Genre: Adventure, Biography, Drama, History

Year: 1972

Country: West Germany

Rating:

Starring: Klaus Kinski, Helena Rojo, Del Negro, Ruy Guerra, Peter Berling

Director: Werner Herzog

My Review: A Werner Herzog film (Nosferatu the Vampyre, Fitcarraldo) starring Klaus Kinski as Don Lope de Aguirre. A slow descent into madness. Filmed in South America, this movie tells the story of a mid-16th century exploration. Not long after the destruction of the Incan Empire, A party of Spanish Conquistadors trek through the mountains of Peru, into the jungles of the Amazon, and onto a great river. In search of El Dorado, the fabled city of gold, Pizarro's soldiers are plagued by food shortages, indians, storms, insects and a slowly growing feeling of discontent. When Pizarro decides to turn back, Aguirre leads a mutiny and takes control of the expedition. Aquirre is convinced that El Dorado is just around the next bend. His delusion is contagious and the men who follow him compelled to quest onward towards the promised treasure. The consequences of continuing are catastrophic. The weather, the jungle, the river, the natives, none are as deadly as the insanity that grips Aguirre in his fatalistic quest to find the 'Golden City of El Dorado'. The sound was poorly produced, and the music disconcerting. Filmed on location in Peru, the jungle itself became a powerful presence in the movie, and some of the cinematography was visually striking. Klaus Kinski's performance was perfect. The direction, editing and pacing were mesmerizing, creepy and downright hypnotic. Despite the low production value and horrible sound, I give it a 4 out of 5.

Summary: A few decades after the destruction of the Inca empire, a Spanish expedition leaves the mountains of Peru and goes down the Amazon river in search of gold and wealth. Soon, they come across great difficulties and Don Aguirres, a ruthless man who cares only about riches, becomes their leader. But will his quest lead them to "the golden city", or to certain destruction?

Genre: Comedy

Year: 1987

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: Jason Patric, Corey Haim, Dianne Wiest, Barnard Hughes, Edward Herrmann

Director: Joel Schumacher

My Review: A classic 80s film starring Corey Haim, Jason Patric, Kiefer Sutherland, Corey Feldman, Dianne West and others. A woman and her two sons have moved to a small coastal California town in order to live with her eccentric father. Starting over in Santa Carla won't be easy, but she manages to find a job, and the boys seem to be making friends. Unfortunately, she's picked the wrong town. The biker gang is more than a nuisance, they're all a bunch of Vampires, and the older brother Michael has fallen for the wrong girl. Corey Haim and Corey Feldman were awesome as teenage vampire hunters. The 80s had a hard time getting the formula right, but this movie was one of those comedic horror movies with just the right mix of thrills, horror and comedy. The direction and pacing were excellent, even if the acting was less than memorable and the writing a bit cheesy. I give it a 4 out of 5.

Summary: After moving to a new town, two brothers are convinced that the area is frequented by vampires.

Genre: Adventure

Year: 1980

Country: UK

Rating:

Starring: Farrah Fawcett, Kirk Douglas, Harvey Keitel

Director: Stanley Donen

My Review: Four characters dominate this sci-fi thriller. Kirk Douglas (age 64) and Farrah Fawcett (age 33) play Adam and Alex an unlikely pair of lovers and scientists working at a research station in orbit around Saturn. Their cozy arrangement is intruded upon by Benson (played by Harvey Keitel) and his 8 foot robot named Hector. Benson has arrived from earth with a robot that will increase efficiency at the food production station and replace one of the two scientists. Unfortunately, something goes wrong with the robot. It turns rogue and attempts to kill the scientists. The plot's a bit more complex, but it isn't exactly deep or complicated. Seeing smokin' hot Farrah Fawcett in a few scantily clad scenes definitely made up for the bad acting and poor sound work in this movie. The writing (screen play and dialog) was poor and direction lacking. The special effects weren't too bad for 1980. The lighting, colors and set work were excellent. I give it a 3 out of 5.

Summary: Two lovers stationed at a remote base in the asteroid fields of Saturn are intruded upon by a retentive technocrat from Earth and his charge: a malevolent 8-ft robot. Remember, in space no one can hear you scream...

Genre: Drama

Year: 1996

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: Chris O'Donnell, Gene Hackman, Faye Dunaway, Robert Prosky, Raymond J. Barry

Director: James Foley

My Review: The Chamber is a movie based on a John Grisham novel. Screen play by William Goldman and Chris Resse. Starring Chris O'Donnel (as the young attorney, Adam Hall), Gene Hackman (as Sam Cayhall, the convicted klansman), Faye Dunaway (as the distraught, alcoholic, daughter of a convicted murderer), and others. Directed by James Foley, the only good thing about this movie was Gene Hackman's performance. He was excellent in the role of Sam Cayhall, a racist on death row. The story: Sam Cayhall is on death row for the murder of two young boys. He killed the two Jewish children because his Klan upbringing gave him no choice. Indoctrinated to hate and despise those who were different. In an odd twist, Cayhall's grandson; a young inexperienced lawyer, ends up defending him in court. The drama was excellent. Very personal, heated and deep. Unfortunately the movie was fairly predictable and the direction was poor. The performance of Faye Dunaway was very poor and Chris O'Donnel wasn't much better. If it hadn't been for Gene Hackman, this movie would have been quite a stinker. I give it 3 out of 5 on the strength of Hackman's performance and the location shots. 3 out of 5.

Summary: A young man fresh out of law school tries to win a reprieve for his racist grandfather who is on death row.

Genre: Action, Adventure

Year: 2011

Country: UK, USA, Germany

Rating:

Starring: James Purefoy, Brian Cox, Kate Mara, Derek Jacobi, Paul Giamatti

Director: Jonathan English

My Review: This hack-n-slash gore fest is a pretty good action flick. The combat scenes are very well shot and the editing well done in that regard. There's just enough historical fact to keep the story interesting (If you're a history student, don't look to this film for any real information). The story: In the year 1215; After being forced to sign the 'Magna Carta', King John (played by Paul Giamatti) hires a Danish army of mercenaries in order to forcefully bring the country back under his autocratic rule. As his army marches north, they are opposed by a small group of warriors aligned with the church and the free men (rebellious barons who forced the Magna Carta upon King John) of England. The movie very quickly introduces the primary characters and the rebellions seven allies (with some similarities to Akira Kurasawa's Seven Samurai), then moves to Rochester Castle. These seven warriors are joined by a handful (only 11?) of additional defenders in a numerically preposterous battle. The battle scenes are extremely intense and realistic. EXTREMELY gory. So gory I had to cover my eyes. The violence wasn't theatrical in the least. it was so bloody and intense that I felt ill. The acting by Brian Cox and Derek Jacobi was quite good. Paul Giamatti provided a powerful performance as the tyrannical King John (slightly overacted, but still quite good). James Purefoy's Templar (named Marshall) was highly cliched and lacked any real dimensions. The characters were all poorly written. Very cliched, typecast, shallow. The period production; costumes and sets was well done, but the unrealistic siege scenes were laughable. Apparently rocks impacting rocks create massive explosions which sometimes result in immense fireballs. Apparently it was easy to locate appropriate rocks for a continuous siege. Apparently it's easy to reload these siege engines. Many of the combat scenes/scenarios were ridiculous and improbable in the extreme. Apparently pigs are highly flammable, and burning pigs can topple an entire castle!? The ridiculous siege warfare scenes, poor character development, highly accelerated/stunted story line, and extremely gory battle scenes moved this movie into the - "I hated it" territory. I give it a 1 out of 5.

Summary: It is the year 1215 and the rebel barons of England have forced their despised King John to put his royal seal to the Magna Carta, a noble, seminal document that upheld the rights of free-men. Yet within months of pledging himself to the great charter, the King reneged on his word and assembled a mercenary army on the south coast of England with the intention of bringing the barons and the country back under his tyrannical rule. Barring his way stood the mighty Rochester castle, a place that would become the symbol of the rebel's momentous struggle for justice and freedom.

Genre: Drama

Year: 1996

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: Billy Bob Thornton, Dwight Yoakam, J.T. Walsh, John Ritter, Lucas Black

Director: Billy Bob Thornton

My Review: An absolutely fantastic movie. Written, directed and starring Billy Bob Thornton as a morally simple moronic murderer who's got it more together than many 'normal' people. This movie was definitely the pinnacle of Thornton's career. I've yet to see him do anything this good, and it's a shame. The casting (Billy Bob Thornton, Dwight Yoakam, J. T. Walsh, John Ritter, Lucas Black, Natalie Canerday, James Hampton, Robert Duvall), music, costumes, sets, locations, dialog, acting; everything about this movie was outstanding. A landmark film which everyone should see. A higly synergistic film where all the pieces fit together just right. The story is uncomplicated and powerful. It's like an art film without trying to be. That's what movie making is all about.

Summary: Karl Childers, a simple man hospitalized since his childhood murder of his mother and her lover, is released to start a new life in a small town.

Genre: Biography, Drama, Thriller

Year: 2010

Country: Germany, Canada

Rating:

Starring: Rachel Weisz, Vanessa Redgrave, Monica Bellucci, David Strathairn, Nikolaj Lie Kaas

Director: Larysa Kondracki

My Review: Based on true events. This movie tells the story of an American police officer - Kathryn Bolkovac (played by Rachel Weisz) who accepts a job as a U.N. Peacekeeper in the war-torn country of Bosnia. Once she's in-country she's assigned to investigate and put an end to human/sex-trafficking in the ruins of a country desperately trying to rise from the ashes. When she discovers the source of sex-traffic funding, the protection racket and illicit customer base her life is put in serious jeopardy. This thriller works on the story level, but Rachel Weisz fails to deliver a convincing performance. I was never convinced that she was in danger. I never thought that the character was in danger. The portrayal of U.N. corruption and contracted excess was excellent. The cover-up and intrigue were interesting but the story wasn't played out properly and the characters didn't feel invested in the story. At times the movie was difficult to watch, and the ethnic alliances and allegiances were impossible to follow. The distractions of a divorce, a child custody battle and a romance in Bosnia conspire to draw your attention away from the already difficult to follow tensions of this story. I give this movie a 3 out of 5. I wish it had focussed more on the facts of the corruption and cover-up.

Summary: Inspired by true events, Kathy (Rachel Weisz) is an American police officer who takes a job working as a peacekeeper in post-war Bosnia. Her expectations of helping to rebuild a devastated country are dashed when she uncovers a dangerous reality of corruption, cover-up and intrigue amid a world of private contractors and multinational diplomatic doubletalk.

Genre: Drama

Year: 1976

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: Faye Dunaway, William Holden, Peter Finch, Robert Duvall, Wesley Addy

Director: Sidney Lumet

My Review: What can I say about a movie that won TEN Academy Awards?! Writen by Paddy Chayefsky, Directed by Sidney Lumet (The Morning After, Dog Day Afternoon, Serpico), starring William Holden, Faye Dunaway, Peter Finch, Robert Duvall, Wesley Addy, Ned Beatty and many others. Released in 1976, this movie is a satirical, dramatic classic. An outstanding cast and original story lift this movie up so high that watching it becomes an experience that one can't forget. Believable, current, and gripping, the characters and story are just as fresh and current today as they were in '76. Peter Finch plays a network anchor who's fed-up with all the bull-shit. One of my favorite movie lines: "I'm mad as hell, and I'm not gonna take it anymore!". When aging anchor, Howard Beale, is sacked by the executives of UBS, he loses his cool and announces his impending suicide on national television - Tune in next tuesday! That ought to get the ratings up there. When Howard has a psychiatric episode, the Network decides to exploit the episode by giving the audience what they want. A somewhat comedic, cynical, satire, full of sensational truth. Beale is the mad prophet of the air-waves, articulating the rage of the common man. When Beale reveals a bit too much of the 'truth', the network executives are forced to take matters into their own hands. 5 out of 5.

Summary: A TV network cynically exploits a deranged ex-TV anchor's ravings and revelations about the media for their own profit.

Genre: Action

Year: 1981

Country: Australia

Rating:

Starring: Mel Gibson, Bruce Spence, Michael Preston, Max Phipps, Vernon Wells

Director: George Miller

My Review: The second 'Mad Max' movie. Starring Mel Gibson as the lone lawman in a devastated post-apocalyptic outback. The movie begins with an unnecessary narrative over flash-back. It tells the story of 'Mad Max', but flashes by so quickly that one doesn't really realize what is happening until it fades out and the sequel begins. Cruising the dusty roads of devastated humanity, Mad Max comes upon a desperate group of humans holding out against an inhuman gang of scavengers. Barely clinging to life and struggling to survive, this enclave of survivors is doing their best to hold onto some semblance of humanity as they defend one of the last outposts of mans carbon exploiting past. A gasoline refinery is the site of a siege between lawlessness and the past. As Mad Max enters the scene, he tries to remain neutral, but the future won't let him live in peace. Chaos and entropy threaten his past, present and future. As the savage scavengers seek to posses the oil, they'll stop at nothing to take what these hold-outs can't defend. The cinematography was outstanding and the costumes did much to create a dark, dystopian future out of the rugged, stark and uncompromising outback. An excellent sequel with perfect direction and editing. Mel Gibson's acting was excellent and the music was much better than the original. The car/truck chase and combat scenes are unequalled. The stunt-men in this movie earned high marks for daring, gusto and guts. Water, gasoline and bullets equal survival in this post-apocalyptic gem. Low on budget but high on energy, excitement and adrenaline. I give it a 5 out of 5.

Summary: In the post-apocolyptic Australian wasteland, a cynical drifter agrees to help a small, gasoline rich, community escape a band of bandits.

Genre: Biography, Drama, Thriller

Year: 2011

Country: UK, Germany, Canada, Switzerland

Rating:

Starring: Keira Knightley, Viggo Mortensen, Michael Fassbender, Vincent Cassel, Sarah Gadon

Director: David Cronenberg

My Review: Directed by David Cronenberg (Scanners, Videodrome, The Fly (remake), Naked Lunch, eXistenZ, The Dead Zone, A History of Violence, Eastern Promises), one of my favorite directors. Starring Viggo Mortensen as Sigmund Freud, Michael Fassbender as Carl Jung and Keira Knightley as Sabina Spielrein. A biopic about the relationship between Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud. This drama is set during World War I, but the war itself plays very little against the story which unfolds. The story starts when Sabina Spielrein is admitted as a patient under a new course of treatment by Dr. Carl Jung. He's trying out some new techniques, something that will develop into Psychoanalysis. Word associations and dream interpretation are used to plumb the depths of the subjects subconscious mind. The movie spends much of it's time focussing on the role of sexuality and libido in the two techniques fostered by Jung and Freud. A very educational movie with a great amount of personal drama. The film locations were outstanding, the acting quite good and the direction excellent. Despite the films rather slow pacing, the intense relationships kept me interested throughout. I give it a 4 out of 5.

Summary: A Russian woman, Sabina, enters a psychiatric hospital in Zurich with a typical case of hysteria. She undertakes a new course of treatment with Dr. Carl Jung, which involves word association and dream interpretation. Patient and doctor become attracted to each other. Sabina comes between Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud.