100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 76: The Magnificent Seven

Director: John Sturges
Genre: Western
Runtime: 125 minutes
Year: 1960
Starring: Yul Brynner, Eli Wallach, Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson, Robert Vaughn, Brad Dexter, James Coburn, Jorge Martínez de Hoyos, Vladimir Sokoloff, Rosenda Monteros, Rico Alaniz, Pepe Hern, Natividad Vacío, Mario Navarro, Danny Bravo, John A. Alonzo, Enrique Lucero, Alex Montoya, Robert J. Wilke, Val Avery, Whit Bissell, Bing Russell, Horst Buchholz

Description: An oppressed Mexican peasant village assembles seven gunfighters to help defend their homes.

Review: A gang of Mexicans always raids the same little town. The citizens are simple farmers, who don’t know what to do about it. One of the farmers asks for help and meets Chris, one of the bravest men. The farmer doesn’t pay much, but Chris wants to help him. He assembles six other men who are just as noble, to help him protect the town.
In “The Magnificent Seven” we aren’t dealing with just one American hero, but seven. The characters don’t have the depth that you would hope for. The movie is missing some pace, but because there is also a lot of humor you don’t care about that tempo. The acting is okay. Especially Eli Wallach as villain Cavalera and Steve McQueen as Vin.
The music is amazing, by Elmer Bernstein. It helps the atmosphere.
“The Magnificent Seven” is a good western, I highly enjoyed it.

Rating: 4/ 5

Me & 3 Steve McQueen Movies

I bought all three off his movies on DVD, only realizing later that they were all directed by Steve McQueen (and also all starring Michael Fassbender). So the perfect opportunity to use it for this item.

12 Years a Slave

Genre: Drama

Year: 2013

Director: Steve McQueen

Cast: Chiwetel Ejifor, Michael Fassbender, Lupito Nyong’o, Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul Dano, Paul Giamatti, Brad Pitt, Sarah Paulson

Description: In the antebellum United States, Solomon Northup (Chiwetel Ejifor), a free black man from upstate New York, is abducted and sold into slavery.

Opinion: I was overly excited to see this and when I did it left me breathless. Such a beautiful movie, an unbelievable story that really grabs you. Really, if you don’t cry during this movie, you’re not human.

Favorite character: Patsey (Lupito Nyong’o)

Most memorable quote: “I don't want to survive. I want to live” –Solomon Northup-

Best scene: It might sound cruel, but the scene where Patsey get whipped was the one that grabbed me the most. Definitely the best scene of the movie, that showed everyone how cruel Edwin Epps was.

Shame

Genre: Drama

Year: 2011

Director: Steve McQueen

Cast: Michael Fassbender, Carey Mulligan

Description: In New York City, Brandon's (Michael Fassbender) carefully cultivated private life -- which allows him to indulge his sexual addiction -- is disrupted when his sister (Carey Mulligan) arrives unannounced for an indefinite stay.

Opinion: I heard many things about it and frankly I thought it was going to be a movie just about sex. Well, it’s a lot more than that. It’s a fantastic film, realistic and mesmerizing. Michael Fassbender does a wonderful job.

Favorite character: Brandon Sullivan (Michael Fassbender)

Most memorable quote: “We're not bad people. We just come from a bad place.” –Sissy Sullivan-

Best scene: When Brandon hears his sister is having way too much fun with his boss, he decides to go for a run. It’s a very long shot, following him down the streets of New York.

Hunger

Genre: Drama

Year: 2008

Director: Steve McQueen

Cast: Michael Fassbender, Liam Cummingham

Description: Irish republican Bobby Sands (Michael Fassbender) leads the inmates of a Northern Irish prison in a hunger strike. Favorite character: Bobby Sands (Michael Fassbender)

Most memorable quote: “I have my belief, and in all its simplicity that is the most powerful thing.” –Bobby Sands-

Best scene: Where Bobby Sands is talking to Father Dominic Moran. It’s a very long scene, with them just talking and the camera in the same position for all this time. Great scene.

Favorite of the 3: “12 Years a Slave”

100 Movie Challenge 2014 - # 66: The Great Escape

Director: John Sturgess

Genre: Action/ Drama/ Adventure

Runtime: 172 minutes

Year: 1963

Starring: Steve McQueen, James Garner, Richard Attenborough, James Coburn, Donald Pleasance, Charles Bronson

Description: Allied P.O.W.s plan for several hundred of their number to escape from a German camp during World War II.

Review: An exciting war movie filled with adventure, based on a true story from World War II. Real prisoner Paul Brickhill wrote a book about his experience in Stalag Luft III and the great escape. This was the base of the film.

Although the prisoners of war were mostly British, the makers of the film added some Americans to the cast. James Coburn plays the role of Louise Sedgwick, nicknamed the Manufacturer, because he’s very handy. James Garner is Hendley, the Scrounger, a thief who is able to get all the equipment for the outbreak. But the biggest American contribution comes from Steve McQueen, as Virgil Hilts, also known as Cooler King. The ‘cooler’ is the special isolated cell, where Hilts ends up whenever he tries to escape on his own. Steve McQueen wanted to do his own stunts, which gave us a fantastic chase scene, that is considered an absolute classic. Last we have Charles Bronson, as the taciturn Danny Velinski, the Tunnel King. He is responsible for the digging of the tunnel that will lead them to freedom. Even though Bronson’s acting is limited, he’s right where he should be. From the British front we have Richard Attenborough, who plays the leader of the escapees, Roger Bartlett. And Donald Pleasance who is forger Blythe, who slowly loses his sight in the process.

“The Great Escape” is a good example of a classic Hollywood war movie, filled with adventure, tension, wit and tough guys with a noble nature. The allied soldiers see it as their duty to escape and the Germans do everything to stop them. A cat and mouse hunt unravels. The story is fast paced and although it’s a war movie, it’s presented light and subtle. The prisoners aren't treated bad at all, there is a certain naivety among the Germans. When the prisoners escape, the tone of the movie changes and the drama isn’t as light anymore.

I’m glad that I can finally mark “The Great Escape” as watched, because it was worth the time. It’s an absolute classic and I loved Steve McQueen in this movie.

Rating: 4,5 / 5