Hotshots Movie Reviews
Hotshots Movie Reviews by Dan Culberson
“Red Dawn” Is Dumb, but Emotional
Dec 1st
“Dumb, but Emotional”
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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.”
“Lincoln” about Our Greatest President
Nov 25th
“Our Greatest President”
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Lincoln is an excellent film about the last few months of the life of our 16th president when he was faced with an almost impossible task: Get the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution passed by a lame-duck congress before the Civil War ends.
The 13th Amendment states simply, “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitute, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.”
The time was January 1865, Lincoln had just been reelected to his second term, the resolution had been passed the previous year by the Senate, but defeated by the House, and Lincoln was trying to get it passed by the House so that it would become law before the Civil War ended and the Southern representatives rejoined Congress, in which case it would never be passed.
So, the film is about the wheeling and dealing in Washington in order to get something achieved, which makes it as timely as today’s Washington.
Daniel Day-Lewis plays Lincoln, and at one point he tells his cabinet of officers, “As the preacher said, I could write shorter sermons, but once I start, I get too lazy to stop.”
We are told that it is not illegal to bribe Congressmen, because they starve otherwise, which may or may not be true, and we see many of the influences being peddled by the men who are working to get the amendment passed, which becomes complex and confusing, but don’t try to follow and understand everything. Just let the story and its details wash over you and admire them.
Especially admire the work of Day-Lewis as Lincoln, as well as the outstanding work of Sally Field, James Spader, and Tommy Lee Jones, among many others.
Also admire the directing of Steven Spielberg, although you might be distracted by the opening scene and think that it is too much of a reminder of the opening of the 1998 Saving Private Ryan.
In fact, there are many parallels in this film that are intended to make a point and a reference to our modern times, and that is perfectly acceptable.
Lincoln is a great film about whom many claim to be our greatest president.
I’m Dan Culberson and this is “Hotshots.”
“Skyfall” Explains “Last Rat Standing”
Nov 17th
“Last Rat Standing”
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Skyfall is the 23rd “official” James Bond movie, which began 50 years ago with the 1962 Dr. No, and the third one starring Daniel Craig as British spy, Agent 007.
And of all the Bond films over the years, official and unofficial, both serious and spoof, this is definitely the most recent one.
Oh, all the traditional, key elements are there: Bond looks good, damn good, when he is dressed to kill; there is a memorable villain, played by Javier Bardem, but he has a back story that we have already seen before in the 1995 GoldenEye; there is another in a long line of so-called “Bond girls,” but her name isn’t as striking as previous ones; there are chases aplenty; there are gadgets for Bond, but some of them we have literally seen before; and finally there are familiar names, but they are played by new characters.
In other words, call me jaded or call me old, but I have pretty much seen it all before.
Except for the opening sequence, which features a motorcycle chase across the rooftops of buildings in Istanbul, a fight between Bond and another man atop a moving train, and then while Bond’s backup agent can shoot to save him, but doesn’t have a clear shot, the agent is ordered by M back in London, “Take the bloody shot!”
Unfortunately, the agent misses the villain, hits Bond, and Bond falls off the train into a river, over some falls, and he is missing from the story long enough for M, again played by Judi Dench, to write his obituary and have his government-paid apartment cleaned out of all Bond’s possessions.
But not to worry. Bond comes back, perhaps reluctantly, when things go bad in London for M, MI6, and the entire secret agency.
However, Bond has to prove that he is still able and fit for his license to kill, and he is back on the job.
He goes to Shanghai, he goes to Macao, and he encounters Silva, who has a personal grudge against M from days long past.
The story ends in Scotland, the meaning of the film’s title is revealed, and the movie ends with a comment about “last rat standing.”
Skyfall also ends with a promise that James Bond will return, but I say give it a rest.
I’m Dan Culberson and this is “Hotshots.”
