90s Movie Review - Thunderheart

Director: Michael Apted
Genre: Drama/ Crime/ Thriller/ Mystery
Runtime: 119 minutes
Year: 1992
Starring: Val Kilmer, Graham Greene, Sam Shepard, Fred Ward

Description: A young mixed-blood FBI agent (Val Kilmer) is assigned to work with a cynical veteran investigator (Sam Shepard) on a murder on a poverty-stricken Sioux reservation.

Review: Ever heard of the movie “Thunderheart”? No? That’s not a surprise, because not a lot of people know this movie. Which is a damn shame, because “Thunderheart” is definitely worth watching. “Thunderheart” is about the conflict between the Indians and the American government. FBI agent Ray Levoi is sent to the Badlands, South Dakota, to investigate the murder of an Indian. Jimmy Looks Twice is the main suspect, a member of the Aboriginal Rights Movement. The ARM has committed murders before. Indians are the victims; there is a civil war going on. At least that’s what Frank Coutelle, Jack Milton and his GOON’s make you think. When Ray starts working with Walter Crowe Horse and other local Indians, he slowly discovers the actual truth.

The plot is based on actual events, in the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in the 1970s. Director Michael Apted also made a documentary, “Incident at Oglala”, that shows us the experiences he had while visiting that area in the 70s. Themes like drilling for uranium, illness amongst Indians because of the radiation in the water and the conflict between Indians and GOON’s were pictured in that documentary. The character of Jimmy Looks Twice is based on Indian activist Leonard Peltier, who was wrongfully accused for killing two FBI agents. It’s strange to see that those things are reality. It makes you feel guilty.

Another important theme in the movie is Ray’s inner struggle. Ray, an FBI agent with talent, has showed some impressive work. He is part Sioux Indian, from his father’s side. Because of Ray’s heritage, he is chosen to investigate this case. So he can easily connect with the Indians. But that’s not as easy as you might think. At first Ray is ashamed of being part Indian, but that later grows out into respect and pride.

Val Kilmer does a great job as FBI agent Ray Levoi, especially because he shows us that inner struggle so well. Funny detail: Kilmer is actually part Cherokee. We also see Sam Shepard as Frank Coutelle and Graham Greene as Walter Crow Horse. Both deliver a solid performance. Most surprising is maybe Ted Thin Elk who, as the 72-year old Grandpa Reaches, debuts in “Thunderheart”.

“Thunderheart” is a forgotten film, sadly enough. The movie has so many great elements and has a good, intelligent plot. If you haven’t seen it, please do and spread the word. More people should see “Thunderheart”.

Rating: 5 / 5

Oldies Review - Escape from Alcatraz

Director: Don Siegel
Genre: Thriller/ Drama
Runtime: 112 minutes
Year: 1979
Starring: Clint Eastwood, Patrick McGoohan, Roberts Blossom, Jack Thibeau, Fred Ward, Paul Benjamin, Larry Hankin, Bruce M. Fischer, Frank Ronzio, Fred Struthman, David Cryer, Madison Arnold

Description: Alcatraz is the most secure prison of its time. It is believed that no one can ever escape from it, until three daring men make a possible successful attempt at escaping from on of the most infamous prisons in the world.

Review: Frank Morris tries to make the impossible possible in this true story, by escaping from Alcatraz, one of the most highly secures prisons, just off the coast of San Francisco, California.
Clint Eastwood excels as the stoic but intelligent Morris. To his superiors he is obstinate and among the prisoners he is loyal to anyone who approaches him kindly. Gradually he becomes somewhat of a leader.
Eastwood forms a group of confidants around him. People who see him as someone they can trust. It is great to see how Morris doesn’t seem to fear the warden, but also no fear for anything else in Alcatraz. A guy named Wolf, who is supposed the be a threat, doesn’t really scare or impress Morris.
Director Don Siegel, who also made “Dirty Harry” with Eastwood, managed to create film that you will be invested by, without any frills or fuss. Less is more for this film, which could have easily turned out the be a bombastic, epic and spectacular Hollywood film. But that doesn’t fit for this film or for Eastwood. It’s modest, but extremely effective.
“Escape from Alcatraz” is an excellent film, which has excitement without any fuss.

Rating: 4 / 5

90s Movie Review - Tremors

Director: Ron Underwood
Genre: Action/ Comedy/ Horror/ Thriller
Runtime: 95 minutes
Year: 1990
Starring: Kevin Bacon, Fred Ward, Finn Carter, Michael Gross, Reba McEntire, Charlotte Stewart, Tony Genaro, Ariana Richards, Richard Marcus, Victor Wong, Sunshine Parker, Michael Dan Wagner, Conrad Bachmann, Bibi Besch

Description: Natives of a small isolated town defend themselves against strange underground creatures which are killing them one by one.

Review: Don’t you just love monster movies? In “Tremors” the danger comes from graboids, some kind of giant, hungry worm that lives underground of the little town called Perfection.
At the start of the movie, we see people attack and die by the graboids. And we also meet the characters who have to deal with these creatures. The best part of the film is how it manages to combine action, tension, horror and humor all together. You are curious to what is happening, but it takes some time to really see the monsters. And the film has tempo. Because the character aren’t really safe anywhere, the tension is continuous. The graboids are fast and strong and find their victims due to the tremors of the ground.
As stated before, there is humor in this film. Throughout the entire film.
Kevin Bacon and Fred Ward, not particularly known for their humor, proof that they have a comedic talent. And Michael Gross is probably the funniest part of the film.
The effects are pretty good, especially when you hardly see any computer techniques being used.
“Tremors” is a great example of an exciting movie, that doesn’t lose its tension because of the huge dose of humor. For me, “Tremors” is always a joy to watch.

Rating: 4 / 5

100 Movie Challenge 2017 - # 71: Short Cuts

Director: Robert Altman
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 187 minutes
Year: 1993
Starring: Andie MacDowell, Bruce Davison, Jack Lemon, Julianne Moore, Matthew Modine, Fred Ward, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Chris Penn, Tim Robbins, Lili Taylor, Robert Downey Jr., Madeleine Stowe, Lily Tomlin, Frances McDormand, Tom Waits, Lyle Lovett, Lori Singer, Anne Archer

Description: The day-to-day lives of a number of suburban Los Angeles residents.

Review: I always like films with multiple storylines. So I was excited to finally see ‘Short Cuts”, where we follow a bunch of Los Angeles suburban residents.
Suburban life in “Short Cuts” is anything but ordinary and perfect: adultery, suicide, loveless marriages, alcoholism. Long live the nineties.
The storylines are all basically about relationships stuck in their day to day life. The storylines wouldn’t be interesting on their own, together they work a bit better. But still not so much to keep me interested for the entire runtime. Because that for me is the biggest problem. The film is 187 minutes long, way too long for a film like this.
I get why people might like this film, but I’m not a big fan of the film. I found it pretty mediocre, not compelling, it just didn’t interest me. Later movies with themes like this, like “American Beauty” and “Magnolia” are much better.

Rating: 2,5/ 5