* V for Vendetta: (2006 - Drama, sci-fi, action / U.S. U.K.) Screen-play by the Wachowski brothers (of the Matrix trilogy), directed by James McTeigue (assistant director on all three Matrix movies), starring Natalie Portman and Hugo Weaving. An explosive, action packed, sci-fi thriller which asks the question; "Are you afraid of your government?". The story is one of conspiracy, deceit, abuse of power, revenge and revolution. An oppressed people are inspired to revolution by a masked crusader intent on exposing corruption in the highest places. There is some incredible dialog in this movie. The sets, locations, and costumes create an eerie near future setting, that convinces viewers that this could happen in our life-time. Outstanding acting and editing. I bought a copy and I'm happy I did. 5 of 5
* King of California: (2007 - Comedy, drama) Written and directed by Mike Cahill, this first effort is a fine directorial debut for this writer. A Sundance feature, this movie starred Michael Douglas and Evan Rachel Wood in a surprising comedic drama. The story is a family friendly tale about father and daughter. Dad is released from the 'Hospital', and his daughter is there to bring him home. Michael Douglas plays the slightly unstable father. The mother is absent, and Evan Rachel Wood plays the daughter who dropped out of high school in order to support herself, while dad was in the 'hospital'. While father and daughter attempt to bind the wounds caused when he was institutionalized, his hair brained ideas threaten to tear them apart for good. The music and acting were great, and the writing splendid. While this movie was worth watching, it doesn't rise above the current crop of independent releases. 3 out of 5.
* * Star Trek - The original series - Vol. 40, episodes 79, 99 & 1: [Turnabout Intruder / The Cage]: I've been watching episodes of the original Star Trek series for the last couple of years. I watched it as a kid when I was growing up (Yow! that makes me... old?), I loved it back then, and I still love it. My friends and I used to pretend to be members of the 'Starship Enterprise', and this television series was a great source of imaginative exercise while I was growing up. The first episode on this disc was the last episode of the original series. The Enterprise answers a distress call from the planet Camus II, where the crew finds two scientists. One of them is a former lover of Kirk's. Dr. Janice Lester. In this episode, Dr. Lester switches bodies with Kirk, and then attempts to take over the Enterprise in the body of Kirk. A bit preposterous, but Shatner playing a woman in Kirk's body was a bit fun to watch. In a somewhat unusual plot predicament. This episode mentions the 'fact' that women cannot command starships - What? Come on, it's the 23rd century - Who left that line in the script? Also included on this disc are two versions of 'The Cage'. This was the pilot episode for the the original series. While the cage was never aired on television (during the original series run), it remains one of my favorite episodes. Jeffrey Hunter played Captain Christopher Pike, Leonard Nimoy played a very emotional Mr. Spock, Majel Barrett (as M. Leigh Hudec) played 'Number One' - The term returns in 'ST-TNG', and John Hoyt plays Dr. Phillip Boyce. The acting was excellent and the story was very sci-fi. Much more cerebral than many of the original series episodes. Now that I've finished watching all of the original series, I'm going to have to buy a copy. I'm going to wait until all the original episodes are restored, but that won't be long. With the new - old Star Trek movie due to air in Summer of 2009, I imagine that the the remastered Original Series will be available around that time. The original series gets a 5 out of 5, and that's my opinion.
* The Hill: (1965 - Drama, crime, war / U.K.) Directed by Sidney Lumet, this movie stars Sean Connery, Harry Andrews, Ian Bannen, Alfred Lynch, Ossie Davis, Michael Redgrave, and others in a fantastic drama. Sean Connery and four other prisoners are new detainees at a British military stockade in North Africa. While WWII wages outside, the men confined within the walls of this prison are facing a most sadistic enemy in their own country-men. The staff of this facility employs a punishment regimen designed to break the prisoners. To make them grovel, plead and beg for the chance to die at the front lines. While the staff does their best to humiliate, intimidate and dehumanize the prisoners, one prisoner (Sean Connery) is determined not to bend to their will. Seeking justice over punishment, he puts up with the unbearable heat of the Libyan desert, the cruel treatment of the guards, and the pitiless incline of 'the Hill'. While the story was relatively simple, the direction and acting were truly outstanding. An intense psychological battle of wills. A frightening story about the dehumanizing capabilities of man, when he is set on a goal of domination over his fellow man. The ending was excellent. 5 out of 5.
* September Dawn: (2007 - Drama, western, romance) This one was in Kim's queue, but I thought I'd give it a try. Despite the pitch on the jacket, this movie doesn't have anything to do with Sept. 11th (aside from a shared day on the calendar), and I find the use of that pitch to be a horrible marketing scheme. In 1857, a massacre took place in Utah. More than 130 men, women and children were slain by religious fanatics. When settlers set out on a journey to California, they make the fatal mistake of trekking through Mormon lands. In need of rest and resupply, they entreat the local populace for permission to rest for a few days. While the leader of the Mormons pretends hospitality, he is in fact stalling for time to incite seditious, cold blooded murder. He secures the approval of Mormon leadership, then sets about his bloody plan of mass murder - Unleashing the Mormon militia and a group of Paiute indians against the encamped wagon train. The Mormons succeeded in their massacre. Mixed in with this tense re-enactment of historical events, is a preposterous love story between a young Mormon man and a single settler from Arkansas. The locations were great, and the performances (by Jon Voight, Lolita Davidovich, Trent Ford, Dean Cain, Huntley Ritter) were good. Unfortunately, this otherwise historic epic is sullied by an unworkable and fairly unbelievable love story. 3 out of 5.
* Maxed Out: (2006 - Documentary) Written and directed by James D. Scurlock, this documentary presents a series of sobering facts, and ponders the consequences of our debt addiction. It also pointed to the vanishing middle class as a symptom of this country's credit crisis. Exposing the truth behind the lies of our financial industry's phony front. How their predatory lending practices target those least able to afford or resist their tempting offers. This movie did a good job of presenting the disturbing truth regarding the availability of credit, and the high cost of that credit. Unfortunately, I found it lacking in some respects. It really didn't explore how much we owe compared to our past debts, and it didn't really explore the laws, regulations or rules which govern credit in any detail. Does anyone actually know whether these financial organizations are operating legally? 3 out of 5.
* 21: (2008 - Drama) Kim and I saw this one in the theater. Starring a bevy of beautiful bodies (Jim Sturgess, Kate Bosworth, Aaron Yoo, Liza Lapira, Jacob Pitts), a few old timers (Kevin Spacey, Laurence Fishburne, and Jack McGee) and two geeks (Josh Gad, Sam Golzari); this movie was a fact-based story about the true story of MIT students who learned to count cards and took Las Vegas casinos for millions in winnings. I read an article about this group of students in Wired Magazine, before the book, before the movie. I found that article/the story fascinating, intriguing and captivating. The movie is based on the best-selling novel - Bringing Down the House, and I can easily imagine that the novel is much better than the movie. The location shots were great, the costumes sexy, the actors young and hot. Unfortunately, this movie felt far too polished to be believable. Taking artistic license a bit too far, the movie becomes a bit hard to believe at times (Beating up the card counters? No surveillance out front of the casino? Security can't spot the crossed arms? I thought they were supposed to keep a low profile? What happened to the "we don't know each other" premise? What was the point of including the disguises?). It was another one of your typical hollywood rise and fall stories, filled with predictable plot lines and cliched paper thin characters. The script was stale and predictable. It lacked the juice, intrigue and "beat the house" exhilaration, promised by the premise. It was fun to watch, but it really wasn't at all memorable or convincing. The lame twist and semi-sweet ending capped this movie with a big dollop, of 'god that was lame'. The best part of this movie? a single line of dialogue."Winner, winner, chicken dinner". You should definitely wait for the DVD. 2 of 5.
* Joe Kidd: (1972 - Western) Written by Elmore Leonard and directed by John Sturges (The Magnificent Seven, The Great Escape), Clint Eastwood and Robert Duvall star in this western modeled on Sergio Leone like characters. Clint Eastwood plays the reluctant 'outlaw hero', and Robert Duvall plays the 'Capitalist Heavy'. A social justice theme permeates the movie as Clint Eastwood hires out to help track down Luis Chama (played by John Saxon), a mexican civil rights crusader. Luis Chama leads a group of revolutionary land reformers into the county seat and burns the land deeds of white land holders. After this revolutionary act, Robert Duvall comes into town to hunt down Chama and his band of troublemakers. Eastwood starts out by initially refusing Duvall's offer to act as a guide, later on he hires on with Duvall, but quickly switches sides when this capitalists methods include cold blooded murder. With a weak plot and script, the action, acting and some of the oddball script mechanisms help hold this movie above water. A fair shoot 'em up, but nowhere near the caliber of other Eastwood westerns. 3 out of 5.
* Kontroll: (2003 - Action, drama, mystery, fantasy / Hungary) Wow! I was blown away. What a great movie! Written in part, and directed by Nimród Antal, this movie is a character based drama, with a little romance and a murder mystery mixed in. Filmed on location in the subways of Budapest and starring complete unknowns (to American audiences); the main characters are subway 'Kontroll' officers. Their job, eject the freeloaders and control the flow of passengers and trains. The subways are a place where all the citizens converge. It's a melting pot of drama where the characters range the gamut from mundane to murderous. I found myself riveted to the screen as this dark subterranean cinema careened past my retinas. My second time watching this movie - I have no idea why I waited so long! and now I realize a depth to this movie that escaped me the first time through. The characters here are far more complex, subtle and powerful than I first imagined. In the scripts refusal to reveal all, we are presented with an amazing opportunity to speculate on the identity of the killer, the fate of the primary character, and the true identity of the bear that turns into an angel. I will definitely look for more movies from Nimród Antal. 5 out of 5.
* Fast Food Nation: (2006 - Drama, documentary) My second time watching this movie. It was in Kim's queue, and we watched after dinner on a Sunday evening. I liked Dazed and Confused and A Scanner Darkly by Richard Linklater. Unfortunately, here he's taken a turn for the worse. This is one of those multi-threaded, many stories equals one movies. The kind I despise. The multi-threading treatment is something I just don't like. I feel that it confuses the viewer (for the most part), serves to fracture the movie at the expense of cohesiveness, sometimes acts as a substitute for coherent plot lines, and is in general, a remarkably bad way to write a movie. Now onto other things. O.k. this movie is based on a novel, but I can only hope that the book is much better than this adaptation. I'm somewhat liberal in my views, but this one was just a bit too left wing. Come on. How could the main character be shocked by the fact that there was shit in the meat? Come on, get real. There really wasn't much to go on in this movie. I can see reality this harsh when I watch the illegal immigrants working at the construction site across the street. Oh, the horror! This movie attempts to examine the health risks, environmental impacts and social ramifications of the fast food industry. As the different strings of the movie begin to draw together, we're treated to some mediocre acting, ridiculous dialogue, less than shocking revelations, and social commentary on the plight of illegal immigrants. Nothing shocking, nothing new, nothing revealed, other than the sad truths that we already know. Cattle are treated like animals, poop makes for a poor food additive, illegal immigrants get the shaft. No cynicism, no satire, no bite. This movie bit the 'big one' when it came to delivering on the premise. A drive by treatment of the drive through industry. 2 out of 5.
* The Prestige: (2006 - Drama, Fantasy, Thriller) An awesome movie that falls just short of brilliance. I left the theater feeling somewhat cheated. Directed by Christopher Nolan (of Memento, Following and Insomnia), this movie starred a very well cast group of actors: Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Scarlett Johansson, David Bowie, and others. The acting was superb. Especially the performance by David Bowie as Nikola Tesla. The costumes, sets and locations were incredible. The music fantastic, and the story was great. A competition in the vaudeville tradition of one-upsmanship. Two magician's compete against each other for the thrill of adulation. As the tricks get better, the crowds get larger, and the nasty tricks get rougher. As the competition escalates to murder, the tricks become other worldly, and the consequences more dire. The only let down in this movie was the 'reveal', or the ending. With a mystery spoiling exposition, all is revealed, and I left the theater feeling cheated. I wanted the mystery to continue. I wanted to walk away with my own conclusions, questions and suppositions. The ending of this movie prevented any such notion. Oh, by the way. The stuff about Nikola Tesla in Colorado Springs? It's all true. He lived there for a time, built a laboratory. Lit up Knob hill without the use of wires and who know what other experiments he conducted? 4 out of 5.
* Midnight Crossing: (1988 - Drama, crime, adventure, thriller) Intrigue, drama, deception. What starts out as a tropical vacation cruise on a chartered yacht, turns into murderous greed and a pretty good drama. In search of a buried treasure, just off the coast of Cuba, these two timing characters are prepared to stab each other in the back for two millions dollars worth of Rio Verde'. Starring Faye Dunaway, Daniel J. Travanti, John Laughlin, Kim Cattrall and Ned Beatty, this movie is filled with intrigue, action and double-crossing characters. Great suspense, and plenty of twists and turns grab your attention in this sexy Caribbean cruise. The acting wasn't the best, but the cast was well matched. The music/soundtrack was lacking, but the location and action shots were excellent. The direction wasn't very good, the dialogue was horrible, and there's a totally preposterous twist near the end of the movie. This movie could come off much better if it were remade. 3 of 5.
* The Woman in the Window: (1944 - Mystery, drama, romance, thriller) While this is credited as an American film, it was directed by the great Fritz Lang (Austria-Hungary), who had left Nazi Germany for Paris, France in 1933. In 1934, he emigrated to the U.S. Lang, a strong anti-Nazi Catholic, got out after the Nazi propaganda minister Josef Goebbels offered him a job as head of the German Cinema Institute - Making propaganda films. Aside from the pacing, his direction in this movie was very good. I felt that the movie moved a bit too slowly. Perhaps the lack of a decent sound-track contributed to that feeling. The acting was very good, but the story contained some plot elements, mannerisms and dialog structures, which felt oddly out of character in the film. subtle cues to the films ending I'm sure. It's very much a classic noir murder mystery, with the traditional characters. Actors included Edward G. Robinson, Joan Bennett, Raymond Massey and Dan Duryea. The suspense in this movie builds very slowly, the characters are trapped in a predictable path of romance, violence, and ultimate tragedy. The camera work was excellent, but it's the ending that makes this movie memorable. You've seen the ending many times before, but here it shines as something original, well crafted and justly implemented. 4 out of 5.
* * * Frank Herbert's Dune: (2000 - Drama, sci-fi, romance, action, adventure, fantasy) Made for TV. A Sci-Fi channel mini-series production. This particular version is the directors cut. Three discs and 295 minutes of viewing. It's a good thing I'm on vacation! I love the Dune series of books. The absolute best books I've ever read (including the novels by Brian Herbert and Kevin Anderson). This epic series manages to capture a small piece of the rich tapestry woven by those books. In a far, far, future, mankind has colonized the universe, conquered space, and become a highly evolved, highly specieized race of beings, inhabiting all manner of environment. Despite the technological, psychological and physical achievements of mankind, the universe is still ruled by corruption, intrigue and deception. In this futuristic vision of mankind's fate, an obscure desert planet and it's hardy desert dwellers become the focal point for an evolutionary change in mankind's struggle. As man teeters on the brink of a new dark age, one man becomes the fulcrum, destined to tip the balance one way or the other. The series fulfills the pageantry of Frank Herbert's vision. Populated with a rich, colorful palette of characters, some excellent special effects (considering the budget for six hours of production) and acting. The story is epic, dramatic, and powerful. I love it. 5 out of 5.
* The Darjeeling Limited: (2007 - Adventure, drama, comedy) Another one of those quirky adventures by Wes Anderson (The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, The Royal Tenenbaums, Rushmore, Bottle Rocket). Unfortunately, this one isn't quite as entertaining as his other movies. Starring Adrien Brody, Owen Wilson, Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, Anjelica Huston, and others; this movie had a great cast, awesome locations (shot primarily in India), excellent sets, costumes and props. The music was exceptional as well. The story - Three estranged brothers embark on a mystic journey across india aboard the 'Darjeeling Limited'. They're on a mystic, healing journey, to reunite with each other, their feelings, and their last remaining parent. This comic drama features some great acting, and typically (per Wes Anderson) witty dialog. The characters are quirky, and the plot pleasingly disjointed. The story was the only problem with this movie. It was far too long and drawn out. A very slow moving affair. Pleasing to the eye, amusing, and touching. At the same time, the film's overall impact is unremarkable and not very satisfying. 3 out of 5. Included on the disc is a prequel titled 'Hotel Chevalier'. Starring Jason Schwartzman and Natalie Portman. This 13 minute short featured a nude Natalie Portman and some great music. This short, like the feature length movie itself, is extremely languid, slow, pointless and numbing to watch. On the other hand, you get to see Portman naked, and that is well worth it.
* Alien: (1979 - Horror, sci-fi, thriller) The second movie by Ridley Scott (a favorite director). This movie features Tom Skerritt, Sigourney Weaver, Veronica Cartwright, Harry Dean Stanton, John Hurt, Ian Holm and Yaphet Kotto as the crew of the deep space mining freighter 'Nostromo'. The crew is awakened early, in order to investigate a distress signal. The crew follows the distress signal, descends through a thick and turbulent atmosphere in order to investigate a derelict space ship. What they find in the ships hold is something deadly, something dangerous, something alien. My all time favorite horror movie. This movie created a dark mood, a claustrophobic horror flick that chilled me to the bone. This is one of those movies where I just couldn't get to sleep afterwards. I must have jumped out of my seat a hundred times. The music, the lighting, the sounds, the story, the Monster! This movie scared me more than the exorcist. The work of H.R. Giger, the colors, costumes, textures, sweat, and violence created a world of fear that the crew couldn't escape from. This is the kind of movie that makes your heart quiver in your chest, you're breath comes in shallow spurts, and the adrenalin runs rampant through your bloodstream. I felt like a train wreak after watching this horror masterpiece! 5 out of 5.
* Say Anything: (1989 - Drama, comedy, romance) Written and directed by Cameron Crowe (Vanilla Sky, Almost Famous, Jerry Maguire), this is the directorial debut by this talented writer, director, producer, actor. Here's a formulaic teen angst romance. The story arc is your typical hollywood plot, but the acting and characters shine as bright as the best of it's genre. John Cusack plays Lloyd Dobler - underachieving, nice guy. Ione Skye plays Diane Court - the unattainable, beautiful, brain trust. School is out, the character's have just graduated from high school, and they're on the verge of their adult lives. Going against the grain, Lloyd decides to ask Diane out on a date. She says yes, and the story is swings full into your heart. A fantastic cast (even if Ione Skye's acting was a bit flat), great music, and a wonderful story. One thing that makes this 80's teen romance different is the attitudes of the characters. They're thoughtful, intelligent and caring. In my opinion, a very accurate portrayal of an adolescent relationship. As unique as any typical story about teen romance can be. Some of the best parts of this movie. Sixty four, no - make that sixty five songs about Joe. They're all about Joe. They're all about pain. That, and the 'What are you going to do?' speech by Lloyd Dobler.

"I don't want to sell anything, buy anything, or process anything as a career. I don't want to sell anything bought or processed, or buy anything sold or processed, or process anything sold, bought, or processed, or repair anything sold, bought, or processed. You know, as a career, I don't want to do that."

Needless to say, the dialog was great. This is one of those all time great teen romance movies. Up there with Sixteen Candles, Pretty in Pink and Some kind of Wonderful. The closing sequence, on the airplane is outstanding. It encapsulates the entire motif of the movie, and ends on a very positive note. The entire movie can be described by two lines of dialogue - Diane: Nobody believes that this is going to work do they? Lloyd: You have just described every great success story. I give it a 5 out of 5.
* Company Business: (1991 - Drama, action, espionage, comedy?) Here's another one of those crappy Comcast on Demand movies. Uggh! Who does the programming for these free movies? Do they get a discount for bad movies? Written and directed by Nicholas Meyer (Time after Time, Star Trek II - The Wrath of Khan, Star Trek VI - The Undiscovered Country). While watching this movie, I got the distinct impression that it was supposed to be something of a comedy, but it wasn't funny in the least. Starring Gene Hackman, Mikhail Baryshnikov (The Russian ballet dancer!), Kurtwood Smith, Daniel Von Bargen, Geraldine Danon, Michael Tomlinson, and many others. The casting was terrible. Gene Hackman performed poorly (for Hackman), but his performance was still better than everyone else combined. What the heck was Mikhail Baryshnikov doing in this movie? The rest of the cast, and it was a pretty big cast, were second rate actors, giving second rate performances. The story was a highly cliched CIA spy story. CIA wishes to do a spy swap, so they call in an old-timer (Sam Boyd, played by Gene Hackman). Sam is recruited by the CIA to conduct a prisoner exchange in Berlin. When the exchange goes wrong, Hackman and his prisoner (Baryshnikov) go on the run. Out in the cold, they struggle to launder some drug money, outwit the combined forces of the CIA and KGB, and escape to some tropical island before the bumbling spy masters catch them. The story is full of ridiculous plot holes, crazy crisscrosses, preposterous propositions, and cliched characters. The paper cut-out characters play evade and escape throughout the movie, dodging the bumbling spy masters, jumping out of windows, engaging in shoot-outs, blowing things up, etc. The best part of this movie was the locations, historical aspects (filmed during the collapse of the Soviet Union) and Hackman's lackluster performance. 2 out of 5.
* Company Man: (2000 - Comedy, historical / France U.K. U.S.) I own this little gem. I have no idea how I found this movie, but I love it. Poor ratings at IMDB aside, this original movie had a fantastic cast - Douglas McGrath, Sigourney Weaver, John Turturro, Anthony LaPaglia, Ryan Phillippe, Denis Leary, Woody Allen, Alan Cumming, Paul Guilfoyle and others. The story is a clever, historical farce. A 'Man who knew too much' spoof. Allen Quimp (Douglas McGrath) is a driver's ed' teacher at a 1960's high school. In an effort to confound his nagging wife and in laws, he tells them that he's secretly a CIA agent! With that little white lie, Quimp soon ends up involved in a twisted plot of CIA involvement in Cuba's Bay of Pigs invasion. As this grammar stickler tries to play his hand at international espionage, we're treated to a preposterous 'What If' spoof. The script is very clever, and the dialog is full of tightly constructed inside jokes for history buffs. If you're ready for a laugh, you can't miss with this laughable look at international espionage. 4 out of 5.
* Nature of the Beast: (1995 - Horror, drama) Starring Eric Roberts and Lance Henrisksen, this horror movies is a very suspenseful thriller. Adrian (Eric Roberts) and Jack (Lance Henriksen) meet when Jack picks up a hitch hiker. The two men are caught up in a co-dependent circle of deadly secrets. As they travel cross-country, neither one can seem to shed himself of the other. As the eventual confrontation mounts, the viewer is taken along for the ride as these two try to outrun the deadly secret of "The Hatchet Man". Roberts and Henriksen do a great job playing opposite one another in this suspenseful horror flick. The lighting, pacing and color work are perfect in this movie. In the end, it's the ending that elevates this thriller above the blood soaked carpet of the genre. 3 out of 5.
* Dan in Real Life: (2007 - Comedy, drama) Written (in part) and directed by Peter Hedges, this movie featured Steve Carell, Juliette Binoche, Dane Cook (can't act), Alison Pill and others in a very well written, acted and directed comedy. Plan to be surprised - You will be. A serious drama with comedic flourishes. This movie isn't one of those 'stupid' comedies and it's not your typical romantic comedy. It's a loveable family friendly movie about the unexpected surprises of the heart. Steve Carell plays a Widower who's trying to cope, control and raise his children - Three girls! Things get complicated when they go on vacation at the parents place. Something unexpected happens - Love! It's complicated, complex and laughable. The characters are close, caring and complete. It's a tear jerker, a knee slapper, and a heart warmer. Excellent acting from Steve Carell and the rest of the cast. Features a fantastic sound track as well as some excellent locations and sets. Looking for a good date movie? Here's an excellent candidate. Much better than the ads. 5 out of 5.
* All the King's Men: (1949 - Drama, thriller, historical) Here's the original version of a story about Huey Long. Written (based on a novel by Robert Penn Warren) and expertly directed by Robert Rossen (The Hustler). This movie starred Broderick Crawford, John Ireland, Mercedes McCambridge, John Derek, and others in an very well acted spotlight on the dramatic story of Willie Stark. (Huey Long in disguise) Willie is a hick who takes on the system. Railing against the corrupt machine that is down home politics. This man (played by Broderick Crawford) won't be the patsy to the slick and corrupt "good ol' boys". Here's a tale lost on today's crop of politicians. A tale of corruption, power, the promise of politics, and man's weakness. The acting in this movie was outstanding. The locations added immeasurably, but it's the cautionary tale of real politic that's the real star of this explosive drama. Much better than the remake. 4 out of 5.
* CQ: (2001 - Sci-fi, drama, comedy, fantasy) Written and directed by Roman Coppola (Son of Francis Ford Coppola), this is the directorial debut (first feature film direction) for this experienced director. He's done plenty of work in other films; acting, writing co-directing, producing. Here he shines with a witty, charming and expressive film within a film. The story. In the late 60's a young American film maker is struggling to 'be' film. He works long hours, struggles to maintain a relationship with his girlfriend, and gets ignored at work. When the director of a recent b grade sci-fi production get's a bit too distracted by the movie's beautiful star, he's sacked by the producer. A flamboyant party favor takes over, but he bows out after an accident. Our aspiring directors steps in and does his best to complete the project. He too becomes distracted by the super sexy, secret agent, Dragonfly and his efforts to end the film with artistic flair are threatened. This is a movie for people who love movies, the technical aspects, the behind the scenes drama as well as those hidden gems that don't impress the teaming masses. It's quirky, filled with fantastic in period acting, some great low-tech special effects, thoughtful direction, and wonderful camera work. The sound track was excellent, as was the lighting, pacing and color work. The distorted fantasy, reality bending, slightly out of focus aspects of this film are complemented by it's 'film within a film' ethic. An instant avant-garde cult classic. Excellent acting by Jeremy Davies, Angela Lindvall, Élodie Bouchez, Gérard Depardieu and others. I will buy a copy, and expect that the rating will rise as I enjoy repeat viewings. 4 out of 5.
* The Nuclear Comeback: (2007 - Documentary / New Zealand) Watched this documentary on Comcast on Demand. Thankfully, it wasn't quite as bad as my usual experience with Comcast on Demand. Here's a documentary produced for New Zealand television. This 75 minute film takes the viewer on a world-wide tour, exploring nuclear energies pros and cons. While it doesn't use a hiliter, I found the answers I was looking for. Interviews, some excellent video (inside a Chernobyl control room), and thoughtful, provocative questions, help the viewer draw their own conclusions. The production quality of this movie was excellent. The movie had a very well executed look and feel - professionally done. While nuclear energy is scary and expensive, it just might be the solution we're looking for. Or is it? While this documentary was very well done, it stopped short of drawing any specific conclusions (that was a good thing), but it's overall flavor was biased. Unfortunately, the short film left out some details regarding the costs and effectiveness of nuclear power. 3 out of 5
* Cry Freedom: (1987 - Biography, drama, historical / U.K.) A Comcast on Demand selection. Directed by Richard Attenborough (The Great Escape, The Sand Pebbles, A Bridge too Far, Ghandhi). Filmed on location in South Africa (and Lesotho), this movie is based on the real-life Apartheid experiences of South African journalist Donald Woods. It's based upon his books and writings. Starring Kevin Kline, Denzel Washington, Penelope Wilton and others. I love historically based movies, and here's one that's chock full of all the drama, tragedy, victory and suspense that makes for real history. The movie tells two stories, one is the story of Donald Woods (played by Kevin Klein), a white South African who does what he can to bring about the end of Apartheid. The other story is that of Steve Biko (played by Denzel Washington (One of his best performances)), a black South African who does his best to unite the country by bringing social justice to all South Africans. This movie did an excellent job illustrating these two points of view. Despite the expository nature of the film, it didn't play out like a documentary. It was suspenseful, dramatic and powerful. Denzel and Klein gave excellent performances. Together they helped bring the story to life. 4 out of 5.
* From Beyond: (1986 - Horror, sci-fi) I've been a fan of the H.P. Lovecraftian Cthulhu mythos for quite some time (going back to the 80's), and here is one of the most powerful movies in that genre. Yes, an entire genre dedicated to this very small niche. Lovecraftian horror speaks of unutterable names, hidden horrors, other worlds, dark places best left unexplored by the mind of man. Directed by Stuart Gordon, From Beyond takes one of H.P. Lovecraft's novels to the big screen. The story - a pair of scientists have finally succeeded. They've opened the door. Their sonic resonator stimulates the pineal gland, allowing those in the resonance field to see the beings in that other dimension. Inhabited by strange and hostile creatures, their interaction with occupants in our world is less than welcome. As our group of daring scientists interacts with these beings from beyond, they find that their minds and bodies are being altered. Exposure to this far realm is twisting their very souls. Fantastic story, cheesy special effects, great music, poor acting, great direction. Best line from the movie? "Humans are such easy prey". I give it a 4 out of 5.
* Where Eagles Dare: (1968 - Action, adventure, drama, war / U.K. U.S.) This movie features some fantastic location work. Shot on location in the Bavarian alps, the sets, scenes and actual snow captivate the viewers senses, indulging a fantastic adventure in the heartland of Nazi Germany. Directed by actor/director Brian G. Hutton, this movie starred Richard Burton and Clint Eastwood in an action packed adventure. The story is a convoluted, hidden affair of secret agents infiltrating a Nazi stronghold - The Eagles Nest, in order to rescue a captured American general. Eastwood and Burton lead a team of men and women into the heart of Bavaria against all odds. Dressed as German soldiers, they parachute into the mountains, trek through the snow covered alps and make their way into the impregnable fortress. Once they're inside the tables turn and were treated to an entirely new story! Fantastic sets, props, costumes and locations. The acting by Burton and Eastwood was top notch, but the story was a bit convoluted. I rate it 4 out of 5.
* Lars and the Real Girl: (2007 - Drama, comedy) Excellent story. Written by Nancy Oliver (Writer for Six Feet Under TV series - Nominated for an Oscar with this screenplay) and directed by Craig Gillespie (also directed Mr. Woodcock). Starring Ryan Gosling (from The Notebook), Emily Mortimer, Paul Schneider, Kelli Garner, Patricia Clarkson and others. Two of the uncredited stars - Bianca Jogadaparasemesma and the location. The solemn, lonely yet stalwart town in Ontario, Canada is a perfect setting for this movie. Ryan Gosling plays a socially maladjusted young man. Incapable of interacting with other people, he desires a relationship and emotional closeness, but can't cope with the real complexities of the real-world. When his mail-order bride arrives, his family and friends are shocked. Bianca is a 'Real Doll', but she's not really real, is she? Instantly in love, Lars and Bianca are inseparable, their deep meaningful relationship allows Lars an outlet to express his desire for intimacy on a level beyond the physical. When things start to turn sour, the town, his family, friends and a small town doctor all work together to help Lars work through his relationship problems - be they real or imaginary. It's a deep, emotional, and extraordinary movie. With sincere sentiment and comedic flourishes, the audience will love these characters and the thoughtful treatment of emotional disorders. Rewarding, daring and very entertaining. 4 out of 5.
* Death on the Nile: (1978 - Crime, mystery, drama, thriller / U.K. France, Germany) Based upon an Agatha Christie mystery novel. This movie featured a great cast (Peter Ustinov, Jane Birkin, Lois Chiles, Bette Davis, Mia Farrow, Jon Finch, Olivia Hussey, George Kennedy, Angela Lansbury, Simon MacCorkindale, David Niven, Maggie Smith, Jack Warden and others) set sail down the nile on a great 1930's paddle boat - The S.S. Karnak. It's a classic murder mystery whodunit - Agatha Christie style. Nearly everyone on board hates the beautiful, spoiled, rich girl, but who killed her!? Assisted by the stalwart sidekick, can inspector Poirot sleuth out the culprit before they reach port, before more of the guests are murdered!? Filled with great location shots, a fantastic set (the reproduced paddle boat) and some splendid acting, this movie is a romantic interlude, filled with mystery and a little suspense. Unfortunately, the story is a bit flat and the twists are less than shocking. 3 out of 5.
* Team America - World Police: (2004 - Comedy, satire, action) Brought to us by the pair responsible for South Park (Trey Parker and Matt Stone) Every single scene in this movie is a satirical masterpiece. The lines were truly works of art. The juxtaposition of crude, rude, and raunchy humor, with the staid expressionless contempt of puppets. Genius! The technical aspects of this movie were truly astonishing. It seemed to me that everything was done by hand. No animation or computer graphics here folks. The puppet work and intricate sets were truly outstanding. This movie was so funny, it left me gasping at times. The plot? I really could care less. Some silly, satirical thing about terrorists, led by Kim Jong Il, wanting to blow up the world! Team America is a group of overzealous freedom fighters, intent on making the entire world 'safe'. The point is the counterpoint. Truly libertarian satire, which smirks at the heavy handed State of current affairs. Thank god someone can laugh at terrorism, I'm getting awful tired of inspecting my vehicle for 'suspicious devices' (that's an inside joke). "Maaatt Daaamon" I own the uncensored and unrated version - Yes the puppets do the 'nasty'. Hard to watch, but hilarious at the same time. If you like South Park, you will love this movie. 5 out of 5.
* They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (1969 - Drama, historical) Directed by Sydney Pollack, this movie is set in Depression era early 1930's. An out of work drifter and hollywood dreamer hook up for a dance marathon. This movie is a fantastic drama where the characters are the focus. A large cast (Jane Fonda, Michael Sarrazin, Susannah York, Gig Young, Red Buttons, Bonnie Bedelia, Michael Conrad, Bruce Dern and others) star as the desperate contestants in a grueling marathon (During the Great Depression these dance marathons lasted several months!), where the promise of free food, medical care, and a big cash prize draws in all sorts of characters. They're all down on their luck, desperate, hopeful and heroic. The sponsors of the contest are contemptible promoters, interested in one thing only, sponsorship dollars and ratings. They'll do anything to promote the biggest spectacle in town. Two primary characters dance their way through this hopeless, heart-breaking movie. With high hopes and aspirations, they're intent on winning the grand prize, and a chance to lift themselves out of this 'Depression'. Despite the excellent writing, direction and acting (nine oscar nominations - one win), this movie ends in an unsatisfying way, spoiling the experience. I can easily see the return of these 'dance marathons' in the form of a reality show. In a sad parody of reality, it's ready made drama for prime time exploitation. FYI - The title really has nothing to do with the movie. 3 out of 5.
* In the Name of the Father: (1993 - Biography, drama, historical / Ireland, U.K.) I was truly surprised by this movie. Directed by Jim Sheridan, this movie is based upon the autobiographical book "Proved Innocent", written by Gerry Conlon. The story (of the Guildford Four) is historically significant - A small time thief from Belfast is falsely accused, and convicted of an IRA bombing that kills several people. The British police and justice system have become blinded by their fervor to end 'Terrorism'. The government recently passed a sweeping anti-terrorism law, granting the police broad sweeping powers, and the police are going to make an example of these IRA terrorists. Their patriotic fervor has all but blinded them to justice. Unable to see the difference between right and wrong, they justify their actions with the caveat 'We're at war!' When Gerry's family come to his aid, they're all convicted along with him. This 'support network' is guilty by association. The true story aspects are thrilling, engrossing, and frightening. Here's a plot that seems to be based more on the current climate of America than 'The Troubles' of Northern Ireland and the IRA. As Gerry and his father fight for their freedom, a lone British attorney takes up the challenge of reversing the wrongs committed by her government. Starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Emma Thompson, Pete Postlethwaite, John Lynch, Corin Redgrave, Gerard McSorley, Tom Wilkinson and others. This movie was nominated for seven oscars back in 1994, and I'm really surprised that Daniel Day-Lewis didn't win for best actor (Tom Hanks won for Philadelphia). The acting in this movie was just as powerful as the story. The editing was far above par, and the direction was pretty good. Truly outstanding movie. 5 out of 5. Comcast wins Kudos for these last two movies. It's a chore to sort the wheat from the chaff, but Comcast's on Demand has a few gems to keep it afloat.
* The lost skeleton of Cadavra: (2004 - Comedy) A spoof on 1950's sci-fi movies. This little gem had me rolling on the floor. It was incredibly funny. The lines! Oh my god. Whoever wrote this knew what they were doing. The cast were complete unknowns, but that was a good thing. The set and locations were perfect. The film style was extremely well done. A scientist and his 'scientists wife' are investigating a meteorite. An evil-scientist is trying to revive the lost skeleton of Cadavra, and a pair of stranded aliens must refuel their space-ship and recover their mutant. Put all these characters together for dinner and watch what happens! It wasn't just a funny movie, it was also a well crafted parody/homage. Incorporating time tested B (for Bad) movie film techniques, and directing style. This one was well worth the watching. Days later, I find myself describing the movie to friends, and falling over with laughter at the comic genius of this movie. I give it a 5 out of 5.
* The Call of Cthulhu: (2005 - Horror, thriller) This 46 minute film is a work of art, a labor of love, an homage to classic horror, and a splendid effort in praise of the golden age of cinema. Filmed in a retro style, this black and white, silent film does more for the horror treatment of H.P. Lovecraft's novels than any cgi or big budget production could ever hope to achieve. Starring a large group of relative unknowns, the film is the star of this story. H.P. Lovecraft's most famous novel is the subject of this film. The hidden, dark, mysterious secrets of an ancient race of evil beings. Living deep beneath the sea in an unspeakable state of suspended animation, could the dreams and ravings of a fanatic cult bring them back into the lives of men? What horrid mysteries lay entombed upon the broken rocks of an uncharted island? What sinister secrets will be revealed in the journals of mad, raving men? Men who've given up on the light, men who've been committed to the insane asylums of a cautious society? Set in the 1920's, this low budget movie blends modern editing techniques with the classic charisma of silent cinema Excellent use of German expressionist techniques. The interstitial narrative tells a tale of dangerous exploration, of reckless decisions and ancient horrors. Dripping with dread, mired in mystery, and ripe with thrills, this movie was true to the story, ethic and period of the Cthulhu mythos. 4 out of 5 for those who know the name of the unspeakable one... H.a.s.t... I dare not!
* Tron: (1982 - Action, adventure, sci-fi, thriller) Written in part and directed by Steven Lisberger (who never really amounted to much in this industry), this ground breaking movie (nominated for two oscars) was produced by Disney. The story is a good vs evil tale which takes place in real-space and cyber-space. Starring Jeff Bridges, Bruce Boxleitner, David Warner, Cindy Morgan and others. The actors played real-life people and computer programs in the 'matrix'. While the real life characters do battle with a tyrannical capitalist (who stole code to advance himself over a talented coworker), the computer programs do battle with the 'Master Controller' a computer program which seeks to put all programs under its control. Its quest to eliminate all independent programs mirrors the real-life plans of 'Dillinger'. As the battle escalates, Jeff Bridges real-life character is 'digitized' and sucked into the 'matrix' by the Master Controller. In this cyber world, he does battle with characters that are anthropomorphized computer programs played by various actors. As they struggle against agents of the 'Master Controller', they are cast in the role of being 'inside' a video game. What a great premise. The retro 80's special effects were very video arcade in style, and they worked well in this movie. So well in fact that they manage to create a cyber-universe that is at once absorbing and wholly believable in its context. The story was simple yet subtle. Some of the dialog was beyond the grasp of its audience (back in 1982), and as a result, it flopped in the box office. Thankfully, the brilliance of its shine has survived all these years. Great movie. 4 out of 5.
* The Pawnbroker: (1964 - Drama) Directed by Sidney Lumet (12 Angry Men, The Hill, Serpico, Dog Day Afternoon, Network), starring Rod Steiger in a command performance. Rod Steiger plays Sol Nazerman, a holocaust survivor, a hollow shell of a man. Full of bitter, repressed rage, he manages to survive by making himself numb to the crumbling, crime ridden ghetto (New York's Harlem in the 60's) where he operates his pawn shop. As the current climate and his own actions begin to resemble the horrors of his concentration camp experiences, he starts to suffer flash-backs which trigger an inner conflict he must resolve. Will he allow himself and his family to suffer the same injustices he experienced all those days ago in Nazi Germany, or will he wake up and act to prevent another personal holocaust? Steiger's portrayal of a man suffering with inner strife is outstanding. The film work, acting, editing and sound work were all excellent. This is a slow motion trip into Sol Nazerman's personal hell. Painful to watch, but immensely rewarding in the excellent performances. 4 out of 5.
* The Producers: (1968 - Comedy) Written and directed by Mel Brooks. His first feature length direction won him an oscar (Best Screenplay/Writing) and launched him on his way to Hollywood stardom. While the screenplay was fresh and entertaining, it wasn't original (damn!). The story; Zero Mostel stars as Max Biyalistok - a down on his luck producer who hasn't had a hit in years. Max is surviving by feigning romantic interest in his elderly female fans (producers have female groupies?). While Max is bilking the wealthy geriatrics, he strikes up a unlikely partnership with an accountant. Leo Bloom is played by Gene Wilder (oscar nominated for best supporting actor). Leo concocts a brilliant plan, a surefire way to earn piles of money. Make a flop. When your movie flops, you don't have to pay back the investors. So simple it can't fail. Leo an Max raise a huge pile of cash, and produce the 'sure to flop' musical - "Springtime for Hitler". At this point, you can only guess (I'll give you one chance) what happens when the play opens on broadway.. Lot's of energy, and great chemistry mark this comedic movie. It's funny, light hearted and entertaining. I give it a 3 out of 5.
* The Seven Samurai: (1954 - Action, adventure, drama / Japanese - Shichinin no samurai) Black & White movie with English subtitles, written (in part) and directed by Akira Kurosawa, this movie is a magnificent piece of cinematic art. Fantastic acting, great direction, great choreography, outstanding music, and a terrific story. This movie has been remade a few times, most notably as The Magnificent Seven and a fistful of dollars. Another version is due out in 2009. Don't fall for the remake(s), the original version is the best. 17th century Japanese farmers live a hard life - Taxes, forced labor, drought, crop failures, and then there's the bandits! When the villagers learn of yet another raid, they consult the village elder. They can't fight the bandits, they can't give them their grain, they can't afford to pay off the bandits - they'll just come back again next season. What will they do? Under instruction from the 'Grandfather', they search out samurai who will fight for them. With only food to offer, it's tough going, but eventually they locate an honorable ronin with a big heart. A man who sympathizes with their plight, and pledges to defend their village. This veteran samurai then recruits additional warriors to join the cause. Five more join willingly, and another joins for reasons of his own. Together, these seven samurai do their best to ready the villagers defense. When the ripened barley is harvested, it's time to wait for the inevitable confrontation. Can seven samurai and a group of farmers stand against 40 bandits? Must watch drama, action and adventure. A great epic. A classic. This movie started me on a path of director appreciation. Before this work, I used to follow actors not directors. That all changed after I saw two movies by Akira Kurosawa. I give this one a 5 out of 5.
* When Worlds Collide: (1951 - Drama, fantasy, sci-fi, thriller) Excellent, cinematography (color work) and special effects mark this fantastic, sci-fi, thriller. What a story! Earth is Doomed - Everyone is marked to die on a specific date. On a collision course with a rogue star, mankind's fate is sealed - unless... Unless the scientists can convince the politicians that their prediction isn't some sort of publicity hoax. I don't want to give away too much more of the plot, but I will say this - It's a classic sci-fi tale, containing space ships, scientists, impending doom, hope for a new start, and a thrilling pace as the ending approaches. The special effects were really good. For a movie made in 1951, some of the effects and sets were excellent (Won an Oscar for effects/special effects) The acting - not so good. This group of B-grade actors made me cringe when they delivered their lines. The direction was a bit better, but Rudolph Maté didn't do much to improve this picture. Excellent in-genre selection, great dramatic story, and outstanding effects. Scheduled for remake in 2008? I give this classic tale a 4 out of 5.
* Them!: (1954 - Sci-fi, horror, drama) A 50's monster film. This one involves a classic sci-fi, horror, theme - Radiated giant insects on a rampage! These mutant ants threaten the American southwest. The location shots and black and white camera work was great. Starring a great cast; James Whitmore, Edmund Gwenn, Joan Weldon and James Arness (who bears an uncanny resemblance in stature, features, mannerism, and speech - to John Wayne), the acting was very 50s. A bit over-dramatic, but fairly well acted. The acting of Sandy Descher as The Ellinson Girl was very good - Until she opened her mouth. Unfortunately, she was saddled with some poor dialog. Screaming hysterically, her lines were... "Them! Them! Them!" One particular scene reminds me vividly of the Alien series. Three people wearing fallout suits and gas masks descend into the underground lair of the giant ants. They're equipped with flame throwers, and they're on a 'bug hunt'. As they repel down into the oddly contoured tunnels (very Gigeresque), one of them remarks on how the walls are cemented with saliva. If this isn't inspiration for Alien and Aliens, I don't know what is. When they finally find the 'egg chamber', we're treated to a scene where there are several large egg casings. You can even make out movement inside one of the semi-translucent egg casings. As some of the eggs are unhatched, the leading female scientist then instructs them to destroy all the eggs. "Now, burn it." "What?" "I said 'burn it'. Burn EVERYTHING!" Following that command, they spray the eggs with white hot purifying flames. Throughout this movie, I couldn't help but draw comparisons (favorably) to some of my favorite films - Alien and Aliens. The little girl that I mentioned earlier is also featured in Aliens. Newt is a clone of the catatonic Ellinson girl, she's even carrying a doll when she's found. The windswept desert of Them! is present in the newly colonized planet in Aliens. The ants and their hives are obvious inspiration for the drones and queens of the later Alien films. The atomic 'What-If' theme featured in this movie was the progenitor to an entire genre of 'radioactive' monster movies. Although the special effects in this movie were primitive, the production value (in general) was very high. The sound production and sound effects really helped this movie. The chirping noises that the ants made were very creepy. I can imagine myself isolated in a windswept desert at night, if I heard that noise I would probably shit a brick! A great movie all around - I just notched up my rating from 3 to 4. Easily.