Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller

Year: 2009

Country: UK

Rating:

Starring: Michael Caine, Emily Mortimer, Charlie Creed-Miles, David Bradley, Iain Glen

Director: Daniel Barber

My Review: Set in a low income South London neighborhood, Michael Caine delivers a powerful performance in this crime thriller. Michael Caine plays Harry Brown, an aging pensioner enjoying his retirement. This former Royal Marine has few friends, his wife is terminally ill (in the hospital) and his kids never call or visit. When the local hoodlums begin to harass Harry's friend he's concerned, advises Leonard to go to the police… When Leonard ends up dead, Harry takes a journey into a dark place. A place where his military instincts rule, and the police can't follow. It's a gripping thriller, and Michael Caine's performance was excellent. The pacing and character development were perfectly handled. The direction and casting were outstanding. This isn't your typical crime thriller. Michael Caine doesn't play a super-human crime fighter. It's realistic, gritty, and violent, but the tale is authentic, believable and gripping. Oscar Worthy. 5 of 5.

Summary: In England, the retired mariner Harry Brown spends his lonely life between the hospital, where his beloved wife Kath is terminally ill, and playing chess with his only friend Leonard Attwell in the Barge bar owned by Sid Rourke. After the death of Kath, Len tells his grieving friend that the local gang of hoods is harassing him and he is carrying an old bayonet for self-defense; the widower suggests him to go to the police. When Len is beaten to death in an underground passage, Inspector Alice Frampton and her partner Sergeant Terry Hicock are sent to investigate. They pay Harry a visit but don't have good news; the police have not found any other evidence, other than the bayonet, in order to arrest the hoodlums. This mean that should the case go to trial the gang would claim self-defense. Harry Brown sees that justice will not be granted and decides to take matters into his own hands.

Genre: Drama, Romance

Year: 2008

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: Dustin Hoffman, Emma Thompson, Eileen Atkins, Kathy Baker, Liane Balaban

Director: Joel Hopkins

My Review: Dustin Hoffman and Emma Thompson star in a feel-good, romantic drama. Hoffman plays Harvey Shine. A struggling ad-man who writes jingles for commercials. Thompson plays an unmarried woman, working her life away in a cubicle. When the two meet by chance - in London - they strike up a lightning fast romance that frankly, leaves this viewer perplexed. The pacing was all wrong in this movie. The romance develops and comes full circle in the span of a weekend. The circumstances of the romance are wedged in to coincide with the marriage of Harvey's daughter. The direction was fair, but the script left much to be desired. The acting by Hoffman and Thompson was good, with Thompson's character making for a better performance. The cast was filled out with shiny happy people, and this movie felt far to superficial to warm my heart in any genuine way. I liked it, but only marginally so. 3 out of 5.

Summary: Harvey Shine is in London for the weekend for his daughter's wedding. His work in New York preoccupies him: he writes music for ads, and he knows his boss is pushing him aside for younger talent. With family he's also on the sidelines - long divorced, his wife remarried, her husband closer to his daughter than he. His path crosses that of Kate Walker, unmarried, her life becoming that of a spinster, set up by friends on blind dates leading nowhere. After Harvey's no good terrible day, he chats Kate up at a Heathrow bar. She's not interested. Where can this conversation lead? Back at his daughter's reception, the step-father rises to give a toast.

Genre: Action & Adventure

Year: 2008

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow

Director: Jon Favreau

My Review: Another comic book adaptation. Thankfully, this one is done right. Directed by Jon Favreau (Swingers, The Replacements, Elf) and starring Robert Downey Jr. (as Tony Stark/Iron Man), Terrence Howard (as Rhodey/The General), Jeff Bridges (as Obadiah Stane), Gwyneth Paltrow (as Pepper Potts) and others. Robert Downey Jr. and Jeff Bridges were excellent. Utterly convincing in their roles. The character portrayed by Robert Downey Jr. was fantastic. I really enjoyed the slightly annoying, imperfect, self-absorbed anti-hero aspects of Tony Stark, and Robert Downey Jr. was a casting coup in that regard. Given Downey's personality, I got the feeling that he was Tony Stark. Terrence Howard was unbelievable in his military role, and Gwyneth Paltrow was so-so. The story - Capitalist, billionaire, playboy, inventor, self-made man - Tony Stark is kidnapped after demonstrating the 'Jericho' to an audience of U.S. military procurement personnel in Afghanistan. During the violent abduction, Stark is wounded but survives. Forced to build the 'Jericho' for his abductors, Stark deceives the dimwitted terrorists and builds a suit of powered armor instead. After affecting his escape, he learns the truth behind his kidnapping and the sales of weapons in Afghanistan. He then builds a new suit and sets off on a career of crime fighting, starting with those who sought to use and assassinate him. Excellent movie. Great sound track, and a level of visual detail beyond anything I've seen in a long time. The cgi/screen effects were superbly executed - utterly convincing. A great summer blockbuster escape. The only let down was the soundtrack. It was good, but the trailers left me anticipating something better. Be sure to sit through the credits for the extra scene. 5 out of 5.

Summary: Suit up for action with Robert Downey Jr. in the ultimate adventure movie you’ve been waiting for, "Iron Man"! When jet-setting genius-industrialist Tony Stark is captured in enemy territory, he builds a high-tech suit of armor to escape. Now, he’s on a mission to save the world as a hero who’s built, not born, to be unlike any other. Co-starring Gwyneth Paltrow, Terrence Howard and Jeff Bridges, it’s a fantastic, high-flying journey that is "hugely entertaining" (Joe Morgenstern, The Wall Street Journal).

Genre: Action, Mystery, War

Year: 1996

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: Denzel Washington, Meg Ryan, Lou Diamond Phillips, Michael Moriarty, Matt Damon

Director: Edward Zwick

My Review: Denzel Washington plays Lt. Col. Nathaniel Serling - A desert storm veteran charged with the investigation of Cpt Karen Walden (played by Meg Ryan) a helicopter pilot being investigated (posthumously) for a Medal of Honor - Oh yeah, this would be the first MoH awarded to a woman for combat action. The casting wasn't the best, and I found Meg Ryan less than convincing as an Army helicopter pilot. Matt Damon did a good job in this early role, and Lou Diamond Philips was typecast as usual. What I did enjoy was the authentic feel of this movie. The movie was crafted in a Rashomon (by Akira Kurosawa) manner. Dramatic flashbacks from each person interviewed present the story from their point of view, and the differing stories vary on critical elements. Col Serling is challenged to sort out the stories, to make sure the truth is revealed, to present a fair and comprehensive review to his overly demanding superiors. Complicating matters are a pesky reporter, family problems, self doubt, and a pending judicial review hanging over the Col's head. Not bad, some technical production problems, mediocre acting (good for this cast), but a good directing effort, and a fair story. The biggest problem with this movie? The writers tried to put too much into the script. They tried to touch on every aspect of war and in our modern era. It created an overcomplicated background for the viewer, it didn't allow us to focus on the core story. 3 out of 5.

Summary: The pilot of a rescue copter, Captain Karen Walden, died shortly before her helicopter crew was rescued after it crashed in Desert Storm. It first appears that she made a spectacular rescue of a downed helicopter crew, then held her own crew together to fight off the Iraqis after her copter crashed. LT Colonel Serling, who is struggling with his own demons from Desert Storm is assigned to investigate and award her the Medal of Honor. But some conflicting accounts from her crew and soldiers in the area, cause him to be question whether she deserves it.

Genre: Comedy

Year: 2009

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: Jim Beaver, Jennifer Blaire, Larry Blamire, Bob Burns, Dan Conroy

Director: Larry Blamire

My Review: Written and directed by Larry Blamire (also wrote/directed the Lost Skeleton of Cadavra - My favorite comedy). Starring a cast of regulars (in Larry Blamire films); stage and film actors who appreciate the tongue in cheek, yet serious, style of Larry Blamire. The story here is a black-and-white homage to the whodunit mysteries of the late 50s. Filled with goofy dialogue, satire, and well crafted guffaws. strangers and relatives gather for the reading of a will. The will of the late Sinas Cavinder, an eccentric yet wealthy man who inhabited a large mansion on the moor. With a clash of thunder and a flash of lightning the murders begin. Someone is killing the crowd assembled to hear this reading, someone with a taste for blood Unfortunately, the weather is deadly and the bridge washed out. Can this group of strangers cooperate long enough to unravel the clues in this twisted, dark, comedy? 3 of 5.

Summary: A strange and mysterious group of strange, mysterious people gathers in the old dark house of the Cavinder Estate for the reading of the will of the late Sinas Cavinder. Strangest and most mysterious of this group is the unseen psychopathic killer who is psychopathically killing the gatherees one by one.

Genre: Comedy

Year: 2009

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: H.M. Wynant, Frank Dietz, Christine Romeo, Brian Howe, Fay Masterson

Director: Larry Blamire

My Review: Written and directed by Larry Blamire (also wrote/directed the Lost Skeleton of Cadavra - My favorite comedy). Starring a cast of regulars (in Larry Blamire films); stage and film actors who appreciate the tongue in cheek, yet serious, style of Larry Blamire. Here we have a sequel (primarily in black and white) to the outrageously funny 'Lost Skeleton of Cadavra'. A spoof on the 'Lost World' jungle epics of the 30s-50s. This sequel brings back all the original characters and actors (plus a few new ones). Two groups of adventurers and scientists head south, to South America, to the deep, secretive recesses of the Amazon. There they seek the rare Jerranium 90, and encounter the enigmatic Cantaloupe People. Parody and satire of the highest order. The acting is somewhat amateur, but the effort is 100%. The comedy is shocking! Tongue in cheek, preposterous, smart, silly, gut busting, funny. 4 of 5.

Summary:

Genre: Western

Year: 1966

Country: Italy, Spain

Rating:

Starring: Franco Nero, Loredana Nusciak

Director: Sergio Corbucci

My Review: A Spaghetti Western from the 60s, starring Franco Nero (a b-actor who nonetheless starred (mostly in supporting roles) in numerous movies throughout the 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, 00s and even 2010 and beyond. This guy just never gives up! The best part about this movie was the concept of an anti-hero who drags a coffin with him. Everywhere Django goes, he's dragging a coffin along with him. Through mud, through fire, through a hail of bullets! What's in that coffin? Finding out might cost you; cost you your life! It's a lawless frontier and Django manages to get caught up in the crossfire between two violent groups. Mexican bandits and a group of civil war vigilantes. The plot is very much like that of Yojimbo (or the Sergio Leone derivative - A Fistful of Dollars), as Django plays each side against the other in this violent frontier adventure. Some of the more violent aspects remind me of the Wild Bunch. Shot on locations in Italy and Spain, the imagery and scenery were very evocative and the music was awesome. The pacing and level of energy was great. Unfortunately, the story was rather unimaginative, the audio was atrocious and the props and technical aspects made me groan. Apparently, they had very little money for production. Spaghetti Westerns are well known for their low budgets, and this movie had low budget written all over the script and production. I sure wish I had some subtitles with these Watch Instantly titles. This dubbed version was terrible. The cover art (and fonts) for this movie was better than the story. Despite the production problems and horrible script/story, this movie shine as a classic example in the genre. 4 out of 5.

Summary: Along with Sergio Leone's Clint Eastwood trilogy, Sergio Corbucci's "Django", starring Belgian hunk Franco Nero as the gritty mercenary who drags a coffin behind him, was one of the most influential spaghetti Westerns. After mowing down armies of bad guys with his machine gun (which he brandishes in classic two-fisted tough-guy fashion--from the hip), he stages a daring gold heist from a Mexican military fortress and then plots to double-cross his "bandito" partners. Corbucci, who cowrote the story, fashions an unrelentingly violent tale of rival gangs squeezing the life out of a muddy, bloody border town, reveling in the sadism of the genre. The film opens with a woman strung up and lashed by a group of lascivious bandits, only to be saved by even more sadistic gunmen who plan to burn her alive, and "Django" fan Quentin Tarantino borrowed the scene where a vindictive general slices the ear off a corrupt preacher for "Reservoir Dogs". While not as stylish as Leone's operatic epics, "Django" pushed the borders of violence into all-new territory, and the film was banned outright in England and cut in the U.S. It spawned 20 unofficial sequels before Nero returned 20 years later for the only legitimate sequel, "Django Strikes Again". In the meantime, Nero followed up this grimy antihero role with a turn as the singing medieval superknight Lancelot in "Camelot"! "--Sean Axmaker"

Genre: Adventure, Comedy

Year: 2010

Country: France

Rating:

Starring: Jean Dujardin

Director: Michel Hazanavicius

My Review: A sequel/another OSS 117 film. A spoof/parody/homage to the Jame's Bond genre. Here is a very French Bond. Secret agent 117 (played superbly by Jean Dujardin) is a womanizing agent. A ladies man a man's man, a secret agent man. Set in the mid 60s, OSS 117 is sent to Rio de Janeiro in order to track down a former high-ranking Nazi and recover some micro-film. He teams up with a smart but sexy Israeli agent (a woman!?), mixes it up with a group of South American Nazis, while simultaneously doing his best to enjoy his tourism cover. The music and scenery are fantastic, but the story isn't anywhere as funny or engaging as the previous OSS 117 movie (OSS 117: Cairo - Nest of Spies). The confrontation scenes at the Iguazu falls and atop the 'Christ the Redeemer' statue were excellent. The subtle jokes are great, and the inside/film references were great. The American agent was awesome, I loved all the parody. Unfortunately, the writing is becoming more 'Mike Myers' like, and I for one, don't appreciate the clobbering effects perpetuated by that style. I give it a 4 out of 5.

Summary: Twelve years after his exploits in Cairo, OSS 117 is back on a new mission at the other end of the world. As he tracks down a microfilm that is compromising for the State, France s most famous secret agent will have to capture a Nazi blackmailer. From Rio´s sunny beaches to luxuriant Amazonian forests, from the depths of secret grottos to the top of Corcovado s Christ, a new adventure is about to begin. Whatever the danger, whatever the stakes, whatever the indelicate remark, you can always count on Hubert Bonisseur de la Bath to find a way out...

Genre: Action, Crime, Thriller

Year: 2010

Country: UK, USA

Rating:

Starring: Aaron Johnson, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Mark Strong, Chloe Moretz, Omari Hardwick

Director: Matthew Vaughn

My Review: I wasn't planning to watch this movie, but the previews and some good reviews prompted me to watch it on the AppleTV. Dave is invisible, a typical teenager - ignored by the girls. A social outcast with few friends, his biggest passion is comics - Why doesn't anyone actually become a super hero? There's plenty of examples where the hero is just an ordinary guy - right? Cue the laughter. When his imagination gets the best of him, Dave orders a goofy scuba suit and dons the mask of 'Kick Ass'. Is it all designed just to 'get the girl'? Or does Dave really think he's become a 'Crime Fighter'? After he takes a kicking and keeps on living, his internet stardom soars, but so does the danger. The writing was great, and the action excellent. When Big Daddy (Nicolas Cage) and Hit Girl (Chloe Moretz) get involved, the danger level escalates. Very well edited and paced. The camera work kept the action moving and the characters were excellent. I really enjoyed the artistic flourish of this comic book fantasy. I didn't enjoy some of the more violent aspects surrounding the 'Hit Girl' character.

Summary: Dave Lizewski is an unnoticed high school student and comic book fan with a few friends and who lives alone with his father. His life is not very difficult and his personal trials not that overwhelming. However, one day he makes the simple decision to become a super-hero even though he has no powers or training.

Genre: Comedy, Drama

Year: 1976

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: Woody Allen, Zero Mostel, Herschel Bernardi, Michael Murphy, Andrea Marcovicci

Director: Martin Ritt

My Review: Set in the early 50s (released in 1976), this movie examines Hollywood blacklisting in the era of McCarthyism. As a Woody Allen movie, it's very chatty. There's a lot of dialogue, and Woody Allen's character (Howard Prince) does a lot of talking. He's a minor script writer with aspirations. When his blacklisted friends come to him, he's all too eager to take their scripts, put his name on them and split the proceeds. When the committee (The House UnAmerican Activities subcommittee) starts to turn up the heat, Howard has to make a choice, turn in his friends or be exposed as a 'Communist Sympathizer'. Either way his cash cow is dead. While Woody Plays 'The Front' in a comedic light, the reality of this episode deserves some serious examination. Woody Allen walks the line between parody, comedy and serious documentary. 3 of 5.

Summary: In the early 1950s Howard Prince, who works in a restaurant, helps out a black-listed writer friend by selling a TV station a script under his own name. The money is useful in paying off gambling debts, so he takes on three more such clients. Howard is politically pretty innocent, but involvement with Florence - who quits TV in disgust over things - and friendship with the show's ex-star - now himself blacklisted - make him start to think about what is really going on.