Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid

I really liked this movie! The plot line is relatively easy to follow and its almost border lining into a comedy, rather than a typical Western. Its about these two guys that are on the run from the law, basically.

I’m a little confused about what the sepia tone of the beginning, middle and end scenes represent. I thought, at first, that they were the parts that they know where fact and the rest is what is rumored to of happened and that sepia was used to show it as ‘old footage’ showing that its ‘real’. However, as the movie went on, I don’t think that’s the case. I think that maybe its just to remind the audience that this is history they’re talking about. However, it does say at the beginning “Most of what follows is true.”

I only have one bad thing to say about the fantastic casting of Robert Redford and Paul Newman; they don’t look old enough to be ‘over-the-hill’ robbers. But aside from that, they’re brilliant together, there’s so much chemistry, they just ooze with ‘best-friend-forever-ness’. However, I am confused because they discover stuff about each other as they run from the law. I don’t know whether they’ve just met and they just happen to really get along or if the script is supposed to show us that even BFFs don’t know everything about each other.

The comedy is my kind of comedy. Its not laugh-out-loud funny but it makes you smile. Redford and Newman have great comic timing and style, they just bounce off one another with teasing and jokes that BFFs do say to each other. Don’t wish to go on about this but it does really make me miss my friends back in England.

Their relationship with the woman is weird… almost like they’re having a threesome but without the BFFs getting together; they just take it in turns to ‘be’ with her. Weird…

It was interesting to see the bicycle make a little appearance in a Western. It oddly works as a little sidekick to the horse.

The Hustler

Sorry but once again, I didn’t quite like it. My parents loved it, though. It took about an hour before it got interesting for me and even then I was still checking the clock to see how much longer it was going to go on for. They are good characters, all of them, they’re just in a crap, boring situation. But alas, my parents say that I probably didn’t like it because a. I’m used to more fast-paced stuff and b. that I’ve watched too many films and I’m now sick of films rather than this movie. Both are probably right, to be honest.

Oh well, maybe you’ll like it. Its pretty much about a hustler [obviously] and pool though my parents will be like “no, its more than that”. Everyone to their own opinion.

124/212

Kate
xoxo

Cool Hand Luke

It’s a great prison movie. Unfortunately, I have a headache and I’m incredibly tired so once again, this review will probably be crap but whatever. I have to do it so I don’t have to worry about it tomorrow.

The opening scene is Luke cutting off parking meters in a drunken state. I can just imagine the audience cheering as they saw what he was doing.

I love the use of the mirror sunglasses in this movie. Not only are they a great technique for cinematography, but also gives the character [one of the big ’bosses;] an air of mystery; he’s The Man With No Eyes.

The characters in this movie are great, even though you hate some of prisoners at the beginning, you learn to love them by the end.

I wonder if this is the film that was the first to do the classic scene of ‘hot girl washing car’. Its pretty funny to watch from a girl’s point of view but I can imagine a boy really liking it!

It takes a while for be to like Paul Newman’s [Luke] acting. However, I don’t think its his fault as George Kennedy outshines everyone in every scene.
I wonder if, back then in the 60s, they were allowed to drink beer and gamble after they’d worked on the roads. Also, did they really celebrate 4th July in there with bear and music and fun?

There’s a lovely scene with Luke and his mum. The mum is so lovely and funny and full of life in an ironic sense as she’s clearly dieing. Then the mum does die and Luke is still in prison and there’s a nice, sad moment when the rest of the prisoners leave Luke alone in the room to mourn with his guitar. The song is lovely and made more beautiful by poor Luke’s slow tears. THEN!! THEN the ‘bosses’ [prison guards] put him in ‘the box’!! Because they think if they don’t then he’ll try to run away to go to his mum’s funeral! Its so horrible!

If you don’t like eggs, you may want to skip the scene where Luke eats 50 eggs in an hour. Yes. 50. In an hour.

There’s a heartbreaking scene where the prisoners, who adore Luke and think he’s the hero, don’t help Luke get to his bed after being slowly tortured by the ‘bosses’. You can see just how broken Luke is [that’s when Newman’s acting actually shone].

I’d tell you all to watch this not only because its good but just for George Kennedy and his character, he’s brilliant.

116/212

Kate
xoxo

The Sting

Very good movie. Fast paced, never boring and with a great twist at the end!

I really liked the opening credits and the title cards that were used throughout, I thought it was good to let the audience in on the stages of a con. However, the opening titles with the cast made it feel like it was a TV show rather than a film, I didn’t really like that.

Ergh, I hate seeing such corrupt policemen! I love that the police are the bad guys in this film, rather than the conmen.

Bloody hell, Paul Newman was really skinny back then! Scrawny little thing!

“He’s not as tough as he looks.” “Neither are we.” I loved this script!

I love all the card tricks. This film has made me want to learn poker, though I know I’d be awful because I’m constantly asking people about the rules which ruins the game most of the time!

I loved that Gondorf [Newman] decided to go for the drunk approach; it puts the other players in false security. Also there was some good comedy in there, like the way he looked at his cards so close to his chest. Brad Pitt did it in Mr and Mrs Smith, too.

The FBI wear funny straw hats! Then they blackmail Hooker [Redford]! How very un-FBI of them!

Awwww if Hooker had told Gondorf, he’d totally understand! Grrrr!!

Ooooooooooooh. Gah! That was a twist that I should of seen coming!! Its almost like they coned the audience as well!

Very good, I really liked it!

106/212 [officially half way through my challenge!!!]

Kate
xoxo