CPE – Page 30 – Ebert Did It Better: Gasbag Reviews

Criterion: Samurai II: Duel at Ichijoji Temple – is giant

May 8, 2020

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in 5 Stars, Classic, CPE, Criterion, Foreign Films I Don’t Hate, Historical Nugget, Movie Reviews, Toshiro Mifune

Musashi’s presence is undeniable as the burgeoning samurai. His is one of the giant characters in episodic history, every bit worth the value of the legend he represents.

Criterion: I Live In Fear (*****) has reason on all sides

May 5, 2020

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coolpapae

in 5 Stars, Classic, CPE, Criterion, Drama, Foreign Films I Don’t Hate, Historical Nugget, Movie Reviews, Toshiro Mifune

Kurosawa, Shimura and Mifune by this point are in full swing. There is nothing in the world that matches their ability to relay a story.

Criterion: Samurai I: Musashi Miyamoto (****) begins a great adventure

May 5, 2020

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coolpapae

in 4 Stars, CPE, Criterion, Foreign Films I Don’t Hate, Movie Reviews, Romance, Toshiro Mifune

This is definitely a star turn for Mifune, if there ever was one. His performance is exceptional and layered.

Criterion: Vendetta of a Samurai (****) – Correcting a history of violence

May 4, 2020

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coolpapae

in 4 Stars, Action, CPE, Criterion, Movie Reviews, Toshiro Mifune

Mifune, learning from his mentor (Shimura) a sense of subtlety, is able to further his effectively obvious passion through restraint. Even without words, we understand both perfectly.

BlacKkKlansman (****1/2) greatness mixed with prejudice

May 3, 2020

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coolpapae

in 4.5 Stars, CPE, Drama, Historical Nugget, Movie Reviews

Spike Lee makes a great film, then he takes a dump in the credits with easily refuted claims through selected editing. Why?

Black and Blue (**1/2) is familiar territory

May 2, 2020

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coolpapae

in 2.5 Stars, Action, CPE, Movie Reviews

Overall, the film is competent, nothing more. There are no real scenes that give one the sense of being in New Orleans, other than destitution. If you like the actors, give it a try.

Criterion: Red Sun (*) You can’t spend ideas

May 2, 2020

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coolpapae

in 1 Star, Action, CPE, Criterion, Movie Reviews, Toshiro Mifune, Western

Director Terence YoungScreenplay Denne Bart Petitclerc, William Roberts, Lawrence RomanStarring Charles Bronson, Ursula Andress, Toshirō Mifune, Alain Delon, Capucine Red Sun is a Franco-Italian gimmick film made on the cheap. It seemed like a great idea, I suppose. Mifune’s move to making American films always feels gimmicky. Race relations had evolved only to the point…

The Fifth Element (****) is worth Another Look

Apr 25, 2020

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coolpapae

in 4 Stars, Action, Another Look, CPE, Foreign Films I Don’t Hate, Movie Reviews

The name Korben Dallas just begs for a series of sequels. These never happened. Maybe it is for the best, but I could have enjoyed a few more ventures to other planets in the future.