Saving Private Ryan Review

Saving Private Ryan

Release Date: 19th November 1998 - Australia

Production Companies

DreamWorks Pictures (presents)

Paramount Pictures (presents)

Amblin Entertainment

Mutual Film Company (in association with)

H2L Media Group

Mark Gordon Productions (uncredited)

Distribution

Paramount Pictures Australia

Genre: War

Rating: MA15+ (Not Suitable

for Young Children)

Runtime: 169 minutes

Budget: $70,000,000

Box Office Gross: $482,349,603 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary

On June 6th, 1944, the historic D-Day invasion occurred on Normandy Beach during World War II. Captain John Miller and his squad embarked on a deadly mission to find and retrieve a missing paratrooper named Private James Ryan, whose three brothers had perished in combat. Those men faced impossible odds as all eight began to question their orders and risk their lives to bring back only one person from behind enemy lines.

Cast

Tom Hanks - Captain Miller

Tom Sizemore - Sergeant

Horvath

Edward Burns - Private Reiben

Barry Pepper - Private Jackson

Adam Goldberg - Private Mellish

Vin Diesel - Private Caparzo

Giovanni Ribisi - T-4 Medic Wade

Jeremy Davies - Corporal Upham

Matt Damon - Private Ryan

Ted Danson - Captain Hamill

Paul Giamatti - Sergeant Hill

Dennis Farina - Lieutenant

Colonel Anderson

Joerg Stadler - Steamboat

Willie

Max Martini - Corporal Henderson

Dylan Bruno - Toynbe

Daniel Cerqueira - Weller

Demetri Goritsas - Parker

Ian Porter - Trask

Gary Sefton - Rice

Julian Spencer - Garrity

Steve Griffin - Wilson

William Marsh - Lyle

Marc Cass - Fallon

Markus Napier - Major Hoess

Ronald Longridge - Coxswain

Adam Shaw - Delancey

Rolf Saxon - Lieutenant Briggs

Corey Johnson - Radioman

Glenn Wrage - Doyle

Raffaello Degruttola - Goldman

John Sharian - Corporal

Nigel Whitmey - Private Boyd

Sam Ellis - Private Hastings

Stephane Cornicord - Jean

Michelle Evans - Jean's Wife

Martin Beaton - Jean's Son

Anna Maguire - Jean's Daughter

Nathan Fillion - Minnesota Ryan

Leland Orser - Lieutenant DeWindt

David Vegh - Paratrooper Oliver

Ryan Hurst - Paratrooper Michaelson

Nick Brooks - Paratrooper Joe

Harve Presnell - General Marshall

Dale Dye - War Department Colonel

Bryan Cranston - War Department Colonel

Amanda Boxer - Mrs. Margaret Ryan

Harrison Young - Ryan as Old Man

Kathleen Bryon - Old Mrs. Ryan

Rob Freeman - Ryan's Son

Thomas Gizbert - Ryan's Grandson

Leo Stransky - German Sniper (Uncredited)

Crew

Producer/Director - Steven Spielberg

Writer - Robert Rodat

Script Supervisor - Ana Maria Quintana

Associate Producer - Kevin de la Noy

Associate Producer/Production Manager -

Mark Huffam

Producers - Ian Bryce, Mark Gordon and

Gary Levinsohn

Co-Producers - Bonnie Curtis and

Allison Lyon Segan

Senior Military Advisor - Dale Dye

Military Advisor - John Barnett

Casting Director - Denise Chaiman

UK Casting Director - Priscilla John

Production Designer - Thomas E. Sanders

Supervising Art Director - Darren T. Dorrance

Art Directors - Tom Brown,

Ricky Eyres, Chris Seagers, Alan Tomkins

and Mark Tanner (Uncredited)

Standby Art Director - Gary Freeman

Assistant Art Director - Kevin Kavanaugh

Construction Coordinator - Terry Apsey

Set Decorator - Lisa Dean

Costume Designer - Joanna Johnston

Armourer - Simon Atherton

Key Makeup Artist - Lois Burwell

Makeup Artist: Mr Hanks - Daniel C. Striepeke

Prosthetics Supervisor - Conor O'Sullivan

Director of Photography - Janusz Kaminski

First Assistant Director - Sergio Mimica-Gezzan

Second Assistant Director - Adam Goodwin

Third Assistant Directors - Martin Krauka

and Andrew Ward

Picture Vehicle Coordinator - Simon Lamonby

Stunt Coordinator - Simon Crane

Special Effects Supervisor - Neil Corbould

Special Effects Coordinator - Carol McAulay

Special Effects Workshop Supervisor - Trevor Wood

Special Corpse and Animal Effects - Neill Gorton

and Steven Painter

Lead Senior Special Effects Technicians -

David Brighton, Kevin Herd, Paul Corbould,

Dave Hunter and John Evans

Visual Effects Supervisor: ILM - Stefen Fangmeier

Visual Effects Co-Supervisor: ILM - Roger Guyett

Visual Effects Producer: ILM - Kim Bromley

Visual Effects Art Director: ILM - Alexander Laurant

Modelmaking Supervisor - John Schoorand

CG Sequence Supervisor: ILM - Gregor Lakner

Sabre Supervisor: ILM - Pablo Helman

Visual Effects Camera Operator: ILM - Martin Rosenberg

Film Editor - Michael Kahn

Sound Designer/Re-Recording Mixer - Gary Rydstrom

Assistant Sound Designer - Shannon Mills

Supervising Sound Editor - Richard Hymns

Effects Editors - Teresa Eckton,

Frank E. Eulner, Larry Oatfield,

Ethan Van der Ryan and Karen G. Wilson

Dialogue Editors - Gwendolyn Yates Whittle,

Sara Bolder and Ewa Satompe

Foley Editors - Sandina Bailo-Lape

and Bruce Lacey

Foley Artists - Dennie Thorpe and Jana Vance

Foley Mixer - Tony Eckert

Sound Mixer - Ron Judkins

Re-Recording Mixers - Andy Nelson

and Gary Summers

Music - John Williams

Music Editor - Kenneth Wannberg

Music Recordist and Mixer - Shawn Murphy

Awards

1998 Academy Awards

Best Director - Steven Spielberg (Won)

Best Cinematography - Janusz Kaminski (Won)

Best Sound - Gary Rydstrom, Gary Summers,

Andy Nelson and Ron Judkins (Won)

Best Film Editing - Michael Kahn (Won)

Best Effects, Sound Effects Editing -

Gary Rydstrom and Richard Hymns (Won)

--------------------

Best Picture - Steven Spielberg, Ian Bryce,

Mark Gordon and Gary Levinsohn (Nominated)

Best Actor in a Leading Role - Tom Hanks (Nominated)

Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly

for the Screen - Robert Rodat (Nominated)

Best Art Direction-Set Decoration -

Thomas E. Sanders and Lisa Dean (Nominated)

Best Makeup - Lois Burwell, Conor O'Sullivan

and Daniel C. Striepeke (Nominated)

Best Music, Original Dramatic Score -

John Williams (Nominated)

Review

SAVING PRIVATE RYAN is an extraordinary film by Steven Spielberg and is unlike any other movie he has made (except for Schindler's List). It's known for its downbeat tone and realistic portrayal of war, conveying the harsh realities many soldiers have endured in this turmoil. While the storyline lacks something, Spielberg's direction proved he can push certain limits in this picture by paying close attention to detail. Especially when he sinks his teeth into bringing the atmosphere into the hellish, war-torn landscapes in which many soldiers lose their lives during this skirmish. Janusz Kaminski's cinematography is shaky. Still, it is groundbreaking, and the battle sequences are stunning. Even the visual representation of the famous battle on Omaha Beach is impressive.

Tom Hanks delivers a terrific performance, showing depth in his character. He could have won an Oscar, but Roberto Benigni won for Life Is Beautiful. As a supporting player, Matt Damon plays the titular soldier who gets lost on the battlefield. Most people will be surprised to learn that this was one of Vin Diesel's early movie roles, before he became a famous action star. John Williams' haunting musical score was beautiful.

A gritty war drama like SAVING PRIVATE RYAN has redefined the genre and is often admired and appreciated as one of Spielberg's greatest films. However, SAVING PRIVATE RYAN is considered violent and depressing and is unsuitable for young audiences. It is even hard for some moviegoers to watch.

Star rating: (10/10) Best Movie Ever

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From Here to Eternity Review

From Here to Eternity

Release Date: 15th October 1953 - Australia

Production Companies

Columbia Pictures (presents)

Distribution

Sony Pictures Releasing Australia

Genre: Romance/War/

Drama

Rating: PG

Runtime: 118 minutes


Budget: $2,500,000

Box Office Gross: $30,500,012 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary
In a barracks in Hawaii before Pearl Harbor, lone wolf and boxer champ "Prew" Prewitt refuses to fight and prefers to play the bugle. Captain Holmes subjects Prew to a series of punishments, while unbeknownst to Holmes, the gruff but fair Sgt. Warden is having a secret affair with the captain's abused wife.

Cast

Burt Lancaster - Sgt. Milton Warden

Montgomery Clift - Robert E. Lee Prewitt

Deborah Kerr - Karen Holmes

Donna Reed - Alma aka Lorene

Frank Sinatra - Angelo Maggio 

Philip Ober - Capt. Dana Holmes

Mickey Shaughnessy - Sgt. Leva

Harry Bellaver - Mazzioli

Ernest Borgnine - Sgt. 'Fatso' 

Judson

Jack Warden - Corp. Buckley

John Dennis - Sgt. Ike Galovitch

Merle Travis - Sal Anderson

Tim Ryan - Sgt. Pete Karelsen

Arthur Keegan - Treadwell

Barbara Morrison - Mrs Kipfer

Claude Akins - Sgt. 'Baldy' Dhom (Uncredited)
Don Dubbins - Pvt. Friday 

Clark - Bugler (Uncredited)

George Reeves - Sgt. 

Maylon Stark (Uncredited)
Jean Wiles - Annette - Club Receptionist (Uncredited)

Crew

Director - Fred Zinnemann

Based Upon the Novel/Writer: Song
"Reenlistment Blues" - James Jones

Screenplay - Daniel Taradash

Producer - Buddy Adler

Technical Advisers - Kendall J. Fielder

and William Mullen

Art Director - Cary Odell

Gowns - Jean Louis

Set Decorator - Frank Tuttle

Director of Photography - Burnett Guffey
Film Editor - William A. Lyon

Supervising Sound Editor - John P. Livadary

(Uncredited)
Musical Director - Morris Stoloff

Background Music - George Duning

Awards

1954 Academy Awards
Best Picture - Buddy Adler (Won)
Best Supporting Actor - Frank Sinatra (Won)
Best Supporting Actress - Donna Reed (Won)
Best Director - Fred Zinnenman (Won)
Best Screenplay - Daniel Taradash (Won)
Best Cinematography, Black or White - Burnett Guffey (Won)
Best Sound - John P. Livadary (Won)
Best Film Editing - William A. Lyon (Won)
---------------------------
Best Actor - Montgomery Clift (Nominated)
Best Actor - Burt Lancaster (Nominated)
Best Actress - Deborah Kerr (Nominated)
Best Costume Design, Black or White - Jean Louis (Nominated)
Best Music Score of a Dramatic or Comedy

Picture - Morris Stoloff and George Duning (Nominated)

Review
I wanted to see the movie for a long time because I had only seen bits of it. FROM HERE TO ETERNITY is known as a movie classic because of its well-known passionate scene on the beach between the film's stars, Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr. Part of the movie's appeal was its 1953 release. The war experience was still fresh in people's minds, and audiences would have related to the film's content. Moviegoers rarely see such intimate scenes in feature films. But this film is more than just romance. It tells the private lives of two men during World War II and before the Pearl Harbor attacks. The movie portrays the struggles people endure during wartime, including its effect on their love lives. People could relate to the characters' frustrations and loneliness.

Lancaster, Kerr, Montgomery Clift, Donna Reed, and Frank Sinatra are terrific in their performances, which elevated their status as high-profile actors. I appreciate the romantic chemistry between Lancaster, Kerr, Clift, and Reed in intimate scenes, which may seem old-fashioned today. 

As a modern viewer, I can't say I related to it very much. FROM HERE TO ETERNITY would still appeal to fans of black-and-white movies in the post-war era. I would give the film a 10 out of 10.

Star rating: (10/10) Best Movie Ever

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Dunkirk Review

Dunkirk


Release Date: 20th July 2017 - Australia


Production Companies
Syncopy
Warner Bros. Pictures
Dombey Street Productions

Distribution
Roadshow Films


Genre: War

Rating: M

Runtime: 106 minutes


Budget: $150,000,000

Box Office Gross: $549,982,398 (Worldwide)


Plot Summary

In 1940, in the French port town of Dunkirk during World War II, four hundred thousand Allied soldiers from Britain, Belgium, and France were trapped on the beach when German forces cut them off and surrounded them. While the enemy closes in, the men must make their way to evacuation before all hope is lost.

Cast
Fionn Whitehead - Tommy
Tom Hardy - Farrier
Mark Rylance - Mr. Dawson
Kenneth Branagh - Commander Bolton
Harry Styles - Alex
James D'Arcy - Colonel Winnant

Tom Glynn-Carney - Peter

Jack Lowden - Collins

Aneurin Barnard - Gibson

Barry Keoghan - George
Cillian Murphy - Shivering
Solider

Matthew Marsh - Rear Admiral
John Nolan - Blind Man (Cameo)
Bill Milner - Lone Private

Will Attenborough - Second Lieutenant

Michael Caine - Fortis Leader (Voice) (Cameo) (Uncredited)

Crew
Writer/Producer/Director -
Christopher Nolan

Executive Producer - Jake
Myers

Associate Producer - Andy Thompson

Producer - Emma Thomas
Casting Directors - John
Papsidera and Toby Whale
Historical Consultant - Joshua Levine

Production Designer - Nathan Crowley

Supervising Art Director - Kevin Ishioka
Supervising Art Director: UK
Unit - Toby Britton
Supervising Set Decorator - Gary Fettis

Property Master - Andrew Petrotta

Costume Designer - Jeffrey
Kurland

Director of Photography - Hoyte Van Hoytema

Director of Photography: Aerial Unit -

Hans Bjerno

Supervising Location Manager - Ben Piltz

Location Managers: UK - Mandy Sharpe

and Paul Tomlinson

Unit Production Manager - David Witz

Unit Production Manager: UK - Chris Brock

First Assistant Director - Nilo Otero

Second Assistant Director - Eric Lasko

Third Assistant Director: UK - Toby Spanton

Stunt Coordinator - Tom Struthers

Aerial Coordinator - David Paris

Helicopter/Aerostar/Yak Pilot: Aerial Unit -

Craig Hosking

Marine Coordinator - Neil Andrea

Special Effects Supervisor - Paul Corbould

Special Effects Assistant Supervisor - Ian Corbould

Special Effects Workshop Supervisors: UK -

Tony Edwards and Jason Leinster

Visual Effects Supervisor - Andrew Jackson

Visual Effects Supervisor: Double Negative -

Andrew Lockley

Visual Effects Producer - Mike Chambers

Digital Effects Supervisor: Double Negative -

Tim McGovern

CG Supervisors: Double Negative -

Alexander Seaman, Alison Wortman

and Kedar Khot

Sound Designer/Supervising Sound Editor -

Richard King

Sound Mixer - Mark Weingarten

Sound Effects Recording Mixers -

Peter Albrechtsen, John P. Fasal,

Eilam Hoffman, Ken J. Johnson,

Max Lachmann, Mats Lundgren, Bernard Löhr

and Eric Potter

Re-Recording Mixers - Gregg Landaker

and Gary A. Rizzo

Foley Artists/Recordists (Uncredited) - 

Shelley Roden and John Roesch

Editor - Lee Smith

Associate Editor - John Lee
Music/Synth Programming - Hans Zimmer
Score Producer - Lorne Balfe

Composers: Additional Music -

Satnam Singh Ramgorta,

Andrew Kawczynski and Andy Page

Score Recordist - Geoff Foster

Score Mixer - Alan Meyerson

Sequencer Programming - Steve Mazzaro

Supervising Music Editor - Alex Gibson


Review

Director Chris Nolan was on the verge of losing his touch when two of his previous films, The Dark Knight Rises and Interstellar, divided audiences. Still, these films had more positive responses than his earlier successes. Now, Nolan is triumphing with his latest film, DUNKIRK. It's a down-to-earth, suspenseful, and melancholy war drama that accurately portrays the reality of the operation in a small European town during World War II. It's told from a few different perspectives, including civilians and young soldiers who were desperate to survive and be rescued from a war-torn land occupied by the Germans.

Several movies have focused on the same battle. Each film was set in the same location before Nolan filmed this depiction in 2017. Like Steven Spielberg's well-made epic Saving Private Ryan, it deserves appreciation from veterans who might tell their grandchildren and great-grandchildren about their experiences in Dunkirk.

Seeing newcomers Fionn Whitehead and Harry Styles from One Direction working alongside veterans like Kenneth Branagh and Tom Hardy was a treat. They were at their most splendid under their director's guidance. The well-balanced cinematography was stunning, especially in action, suspense, and heartbreak scenes. Hans Zimmer again composed the score for one of Nolan's compelling achievements, and he hasn't changed the orchestral style he is known for.

Nolan's signature directing style is unmistakable, and DUNKIRK is no different. His films range from deep psychological thrillers to caped crusaders to magicians, exploring subconsciousness and wormholes. It's now often considered one of Nolan's best movies. For those unfamiliar with its history, I recommend seeing DUNKIRK in theatres before it hits shelves.

Star rating: (10/10) Best Movie Ever

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The Great Escape Review

The Great Escape

Release Date: 10th December 1963 - Australia (Sydney) (premiere)

Production Companies

The Mirisch Company
Alpha (Uncredited)

Genre: War

Rating: PG

Runtime: 172 minutes


Budget: $3,800,000

Box Office Gross: $11,973,256 (Worldwide) 


Plot Summary 

Angered by the number of escapes by a relatively small number of Allied prisoners, the Nazis relocated them to a high-security "escape-proof" prison camp. However, the prisoners remained undaunted, and this did not stop them from planning one of the most ambitious escape attempts in the history of World War II.


Cast

Steve McQueen - Hilts 'The Cooler King'

James Garner - Hendley 'The Scrounger'

Richard Attenborough - Bartlett 'Big X'

James Donald - Ramsey 'The SBO'

Charles Bronson - Danny
'Tunnel King'

Donald Pleasence - Blythe
'The Forger'

James Coburn - Sedgwick 'Manufacturer'

Hannes Messemer - Von Luger 'The Kommandant'

David McCallum - Ashley-Pitt 'Dispersal'

Gordon Jackson - MacGordon 'Intelligence'

John Leyton - Willie 'Tunnel King'

Angus Lennie - Ives 'The Mole'

Nigel Stock - Cavendish 'The Surveyor'

Robert Graf - Werner 'The Ferret'

Jud Taylor - Goff

Hans Reiser - Herr Kuhn

Harry Riebauer - Strachwitz

William Russell - Sorren

Robert Freitag - Capt. Posen

Ulrich Beiger - Preissen

George Mikell - Lt. Dietrich

Lawrence Montaigne - Haynes ('Diversions')

Robert Desmond - Griffith 'Tailor'

Til Kiwe - Frick

Heinz Weiss - Kramer

Tom Adams - Dai Nimmo ('Diversions')

Karl-Otto Alberty - S.S. Officer Steinach

Crew

Producer/Director - John Sturges

Based on the Novel "The Great Escape" -
Paul Brickhill
Writer/Producer (Uncredited) - James Clavell

Writers - W.R. Burnett and
Walter Newman (Uncredited)
Executive Producer - Walter Mirisch (Uncredited)
Assistant to Producer/Second Unit

Director (Uncredited) - Robert E. Relyea

Technical Advisor - Wally Floody (Uncredited)

Art Director - Fernando Carrere

Set Decorator - Kurt Ripberger
Director of Photography - Daniel L. Fapp

Assistant Directors - Jack N. Reddish

and John Flynn (Uncredited)

Special Effects - A. Paul Pollard
Film Editor - Ferris Webster

Sound Effects Editor - Wayne Fury

Composer - Elmer Bernstein


Awards

1964 Academy Awards
Best Film Editing - Ferris Webster (Nominated)

Review

Following the successful release of The Magnificent Seven in 1960, director John Sturges adapted Paul Brickhill's novel THE GREAT ESCAPE to become one of 1963's top-grossing movies. Based on the author's tragic experience in World War II, he was involved in a massive escape attempt devised by his fellow prisoners-of-war (POWs). Many celebrated it as one of the greatest war movies of all time. I remember seeing it on pay TV when it appeared on the now-defunct Movie Greats channel. It introduced me to Steve McQueen, one of the greatest actors of all time. Its famous motorcycle chase scene is what made me watch the film. I have waited to see this milestone film again, which still offers the old-fashioned, edge-of-the-seat experience through its balance of suspense and tragedy. THE GREAT ESCAPE was shot on location in Germany with elaborate set pieces and contained some historical accuracy.

While the film tackles the grim realities of war head-on, it also showcases moments of humour and solidarity among the prisoners alongside the inherent tension and drama. I liked how it doesn't portray the German characters as one-dimensional villains but depicts them with insight, revealing layers of complexity.

The cast featured actors like McQueen, Richard Attenborough, James Garner, Charles Bronson, James Coburn, and Donald Pleasence. Each actor delivers a stellar performance, including McQueen, who has a daredevil persona and a penchant for taking risks in his roles. Coburn, an American actor, surprises Australian filmgoers by playing a character with an Aussie accent. Elmer Bernstein's background music complements the film's tragedy and cleverness tremendously.

In closing, it is one of my all-time favourite movies, and THE GREAT ESCAPE is comparable to the other films this year. Anyone who wants to view it can purchase it online on DVD.

Star rating: (10/10) Best Movie Ever

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Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Bomb Review

Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Bomb

Release Date: 12th June 1964 - Australia

Production Companies

Columbia Pictures

Hawk Films

Distribution

Sony Pictures Releasing Australia

Genre: Comedy/War

Rating: PG

Runtime: 90 minutes

Budget: $1,800,000

Box Office Gross: $9,822,656 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary

A mad general orders a

surprise nuclear air strike

on the USSR, believing

the Reds are polluting

America's "precious

bodily fluids." His aide,

Captain Mandrake, is

furiously trying to find

a recall code to stop the

bombing.

Meanwhile, the POTUS

is on the phone and

trying to convince the

inebriated Soviet Premier

that the impending attack

is a foolish mistake. The

President's advisor,

Dr Strangelove, confirms

the existence of the

dreaded Doomsday

Machine - a secret Soviet

retaliation device

guaranteed to end the

human race once and for

all!

Cast

Peter Sellers - Group Capt. Lionel Mandrake/President Merkin Muffley/Dr. Strangelove

George C. Scott - Gen. 'Buck' Turgidson

Sterling Hayden - Brig. Gen. Jack D. Ripper

Keenan Wynn - Colonel 'Bat' Guano

Slim Pickens - Maj. 'King' Kong

Peter Bull - Russian Ambassador Alexi de Sadesky

Tracy Reed - Miss Scott

James Earl Jones - Lt. Lothar Zogg

Jack Creley - Mr. Staines

Frank Berry - Lt. Dietrich

Robert O'Neil - Adm. Randolph

Glenn Beck - Lt. Kivel

Roy Stephens - Frank

Shane Rimmer - Capt. 'Ace' Owens
Paul Tamarin - Lt. Goldberg
Gordon Tanner - Gen. Faceman

Crew

Screenplay/Producer/

Director - Stanley Kubrick

Based on the Book "Red Alert"/Screenplay - Peter George

Screenplay - Terry Southern

Continuity - Pamela Carlton

Associate Producer - Victor Lyndon

Executive Producer - Leon Minoff (Uncredited)

Production Designer - Ken Adam
Art Director - Peter Murton

Wardrobe - Bridget Sellers

Makeup Artist - Stuart Freeborn

Hairdresser - Barbara Ritchie

Director of Photography - Gilbert Taylor

Camera Operator - Kelvin Pike

Assistant Director - Eric Rattray

Special Effects - Wally Weevers

Film Editor - Anthony Harvey

Assistant Editor - Ray Lovejoy

Sound Supervisor - John Cox

Dubbing Mixer - John Aldred

Music - Laurie Johnson

Awards

1965 Academy Awards

Best Picture - Stanley Kubrick (Nominated)

Best Director - Stanley Kubrick (Nominated)

Best Actor - Peter Sellers (Nominated)

Best Adapted Screenplay - Stanley Kubrick,

Peter George and Terry Southern (Nominated)

Review

Director Stanley Kubrick was an accomplished master of the medium when DR. STRANGELOVE premiered in 1964. Many film buffs lauded it as his greatest triumph next to 2001: A Space Odyssey. It satirises the Cold War set in its time and turmoil. As it turned out, the movie isn't the perfectly ingenious comical masterpiece I hoped it would be. Though it's good to see another picture from Kubrick, it's a showcase of laughter that handles serious topics very well. The set design was perfect, and Kubrick's direction shows that he is a man of broad talent and a natural in comedy.

This film addresses the political issues of nuclear war between the Russian and the American governments. It has a plot that is not taken seriously and touches on some controversial war themes, exaggerating them to the point of being unbelievable.

Peter Sellers was convincingly hilarious in his three characters in this movie, one of which was the titular character who speaks in an over-the-top German accent. Some of the best scenes in this movie resulted from Sellers's improvisation and talents. Even George C. Scott had a fun time playing a crazed general and complimented the film's absurdity and lunacy. It is a debut for James Earl Jones, who was yet to play his most infamous character from Star Wars as the voice of Darth Vader.

Young audiences from the next generation have yet to experience the absurdity and anti-war message of DR. STRANGELOVE. Still, the movie was great, but not one of my favourites. I can relate to its sharp and dark humour.

Star rating: (8/10) Very Good Movie

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Red Dawn (1984) Review

Red Dawn


Release Date: 13th December 1984 - Australia


Production Companies
United Artists (presents)
Valkyrie Films


Genre: War

Rating: M

Runtime: 110 minutes


Budget: $4,200,000

Box Office Gross: $38,376,497
(USA)


Plot Summary
RED DAWN opens with
one of the most shocking
scenes ever filmed; on a
peaceful morning, through
the windows of a high
school classroom, students
see paratroopers land on
the varsity football field:
the invasion of the United
States has begun! As their
town is overrun by foreign
nationals, eight teenagers
escape to the mountains.
Taking the name of their
high school football team,
the Wolverines, they wage
unremitting guerrilla
warfare in defence of their
parents, their friends and
their country.

Cast 
Patrick Swayze - Jed Eckert
C. Thomas Howell - Robert Morris
Lea Thompson - Erica Mason
Charlie Sheen - Matt Eckert
Darren Dalton - Daryl Bates
Jennifer Grey - Toni Mason
Brad Savage - Danny Bates
Doug Toby - Aardvark Mondragon
Ben Johnson - Mr. Mason
Harry Dean Stanton - Mr. Eckert
Ron O'Neal - Colonel Bella
William Smith - Strlenikov
Vladek Sheybal - Bratchenko
Powers Boothe - Lt. Col. Andy Tanner
Frank McRae - Mr. Teasdale
Roy Jenson - Mr. Morris

Pepe Serna - Mr. Mondragón
Lane Smith - Mayor Bates

Sam Slovick - Yuri

Radames Pera - Stepan Gorsky
Elan Oberon - Alicia

Crew
Screenplay/Director - John Milius
Story/Screenplay - Kevin Reynolds
Executive Producer - Sidney Beckerman
Producers - Buzz Feitshans and
Barry Beckerman

Special Advisor - Fred Rexer

Production Designer - Jackson De Govia

Director of Photography - Ric Maite
Second Unit Director/Stunt Coordinator -
Terry Leonard

Film Editor - Thom Noble
Music - Basil Poledouris


Review

At 20 years of age, I never knew how the unappreciated remake of 'Red Dawn' was influenced by the original 1984 film as until now I had never actually taken the liberty of seeing it. The original and revamped versions are both defined as conventional war movies at the time and both share the same title and plot premise about a group of teenagers defending their homeland against invaders from foreign countries. I would say that time has done justice for the remake as the visuals are much more compelling and convincing. I think people who watch these movies will compare the two and construct their own comparison, the decision of which movie is superior I think will heavily depend on which actor people prefer, whether it be Patrick Swayze or Chris Hemsworth.

Evidently proven on the remake of the film which is rated by other review sites as lower than the original. The classic interpretation of 'RED DAWN' presents to viewers a less light hearted mood and more of a serious and dramatic perspective of the story. The acting was given to a great chunk of unknown, yet soon to be famed actors like Patrick Swayze and Charlie Sheen whom this was actually his feature film debut in a lead role. 

This film is a one time watch only, but that is not say you should not watch it. It does succeed in creating a remoteness feel and delves into some themes which later are incorporated into the remade version. As most viewers believe the remake falls flat on the original, I like to disagree to those who have seen it and I thought this is not the case.

Star rating: (6/10) Fair Movie

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Gallipoli Review

Gallipoli

Release Date: 13th August 1981 - Australia

Production Companies

The Australian Film Commission

R&R Films

Genre: War/Drama

Rating: M

Runtime: 111 minutes


Budget: A$2,800,000

Box Office Gross:

A$11,740,000 (Australia) 

Plot Summary
In 1915, during the First
World War, two young
sprinters from Western
Australia, the cynical
larrikin Frank and the
idealistic Archy, meet.
Friends and rivals will be
off to battle in Turkey.
Fighting in Gallipoli's
chaotic, bloody trenches,
the two men epitomise the
sacrifice, comradeship, and
tragic waste of men whose
undying courage in the face
of overwhelming odds
defines Australia's identity
today.

Cast

Mark Lee - Archy Hamilton

Mel Gibson - Frank Rudd

Bill Kerr - Jack

Harold Hopkins - Les McCann

Charles Lathalu Yunipingu -
Zac

Heath Harris - Stockman
Ron Graham - Wallace Hamilton
Gerda Nicolson - Rose Hamilton

Robert Grubb - Billy
Tim McKenzie - Barney

David Argue - Snowy

Steve Dodd - Billy Snakeskin

Robyn Galwey - Mary

Don Quin - Lionel

Phyllis Burford - Laura

Marjorie Irving - Gran

Bill Hunter - Major Barton

Diane Chamberlain - Mrs Barton

Peter Ford - Lt. Gray

Geoff Parry - Sergeant Sayers

John Morris - Col. Robinson

Stan Green - Sergeant Major

Max Wearing - Colonel White

Graham Dow - General Gardner

Reg Evans - Athletics Official #1

Jack Giddy - Athletics Official #2

David Williamson - Soldier Playing Football

(Cameo) (Uncredited)

Crew

Story/Director - Peter Weir

Screenplay - David Williamson

Based on the Novel - Ernest Raymond (Uncredited)

Associate Producers - Martin Cooper

and Ben Gannon

Executive Producers - Francis O'Brien

and Rupert Murdoch (Uncredited)

Producers - Patricia Lovell and 

Robert Stigwood
Military Adviser - Bill Gammage

Sports Adviser - Jack Giddy

Design Coordinator - Wendy Stites
Art Director - Herbert Pinter
Director of Photography - Russell Boyd

Underwater Photography - Ron Taylor

Camera Operator - John Seale

Unit/Location Manager - Phillip Hearnshaw

Production Manager - Su Armstrong

1st Assistant Director - Mark Egerton

2nd Assistant Director - Steve Andrews

Stunt Coordinators - Dennis Hunt

and Vic Wilson

Wrangler - Heath Harris

Special Effects - Chris Murray,

Mont Fieguth, David Hardie, Steve Courtley

and David Henderson

Film Editor - William M. Anderson

Assistant Editors - Jeanine Chiavlo

and Karen Foster

Supervising Sound Editor - Greg Bell

Dubbing Mixer - Peter Fenton

2nd Mixers - Ron Purvis and

Gethin Creach

Additional Music Composer and Conductor -

Brian May

Review

In light of Anzac Day, having immersed myself in its history, I was inspired to review this film as a tribute to the brave men who fell in that infamous battle, which gave rise to the annual holiday in Australia. There's been only one movie and two miniseries based on the conflict, rather than features set after Gallipoli. Examples of these features include The Lighthorsemen and Beneath Hill 60. The film may be historically incorrect, but it presents the devastation and how human lives perished on the battlefield. It didn't stop Peter Weir from directing this 1981 Australian war drama, an essential portrait of the tragedy and heartbreak in this conflict. The movie explores the concept of mateship, which bonds the men and helps them deal with traumatic experiences.

Before he was Hollywood's original sweetheart, Mel Gibson was a superb actor, as evidenced by his portrayal of one of the film's main protagonists. This movie, along with the Mad Max series, had set him into the international borders of film stardom. I'm surprised to learn that his co-star, Mark Lee, never had the chance to attain the celebrity status that Mel developed in the years after GALLIPOLI. He still has moments that showcase his remarkable performance, but they haven't landed him any opportunities to present himself for leading roles in movies.

There is much heartbreak and melancholy left to experience after watching the final half of GALLIPOLI. Nobody could have predicted that this feature would become a well-known classic, even in Australia, where it was more popular and helped spark the resurgence of New Wave cinema. It's a less pretentious movie that many will probably get to know as a tribute to the Anzac tradition.

Star rating: (8/10) Very Good Movie

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The Monuments Men Review

The Monuments Men


Release Date: 13th March 2014 - Australia


Production Companies
Fox 2000 Pictures (present)
Columbia Pictures (present)
Smokehouse Pictures
Studio Babelsberg

Distribution
20th Century Fox Australia


Genre: War

Rating: M

Runtime: 118 minutes


Budget: $70,000,000

Box Office Gross: $154,984,035
(Worldwide)


Plot Summary

Based on the true story of 

the greatest treasure hunt 

in history, The Monuments 

Men focuses on an unlikely 

World War II platoon, tasked 

by FDR with going into 

Germany to rescue artistic 

masterpieces from Nazi 

thieves and returning them 

to their rightful owners. It 

would be an impossible 

mission: with the art trapped 

behind enemy lines, and 

with the German army under 

orders to destroy everything 

as the Reich fell, how could 

these guys – seven museum 

directors, curators, and art 

historians, all more familiar 

with Michelangelo than the 

M-1 – possibly hope to 

succeed? 

But as the Monuments Men, 

as they were called, found 

themselves in a race against 

time to avoid the destruction 

of 1000 years of culture, 

they would risk their lives to 

protect and defend 

mankind’s greatest 

achievements. (Source - Metro Cinemas)

Cast
George Clooney - Lt. Frank Stokes
Matt Damon - Lt. James Granger
Cate Blanchett - Claire Simone
Bill Murray - Sgt. Richard 
Campbell
John Goodman - Sgt. Walter 
Garfield
Jean Dujardin - Lt. Jean Claude Clermont
Bob Balaban - Pvt. Preston Savitz
Hugh Bonneville - Lt. Donald Jeffries
Sam Hazeldine - Colonel Langton
Dimitri Leonidas - Sam Epstein
Justus von Dohnanyi - Viktor Stahl
Holger Handtke - Colonel Wegner
Michael Hofland - Priest (Claude)
Zachary Baharov - Commander Elya
Miles Jupp - Major Fielding
Alexandre Desplat - Emile
Serge Hazanavicius - Rene Armand
Diarmaid Murtagh - Captain Harpen
Udo Kroschwald - Hermann Goering
Michael Dalton - President Roosevelt
Christian Rodska - President Truman
James Payton - Hitler
Nick Clooney - Older Stokes
Joe Reynolds - Stokes' Son
Levi Strasser - Stokes' Grandson

Crew
Screenplay/Producer/Director - George Clooney
Based on Book "The Monuments Men" -
Robert M. Edsel and Bret Witter
Screenplay/Producer - Grant Heslov
Executive Producer - Barbara A. Hall
Co-Producers - Christoph Fisser,
Henning Molfenter and Charlie Woebcken
Production Designer - Jim Bissell
Costume Designer - Louise Frogley
Director of Photography - Phedon Papamichael
Visual Effects Supervisors - Angus Bickerton
and Huseyin Caner
Film Editor - Stephen Mirrione
Music - Alexander Desplat

Review 

Specifically, this is a movie with war as the backdrop and I must've had myself flustered as to whether it was an action comedy or drama. At first, 'THE MONUMENTS MEN' is actually good to see on screen for those who never heard of the true story behind it, thus making it a historical war picture. Then again, it clearly demonstrates that only 80 percent of the accuracy remained faithful to the actual events. I would point out that 'THE MONUMENTS MEN' was in this case, only a fair and decent movie. Everything is in a small scale but it features a spectacular cast of Matt Damon, George Clooney, Bill Murray and John Goodman. I never had lost any of the faith for these actors and they all did well in the movie.

War films are not my speciality. In reflection of this film, it didn't have some of its captivating moments nor it was destined to become the best or the worst movie that's ever been made. This is a rhetorical statement but overall I find that 'THE MONUMENTS MEN' has a very little feeling of being a milestone movie. It's more of a decent one with some value to possibly re-see it.

Star rating: (6/10) Fair Movie

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