Captains Courageous

Captains Courageous (Victor Fleming, 1937)

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Rating: Q=7, P=6 / Can't Get Enough

Scale 1=3, Scale 2=4, Scale 3=3, Scale 4=3

Father/Son, Sailing, Coming of Age, Adventure, Based on Book

This film is nothing less than marvelous. A true classic that I think still captivates a modern audience. It is full of action/adventure to keep a good pace but also has the important moments of conflict, reflection, and love. It is a great Coming of Age film that shows how vital a father/son relationship can be to a boy. And it is wonderful to watch young Harvey's transformation. I'd watch this again tomorrow, I enjoyed it that much.

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Sweet Smell of Success

Sweet Smell of Success (Alexander Mackendrick, 1957)

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Rating: Q=6, P=4 / Average OJ
Scale 1=3, Scale 2=3, Scale 3=2, Scale 4=2

Reputation, Complex Relationships, Journalism, Noir, New York

What dialogue! This film is a joy to listen to--the words, the jazz music, the atmospheric sounds. It's a kind of writing we don't see in films anymore. Wonderful slang/phrases of the time and place (Beat culture) and every line delivered is descriptive. The story itself is essentially about two men who spend their life building a web of lies and slander to gain control over people and situations. Reputation is important in this world--more important than anything else. That kind of plot gets to be too much for me, so I'm not sure I'd watch the film again. But this one is definitely a classic.

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Black Panther

Black Panther (Ryan Coogler, 2018)

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Rating: Q=7, P=6 / Can't Get Enough

Scale 1=4, Scale 2=3, Scale 3=3, Scale 4=3

Fantasy, Action, Adventure, Race, Globalization

Finally saw the film that everyone has been talking about all year. Black Panther really was tremendous. Rather than try to write out my thoughts, I encourage you to read this review by Peter Travers that I completely agree with.

See this if you haven't!

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Places in the Heart

Places in the Heart (Robert Benton, 1984)

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Rating: Q=6, P=5 / Average OJ

Scale 1=3, Scale 2=3, Scale 3=3, Scale 4=2

Drama, Great Depression, Grief, Race, Hope

A beautiful story about determination and hope in a time of hardships and tragedy. I love films about the depression era because they usually show people with amazing grit triumphing over incredible odds. Places in the Heart has painful scenes of racism and scary moments of destruction. But also so many uplifting, hopeful moments too. It is a reminder that even in the bleakest hours we can pull through. And even when it seems like giving up is the only option, there is a way to keep going.

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