Genre: Drama, Thriller, Crime

Year: 1983

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: William Hurt, Lee Marvin, Brian Dennehy, Ian Bannen, Joanna Pacula

Director: Michael Apted

My Review: Cold-war soviets investigate a triple murder in Moscow. William Hurt plays Arkady Renko, the scrupulously honest police inspector. On a cold winter day, the discovery of three bodies with missing faces triggers an investigation into something more than simple murder. It's a complex mystery which reaches into the recesses of the KGB, City Government and a foreign smuggling ring. Brian Dennehy plays a New York city cop with his own agenda. The story is pretty good, but it's a little confusing. There were a few unanswered questions, and the plot was far to convoluted for the length of the movie (despite its 2 hr running time). The acting was pretty good, but the characters weren't very well developed. The direction was lacking but the production quality pretty good. 3 out of 5.

Summary: An investigator on the Moscow police force relentlessly pursues the solution to a triple homicide which occurred in Moscow's Gorky Park. He finds that no one really wants him to solve the crime because it is just the tip of a complex conspiracy which involves the highest levels of the Moscow city government.

Genre: Comedy

Year: 1984

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: Robert Carradine, Anthony Edwards, Timothy Busfield, Andrew Cassese, Curtis Armstrong

Director: Jeff Kanew

My Review: An 80's classic that really seems dated. I remember seeing this movie when it originally came out. I really loved it back then, now it seems very dated. A group of darkish nerds leave home to embark upon the great adventure that is 'Freshman Year of College'. Dad - another nerd - drops them off at the big campus in his paneled station wagon, and the boys settle in for their big adventure. As they soon discover, they are already pegged in one of societies scorned social castes - The are Nerds. Thankfully, they're not the only ones on campus. After they get kicked out of their dorms, the band together and find a new place to live. The rest of the movie follows these lovable nerds as they attempt to form their own fraternity, best the jocks, defend their honor and win a more worthy spot in the social hierarchy. While watching the movie, I was a bit surprised at how much full-frontal nudity was featured in the movie. If it hadn't been for the nudity, the movie could easily pass for PG-13. The casting was great and it worked well with this lightweight script. The music was one of the best things about this movie. I liked it, but I'm not what you would call a diehard 'fan' of this 80's classic. 3 out of 5.

Summary: When lovable nerds Gilbert and Lewis embark on their freshman year at Adams College, little do they realize the perils that await them. They're beset with taunting by the jocks of Alpha Beta fraternity, which only worsens when the jocks accidentally burn down their house and are forced toss the freshmen out of the freshmen dorm. To make matters more problematic, Lewis develops a crush on pretty Betty Childs, popular sorority sister and quarterback's girlfriend. Joined by the aptly named Booger and the violin-playing Pointdexter, the nerds soon realize they must form their own fraternity in self-defense. Soon the tables are turned as the nerds employ high-tech warfare against the jocks.... but can they really win and make a difference?

Genre: Adventure, Drama, Thriller

Year: 1945

Country: Japan

Rating:

Starring: Denjirô Ôkôchi, Susumu Fujita, Kenichi Enomoto, Masayuki Mori, Takashi Shimura

Director: Akira Kurosawa

My Review: An early film (1945) from my favorite director (Akira Kurosawa). Here's a movie based on a ancient Japanese Noh Play. A young feudal lord and his bodyguards escape from the murderous designs of a jealous brother. Disguised as monks, and a pair of porters, the group attempts to slip past the scrutiny of a border patrol. The acting by Kenichi Enomoto (as a mischievous porter) provides a measure of comic relief in this otherwise sober drama. Excellent script and fantastic direction given the limited production. Shows early development of Kurosawa's many themes. Well edited, perfectly paced and expertly balanced. Thankfully, this film is very well preserved. 4 of 5.

Summary: A fugitive lord and his bodyguards and followers, all disguised as monks, traverse a forest, where they must avoid capture and outsmart the border guards.

Genre: Drama, Mystery, Thriller

Year: 2010

Country: France, Germany, UK

Rating:

Starring: Ewan McGregor, Jon Bernthal, Kim Cattrall, Pierce Brosnan, Tim Preece

Director: Roman Polanski

My Review: A dramatic, political, crime thriller with excellent casting, pacing and slow, methodical pacing. Ewan McGregor plays a ghostwriter ( tasked with completing the memoirs of Adam Lang (played by Pierce Brosnan), a controversial wartime British Prime Minister. The previous ghostwriter died under mysterious circumstances and 'the Ghost' can't help but follow his investigative nature. After Lang is publicly accused of 'War Crimes', the Ghost's curiosity gets the better of him, and he soon begins to delve a bit too deep into the underbelly of this tortured Prime Minister. The investigation soon leads him on a merry chase after Lang's deep, dirty little secrets. Director Roman Polanski does a great job with the plot, but it's still a bit derivative. Very similar to the Ninth Gate, yet not quite as suspenseful. While Polanski lives in exile, so does the Prime Minister of this Hitchcock like suspenseful mystery. The film is set in the luxurious confines of a high-security estate on a remote island. Isolated off the East Coast (Martha's Vineyard?) of America, the location's stark environment adds much to the mood, tone and colors of the movie. The music, dialog and pacing all combined to create an excellent slow-burning mystery with an excellent - if slightly cliche' - plot. 4 of 5.

Summary: An unremarkable ghost-writer has landed a lucrative contract to redact the memoirs of Adam Lang, the former UK Prime Minister. After dominating British politics for years, Lang has retired with his wife to the USA. He lives on an island, in luxurious, isolated premises complete with a security detail and a secretarial staff. Soon, Adam Lang gets embroiled in a major scandal with international ramifications that reveals how far he was ready to go in order to nurture UK's "special relationship" with the USA. But before this controversy has started, before even he has closed the deal with the publisher, the ghost-writer gets unmistakable signs that the turgid draft he is tasked to put into shape inexplicably constitutes highly sensitive material.

Genre: Comedy

Year: 2008

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: Will Ferrell, John C. Reilly, Mary Steenburgen, Richard Jenkins, Adam Scott

Director: Adam McKay

My Review: While I like Will Ferrel (Playing Brennan Huff) and John C. Reilly (Playing Dale Doback), I've grown very tired of this movie. Without having seen it, I felt that I'd seen it many times. There were a few good lines in the dialog, but the plot was as worn as a used condom. A bit funny, but not all that funny. Judd Apatow produced this movie, directed by Adam McKay (who also did Anchorman and Talladega Nights). The casting was unoriginal, but so was the plot and writing, so I really wasn't surprised by the movie. The story - Parents of two middle aged 'children' get married, making Ferrel and Reilly into unwilling step-brothers. Their immature nature causes much strife to the new family. As they grow to know each other their relationship changes to help them grow as individuals. The plot and writing are horrid in a full length treatment. The writing would be better applied to a serial skit on late night TV (aka Saturday Night Live). The offensive language and treatment of disabled persons is egregious, not funny, and wears thin ten minutes into the movie. The more I see movies like this, the less respect I have for Ferrel's 'talent'. FYI: The menu's on this Blu-Ray disc were unusable. Clicking once resulted in a movement of two positions, and I was unable to access some of the features. Once again Blu-Ray sucks - The production of Blu-Ray discs has been nothing but disappointing to this 'early' adopter. 2 of 5.

Summary: Brennan Huff and Dale Doback are both about 40 when Brennan's mom and Dale's dad marry. The sons still live with the parents so they must now share a room. Initial antipathy threatens the household's peace and the parents' relationship. Dad lays down the law: both slackers have a week to find a job. Out of the job search and their love of music comes a pact that leads to friendship but more domestic disarray compounded by the boys' sleepwalking. Hovering nearby are Brennan's successful brother and his lonely wife: the brother wants to help sell his step-father's house, the wife wants Dale's attention, and the newlyweds want to retire and sail the seven seas. Can harmony come from the discord?

Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance

Year: 2009

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: Michael Cera, Portia Doubleday, Jean Smart, Zach Galifianakis, Erik Knudsen

Director: Miguel Arteta

My Review: Micheal Cera plays a 16 year old virgin living a rather oppressive life - i.e. normal. His existence is unremarkable, his love life non-existent, his prospects for success - Normal. Until, a chance encounter pushes him over the edge. His encounter with Sheeni Saunders (played by Portia Doubleday) triggers in him a change no one could have predicted. In a desperate bid to get noticed, he develops a secondary personality. Francois is the 'Bad Nick'. Francois pushes Nick to achieve, to do things he normally couldn't. It's all for a good cause of course - To get laid! What follows is a convoluted, twisted, teen-angst, coming of age comedy. The casting was great, but I don't think Michael Cera could possibly pull it off again. Playing a 16 year old is a bit of a stretch for 22 year old Cera. Portia Doubleday, also 22 years old, was a bit more believable in the role of 16 year old temptress. The characters were a bit pretentious, but I enjoyed the writing overall. It's a fantasy, it's a comedy, it's romantic, it's a drama. Very good movie - Way better than Step Brothers… 4 out of 5.

Summary:

Genre: Documentary

Year: 2005

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: Jen Bluestein, Cory Booker, Bill Bradley, Christopher J. Christie, Bill Clinton

Director: Marshall Curry

My Review: A political documentary - Really? Well, yeah. Who really wants to watch a political documentary? Well, I gave Kim a choice, and she said lets watch something that's been in your queue for a long time. The first few were French language, and she wasn't going for that. This one was next up. I must say that I was surprised. I had no idea that it would be quite this dramatic. Lying, cheating, scheming and backstabbing - It's American politics as usual. This movie follows the 2002 mayoral campaign of challenger Cory Booker as he takes on longtime mayor Sharpe James. It's a cutthroat slugfest of epic proportions. The documentary was extremely well edited and paced. It's engaging, dramatic, suspenseful and even a bit comedic. 4 out of 5.

Summary:

Genre: Drama, Comedy

Year: 2010

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: Greta Gerwig, Koby Rouviere, Sydney Rouviere, Chris Messina, Susan Traylor

Director: Noah Baumbach

My Review: Ben Stiller plays a 40-something burnout who can't seem to get his act together. After a recent nervous breakdown, Roger takes up residence in his brothers house. The family is on vacation in Vietnam, and Roger is taking the opportunity to reconnect with himself, old friends, an old flame, and his feelings. Struggling to 'Do nothing', Roger reluctantly tests his ability to cope on his own. Does a little dating, some dope, some ill-advised relationships… The characters - aside from the 'Florence' character (played by Greta Gerwig) - were all reprehensible, spoiled, self-indulged, rich folk. With very little development, we never connect with any character, and they all seem a bit shallow. The best acting goes to Greta Gerwig, followed by Rhys Ilfans playing Ivan (a friend of Roger's). The writing leaves us hanging as their really is no closure, no resolution, no hope that Greenberg might get his act together, get the girl, or get a clue. The film lacks focus and impetus. It's a boring, snooze-fest, with little reason to exist. The ending was oddly premature; occurring just before a possible redemptive moment. 2 out of 5.

Summary:

Genre: Documentary, Drama

Year: 2008

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring:

Director: Keven McAlester

My Review: Another D&D movie which points the lens at the less than 'normal' players in my favorite game. The director of this documentary has chosen to focus on three maladjusted social misfits in this entertaining documentary. Granted, any film-maker wants their work to be interesting, and the three 'Characters' he chose to represent D&D were definitely 'interesting', Unfortunately, this documentary skews the viewers point of view by selecting a trio of maladjusted dungeon masters to tell his tale. I've been playing D&D for several (since 1976) years, and I've met a few folks who didn't fit well in the normal social fabric. A few players who fit the stereotypes portrayed in this film. When it comes to gamers, those individuals are the exception and not the norm. This documentary, like others pointed at D&D, seems to suggest that all gamers are sociopaths, malcontents, tragic cases of social stigma. The documentary focused more on these social misfits and their dysfunctional lives than it did on the game or role-playing in general. It was a negative, condescending portrayal of D&D and those who play it. I was sadly disappointed. 1 out of 5.

Summary: An evil drow-elf is displaced by Hurricane Katrina. A sanitation worker lures friends into a Sphere of Annihilation. A failed supervillain starts a cable access show involving ninjas, puppets, and a cooking segment. These are the characters, real and imagined, of The Dungeon Masters: Against the backdrop of crumbling middle-class America, two men and one woman devote their lives to Dungeons and Dragons, the storied role-playing game, and its various descendants. As their baroque fantasies clash with mundane real lives, the characters find it increasingly difficult to allay their fear, loneliness, and disappointment with the game's imaginary triumphs. Soon the true heroic act of each character's real life emerges, and the film follows each as he or she summons the courage to face it. Along the way, The Dungeon Masters reimagines the tropes of classic heroic cinema, creating an intimate portrait of minor struggles and triumphs writ large.

Genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy, Family

Year: 2009

Country: USA, UK

Rating:

Starring: George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, Wallace Wolodarsky

Director: Wes Anderson

My Review: Screen play by Wes Anderson and Noah Baumbach. This movie is an adaptation of a novel by Roald Dahl. It's a whimsical, wonderful, fantasy. The adventures of one Fantastic Mr. Fox. Mr. Fox is having trouble facing the realities of raising a family. He needs to provide for his family, and he has to stay safe doing so, but he misses the adventurous days of his youth. Mr. Fox surreptitiously, then openly, engages in risky activities in a vain attempt to recapture that lost youth. When risks run a bit too high, and family members are endangered, Mr. Fox does his best to redeem himself, set things right, and repair the seriously tarnished trust of his family unit. A fine morality play discussed in animated animal costumes. The writing was amazing, balancing serious issues with a comedic execution and humorous characters. The animation was a joy to watch, and Anderson's film technique was clearly evident in the editing. The voice talent (George Clooney, Bill Murray, Jason Swartzman) was exceptional, the sound production so finely tuned that one might easily watch and comprehend this movie without any video. While the story had plenty of depth, the simplicity of it's execution keeps it light enough to be fine entertainment. I give it 5 out of 5.

Summary: It is the story of one Mr. Fox and his wild-ways of hen heckling, turkey taking and cider sipping, nocturnal, instinctive adventures. He has to put his wild days behind him and do what fathers do best: be responsible. He is too rebellious. He is too wild. He is going to try "just one more raid" on the three nastiest, meanest farmers that are Boggis, Bunce and Bean. It is a tale of crossing the line of family responsibilities and midnight adventure and the friendships and awakenings of this country life that is inhabited by Fantastic Mr. Fox and his friends.