Genre: Drama, History, War

Year: 1961

Country: Italy, France, Yugoslavia

Rating:

Starring: Susan Strasberg, Laurent Terzieff, Emmanuelle Riva, Didi Perego, Gianni Garko

Director: Gillo Pontecorvo

My Review: A Criterion Collection selection - Excellent restoration. The film transfer was excellent, the sound very good. This black & white drama is a stark, neo-realist film by Gillo Pontecorvo (The Battle of Algiers, Burn!). Filled with contradictory characters, questionable politics and the harsh duality of reality. Here is a film set during WWII. The main character is a young (14 years old) Jewish girl, living in Paris with her family. Her world seems secure, until the Nazi's shatter her reality with a healthy dose of vulgar hate. While processing into a death camp, she escapes the fate of her parents by rejecting her religion, donning the facade of convicted felon, and worse - She becomes a symbol of those who oppress. She becomes a Capo. While others face torture and death, she exists in a fairly secure niche, as a traitor, or survivor? An outstanding character based drama, filled with poignant, harsh, and brutal dilemmas. The ending was outstanding. 4 out of 5.

Summary:

Genre: Drama

Year: 2008

Country: Japan, Netherlands, Hong Kong

Rating:

Starring: Teruyuki Kagawa, Kyôko Koizumi, Yû Koyanagi, Inowaki Kai, Haruka Igawa

Director: Kiyoshi Kurosawa

My Review: Excellent direction, but detestable writing (Screenplay and direction by Kiyoshi Kurosawa (Not related to Akira Kurosawa)). Aside from the youngest character, all the other characters are highly stereotyped Japanese archetypes. The acting was excellent, but the story was so boring that I almost slipped into a coma. The story - Japanese Salaryman loses his job, and he can't admit it to his ordinary family. This serves as catalyst for the primary plot points. Add in some small side stories and you have a recipe for boredom beyond description. The last twenty minutes of the film introduces some rather extreme, and frankly out of place, plot twists, but it's too late for this movie. The lighting and editing were excellent. It's unfortunate that so much talent - acting, direction, lighting, editing, production - was squandered on a story so boring. 2 of 5.

Summary:

Genre: Action, Crime, Thriller

Year: 1988

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: Bruce Willis, Alan Rickman, Bonnie Bedelia, Alexander Godunov, Reginald VelJohnson

Director: John McTiernan

My Review: A classic American action flick - A blockbuster with starpower and great lines. Bruce Willis plays John McClane; a kick-ass, take no shit New York cop. For Christmas he catches a flight to L.A. He's planning to spend the holidays with his wife and kids, maybe patch up his marriage, enjoy the smiles of his kids, and knock back a few cups of egg-nog. All those plans go out the window when a group of European terrorists decide to target the Nakatomi tower. The party-goers soon become pawns and hostages in this high stakes heist. There's just one problem - Hans didn't calculate the odds with one loose cannon in the works. John McClane shows these terrorists what one New York cop can do. Yipee Ki Yay, Mother… Great dialog, excellent pacing, editing and direction. The acting was o.k. but the action was the star. Thrilling, suspenseful, roller-coaster of action. 5 out of 5.

Summary: New York City Detective John McClane has just arrived in Los Angeles to spend Christmas with his wife. Unfortunatly, it is not going to be a Merry Christmas for everyone. A group of terrorists, led by Hans Gruber is holding everyone in the Nakatomi Plaza building hostage. With no way of anyone getting in or out, it's up to McClane to stop them all. All 12!

Genre: Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller

Year: 2009

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: Cameron Diaz, James Marsden, Frank Langella, James Rebhorn, Holmes Osborne

Director: Richard Kelly

My Review: This movie surprised me. The previews are misleading, and I was surprised to find a creepy sci-fi thriller, a touch of horror, some existential philosophy, and huge number of unanswered questions. Without spoiling the movie, the story starts out rather simple. Norma and Arthur are presented with a proposition in the form of a button. As explained by a mysterious man, "If you push the button, two things will happen. First, someone, somewhere in the world, whom you don't know, will die. Second, you will receive a payment of one million dollars. You have 24 hours." This initial premise is stretched into a rather convoluted X-Files meets Twilight Zone mystery. I thoroughly enjoyed the writing and direction (by Richard Kelly (Donnie Darko)). The acting was fine, and the period work (the movie is set in the late 70s (1976)) was excellent. The only let down is a less than coherent plot, which becomes unnecessarily cluttered with red herrings and misdirection. 3 of 5.

Summary: Norma and Arthur Lewis, a suburban couple with a young child, receive a simple wooden box as a gift, which bears fatal and irrevocable consequences. A mysterious stranger, delivers the message that the box promises to bestow upon its owner $1 million with the press of a button. But, pressing this button will simultaneously cause the death of another human being somewhere in the world; someone they don't know. With just 24 hours to have the box in their possession, Norma and Arthur find themselves in the cross-hairs of a startling moral dilemma and must face the true nature of their humanity.

Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Sci-Fi

Year: 2009

Country: USA, UK

Rating:

Starring: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Joel Moore

Director: James Cameron

My Review: The second time I saw this amazing movie. This time I went with Kim. She enjoyed it, but doesn't rate it as highly as I did. I think she's been poisoned by some co-workers. Here's a shocker - There's a group of 'Avatar Bashers' out there. They think themselves high minded movie snobs, decrying the movie for little more than it's popularity. I've heard their arguments, but I can't imagine why they don't admit the truth. This movie is outstanding entertainment. It's not a 'Fellini' flick, or deep thoughtful treatise on the state of current political affairs - or is it? With more layers than Saturn's rings, this movie actually offers all the deep stuff, then coats it in a sparkling blue candy wrapper. This movie isn't breaking records because it sucks, it's breaking records because its a visual feast with some substance. You may be offended by its success, but don't deny its appeal or brilliance simply because you can't abide a winner. This movie was filmed in 'RealD-3D', a technology which uses circularly polarized light to produce stereoscopic images. This technology allows viewers to tilt their head and look about the theater naturally with no loss of 3D perception. Amazing! As the movie got going, I found myself looking all over the place, exploring the limits of the screen, the environment of the movie. This visual exploration produced some feelings of disorientation, and I eventually decided to stop 'rubber-necking' and focus on the movie. Viewing the offered point of focus completely eliminated any disorientation. The 3D effects were truly spectacular, and they definitely added to the movies overall impact. Another technology featured in this movie was an advanced motion-capture technique. This technology transformed the cgi characters into highly realistic replicas of the real-life actors. I found the cgi to be flawless, so life-like that I completely bought it. Seriously. I've never seen animation that looked this life-like. I've actually seen some live-action movies that were more wooden and less life-like. The movie is a visually stunning smorgasbord. It sucked me in entirely, and the previously mentioned technologies were two of the reasons why I loved this movie. The story is an environmental, anti-imperialist, cultural-preservation treatise. Humans in the far future, have conquered space travel in order to seek out extra-terrestrial resources. The arrogance of might-makes-right is mixed with scientific curiosity and lip service to diplomacy. The Humans have 'invaded' the eden-like planet of Pandora in order to mine a precious resource - Something called 'Unobtanium'. The Humans are mining this mineral without regard to the native intelligent species of Pandora. The "Na'vi" are a tribal people with very strong ties to their environment. Their highly complex and evolved culture rebels at the presence of these invaders, but their 'technology' is primitive and ineffective in comparison to that wielded by the Humans. The Humans liaise with the natives by way of 'Avatars'. Bio-engineered blanks which perfectly mimic the "Na'vi" in physical appearance. These Avatars are mindless biological puppets, which Human 'drivers' control using a mind-melding, remote-control technology. Initially, the Humans use their Avatars to study the "Na'vi" and educate each other, but that changes when the military and company men decide to use these Avatars as instruments of diplomacy, espionage and deception. While the intentions of these 'corporate' minded Humans is rather clear, they didn't quite count on the drivers developing actual relationships with these primitives. When the Humans decide to disregard the natives in their quest for more Unobtanium, a clash of cultures and outright aggression threatens the "Na'vi" with genocide. The struggle is epic, glorious and I couldn't pry my eyes away from the screen. At nearly three hours long, the dark theater and 3D took their toll. I wish they had offered an intermission, as my eyes were badly abused by the time the curtain fell. At times the plot felt a bit over the top, a bit contrived, a bit preachy (the source of offense to those who bash the movie?). Despite this fact, the characters were believable, the environment completely engrossing, the effects sublime, and the setting amazing. The acting and direction were outstanding, and I found myself applauding (along with many other patrons) as the movie came to an end. Already set to overtake Titanic as the highest earning movie of all time (Worldwide earnings of $1.64b as of 18 Jan 10. Five weeks as number one at the box office), I will definitely buy a blu-ray copy, and this movie made me want more 3D. I rate this movie 5 out of 5. Two more 'Avatar' movies are likely, given the success of this initial effort.

Summary: In the future, Jake, a paraplegic war veteran, is brought to another planet, Pandora, which is inhabited by the Na'vi, a humanoid race with their own language and culture. Those from Earth find themselves at odds with each other and the local culture.

Genre: Action, Adventure, Crime, Mystery, Thriller

Year: 2009

Country: USA, Germany

Rating:

Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Rachel McAdams, Mark Strong, Eddie Marsan

Director: Guy Ritchie

My Review: This movie was purchased at Kim's insistence. She loved it. It was on my list (to watch), but I wasn't quite as impressed. Here's a re-imagination of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's detective series by Guy Ritchie (director of Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Snatch). Starring Robert Downey Jr. as Sherlock Holmes and Jude Law as Dr. Watson. This movie seeks to remake the genre as an action flick. This remake/reimagining is based on a Comic book by producer Lionel Wigram. The Comic book influence makes for great storyboarding, translated into great camera work, but the story is watered down when compared to the narrative of the original genre. I enjoyed the revised Watson character, but the new Holmes as a disheveled, pugilist, savant didn't quite meet with my approval. The pacing was quite brisk, and the HD (we bought the Blu-ray version) treatment was great. Unfortunately, the plot was rather transparent. Mystical bad man threatens to overthrow the British government using black magic. Holmes and Watson team up to thwart his dastardly plans. The level of intricacy was shifted from plot to background. The settings, props, and digital locations were all highly detailed, the plot wasn't. I liked the movie, but didn't appreciate the rather linear and uninspired plot. The ending was a clear set-up for sequels or a series. 3 of 5.

Summary: After finally catching serial killer and occult "sorcerer" Lord Blackwood, legendary sleuth Sherlock Holmes and his assistant Dr. Watson can close yet another successful case. But when Blackwood mysteriously returns from the grave and resumes his killing spree, Holmes must take up the hunt once again. Contending with his partner's new fiancée and the dimwitted head of Scotland Yard, the dauntless detective must unravel the clues that will lead him into a twisted web of murder, deceit, and black magic - and the deadly embrace of temptress Irene Adler.

Genre: Science Fiction & Fantasy

Year: 2009

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, John Cho, Ben Cross, Bruce Greenwood

Director: J.J. Abrams

My Review: Directed by J.J. Abrams (Alias (tv series), Lost (tv series), MI:III) - Writer, director, producer, actor, composer - He's done it all. Starring - Chris Pine (as James T. Kirk (the Starship Captain)), Zachary Quinto (as Spock (the new one)), Leonard Nimoy (as Spock (the original one)), Eric Bana (as Nero (the bad guy)), Bruce Grennwood (Capt. Christopher Pike), Karl Urban (Dr. Leonard 'Bones' McCoy), Zoe Saldana (Nyota Uhura), Simon Pegg (Scotty), John Cho (Hikaru Sulu), Anton Yelchin (Chekov), and others. I'm an old school Star Trek fan (going back to the original series when I was a kid), and I have to say that I've been dreading this movie. It would be very easy to screw this up. Very easy to take the wrong approach. This Star Trek movie isn't what I thought it was going to be. I thought it was going to be a prequel - It's not, and that makes me very happy. It's a brilliant new beginning for the franchise. It takes many elements; the characters, the technology, the adventure and the history. Then it creates a fresh start; new relationships, new technology, a bold new journey which launches the Enterprise into a new beginning for the franchise. An outstanding 're-imagining' by J.J. Abrams. The acting was pretty good for this junior cast. The best acting came from Karl Urban playing Bones, and Zachary Quinto playing the new Spock. The direction, camera work, music, soundtrack, effects and editing were all superb. It even contains many easter eggs for those diehard fans of the original series. The action and special effects were very well executed.

Summary: J.J. Abrams' 2009 feature film was billed as "not your father's Star Trek," but your father will probably love it anyway. And what's not to love? It has enough action, emotional impact, humor, and sheer fun for any moviegoer, and Trekkers will enjoy plenty of insider references and a cast that seems ideally suited to portray the characters we know they'll become later. Both a prequel and a reboot, Star Trek introduces us to James T. Kirk (Chris Pine of The Princess Diaries 2), a sharp but aimless young man who's prodded by a Starfleet captain, Christopher Pike (Bruce Greenwood), to enlist and make a difference. At the Academy, Kirk runs afoul of a Vulcan commander named Spock (Zachary Quinto of Heroes), but their conflict has to take a back seat when Starfleet, including its new ship, the Enterprise, has to answer an emergency call from Vulcan. What follows is a stirring tale of genocide and revenge launched by a Romulan (Eric Bana) with a particular interest in Spock, and we get to see the familiar crew come together, including McCoy (Karl Urban), Uhura (Zoe Saldana), Sulu (John Cho), Chekhov (Anton Yelchin), and Scottie (Simon Pegg).
The action and visuals make for a spectacular Big-Screen Movie, though the plot by Abrams and his writers, Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman (who worked together on Transformers and with Abrams on Alias and Mission Impossible III), and his producers (fellow Losties Damon Lindeloff and Bryan Burk) can be a bit of a mind-bender (no surprise there for Lost fans). Hardcore fans with a bone to pick may find faults, but resistance is futile when you can watch Kirk take on the Kobayashi Maru scenario or hear McCoy bark, "Damnit, man, I'm a doctor, not a physicist!" An appearance by Leonard Nimoy and hearing the late Majel Barrett Roddenberry as the voice of the computer simply sweeten the pot. Now comes the hard part: waiting for some sequels to this terrific prequel. --David Horiuchi

Stills from Star Trek (Click for larger image)

Genre: Crime, Romance, Drama

Year: 1986

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: Sean Penn, Christopher Walken, Mary Stuart Masterson, Chris Penn, Millie Perkins

Director: James Foley

My Review: Based on the true story of Bruce Johnston Sr., his son, and his brothers. In this movie (released in 1986) Christopher Walken plays Brad Whitewood Sr. a recently released ex-con. Sean Penn plays the Brad Jr., the tough, rebellious, son. Chris Penn plays Tommy, the younger, naive brother. When the boy's estranged father returns from prison in the rural suburbs of Philadelphia, they're drawn to his dark and dangerous persona. They make the mistake of associating with him and his gang. In addition to his interest in his father, Brad has just hooked up with a young love, (Mary Stuart Masterson (Age 20 playing 16 at release)) Terry does her best to keep Brad from getting too involved in his father's criminal activities, and Brad is pressed to choose between his father and the possibility of a new start with Terry. When the law starts to move in on Brad Sr.'s gang, the level of violence escalates, and the boys soon learn that their father is far more vicious than they had ever imagined. What started out as non-violent burglary and theft soon escalates to a murder spree as the FBI starts to close the noose around the neck of this notorious crime family. The acting by Sean Penn, Tracey Walter and Christopher Walken was awesome. The violence was a bit much, but the pacing and editing were outstanding. The editing was o.k. but the music was overly dramatic and oh so 80s (not well matched to the themes of the movie). In the end, the acting and story lifted this one to 4 out of 5.

Summary: A boy and his friends seek to join a mid-atlantic gang led by the boy's estranged father, unaware that his father's ruthlessness takes no account of family ties.

Genre: Adventure, Thriller, Horror, Mystery

Year: 1932

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: Joel McCrea, Fay Wray, Leslie Banks, Robert Armstrong, Noble Johnson

Director: Irving Pichel, Ernest B. Schoedsack

My Review: Released in the mid 30's, this movie presents an original theme (based on a short story by Richard Connell (published 1924) repeated often in films that follow (There are at least 18 movies that follow (listed in Wikipedia), all based on the novel). A yacht full of wealthy patrons crashes on the reefs off a remote island. The only survivor is adventurous American hunter. He makes his way ashore, soon discovers a large medieval castle and is taken in by the lord of the manor; A mysterious Russian aristocrat. Without spoiling too much of the movie, I'll tell you this. This movie presents the template for all those 'Hunting Humans' knock-offs that pit a blood thirsty, arrogant, sated antagonist against a group (or individual) of witless and unwilling 'victims' in a deadly game of 'hunt-and-seek'. This Criterion collection version was colorized, and it was great. The color was done very well, and I thought that the color added an ethereal quality to the movie. The acting was mixed; some silent/stage style, and some more modern. The acting by Joel McCrea was quite good. Fay Wray played a screaming, pretty, placeholder. Her acting was poor. The sets and props were awesome, the camera work well done and the music excellent. The editing was a bit off, and the 'end game' a bit long in coming. Running slightly more than an hour in length, this original thriller is definitely worth watching. 4 out of 5.

Summary: A cabin cruiser is shipwrecked off the coast of a remote island, and its three passengers manage to reach the island safely. The island is owned by a strange and enigmatic count who invites them to stay. But he has an underlying motive for his apparent generosity: Count Zaroff enjoys hunting--and he only hunts the most dangerous game: humans!

Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Crime

Year: 2006

Country: France

Rating:

Starring: Jean Dujardin, Bérénice Bejo, Aure Atika, Philippe Lefebvre, Constantin Alexandrov

Director: Michel Hazanavicius

My Review: A parody on the James Bond (OSS 117) series. This movie is set in the mid 50s and it features Jean Dujardin as a French Special agent. He's self-absorbed, a bit witless, but amazingly adept. In this episode OSS agent 117 is sent to Cairo in order to investigate the disappearance of Jack Jefferson another French agent. Agent 117 mixes it up with two female spys, Nazis, Russians, and a bevy of other crazy characters. The story is a bit shallow, but the laughs are deep. The humor is under-stated, extremely funny, and continuous. Agent 117 is an amazing character and Jean Dujardin is an amazing actor. The production value is outstanding and the editing fantastic. Direction and writing were extremely well done. Unfortunately, I doubt many Americans will watch this movie. I give it a 5 out of 5, and I'm adding it to my 'must buy' list.

Summary: A spoof on James Bond. It's 1955 and after a fellow agent and close friend disappears, secret agent Hubert Bonisseur de la Bath, a.k.a. OSS 117, is ordered to take his place at the head of a poultry firm in Cairo. This is to be his cover while he is busy investigating, foiling Nazi holdouts, quelling a fundamentalist rebellion, and bedding local beauties.