Reviews
Surrounded (2023)
Worthwhile for Western fans
I'm writing this given the limited number of reviews, obviously skewed by those likely associated with the film writing gross exaggerations (worthy of awards etc.) and 1 viewer whose written essentially the same review with a 1 rating three times.
Cinematography is very good, plot has a few good twists that keep up the suspense. For me there were 3 glaring times that essentially "speeches" were awkwardly worked into the dialogue on race, feminism, etc. That really disrupted the continuity and credibility.
On the credibility front the slight female lead proceeds to kill about a dozen men, claims to have been the best soldier in the Union army during the civil war (a war in which physical strength mattered) and at the end chooses to violate the very values she refused to compromise for the entire movie despite great risk and pressure.
It's a mixed bag from my perspective but an interesting watch for a number of reasons.
The English (2022)
Refreshing and remarkable
It is disheartening but not surprising to see people stop watching and review the movie, one only 6 min. In and another after only 20. One saying they already knew the arc of the romantic story. They could not be more wrong. I appreciate a series with truly unanticipated plot and character development. Glad to see more reviews who do also and only a few with the impatience and arrogance to come to such firm conclusions that they feel the world needs their "review" after only a few minutes of viewing. Whatever they wrote it certainly is not a review in any connotation of the word. Just for the record I watched all episodes.
Old Henry (2021)
Best western in a long time
That's all...others have covered the high points. The western "fan" who rated it a "1" either is lying or senile. A 95% rating on RT from over 50 critics? Unheard of, and especially for a western. Great to see Nelson back in the saddle after his "ballad" with the Coen brothers.
Runaway Train (1985)
One of the great acting scenes
Amazing to read the few reviews which completely trash this movie, all aspects, including acting, when it received 3 academy award nominations including two for voight and roberts for acting. Both nominations well deserved and earned. Voight's "you could be president of chase manhattan...if you could do that" scene is widely recognized as one great acting scenes in movie history and there is an interesting interview on youtube in which he describes how hard he prepared to play such a "stretch" role for him.
You would need to have some appreciation and interest in psychological depth to really enjoy the movie, as multiple archetypes beyond the obvious struggle to reveal themselves in Voight's character as the threat of death looms larger. There is indeed some less than stellar acting in the train office scenes, but those are minimal, and for me Voight's character and acting alone make it a great ride. The cinematography and editing are also noteworthy. The "runaway train" scenes are especially convincing.
Dolor y gloria (2019)
A counter to hawkeleven
It's painfully arrogant and paternalistic to write that those who review this movie well are "confused" by their affinity for the director and unable to distinguish between his works with any critical thought. It's also of course completely inaccurate except for perhaps a few exceptions. If your taste runs counter to that of other viewers, that's fine, state your perspective and move on please. There is no need to lecture the rest of us with your vapid perception that we are unable to critically distinguish between the works of any director. This movie is obviously not for everyone; what movie is? It requires some patience and appreciation for the nuance and layers of life that those blessed and cursed with an uncommon perception explore.