mattywoh Reviews

Hud (1963)

One Way To Say it's My Favorite Movie Ever...

[10/10 · 28 June 2023]

Hud is the only movie ever that I watch anytime it is on, or available. I suppose that makes Hud my favorite movie...

As far as casts go Hud is the best foursome ever assembled, on one hand you have Paul Newman at his finest, and his co-stars Melvyn Douglas, Patricia Neal and Brandon de Wilde all hold their own alongside...

Sparse landscape---desolate and stark, filmed in black and white, which is appropriate....the story is stark, as well as the subject matter--and Hud, himself..

Haunting score, goes with the settings perfectly, brings a certain mood that complicates the director's intent..

Hud is the best movie ever made, in my opinion..

Point Blank (1967)

Incredible Movie....

[10/10 · 6 June 2022]

Made the right way! Acting more with the non-verbal, more than with a script! Anybody can read lines---this crew expands the script tenfold! With subtle mood swings that are integral to the movie plot! Very good movie!

The Naked Spur (1953)

Great Movie!

[10/10 · 8 April 2021]

Well and beautifully filmed! Robert Ryan's best work, he was exceptional, and Stewart as always---made you think he could do all that, not gonna give anything away, just recommending this western!

The 39 Steps (1935)

Don't Let Date Fool Ya!

[10/10 · 3 March 2021]

Short and sweet, this movie made in 1935 had modern touches throughout. 86 years old and is still fresh, Hitchcock may not have won an Academy Award as best director, but his body of work is first rate, this film is first rate, entertaining, sexy, exciting and romantic....

Hillbilly Elegy (2020)

Hillbilly Elegy.....

[10/10 · 22 February 2021]

No spoilers here, short and sweet---I've been in this family and so for me there's catharsis---not perfect--my family was worse---needles everywhere worse---foster homes worse--love was there but so was foster abuse---but there's story here, and it kept me in my chair for two hours...Amy Adams is fantastic, Glenn Close---who should have won an award or twenty by now---is spectacular, and the lead---especially as the younger version--were both very, very good.

The Harder They Fall (1956)

Better Every Time.....

[9/10 · 12 February 2021]

Every time I see this movie I like it better, that's rare.....Bogie's last role, a testament to his acting prowess is the scene near the end, where he asks for El Toro's share of the receipts.....after Rod Steiger had chewed up so many of the movie's scenes, Bogart's anger took the air out of the room full of chiselers...a remarkable scene and a remarkable actor, was Humphrey Bogart.

Bringing Up Baby (1938)

Love it or Hate it.....

[9/10 · 26 January 2021]

One of those fast talking comedies Cary Grant was so great at, and when I saw all of the 1 and 2 ratings.....and yet it retains such a high overall rating, it tells me everything I need to know---this movie was either loved...or despised, no neutral opinions here!

The Outpost (2019)

Almost Didn't Watch This Masterpiece...

[10/10 · 19 January 2021]

The 6.8 IMDB ranking nearly precluded me from viewing it---this is the best war movie I ever have seen. Everything--including the lack of music---works. Like All Quiet on the Western Front--where the lack of music--and the constant bomb noise--- makes you uncomfortable---this movie keeps you tense throughout---and when the soldiers--in the real-time midst of life and death battle struggle---strip down to give their brother Mace their hot pumping blood---this 62 year old man broke down into child-like sobbing---throughout the movie, the phrase "thank you for your service" is said as sort of an inside joke between the men...no amount of thanks--and no amount of reward--and no amount of award---can assuage the trauma endured.

A Woman's Face (1941)

Did Not Expect Such a Fresh Movie

[10/10 · 31 December 2020]

Made in 1940, but this movie has a freshness like it was made recently.....even the unique score is fresh, and the role called for a top talent----Crawford provided that, and it didn't hurt that the great Melvyn Douglas played alongside, this film blew me away, very thought provoking.....I especially loved the way director Cukor drew out the scene where her bandages are removed, this film was thought provoking as well as entertaining, a tribute to to the director and actors---all top talent!

Bullitt (1968)

Never Fails To Entertain

[10/10 · 21 December 2020]

Like all things well crafted, Bullitt was good in 1968, and it's good in 2020, 52 years later. There are many reviews on this (great) site, so I'll just include a personal story.....

Having grown up in San Francisco, and recognizing the obscure road where the car chase was filmed (we called it the "secret highway), we went to see Bullitt at the drive in theatre, in a double bill titled "Bullitt & Bonnie & Clyde", and nobody had ever even HEARD of Bullitt----which showed first....a pretty good double feature back in the day, on a cold & foggy night in our family's 56 gray & white chevy....

Rain (1932)

Two Great Actors.....

[9/10 · 16 October 2020]

W. Somerset Maugham, the best short story writer of them all (in my opinion)....hard to do justice to his work but they did a pretty good job of it in this 1932 masterpiece---about a willful woman who is confronted by a prideful man---and pride wins out in the end--whatever her faults--and she had many---they paled compared to his!

The Devil All the Time (2020)

It Has It's Moments.....

[6/10 · 14 October 2020]

BUT ...to put it bluntly Netflix products are overly violent---seems like 95% of their movies are violent---and this movie is a joke, with it's use of sudden death as a way to keep it going---at the end, he is finally able to let his guard down in the hippie's VW bus---everything else---preachers...cops.....all are evil.....HUH?

One Girl's Confession (1953)

More Twists Than A Licorice Stick

[9/10 · 1 October 2020]

All around great movie.....so realistic in its nature, kept me glued to it and happy at the end, seen it a few times, one thing I realized today is the mailman who is delivering to the church at movie's end is a real mailman, he holds his mail correctly, so many movies they get that wrong!

The Devil-Doll (1936)

Original Mrs Doubtfire!....

[10/10 · 27 September 2020]

Short and sweet: This movie was a total surprise! Lionel Barrymore who can be compromised by his distinctive voice hides it in this movie, he carries the entire movie he makes this worth watching as absurd the plot is Lionel Barrymore keeps this movie watchable!

The Baby (1973)

Keeps your attention throughout....

[9/10 · 15 July 2020]

Never been a movie like this one! Plenty of plot twists and a surprise ending....and Ruth Roman doing the funky chicken....and then there's Baby....bring something to eat, and drink and don't stop the movie and you'll find yourself not getting up until the end!

The Yearling (1946)

61 years old and just watched it for first time

[10/10 · 24 June 2020]

Wow, as I watched this movie I could not find fault, it's well filmed and the timing is right throughout---what holds the entire story together is the boy--and his incredible portrayal by Claude Jarman Jr, in my opinion the best acting job by a youth--ever--and with Gregory Peck and Jane Wyman, two actors that never chew up scenes---this movie is allowed to ferment into a masterpiece---I don't know why this movie is not re-released every ten years---it's that good.

Let It Ride (1989)

Gimee a horse with a Panamanian jockey and a large ass....ya got yourself a WINNER!

[9/10 · 9 May 2020]

This movie is a winner! Covers all of the racetrack odd-balls....the only part I didn't like was when Dreyfuss leaves character and talks to the viewer for a line---but Dreyfuss has the nervous-breakdown moodiness of Dr Jay Trotter down pat! Everyone in the flick is overstated, but that's the racetrack--everybody is on edge all the time...and everyone---HAS A HORSE!

Days of Heaven (1978)

From the outside edges of society....

[10/10 · 5 April 2020]

As the beautiful natural world exists around them, three outsiders fight a losing battle trying to cross into accepted society--an incredible movie that reaches the viewer like few movies can---without giving plot away I'll end with the final line: "...I was hoping things would work out for her, she was a good friend of mine...."....

Paranormal Activity (2007)

Scares the Hell IN--Not Out---of You....

[9/10 · 15 January 2020]

A genius way of portraying the horror--filmed as they sleep---those who are affected by this movie identify with the entity--they "see" it in themselves, maybe a tiny bit, maybe a lot--but we all have some kind of "not you" inside of us--we all do---the poor gal in the movie hooked up with the wrong guy--he didn't know what he was dealing with--or course, that was the gal's fault for not telling him about her plight! I recently saw it for the second time and was disappointed that they changed the ending--perhaps to accommodate a sequel--I liked the original All in all a great movie--the ghost hunter implored the boyfriend not to invite the entity to show itself---he didn't listen, but we all knew he wouldn't!

The Trip to Bountiful (1985)

A Must see Movie

[10/10 · 13 January 2020]

I don't want to get long winded here, and give away any plot....just want to put my two cents worth about the actress Page---her work on this movie is one of the finest acting works ever filmed, and this movie--because of her abilities to interpret the raw message of the story--not a lot happens in this story and yet a great deal happens....because that's what great film work can do, and this movie took me along for the trip to Bountiful!

Mrs. Miniver (1942)

Extremely Meaningful in the Time it was Made....You can still sense it's Importance..

[10/10 · 2 January 2020]

Considering it was made during the world's most perilous time--ever---and there's an attempt to convey a message/s.....this film isn't overly slanted, and to this day it remains a deep and well acted film, on of the very best ever---

In a small town in England, where enemy bombings are regular occurance--a family attempts to live a regular life. The realism of this film is due to Wyler's direction---William Wyler made some of the best ever films, and since I don't want to give anything away, I'll just say Mrs Minever is one of his best, one of THE best--films ever made. I can only guess that the final frames of this movie brought tears to every moviegoer, tears of sadness, tears of hope, tears of resolve.

Rage at Dawn (1955)

Liked Everything About This Movie.....

[9/10 · 24 December 2019]

Am not going to give away a thing---watched this movie on a cool, rainy day, stayed in bed with my German Shepherd Molly at my side--and was treated to this beautifully filmed gem of a western!

It seemed like every scene was well thought out---tight is what they call it---Randolph Scott made a lot of good old westerns, I'm nearing sixty-one and throughout this entire movie I just felt like a man, and that's not too bad a deal!

Entertaining, beautiful and it generated a good mood in me--not a bad three things on a rainy day--and Molly liked it, too!

Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983)

An Unexpected Gem

[9/10 · 10 December 2019]

Every once in a while a director gets it right---what makes this movie great--and it is great---is it captures the sense, the feeling--from the lighting, to the settings, it captures the mood and that is what makes a movie a winner! From start to finish I had a sense that I was watching something special----casting Jason Robards gins up any movie---one of my favorites.

Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)

I Never Get Tired Of Watching...

[9/10 · 13 November 2019]

I won't go into the story, but it's true, I never tire of this movie---At first i thought Charles Bronson wouldn't be able to keep up with acting heavyweights Henry Fonda and Jason Robards, but Bronson's physical abilities, combined with his minimalist close-ups practically steal the show---His goodness came through in the close-ups toward the movie's end, I thought it was Charles Bronson's greatest screen work.

Fractured (I) (2019)

Bravo to this King of Twisters!

[9/10 · 23 October 2019]

I thought I was right and I was till I wasn't.....this movie is for persons who like to try and figure things out--good luck with that!