Category: 4 Stars
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Another Look: Heist (****) Is refined gold
Hackman’s natural style works perfectly with Mamet’s prose. His dialogue is direct, sometimes crude, but never frivolous.
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Criterion: Red Beard(****) -Kurosawa’s Last with Mifune
This is not Kurosawa’s best work. In many ways, it is a film of its time. Much of Kurosawa’s work is more of the timeless quality. This feels like something one might have seen from some of the better television dramas of the 1960’s. For that, it is still worth our time.
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Hulu’s Palm Springs (****) is better than most repeats
This film made me and my wife laugh on a Friday night, when going somewhere isn’t an option. It’s the most ridiculous type of praise to say it’s worth watching again when every day is a copy of the last.
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Criterion: High and Low (****) Parasite from the age of the morality play
The director’s master of wide screen is such an art by this point that it feels like an entirely different story is being told for long, wordless passages.
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Criterion: Muhomatsu, the Rickshaw Man (****) – Life in your own lane
See this film if you want to smile, but don’t expect to go away with the idea that stoicism is easy. Even if Mifune makes it seem that way.
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Criterion: The Hidden Fortress (****) Gold in the wood
This is a good film, with some wonderful elements. Even if it is a bit too indulgent with wackiness, the story and Kurosawa’s eloquent use of wide screen are worth repeated viewings.
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Criterion: The Lower Depths (****) life by the drop
Into this miserable world walks an old, happy man (Hidari) who has something positive and distinct to say for everyone. This is enough to get several of the stories to explode into the open.
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Criterion: Samurai III: Duel At Ganryu Island (****) settles down
The last installment of the trilogy narrowly avoids greatness by concentrating on the love story. It’s not that any of the storylines are done poorly. On the contrary, they’re about as evocative as was possible at the time.
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Criterion: Samurai I: Musashi Miyamoto (****) begins a great adventure
This is definitely a star turn for Mifune, if there ever was one. His performance is exceptional and layered.
Ebert Did It Better: Gasbag Reviews 