Final batch of movies from May:

97. (844.) The Good Guys and the Bad Guys (1969)
These sorts of fluff westerns were growing extinct by the late sixties as they were replaced by darkly revisionist anti-hero dramas. This film is keenly aware that it represents an outdated set of mores, and wears that chip proudly on it's shoulder. I found it to be quite an enjoyable piece of popular entertainment.

98. (845.) The Harder They Fall (1956)
Bogart's last film retreads the ground of so many "boxing-is-corrupt" films that came before (and since). But Bogey is still a star capable of bringing a good depth of character to a fallen man who rediscovers his moral compass too late. I liked it.

99. (846.) The Long Goodbye (1973)
I liked this even more. This is the other 1970s neo-noir I watched this month (Night Moves was the other), in which nothing is ever what it seems, including the hero. Elliot Gould's Phillip Marlowe is barely recognizable compared to previous iterations. If you can let that go, it's a worthwhile mystery.

100. (847.) The Killing (1956)
You never know what you'll get with writer/director Stanley Kubrick. In this case, you get a tightly wound crime caper, presented slightly out of order, Pulp Fiction-style. Highly recommended.

101. (848.) Jeremiah Johnson (1972)
Not so highly recommended. It's really just 2 hours of watching Robert Redford squint at mountains. When it's not uncomfortable to watch, it's damn boring.

102. (849.) The Big Red One (1980)
I watched this by accident because Tivo recorded this instead of whatever I had requested. I'm not upset about the switch. There is a great movie hiding somewhere underneath this lackluster cinematography and inexperienced acting. Very often, that's the sort of movie I enjoy most.

More to come.

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