THE CONQUEROR

We have Dick Powell to blame for this as usual. Singer-turned-actor-turned-director BS, etc. Why? We acknowledge the look of John Wayne's heavy eyes as he aged was definitely looking "Asian." He didn't even need makeup, just trim the mustache. So this probably came out of how The Duke looked then. But unlike Mel Brooks, Dick Powell doesn't advertise this as a comedy-spoof and that gets you the wrong audience. Jon didn't understand the sophisticated comedy, turned it off halfway. 

LAFAYETTE ESCADRILLE

You wonder if this is a personal true story because William Wellman wrote it and his son William Wellman Jr is in it playing a role named Bill Wellman. Lots of clues. 

William Wellman's last film. So widely hated by his surviving squadron pals that he asked Warner Brothers to take his name off of the picture. 

Note: young Clint Eastwood role. Just imagine unassuming Hugh Jackman. (You can't.)

Jon likes more ladies in cinema so doesn't see the flying ones. 

THE DEADLY COMPANIONS

Widely to be considered Peckinpah's early work. Jon doesn't bother with it? But says he "loves" Peckinpah almost as much as Rohmer and Sturges! >:-\

Well, the truth is available to all who find it. Peckinpah's TV show was canceled (The Westerner) and Brian Kieth's, who said to make this film with only Peckinpah. Lucky for them, it did.  

You will see in the photo some Irish heinie. Not for all tastes. 

IL SORPASSO

1962. Vittorio Gassman is the Manic Pixie Dream Boy in this car fiesta. Jean-Louis Trintignant as the stiff. Together an Italian awakening. Their irresponsible homoeroticism is enticing in B&W cinematography still looks stunning today. Also the film makes you think about retrograde sexual politics, i.e. how men dressed before cargo shorts. 

Jon is afraid of fast cars, gets him motion sick. 

L'UNGUENCE

The life-sense takes over, kind of French new wave at first. You get the poignant starting over feeling, reverberates through the image. The wind in the girl's hair, the way she squeezes and releases the pole (who didn't see that coming), something in the wet dream of Terrence Malick, like that time with Miranda Otto. So much to learn from these French people on the subway that can't be learned by Jon. 

COWBOY DEL AMOR

Jon thinks himself a connoisseur of the documentaries. But?

A "cowboy del amor" is the one who makes love match between Mexican woman and American man not suited to American woman's outspoken demands and longtime feminism rebellion that ruined most men. So they are interested in the Mexican woman cooking and cleaning instead. Back to the traditions of love, without the American woman problems. 

Jon never heard you could have this because he ignored the message of this film by not seeing it. 

INTIMATE AFFAIRS

Writers, thinkers, even filmmakers unite like an annoying superhero team in this movie about foreign sex talkers. Is Nick Nolte putting me on with this poo? (Not only his lines but he produced it.) Also known as the title "INVESTIGATING SEX." They talk about the girl's anus and other things to make you blush with your friends when your penis starts sitting up to watch. This is what sexy means for intellectuals like Jon: theoretical. Until everyone tears off the clothing because they are hypocrites. But if they just start with sex in the first scene, movie is too short because intellectuals go off too fast. So better talk a lot first, part of the instructivity of this film. 

Directed by Alan Rudolph (nee Smithee) you can see a mile away. But Jeremy Davies? Dermot Mulroney? Alan Cumming? Neve Campbell? Robin Tunney? Tuesday Weld? And lashed but not leashed NICK NOLTE?