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Reviews
Saving Mr. Banks (2013)
Fine example of Hollywood marketing
I get the sense that some reviewers here can't separate this movie from their nostalgia over Mary Poppins. While it's sensitive look at P.L. Travers somewhat tragic childhood I missed the part where this is a family movie as she segways back and forth between the flashbacks of an alcoholic father who then apparently dies tragically from TB/influenza and dancing penguins ... someone tell me where the wholesome family fun is in that. Disney is portrayed fairly inaccurately as well. In my usual quest of watching Oscar nominated movies I saw this movie and Nebraska within 48 hours of one another. The latter is easily twice the film of the much celebrated fictional glorification of Tom Disney or Walt Hanks (take your pick). Don't get me wrong the film was well done but doesn't live up to the hype and poetic waxing about the 1960's Wonderful World of the Magic Kingdom.
Company of Heroes (2013)
Because one (1) was the lowest rating available
This could easily make the list of worst WW II movies ever made ... not 'the' worst (because there are so many bad ones already) but I doubt this could have gotten anymore historically inaccurate or filled with bad and out of period cliché's. Watch this if you are only in solitary confinement and have no other choice or if you are the kind of person fascinated by road kill (you know it's ugly but you look anyways). The whole thing reeks of low budget nonsense. Likely the only thing that would have been more entertaining would have been watching the footage from a hidden camera during the pitch meeting in which this stinker was discussed and ultimately bought into by a studio. The movie embodies everything about modern Hollywood that can and should be criticized.
Reunion in France (1942)
WWII caused all sorts of shortages
Here's another fine example of how the shortage of talent in Hollywood during the war lives on in infamy. Once again we are treated to another of Wayne's stinkers. Fortunately for him there was a war on and many of the real actors in Hollywood were either in uniform or the special services.
Crawford put it aptly, when she said that if in the afterlife there is punishment for our sins she would be forced to watch this movie over and over again.
Another of a all too long list of 1940s, 'good enough', flag waving efforts by Wayne while the real talent in Hollywood including the aging John Ford were away in uniform doing the heavy lifting for the country.
Some of the other reviews here did make me chuckle as they reminded me of a comment by an old family friend who actually served in the OSS. He noted, 'if ever I were to meet up with a German who admitted to being a Nazi and a Frenchman who wasn't in the resistance I'd be in the company of a couple honest people'.
Two stars for this stinker but they're only for the supporting character actors.