Buck (2011)

If you love horses, you will probably love this movie.  If you love pop-psychology you will probably enjoy the many levels of lessons here.

This movie is about helping people and their horses get along better.

Buck Brannaman was brought in as a consultant for the movie Horse Whisperer.  The movie ended up more about Buck, by Buck, and with Buck in several scenes, than anyone expected, including Robert Redford.  Redord appears briefly to tell that part of the story.

Watch this movie with someone who may not be aware that California has more cowboys than beach boys.

The Electric Horseman (1979)

The critics didn't like this movie then and many still don't. It's one of my favorites to watch. Lots of funny scenes and great one-liners.

Robert Redford plays an allegedly washed-up champion rodeo cowboy. Jane Fonda plans a television report with a nose for a story. Willie Nelson, in his film debut, plays the best friend and "handler" of Redford's character.

If you like country music or western humor, this might be a fun movie for you to watch. If you like the idea of the little guy really "sticking it" to the big guy, you will most likely enjoy this one. If you like horses or cowboys or both, chances are this movie will register with you.

Redford did all of his own riding scenes for this movie and owned the horse for several years after the movie was completed.

Watch this movie with someone who does not believe horses belong on stage with dancing girls.

Three Days of the Condor (1975)

The average cost of a gallon of gas (in the US) when this movie was made was about 36 cents. Here we are 35 years later and the topic is just as valid, just as plausible, and germane as ever. Amazing how a good story told well holds up.

Based on a James Grady novel of similar name, this Sidney Pollack film made some very interesting connections long before they became popular conspiracy theory fodder and then open policy.

Robert Redford, not quite yet 40 when this was done, is his usual great. Unspoken acting are some of his best traits, but he also delivers a line perfectly. A young Faye Dunaway is caught up in the excitement and delivers an interesting portrayal of an atypical New Yorker. I not saying anything, I just saying.

Other faces you may recognize include Cliff Robertson, John Houseman, and Max von Sydow. Add a cool jazz soundtrack by Dave Grusin, and you've got a great retro look into the 1970s.

Watch this movie with someone who likes to read books.

Lions for Lambs

"Nowhere else have I seen such lions lead by such lambs..." Quoting a German General from World War I, Robert Redford's university professor character compares former students of his volunteering to join the army to fight the war on terror. Hence the title. It is not a political statement.

If nothing else, this movie had star power. Robert Redford directed and starred along with Meryl Streep, and Tom Cruise. There were also some relatively new faces like Michael Peña (the locksmith from Crash) who I think is very very good and should be offered and take more stereotypical roles.

Now, to the story itself. This is neither a pro or con movie in my mind. It was given lots of press at the time but I believe it does fair and balanced service to all sides of a very complex issue. Cruise represents the right. Redford represents the left. Streep represents the press that gets caught in the middle. Each is faced with black and white choices in a very grey world.

I liked this movie as much for what it does as what it does not do. It cleverly covers a slice of time, in this case about a hour, from three very different places in the world. In each case, two people are having a very personal conversation. This format is not unique to this movie, but it is so well done that unless you are paying very close attention you may not even realize it. Because each conversation is so connected to the other conversations it is easy to forget that three different stories are being told. Well done Mr. Redford.

What this movie does not do is go over the top or out of bounds in any one area. It is not too long. If anything, it is about 20 minutes too short. You get to see an ending to only a third of the story and are left to wonder about the other two-thirds. That is perhaps by design. Leaving us to our on conclusions is an option, but not for everyone in this story.

Watch this movie with someone who has either seen action in the war on terror, worked in Washington, DC, been to college, or worked in media.

Sneakers

What would attract 7 superstars, all who have either been nominated for or won Oscars, to work together on a comedy thriller? The budget and salaries is still, ironically, a secret, so we can't say it was the money. I'm guessing it was the story. This movie is an excellent example of what my little rant is all about - a good story well told.

If you did not see this movie back "in the day", I highly recommend renting it. Here's why in decreasing order of importance.

Oscar-winner Sidney Poitier (Blackboard Jungle, A Raisin in the Sun, and They Call Me Mister Tibbs) is not known as a comic actor. This is a rare performance and well worth watching.

Oscar-nominee River Phoenix (Running on Empty, Indiana Jones Last Crusade, and I Love You To Death) knew comedy and knew drama. His skills were beyond his age. This movie was one of his last before his death in 1993.

Oscar-winner Robert Redford (too many to list) plays a good guy who does bad things. Or is he a bad guy that does good things.? You decide.

Oscar-winner Ben Kingsley (Gandhi, House of Sand and Fog, and The Last Legion) is a wonderful bad guy. This role helped me totally see Kingley as someone other than Gandhi.

Oscar-nominee Dan Aykroyd (Blues Brothers series, Ghostbusters series, and Driving Miss Daisy) turns on his uber-geek conspiracy theorist side and never steals a scene, but "makes" every one he is in.

Oscar-nominee Mary McDonnell (Dances With Wolves, Independence Day, and Battlestar Gallactica series) plays well opposite all the above big boys. She is perfect.

There are too many other fun performances here to mention.

Watch this movie with someone who likes playing Scrabble.

The Natural

This is on my top 10 list of favorite movies.

Master story teller and Director Barry Levinson (High Anxiety, Good Morning Vietnam, and Rain Man) gives us a tender family drama mixed with my old redemption factor. He uses larger than life characters to get it done, and delivers us a classic, even for a sports movie. I once met Mr. Levinson in the Laguna Beach Albertsons. As we looked at each other over one of the produce tables, all I could say to him was "Damn fine story-telling. Thank you." He seemed to appreciate my comment, but he has not done anything I like since then. Oh well.

Robert Redford (too many great ones to list here) plays a young AND old baseball player who is haunted as much by his past as he is by the present. Redford is such a stud, he gets not one, but two leading ladies in this film. One good, one bad. Glenn Close (Jagged Edge, Fatal Attraction, and Mel Gibson's Hamlet to list but a few) is as close to angelic as she is likely to be on screen. Kim Basinger (a Bond girl in Connery's final 007 film, 9 1/2 weeks, and Batman) is as deliciously sultry as you'd want in this flawed character role.

Wilford Brimley (Absence of Malice, the Cocoon series, and The Firm) is as enjoyable as Tom Hanks in the role of a broken down, everything to lose, general manager of a baseball team. Richard Farnsworth (Tom Horn, The Grey Fox, and Anne of Green Gables) is basically himself as Brimley's alter-ego assistant manager.

Robert Duvall (M*A*S*H the movie not the series, the Godfather series, Apocalypse Now and too many more to mention) is the only common thread between Redford's past and present, he just does not know it.

If you skipped this movie because it was a sports movie, or about baseball, I recommend watching it for the non-sports themes. Yes, it is set around baseball, but it is not about baseball. It is about fitting into the shoes one is wearing. It is about owning up to who we are.

Memorable moments abound in this well scripted journey. It was nominated for Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction, Best Score, and Glenn Close was nominated for Best Supporting Actress. How could that happen in a sports movie?

Watch it with someone who will go out and play catch with you afterwards.