Tag: TGIF

Crossposted at Daily Kos

A scene from For Whom the Bell Tolls (1943)

:: ::

War Films often acknowledge the horror and heartbreak of war, letting the actual combat fighting or conflict provide the primary plot or background for the action of the film.  Typical elements in the action-oriented war plots include POW camp experiences and escapes, espionage, personal heroism, “war is hell” brutalities… tough trench/infantry experiences, or male-bonding buddy adventures during wartime. Themes explored in war films include combat, survivor and escape stories, tales of gallant sacrifice and struggle, studies of the futility and inhumanity of battle, the effects of war on society, and intelligent and profound explorations of the moral and human issues.

link

Crossposted at Daily Kos

What makes a movie memorable?  Is it the talented cast of actors who engross themselves in unforgettable roles, the producers who spare no expense to achieve perfection, the technical production staff who polish the film’s rough edges, the magical sound makers who captivate an audience, the advertising geniuses who convince a skeptical public, or something else?

The most compelling case can be made for someone who brings all these diverse people together and meshes their talents into a compelling and coherent whole

(Peter Lewis, Politicalcartoons.com, Buy this cartoon)

Sydney Pollack directed such high-profile and critically-acclaimed movies as They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? Jeremiah Johnson, The Way We Were, Three Days of the Condor, Absence of Malice, Out of Africa, Tootsie, and Havana

Crossposted at Daily Kos

How does one answer such a subjective question?  Is it the performance, commercial success and popularity of the particular movie, or the number of prominent awards won that endears an actor to his or her audiences?

Some actors like Meryl Streep and Robert De Niro are capable of turning in one superb acting performance after another over the years and establishing a particular bond and connection to the audience.  Others are applauded for a once-in-a-lifetime movie role — such as Ben Kingsley’s masterful portrayal of Mahatma Gandhi in Gandhi for which he won universal acclaim and the Academy Award for Best Actor in 1982.

Meryl Streep as Sophie Zawistowski in Sophie’s Choice and Robert De Niro as Vito Corleone in Godfather Part II in two of the finest movie roles ever by an actor