The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

You know that saying "third time's the charm"? That can most definitely be applied to The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.

The main trio for Sergio Leone's film just compliment each other fantastically. Clint Eastwood is completely aloof but at the same time incredibly tough as "the Man with No Name". Lee Van Cleef's "Angel Eyes" (more like "Devil Eyes" in my book) is evil clad in a black hat. Eli Wallach is the perfect candidate as the greedy bastard that is Tuco. I can't see anyone else in the roles.

As I watched The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, I saw many elements that Leone would later use in Once Upon a Time in the West. Both captured the nature of a dying Wild West, as well as focusing on three pivotal characters with a similar goal. Many directors have tried to connect their films, but I think Leone was one of the few masters that could do such a thing.

I can't finish this review without talking about Ennio Morricone's score. I just can't. The whole score works in every scene, but there were three specific pieces that I adored. Those are the main theme, the piece playing as Tuco searches for the grave (and damn near loses his mind), and the piece playing during the Mexican standoff. (The second piece I promptly bought off iTunes afterwards.)

Saying that The Good, the Bad and the Ugly is one of the best Westerns ever made is an understatement. Seriously, how many Westerns are there that perfectly balance action, character study and the affects of battle in one film? No wonder Quentin Tarantino dubbed it "the best-directed movie of all time".

My Rating: *****

For a Few More Dollars

Usually sequels are expected to match up or even surpass the original film. It doesn't happen very often, mind you. When it does, it stands out as much as the original.

With Sergio Leone's For a Few Dollars More, it doesn't generally have the same bite as A Fistful of Dollars. It's just the flow isn't the same. Don't get me wrong. It's good, but there are flaws within the narrative.

Clint Eastwood still proves that he's a badass here, but he didn't have the same edge he had in A Fistful of Dollars. I still liked him regardless. Let's face it, who doesn't like Eastwood?

Lee Van Cleef I encountered before in two other films. No surprise that both of them were also Westerns (High Noon and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance), so I knew the man could handle a gun. And damn well too.

So For a Few Dollars More didn't match up with A Fistful of Dollars. I wasn't surprised in all honesty. All I hope for is that The Good, the Bad and the Ugly will be better.

My Rating: ****

A Fistful of Dollars

It was inevitable. Sooner or later I would see the trilogy Sergio Leone made with Clint Eastwood. So I started off with A Fistful of Dollars.

Having seen Once Upon a Time in the West, I had a good sense as to what Leone shows in a Western. I also had a sense of what the two main characters would are like. Those characters are the aloof but determined anti-hero and the villain who is the epitome of ruthless.

Eastwood introduced his iconic "Man with No Name" here and boy, does he make the most of it. His presence is most definitely felt, especially during the final shootout. No one does badass better than Eastwood.

A Fistful of Dollars is Leone's take on Akira Kurosawa's Yojimbo. I myself haven't seen Kurosawa's film, so I can't have my say on if Leone stayed true. I will say I plan to seek out Yojimbo in the near future.

I really liked A Fistful of Dollars. I finally realized how much of a BAMF Eastwood really is. Also, I anticipate what the two other films hold for me.

My Rating: ****1/2

Once Upon a Time in America

The gangster movie is nothing new. They became popular during the 1930's, appropriately when real gangsters were making their strides. Now the 1930's gangster movies showed how tough they were. Later ones showed the morals and dilemmas a gangster might face.

Take Sergio Leone's Once Upon a Time in America as an example. The lead character of Noodles (played by Robert De Niro) dealt with these issues ever since he was a young hood. He debated whether what he was doing is right, but did it matter in the end? No. All that mattered was getting the job done.

As some people know, Leone was offered to direct The Godfather. If you watch Once Upon a Time in America closely, you'll notice that its style almost mirrors that of The Godfather. Did Leone do that on purpose?

Once Upon a Time in America honestly gets up there with The Godfather and Goodfellas as one of the best gangster movies ever made. Like I said earlier, Leone effectively shows the morals and dilemmas a gangster might face. A fitting swan song for a director who told narratives on a grand scale.

My Rating: *****

Once Upon a Time in the West

If you were to ask me what kind of movies I like, I would respond I like guy movies. Y'know, movies that feature a crapload of violence/explosions and swearing (i.e., The Godfather). I'm not into wimpy "chick flicks". Ugh, the mere mention of the term makes me sick. Anyway, I'll get to the point later on in the review.

Jill McBain (Claudia Cardinale) returns from New Orleans to find her family dead. Her family's killer is Frank (Henry Fonda), a hired gun of railroad tycoon Morton (Gabriele Ferzetti). The crime was blamed on outlaw Cheyenne (Jason Robards), who agrees to help Jill find Frank. Along with Cheyenne, a mysterious gunman Cheyenne nicknamed "Harmonica" (Charles Bronson) help protect Jill's land from Frank.

Man, oh man, oh man. What to say about this movie? I mean, apart from the fact that it kicked SERIOUS ASS. But honestly, let's be serious. I found Fonda's work in this very good. Good nothing, he was DAMN good, and this is an actor who made a name for himself playing the good guy. A shame he didn't play the villian more in his career. As for Leone, he sure as hell knows how to deliver a fine Western.

Oh yeah, the chick flick explaination. Personally I'd rather see a guy getting his guts shot out of him than see a weak story involving the girl next door falling in love with the popular guy. Wait, I pretty much described almost every chick flick ever made, didn't I?

My Rating: *****