Dances With Wolves

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Dances With Wolves!

Original image located here. Accessed 21st February 2020

I have mentioned previously how approaching certain movies can be an intimidating experience on reputation alone. And whilst this movie is one such instance, it does present an interesting case as this movie has a reputation that can only be described as a polarizing one.
On one hand, this was a sizable hit in it's day and subsequently silenced many a nay-sayer. It won Best Picture at the Oscars making it one of three westerns and one of six films done by a first-time director. It challenged a lot of western tropes by showing the Native Americans in a positive and sympathetic light.
But on the other hand, it was an undeserved winner at the Oscars. It robbed victory from Goodfellas. Despite it's intentions it still was a white man's movie. And a proponent of the 'white savior' trope that many a viewer would find insulting.
So for me, in order to appreciate this movie it is therefore necessary to divorce myself from both trains of thought and see it movie purely for what it is.

And you know something? It's actually pretty good. It may drag at times (I'm glad I didn't see the four hour special edition) but it succeeds in it's goal of offering a differing view in the western. Kevin Costner is certainly in control on both sides of the camera. But, much like the Searchers, the real star in this movie is the scenery, with moments of real beauty set in jaw-dropping landscapes.
So yeah. it's a solid movie from the brilliant moments of silence with Dunbar in isolation all the way to the punch-in-the-gut ending

Hunt for the Red October

And this week's Friday night movie has been.....Hunt for the Red October!

Original image located here. Accessed 6th October 2017

It's been said that this movie is the last of the Cold War thrillers - largely because this came out the same year that the Cold War...y'know.....ended. So yes it's a given that this movie is a product of it's time but does it hold up nearly three decades later?

Actually yes. It's gripping, it's suspenseful and Connery is as a commanding presence as ever (even if his accent is puzzling - but then again all the Russian accents in this movie are all over the place). Sam Neill is also awesome in this but then again he's always awesome.
But the real MVP goes to the soundtrack: It's nothing short of epic. In fact, next time i charge into battle in some RPG, i want a full Russian choir going with me every step of the way XD