davidwile Reviews

Angel Has Fallen (2019)

A Good Action Film

[7/10 · 26 April 2020]

Hey folks,

I like action films, but I can easily get tired of drawn out action scenes where explosions are too unrealistic, and overused. The whole thing with the bad guys having complete control over all communications was just too far over the top, and the worst thing for me was the ending where Mike and Wade are the last ones standing and Mike drops his rifle just to have a handgun shootout with Wade. This whole scene goes on forever and made me fast forward repeatedly until Wade finally bleeds out.

Now having said what I did not like about the film, I really must say I did enjoy it in spite of my criticisms. Nick Nolte was also a nice addition to the fare.

Best wishes, Dave Wile

In the Shadow of the Moon (2019)

Left Wing Time Travel Drivel While Under The Influence

[1/10 · 2 January 2020]

Hey folks, This a tale of humans walking off the left side of reality and certain they know what is best for all. Dave Wile

Shooter (2016–2018)

Just Too Bad to Review

[1/10 · 3 October 2019]

This program is beyond belief. It seems someone gets the idea that a "shooter" story of some sort could be somehow be made interesting by using the series arc formula to stretch it into an endless bunch of crap that makes you wonder about the human race and where it is going. There is nothing of worth here at all.

Designated Survivor (2016–2019)

How to ruin a good story...

[1/10 · 14 July 2019]

Hey folks,

Blow up Congress??? It made for an interesting story in the first season, and the episodes in the second season were also interesting. Sad to say, however, they killed it in the third season with their new found use of vulgar language which makes no sense at all. Then they decided to push the left coast wacko ideas, and that was just too far for me. In my case, I quit the third season after the third episode. All that crap is just boring.

Best wishes, Dave Wile

Enola Gay: The Men, the Mission, the Atomic Bomb (1980 TV Movie)

Enola Gay: "Based On A True Story" - But Filled With Inaccuracies

[5/10 · 4 February 2019]

Hey folks,

I have read many books and have seen many films about the Manhattan Project and dropping the atomic bombs on Japan. This film gets the chronological timing wrong in several places and uses comic relief when none is required.

Bob Lewis is portrayed as an old buddy of Paul Tibbets, yet I do not recall ever reading or seeing any documentation that would support such a relationship. Tibbets was portrayed as saying he wanted to pick his own men rather than the ones selected by his superiors. In fact, Tibbets did indicate that he wanted to make personnel selections, but that was probably no more than thirty men he had commanded previously. A few of the men I remember he selected included his radio operator, bombardier, navigator, and two other enlisted men who actually flew with him on the mission.

The 509th Composite Group consisted of about two thousand men, so his personally choosing less than fifty of the two thousand was no big deal. It seemed the director, the writers, and the actors had little or no knowledge about the Manhattan Project and especially the 509th mission details. It seems a shame this film falls so short in these details.

Best wishes, Dave Wile

Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries (2012–2015)

Why is promiscuity accepted as good fare for drama these days?

[7/10 · 10 October 2018]

Hey folks,

My wife and I both like the Phryne series. We enjoy the period costumes and the mysteries each week as well as the characters themselves. Having said that, I still cannot get past the problem that Phryne's promiscuity is sold as something to admire. It may reflect much of society today, but that does not make it admirable.

We continue to watch the series because we enjoy so many things in this period piece, so we just do our best to ignore the sad sexual escapades.

Best wishes, Dave Wile

The Hurricane Heist (2018)

Dumb, so dumb.

[2/10 · 10 October 2018]

Hey folks,

I watched this whole thing, and afterward I had to wonder how many brain cells may have been lost by watching it. One person praised it for all its action, and it certainly was action filled. However, the action was so dumb it was mind numbing.

Best wishes, Dave Wile

Murphy Brown (1988–2018)

Old & Moldy

[1/10 · 5 October 2018]

Hey folks,

Murphy Brown was quite enjoyable when it was new and fresh thirty years ago, but the show and it concept today is just old and moldy now. I watched the first two episodes and found them lacking in humor and just plain boring with its left wing drivel. The show certainly was left wing thirty years ago, but it was a funny left wing show then. Now it is just plain embarrassing to watch.

Best wishes, David Wile

The Resistance Banker (2018)

Very Good Story

[7/10 · 12 September 2018]

Hey folks,

As an American and unable to speak any language other than English, I rarely watch any foreign films. The story itself did seem interesting, and when I found the film on Netflix was in English and included subtitles, I thought I would at least give it ten minutes or so to see if I would find it worth watching.

While I knew none of the actors or others who produced this film, I did find the story to be quite captivating even though I did not understand the banking mechanics involved in financing the resistance. The acting was very good in my opinion, and I found I was able to navigate the story well enough with the English speech and subtitles.

If one is expecting an action-adventure film, one would be better off skipping this film. On the other hand, if one can appreciate a well paced film that tells a very good story, then this film does that quite well. I have always loved a good story.

Best wishes, Dave Wile

Too Late the Hero (1970)

Singing & Jabbering on Patrol in Enemy Territory?

[4/10 · 2 September 2018]

Hey folks, This could have been a good story, but the writers and director ruined any chance of that by their lack of realistic combat action. One does not require years of combat experience to know you avoid any noise while on patrol in enemy territory. From the time they started their patrol, they continuously were joking and singing like they were going to a party. That makes it very difficult to take this film seriously let alone get pulled into it.

Best wishes, Dave Wile

American Genius: Wright Brothers vs. Curtiss (2015) Season 1, Episode 2

Absolute Rubbish

[1/10 · 27 August 2018]

Hey folks,

This program is not a documentary in any sense of the word. It is really a fictional piece that goes from one error to another concerning the beginning of manned flight. For some reason the writers of this show seemed intent on the glorification of Glen Curtiss at the expense of the genius of the Wright brothers. This program is truly a waste of time which could be used in reading and watching many other source materials.

Best wishes, Dave Wile

A Horse for Summer (2015)

Just A Bad Film

[2/10 · 2 March 2016]

Hey folks, I can enjoy a good faith based film, but the key thing for me is the word "good." This film simply was not good. For me, a good film requires a good story and screenplay. This film's story could have been good, but the screenplay was terrible. The actors could have provided good performances, but their work was hobbled by the bad screenplay and bad direction.

Good faith based films are a welcomed respite from mindless foul language and just plain boring sex scenes that are so abundant in so many other films. This was just a poor attempt at making a faith based film.

Best wishes, Dave Wile

America's Secret D-Day Disaster (2014 TV Movie)

Very Interesting Subject Matter - Very Bad Reporting

[2/10 · 4 November 2015]

Hey folks, This is a very interesting show, but it is ruined with all the innuendo and open declarations of "cover-up" and other sinister accusations. Eisenhower is blamed several times for ordering the operation to be kept secret. Well, of course the operation was kept secret - it was a practice exercise just six weeks before the D-Day invasion.

Repeatedly during the show it is made to appear there were very sinister reasons for a discrepancy in the number of American soldiers and sailors killed in the exercise, and that just was not the case at all. One source reported some 600+ killed and another source later reported about 110 additional men killed. Later in the show, it was stated the 110 additional men who were reported killed in the exercise appeared to be a mistake - not some sinister plot.

As I stated earlier, this was an interesting show, but the whole "sinister hype" crap repeated throughout the show ruins what really is an important footnote to our D-Day preparations. Because of the interesting historical information, my initial thought was to rate this as five stars out of ten. After further consideration as to how much the sinister hype simply ruins the show, I decided a rating of two or three stars out of ten would be more appropriate.

By all means, watch the show just for its historical content, and try to ignore the all the sinister stuff thrown in by the producers. It is interesting to note that none of the actual veterans who were there made any part of it sinister. Yes, they were ordered to keep the exercise secret - especially considering the D-Day invasion was just weeks away. Of course the veterans reported their sadness at the loss of their comrades, but all of them recognized they were at war and the need for secrecy. It is a shame the producers of this show could not simply have told the story without adding all the phony drama about sinister plotting.

Best wishes, Dave Wile

Hill 24 Doesn't Answer (1955)

Great Subject But Not So Great Story

[3/10 · 20 September 2014]

Hey folks,

In over 60 years of watching American films, I had never heard of this 1955 film. When I recently read about this film and learned it was to be shown on Turner Classic Movies, I was looking forward to watching it for the first time. From my youth I have been interested in the establishment of the Israeli nation, so I was really expecting to find a great story in this film which was apparently the first film produced by Israel.

Sadly, the film simply does not tell a good story. It may seem unfair to compare this film to "Exodus" which was released in 1960, but "Exodus" really did tell a great story. This film contained four small vignettes within it where each vignette described a brief story about each of the four main characters. The four vignettes were not good stories on their own, and they did not come together to make a good story from the sum of their parts.

I know a lot of folks have expressed how good they thought this film was, but I have to wonder if many of these folks may sympathetic to the birth of Israel and thinking more with their hearts than their minds. I, too, have long been sympathetic with the birth of Israel, but this film simply did not do well at telling that story.

"Sword In The Desert" from 1949 tells a much better story about the refugees' struggle to enter Palestine, and "Exodus" tells a much better story which goes beyond that of "Sword In The Desert."

Best wishes,

Dave Wile

Desperado (1987 TV Movie)

Too Many Stars For All To Shine Brightly

[7/10 · 24 January 2013]

Hey folks,

This is the first of four Desperado films from the late 1980s, and the series of four are really pretty good oaters for those of us who like the western flicks. While they may not be on the level of Lonesome Dove and Open Range, they are a lot more exciting than many of the oaters I used to enjoy as a youth.

Alex McArthur's Duell McCall is exciting to watch as the good "bad guy," and Lise Cutter as his love interest, Nora, is very credible as well as being most easy on the eyes. Nora is also a good shooter and does not leave it all to the guys. In this first of the series, there are a host of well known supporting actors in the cast including: Donald Moffat, Pernell Roberts, Yaphet Kotto, Dirk Blocker, Robert Vaughn, and even Gladys Knight.

My only complaint is this show probably had too many stars for them all to shine as brightly as one might have wished. In spite of that, the Desperado series is a fun one, and all four shows are fun to re-watch every few years.

Best wishes, Dave Wile

Desperado: The Outlaw Wars (1989 TV Movie)

A Good Western With Excitement

[7/10 · 24 January 2013]

Hey folks,

The four Desperado films from the late 1980s really are pretty good oaters, and they are a lot more exciting than many of the ones I enjoyed as a youth. Alex McArthur's Duell McCall is exciting to watch as the good "bad guy," and Richard Farnsworth is also always a safe bet to create a credible character. McCall's love interest, Nora (played by Lise Cutter), is here once again and, as ever, is very easy on the eyes.

There have been very few reviews of the four films, and the forum boards for them have also had little written there. There are always negative comments made about any film, but these are pretty good westerns, and I would think more folks would be finding and reporting the same message.

Best wishes, Dave Wile

Shadowchaser (1992 Video)

This Really Is An Awful Film

[1/10 · 8 January 2013]

Hey folks, Another review was titled, "2.5????? u've gotta be kidding." I might have asked the same question. I think 2.5 was overly generous.

I like films, and I usually tell folks the reason I like a film is because it is a good story. This simply is not a good story. I never heard of the film until I saw it was playing on one of the Encore or Starz channels the other night. When I saw Meg Foster's name, I decided to record it in spite of what the storyline stated. I figured anything with Meg Foster was worth a look.

Boy, was I wrong. It just ruined my memories of Meg Foster. There is nothing here about needing to suspend your disbelief for the story. There simply is no story here. This film's story would make comic books seem like true classic literature.

Best wishes, Dave Wile

Combat!: The Flying Machine (1966) Season 4, Episode 24

Keenan Wynn Is Truly A Star

[10/10 · 22 October 2011]

While this episode may not be filled with a lot of shooting, Rick Jason and Kennan Wynn easily make a great show by playing off each other with great dialogue, timing, and character development. Of course the writer, Edward J. Lakso, should also be given his due for a good story and the fine dialogue he gave Jason and Wynn to perform so capably. The old worn out L4 observation plane also becomes an integral character in the show thanks to the way Jason and Wynn speak of it with almost human qualities. In his supporting role as the Frenchman Claude, Peter Brocco performs admirably. Brocco is no stranger to the Combat! series. In a 1964 episode he played another rural Frenchman in "The Long Walk."

Will Rogers' USA (1972 TV Movie)

James Whitmore Is Simply Great As Will Rogers

[10/10 · 22 October 2011]

Mr. F. Gwynplaine MacIntyre has already written an excellent and most informative review of Whitmore's "Will Rogers' USA" performance. Mr. MacIntyre states the show "gives some measure of Whitmore's talents and stage presence, but it says almost nothing about Rogers as a person or as a performer," and to that statement I would add a few comments.

Whitmore's performance in this production certainly did showcase his talent and stage presence as did his performances in his other one man shows noted by Mr. MacIntyre. I would disagree a bit with Mr. MacIntyre's premise that this show "says almost nothing about Rogers as a person or as a performer." While the show is not intended to be a biographical documentary of Rogers, I think it does a very good job of spotlighting the "look and feel" of Rogers as a performer. I have seen Rogers on film and listened to him on his radio shows, and it seems to me that Whitmore's performance captured the Will Rogers I saw and heard in film and on radio. Like the other reviewer of this show, Mr. Gary Levine, I am more inclined to rate this show at the high end.

Best wishes, David Wile.

Combat!: The Enemy (1965) Season 3, Episode 16

Robert Duvall's 1st Combat! Performance

[10/10 · 19 October 2011]

Robert Duvall made three appearances on Combat! ("The Enemy" - 5 January 1965, "Cry For Help" - 20 December 1966, and "The Partisan" - 14 Mar 1967), they were all good performances, and they were all good shows. Rick Jason as Lt. Hanley, and Robert Duvall as Karl are the quintessential protagonist and antagonist of drama, but one might reasonably argue which character is the protagonist and which is the antagonist. While there are five other characters in the show, they are purely supportive to Jason and Duvall who are the focus of the drama. As the two characters parry back and forth for the upper hand in their struggle to kill or capture the enemy, Duvall chooses to retire from the fight rather than take a chance on harming the civilian nun. As Karl essentially surrenders to Hanley, he tells the Sister, "You will always remember, Sister, that on this day, and on this place, you have deprived my Fatherland of one of it's most resourceful soldiers." Instead of ending the story there, however, the writers have Karl deliver one more line to Hanley which adds a nice flavor to the ending: "But, perhaps not Lieutenant, eh? There is still a little way to go before I reach your POW compound, nein?" Karl smiles at Hanley as they turn and go on their way. The last scene takes place on the arched bridge so familiar on many of the Combat! shows that were filmed on the MGM Backlot #2.