Genre: Action

Year: 1983

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: Roy Scheider, Warren Oates, Candy Clark, Daniel Stern, Paul Roebling

Director: John Badham

My Review: Starring Warren Oates, Roy Scheider, Candy Clark, Malcolm McDowell, Daniel Stern and others. While testing out a new 'super-copter', Roy Scheider (playing a helicopter pilot on the L.A. police force) and his partner (played by Daniel Stern) learn of a government plan to use police helicopters on rioting civilians. The plot is very simple, and that helps to keep the focus in this action packed, police drama. The acting was great. Roy Scheider was exceptional, and Malcolm McDowell made for a perfect 'A-Hole'. Made in 1984, the special effects were pretty good for the time, and the helicopter's capabilities provided for a great third character. The technology, terminology and theatrical performances raise this action vehicle above the crowd of 80's police dramas. The only problems with this movie were minor editing/production work. I give it a 5 out of 5.

Summary: The cop test pilot for an experimental police helicopter learns the sinister implications of the new vehicle.

Genre: Documentary, Music

Year: 2011

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: Conan O'Brien, Andy Richter, Jimmy Vivino, Scott Healy, Mike Merritt

Director: Rodman Flender

My Review: Conan O'Brien got kicked off the tonight show under less than amenable circumstances. He was supposed to be take over the Tonight Show from Jay Leno in 2009. Soon afterwards, NBC (his former employer) made a series of odd decisions regarding the show. They moved the show to a later slot, then hired Jay Leno back, then moved Conan's show to another, even later, time slot. Needless to say, things got ugly, Conan 'Negotiated' his departure from NBC employment and left the show on less than friendly terms. Part of Conan's contract stipulated that he was 'Legally prohibited from being funny on television' Conan couldn't accept the terms laying down, and 'The Legally Prohibited from Being Funny on Television Tour' followed soon after. This documentary captures that rage filled tour of comedic energy as it made it's way through 40 theaters in major markets across the US and Canada. This documentary follows Conan and crew on the road as they do their best to capture Conan's energy as he takes it on the road. Conan is a vain and egotistical man. He craves attention and demands it. He's a powerful performer and an excellent entertainer. Unfortunately, this documentary doesn't really focus on his career or the events that led up to his departure from NBC. I give this movie a 3 out of 5. It was well produced, edited and directed, but it didn't depict the tragedy of Conan's journey and didn't have any closure.

Summary: A documentary on Conan O'Brien's comedy tour of the U.S. and Canada after leaving his post at "The Tonight Show" and severing his relationship with NBC.

Genre: Horror

Year: 1979

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: James Brolin, Margot Kidder, Rod Steiger, Don Stroud, Murray Hamilton

Director: Stuart Rosenberg

My Review: A masterpiece of terror. This 1979 thriller is supposedly based on the 'True Story' of George Lutz and his wife Kathleen. Played by James Brolin and Margot Kidder. George and Kathleen move into their new dream home and begin settling in. Unfortunately, the house doesn't take kindly to their intrusion. In no time at all the paranormal haunting and demonic possessions start to ramp up. Even a priest is no match for the evil forces inhabitting this house. The murders that happened years ago have corrupted the very fabric of reality and this house is a nexus where evil resides. The music in this movie was fantastic. The editing, direction and pacing were perfect. The acting was very good and the spare story kept this viewer focused on the terror. The best part of the movie was the music. I give it a 4 out of 5.

Summary: Based on a true story that was claimed by writer Jay Anson, The Amityville Horror is about a large house on the coast of Long Island where newly weds George and Kathy Lutz and their three children move into the house that they hope will be their dream house but it ends up in terror. Despite full disclosure by the real estate agent of the home's history, George and Kathy buy the house. George says, "Houses don't have memories," but they turn to their family priest Father Delaney who believes the house is haunted and performs an exorcism on the house. But the evil spirit in the house causes him to become blind and makes him very ill. George and Kathy with the help of another priest Father Bolen and a police detective they face the fears of the house, but not knowing the spirit is planning to possess George and then the children...

Genre: Horror

Year: 2010

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: Michael Biehn, Alexandra Daddario, Brett Rickaby, Nolan Gerard Funk, Spencer List

Director: Stevan Mena

My Review: Bereavement - The production was a bit amateur, but you could see there was plenty of care taken. I couldn't make it past the first ten minutes of the film, so I won't give it a rating, but I will say this. It was "Extremely" violent and disturbing. A slasher flick with plenty of gore and violence. I like my horror movies suspenseful. I don't like the realistic depiction of graphic violence. Next movie.

Summary: The horrific account of 6 year old Martin Bristol, abducted from his backyard swing and forced to witness the brutal crimes of a deranged madman.

Genre: Comedy, Crime

Year: 1985

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: Steve Guttenberg, Bubba Smith, David Graf, Michael Winslow, Bruce Mahler

Director: Jerry Paris

My Review: The first Police Academy movie was pretty good, but here's the first sequel to a franchise with ever diminishing returns. Starring a no talent cast (Steve Guttenberg, Bob Goldthwait, Bubba Smith (yes the American Football player, Colleen Camp, Howard Hesseman, Julie Brown and others). In this sequel the graduates of 'Police Academy' go on their first assignment. The story; a sad little plot about common criminals who's biggest crime is the defacing of public property with graffiti. These saps in blue are put on the case to capture these no good hooligans. While their hi-jinks may not be enough to entertain, there's plenty of sub-plot on inter-office politics to keep you entertained. The writing is purile, boring and uninspiring. The best part of this movie? It's short. At only 87 minutes, the pair subsides quickly. I give it a 2 out of 5.

Summary: Mahoney and friends have graduated from the Police Academy and are issued with their first assignments. As before, their cheerfulness and devotion to duty outweighs any shortcomings, but are even they ready to do battle with a band graffiti daubing terrorists?

Genre: Action

Year: 1980

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: Steve McQueen, Eli Wallach, Kathryn Harrold, LeVar Burton, Ben Johnson

Director: Buzz Kulik

My Review: Steve McQueen's last film. McQueen plays Ralph "Papa" Thorson, a Bounty Hunter. Based on the exploits of a real-life bounty hunter. Here's a film with some original themes. Papa Thorson doesn't pretend to be tough guy, and there's no posing for the camera in this dramatic story of a man with a job to do. Plenty of focus on the character and his social life. Not an action movie by design, but a damn fine character study. The acting was outstanding, natural and well matched across the cast. Production is TV quality, but the direction and acting make up for any production problems. Excellent movie. I give it a 4 out of 5.

Summary: The story of professional bounty hunter Ralph "Papa" Thorson.

Genre: Sci-Fi

Year: 1979

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: Talia Shire, Robert Foxworth, Armand Assante, Richard Dysart, Victoria Racimo

Director: John Frankenheimer

My Review: So bad it's funny. The story - Something or someone is killing locals in a remote community of Maine. The logging company and cops are pointing their fingers at a group of Native American environmentalists, but the evidence points to poison or some wild animal. Some digging by EPA investigators turns up the real cause of the deaths. Mother Nature's vengeance isn't pretty, tame or easy to handle. It's a 70s horror movie with mutants, an environmental message and some really bad production. When I first saw this movie, back in the 80s, I actually thought it was pretty good. It's amazing how 'different' my taste in movies was back then. Now it makes me laugh. Getting past the first half of the movie is excruciating. The acting was mediocre, and the dialog was completely predictable. The payoff comes in the second half. The special effects/costumes were so laughable I nearly busted a gut when I saw the 'ManBearPig' menacing the horrified humans. The preposterous death scenes were another source of laughter; especially the hopping, sleeping bag smack down! I give it a 3 out of 5. So bad it gets a 2, but funny enough to elevate the flick by one point.

Summary: A log company's waste mutates the environment, creating a giant killer bear-monster.

Genre: Sci-Fi

Year: 1979

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: A. Michael Baldwin, Bill Thornbury, Reggie Bannister, Kathy Lester, Terrie Kalbus

Director: Don Coscarelli

My Review: An independent, cult classic, horror flick with great chemistry, pacing and bizarre sci-fi content that never relents. The acting is amateur at best, but the cast has a great chemistry and their buy in is quite evident. Two brothers (the older Jody, played by Bill Thornbury - and the younger Mike, played by Michael Baldwin) live in a sleepy New England town where nothing much ever happens… Until, Jody's younger brother witnesses a creepy 'Tall Man' toss a coffin in the back of a hearse as if it were some sort of cardboard prop. After some curious investigating, Mike discovers a bizarre world of extradimensional portals, flying death machines, evil dwarves and a conspiracy of horrific proportions. Produced on a $300,000.00 budget, this 70s independent film ranks higher than many multimillion dollar hollywood flops. Can Mike, Jody and the Ice Cream man defeat the Tall Man and his infernal plans? The music was another reason to love this low budget masterpiece. Written, directed and produced by Don Coscarelli, I'm really impressed by the films Carpenter, Lynch feel. No wonder there were so many sequels. I give this one a 4 out of 5.

Summary: A young boy and his friends face off against a mysterious grave-robber known only as the "Tall Man."

Genre: Action

Year: 1980

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: Samantha Eggar, Christopher George, Robert Ginty, Steve James, Tony DiBenedetto

Director: James Glickenhaus

My Review: It's really hard to believe that this movie received sequel treatment. With a B-Grade cast, the dialog was terrible, the story boring, and the acting poor. The story: Some opening 'Nam scenes introduce us to John Eastland, the bad ass veteran who survived the jungles of Vietnam. Then we fast forward to the present, the 'jungles' of New York City. John Eastland's best friend is mugged and left crippled. As a result, John becomes a vigilante. He puts on his old Army uniform and goes out hunting the street thugs who prey upon the citizens of New York city. Eventually, the criminals, the cops and CIA are all out to get John. After all, we can't have citizen's taking the law into their own hands. There's plenty of action, but the story is quite flat and predictable. I give it a 2 out of 5.

Summary: A man's best friend is killed on the streets of New York. The man (Robert Ginty) then transforms into a violent killer, turning New York into a great war zone and Christopher George is the only one to stop him.

Genre: Crime

Year: 1985

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: Glenn Close, Maria Mayenzet, Jeff Bridges, Peter Coyote, Dave Austin

Director: Richard Marquand

My Review: A classic thriller with a great cast (Jeff Bridges, Glenn Close, Peter Coyote, Robert Loggia, Al Ruscio, Lance Henriksen and others) the acting was very good, and the writing was excellent. It's a crime thriller with plenty of court room drama and character development. When a beautiful young heiress is brutally murdered at a remote beach house, suspicion falls upon the husband (Jeff Bridges playing Jack Forrester). Jack hires Teddy Barnes (Glenn Close) to defend him. She's convinced he's innocent, but the prosecutor and police think he's a cold blooded killer. Outstanding movie. I give it a 4 out of 5.

Summary: San Francisco heiress Page Forrester is brutally murdered in her remote beach house. Her husband Jack is devastated by the crime but soon finds himself accused of her murder. He hires lawyer Teddy Barnes to defend him, despite the fact she hasn't handled a criminal case for many years. There's a certain chemistry between them and Teddy soon finds herself defending the man she loves.