Appaloosa
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Movie Reviews of Appaloosa
Movie Review: Depth and honesty in the Wild West
Summary: 5 Stars
I really loved this film. It was a pleasure to see it on the big screen. Ed Harris has such a great scope when it comes to his films, directing with an expansive feeling... Like any great work of art, you can't leave his films without being touched.
I loved Appaloosa. From the simple, honest relationship of the two "hired guns" (played with such comfortable ease by Ed Harris and Viggo Mortensen) to the complex love interest of Renee Zellweger's Ms. French... I just wanted to figure this puzzle out. How could Ed's character Cole really stand by such a coyote as Ms. French, even after she tries to seduce his best friend? And yet... love is love. There's a great scene where the camera focuses on Ms. Zellweger at the piano, and you can see her conflict, a wild creature in a corset who can't help herself, who can't help but betray those closest to her heart. There's fear and desperation and longing. It's a remarkable moment. And Ed and Viggo are just as delicious in their roles, fitting each other like a pair of comfortable shoes.
The supporting characters are just as wonderful, from the "society gentlemen," eager to rid the town of evil when it suits them, to Jeremy Irons' opportunistic villain, to the other hired guns who were once friends of our heroes but have a face-off nonetheless. It's definitely a comment on that notion of a "dog eat dog world." And yet, the real and true love story of friendship against all odds and men who don't see the point of lying, was a lovely theme as well.
This film was so epic and beautiful... it made me want to read the book!
Movie Review: Best Western In Years
Summary: 5 Stars
This fine western is more like the classics such as 'Shane' from the 40's and 50's, when the genre reached its artistic peak, than the ultra-violent post-Wild Bunch school. This is a refreshing and welcome change of pace. The progressive increase in violence, misogyny and sadism since the 1960's, although yielding some admitted classics such as 'Unforgiven,' is an ultimately an artistic dead end.
'Appaloosa' is a western that contains interesting and plausible characters, some of whom you will identify with, struggling with the human condition in various aspects, as the plot unfolds in an interesting manner. There are some good gun fights, there is horseback riding, there is wonderful scenery, excellent photography, and fine acting.
This movie is paced more like the classic westerns than today's action movies, where someone gets tortured, killed, or blowed up about every 2 minutes because the director thinks all the 14 year old ADHD boys in the theater will go to sleep if he does otherwise. In my opinion, this is a great improvement over the recent '3:10 to Yuma,' which was too oppressively hyperactive and stupid for someone over 30 to enjoy.
My wife, who is not nearly as keen on westerns as am I, enjoyed this movie almost as much as I did. As a fan of westerns, I give this movie an extra star because there are so few good westerns made anymore. A person not interested in westerns would probably give this a 4.
Nonetheless, this is a very good movie for adults who like good movies, and a real treat for fans of classic westerns.
Movie Review: Westerns making a comeback
Summary: 5 Stars
While coming slow, westerns seem to be coming back. This one is not the best I have seen but I could easily put it in the top 20 of the westerns I have seen. I am 58 and have seen every western ever made. Well every one worth watching.
You don't need to know the plot. (It's not about a horse). Appaloosa is the name of the town. It's the usual evil against good. If you like westerns it's a must see.
The acting is top notch. Ed Harris and Viggo Mortensen do exceptional work. Better than average. All characters were good in the film. Many unknown to me.
The cinematography was outstanding. About as good as the recent 3:10 to Yuma film. It gave a very authenticity to the time. The camera angles and lighting to create good contrast were well done. Time of day created good mood such as dusk and early morning scenes. Windy and dusty was the flavor of the town at times. Dirty and dusty clothes create realism. Part of the film is done on a train. Excellent sound from the steam engine. There are some wonderful camera angles during this part. The train is authentic. Not some european high pitched whistle train. From the train scene they lose their prisoner and must track him on horseback. Excellent scenery and mighty fine horses.
There is some humor in this film which adds to the enjoyment. Of course there is a woman or two to add to the plot. A little bit of everything.
Some nice weapons thrown in for the enjoyment.
I enjoyed it very much. It was a good one to see in the theatre.
Movie Review: it's a good western
Summary: 5 Stars
You probably know what Western films are like- cowboys get shot up like crazy, they fall off their horse (or off the bar stool) and die, you never actually see anyone come by and pick up the dead bodies, or bury them, and you never see any kind of emotion or concern for the people who got shot to death in dramatic fashion either (for the most part anyway).
Appaloosa includes ALL those things, in additon to that, it does a tremendous job keeping the storyline interesting. It's about two cowboys who take over a small, dusty town (of course) and whether they were supposed to be playing the good or bad guys... I haven't a clue. Everyone seems to be a bad guy in a Western anyway because of complete lack of emotion for human life.
Renee Zellweger shows us once again that she can portray *anyone* in a convincing way and make it believable. Ed Harris steals the show with his character though- truly not someone you'd wanna mess with.
The only problem is that the ending tried to sum up the story, but it was a bit on the boring side if you ask me. The shooting segments that appear throughout the film however, are quite good. The scene in particular involving a train and Renee's character was probably the one that stood out the most to me.
Another Western perhaps, but this one might win you over. I'm no expert when it comes to Westerns, so it's hard for me to tell which ones work for people, and which ones don't.
Movie Review: Exquisite
Summary: 5 Stars
I loved the Parker novel on which the film is based and the film is worthy of the novel. Harris' direction is superb; the period details are spot-on and the script is lean and Parkeresque. It is a story of friendship, of friendship between men. As such, more is left unsaid than is said. The fact that things need not be said is the whole point. Everyone will think of Spenser and Hawk and that is fair, but I think as well of the laconic Jesse Stone, another Parker creation which has resulted in excellent film adaptations. Remember always that Parker is an English Ph.D., one who understands genre at the deepest level. Thus, this is a western in the purest sense. The story is relatively familiar (as western stories always are) and the experience of watching it is one that borders on ritual and sacrament. We know that we are entering a certain ethos and we know what will happen there. We pray that we won't be disappointed. Here, we are not disappointed. It is not as operatic as the Sergio Leone films can be, but it is respectful, almost worshipful, of the world which the genre celebrates. This is first-rate work, an exquisite film.