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Alex1001
Reviews
Heaven's Gate (1980)
Epic
I disagree completely that this is a waste of time. If you like westerns, epic tales, or if you liked The Deer Hunter, you could give this a try. On my second viewing (of the approx. 2hr 20 min studio cut version) I found the acting and script generally very good, save for one scene where the immigrants mainly speak in their native languages which dragged a little. Overall I appreciated the grand visual style and the detail which really lifts this film into epic in my opinion. It adds realism and makes you wonder if it could be historically accurate. The film focuses on a love triangle between three main characters, and the acting by Walken, Kristofferson and Huppert is all good. I think the reputation of the film's production history has preceded it, and most negative comments seem to be by people who have already heard a lot of negative things about it. Now it is like a lost classic (IMO). I must add that I have not seen the longer version, nor do I feel compelled to do so, which is in no way a negative comment. The first time I watched the short version I was a little confused in some places i think, though i still liked it overall, and the second time it made perfect sense and felt as complete as it needed to be. Cimino is an intelligent director, who takes risks, and these generally pay off in this film.
Road House (1989)
good fun
This movie would be worth watching purely to see and hear the Jeff Healey band perform quite a few great songs, especially if you haven't heard him before. Aside from that, this was good old fashioned hero/stranger comes to town, bashes the bad guys and gets the girl movie, with laughs and martial arts thrown in. Don't listen to the people who review this as a serious film, its a bit of fun, and directed well on that basis. I was surprised I was enjoying it, after hearing all the bad publicity. No, its not believable, nor is it intended to be. It has quite a few characters in it, not all of them can act that well, but that still adds more to the film. The main cast do a fine job. (But they aren't required to put in Oscar winning performances or anything).
Not Our Son (1995)
Excellent TV movie/dramatisation
I am not familiar with the case, but this was a gripping account. Very well acted throughout, and very well written and directed. This story is as much about a family breakdown as it is about a dangerous criminal. I also liked it because on the face of it no one would suspect the culprit. This film dramatised the relationships and character of Paul Keller in a way that seemed realistic and also explained his actions to some extent, and left me feeling satisfied that the story had been well told. How truthful the dramatisation was I could not say, but it certainly seemed truthful - whether or not the details are accurate, it has dramatic truth.