Sophie’s Choice, by Albert W. Vogt III
The last movie I am reviewing on the American Film Institute’s (AFI) Greatest 100 American Films of All Time list is Sophie’s Choice (1982). It is number ninety-one by their rendering. I suppose I should apologize for not going in numeric order, but does it really matter? Lately, I have been despairing of the movies that I have been seeing to round out these rankings. They have made me wonder how some of these are listed on it at all. By that same token, I feel today’s film should be much higher. There are other entries that deal with similar subjects, like Schindler’s List (1993), which is the Holocaust. That is…
All the President’s Men, by Albert W. Vogt III
You know what makes for thrilling cinema? Research. I am being facetious, of course. Today, I am discussing the American Film Institute’s (AFI) 77th movie on its list of the 100 greatest American films of all time, All the President’s Men (1976). While us today in 2023 might not find this subject interesting, keep in mind that it came out less than two years after President Richard Nixon resigned from office following the Watergate scandal. The movie is based on the book of the same title by the two reporters from The Washington Post who broke the story, Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, played respectively by Robert Redford and Dustin…
The Silence of the Lambs, by Albert W. Vogt III
As I near the end of seeing all the movies on the American Film Institute’s (AFI) 100 Greatest American Films of All Time list, I am beginning to feel I have gone about it the wrong way. For starters, I did not do it in any order, such as one to 100 or the other way around. Instead, I chose them at random. Sometimes I specifically picked the shortest one I could find. Others choices were whatever whim struck me at the time. What I am now realizing is that I saved the worst ones for last. That is not how I like to approach anything. In…
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? by Albert W. Vogt III
People sometimes ask me why I do not drink. My go-to answer involves describing how all alcohol, be they beer, spirits, or wine, smells like something I would put on a wound. In other words, it does not appeal to me. I have tried beer once. It came after the Chicago Cubs won the World Series in 2016, thus fulfilling a promise I made to myself and others. I took one sip, said it tasted like feet, and never picked it up again. Next came a hard apple cider that was equally distasteful to my palate. This represents the sum total of my experience with adult beverages,…
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 it is blessedly short, which is saying something for a film that is only twenty minutes shy of being three hours long. Other than that, it is a wandering ball of nothing that takes you through the country music capital of the world over the course…
West Side Story (1961), by Albert W. Vogt III
Among the most beloved musicals of all time is 1961’s West Side Story. It is number fifty-one on the American Film Institute’s (AFI) list of the 100 greatest American films of all time. Somebody there obviously likes it, too. I do not. It is not a bad movie, or at least it is not as bad as the 2021 version. I guess. Either way, it is an excruciating film for me to sit through without wanting to bang my head against the wall. I did that a few times, truth be told. Not to get ahead of myself, but a few minutes into watching it I was already annoyed. They…
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 in the infamous The Public Enemy (1931). Read my review of that film to learn more about it. It is unfair to brand Cagney in these kinds of roles because, as Yankee Doodle Dandy will spectacularly show you, he was also quite the song and dance performer. Further, this movie is about…
Goodfellas, by Albert W. Vogt III
Why is Goodfellas (1990) a good movie? Put differently, in keeping with the theme of these past few weeks, why does the American Film Institute (AFI) rate it as the 92nd greatest American film of all time? If you look at the list that I have been going off of, it does not explain why it has ordered them in this manner. There is a blurb at the top of the page about lack of diversity and how it keeps updating these rankings in order to make up for an earlier lack thereof. More personally, I know many people who love the film. Many friends have raved about…
Fast X, by Albert W. Vogt III
The most emotional part of my trip to the cinema to see Fast X, or whatever it is called, came during the commercials before it started. Olay has been running an advertisement featuring a young woman at different stages in her thus far short life. You see her as a beaming, happy child, and then somewhere around her pre-teen years she gets a cell phone. This is the beginning of her foray into social media. It seems that it makes her image conscious, showing clips of her doing different things to her body to make her appear slimmer. The ugliness continues with self-deprecating journal entries and…
Cabaret, by Albert W. Vogt III
When the old man I used to live with passed away, I thought I would never again see Cabaret (1972). It is not that I ever saw it in its entirety. Yet, in his endless channel surfing, when he would come across this film, he would stop it and watch it . . . for about three minutes before flipping to something else. His excuse was that he liked the music but disliked everything else in the movie. Since I am not a fan of musicals, I could not stand what I witnessed of either the score or the rest of the story. Not even the historical…
The Last Picture Show, by Albert W. Vogt III
Number ninety-five on the American Film Institute’s (AFI) 100 Greatest American Films of All Time list is The Last Picture Show (1971). It is about sex. At times, it rides the line of being pornographic, though never going so far as showing anything other than bare butts and chests. For this reason, I did not turn it off, though I could not figure out a point to any of it. Practically all the characters in the film, young and old, only think about intercourse. The joke would be that given how little there is to do in the town, this is to be expected. Such sentiments provide a…
Apocalypse Now, by Albert W. Vogt III
For reasons that are beyond my ability to explain, Apocalypse Now (1979), the American Film Institute’s (AFI) thirtieth greatest American movie of all time, has gone through a few different re-releases. There is a director’s cut and something called a “Redux.” What these basically mean is that they are longer versions of the same film. Why anyone would want to endure more of this horror, I cannot tell you. I will be reviewing the film in its original form, whatever that means. Luckily, it is the shortest of them, so at least I have that going for me. And yes, this is a part of the awful run…
The Godfather Part II, by Albert W. Vogt III
If you have been a keen observer of The Legionnaire over the years, then thank you! Also, if this describes you, you might be asking, hey, what happened to The Godfather (1972)?! It is a fair question because I have yet to address it. Another thing you may have noticed is that I have been saving certain legendary films for when my blog reaches milestones in the number of films covered. For better or worse, take your pick, they have all been entries on the American Film Institute’s (AFI) 100 Greatest American Films of All Time list. The original is considered number two among these august rankings. Its sequel, The Godfather…
Blade Runner, by Cameron J. Czaja
Imagine it, the year 2019, a year so technologically advanced that we will have flying cars and androids so life-like that the only way to recognize one without killing it is through a test. Sounds like a pretty cool, cyberpunk type of a year, right? Unfortunately, that’s not how our real life in 2019 turned out. Director Ridley Scott, however, thought our world would be that advanced in the early 1980s when he made the future cult classic film Blade Runner (1982), which is based upon the Philip K. Dick novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? For several years, I have known about Blade…
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 films always have a racial component to them, but they are done in a manner meant to elevate the viewer to a better understanding of this complicated issue. Do the Right Thing is no different, though I was left more shaken than usual by the end. Read on…
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 one can conceive of on one’s own. Often, the journey towards God’s will involves a turn inward, being that authentic “you,” whatever that means. As I said, for a long time, I thought that was to find a wife and start a family. Growing up, I could not…
The Deer Hunter, by Albert W. Vogt III
With the opening shot of The Deer Hunter (1978), number fifty-three on the American Film Institute’s (AFI) 100 Greatest American Films of All Time list, I was already depressed. It is a dark, desolate steel town deep in the Pennsylvania mountains. It is the kind of place that (if you know your recent American History or are from this area) is going to be even more of a hole when the mill closes. Thus, what you are seeing in the first hour of the film is the last death rattle of American industry. It is fitting, too, because the movie ends with a funeral, and the…
Unforgiven, by Albert W. Vogt III
Westerns have changed over the years, but Clint Eastwood has remained the same. I mean, he is older, and looks it, but he has stayed as gruff as ever. The genre predates the actor and director, but when he began making them, he was part of a shift from the more heroic stories of the first decades of cinema to the anti-heroes we typically see today. One of these days I will have to get to the so-called “Spaghetti Westerns” he made popular in the 1960s, getting that name for being made in Italy instead of the United States. Their trademark lone gunslinger with…
Spartacus, by Albert W. Vogt III
The career of Stanley Kubrick is an interesting one. At some point in the 1960s, it appears that he went a bit batty. Before this, he produced well made movies that, on the surface, look no different than any other made at the time. There is a little context needed. By the end of the 1950s, the rules that governed the way movies had been made from decades previously were beginning to be undone. One of the people pushing against these strictures was Kubrick. I tell you this not simply from what anyone can look up on the internet, but having read Kubrick’s own words while…
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 own conclusions as you read the rest of this review. At this point, I will offer theories. They mostly have nothing to do with the events contained therein, being triggered for impersonal and personal reasons. The first hits less close to home, it being the knowledge that this…
A Streetcar Named Desire, by Albert W. Vogt III
Life is messy, or at least it can be. It is the unfortunate nature of our fallen world, the lingering curse of the impudence of our forebears, Adam and Eve. Whether you want to believe in the physical reality of the first man and woman, God took humanity out of the Garden and Eden and sent us forth to toil by the sweat of our brow. Go read Exodus for the full story. Symbolic or true, what it means for us today is that we have to work at our salvation. It makes Faith a gift, the sacrifice of Jesus a grace, and the ability…
Midnight Cowboy, by Albert W. Vogt III
Can we count 1969 as being part of the 1970s? That is the year Midnight Cowboy came out, number forty-three on the American Film Institute’s 100 Greatest American Films of All Time list. That is one spot before the infinitely superior The Philadelphia Story (1940). So far, there have been only a couple movies that I have not understood the reason for AFI valuing them as they do. Midnight Cowboy does not deserve to be mentioned in the same sentence as seven some of those lesser quality ones. It is not as bad as A Clockwork Orange (1971), but at least that one had a point. Midnight Cowboy has none. I am not saying this…
Pulp Fiction, by Albert W. Vogt III
People love Pulp Fiction (1994), including the American Film Institute (AFI). They have it as the ninety-fourth greatest American film of all time on its list of the top 100. At first glance, you can look at such a ranking and not think much of it. After all, that is near the bottom. Then again, when you compare that to how many films have been made since the early twentieth century, to even be counted among that number is an accomplishment. Now, I do not wish to impugn AFI’s good name. I have enjoyed going through all the movies it tells us are the best, and I have…
Platoon, by Albert W. Vogt III
When I was younger, I used to romanticize war. I look back on those days, and I thank God I did not go through with a military career. In the meantime, I continued to study warfare, even when my graduate coursework had nothing to do with the subject. Of course, this meant movies about the subject. The change in my attitude on this matter can only be attributed to my growth in my Faith. I turn to Our Holy Father, Pope Francis, to summarize my current feelings: “Wars are always madness: all is lost in war, all is to be gained in peace.” Those first four…
The Sixth Sense, by Albert W. Vogt III
M. Knight Shyalaman’s The Sixth Sense (1999), number eighty-nine on the American Film Institute’s 100 Greatest American Films of All Time list, is a good movie. The problem is that once you have seen it, subsequent viewings lose their luster. This is because of the big twist at the end, but I will get to what that is specifically here in a little bit. This particular Shyamalan piece is also his best. If you do not want to believe me, take AFI’s word for it. It is the only thing he did that is among these august rankings. It was not his first, but it set a precedent…
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 by Margaret as she continues talking at God. Please note the purposeful use of the preposition “at.” It will be important later. I could have seen, and wanted to, Big George Foreman: The Miraculous Story of the Once and Future Heavyweight Champion of the World. From the trailers I saw,…
Ben-Hur, by Albert W. Vogt III
One of the unfortunate aspects of Ben-Hur (1959), the 100th entry on the American Film Institute’s (AFI) 100 Greatest American Films of All Time list, is the scene for which it is most remembered. If you think about or remember this movie at all, you likely recall the chariot sequence. Do not get me wrong, it is thrilling. You have to keep in mind that this was done in a time before computer generated images (CGI) has ruined film, in the mind of some. Hence, what you are watching are actual horse drawn buggies being pulled at breakneck speed around a track, and in some cases ending…
Rear Window, by Albert W. Vogt III
Count Alfred Hitchcock among the legendary Hollywood directors of which I have not been as enamored with as others. Not everything he has done is bad in my view. The problem is The Birds (1963). It is one of his more memorable films, at least in my experience. My mom swore by it and made me watch it when I was a kid. I do not recall liking it then, and my opinion remained unimproved upon seeing it as an adult. It almost ruined all his other offerings for me. I have seen many, including some that are not on the American Film Institute’s (AFI) list of the 100…
Network, by Albert W. Vogt III
Did anything good come out of the 1970s? Please know that I am judging this solely based on film, and how Hollywood portrayed American culture and society at that time. If I were still plugged into academics like I used to be, I would suggest a course focusing on the United States in cinema during this decade. The only cinematic hope that I can think of to come from this time was Star Wars, which started with A New Hope being released in 1977. Then again, outside of the nearly disastrous 1978 Christmas special, the rest of the franchise debuted in the 1980s and beyond. I am on…
Taxi Driver, by Albert W. Vogt III
Recently, I watched The French Connection (1971), the American Film Institute’s ninety-third greatest American film of all time. Lower on the list is Taxi Driver (1976) at number fifty-two. These movies are linked in showing a New York City seemingly beyond saving, culturally, economically, and, most importantly, spiritually. If you read my review of The French Connection, you will note the hopelessness with which the urban environment is depicted. The streets are dirty, there are dirty cops, and everyone else in them are after their own dirty pursuits. Taxi Driver shows nothing different. It is in their solutions to at least a portion of these problems that sets them apart. Where The French Connection suggests…
Shane, by Albert W. Vogt III
Who does not want to see a movie about the change over from free range cattle raising to homesteading in the late nineteenth century American West? I do not know about you, but this is the kind of thrilling material I look for when it comes to the Westerns I want to watch. To be fair to Shane (1953), number forty-five on the American Film Institute’s (AFI) 100 Greatest American Films of All Time, there is a little more going on in it. Yet, the historian in me could not help but fall back on my knowledge of the era and realize the real story…
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 also assumed that it would be full of regressive racial stereotypes. I knew that its stars did not share the same skin pigmentation as those of the continent on which it was filmed, and figured the proceedings would be full of that noblesse oblige that typified black and…
Chevalier, by Albert W. Vogt III
There were three films premiering this weekend: Evil Dead Rise, Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant, and Chevalier (2022). If there is a moment when you thought that I would be seeing Evil Dead Rise, then you have not read many reviews fromThe Legionnaire. Regardless, if this is your first time reading this blog, then know that, with a few very select exceptions, I will not look at anything demonic. That is why last weekend I suffered through Renfield instead of watching The Pope’s Exorcist. Judging a film by its preview is the cinematic equivalent of doing the same with a book and its cover. Nonetheless, based on the one preview I did see for Evil…
The French Connection, by Albert W. Vogt III
Number ninety-three on the American Film Institute’s (AFI) 100 Greatest American Films of All Time is The French Connection (1971). Honestly, I have no idea how to describe this movie in terms of fitting it into my usual model. It follows two New York City Police Detectives, Buddy “Cloudy” Russo (Roy Scheider) and his partner Jimmy “Popeye” Doyle (Gene Hackman), as they track the arrival of drugs into the city from France. Eventually, they find most of the people responsible and the movie ends. In the middle, there is an intense chase scene as Popeye attempts to catch Pierre “Frog Two” Nicoli (Marcel Bozzuffi). Following a mad…
The Bridge on the River Kwai, by Albert W. Vogt III
There are many things that I admire about the British. The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957), the American Film Institute’s (AFI) thirty-sixth greatest American film of all time, calls many of these traits into question. I will not spend a lot of time on these details, hoping that it will become evident as this review unfolds. Instead, I will leave it to medical officer Major Clipton’s (James Donald) final word of the movie, repeated a couple of times, as he watches the title span (spoiler alert) explode as a Japanese train crosses it: “Madness!” This is not meant to be an indication of the…
North by Northwest, by Albert W. Vogt III
Have you ever traveled by car through the state of Indiana? It is one of the dullest parts of the country. Then again, one could say the same thing about my native Illinois. You will have to pardon me for being partial. And, to be fair, I have not done an extensive amount of exploration of the Hoosier State. Or have I? There have been a few times when my route between Chicago and Florida (note the connotation of the Windy City as a state) has taken me along the western edge of Indiana. I have gone by train from Chicago to Notre Dame, which is in…
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, by Albert W. Vogt III
There is a line in The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948) that has been echoed over the decades, and I am not sure why it is so famous. At one point, Fred C. Dobbs (Humphrey Bogart) is holding a gun on the infamous Mexican bandito known as Gold Hat (Alfonso Bedoya). Gold Hat is trying to claim that he and his men are federales, a form of Mexican police, and therefore they should not be fired upon. Fred demands to see a badge, to which Gold Hat replies, “Badges? We ain’t got no badges. We don’t need no badges! I don’t have to show you any stinkin’…
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 events contained therein. Then again, neither does the longer version. Either way you render it, it is as the first part would suggest, strange. Thus, for brevity’s sake, I will simply be referring to it by its shorter appellation. Let the strangeness begin! There is a disclaimer at…
All About Eve, by Albert W. Vogt III
Number twenty-eight on the American Film Institute’s 100 Greatest American Films of All Time is All About Eve (1950). It stars Bette Davis as Margo Channing, a well-known Broadway actress. You might look at that character’s name and the title and think there is something amiss. That will become clearer once I get to the synopsis. For now, I will tell you that Bette Davis films deserve to be on this list. She had a distinctive look, and the acting chops to back it up. As I understand it, this film in particular is somewhat autobiographical, even if the character is devoted to the stage. In any case, it…
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, there are tenets of the Church to which I adhere that have been politicized. I blame this more on the political parties in this country than Catholicism. There was also a time in this country when Catholics were solidly democrat. These days more of them vote republican. I prefer…
To Kill a Mockingbird, by Albert W. Vogt III
There were many books assigned in my high school freshman English class, and, unfortunately, I read few of them. In all honesty, I read none of them cover-to-cover, and briefly glanced at only a couple. I was a know-it-all who thought that mere prior knowledge of these works, along with whatever information about them society had given me through osmosis, would carry me through the course. I have no idea how I passed it. I do not even remember the grades I got it in it. Poor Mrs. Hogans. If by some miracle she reads The Legionnaire, please accept my humblest apology. It took me well into my…
Chinatown, by Albert W. Vogt III
Such is my growing appreciation for old movies thanks to the American Film Institute’s (AFI) 100 Greatest American Films of All Time list that I was initially taken in by its twenty-first entry Chinatown (1974). By the time of its production, the majority of films had done away with the old school opening credits you see here. That, and the black-and-white format and mournful jazz music is clearly meant to invoke the film noir style of a bygone era. The rest of the movie aligns with this style, so we might as well call it what it is: film noir. However, in this case, while it walks like a…
Air, by Albert W. Vogt III
There was no way that I was going to miss Air this weekend. Why do I begin with what might be an obvious statement to those who best know this kid from Chicago? Because The Super Mario Bros. Movie premiered at the same time. To that end, my sister asked if I would go with her and my nieces to see the animated rendering of the video game we grew up playing. I can hardly say no to my nieces. Yet, that would be two trips to the cinema in the space of a couple of days. This might not seem like a big deal, but it was Easter weekend. It…
Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans, by Albert W. Vogt III
Here is the thing about death in movies: until you see a character dead, in a casket, lowered six feet underground, and the dirt has been piled on top, then that person could still be alive. Even then, there are instances of writers bringing characters back from the brink through whatever literary device they can imagine. As you read this review of Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927), henceforth just Sunrise, you will see how this is a spoiler for the coming events. And here I was thinking that after reviewing Modern Times (1936), I was done with silent films for the foreseeable future. Somehow, in the random…
Lawrence of Arabia, by Albert W. Vogt III
Here is a brief list of things I did while watching Lawrence of Arabia (1962): played (and won) two games of chess, checked Facebook, threw a tennis ball against a wall, did research on the real-life T. E. Lawrence (Peter O’Toole), made and ate dinner, texted and had a conversation with Isaac, stared off into space, almost fell asleep a few times, etc. Before you go thinking that I was not paying attention, watch what the American Film Institute (AFI) considers to be the seventh greatest American film on its top 100 list. I have been avoiding it for a while because I knew…
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 film. It is remarkable he chose this rather than arguably his more famous work, the Indiana Jones franchise. I cannot blame him. Growing up in the 1980s, for years after its release, E.T. the Extra Terrestrial was something in which kids my age kept an interest. This is part of the reason why…
On the Waterfront, by Albert W. Vogt III
Priests have an unfortunate reputation, at least regarding how they are portrayed in popular culture. It is unfair, too, but that is the nature of stereotypes for you. As these things often begin, you have a small sample of a population behave in a manner that brings them attention, negatively or positively, and the zeitgeist now sees that as representative of the whole. When they are not being accused of some of the worst behaviors a human can do, we are told there is something wrong with a person who could choose such a life. Yes, I am being a bit circumspect, partly because…
The Maltese Falcon, by Albert W. Vogt III
The first movie that likely comes to mind when you think about Humphrey Bogart, if you think about Humphrey Bogart, is likely Casablanca (1942). According to the American Film Institute (AFI), there is good reason for such esteem. It is number three on its list of the 100 Greatest American Films of All Time. The Legionnaire celebrated its 500th review by covering it for that momentous occasion. Bogart has many films amongst the AFI’s best, though I am not sure why. I can already hear some of you howling in anger that I would dare impugn such a Hollywood legend. What can I say but taste? To me, he played the…
King Kong (1933), by Albert W. Vogt III
How many of you believe that the recent Godzilla and King Kong are original concepts? Probably not many of you, since the most recent iteration of them on screen is the ridiculous Godzilla vs. Kong (2021), or at least I hope this is not the case. I would think that those of you unfortunate enough to see it, like me, realized that it had been building on a number of previous movies. What you may not know is that, at least cinematically, the primate representative of that monster duo goes back nearly a century. That is right boys and girls, they have been making films for over 100 years. Crazy, I…
Sunset Boulevard, by Albert W. Vogt III
When the old man I used to live with was still alive, we would often watch Wheel of Fortune (1975-present). It came on at the time that I was usually making dinner, so my attention was occasionally divided. This did not bother me much as I have never been a fan of the show. It is a particular failing of mine that whenever there is something in media of which I am not overly fond, I poke fun at it. With the gameshow, this came in the form of guessing William Holden as the answer to every puzzle. It did not matter if it fit, if the…
2001: A Space Odyssey, by Albert W. Vogt III
Stanley Kubrick’s 1968 classic 2001: A Space Odyssey is the longest two-and-a-half-hour movie ever. I do not count myself as a member of that strain of our population in constant need of titillation from one electronic source or another. I can take a plot the methodically develops, though I do confess to wanting some kind of pace. There is virtually none in this, the American Film Institute’s (AFI) fifteenth greatest American film of all time. Despite the glacial speed, it is one of the more iconic movies Hollywood has made. If you are an adult with a pulse, you have likely heard the main theme parodied in…
The Searchers, by Albert W. Vogt III
If it was me picking the American Film Institute’s (AFI) 100 Greatest American Films of All Time, I would not choose The Searchers (1956) as the highest rated Western on that list. It is ranked twelfth overall, while the next one of its genre is High Noon (1952) at twenty-seven. I would put that one above The Searchers. Indeed, I do not know if I would have it in the top 100. They say that with such things, subjectivity is everything. Let us look at some of the themes involved. There is random violence, racism, and a casual disregard for the law. Some of this, I suppose, is nothing unusual for Westerns. After…
Vertigo, by Albert W. Vogt III
I could be convinced that when you think of Alfred Hitchcock, if you think of him at all, the first movie that comes to mind is Psycho (1960). The only reason I can think of for why that would be the case is the fact that it has the iconic murder scene in the bathroom, with the jarring music and the slashing. It was a film that changed what was acceptable to show on a big screen to an audience, and as well made of a film as it was, I cannot help but feel we are all worse for the wear, cinematically speaking. I…
High Noon, by Albert W. Vogt III
The highest rated Western on the American Film Institute’s (AFI) 100 Greatest American Films of All Time is The Searchers (1956). It stars John Wayne. If there is a brand of cinema that has come to represent the movies this country has produced, it is the Western. The most recognizable star of this most recognizable genre was John Wayne. Having said all that, that is not the film I am discussing today. I bring it up only to explain why it is higher on the list than High Noon (1952). I have not seen the former, but tonight was my second time seeing the latter. High Noon also has the advantage of…
Raging Bull, by Albert W. Vogt III
How many boxing movies is too many? I ask because I wonder if the recent volume of them that I have viewed pushes up against some imaginary border. All the Rocky and Creed films are enough for a life time by themselves. Yet, when Raging Bull (1980) is number four on the American Film Institute’s (AFI) 100 Greatest American Films of All Time, and you have not seen it, then you add a tenth picture about fisticuffs in recent months. Then again, one might look at my work with The Legionnaire as excessive. To that I would say that one man’s passion is another person’s obsession. I feel this statement is a good way…
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 his parents from the airport, taking them shopping, cleaning the house, making dinner, and putting his son to bed. He did this with some help, of course, but he was active in all of it. Then, after all that is done, he got the dubious pleasure of…
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), display his virtuosity early and often. The opening credits are the first indication. That he has three movies on the list is an accomplishment in and of itself. This one, he wrote, directed, and produced, not to mention composing the music for them. This is usually a disastrous combination…
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 free bringing you these reviews, so who am I do criticize somebody who for getting paid well for doing something, no matter how redundant. Charlie Chaplin is the ultimate argument against my desire for variety from those who work in the film industry. Despite being dead 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 already been covered. What usually makes for films on the shorter side are those from the silent era. I already did The General (1926). The next one on the list is also before it on the list. Following me? Good! The General is number eighteen, and today’s film, City Lights (1931), is number eleven. Clear now? No? Oh well.…
Creed III, by Albert W. Vogt III
Well, I did not watch all those Rocky and Creed movies for nothing, you know? By the way, as a matter of procedure, if you read that last statement and did not know what it pertains to, then you are likely not subscribed to The Legionnaire. If this is the case, then you missed what I have to say about the eight films that precede this one. Yes, eight. You see, I am behind on posting my reviews to my social media accounts. A good friend of mine gave this tip as a way to make yourself look busy and important. I can vouch for the busy part, anyway. If I were…
Arctic, by Albert W. Vogt III
The first film in which I recall seeing Mads Mikkelsen was Casino Royale (2006). He played Le Chiffre, the villain opposite James Bond (Daniel Craig). He made for a great bad guy, and that is a role that I have seen him fill in a number of other films. We tend to look at people with thick foreign accents as being shady. This is a legacy of American cinema that, unfortunately, goes back many decades. Mikkelsen, being Danish, fits that category. It is not a label I think he is comfortable with as evidenced by much of his recent work. One movie in this regard that stands out is Rogue…
21, by Albert W. Vogt III
One activity that my family often did together, particularly my mom’s side of my family, is play cards. I am not sure if this was typical for other families, though I am sure we were not the only family doing so. Most of the time, it was a version of rummy we called “Rummy 500.” I wish I could remember the rules. I say “version,” too, because there are many different ways of playing this game. There was another game that we played called “Guts.” It was introduced to me as a teenager, and it was my first real exposure to gambling. I recall one particular hand…
Jesus Revolution, by Albert W. Vogt III
Timing. In the days leading up to me seeing Jesus Revolution, this one word kept floating to the surface of my mind. Timing. Weeks before, when I first saw the film’s preview, I thought that I would try to get my pastor to go see it with me. The last time we saw a movie together, it was Noah (2014). I would like to see a different one with him. I kept telling him I would send an email to him to remind him about it, yet I continued to forget. I only remembered to do so when last Thursday, thinking I would be resigned to seeing Cocaine Bear, I looked…
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 first two questions, and any inclusion of the last one is purely accidental. I know I have said this in reviews of others of its ilk since Avengers: Endgame (2019), but it bears repeating: I do not totally understand the point of all this anymore. It is pretty…
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 exists to give some structure to how we experience God. There are those who rebel against what they see as rigid dogma. I would contend that those views are myopic. Catholicism may seem hidebound by tradition, but it has allowed for a freedom of expression that has given…
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 that I was never good at it. My sister was the bowler in our family. She even played on our high school team. I was involved in academic quiz bowl and the armchair strategist club. This last one was a glorified chess team though we played other games, too. Anyway,…
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