Movie review - "Powwow Highway" (1988) **1/2

 One of HandMade's random American films this at least gets points for being about Native Americans. The director was a white South African but the cast is Indian and it's very respectful, or as least seems to be. There's plenty of Indian actors in the cast such as Wes Studi and Graham Greene.

The film is a buddy comedy between activist A Martinez and more laid back Graham Farmer who go on a road trip in part of help Martinez's sister who's been arrested. 

It's fine. Lot of warmth. Some good actors. I ddn't vibe with it - not my sort of movie. 

 

Movie review - "633 Squadron" (1964) ***

 Plane buffs love this movie. Solid guys on a mission flick the mission being to blow up something in Norway. Not well directed and the casting of the leads seems off - Cliff Robertson as an American, George Chakiris as a Norwegian.

But the support cast are fine - including John Meillion as an Aussie. It gets points for wiping out most of the squadron. Final attack influential on Star Wars. 

Script review - "Somewhere" by Sofia Coppola

 Only 44 pages A series of scenes of a movie star being empty - having sex, taking drugs, feeling not quite real. He's nice to his daughter. You can imagine Coppola directing it well. Not enough for a feature though. 

Movie review - "Checking Out" (1989) *1/2

 Joe Eszterhas could write one type of movie really well - the erotic thriller - though he tried his hand at other kinds, including comedy. He did a few comedies actually, and they were rarely funny (though his books can be witty).

It's a black comedy about Jedd Daniels in Jack Lemmon mode becoming obsessed with health after his racist best friend dies while telling a joke. British HandMade Films responded to it as did director David Leland. 

Leland changed some of Eszterhas' stuff - Eszterhas says he changed it back.

A film like this needed carefully handing in script and directing and playing. It goesn't get it. Jeff Daniels is fine it's not his fault. I think David Leland maybe struggled being out of England, not being across the acting scene as much, knowing the intricacies of the culture. There's a bit of over acting going on.

Fun to see cameos from David Byrne and George Harrison.  I liked hearing the Traveling Wilbury's over the beginning and end credits.

I hated the lead for being best friends with a racist. And for Melanie Myron for having nothing to play.

Gosh, HandMade took risks though. 

Movie review - "How to Get Ahead in Advertising" (1989) **

 Bruce Robinson's sequel to Withnail and I has a decent swing. It feels like a young man's movie, some angry ranting, and Richard E Grant commits. It might play better on stage off the energy of the acting.

Rachel Ward is pretty but awkward in a nothing part. 

Robinson doesn't have many ideas other than his initial one. There's a lot of ranting but little of the personal knowledge he brought for Withnail. It doesn't have the character relationships - Robinson's earlier film had Withnail and I, and also the duo and their drug dealer and Uncle Monty. This has the undercooked stuff with the wife, and a better one with the boss.

Brave try.  

Movie review - "The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne" (1987) ***1/2

 The sort of movie you know going in what it's going to be like - tastefully made, with brilliant acting, hosannahs for Maggie Smith in the lead, nice production values, depressing.

People tried to make this for three decades, notably John Huston - the title role is a gift for an older actress. But it is depressing. She's got no money, no family, loses a job, realises she's wasted her life, hits the bottle, falls in love with a bounder (Bob Hoskins) who only wants her money.

It's nicely made. 

Movie review - "Kangaroo Island" (2025) ***

 Really sweet, well made drama about a hot mess actress (Rebecca Breeds) coming home to Kangaroo Island, dealing with her dad (Eric Thompson) born again sister (Adelaide Clemens) who is married to her ex (Joel Judge).

A flew clunky moments - a car crash happens, prompts a monologue then is over - and it doesn't quite pull all the narrative strands together, but it looks great, it's made with a lot of heart, nice acting.