The Big Red One (1980)

I had put this film off, because it runs 162 minutes. How serendipitous that I should get around to it on Memorial Day weekend.

The title's emphasis falls on "One," as in the numeral 1, sported in red by the 1st Infantry Division of the U.S. Army in World War II. Writer-director Sam Fuller was a veteran, which may explain why the narrator, Pvt. Zab (Robert Carradine), says he enlisted in order to get book material. His squad has the curious distinction of five men who never die or get badly wounded while the replacements drop like flies.

Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2 (2017)

I had enjoyed the first GotG but had trouble ranking it with respect to other parts of the Marvel Cinematic, er, Universe. It's just so different. First of all, very little takes place on Earth, and only one major character, Peter "Star-Lord" Quill (Chris Pratt), is even half human, tho others tend to have an implausible similarity. Second, the Guardians are antiheroes, first teaming up for a prison break. Third, they're mostly rather subtle in powers, and their equipment isn't very innovative. The movie relied almost entirely on a sense of fun via dialog, emotion, and retro references. It worked, but I had yet to see how well it could work again, apart from the perhaps overly faithful first episode of the ensuing TV series.

Vol. 2 first shows the Guardians, having earned their moniker, doing what they do when the galaxy isn't facing clear and present danger: mercenary work. And a little theft on the side by the most corrupt ones, which is why such big-time saviors still have a lot of people after their hides. But those pursuers are arguably incidental to the main plot. Peter finally meets his mysterious biological father, Ego (Kurt Russell), who's actually extremely powerful and offers to share his wonders. Gamora (Zoe Saldana) thinks it's too good to be true, especially after hints from Ego's empathic companion, Mantis (Pom Klementieff); but Peter, tired of his unrequited crush on Gamora, dismisses the suspicion as resentment. Of course, anyone familiar with stories in general should guess who's correct....

Matewan (1987)

I've reviewed political movies before, but this felt a little harder to approach. Part of it comes from having seen a special screening with a loudly pro–labor union audience, where writer-director John Sayles showed up with a lot to say. Still, I decided not to write it off for others right away. If you're like me, then you don't have to agree with a film's message to find it worth watching.

The title is the name of a West Virginia town, whose citizens pronounce it "mate-wan," because they have no regard for tribal origins. In 1920, union organizer Joe Kenehan (Chris Cooper in his first silver-screen role) comes to town and finds the coal miners disgruntled but rather weak in resistance to company pressures, particularly in the form of gunmen from the Baldwin–Felts Detective Agency. Upon word that a "red" has arrived, Agents Hickley (Kevin Tighe) and Griggs (Gordon Clapp) take up temporary residence in the same boarding house to throw their weight around, not very daunted by the legalistic sheriff (David Strathairn) and mayor (Josh Mostel). Kenehan makes a name for himself within the budding union, but they don't always cotton to his pacifism, especially under C.E. Lively (Bob Gunton)....

The Roaring Twenties (1939)

For all the old cinema I watch, including silents, I don't feel like I've seen many depictions of the 1920s themselves. Not in a way that makes me think of their moniker, anyway. For ages, "the Roaring Twenties" has brought to my mind The Great Gatsby first and foremost, with maybe a touch of Midnight in Paris. Little did I know how close it could be to the Depression for one sector of society.

The film actually begins in World War I and ends in the early '30s but mostly stays true to its title. Like in I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang, it's not easy for veterans to return to civilian jobs, but it is easy for them to get mixed up in criminal endeavors, even by accident. That's what happens to Eddie (James Cagney) when, as a struggling cab driver, he agrees to a shady delivery on the side, only to have cops find alcohol on him. The night club owner to whom he tried to deliver, "Panama" (Gladys George), bails him out and encourages him to stick with the speakeasy business. Over the years, he builds an empire of bathtub gin and taxis, with on-and-off help from two wartime comrades, Lloyd (Jeffrey Lynn) and George (Humphrey Bogart). But they never did see eye to eye on everything....

The Nun's Story (1959)

I consider Fred Zinnemann a bit underrated. Sure, he had his honors in life, but how often do even film buffs mention the director of High Noon, From Here to Eternity, and A Man for All Seasons? I don't recognize many more of his titles, but they tend to have IMDb ratings in the sevens. Throw in Oscar nominations plus a young Audrey Hepburn and I'm there.

The story begins in late '20s Bruges when Gaby (Hepburn) begins convent life as "Sister Luke." By the '30s, her bumpy road has led her to Belgian Congo, where she serves as a nurse and hopes to convert some natives along the way, despite brash nonbeliever Dr. Fortunati (Peter Finch). But she always considers herself more disciplined in medicine than in faith, and the latter especially gets put to the test when Germany invades her homeland....

The Story of a Cheat (1936)

This is also known by three other English titles: Confessions of a Cheat, The Story of a Trickster, and The Cheat. I guess that kind of multiplicity is more common for older foreign flicks. It is a little on the obscure side, being part of the Eclipse series from The Criterion Collection. Perhaps I had best identify it by its French title: Le roman d'un tricheur.

Written, directed by, narrated by, and starring Sacha Guitry, it never does name the protagonist, so discussions in English generally call him "the Cheat." The Cheat is presently in a cafe writing his memoirs, with most of the story illustrated in flashback. He begins with an incident at age 12 in which a punishment for theft unintentionally saves his life, giving him the lasting impression that a dishonest lifestyle pays off. From there, we get several episodes over the years in which he either shamelessly cheats or tries going straight, but life keeps throwing surprises his way. What lesson should he take to heart?

Viva Zapata! (1952)

After watching, I thought I should have saved this for Friday. Further research told me that Cinco de Mayo commemorates an event nearly 50 years before the Mexican Revolution, depicted herein. In fact, Porfirio Díaz, one of the heroes of the Battle of Puebla, is pretty much a villain this time around. It must be hard to remain in the good graces of the common people after 35 years as president.

The focal new hero is Emiliano Zapata (Marlon Brando), one of many peasants whose land has been stolen and who find Díaz unhelpful in their quest not to starve. He becomes a general of the rebellion that ushers in a new president. But the movie's only about half over before he and his brother, Eufemio (Anthony Quinn), find something a greater challenge than war: peace. If "peace" is the right word.