mike Mcglone and Diana Henry who plays Hale's wife. The music (by Tobin Sprout of the great band Guided by Voices) is really good too. It doesn't seem like enough people have seen this movie and that's kind of a shame because this is one very solid indie sleeper. There are also some pretty interesting "deleted scenes." Check this one out!