Genre: Action & Adventure

Year: 1984

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: Francesca Annis, Leonardo Cimino, Brad Dourif, José Ferrer, Linda Hunt

Director: David Lynch

My Review: I love David Lynch movies, and this was one of my first. Aside from the fact that this movie was written (screen play) and directed by one of my favorite directors, it's also based upon my favorite novel. How could it possibly be bad? Thankfully, it's not. While there are some who decry it's deviation from the novel, it is only the truly faithful who see beyond the slight imperfections to the soul of this movie. A bold and certain direction - an imaginative and fresh perspective - an epic, grand exposition - A masterpiece. In my opinion, one of the best movies ever made. If you're looking for a Star Wars clone go elsewhere (the novel Dune was inspirational to the development of the Star Wars movies). Any comparison fails, as this film build its own mystique, its own adventure, its own legend. I've read the Dune series (first by Frank Herbert, then by his son Brian Herbert & Kevin J. Anderson) since the early 80s, and I've still got plenty of reading to do (5 more to read out of 6 original novels and one autobiography by Frank Herbert, and 12 novels by Brian & Kevin). The original Dune movie - Starring Kyle MacLachlan (as Paul Atreides/Usul/Muad'Dib/The Mahdi/The Kwisatz Haderach), Kenneth McMillan (Baron Vladimir Harkonnen), Francesca Annis (Lady Jessica), Jurgen Prochnow (Duke Leto Atreides), Everett McGill (Stilgar), Jose Ferrer (Padishah Emperor Shaddam IV), Patrick Stewart (Gurney Halleck), Freddie Jones (Thufir Hawat), Dean Stockwell (Doctor Wellington Yueh), Brad Dourif (Piter De Vries), Sting (Yes the musician - as Feyd Rautha), Paul L. Smith (The Beast Rabban), Sean Young (Chani), Sian Phillips (Rev. Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam), Max Von Sydow (Dr. Kynes), Linda Hunt (Shadout Mapes), Alicia Witt (Alia), Virginia Madsen (Princess Irulan), Richard Jordan (Duncan Idaho), Jack Nance (Cpt. Lakin Nefud), Leonardo Cimino (The Baron's Dr.), Silvana Mangano (Rev. Mother Ramallo), and many others. A huge cast of talented actors. An excellent cast, which resulted in a superior movie. This movie, despite its 'short' run time of only 2 hours, 17 minutes manages to capture a small piece of the rich tapestry woven by the books of Frank Herbert. In a far, far, far, far distant future (we're talking the year 10,191), mankind has colonized the universe, conquered space, and become a highly evolved, speciezed race of beings, inhabiting all manner of environment. Despite the technological, psychological and physical achievements of mankind, the universe is still ruled by corruption, intrigue and deception. In this futuristic vision of mankind's fate, an obscure desert planet and its hardy desert dwellers become the focal point for an evolutionary change in mankind's struggle. As man testers on the brink of a new dark age, one man becomes the fulcrum of change - destined to tip the balance one way or the other. This movie is full of pageantry, style and vision. Populated with a rich, colorful palette of characters, some excellent special effects, and outstanding acting. The story is epic, dramatic and powerful. I love it! 5 out of 5.

Summary: Even more than most of David Lynch's deliberately bizarre and idiosyncratic movies, "Dune" is a "love-it-or-hate-it" affair. An ambitious, epic, utterly mind-boggling--and, let's admit it, all-out weird--adaptation of Frank Herbert's classic science fiction novel, "Dune" remains one of the most controversial films in the director's exceedingly provocative career. The story (if "Dune" can be said to have just one story) is complex and convoluted in the epic tradition; it has something to do with political intrigue and a planet that is home to a precious spice and gigantic sand worms. Think Shakespeare's "Henry IV" with a dash of "Tremors", and set in another galaxy. But despite plenty of strangely whispered voice-overs that explain the characters' thoughts (and endlessly detailed exposition), storytelling is not really among the film's strong points. There are, however, a lot of memorably fantastic/grotesque images, an extraordinary cast, and a soundtrack featuring Toto. I told you it was weird. Among the stars are Kyle MacLachlan, José Ferrer, Dean Stockwell, Brad Dourif, Sting, Kenneth McMillan, Patrick Stewart, Sean Young, and Linda Hunt. The DVD contains the original release version; a shorter version cut for television has been disowned by Lynch, who insisted his name be replaced by that famous Hollywood pseudonym "Alan Smithee." "--Jim Emerson"

Genre: Comedy, Crime, Drama

Year: 1989

Country: USA, Japan

Rating:

Starring: Masatoshi Nagase, Youki Kudoh, Screamin' Jay Hawkins, Cinqué Lee, Rufus Thomas

Director: Jim Jarmusch

My Review: Jim Jarmusch has quickly become one of my favorite directors - Following in the footprints of David Lynch, his movies are off-beat, creative, artistic, moody and mysterious. This movie allowed him the freedom to explore dramatic themes and atmosphere. The story? It's a story about a hotel in downtown Memphis. A hotel where everything happens for a reason. A flea bitten, low rent, hotel of synchronicity. Three different groups of individuals are united in time and circumstance. Unbeknownst to the characters, they are somehow drawn into a powerful spell of synchronicity, drawn to this hotel where there small lives become something bigger, a part of a whole. The acting was superb, the direction precise. Jarmusch creates a particularly mysterious and moody atmosphere with slow pacing and exacting execution. The characters are believable, filled with vigor, remorse, a spirit of humanity. Three groups of characters define the story: Two young Japanese lovers obsessed with the romance of American Rock & Roll and its roots; A trio of slum dwelling, working class Joes, out for a night on the town; An Italian widow filled with trust and apprehension. The cast was an amazing mix; including Screamin' Jay Hawkins, Joe Strummer, Steve Buscemi, the spirit of Elvis Presley, and others. This movie is an artistic gem, a moody masterpiece of character play and setting. Written and directed by Jim Jarmusch. Makes me want more of his movies. 5 out of 5.

Summary: A Japanese couple obsessed with 1950s America goes to Memphis because the male half of the couple emulates Carl Perkins. Chance encounters link three different stories in the city, with the common thread being the seedy hotel where they are all staying.

Genre: Sci-Fi

Year: 1960

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: Robert Clarke, Darlene Tompkins, Vladimir Sokoloff, Boyd 'Red' Morgan, Stephen Bekassy

Director: Edgar G. Ulmer

My Review: Fast forward to the past - In 1960, Maj. William Allison (played by Robert Clarke) is the first man to break the time barrier. Traveling faster than any man has before (apps 7,500mph!) he pilots his new rocket plane towards an uncertain horizon. Expecting only to break some speed records, Maj. Allison eventually discovers that he's travelled 60 years into the future! In the year 2024 the world is suffering from an inability to procreate. A devastating plague is slowly killing the human race. DNA damage is slowly permeating the population. It's already created two different societies. The savage mutants who live outside the citadel cities (powered by solar reactors), and the deaf mutes who still retain their intelligence. Unfortunately, the intelligent survivors have also been afflicted by an ever increasing infertility. These survivors have an agenda, and Maj. Allison is part of their procreation plans. Will Allison 'do it' with the hot and sexy mind reading vixen, Princess Trirene (played by Darlene Tompkins), or will he attempt to travel back to 1960 in order to prevent the plague which brought humanity to this desperate state to begin with? It's a cautionary Sci-Fi tale with a strange script. Dense with ideas and subplots, the execution was horrible and the acting pretty bad. The sets were interesting to look at. Apparently Triangles and Pyramids will soon be in fashion. Getting a glimpse of the far future (12 years from now) was a sweet treat, but I'm wondering when that super short skirt craze is gonna come back in fashion! I give this movie a 3 out of 5. - I'm a sucker for the old black and white sci-fi/horror movies.

Summary: Experimental pilot testing a new rocket powered craft (actually a Convair F-102 interceptor) manages to fly into the future and land at the now deserted airbase he left. He ends up in a city with people who are suspicious he is a spy and who want to keep him to procreate with the rulers daughter because the majority of the inhabitants are sterile. He manages to escape and return to his own time but "with consequences".

Genre: Comedy, Sci-Fi

Year: 2012

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn, Jonah Hill, Richard Ayoade, Rosemarie DeWitt

Director: Akiva Schaffer

My Review: Welcome to Glenview, Ohio. A simple suburb with regular folks, low crime, low priced housing and center of an alien invasion force. Evan (played by Ben Stiller) is the manager of a local Costco. He's married to Abby (Rosemarie DeWitt), and life is good. When the night watchman is murdered at Evan's store, Evan vows to track down the ruthless murderer and bring justice to Glenview. He starts a Neighborhood Watch! He manages to attract three more members. Together they form the Glenview Neighborhood Watch. The movie stars Ben Stiller, Rosemarie DeWitt, Vince Vaughn, Jonah Hill, Richard Ayoade and others. It's a smack talking comedy about a group of suburban under-performers. While the jokes weren't killer, they were consistent. The cast was great, Jonah Hill's performance was my favorite, and Richard Ayoade (from the IT Crowd) was great as well. There were several awkward and vulgar moments in the film, but they never broke through the envelope into 'over the top' territory (not a kids movie - contains adult themes, profanity and nudity). The cgi Aliens were o.k. Until they made the aliens do things that gravity would have disallowed. The plot is a 'bumbling group of do-gooders thwart alien invasion' theme, with a couple of distracting sub plots. I doubt I'll ever watch it again, but it was funny. Definitely better than the amazingly low rating it got on Rotten Tomatoes. I give it a 3 out of 5.

Summary: In Glenview, Ohio, Evan is the manager of the department store Costco and married with Abby. When the Costco night watchman Antonio Guzman is mysteriously murdered, Evan organizes The Neighborhood Watch, a watch team with his suburban neighbors Bob, Franklin and Jamarcus to protect the neighborhood and find the killer of Antonio. Soon they discover that the murderer is an alien that is preparing to invade Earth, and they become the last hope of mankind on Earth.

Genre: Comedy, Crime, Drama

Year: 2011

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: Greg Kinnear, John Paul Gamoke, David Harbour, Jennifer Edwards-Hughes, Scott Crouch

Director: Jill Sprecher

My Review: How can you not compare this movie to 'Fargo'. A murder mystery in a small, midwestern town, during the dead of winter. The characters are all 'locals'. Unsophisticated, small town folks with small aspirations. Written by Jill and Karen Sprecher. Directed by Jill Sprecher. Starring Greg Kinnear (as Mickey Prohaska), Billy Crudup (as Randy), Alan Arkin (as Gorvy Hauer), and many others. The story - Mickey Prohaska is a small-time insurance salesman pretending to be/hoping to be a big-time insurance salesman. He hatches a get rich quick scheme when he discovers a hidden-in-the-rough gem. A very valuable antique is hiding in plain sight, and the owner hasn't got a clue. It would be so easy to make that 'piece of junk' disappear… How could anything go wrong? This movie is just as much murder mystery as it is character drama. The setting was awesome. Filmed on location in Minnesota, set in Kenosha, Wisconsin. I couldn't help but think about home as I watched the movie. My chemistry teacher's (from high school) last name was Prohaska! But no one from a Czech/German family would go by the first name of 'Mickey'. Anyway, back to the movie. The movie starts off rather slowly, but it picks up as it goes along. Great direction and acting, but the writing lacked some energy. The situations remind me of Oliver Stone's U-Turn. The acting was outstanding. Alan Arkin nailed the Wisconsin, of German descent, accent. The character came alive in his acting. Billy Crudup as Randy the Locksmith was amazing. Ready to explode at any minute, slightly psychotic, menacing while humorous. The best part of this movie was the acting, as the 'twist' was a bit of a stretch and easily predictable - Provided the opening exposition. I give it a 3 out of 5.

Summary: An insurance agent looking for a way out of frigid Wisconsin is blackmailed by an unstable locksmith in the theft of a rare violin that belongs to a retired farmer.

Genre: Comedy, Drama, Musical, Romance

Year: 2012

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: Julianne Hough, Dakota Sage Grant, Matthew Rush Sullivan, Diego Boneta, Russell Brand

Director: Adam Shankman

My Review: This movie is based upon the 2009 hit Broadway musical. A romantic drama based in Los Angeles of 1987, when Rock was king and conservatives fought to bring it down. In this movie, the young starry eyed vixen Sherrie leaves Oklahoma and moves to the big city where she finds a job as a waitress. She meets Drew the busboy, and the two fall in love to the sounds of pulsing Rock Anthems and nightly shows on the Sunset Strip. Chasing fame, fighting temptation, finding themselves, finding true love. What's not to like in this movie? The cast: Joulianne Hough (as Sherri Christian), Diego Boneta (as Drew Boley), Russel Brand (as Lonny), Alec Baldwin (Dennis Dupree), Bryan Cranston (Mike Whitmore), Caterine Zeta-Jones (Patricia Whitmore), Paul Giamatti (as Paul Gill), Mary J. Blige (as Justice), Tom Cruise (as Stacee Jaxx), and many more. The best acting (in my opinion - of course all my movie reviews are 'my opinion' - you're free to disagree, but don't tell me I'm 'Wrong' just because you have a different opinion)… As I said, the best acting came from Paul Giamatti as the slimy, weasel-like, manager. Tom Cruise was a good choice as Stacee Jaxx, but his acting was a little over the top. I couldn't believe Alec Baldwin as an ex-stoner manager of a big time rock and roll venue. The singing, especially by Tom Cruise, was exceptional. This movie was a very high energy arena rock explosion of life and love in the late 80s. The movie had a few flaws. For one the pacing was far to fast. The entire movie ran at a speed metal pace, leaving your emotions swirling and disconnecting you from the rapid change of settings. The other flaw was the lack of story. Compressed into the 136 minute showtime, the story suffered from a lack of development. It was difficult to connect with the characters as the song, dance, and sexy gyration numbers overwhelmed the senses, while the character and story were treated like after-thoughts. I liked the movie, but it doesn't compare to Moulin Rouge (2001), Grease (1978) or Footloose (1984). 3 out of 5.

Summary: Set in 1987 Los Angeles, Drew and Sherrie are two young people chasing their dreams in the big city. When they meet, it's love at first sight, though their romance will face a series of challenges.

Genre: Comedy

Year: 1994

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: Jim Carrey, Jeff Daniels, Lauren Holly, Mike Starr, Charles Rocket

Director: Peter Farrelly

My Review: Dumb & Dumber starring Jim Carrey (playing Lloyd Christmas) and Jeff Daniels (playing Harry Dunne) is one of the few Farrelly brother movies that I can tolerate. Their penchant for making fun of people with disabilities annoys and sometimes disgusts me. In this case, it's so obvious that these two characters are just that - 'Characters' - that no one could imagine that there might be real people with their particular 'disabilities'. Carrey and Daniels work perfectly together. Their timing and chemistry is spot on. The only other actor to even come close to their performance is Mike Starr playing "Joe 'Mental' Mentaliano". The movie is full of scatological, juvenile, crude humor and slapstick. The humor is very physical and totally 'Stupid'. There are people who can't stand this movie, they consider it too stupid for them to watch… Really? That's sad. If you can't learn to laugh at life you're in a really sad situation. I agree that we shouldn't laugh at people with disabilities, but Lloyd and Harry are clearly not based on 'real' people. They're mockeries of our own ideas regarding 'Smart' and 'Stupid'. The story - Two dimwits get involved in a high stakes kidnapping scheme when Lloyd (played by Jim Carrey) tries to do a good deed by returning a lost briefcase to Mary Swanson (played by Lauren Holly). In order to return the briefcase, Lloyd and Harry have to embark on a cross-country journey from Providence, RI to Aspen, CO. The road trip buddy comedy shines with comedic genius in the performances by Carrey and Daniels. They are simply outstanding in their roles. They actually make these incredibly stupid characters believable; well, somewhat believable. The story itself is a throw away plot that couldn't hold any water without these two masters at the helm. I give the movie a 5 out of 5.

Summary: The cross-country adventures of two good-hearted but incredibly stupid friends.

Genre: Comedy, Horror

Year: 1977

Country: Japan

Rating:

Starring: Kimiko Ikegami, Miki Jinbo, Kumiko Ohba, Ai Matsubara, Mieko Satô

Director: Nobuhiko Ôbayashi

My Review: An odd 70s film (released 1977) made in Japan. The director is Nobuhiko Ôbayashi. The movie stars a bevy of Japanese beauties as schoolgirls, with Kimiko Ikegami as Gorgeous and Yōko Minamida as Gorgeous' Aunt (the protagonist). The movie is quite wacky. It feels as if David Lynch, Roger Corman and Sam Raimi teamed up to make a Japanese Scooby Do movie! The story starts out quite basic, but eventually morphs into something full of symbolism and bizarre imagery. A young Japanese girl is growing up without he mother (she died five? years ago); one day her dad returns home from his work in Italy. He surprises Gorgeous by introducing her to her new 'Mom'. Gorgeous gets upset and runs off to her room to pout. Later she decides to visit her Aunt (her mother's sister) to rekindle some memories of her mother. Since it's time for a summer school break, she takes six of her schoolgirl friends with her. …spoilers follow… Auntie's house is located out in the countryside. In an isolated part of the country. It's a bit run down, and Auntie is a gray shriveled widow. Confined to a wheel chair, draped in white hair and wearing what looks like a funeral shroud, she clearly represents the demise of youth and the fate of all women who suffer the loss of their husbands. The girls are all dressed in sexy provocative costumes and their characters are archetypes of teen adolescence and ideals of a teenage Japanese girl - Gorgeous played by Kimiko Ikegami represents beauty and grace; Prof played by Ai Matsubara represents logic, reason and intellect; Melody played by Eriko Tanaka represents artistic expression; Kung Fu played by Miki Jinbo represents strength of body and vitality, Mac played by Mieko Sato represents an appetite for experience and life; Sweet played by Masayo Miyako seems to represent a desire to please others; and Fantasy played by Kumiko Oba seems to represent imagination and romance. The girls arrive at Auntie's run down mansion, present her with a gift watermelon and proceed to enjoy the weekend with Auntie. That's when things go bizzarr-O. Apparently, Auntie has attracted evil spirits to her house and together they consume the flesh of young unwed girls in order to keep Auntie alive and immortal. The schoolgirls are 'dispatched' one at a time in various gruesome bloody scenes. Scenes where various parts of the house (lamps, pianos, grandfather clocks, etc) actually eat the girls whole. As each girl is eaten, Auntie becomes younger and younger, looking more and more like Gorgeous' deceased mother, then Gorgeous. By the end of the movie Auntie and the house have consumed all the young girls, and Auntie has morphed into Gorgeous. The colors are super saturated. The special effects are obviously intended to appear surrealistic, artistic, cartoonish and inspired by the imagination. Despite it's strange and cartoonish nightmarish style, or perhaps because of it's strange, cartoonish, and nightmarish style; I loved it. 4 out of 5.

Summary: Oshare (Gorgeous) is excited about spending summer vacation with her father, until she finds out that his beautiful, freakishly serene girlfriend Ryouko would be going as well. Oshare decides she will be going to her aunt's house in the country instead. She brings with her her friends from school - Fanta (who likes to take pictures, and daydreams a lot), KunFuu (who has very good reflexes), Gari/Prof (who is a major nerd), Sweet (who likes to clean), Mac (who eats a lot), and Melody (a musician). However, the girls are unaware that Oshare's aunt is actually dead and the house is actually haunted. When they arrive at the house, crazy events take place and the girls disappear one by one while slowly discovering the secret behind all the madness.