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On The Waterfront, a review by Rick

On The Waterfront



OverviewMy Thoughts:
Perhaps it was because of Elia Kazan's infulence but to me this movie could be in the film noir category. No, I didn't know the director by name but when I looked him up I saw he directed Panic in the Streets and Boomerang. Both of which I watched and enjoyed. The look and feel of this movie certainly seems to fit other Film Noirs I have watched. Perhaps because it was more about the main character's internal struggle with what to do on a personal level then solving the crime or getting out of whatever situation the character was put it that keeps it out of this category.    Maybe one of you more in the know can tell me why it's not considered as film noir. 

As I said, it was about one man's struggle of what to do and how to deal with the morality of his decisions. This is one of those must see movies for any true film buff. Fortunately for me it lived up to the hype (many don't). Brando was phenomenal, but he wasn't alone. Personally I found Karl Malden's acting just as riveting and filled with passion. He took command of every scene he was in. I'm not taking away from Brando, just pointing out there were other noteworthy performances too.

Being a dues paying member of the Sheet Metal Workers Union (local  15) I couldn't help but compare the union bosses back then to what we have now. Unfortunately I feel some of the corruption we see in the movie still plays out today. Not so much telling people daily if they can or can't work (although that has happened in my family - my father was blackballed sometime ago) but the greed that was there then seems to be there now as well. (I mean no offense to anyone who may happen to be in a union or supports them - I am speaking in generalities here - I also don't want to get into a political debate about the pros or cons of todays unions...). I'll just leave it at this. Corruption has evolved but it is still there.

I loved the cinematography in this as well as the locations in general. They transported me to a time where you could see someone sitting in front of a fan trying desperately to cool off on that hot summer's evening. Kids playing stickball in the street. Baseball game playing on the radio while drinking a glass of homemade lemonade. The rooftop scenes were very cool. I don't know if you can go from rooftop to rooftop like they showed in the movie now. Most likely not. If you can I'm guessing it is these rooftops where a lot of crime would go on today and somewhere you would probably be better off avoiding!

The story itself was pretty predictable I felt, but everything else made the movie great. It certainly proved you don't need the best story ever written to have a great movie. Take a good story and tell it with great performances and you will have a winner.   

My Rating


(From Rick's "Vowels Only" Marathon Reviews on August 2nd, 2010)

Plunder Road, a review by Antares

Plunder Road (1957) 85/100Teal = Masterpiece
Dark Green = Classic or someday will be
Lime Green = A good, entertaining film
Orange = Average
Red = Cinemuck
Brown = The color of crap, which this film is

(From Antares' Short Summations on December 1st, 2014)

Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman: The Complete Fourth Season, a review by addicted2dvd

Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman: The Complete Fourth Season (1996/United States) LOIS LANE and CLARK KENT saved the best for last. In their final season, they finally get married. There are a few roadblocks along the highway to marital bliss: a worlds-at-war battle with Lord Nor; an adventure-packed encounter with the Wedding Destroyer, who believes folks are better dead than wed; and even wedding-night interruptus compliments of time-traveling H.G. Wells. But before or after the shoes and rice, all 22 fourth-season episodes zing with Lois & Clark's action/comedy blend. A multitude of baddies - ghosts, aliens, deranged scientists and bizarre criminal geniuses - power up the excitement. A multitude of guest stars - Drew Carey, Harry Anderson, Delta Burke and more - power up the laughs. Time to fly...and say goodbye! Episodes: 1. Lord of the Flys 2. Battleground Earth 3. Swear to God, This Time We're Not Kidding 4. Soul Mates 5. Brutal Youth 6. The People vs. Lois Lane 7. Dead Lois Walking 8. Bob and Carol and Lois and Clark 9. Ghosts 10. Stop the Presses 11. Twas the Night Before Mxymas 12. Lethal Weapon 13. Sex, Lies and Videotape 14. Meet John Doe 15. Lois and Clarks 16. AKA Superman 17. Faster Than a Speeding Vixen 18. Shadow of a Doubt 19. Voice from the Past 20. I've Got You Under My Skin 21. Toy Story 22. The Family Hour

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Stars:
Dean Cain as Clark Kent/Superman
Teri Hatcher as Lois Lane
Lane Smith as Perry White
Justin Whalin as Jimmy Olsen
Eddie Jones as Jonathan Kent
K Callan as Martha Kent

Extras:

• Featurettes
• Closed Captioned

Well... I did it! I watched all four seasons! Which is odd since when I started I didn't think I was going to watch much more then the pilot episode. This season I enjoyed just as much as the first two seasons. Season three was the only season to go down in my eyes. Mainly because of how hard they worked to keep Lois and Clark apart the entire season. This final season once again has a nice selection of guest stars... this time including Justine Bateman, David Doyle, Delta Burke, Jasmine Guy, Antonio Sabato, Jr., Drew Carey, Kathy Kinney, Howie Mandel, Tom Wilson, Nancy Dussault, Fred Willard, Tim Thomerson, Grant Shaud and Harry Anderson.

I am disappointed on how this season ended. It is fine for a season finale.... but disappointing as a series finale. As it set itself up for a fifth season. Of course they thought there would be a fifth season anyway. But still disappointing to see it end this way and not get any more episodes.




(From Addicted2dvd's Random TV Series Watched on August 8th, 2011)