Rango

Starring the voice talents of Johnny Depp, Isla Fisher, Abigail Breslin, and Bill Nighy

Directed by Gore Verbinski

Release Date: March 4th, 2011

ILM....once the leader in special  effects have demonstrated their ability in creating a feature-length, CGI animated film directed by Gore Verbinski and starring the voice talents of Johnny Depp, Abigail Breslin, and Bill Nighy.

A chamoleon (Depp) lost in the desert is in a bit of a crisis: he's lost, in need of an identity, and water in order to survive. Soon, he's found a home in the town of Dirt, taken up the name of Rango, and discovered that the town is in need of a sheriff. The once lonely lizard is now friends with the townspeople, including Beans (Fisher) and Priscilla (Breslin), who look toward their new sheriff to find the town's water supply before they all die.

Okay,it is true that this film is a tad too dark for younger kids. If you think that this would be good for toddlers, think again. That isn't to say that the film is unwatchable, far from it. If I had to place it, Rango would be best for kids age 8 and up. Moving on, the animation of this film is fantastic; the look of the film is certain to give Pixar a run for their money; especially if ILM can make all their characters as fanscinatingly detailed as the townspeople of Dirt. Also, there is a great deal of homages in Rango, from the "Dollars" trilogy to High Noon, to Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.

Rating: * * * * of 5

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The Treasure of the Sierra Madre

Starring Humphrey Bogart, Walter Huston, and Tim Holt


Directed by John Huston

Release Date: January 7th, 1948

The Treasure of the Sierra Madre: A tale of greed, desperation, and murder.
 
Two down on their luck men, Dobbs (Bogart) and Curtin (Holt), are desperate to make ends meet in Mexico. Neither man seems to be where they want to be and want to strike it rich by any means necessary. Soon, the two encounter Howard (W. Huston), an old prospector who tries to entice anyone to journey with him to search for gold out in the Mexican outback. Due to a rare moment of luck, the trio is off to excavate for riches beyond their wildest dreams.


The Treasure of the Sierra Madre is a fantastic film, from the directorial efforts of John Huston and the efforts of the cast. Playing against type, Bogart is phenomenal as the greedy, angry F.C. Dobbs. Bogart brings his usual blue-collar charm to the character, but also does a great job of playing up the avarice and paranoia of the character. Walter Huston, Director John Huston’s father, gives an Academy-Award winning performance as Howard, the eccentric prospector playing chief and peace maker of the three gold diggers. My favorite scene with Howard was his prospector jig when laughing at Dobbs and Curtin getting excited over finding Fool’s Gold.

If you’re a Bogart fan, or a fan of non-traditional Westerns, you’ll enjoy The Treasure of the Sierra Madre.

Rating: * * * * * of 5

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True Grit (2010)

Starring Jeff Bridges, Hailee Steinfeld, Matt Damon, and Josh Brolin

Directed by Joel and Ethan Coen

Release Date: December 22nd, 2010

 Everything has a price, as Mattie Ross (Steinfeld) soon learns in the latest film from Joel and Ethan Coen. Adapted from the 1968 novel by Charles Portis, the Coen brothers craft an interesting mixture of hard-nosed western adventure with their trademark witty dialogue and quick-witted humor.

Mattie Ross has two concerns on her mind: the first is to hire U.S. Marshall Ruben "Rooster" Cogburn to track down criminal Tom Cheyney (Brolin), and the second is to see that Cheyney pays for the crime of murdering her father in cold blood. Unfortunately, Cogburn (Bridges) is unwilling to be bossed around by a 14 year-old girl and is also dealing with an upstart Texas Ranger (Damon) also on the hunt for Cheyney who killed a U.S. Senator. The road will be long and hard; will Mattie be able to make the two lawmen respect her dedication to honour her father and bring his killer to justice?

The Coens do a fantastic job of adapting Portis' novel to the big screen, this time more faithfully than the '69 film starring John Wayne as "Rooster" Cogburn. Also, D.O.P. Roger Deakins does a beautiful job making the lush outdoors of Texas and New Mexico seem harsh and grim for Mattie's expedition to find her father's killer. Visually, the film is shot with muted colors which makes the situation that the characters are in seem more grounded in reality to better accumulate audience memebers to the film's settings. As for the actors, all top billing actors do an outstanding performance, particularly Bridges as the curmudgeonly Cogburn adn Steinfeld as the no-nonsense Mattie. Also of note, Josh Brolin gives a very subdued, minimal performance as Cheyney.
 
Rating: * * * * 1/2 of 5

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Jonah Hex

Starring Josh Brolin, Will Forte, Megan Fox, and John Malkovich

Directed by Jimmy Hayward

Release Date: June 18th, 2010

In the Reconstruction Era after the Civil War, unrest and chaos rule the western lands of America. Soon, an old Conferderalist General (Malkovich) has returned and is planning a devastating attack on U.S. soil. It will be up to Jonah Hex (Brolin), infamous bounty hunter, to stop the General and save America.

During the theatrical run of Jonah Hex, many critics were largely negative of the movie and many called it one of 2010's worst movies. Now, I will say that the filim is not perfect and that there is a more faithful version to the comic version of Hex. For one, Megan Fox's performance is remarkably bad; she has no chemistry with Brolin and her facial expersions are either bored or looks trying to think too hard. Second, many fans may complain that this version of Jonah Hex is unfaithful to the comic due to the supernaturual powers he possesses in the film whereas in the comics he has no such abilities; I can see the complaints, but I had no problem with this addition to the character as it is integral to the story in the film. If fans would rather see a more faithful adaptation of Hex, see the DC Showcases animated short film starring the voice of Tom Jane. Despite these problems, the film is still a fun, enjoyable story with great performances from the cast (such as Brolin really gritting his teeth as Hex or Will Arnett in a small role as a US general), stunning cinemateography, and an interesting story about revenge and betrayal. However, the film is only 75 minutes and I hope that one day there will be a longer "Director's Cut" available for home video viewing.

Jonah Hex is a fun, western adventure with some minor complaints.
 
Rating: * * * * of 5

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Wyatt Earp

Starring Kevin Costner, Dennis Quaid, Gene Hackman, Michael Madsen, and Mark Harmon

Directed by Lawrence Kasdan

Release Date: June 24, 1994

In 1993 and 1994 two westerns about Wyatt Earp and Doc Holiday came out, 1993's Tombstone starring Kurt Russell and Val Kilmer and 1994's Wyatt Earp starring Kevin Costner and Dennis Quaid. Now, personally speaking, my favored film between the two is Tombstone. Now, here are my reasons: 1) this film is just boring, and i'm not suring whether to blame the actors, the director/co-writer Lawrence Kasdan, or the editor. Still, for a western about a famous deputy who was involved in one of the most famous shotouts in history it's just so dull. One of my chief complaints is Kevin Costner, who plays Earp so hamfisted and wooden that it becomes that much harder to become interested in his life as a lawman. 2) If you want a more memorable and interesting portrayal of "Doc" John Holliday, it's not in this movie. Val Kilmer's Doc is just so fully developed against the scenery chewing acting that is Dennis Quaid as Doc Holliday. In short, this is just a mediocre western that at times is too long to be justfied clocking in at 3 hours.

Rating: * * of 5

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The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

Starring John Wayne, James Stewart, Lee Marvin and John Carradine

Directed by: John Ford

Release Date: May 28, 1962
When the west is fierce and unruly, what can truly tame the bandits and murderers: Law and Order or Vigilante justice? Flashing back to his younger days, Senator Ransom Stoddard (Jimmy Stewart) tells the tale of his beginnings in the small town of Shinbone and how he became known as "The Man who Shot Liberty Valance". This movie is fantastic, from the commentary on Western justice, the political climate during the 19th Century, and even on journalistic integrity to the performances from the cast, particularly in the two leads: John Wayne plays Tom Doniphon, a local cowboy who lives by how he can handle matters with brute force or his gun. Jimmy Stewart as Ransom Stoddard is simply brilliant, an educated man who puts his faith in upholding law and order so that justice can be served until the outlaw Liberty Valance (Lee Marvin) pushes him so far.

The film is best viewed as a commentary on local legends and the power of the press, that the legend can be more powerful than the truth.

Rating: * * * * 1/2 of 5

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