The Little Mermaid (2023), by Albert W. Vogt III
There is probably no place more fitting than where I saw The Little Mermaid (2023). A brief note: I will be adding the “(2023)” whenever I write the title to differentiate it from the 1989 version. At any rate, I saw the new, live action one at Disney Springs. If you are not familiar with this area of the…
Nashville, by Albert W. Vogt III
Nashville (1975) is not the worst movie on the American Film Institute’s (AFI) 100 Greatest American Films of All Time list, but it is darn close. What saves it from being the most awful of the lot is the absence of gratuitous language and violence. There is a nude scene, and an extremely degrading one at that, but…
Yankee Doodle Dandy, by Albert W. Vogt III
There is a lot going on with the American Film Institute’s (AFI) ninety-eighth greatest American film of all time, Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942). At least, this was my reaction to it. For example, it stars James Cagney as the legendary Vaudeville and Broadway man George M. Cohan. Cagney is perhaps best remembered as playing tough gangsters, such as Tom Powers…
Do the Right Thing, by Albert W. Vogt III
With a title like Do the Right Thing (1989), the American Film Institute’s (AFI) 96th greatest American film of all time, I am immediately interested. I had no idea about this movie before seeing it. I am aware of its director, Spike Lee, who also produced, wrote, and starred in it. I have enjoyed his other work, like Malcolm X (1992) and Inside Man (2006). Lee’s…
Ghosted, by Albert W. Vogt III
The weekend after a big cinematic release is often a dud. Last weekend, the long-awaited Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3 premiered. I, like many others, went to the theaters to see it. What separates me from others is the fact that I try to go on a weekly basis. Doing so means that you get familiar with all the trailers…
M*A*S*H, by Albert W. Vogt III
When we think about M*A*S*H, the first thing that usually comes to mind is the television show that ran from 1972 to 1983. There is good reason for this being what most would remember about the title. The final episode is still the most watched television show in American history. It is a record that has stood for forty…
Tootsie, by Albert W. Vogt III
There are many things in this life that I do not understand. With those topics that are too sublime, I try to leave to God. There are aspects of our lived experience, though, that can be grasped. I do not wish to reduce everything to an either/or proposition. In other words, not all choices are black or white. For example,…
The Apartment, by Albert W. Vogt III
As far back as I can remember, I wanted to get married. God may be calling me in a different direction these days, and that is sometimes the nature of having a relationship with Him. All one can do is say “yes” wherever that may lead you because it will ultimately be greater than anything of which…
Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3, by Albert W. Vogt III
There is nothing new to Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3. At the same time, it had me on the verge of tears more than once while watching it. Does that mean that I am an emotional sap? Maybe. It could also be that there is a little more going on here than your typical Marvel fare. You can draw your…
American Graffiti, by Albert W. Vogt III
Name one movie that George Lucas has directed other than Star Wars. Before you go to the Google machine, I will tell you: THX 1138 (1971). Yet, because no one has heard of that one, we will talk about the sixty-second movie according to the American Film Institute’s list of the 100 greatest American films of all time, American Graffiti (1973). Growing up…
Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, by Albert W. Vogt III
Fasten your metaphorical reading seatbelts, and forgive me for making up a clunky new version of an old cliché. To answer the question asked by the title character in Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, Margaret Simon (Abby Ryder Fortson), yes, God is there. This forms a running theme throughout the film, and provides a narration given…
The African Queen, by Albert W. Vogt III
There were many misconceptions I brought into my viewing of The African Queen (1951), number sixty-five on the American Film Institute’s (AFI) list of the 100 greatest American films of all time. For starters, I thought it was filmed in black and white. The opening credits quickly take care of that one when it proudly displays the Technicolor logo. I…
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, by Albert W. Vogt III
Most people know today’s film, number thirty-nine on the American Film Institute’s 100 Greatest American Films of All Time, as simply Dr. Strangelove (1964). Its full title is Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb. Besides being easier to say, the shortened title does not do justice to the bizarre and frightening nature of…
The Philadelphia Story, by Albert W. Vogt III
There have been a few movies with the City of Brotherly Love in its title. Incidentally, Philadelphia literally means “city of brotherly love” in Greek, though its sports teams, or most specifically their fans, detract from this notion. There was an infamous moment, to name just one, when spectators at a Philadelphia Eagles home game in December…
Renfield, by Albert W. Vogt III
At this point in Nicolas Cage’s career, I think he is just playing characters that give him the freedom to ham it up as much as possible. For further evidence of what I am talking about, please refer to The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (2022). I did not see that one, but I did read Cameron’s review,…
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, by Albert W. Vogt III
One thing I have learned to avoid in a public setting is politics. Those who know me best are aware of what I believe. Anything that you might glean from my reviews would be mere speculation. Until I tell you directly, whoever you are, what my stances are, you will not have the whole truth. As a practicing Catholic,…
Some Like It Hot, by Albert W. Vogt III
There is an inherent challenge to having, for like of a better term, a “filter” in watching films. By “filter,” I am referring to how I watch them with my Catholic sensibilities always at the fore of my thoughts. This is not meant as a complaint. As should be clear if you have read enough of my reviews,…
The Super Mario Bros. Movie, by Cameron J. Czaja
Whether you’re into video games or not, one can’t deny not knowing one famous video game character that has delighted people of all ages and that character is nonother than Mario from the Super Mario Brothers video game series by Nintendo. From his red hat and blue overalls to his famous catchphrase “it’s a me,…
It Happened One Night, by Albert W. Vogt III
One of the fun things about reviewing all of the movies on the American Film Institute’s (AFI) list of the 100 Greatest American Films of All Time is that it forces me to watch older pictures. Like anyone else, I can be a prisoner to my generation. What this means cinematically is that I tend to favor…
E.T. the Extra Terrestrial, by Albert W. Vogt III
If you pay attention to production companies that are displayed at the beginning of movies, then you have probably been exposed to something related to today’s movie, E.T. the Extra Terrestrial (1982). This is because Steven Spielberg made it, and he decided to name his enterprise Amblin Entertainment and use as its logo a memorable moment from the…
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, by Albert W. Vogt III
There are a few things that can be definitively said about Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. Namely, it is that there are dungeons, dragons, and thieves in it. Outside of these, like the game on which the film is based, the rest is a bunch of made-up crap. I should not be so harsh. It is hard for me…
Swing Time, by Albert W. Vogt III
One of the things I always remember about my first tour of the main building on the campus of Flagler College, formerly the Hotel Ponce de Leon, is the main entrance. If you ever visit St. Augustine, Florida, it is worth a moment or two of your time. You do not even need to pay for a…
Sullivan’s Travels, by Albert W. Vogt III
Today, I am reviewing a film called Sullivan’s Travels (1941). In a few hours, I will be going to see John Wick: Chapter 4. Though I have yet to see the latter, I cannot imagine two more different films. I try to avoid comparisons because they are seldom useful. Having said that, sometimes it is useful to put one up against another…
Annie Hall, by Albert W. Vogt III
The last line in Annie Hall (1977) contains a joke that the main character and comedian Alvy Singer (Woody Allen) uses to describe relationships. By the way, if you are familiar with this movie, you will no doubt note the irony of starting my review in this manner. Anyway, to paraphrase, he compares our interactions with others to chickens. They…
Singin’ in the Rain, by Albert W. Vogt III
Insert here obligatory reference to my well-documented distaste for musicals. Actually, I almost hate referencing it because today I am talking about Singin’ in the Rain (1952), number five on the American Film Institute’s (AFI) 100 Greatest American Films of all Time. You know how when somebody says they do not appreciate some universally beloved book or piece of…
Shazam! Fury of the Gods, by Albert W. Vogt III
Sometimes I regret the dedication I have to keeping up with The Legionnaire. I am currently visiting with some friends of mine, who have blessed me with the honor of being Godfather to their new daughter. How do I repay my good friend? By taking him to see Shazam! Fury of the Gods. Poor guy. He spent the entire day picking up…
Modern Times, by Albert W. Vogt III
Unless someone suggests another, this might be my last Charlie Chaplin film. This is not meant to be an indication of how I feel about his work. On the contrary, I have probably not said enough about how talented he was. The American Film Institute’s number seventy-eight movie in its 100 Greatest American Films of All Time, Modern Times (1936),…
The Gold Rush, by Albert W. Vogt III
One thing I sometimes rail against when it comes to actors is how there are those who are type-casted, or seem to repeatedly play the same kind of character. Having said that, who am I, really? Those who find themselves in such roles are clearly doing something right that continues to bring them work. Meanwhile, I struggle for…
City Lights, by Albert W. Vogt III
As I go through the American Film Institute’s (AFI) 100 Greatest American Films of All Time (GAFAT, I guess), I realized tonight that the shorter ones will probably be the first ones to be done. They are also not being reviewed in any particular order as there are a significant of number of them that have…
A Night at the Opera, by Albert W. Vogt III
Some days, you just have to watch a Marx Brothers movie. I will not get into the specific details as to why. They are not important. I will admit to being what some might call a hypocritical fan of their work. Of course, I have seen Duck Soup (1933). It is the entry film for their work, and a classic. It is…
The General, by Albert W. Vogt III
For reasons I could not explain to you, when we think of the silent film era, the first name that usually comes to mind is Charlie Chaplin. That statement is not meant to be ironic. Chaplin rightfully deserves his due. Yet, that era of cinema does not necessarily begin and end with the famous tramp. Those who are familiar…
History of the World, Part I, by Albert W. Vogt III
In a recent episode of Down & Out Reviews, we attempted to talk about The Menu (2022). As often happens in our podcasts, if I may borrow the baseball parlance, we start on our topic and end up “spraying to all fields.” If you are not a fan of the diamond, this means we talked about a bunch of different…
R.I.P.D., by Albert W. Vogt III
Recently, I noticed on Netflix that some mad person made R.I.P.D. 2: Rise of the Damned (2022). There is a title of significance to a Catholic reviewer. Now, perhaps I am being unfair by letting snark creep in already, in case you have not already sniffed out my attitude. After all, I had never seen the original, R.I.P.D. (2013). What I had heard…
Monty Python’s Life of Brian, by Albert W. Vogt III
Monty Python has never been known for being particularly friendly to organized religion in general, and Christianity specifically. When they are not taking potshots at my Faith, I find much of what they do to be funny. My first exposure to them is more to the former, which was Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975). It is about a…
Idiocracy, by Albert W. Vogt III
Idiocracy (2006) is one the most offensive movies I have ever seen. There is a danger with superlatives. Giving something the highest level in anything only sets it up for something else to come along and top it. When you say a film is the “most offensive,” it could lead to a worse example. Actually, I am certain that can…
Leap Year, by Albert W. Vogt III
When I was studying for my minor field exams while earning my Ph.D. from Loyola University Chicago, I would listen almost exclusively to traditional Irish music. I felt this was appropriate given that my minor field was Early Modern British History. Before going on, for anyone of Irish heritage, or possibly living in in Ireland, please forgive…
Can’t Buy Me Love, by Albert W. Vogt III
As the day wore on, about the middle of it I thought: I want to watch something from the 1980s. Who knows where such promptings come from, though I will stop well short of divine intervention, at least in this case. But who knows? God does work in mysterious ways, you know. And, to be fair to myself, part…
Road Trip, by Albert W. Vogt III
Recently, I watched a documentary on Formed called Unprotected: A Pope, the Pill, and the Perils of Sexual Chaos (2018). It is great. One thing that you might not get from the title is the focus it gives to the so-called Sexual Revolution. As somebody who has read a lot about the 1960s and 1970s, the period when this…
The Pink Panther 2, by Albert W. Vogt III
Upon beginning this review of The Pink Panther 2 (2009), there was one thought that ticked slightly above idle curiosity: why did Kevin Kline not return as Chief Inspector Charles Dreyfus? Instead, the role is filled by John Cleese. I am not complaining. As a Monty Python fan, I like Cleese. I am not sure why he opted to not do the outrageous…
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, by Albert W. Vogt III
What does it tell you that for the title to my notes for Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, I simply wrote “Ant-Man 3?” Does it mean that I am getting Marvel fatigue? Is it simply short-hand for a long title? Is it a sign of a lack of detail on my part? The answer lies somewhere in the middle of…
The Pink Panther (2006), by Albert W. Vogt III
When I was knee-high to a grasshopper (or three apples tall as they say in France, apparently), I watched a lot of cartoons. There were the classic Saturday morning variety, like The Smurfs. There were the ones that were supposedly geared mostly to boys (ah, the 1980s) like G.I. Joe. Then there were holdovers from a bygone era. These included several…
Semi-Pro, by Albert W. Vogt III
Will I ever make it through every Will Ferrell movie ever made? It is tough to say. There are a lot of them. I am sure I have said this in talking about other films of his, but they all blend together into a miasma of innuendo and shouting. Sometimes he makes something different, like Stranger Than Fiction (2006), where he…
The People We Hate at the Wedding, by Albert W. Vogt III
Randomness is not something I strive for, but I embrace it when it comes. In some respects, this is an apt way of looking at the faith life. To be open to God’s will, to be truly listening to His call, takes openness to whatever life may bring you. Please do not take this as a spiritual free-for-all. Religion…
The Big Lebowski, by Albert W. Vogt III
My least favorite sport of all time is bowling. Apologies to anyone who is an aficionado, but it seems mundane to me. You roll the ball, the pins are knocked down, you set them back up, and repeat. A round could go on forever if they did not cap them at ten frames. Admittedly, part of my distaste is…
Your Place or Mine, by Albert W. Vogt III
As I stated in my review of Somebody I Used to Know, I skipped the theaters this weekend so as to avoid Magic Mike’s Last Dance (2022). I did so under the assumption that the latter would be more overtly pornographic than the former. You know what they say about assumptions, right? Granted, I will probably (hopefully) never know the specific…
Rat Race (2001), by Albert W. Vogt III
Movies with ensemble casts are easy and hard to review. These two extremes work in concert. Because they have so many characters, they seldom have a main character on which to center your focus. Thus, describing the plot becomes streamlined. Put differently, they are shorter. That is the easy part. The hard part is filling out a description that does them…
Somebody I Used to Know, by Albert W. Vogt III
During a recent podcast (Down & Out Reviews, which you can find on Spotify) that I do with my good friend Isaac, we discussed Knock at the Cabin. As I was not the biggest fan of that movie, our conversation eventually turned to what is coming out this weekend. Looking at it, the only noteworthy, and I use…
80 for Brady, by Cameron J. Czaja
If you had asked me before 2020 what my thoughts on Tom Brady were, I would say that he is a very talented quarterback but extremely overrated. Then he did something during 2020 offseason that not only shocked the NFL, but me as well; he signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, which happens to my…
Shotgun Wedding, by Albert W. Vogt III
This past weekend had nothing remarkable released, so I did not go to the cinema. It was just as well. It was my birthday weekend and I felt like I had much better things to do than to sit through Infinity Pool. Then again, the same could be said for today’s film, Shotgun Wedding (2022). Why the different premier year, you may…
A Fish Called Wanda, by Albert W. Vogt III
There is much about A Fish Called Wanda (1988) that does not necessarily feed the soul. That is, of course, what a Catholic reviewer such as myself prizes the most from a film. There is dishonesty, infidelity, robbery, unfaithfulness, and violence. It is also a comedy. Sometimes these things can be funny, although I confess that I did not laugh as…
Little Fockers, by Albert W. Vogt III
As Little Fockers (2010) concluded, the third in a series of movies that piqued with the first, Meet the Parents (2000), a friend of mine who I was watching it with asked: “Is this the last one?” “I hope so,” I responded. Now that the viewing has concluded, I can take to the internet and say with some relief that, yes,…
Meet the Fockers, by Albert W. Vogt III
When I start something, I like to finish it. If I do not, it ends up gnawing away at the back of my mind like a mental tapeworm. Remember that book or series you began? Remember that book or series you began? Remember that book or series you began? It is sort of like getting a song stuck in your…
Meet the Parents, by Albert W. Vogt III
Once more unto the breech that is Ben Stiller films of the late 1990s and early 2000s. I do not think anyone did more romantic comedies during this period than did he. I have reviewed many of them. The majority of them are your garden variety fare for this genre. Now, I would not necessarily argue that Meet the Parents (2000)…
Summer Rental, by Albert W. Vogt III
Whenever I think back on my education, I often forget that I also took a film class while studying for my Master’s degree in Florida Studies. I will have to start giving reviews of those as I do not think there are any that I have addressed on The Legionnaire. I got to thinking about this as I…
28 Days, by Albert W. Vogt III
What I thought would be a light-hearted comedy with 28 Days (2000) turned out to be a more serious look at an important issue. I landed on it because it stars Sandra Bullock. Call it what you will, but as I have said in reviews of her other work, I enjoy her movies. As such, choosing this one was simply…
Addams Family Values, by Albert W. Vogt III
Incidentally, I only got a couple of episodes into Wednesday (2022 – present) before giving up. My distaste is related to the warnings given under the ratings on Netflix. I noticed that for today’s film, Addams Family Values (1993). Under the PG-13 designation, it says “Macabre humor.” The Oxford English Dictionary defines “macabre” as, “disturbing and horrifying because of involvement with or depiction of death…
The Addams Family (1991), by Albert W. Vogt III
With all the craze there is these days with the new Netflix series Wednesday (2022 – present), it should come as no surprise that the early 1990s movies on which, I suppose, they are based are on the same streaming service. Actually, to do it complete justice, one needs to look to the original show, The Addams Family (1964-1966). It is…
Clue, by Albert W. Vogt III
Who does not like a good murder mystery? Actually, I am not overly fond of them. For starters, they obviously involve somebody’s death. That is never ideal. Secondly, they have a tendency to become convoluted. I suppose that is the nature of something that is a mystery. If it were clearer, there would be no need for all the accoutrements that…
A Man Called Otto, by Albert W. Vogt III
Whatever is M3GAN (2022), I can all but guarantee you that it is not as good as A Man Called Otto (2022). In writing that sentence, I realize that I sound a bit like the grumpy old man that is the title character in the latter, Otto Anderson (Tom Hanks). We will get to that discussion in the next paragraph. In the…
Sleeping Beauty, by Albert W. Vogt III
Perhaps The Legionnaire is bigger than even I realize? It could be that in quantity of reviews, anyway. When somebody recently suggested on social media that I review Disenchanted (2022), it came with the caveat that I should first watch Enchanted (2007). Fine, says I, who am I to deny all my fan. . . ? I liked neither of them, but dutiful wrote an…
Zoolander, by Albert W. Vogt III
Here is another entry from the golden age of Ben Stiller films: Zoolander (2001). I have to confess to not being excited for this one when it came out. I recall seeing previews for it in the theaters and thinking, what in the world. . . ? It was not until well after it came out that finally got around…
Disenchanted, by Albert W. Vogt III
So, now that I have seen Enchanted (2007), does Disenchanted (2022) make more sense? Honestly, I have no idea how to answer that question. I suspect that I could have watched the second of these Disney fairy send-ups and I would have at least gotten the gist of what they were trying to accomplish. Whether it lands is a separate debate. What I…
The Banshees of Inisherin, by Cameron J. Czaja
It’s the new year and that means two things; one, it’s time to start making resolutions that I’ll give up by the end of the month and, two, it’s also the tail end of Oscar Season. For those of you who aren’t aware, Oscar season is basically that time of year where major Hollywood studios…
Do Revenge, by Albert W. Vogt III
One needs to be careful with Swedish films. Recently, the suggestion was made on my social media that I review Do Revenge. When I encounter a film that I have yet to hear of, I tend to go straight to Amazon Prime. If it is not available for free, I rent it, a feature that Netflix has yet to…
How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, by Albert W. Vogt III
Days like today are proof that God has a hand in your life. I am writing this on a Friday, which is usually the day I go to the theater. As it turns out, there are no major releases this weekend, unless you count films like Emancipation. As you can see that on Apple TV+, I reasoned, why make…
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, by Albert W. Vogt III
Perhaps I should be a more attentive film reviewer? Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (henceforth just Glass Onion because I do not feel like writing all of that out every time) had been suggested to me on social media to watch and critique. This was not too onerous of a task as I intended to see it anyway. Herein…
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, by Albert W. Vogt III
By now, if you have been reading The Legionnaire for some time, I would think you would know what a release of an animated movie means for me. If you are new, I will spell it out anyway: I gather my nieces and head to the cinema. One day, they will get too old for these things, or so…
Falling for Christmas, by Albert W. Vogt III
We all remember Lindsay Lohan’s debut in the 1998 remake of the Disney classic The Parent Trap. And somewhat recently I was fortunate to finally catch up with seemingly the rest of humanity by watching Mean Girls (2004). What did Lohan do since then? The movie that, unfortunately, sticks out for me is Machete (2010). I do not think I made it through the…
I Believe in Santa, by Albert W. Vogt III
It is official: I now live in a bizarro world. I have not been watching many Christmas movies this year, mostly because I have been trying to keep up with a myriad of things going on right now. As of this writing, we are now a week away from the day we celebrate Christ’s coming into the…
The Devil Wears Prada, by Albert W. Vogt III
As a rule, I try not to watch movies that have the word “devil” in the title. Usually they are horror movies, and those I specifically avoid. Otherwise, they are connected to some form of sin, which should not come as a surprise to anyone. The enemy is not in the sanctification business. And then there is The Devil Wears…
Tommy Boy, by Albert W. Vogt III
You know how there is a cliché about old people not knowing how to handle technology? That was not true for my grandfather. Unfortunately, he passed away before the rise of streaming. He was also not long for the world of the DVD. He was a wizard, though, of the VHS tape. What I am about to tell you is…
Garden State, by Albert W. Vogt III
There are movies that you see once, maybe twice, but leave an impression on you all the same. Garden State (2004) is one of them. I will not be recommending it, and you will see why as this review unfolds. There are too many aspects of it that, as I have grown in my Faith, I cannot look at…
Violent Night, by Albert W. Vogt III
When I first say the trailer for Violent Night, I thought it was a joke. With my mouth slightly agape for a few seconds afterwards, I seriously believed that what I witnessed, like Santa Clause himself, was not real. We Catholics have the genuine article of St. Nicholas, but for all intents and purposes, none of the traditions…
Baby Mama, by Albert W. Vogt III
My love of Parks and Recreation (2009-2015) is well documented. If you are new to The Legionnaire, now you know. It is because of the dear place that show holds in my heart that I noticed a long-forgotten film from the deep recesses of my memory, Baby Mama (2008). It stars two best friends who are that way both on and off the…
The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, by Albert W. Vogt III
If The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special is not a movie, then I am not sure what else to call it. Granted, at only forty minutes in run time, it is not what you would call feature length. I have to confess to having a not an insignificant amount of trepidation going into watching it. There may be some…
Strange World, by Albert W. Vogt III
The de facto chorus in “America” (1968) by Simon and Garfunkel talks of going to look for the title country. It is about two people, boyfriend and girlfriend presumably, who board a bus in their quest. They spend most of their trip observing either the people around them or the scenery they pass. At one point, the man…
Murder Mystery, by Albert W. Vogt III
There is never any reason to watch an Adam Sandler movie, and I am including any of his so-called “classics.” Perhaps I am being uncharitable. Yet, outside of 50 First Dates (2004), you can keep the lot of them. At the same time, I have The Legionnaire to consider. If there is one thing for which you can credit Sandler, it is that…
Rush Hour 3, by Albert W. Vogt III
Well, let us get this over with, finally. If you have read the reviews of Rush Hour (1998) and Rush Hour 2 (2001), you might have noticed my lack of enthusiasm. The next logical question then is: why do it? There is nobody anywhere telling me to continue writing The Legionnaire. The only explanation I can give you is that it is Faith. There is…
Rush Hour 2, by Albert W. Vogt III
Well, here we go with Rush Hour 2 (2001). Pardon me if that is not the most enthusiastic of starts. In reflecting just this moment, I ask myself: why did we ever like these movies? To be fair, there are worse films. I have reviewed some of the most unwatchable pieces of cinema known to man. Yet, this trilogy bears a little…
Rush Hour, by Albert W. Vogt III
I have a theory that every show on television is cop show. Even the shows that are not cop shows are cop shows. Shows. This commentary is equal parts in reference to the formulaic nature of pretty much everything you see, and my annoyance with the rest. With streaming services these days, it is even harder to find something…
See How They Run, by Albert W. Vogt III
When See How They Run debuted in theaters this year, I intended to see it. Unfortunately, it came out the same weekend as The Woman King. I am one person, and I tend not to force Cameron to reviewing anything. He has his own life to live, though I appreciate any contribution he gives. Throw in the rest of the usual excuses…
Failure to Launch, by Albert W. Vogt III
Did you know that Terry Bradshaw has had a very small acting career? It is okay if that name does not immediately ring a bell. If you watch football at all, it might be a little more familiar. He is a former Super Bowl winning quarterback, and current analyst for Fox’s pre-game Sunday show during the National Football…
What’s Your Number?, by Albert W. Vogt III
Something made me think of Anna Faris today. Actually, she is never too far from my thoughts as I am a huge fan of the show that made her ex-husband, Chris Pratt, a star, Parks and Recreation (2009-2015). I see him and sometimes think what a shame it is that their relationship ended. Whatever it was that specifically brought Faris…
Police Academy, by Albert W. Vogt III
It is Halloween. People dress as cops on that day, right? We will call this the excuse for watching Police Academy (1984). Actually, a bigger reason would be the fact that I had never seen it. It is simultaneously logical and strange that this would be the case. As a child of the 1980s, like everyone else then, I knew about…
Weird: The Al Yankovic Story, by Albert W. Vogt III
If you are a child of the 1980s like I am, you probably have a greater appreciation for “Weird” Al Yankovic than most other generations. You could hardly be aware of a popular song from that decade for too long before Yankovic released a hilarious parody of it. There are some who say parodies are mean. I am…
Bruce Almighty, by Albert W. Vogt III
Even I was surprised that I had yet to review Bruce Almighty (2003). It is an interesting film on many levels, particularly for an avowed Catholic film critic. In my career working for the Church, every once in a while the idea for showing a film on for whatever parish I was working with would be floated. In case you…
Freaky Friday, by Albert W. Vogt III
There is another Jamie Lee Curtis film that is out right now that I suppose is a little more seasonally appropriate. But since I do not care two bits about Halloween, I will not be reviewing the movie of the same name, even if it does have the tantalizingly hopeful subtitle of “Ends.” Perhaps Cameron will take…
The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad, by Albert W. Vogt III
Now to once more dig into my favorite Disney films, and those are of the more obscure variety. I have probably already explained this before, but back when the Disney Channel started, with cable television in its infancy (yes, I am that old), they had to find programming. Lots and lots of programming. During the day, when I…
Ticket to Paradise, by Albert W. Vogt III
Before getting into this review in earnest, I should be charitable myself. I wanted to start by saying that I am getting old. No longer do I go to the theater on a whim and decide to see whatever is playing next. My careful choices involve booking my seat online, which indicates forethought. This is when my first surprise…
Dinner for Schmucks, by Albert W. Vogt III
Does watching two Paul Rudd films back-to-back constitute a Paul Rudd kick? Do such labels matter? At any rate, recently I watched I Love You, Man (2009). My next choice was Dinner for Schmucks (2010). The star of each is, you guessed it, Paul Rudd. In reflecting on this sequence, it made me wonder about actors and actresses that have been in the Marvel…
Shaolin Soccer, by Albert W. Vogt III
My nostalgia strikes me in different ways at different times. Gosh, that makes nostalgia sound like a medical condition. Actually, in some way it can be something that you eventually need to treat, especially if you let it consume your life to the point that you are stuck living in the past. It is a fine line between…
Mr. & Mrs. Smith, by Albert W. Vogt III
Do you remember when Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt got together? I do not mean being in the same film with each other, though I am talking about Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005) today. Instead, I am referring to the time shortly before what the world came to know as “Brangelina,” when they had separate lives, indeed relationships. Memory tells…
I Love You, Man, by Albert W. Vogt III
One of the promises I made to myself when I started The Legionnaire is that I would not review pornography. I almost broke that promise. I had been seeing Blonde pop up on Netflix, as well as some other film sites. Given my history background, I was curious how they would portray one of the more complex characters Hollywood has ever produced…
A Knight’s Tale, by Albert W. Vogt III
Recently, I reviewed Hocus Pocus 2. Typically, this would have been something I avoided had it not been for a slow weekend at the cinema. In either case, it was new and it was out, and I always try to give my reviews of new releases on Mondays, or Tuesdays if Cameron has something. If you read my review…
Rosaline, by Albert W. Vogt III
There is a movie coming out at the end of this month called Prey for the Devil. It has been a part of the trailer package for the majority of the films I have seen in the theater for months. I have no desire to watch it, but it does appear to directly deal with the Catholic Church…
Gremlins 2: The New Batch, by Albert W. Vogt III
I seem to be reviewing a lot of sequels lately. They can be tricky to do because as follow ups to usually more popular originals, it is difficult to say anything new about them. When a film does well, a studio is hesitant to go in a direction that deviates from the formula that brought the first…
While You Were Sleeping, by Albert W. Vogt III
The other day when I reviewed Pretty in Pink (1986), I mentioned how watching it is like a stroll down memory lane given that it is set in Elgin, Illinois, a couple towns north from where I was born. I had not seen While You Were Sleeping (1995) until recently, but it made me remember that my nostalgia for…
Pitch Perfect 3, by Albert W. Vogt III
As stated in my review of Pitch Perfect 2 (2015), they should have ended the proceedings before getting to a trilogy. I do not think I am alone in this opinion. Not appearing in Pitch Perfect 3 (2017) is Jesse Swanson (Skylar Astin), main protagonist Beca Mitchell’s (Anna Kendrick) boyfriend in the first two movies. A little research on this subject says…
Pitch Perfect 2, by Albert W. Vogt III
One of the more clichéd statements in cinematic history is that the first in a franchise, series, trilogy, or whatever you want to call it, is always the best. I cannot argue against this statement, though there are examples of the subsequent entries living up to their predecessor. The gold standard for this, of course, is the…
Pitch Perfect, by Albert W. Vogt III
Despite nearing 1,000 reviews on The Legionnaire, if you were to give me a film title, I could tell you whether or not there is a write up about it. This is helped by the fact that I have posted each one with these tired old hands of mine. I also pride myself on my ability to recall…
The Legionnaire 