A_Different_Drummer

Ironies abound. This reviewer does not know the details about the spat between Sheridan and Costner which resulted in the latter leaving the series early, and former turning the final episodes into literally and figuratively a memorial for the show that made him Hollywood's #1 writer/producer. The irony is that, as good as Sheridan is, this show could not have reached its potential without an exceptional cast. The irony is that, as good as he is, he never quite managed to fill the gap Costner left. The irony is that Hollywood itself learned nothing from all this, and unflinchingly killed the "Australian Yellowstone" which could have captured this existing audience. ((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))

The truth is that, with all the changes in technology and consumer tastes over the many years, very few films from the 70s will ever make it to the status of a classic. This one is mainly for fans of Belmondo, an actor who thrived as a sex symbol during the French New Wave of the 60s, and then brilliantly transitioned, as he aged, into a Clint Eastwood/Jackie Chan hero in multiple cop films. This is a good example, but not a standout. Ironically, the soundtrack sounds like yet another ripoff of the Eastwood Italian Westerns. Except that it is not a ripoff -- the producers got Ennio Morricone himself to do the score! ((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))

The controversy surrounding this film, the praise and awards, say much more about Hollywood than about the actual movie. No, that is not a good thing. Leaving the implosion of Hollywood to historians and apologists of the far future, ANORA is an above-average, middle of the road, social drama, bookmarked by a very strong leading performance and a too-clever-for-words ending. (HINT: consider how resident genius Clif High likes to describe everything in our world as being based on Tension/Release.) What is especially distressing (of many distressing things) is the way credentialed major critics keep insisting this is an actual comedy with actual laughs. No it is not. No there are not. ((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))