John Ford and John Wayne. When it comes to westerns there are few names better, and they are my next stop in the Action section of the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book. Confederate soldier, Ethan (Wayne) returns to his family’s homestead in Texas after the end of the Civil War, where he…
Tag: racist
Quantum Leap (1990) – Freedom and Good Night, Dear Heart
Sam (Scott Bakula) engages in more time travelling adventure this week as he leaps into a young Native American, George Washaki in Freedom. This episode was penned by Chris Ruppenthal and aired 14 February, 1990. It’s 22 November, 1970, and Sam finds himself on the run with George’s grandfather, Joseph (Frank Salsedo), with an…
Hell or High Water (2016) – David Mackenzie
Director David Mackenzie and screenwriter Taylor Sheridan (Sicario) update the western for the modern age, while tweaking and twisting it into this crime drama. Tanner (Ben Foster) and Toby (Chris Pine) are brothers. Tanner is a career criminal, and Toby, like those in his family before him, is dirt poor. Like so many places…
Crash (2004) – Paul Haggis
Walking away with the Academy Awards for Best Picture (controversially – as Brokeback Mountain was the presumptive winner), Best Original Screenplay and Best Editing, writer/director Paul Haggis’ tale of a cross-section of denizens of Los Angeles, tied together by race, loss and redemption come together in Crash, my next recommendation from the Great Movies…
Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983) – John Landis, Steven Spielberg, Joe Dante and George Miller
Four great directors give their own interpretations of four classic stories from Rod Serling’s fantastic television series in this big screen adaptation that is the next stop on the Sci-Fi Chronicles. Sure there is that shadow cast over the film with the death of Vic Morrow and two child actors in a helicopter crash,…
Magnum, p.i. (1982) – Did You See the Sunrise?
And we’re back in Hawaii, to join Thomas (Tom Selleck) and the rest of the gang for season 3 of Magnum. two hour season opener, Did You See the Sunrise? Bellisario wrote the season opener, which aired 30 September, 1982. And what he’s written may be one of the best episodes of the series….
Filth (2013) – Jon S. Baird
Releasing on DVD and Blu-Ray today is this adaptation of Irvine Welsh’s novel, and gives James McAvoy an opportunity to tear up the screen with a brilliant performance. He plays Bruce, a police officer in Scotland, who is a hard ass, a cynic, a bit of a racist, and fits right in with the…
Blazing Saddles (1974) – Mel Brooks
The Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book ‘s next recommendation for Monsieur Hulot, is Mel Brook’s comedic take on the western genre, that works on sight gags, physical comedy, and lots of great lines. However, there is also a slew of stereotypes and some less than acceptable language, although it’s very evident…
48 Hrs. (1982) – Walter Hill
The 101 Action Movies brings me one of the classic buddy action movies, and despite the fact that it’s really good, it’s really tough to like any of the characters in it. Almost all of them come across as coarse, racist, and unlikable. Nick Nolte plays Jack Cates, a bit of a loose cannon of…
The Mind Reels 