Film: "Country Strong"

/ TITLE: "Country Strong" / GENRÉ: Drama / FORMAT: DVD /

OK, let's have it! This is a romantic drama, the kind of flick you want to see with your girlfriend and not the type of movie I'd usually give a fair try. However, this film comes with a twist in the form of a great country music soundtrack which is perfect if you wish to make your girlfriend discover your own passion for country music. And although a romantic drama, it should be stated that some of the drama in this movie could've been written by the late Townes van Zandt himself.

Anyway, you know a flick is going to be great if it opens with a Merle Haggard cover. OK, Silver wings is not one of my fave tunes by the Hag, but far from his worst and to be honest, I think Merle Haggard is one of those artists that keep on making good tunes.

As I said, it starts with a Hag cover, as played by a young singer-songwriter, "Beau" (played by Garrett Hedlund) in a small honky-tonk. The next setting of the film, we get to see him driving to the rehab, where he works and in which a super-star of country music, Kelly Canter (played by Gwyneth Paltrow) is receiving care. They share their love of music and fall in love with each other too, though there is no sex scenes this far into the movie. He plays a few of his songs to her and she likes the music. She likes it that much that she, after having been written out too early from rehab in order to go on a tour, she convinces her hubby, Jimmy (played surprisingly well by Tim McGraw) that Beau should be the opening act.

At starters, Beau doesn't want to go. He likes playing in his honky-tonks and doesn't crave for fame. Finally he is convinced and it wouldn't be much of a flick if he didn't, would it?

Now for the catch! On the tour, a young, former beauty queen, who wants to start a career in country music, but freezes of stage fright every time she's supposed to go on, is to follow. This girl, Chiles Stanton (played by the beautiful Leighton Meester) has a beef with Beau, but you get the feeling that the feelings Kelly have for Beau are shared by Jimmy for Chiles.

What follows is a sort of A star is born for the early 21st century, only this time it's centered around four individuals and give the flick some time and you'll see how things change emotionally.

This is not just another romantic drama. It has a dark undertone that makes it an intelligent flick. Then, to us fans of country music, it has another dimension to it as well, which I think makes it worth watching. It's almost a comment on the country music scene of today, where Beau is the old fart and jackass and Chiles the typical pop-country starlet with no respect for the roots of the genré. At one stage, Beau is called "the new Townes van Zandt", whereas Chiles ask who Townes van Zandt is. That says something, not just about this movie, but about the country scene of today as it is.

I really liked this flick a lot more than I thought I would and I do not understand why it didn't run on Swedish cinemas.

It's not a masterpiece though and some times it gets a little bit predictable.

But all in all a good film with a good soundtrack. I'll give it 78,3% in rate of satisfaction! See it!

Film: "G.I. Blues"

/ TITLE: "G.I. Blues" / GENRÉ: Drama / FORMAT: DVD /

For starters, this film was made with full cooperation with the US Armed forces and at times it feels like a recruitment film more obvious than the Rihanna flick. Some might have a problem with this and to some extent, I agree with that worrying, cos war is no funny stuff. Still, I respect anyone willing to lay down his life for his friends and family, as the gospel says, no one has bigger love than anyone willing to do so.

The other thing, as this is an Elvis film, is that it's full of music and at times, you feel like watching a Bollywood movie. I don't mind, though, together with Hank Williams sr, Townes van Zandt and to some extent Wille Nelson, Elvis remains one of the best musicians ever and in his genré, he's still the king. No one has ever made better rock & roll than he did. In fact, the reason I bought DVD was not cos of the plot, but cos of the chance to hear him sing.

The plot, then?

Well, Elvis plays a young southern army man stationed in Germany and goes under the name "Tulsa 'Tulse' MacLean" and together with a few mates of his, he plans to start a night club in Oklahoma when he returns back home from European service. Only problem is that they need money to do so and they decide to make a bet.

In Frankfurt am Main, there is a place called Café Europa, where a young and stunning redhead dancer called "Lili" performs. She is sexy as feck, but cold like an iceberg on the inside. No man has ever taken her home. Our heroes raise 300 dollars to bet that Tulse can get lonely with her for a full night. At first, Tulse refuses, but he's talked in to it and after performing a song at Café Europa, he starts to melt Lili's heart and follow her home, but it gets an abrupt end when he discovers she has a room mate.

Anyway, they go on a date the next day and feelings start to arise. I'm sure you can guess what happens later. Tulse gets a bad conscience for seducing a woman he starts to fall in love with and things get complicated.

To be honest, most of the acting isn't that good and to today's audience, I'm sure it stands out as a bit schmalzy. Still, it's a decent flick and it's packed with good music. The funny thing is that according to the film makers, German gals are crazy about US troops, but there is no indecency, no filth and Lili never strips.

As I said, a good flick, not the best Elvis film I've ever seen, but decent. I'll give it 68,4% in rate of satisfaction.

Film: "Rio Grande"

/ TITLE: Rio Grande / GENRÉ: Western movie / FORMAT: DVD /

Alright, to start off, this film is probably very politically incorrect and won't go down well in some quarters. But then, again, films reflect their time and what politically correct today might be incorrect at another time and this film is full of evil native americans (who are obviously called "in'juns") and a stereotypical irish-american seargeant, who likes his drink and fights and don't think too much.

The other thing which really struck me about this film, which is from 1950, is how much plot and drama there is to it. Western movies were to that generation what action flicks were for me, growing up in the 80's/90's and John Wayne, who does an excellent job at playing the lead character, Kirby York, was to them what Arnold and Sylvester was to my generation. It's all boys movie, this one. The women are beautiful, the US cavalry rides good, shoots lethally and party hard, whereas the native americans are genuinely evil and can't shoot.

But the big difference between this movie and today's action movies is of course the plot. When you watch an action movie today, like the Bourne trilogy, you get loads of shooting and spectacular stunts, but not much of a plot. This film was made at a time when you hadn't the same budget or technique for special effects and so, the plot and amount of drama is important and you get action as well as a very and genuinely good seeing-experience.

The other thing which stands out in this movie is the fact that it's full of good late 40's/early 50's Americana music and even if you don't like the plot, at least you can watch the film for the music in it. And if you don't like that kind of music, why the hell do you read my blog?

The story goes as follow, colonel Kirby York, with the US cavalry has trouble fighting native americans of the apache nation. The apaches keep making deadly attacks against the fort commanded by colonel York and then they retreat into Mexico. York is sickened tired with this and wants to move into Mexico and them apaches down and kill the lot of them. He asks for reinforcements, but is in for a rude awakening when first his son, whom he hasn't seen for fifteen years, arrive as a volunteer and then his estranged wife appears at camp, with the intent of bringing her darling baby boy home.

You get, as I've said, a lot of plot to this movie and there is a romantic undertone in the drama all the way, but there is also action with a few fights and skirmishes before it all ends in the anticipated showdown with the apaches.

Wayne plays the usual character he always plays, a man of duty, but also of morals. He doesn't like what the decisionmakers in DC are up to, but he defends his country's interests.

I loved this movie and if you're into western movies, you'll love it too. There is no room, however, for the revisionist western fan, this is traditional, good vs evil.

I'd recommend it to all my readers. A good flick like this lands a flippin 78,3% in rate of approval!

Film: "King Creole"

/TITLE: King Creole / GENRE: Drama / FORMAT: DVD /

There is plenty of bs going on concerning films starring Elvis Presley. They're bad. He can't act. He sings all the time. I haven't seen many Elvis films, but I think the criticism is a bit unfair.

Sure, there's a lot of singing going on, but who sists down to watch an Elvis film without expecting him to sing? And as for his acting, hardly any oscar-winning skills, but he ain't THAT bad either and as for the film's qualities, I think there are some. It's a good story, actually, far better than many modern Hollywood flicks.

The story takes place in New Orleans. Elvis plays a guy called Danny Fisher, who lives with his sister and father, a father who can't seem to keep a job, which means Danny has to work as a bus boy in gents clubs owned by a guy called "Maxi", who owns every club in the red light district cept a place called King Creole.

One morning, Danny saves one of the girls from a beating by a drunk customer and comes too late to the last day in school which means he can't get his diploma. Instead of studying yet another semester, he drops out of school and ends up working with petty criminals led by a geezer called "Shark". They start shoplifting in a warehouse where Danny is the decoy, he goes into the shop singing, while the other lot nick jewlery. In this shop he meets a young girl called Nellie, whom he starts to date.

Through out the film, Danny is torn between the two women, the good christian girl Nellie and the girl he saved from a beating in Maxi's club, "Ronnie".

Anyway, words gets out that Danny can sing and he lands a job at King Creole. He is an instant smash and Maxi wants Danny back to one of his clubs, where he wants him to sing. Meanwhile, Shark has started to work for Maxi and when the two of them plan a robbery involving someone dear to Danny, the stage is set for conflict...

I liked this movie and I would recommend it to all Elvis fans. If for no other reason, then for the fact that it's full of classic Elvis tunes. And, as I said, the acting isn't really that bad and the storyline is good.

All in all, a good movie with good music, it gets a definite 82,7% in rate of satisfaction!

Film: "True grit"

TITLE: "True grit" / GENRE: Western movie / FORMAT: DVD /

The title to this blog is "A Swede on American Culture" and few things are as American when it comes to culture as movies are. I for one loathe modern Hollywood productions, but I think old movies like this one, the original with John Wayne in the lead, embodies Americana like Merle Haggard does.

Therefore, I have decided to branch out from just writing on music to write a bit on films as well.

The story is simple, classical western stuff, someone gets murdered and his family, in this case a young and angry daughter, seeks out revenge. The daughter, Mattie, is angry, but sympathetic all way through the movie. It's girl power decades before The Spice Girls. A bit of Loretta Lynn's Fist city embodied, though she remains a Christian young girl who refuse to accept her accomplices drinking habit.

The other lead part is played by the legend himself, mr John Wayne. Wayne plays "Rooster", a hard federal marshal and gun fighter, who drinks too much and shoots before he talks.

Rooster, Mattie and Labeef ( a Texas ranger) goes out on a manhunt to catch or kill a geezer called "Chaney", who was employed by Mattie's old man, whom he killed under the influence of alcohol. Labeef plays a slick, but deadly Texas ranger, who starts out courting Mattie, but she will have none of his antics and after a few conflicts, the three decide to hunt Chaney down together. Throughout the film, there a refreshing feeling of underlying conflict between the three.

I think this is one of John Wayne's better movies, cos it dives into controversial issues and "Rooster" is portrayed unsentimentally, when it comes to his drinking, as well as his habit of shooting first and asking questions later. Central to the film is the question of justice. You may point finger at me and criticise me, cos I am a pro-lifer and pro-death penalty kind of man. However, I think there should be justice done when someone has killed someone. True, the film is stereotyped and the bad guys are classical bad guys, but that doesn't matter. What matters is that this a film with a message of justice and that message never goes out of date.

This is not just one of the better John Wayne flicks I've seen, but also one of the best Western movies I've seen. Bleedin love it.

Therefore, a good, almost perfect flick gets 91,3% in rate of satisfaction!