$ (Dollars).

Review #1033: $ (Dollars).

Cast: 
Warren Beatty (Joe Collins), Goldie Hawn (Dawn Divine), Gert Fröbe (Mr. Kessel), Robert Webber (Mr. North, Attorney), Scott Brady (Sarge), Arthur Brauss (Candy Man), Robert Stiles (Major), and Wolfgang Kieling (Granich) Directed by Richard Brooks (#871 - Cat on a Hot Tin Roof)

Review: 
Admittedly, the title sticks out pretty easily, because how many movies have a symbol as their title? In any case, $ (also known as Dollars and The Heist in the United Kingdom) is an interesting heist movie that certainly has its moments, along with having a fairly dynamic cast that makes for good entertainment, starting with Beatty and Hawn. Both of them do a fine job in the roles they have within the heist, rolling off each other with a kind of energy that is compelling in how they work off each other. Beatty does a fine job in selling this role with angles and cons throughout, being quite clever and quite charming to follow for the film. The same can be said for Hawn, who has a magnetic appeal that resonates with any scene that she is, whether when acting against any of the crooks or with Beatty. The film doesn't dwell much on how these two came together nor much on the specifics of the plan, but the way that it focuses on their approaches for getting this money and how much fun it is to see them do it is more than enough. Fröbe does a fine job as the bank president, showing some authority and class to the role that fits just neatly with the film. The adversary crooks also do a fine job, particularly Brauss, with a fine pair of shades and a voice to go along with his ruthlessness. Brady also does a fine job, showcasing some greed in his portrayal that has a fine payoff. The heist sequences and the climax are fairly satisfactory, having their respective high points, such as the chase sequence (filmed in Hamberg, Germany), quiet but effective. It is interesting to note that the Kunsthalle, the city's principal museum of art was utilized as the exterior for the bank. The film certainly has a good look to it, never coming off as anything too fake nor too unrealistic for the time. The soundtrack was composed by Quincy Jones, with performances by Little Richard, Roberta Flack and Doug Kershaw, featuring the Don Elliot Voices as well. It gives the movie a bit of a groovy kick that is certainly welcome for the movie. On the whole, this is a colorful kind of film that takes its time to get rolling, but it has a fine payoff that makes the two hour run-time worth it in the final result.

Welcome to 2018, the ninth year with at least one review by me, with this being the first review of what I term "Season 8". Hopefully there will be a fun amount of reviews throughout the year for all of you folks to enjoy. 

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Seems Like Old Times.

Review #692: Seems Like Old Times.

Cast
Goldie Hawn (Glenda Parks), Chevy Chase (Nick J. Gardenia), Charles Grodin (Ira J. Parks), Robert Guillaume (Fred), Yvonne Wilder (Aurora), Harold Gould (Judge John Channing), George Grizzard (Stanley), and T. K. Carter (Chester) Directed by Jay Sandrich.

Review
I admit, it's been a while. But hey, nobody's perfect. What movie do I have in store this time? A good old fashioned comedy that manages to juggle its gags and story on the weight of its main three actors. Hawn and Chase manage to be so fun together, and they both are enjoyable to watch, especially Hawn, who is really good at timing. I don't know why, but my favorite scene with Grodin is him trying to get into a cab with a bunch of dogs already in it, amusing because I love his frustration, especially when I think back to Beethoven (#577), and how he can just have the right expression. It had been a while since I had seen a film written by Neil Simon (#244 - The Sunshine Boys), and he does a good job with the interactions of the characters along with the situations, complimented well by Sandrich, a television director who directed this, his first and so far only film. The movie keeps itself in check just long enough to make for a good time along with being a charming film.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Sugarland Express.

Review #563: The Sugarland Express.

Cast
Goldie Hawn (Lou Jean Poplin), Ben Johnson (Captain Harlin Tanner), Michael Sacks (Patrolman Maxwell Slide), William Atherton (Clovis Michael Poplin), Gregory Walcott (Patrolman Ernie Mashburn), Steve Kanaly (Patrolman Jessup), and Louise Latham (Mrs. Looby) Directed by Steven Spielberg (#126 - Close Encounters of the Third Kind, #168 - Raiders of the Lost Ark, #169 - Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, #170 - Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, #302 - Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, #351 - Schindler's List, #480 - Jaws)

Review
The Sugarland Express was Spielberg's first feature length movie (Duel was a television movie later released to theaters), he also wrote the story to the movie that is based off the true story of Ila Fae Holiday, filmed in Sugarland, and other locations in Texas. Goldie Hawn does a wonderful performance, entertaining to watch, especially when paired with William Atherton, who is interesting to watch. The movie is not as entertaining as Spielberg's other films, but it is at least interesting enough to check out. The movie is shot well, and it is reasonably paced in the beginning, but it almost sputters near the end, it's hard to explain, maybe it's when the trio go through the parade of citizens, it just feels forced. Whatever the case, the movie has its moments, such as the couple who are stranded on the road the whole movie, which is a good chuckle. Check this one out if you want to start watching Spielberg. Or Amblin'.

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Cactus Flower.

Review #438: Cactus Flower.

Cast
Walter Matthau (Dr. Julian Winston), Ingrid Bergman (Stephanie Dickinson), Goldie Hawn (Toni Simmons), Jack Weston (Harvey Greenfield), Rick Lenz (Igor Sullivan), Vito Scotti (Señor Arturo Sánchez), Irene Hervey (Mrs. Durant), and Eve Bruce (Georgia) Directed by Gene Saks.

Review
This film is (sadly) connected with the grand atrocity Just Go With It, reviewed nearly 400 reviews ago, as that was a remake of Cactus Flower, which was also inspired Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya?, a 2005 film made in India which is probably way better than Just Go With It. Goldie Hawn makes her first starring role as a main lead, though her first movie appearance was in The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band. Hawn, who had previously been on Laugh-In, won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for this film, and I can see why. She's charming, she has talent and she's a very convincing actress and she stands her ground of being notable, especially at the likes of Matthau and Bergman. The actors are what that "remake" had nothing of: Funny. They convey the laughs, they aren't  too vulgar in their approach, and...this is has a good story to it (Being based off the play Fleur de cactus by Pierre Barillet and Jean-Pierre Grédy), which makes sense. Matthau and Bergman are very good, and when combined with Hawn and also Lenz, this makes a dynamic comedy that blows its remake into the graveyard of terrible remakes. I could say more, but half of what would be said would be further trying to prove that Adam Sandler can't make a funny 2000s comedy and that Goldie Hawn, Walter Matthau and Ingrid Bergman do a great job and the dialogue, which works well. So it's best to quit while I'm (probably) ahead.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.