Movie Night: The Exorcist.

REDUX posted here: https://movienightcentral.blogspot.com/2023/09/redux-the-exorcist.html

Review #037: The Exorcist.

Cast
Ellen Burstyn (Chris MacNeil), Max von Sydow (Father Lankester Merrin), Jason Miller (Father/Dr. Damien Karras S.J), Linda Blair (Regan MacNeil), Mercedes McCambridge (Pazuzu), Lee J. Cobb (Lieutenant William F. Kinderman), Kitty Winn (Sharon Spencer), and Jack MacGowran (Burke Dennings) Directed by William Friedkin.

Review
To be honest, I found this film to be a little underwhelming. The first hour is just talking, and building up to the Exorcism. It finally comes, and we do see the scariness in the Devil. I felt underwhelmed for the first half, but the second half helped. The acting is decent, with some scare from Regan and special effects that hold up to this day.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Network.

Review #036: Network.

Cast
Faye Dunaway (Diana Christensen), William Holden (Max Schumacher), Peter Finch (Howard Beale), Robert Duvall (Frank Hackett), Wesley Addy (Nelson Chaney), Ned Beatty (Arthur Jensen), Beatrice Straight (Louise Schumacher) Jordan Charney (Harry Hunter), William Prince (Edward Ruddy), Lane Smith (Robert McDonough), Marlene Warfield (Laureen Hobbs), and Conchata Ferrell (Barbara Schlesinger) Directed by Sidney Lumet (#035 - 12 Angry Men)

Review
Review to be updated at a later point in time - hopefully by the end of 2018 or 2019. 

This film is excellent. Its a fun film that parodies the news and what happens if we let sensationalism win...which in retrospect we may already have let happen to us. The acting especially by Finch is good. He is a riot, as he makes you giggle and more (a shame that this was his last role). This isn't just a movie about Finch, this is a satire that reflects the time it was made while having an angry but collected tone that works. The movie won four Academy Awards, winning for Best Actor (Finch), Actress (Dunaway), Supporting Actress (Straight, who is in the movie for five minutes), and Original Screenplay (Chayefsky) while being nominated for five more. The film flows alright, as the direction by Lumet is (as with the previous film reviewed here) good. This is a fine film that hasn't aged badly.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: 12 Angry Men.

Review #035: 12 Angry Men.

Cast
1. Martin Balsam
2. John Fielder
3. Lee J. Cobb
4. E. G. Marshall
5. Jack Klugman
6. Edward Binns
7. Jack Warden
8. Henry Fonda
9. Joseph Sweeny
10. Ed Begley
11. George Voskovec
12. Robert Webber
Directed by Sidney Lumet.

Review
Review to be updated at a later point in time - hopefully by the end of 2018 or 2019. 

This movie is the first covered of the 1950s on this show, and it is just pure greatness. It shows a lot of talent all in one set (And for a movie that took less then three weeks and $325,000 to make). Henry Fonda is the big star, and he is the best person in this movie. I like how it seems you are the Juror, you are feeling like you are one of them. The theories are deconstructed over time as the tension builds until the conclusion. It shows a lot of heart, and it can and will, make your heart beat.

Overall, I give it 10 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Cannonball Run.

Review #034: The Cannonball Run.

Cast
Burt Reynolds (J.J. McClure), Dom DeLuise (Victor Prinzi), Roger Moore (Seymour Goldfarb, Jr), Farrah Fawcett (Pamela Glover), Dean Martin (Jamie Blake), Sammy Davis, Jr (Morris Fenderbaum), George Furth (Arthur J. Foyt), Jackie Chan (Jackie Chan), Jamie Farr (Sheik Abdul ben Falafel), Terry Bradshaw (Terry), Mel Tillis (Mel), Adrienne Barbeau (Marcie Thatcher), and Tara Buckman (Jill Rivers) Directed by Hal Needham (#033 - Smokey and the Bandit)

Review
EDIT: While I admit that some of my early reviews aren't exactly up to quality that are more evident in later years, I will still admit that this is a guilty pleasure that I can't help but like, especially considering my dad and I used to watch this movie back when he was around. Plus, it's hard to not like Burt Reynolds. As such, some of this review has been edited for clarity.

This is a fun film with good car scenes and all of the above with comedic jokes that aren't that bad, like that other movie I was talking about, but it finds a way to not be similar to it. It finds a way to combine Terry Bradshaw along with Roger Moore in the same movie, even Peter Fonda and Jackie Chan are in it, though I will admit they could be used better. The acting is decent as it's a good funny film. It has its own brand of enjoyment, thought you need to be in the right mood, or you'll be bored by it. Fun fact: This was actually based on a real race held back in the 1970's, called the Cannonball Baker Sea-To-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash. Take it as a random 80's flick, and you might be compelled to watch it from beginning to end just to see how it goes along.

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Smokey and the Bandit.

Review #033: Smokey and the Bandit.

Cast
Burt Reynolds (Bo "Bandit' Darville), Sally Field (Carrie), Jerry Reed (Cledus "Snowman" Snow), Jackie Gleason (Sheriff Buford T. Justice), Mike Henry (Junior Justice), Pat McCormick (Big Enos Burdette), Paul Williams (Little Enos Burdette), Macon McCalman (Mr. B), Susan McIver (Hot Pants), and George Reynolds (Sheriff Branford) Directed by Hal Needham.

Review
This film is a load of fun. The film has lots of comedy that are actually really good. As of this post, this film is 33 years old, and it still holds up as the 2nd best film of 1977 (I think you know my favorite film of that year is...). Anyway, the characters are contrasting, with Bandit and Buford T. Justice. I also love how the film has one of the best cool looking cars ever, the Pontiac Trans Am all in black. This film is a good flick to watch, and arguably one of the best comedies I've seen.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.