oconnordaria Reviews

The African Queen (1951)

Humphry Bogart's best performance

[9/10 · 5 October 2023]

I know, everyone goes on and on about Casablanca (even Ingrid Bergman didn't understand the hype), but THIS is Bogart at his finest. He showed a range of emotion and vulnerability that were missing in other roles. This movie is in my top ten of all time, and it's always a pleasure to revisit it. It's difficult to sustain a movie when most of it just involves two people, but the acting, directing, and overall production was top-notch. The ending was also epic.

I happened upon the African Queen docked in Key Largo. I didn't know at the time that it was there, so I wasn't looking for it. I just sort of spotted it. That was an unexpected treat.

Duel (1971 TV Movie)

The greatest Made for TV films

[10/10 · 9 August 2023]

This movie is so simple yet so affecting. No over-the-top special effects were necessary. Psychological thrillers are the best. I remember it vividly even after watching it 40+ years ago. Say what you will about Steven Spielberg going on to "greater things." This is absolutely my favorite film of his (even if it was made for TV). And Dennis Weaver's performance was fantastic. It's too bad he wasn't more prominent in the industry.

They don't make them like this anymore. Every film seems to want to outdo the last with high manufactured drama and CGI/special effects. This is not just my favorite TV movies, but it's one of my favorite movies ever.

The Courtship of Eddie's Father (1963)

Ron Howard is one of the few celebrities I'd like to meet in real life

[8/10 · 21 April 2023]

He's a brilliant director, was a brilliant child actor and seems to be an all-around good guy. I'd love to have a cup of coffee with him. I revisit this film frequently because of his performance. Everyone in this film did a great job in their role, but "Ronny" was a standout.

Ron never missed a beat. The last scene was as sweet as can be. I bet his father Rance helped him out a lot with learning his lines, etc. It was extremely generous of Rance to let his sons (Ron and Clint) have the spotlight while Rance supported them as a background player.

This is a real "feel good movie." It reminds me of the stuff I used to watch on local UHF stations growing up.

The Odd Couple II (1998)

I'm surprised I liked this movie as much as I did

[8/10 · 8 September 2022]

We don't put much stock in sequels, and of course, it isn't on par with the original, but the chemistry between Lemmon and Matthau is undeniable, and they managed to capture the spirit of the Felix/Oscar "bromance."

I especially loved when the theme music started playing when they made eye contact at the beginning (after not seeing each other for 17 years) and then again at the end, during the poker game, when Felix started acting like Felix, and Oscar put his hand up to his head in a "what have I done" move.

I'm really glad they made this movie before both actors passed (Matthau in 2000 and Lemmon in.2001).

The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman (1974 TV Movie)

This TV Movie Was Amazing

[10/10 · 28 July 2021]

I saw the original broadcast when I was a wee lass, and it was so powerful it has stuck with me my whole life, especially the last scene.

Days of Wine and Roses (1962)

A harrowing film about alcoholism

[10/10 · 9 July 2020]

While not Leaving Las Vegas level harrowing, considering it was made in the1960s, it was really ahead of its time in terms of realism. It is one of my all time favorite movies, and Jack Lemmon is my all time favorite actor. He was equally adept at comedy (e.g. Some Like It Hot) and drama (e.g. Glengarry Glen Ross). I won't spoil it for those who haven't seen it, but once you have witnessed "the greenhouse scene," you will never forget it.

Forensic Files II (2020– )

I don't think Bill Camp's narration is terrible at all

[7/10 · 13 March 2020]

He has a different voice...that can't be helped. But it sounds like he tries to use the same inflections etc. as Peter Thomas. And there never will be another Peter Thomas. Honestly, I go to sleep with the Forensic Files on, and hearing the transition between Thomas and Camp isn't jarring.

My biggest peeve is that, after all of the hype, they kind of just fold the new episodes into the old. And they are exactly the same. I am waiting for newer cases and more "cutting edge" forensic advancements that have been made since the original series stopped production.

Yesterday (III) (2019)

They could have done SO much more with this

[6/10 · 22 November 2019]

I agree with some other reviewers that the film makers took a brilliant and highly original premise and didn't sufficiently run with it. For example, they could have eliminated the romantic sub-plot entirely (cute as it was, it was formulaic and has already been done to death in film). It would have been more intriguing if, instead, they could have used that time to have Jack go on his own personal quest to find Lennon and McCartney. That could have been his reason for going to Liverpool, and it would have made his eventual meeting with Lennon that much more powerful. As it actually played out, it seemed more like an incidental "throwaway" scene.

I had high hopes at the very beginning, but as the film wore on and it was clear that it was going in the classic romcom direction, I became increasingly more disappointed. What a shame.

**UPDATE** I just read this from the Trivia section:

The original story for the movie was written by Jack Barth. It was much darker in tone, with the main character struggling as a musician in the new timeline and the premise of the alternate universe explored in more depth. When Richard Curtis did a rewrite, he made the tone much more lighthearted, put less emphasis on the premise of a new timeline without The Beatles, and more focus on romance between Jack and Ellie.

My only question is....WHY?? I would love to have seen Jack Barth's original treatment.