Jurassic Park

Jurassic Park

Universal

June 11, 1993

Sci-Fi

DVD
C-

I've never been able to get into this movie.  It's based on the Michael Crichton novel and directed by Spielberg.

The Jungle Book (2016)

The Jungle Book (2016)

Disney

April 15, 2016

Children's, Fantasy, Adventure

DVD
D+

I don't think it's just that I grew up on the '60s "Bare Necessities" version that made this a little dull for me.  Jon Favreau directed, thirteen years after Elf.

Juliet, Naked

Juliet, Naked

Lionsgate etc.

August 17, 2018

Dramedy
DVD
C-

I wanted to see this movie when it came out and was really looking forward to it today, especially with that cast, but I didn't actually like the characters or care what happened to them.  This is based on the Nick Hornby novel and directed by Jesse Peretz, eleven years after The Ex.

Julie and Julia

Julie and Julia

Columbia/Sony

August 7, 2009

Dramedy

DVD
C-

This is the movie that made me dislike Amy Adams for awhile.  (I loved her in Enchanted and it took American Hustle to win me back.)  One review recommended watching just the "Julia" portion of the film and I can attest that that does work pretty well.  Anyway, I gave this a quarter hour today, and there wasn't much Julia in it, so I'm not using the "historical drama" tag or whatever.  Nora Ephron directed and wrote the screenplay, based on both Julie Powell's Julie & Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen and Julia Child's My Life in France.  

Jules et Jim

Jules et Jim

Cinédis

23 January 1962

Historical Drama

DVD
C-

I'd heard of this movie for years and was curious about it, but it has none of the charm of Design for Living, or for that matter Threesome (which refers to it).  François Truffaut directed and co-wrote.

The Judge

The Judge

Warner Bros. etc.

October 10, 2014

Drama

DVD
D

An unpleasant man is under a lot of stress.  David Dobkin directed and co-wrote.

Joyeux Noel AKA Merry Christmas

Joyeux Noel AKA Merry Christmas

Sony etc.

November 9, 2005

Historical Drama

DVD
D

I of course stopped watching before Christmas.  Christian Carion wrote and directed.

Joy (2015)

Joy (2015)

20th Century Fox

December 25, 2015

Drama

DVD
C-

Yes, the title is ironic.  David O. Russell wrote and directed, eleven years after I [Heart] Huckabees.

Journey 2: The Mysterious Island

Journey 2: The Mysterious Island

New Line etc.

February 10, 2012

Sci-Fi

DVD
C

It's four years later and there's no Brendan Fraser, just the Rock as stepdad.  And the replacement mom can't act.  Brad Peyton directed.

Journey to the Center of the Earth (2008)

Journey to the Center of the Earth (2008)

New Line

July 11, 2008

Sci-Fi

DVD
B-

Somewhat cheesy but amiable not-quite-adaptation of the Jules Verne novel.  I like that there are character interactions despite all the action and special effects.  Eric Brevig directed.

The Journey of Natty Gann

The Journey of Natty Gann

Disney

September 27, 1985

Historical Drama

DVD
C

Nothing terribly wrong with this, I just couldn't quite get into it.  Jeremy Kagan directed.

Journey from the Fall AKA Vượt Sóng

Journey from the Fall AKA Vượt Sóng

ImaginAsian Pictures

22 February 2006

Historical Drama

DVD
D

The acting and direction are fine, but this is about war and its aftermath, including torture.  Ham Tran directed and co-wrote.

The Journey

The Journey

IFC Films

5 May 2017

Historical Drama

DVD
C

Peace talks in Northern Ireland.  Nick Hamm directed.

Jojo Rabbit

Jojo Rabbit

Fox Searchlight

November 8, 2019

Historical Comedy

DVD
C-

The fun and excitement of being a Hitler Youth.  Confession, when I first heard of this movie, I thought it was based on the children's book When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit, but it's actually based on the book Caging Skies by Christine Leunens, adapted by director Taika Waititi.

Johnny Suede

Johnny Suede

Miramax/Paramount

August 1991

Dramedy

DVD
D+

Odd.  Tom DiCillo wrote and directed.

Johnny English Strikes Again

Johnny English Strikes Again

Universal

October 26, 2018

Action, Comedy
DVD
C-

No, I haven't seen the first two installments.  David Kerr directed.

Johnny Belinda

Johnny Belinda

Warner Bros.

September 14, 1948

Drama

DVD
C-

I thought the setting was more interesting than the characters.  Jean Negulesco directed.

John Wick: Chapter 2

John Wick: Chapter 2

Lionsgate

February 10, 2017

Action
DVD
D

No, I didn't see the first one, and I don't care to.  Chad Stahelski directed.

His Private Secretary

His Private Secretary
Studio Unknown

June 10, 1933

Comedy
DVD
C-

Wayne is cast against type as a spoiled playboy, with a lot of period details.  Phil Whitman directed.

Desert Command

Desert Command

Mascot Pictures

1946

Adventure

DVD
D+

Re-editing of the 1933 serial The Three Musketeers, which updates Dumas to the French Foreign Legion.  Colbert Clark and Armand Schaefer co-directed.

The Hurricane Express

The Hurricane Express

Mascot Pictures

August 1, 1932

Drama

DVD
D+

Melodramatic serial, with Wayne as a pilot.  J. P. McGowan and Armand Schaefer co-directed.

The Shadow of the Eagle

The Shadow of the Eagle

Mascot Pictures

February 1, 1932

Drama

DVD
C

A serial with an everything-but-the-kitchen-sink mentality, featuring a circus AND sky-writing AND a Great War grudge AND a romance and then I tuned out after a quarter hour.  Ford Beebe and B. Reeves Eason co-directed.

Angel and the Badman

Angel and the Badman

Republic Pictures

February 15, 1947

Western
DVD
D+

The badman is more interesting than the angel, and he's barely conscious in the first quarter hour.  James Edward Grant wrote and directed.

West of the Divide

West of the Divide

Monogram Pictures

February 15, 1934

Western

DVD
D+

Again with the clumsy exposition.  Bradbury again wrote and directed.

Randy Rides Alone

Randy Rides Alone

Monogram Pictures

June 5, 1934

Western

DVD
C-

This plays almost like a silent, with minimal dialogue.  Harry L. Fraser directed.

Winds of the Wasteland

Winds of the Wasteland

Republic Pictures

July 6, 1936

Western, Comedy
DVD
C

This has more humor than the Monogram pictures, with Wayne and his friend getting swindled into running a stagecoach line to a ghost town.  Mack V. Wright directed.

Texas Terror

Texas Terror

Monogram Pictures

February 1, 1935

Western
DVD
D+

Writer-director Bradbury is presumably the one to blame for the hilariously clumsy exposition.

Sagebrush Trail

Sagebrush Trail

Monogram Pictures

December 15, 1933

Western
DVD
C-

This time, Wayne is a fugitive wrongly accused of murder, taking the alias "Smith."  Armand Schaefer directed.

Riders of Destiny

Riders of Destiny

Monogram Pictures

October 10, 1933

Western

DVD
C-

The platinum blonde gets more to do than most of the women in these movies.  Bradbury wrote and directed again.

Rainbow Valley

Rainbow Valley

Monogram Pictures

March 15, 1935

Western

DVD
C-

Gabby Hayes has an automobile.  Bradbury directed but didn't write.

Paradise Canyon

Paradise Canyon

Monogram Pictures

July 20, 1935

Western
DVD
C

I sort of like this one, but mostly because it seems to be set in the twentieth-century, with a medicine show troupe in a motorized van.  Carl Pierson directed.

'Neath the Arizona Skies

'Neath the Arizona Skies

Monogram Pictures

December 5, 1934

Western

DVD
C-

This time the Duke is looking after a feisty, "half-breed" little heiress.  Harry L. Fraser directed.

Born to the West AKA Hell Town

Born to the West AKA Hell Town

Paramount

December 10, 1937

Western
DVD
D+

The stampede was the highlight of the first quarter hour.  This is based on a Zane Grey novel and directed by Charles Barton.

The Trail Beyond

The Trail Beyond

Monogram Pictures

October 22, 1934

Western
DVD
D+

Two college chums meet on the train West.  Again, Bradbury directed but didn't write.

Star Packer

Star Packer

Monogram Pictures

July 30, 1934

Western
DVD
D+

To be honest, I kept thinking of the original title of the Rolling Stones song "Star Star."  Bradbury again wrote and directed.

The Man from Utah

The Man from Utah

Monogram Pictures

May 15, 1934

Western
DVD
D+

My favorite part was the scene on the river.  This time Bradbury directed but didn't write.

The Lucky Texan

The Lucky Texan

Monogram Pictures

January 22, 1934

Western

DVD
C-

The corrupt assayer made this more interesting than others of its ilk.  Bradbury again wrote and directed.

The Lawless Frontier

The Lawless Frontier

Monogram Pictures

November 22, 1934

Western

DVD
D

Somewhat racist.  Bradbury wrote and directed again.

The Desert Trail

The Desert Trail

Monogram Pictures

April 22, 1935

Western

DVD
D

The sound recording is so bad on this, I wished it were a silent so I could read the title cards and follow what was going on.  Lewis D. Collins directed, as Cullen Lewis.

The Dawn Rider (1935)

The Dawn Rider (1935)

Monogram Pictures

June 20, 1935

Western
DVD
D+

Wayne still looking very young (at 28), in another low-budget foot-in-the-door movie.  Bradbury again directed but this time had co-writers.

Blue Steel (1934)

Blue Steel (1934)

Monogram Pictures

May 10, 1934

Western

DVD
D+

A baby-faced Wayne, and crooks hiding in a hotel as newlyweds check in.  Robert N. Bradbury wrote and directed.

El Dorado (1967)

El Dorado (1967)

Paramount

June 7, 1967

Western

DVD
C-

Weird undercurrents, including later political opposites John Wayne and Ed Asner facing off, make this more interesting than many Westerns.  This is based on Harry Brown's novel The Stars in Their Courses and directed by Howard Hawks, who needs no introduction.

The Sons of Katie Elder

The Sons of Katie Elder

Paramount

June 24, 1965

Western

DVD
D+

I liked the touch of a man complaining about Katie at her funeral.  Henry Hathaway directed, twenty-four years after The Shepherd of the Hills.

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

Paramount

April 22, 1962

Western

DVD
D-

Shockingly bad direction by Ford, in pacing, composition of shots, and definitely the acting, especially by Vera Miles.  (And I tuned out before the Duke showed up.)

The Shootist

The Shootist

Paramount

July 21, 1976

Historical Drama

DVD
C

I actually gave this 45 minutes, because I thought it had potential, and of course it was neat to see the supporting cast.  But ultimately, I didn't want to stay with it.  This is based on Glendon Swarthout's novel and directed by Don Siegel, whose other three movies I've looked at so far I definitely didn't enjoy as much.

McLintock!

McLintock!

United Artists

November 13, 1963

Western

DVD
D+

This is based on The Taming of the Shrew, but I tuned out before that really came up, or the grade would probably be lower.  (The posters are pretty offensive, but I'm unable to copy and paste any into this post.)  And we've got McLagen as director again.

Chisum

Chisum

Warner Bros.

July 29, 1970

Western

DVD
D+

The opening credits are accompanied by narration by William Conrad, against paintings!  Nothing can really follow that.  Andrew V. McLaglen directed a few years after The Rare Breed and Hellfighters.

Jet Pilot

Jet Pilot

Universal-International

October 1, 1957

Dramedy?

DVD
D+

Odd movie that goes from dull action to Cold War spy drama to sex comedy??  Oh, and Janet Leigh seems very miscast, since she's not even trying to do a Russian accent.  Josef von Sterberg directed.

Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh

Universal

December 11, 1942

Historical Comedy*

DVD
C

I sort of liked this tale of mine workers in I think the World War I era.  Not enough to stick with it, but more than I like most John Wayne movies.  (He plays the title character.)  Lewis Seiler directed.

*I know, IMDB has Action, Drama, Romance, but I'm going by the first quarter hour, although it does start to verge onto a Sports Comedy at that point.

The Shepherd of the Hills

The Shepherd of the Hills

Paramount

July 18, 1941

Historical Drama

DVD
D

The female lead is very annoyingly actressy.  This is based on Harold Bell Wright's novel and directed by Henry Hathaway.

Seven Sinners

Seven Sinners

Universal

October 25, 1940

Drama

DVD
C-

The next several movies are ones my library files under "John" for John Wayne, although ironically he does not appear in the first quarter hour of this one.  Tay Garnett directed.

John Tucker Must Die

John Tucker Must Die

20th Century Fox

July 28, 2006

Comedy
DVD
C-

It is what it is, an already dated Oughties comedy that's neither insightful nor painful, other than the whole "Hollywood plain" thing that's going on with at least two characters.  Betty Thomas directed.

John Q.

John Q.

New Line

February 15, 2002

Drama

DVD
C-

An off-putting beginning with the car crash set to classical music, and then you just know something terrible is going to happen to John's wonderful little son.  Nick Cassavetes, son of John (and Gena Rowlands) directed.

John Carter

John Carter

Disney

March 9, 2012

Sci-Fi, Western

DVD
D+

This has flickers of so-bad-it's-goodness.  It's of course based on Edgar Rice Burroughs (who is a character somehow), and directed by Andrew Stanton. 

Joe Kidd

Joe Kidd

Universal

July 19, 1972

Western
DVD
D+

About as dull as I expected.  This is based on Elmore Leonard and directed by John Sturges.

Jiro Dreams of Sushi

Jiro Dreams of Sushi

Magnolia Pictures

June 15, 2011

Documentary

DVD
C-

The true story of a sushi chef.  David Gelb directed.

Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius

Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius

Paramount

December 21, 2001

Children's, Comedy, Sci-Fi

DVD
D

I didn't care about the characters or the character design.  John A. Davis directed and co-wrote.