Texas Rangers

Texas Rangers

Dimension Films etc.

November 30, 2001

Western

DVD
D+

Bumped up a notch for the random cast (not all of whom I necessarily saw in the first quarter hour, but what the heck, I'll tag some of 'em anyway).  This is based on Taming the Nueces Strip: The Story of McNelly's Ranger by George Durham.  Steve Miner directed, after Big Bully and Forever Young.

This is on a "Western Value" collection of sixteen movies, so we'll be here awhile.

The Sorcerer's Apprentice

The Sorcerer's Apprentice

Disney etc.

July 14, 2010

Fantasy, Action

DVD
D

Tedious and cliched.  Jon Turteltaub directed.

Rango

Rango

Paramount etc.

March 4, 2011

Animation, Children's, Comedy, Western?
DVD
C-

This doesn't really fit any genre, and maybe that offness would appeal to some.  Gore Verbinski directed and co-wrote, five years after he directed Depp in PotC: Dead Man's Chest.

Raiders of the Lost Ark

Raiders of the Lost Ark

Paramount

June 12, 1981

Action, Historical Drama

DVD
D+

I've never been into this series, but the look of it was nice.  George Lucas co-wrote, Spielberg of course directed.

The Hoax (2007)

The Hoax

Miramax etc.

April 20, 2007

Historical Drama

DVD
C-

Gere as Clifford Irving, and therefore based on a book.  Lasse Hallström directed, about six years after Chocolat, which also had Alfred Molina.

Front Runner

Front Runner

Sony Pictures

November 21, 2018

Historical Drama

DVD
C-

Flat story of Senator Gary Hart, played by Hugh Jackman.  Since I remember the '80s, I feel like this could've been a heck of a lot more interesting, maybe with a better director than Jason Reitman.  Matt Bai co-wrote the screenplay based on his book All the Truth Is Out, a less generic title.

An Education

An Education
Sony
18 January 2009
Historical Drama, Romance
DVD
B

Nick Hornby adapted Lynn Barber's memoir of the same name, which is set in London in the early '60s and tells of a teenage girl's education in life through an affair with a charming older man.  The period details feel accurate and, unlike with Edge of Seventeen, I was drawn into the story and liked the characters even when I didn't like their actions.  (Emma Thompson has a gem of a role as the sensible if anti-Semitic headmistress.)  Special shout-out to Molina as the scene-stealing but heart-tugging father of the protagonist.  I almost added "Historical Comedy" as a tag, since the movie is sometimes laugh-out-loud funny, although the film does get heavy at times, yet thankfully never tragic.

Lone Scherfig directed.

Dudley Do-Right

Dudley Do-Right
Universal
August 27, 1999
Comedy
DVD
C+

Goofy, amiable movie that never quite hits the heights of the cartoon, although bless it for trying.  Opens with an actual Fractured Fairytale cartoon featuring a cameo with the then seemingly eternal June Foray.  (She'd die at 99 in 2017.)  Hugh Wilson wrote and directed.

Chocolat

Chocolat
Miramax
December 15, 2000
Historical Drama
DVD
C+

I definitely would've rated this higher at the time I saw it, almost twenty years ago, but this time it felt very cliched, if mildly entertaining.  My favorite aspect was the use of color, from shades of chocolate brown to Vianne's signature red.  This is based on the Joanne Harris novel and directed by Lasse Hallström.  Note that I'm not using the "romance" tag, because Depp's character doesn't show up until almost halfway through, and this is proof that two attractive people (him and Binoche) will not necessarily have chemistry together.