Posts tagged Jeffrey Dean Morgan
“Red Dawn” Is Dumb, but Emotional
Dec 1st
“Dumb, but Emotional”
“Hotshots” looks at a movie!
Red Dawn was shot in 2010, but studio problems delayed its release until two years later.
And whenever a film is delayed, that usually means that it is not too good, which is also the case with this one.
It stars Chris Hemsworth and Jeffrey Dean Morgan, although when he filmed it, Hemsworth had not yet become “Thor” in some other movies.
Also, the delay allowed the filmmakers time to change the invading army troops from Chinese to North Korean, so that the distributors could sell the film in China and not face discrimination.
So, if you want to see a film about a group of American teenagers who fight an invading army from a foreign country, I recommend that you see the 1984 version instead, which stars Patrick Swayze, C. Thomas Howell, Lea Thompson, Charlie Sheen in his first feature film, Jennifer Grey, Ben Johnson, Harry Dean Stanton, and Powers Booth.
And whenever a film has plenty of star power, that sometimes means that it is better than good, which is also the case with that one.
The story in the first one takes place in Colorado, instead of in Spokane, Washington, which is where the story in the new one takes place.
Okay, a widespread blackout occurs in the northwest corridor of the United States, and a TV news report warns, “Don’t go outside unless it’s absolutely necessary.”
The next morning paratroopers land in town and invading troops take over the town and kill and capture its citizens.
Jed is a Marine visiting his family between tours of duty in Iraq, and Matt is his brother, who is in high school. Jed senses the danger, and he and Matt take off for the family cabin in the mountains, along with some of Matt’s high-school friends, and they start training with Jed’s leadership to form a resistance army and fight the invading North Koreans.
So, the film consists of lots of fighting, lots of explosions, and lots of destruction and dying.
Even though they get some support from a very few real soldiers, there are just too many unanswered questions and holes in this movie.
Red Dawn is dumb, but emotional, and once again I say if you want to see a better version of this movie, see the one that came out in 1984.
I’m Dan Culberson and this is “Hotshots.”
“Taking Woodstock” It’s the Dream, Man
Sep 3rd
It’s the Dream, Man
“Hotshots” looks at a movie!
TAKING WOODSTOCK is Ang Lee’s latest film and is based on the book, TAKING WOODSTOCK: A True Story of a Riot, a Concert, and a Life, by Elliot Tiber, who was one of the main reasons that the legendary concert happened.
In fact, the film is a comedy and is more about Elliot and his relationship with his parents than it is about the concert itself.
If you are old enough to remember when Woodstock happened or if you were one of the 400,000 who were there, the film brings back strong emotions and even tears. What is more, you cannot take it all in with just one viewing.
On the other hand, if you were born after Woodstock occurred beginning August 15, 1969, you might unreasonably and incorrectly dismiss the film as just another self-indulgence of Baby Boomers instead of the masterpiece it is about the more aptly called Woodstock generation.
Elliot has moved back home in upstate New York to live with his parents in their run-down El Monaco Motel, which is over $5,000 in arrears on their mortgage.
Fortunately, however, Elliot is president of the local Chamber of Commerce, which is in charge of granting permits for concerts, and Elliot is known for the summer “concerts” he puts on at the motel with recorded music, but he says, “This year I’m going to try to have a live quartet.”
When Elliot learns that a nearby town has canceled plans to host a music festival, he gets in touch with the promoters and offers the motel as head-quarters and his own festival permit as all the permission the promoters need.
Sure, there are problems, but Elliot and the promoters, who have already sold 100,000 tickets to the concert, manage to overcome them, and the rest, as they say, is musical, cultural, and revolutionary history.
The film uses the split-screen technique made famous in the 1970 Oscar- winning documentary WOODSTOCK, and even though this film doesn’t concentrate on the music the way the documentary does, it is still an enjoyable experience.
It is truly a creative masterpiece.
As someone said, “It’s the dream, Man. We all could use a little Woodstock in our lives now.”
TAKING WOODSTOCK brings to mind another expression in the news a lot lately:
“And the dream shall never die.”
I’m Dan Culberson and this is “Hotshots.”
