Tag Archives: F. Murray Abraham

1976 Films, Biography, Political Thriller, Thriller

All the President’s Men-1976

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All the President’s Men-1976

Director Alan J. Pakula

Starring Robert Redford, Dustin Hoffman

Scott’s Review #1,544

Reviewed August 19, 2026

Grade: A

With the United States political landscape rife with corruption consistently since 2016, All the President’s Men (1976) takes viewers back to a simpler time when dishonesty was considered abhorrent.

It actually meant something in the political spectrum.

This is a sad reality when the truth doesn’t mean what it used to mean, and a sitting president can be a convicted felon, among other heinous actions.

But All the President’s Men does what it does best: remind audiences of journalism’s intended integrity and dedication to the truth.

Sadly, today, the media has become meek and complacent, in stark contrast to the characters in the film.

All the President’s Men is based on a 1974 non-fiction book written by the reporters featured in the film.

Two inexperienced reporters and rivals working for the Washington Post, Bob Woodward (Robert Redford) and Carl Bernstein (Dustin Hoffman), research the botched 1972 burglary of the Democratic Party Headquarters at the Watergate apartment complex.

With the help of a mysterious source, code-named Deep Throat (Hal Holbrook), the two reporters make a connection between the burglars and a White House staffer.

Despite dire warnings about their safety, the duo follows the money all the way to the top and then to President Richard Nixon.

The film is directed exceptionally well on all levels, from the acting and writing to the mood. Special credit goes to the editing team led by Robert J. Wolfe.

He also edited The Getaway (1972), which probably best exemplifies his exceptional style for viewers familiar with that film. The quick shots of the newsroom, typewriters, Washington, D.C., etc., all mesh together with the sound.

Screenwriter William Goldman crafts a crisp, intelligently nuanced script which takes the stereotypically mundane subject of investigative journalism and turns it into a crackling, enthralling experience.

Director Alan J. Pakula creates a somewhat frenetic pace, driven mainly by the quick clicking of a typewriter keyboard against the characters’ rapid movements.

The chemistry between lead actors Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman is terrific. Actors who appear to be opposites: Redford, suave and charismatic; Hoffman, awkward and mousy; the pair work well together to create a bond based on finding the truth.

Supporting characters flourish as well. Jason Robards as the reporter’s boss, Ben Bradlee, is gruff yet understanding of his journalists’ efforts.

Hal Holbrook, Jack Warden, and Jane Alexander are also key characters in unraveling the political scandal.

Holbrook, in particular, presents a mysterious vibe central to the entire story. As he lurks in the shadows for much of the film, this heightens the dark, secretive domino effect as the scandal comes to light.

In fact, the cinematography’s overwhelming dark atmosphere enhances the film as a whole.

The film is so well structured that numerous films released after 1976 patterned themselves around All the President’s Men.

Arguably, pairing well with Network, made the same year, the film influenced efforts like The Paper (1994), Zodiac (2007), and Spotlight (2015).

Fifty years after its initial release, which brought heaps of praise and accolades, All the President’s Men (1976) holds up exceptionally well as Americans still yearn for justice and the subject matter remains incredibly relevant.

Oscar Nominations: 4 wins-Best Picture, Best Director-Alan J. Pakula, Best Supporting Actor-Jason Robards (won), Best Supporting Actress-Jane Alexander, Best Screenplay-Based on Material from Another Medium (won), Best Art Direction (won), Best Film Editing, Best Sound (won)

Golden Globe Nominations: Best Picture- Drama, Best Director-Alan J. Pakula, Best Supporting Actor-Jason Robards, Best Screenplay

2018 Films, Animated, Comedy, Drama

Isle of Dogs-2018

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Isle of Dogs-2018

Director Wes Anderson

Voices: Bryan Cranston, Edward Norton

Scott’s Review #831

Reviewed November 15, 2018

Grade: B+

Anybody familiar with a Wes Anderson production knows what they are in store for, and Isle of Dogs (2018) is par for the course.

With zany narratives and fantastic art direction, the film has a familiar stamp. Most resembling his other notable stop-motion film, Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009), Isle of Dogs offers what is to be expected- an intelligent and odd project by a visionary creative mind.

Anderson provides the film with a timely, corrupt government-type message that strongly resonates in 2018. In this way, Isle of Dogs, while animated, is so much more than a cookie-cutter story or a wholesome film for kids.

The director shows bravery in focusing on the corruption prevalent in today’s world and the fight for justice by ordinary people living under authoritarian control.

Set in dystopian Japan, a recent outbreak of canine flu causes corrupt Mayor Kobayashi to banish all dogs from society to the vast wasteland of Trash Island, where they will live out their days with other ostracized canines.

A brave twelve-year-old boy named Atari, who happens to be the mayor’s nephew, steals a plane and crash-lands on the island to rescue his beloved dog, Spots.

With help from a pack of dogs led by a former stray named Chief, the group sets out to find Spots and ultimately expose the government conspiracy. Obstacles abound as the mayor has sent a robot dog to return Atari and make mincemeat of any dog in its path.

Meanwhile, a professor, Tracy Walker, is on the cusp of discovering a serum as an outspoken American exchange student investigating the conspiracy.

Isle of Dogs is incredibly original and offers bravura visuals. From the lush and bright Japanese culture to the tired and haggard look of many dogs living on the island, the film is a treat for the eyes. The shimmering richness of the city is elegant and feels alive and powerful.

What I admire most about the film is its creativity and the blast of left-of-center storytelling, which blows away most animated offerings of today.

Many contain a robust helping of “cute”, which can turn off a mature viewer. With a target audience of the tween age, what is in it for adults? To sit there with a youngster and pretend to be jovial?

Isle of Dogs is not a crowd-pleaser; it is better than that. Anderson crafts a serious and timely message that begs to be absorbed by the careful viewer.

Assuredly, Anderson cannot escape providing a subtle allegory on an evil leader stirring the pot against the most helpless in our society. This point is timely and well thought out, especially in the tumultuous United States.
Could this be why an American character (Tracy) was added?

As dynamic as Anderson’s creativity is, the story in Isle of Dogs does not always embrace the viewer, and the jarring dialogue is tough to follow.

Standard in his films, the pacing is strange, the conversations between characters are odd, and the film lacks a truly welcoming or warm quality.

Therefore, the film is not an easy watch. And the dogs all speaking English rather than Japanese, with American accents, must be overlooked.

Critics and detractors of Wes Anderson need not see Isle of Dogs (2018) as they will be in store for typical Anderson fare. In addition, those seeking a standard mainstream animated feature will be disappointed.

Those with a more open-minded approach to cinema will revel in the film’s stunning look and the powerful message bubbling under the surface.

Oscar Nominations: Best Animated Feature Film, Best Original Score

1983 Films, Crime Drama, Drama, Mob

Scarface-1983

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Scarface-1983

Director Brian De Palma

Starring Al Pacino

Scott’s Review #191

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Reviewed November 13, 2014

Grade: B

Scarface is a 1983 mob film directed by Brian De Palma and is an atypical film for the acclaimed director of several stylistic thrillers, including Dressed to Kill (1980), Sisters (1973), and Carrie (1976).

The subject matter centers on the mob and the world of drug trafficking, in this case, cocaine, a very popular, powerful drug that ran rampant throughout the 1980s.

Jealousy, greed, and deceit are common themes in Scarface, and the story focuses on a temperamental, cocky, and arrogant Cuban refugee sent to Miami by Fidel Castro a banish criminals from Cuba and ship them to the United States to survive on their own.

Tony Montana, played by Al Pacino, goes from dishwasher to crime lord by selling drugs and building an empire.

He manipulates, tricks, and makes enemies left and right, including stealing his boss’s girlfriend (Michelle Pfeiffer) and eventually falling into a troubled marriage with her.

He loves his financially struggling mother and sister, giving them money and opening a salon for his sister. Still, he also controls them, especially his sister, and is filled with rage whenever she attracts the affection of a potential suitor.

In his mind, nobody is good enough for her, and he is filled with machismo and over-protectiveness. Tony eventually self-destructs due to jealousy, rage, and heavy drug use.

I found the film quite compelling overall, but I kept thinking about how much it resembles a lighter version of The Godfather (1972), Part II (1974), and Goodfellas (1990).

I am fully aware that Scarface preceded Goodfellas, but when I first saw it in 2014, I had this initial reaction.

I also knew it must have influenced the creation of the popular NBC television series Miami Vice, which debuted a year or two after Scarface was released.

Elements such as crime lords, Miami Beach, and drugs mirrored the slick feel of the hit television drama, including its look, style, and fashion.

The performance of Al Pacino is problematic- in my view, this is not at all his best work.

For starters, his accent keeps going in and out, and I found him slightly unbelievable in the role. A phenomenal actor, but something about his performance didn’t sit well.

The musical score to the film is cheesy- almost shockingly so. Granted, this was 1983, but the silly dance beats that now seem to appear throughout seem completely dated sporadically.

Parts of Scarface dragged a bit; however, a sudden dramatic scene (the dismembering of Tony’s friend by mobsters and Tony’s meltdown in a fancy restaurant) more than makes up for the occasional lulls in drama.

Scarface (1983) is not on the level of other contemporary violent mob films, but fans of the genre will still enjoy it.

Golden Globe Nominations: Best Actor- Drama- Al Pacino, Best Supporting Actor-Steven Bauer, Best Original Score

2014 Films, Comedy, Drama, Independent, Independent Comedy, Independent Drama

The Grand Budapest Hotel-2014

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The Grand Budapest Hotel-2014

Director Wes Anderson

Starring Ralph Fiennes

Scott’s Review #143

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Reviewed July 30, 2014

Grade: B+

The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) is a witty, unique film by director Wes Anderson, who has also directed similarly quirky films, notably Monsoon Kingdom (2012) and The Royal Tenenbaums (2001).

The film recounts the history of the Grand Budapest Hotel over dinner, told by the current owner, Zero (F. Murray Abraham), and an inquisitive guest (Jude Law).

The film then flashes back to the 1930s and shares the hotel’s real history.

The main story centers on the head concierge, Gustave (Ralph Fiennes), and his antics involving older wealthy blonde women, a murder, stolen art, and a missing will.

Gustave is a ladies’ man and bisexual who spends time with the rich women who stay at the hotel.

Fiennes does an excellent job as the quick-witted, almost manic Gustave.

This sets off a series of interesting, mysterious events for the remainder of the film that turns into a whodunit yarn.

The visual aspects usurp the story. The art direction is amazing. The sets are constructed so perfectly and ingeniously that they almost look like animated sets or like a dollhouses.

The costumes and makeup are flawless.

The story can be tough to follow at times and isn’t as strong as the other aspects of the film, but that doesn’t mean it’s bad; it is entertaining, just not much more.

The other aspects of the film are magnificent, and the story is secondary. It’s an odd film, certainly, but unique and interesting.

Well-known Hollywood stars appear: Tilda Swinton, Edward Norton, Adrien Brody, Willem Dafoe, and Harvey Keitel.

Oscar Nominations: 4 wins-Best Picture, Best Director-Wes Anderson, Best Original Screenplay, Best Original Score (won), Best Production Design (won), Best Cinematography, Best Makeup and Hairstyling (won), Best Costume Design (won), Best Film Editing

2013 Films, Comedy, Dark Comedy, Drama, Independent, Independent Comedy, Independent Drama, New York City

Inside Llewyn Davis-2013

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Inside Llewyn Davis-2013

Directors Ethan Coen, Joel Coen

Starring Oscar Isaac

Scott’s Review #35

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Reviewed June 17, 2014

Grade: B+

Being a tremendous fan of the Coen brothers (Fargo-1996, No Country for Old Men-2007), I was eager to see their latest offering, Inside Llewyn Davis (2013).

The Coens have such a sense of quirkiness in their characters, and while this film isn’t on the level of their other gems, it’s still a good piece.

I love the cold, winter Greenwich Village setting as struggling folk singer Llewyn Davis (expertly played by Oscar Isaac) struggles over two weeks to land gigs or breaks, encountering many people who either thwart or help his chances of success.

Sadly, the film was ignored by the Oscar brethren, but it tells a slice-of-life story of a 1960s artist.

As with most Coen Brothers films, it is cast with unique, interesting character actors in a bit but nuanced parts.

Oscar Nominations: Best Sound Mixing, Best Cinematography

Independent Spirit Award Nominations: Best Feature, Best Male Lead-Oscar Isaac, Best Cinematography