Miami Vice (1984) – One Eyed Jack, and No Exit

Edward James Olmos joins the main cast this week as the division’s new lieutenant, Martin Castillo, and with his steely eyed glare on Crockett (Don Johnson) the story swings into high gear. One Eyed Jack was written by Alfonse Ruggerio Jr., and first aired on 2 November, 1984. An old flame of Crockett’s Barbara Carrow…

Ray (2004) – Taylor Hackford

An all-star cast brings the life of the legendary musician Ray Charles in Ray, the next recommendation from the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book following my screening of The Sound of Music. Jamie Foxx leads the cast as the titular Ray and is joined by Terrance Howard, Regina King, Larenz Tate, Warwick…

Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) – Michael Curtiz

As I continue my time with the Musical chapter in the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book, I dove into the biographical film, Yankee Doodle Dandy starring James Cagney. That gave me a pause. Despite everything I had ever heard about the film, I’d never seen him do anything like this. It was…

Pretty Woman (1990) – Garry Marshall

The next big title that I come to in the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book as I return to the Romance and Melodrama section is this rom-com drama from 1990, Pretty Woman. Outside of a pretty solid soundtrack of hits this movie, honestly, never did much for me. The film stars Richard…

The Maltese Falcon (1929) – Dashiell Hammett

Sam Spade. Almost some ninety years on, the name still conjures images. One can see Bogart, fedora atop his head, overcoat hanging on his frame, cigarette dangling from his lips while he has a heater in one hand, and a dame on the other. No matter your experience with Spade, brought to life incredibly in…

Unforgiven (1992) – Clint Eastwood

The next recommendation from the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book following my screening of The Wild Bunch, is my all-time favourite western, Eastwood’s multi-Oscar winning film (Best Director, Best Picture, Best Editing, and Best Supporting Actor for Gene Hackman). An ageing gunfighter, William Munny (Eastwood) wants to tend to his tiny parcel…

Point Blank (1967) – John Boorman

Lee Marvin and Angie Dickinson headline the next stop in the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book as we return to the Thriller & Crime genre. Marvin is Walker, a criminal left for dead when he is double-crossed by his partners, Reese (John Vernon) and his own wife, Lynne (Sharon Acker). He sets…

Jailhouse Rock (1957) – Richard Thorpe

The Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book brings me back around the Musical genre, and this time around it features Elvis Presley himself. The story, such as it is, follows Vince Everett (Presley) who is serving one year (!) for manslaughter. While in the joint he meets a former country singer, Hunk Houghton…

Quantum Leap (1992) – The Last Gunfighter and A Song for the Soul

Sam finds himself in the form of aged gunfighter, Tyler Means, in The Last Gunfighter. Written by Sam Rolfe and Chris Ruppenthal and airing on 5 February, 1992, Sam find himself on 28 November, 1957. Tyler Means is 82 years old. He likes his whiskey, and he likes his tall tales, especially the ones centring…

Quantum Leap (1991) – Dreams and A Single Drop of Rain

Deborah Pratt writes the first episode up for review this week, Dreams. It aired on 13 November, 1991, and finds Sam (Scott Bakula) on 28 February, 1979. Sam has leaped into a police detective, Jack Stone, who is working a murder case, but is also suffering from some terrible flashbacks. These trace memories are throwing…