Genre: Action, Adventure, Horror, Sci-Fi

Year: 1981

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: Edward Albert, Erin Moran, Ray Walston, Bernard Behrens, Zalman King

Director: Bruce D. Clark

My Review: Galaxy of Terror - Schlock; produced by Roger Corman, makes it barely bearable. A B-Grade flick put together by Roger Corman. Directed by Bruce D. Clark (little known New Zealand born director who did a total of four films) starring actors you never heard of. The movie is a sci-fi, suspense, thriller where the crew of a deep space rescue ship are dispatched to investigate the distress beacon from a missing space ship. They arrive at the location of the distress signal to find a strange black pyramid. After investigating the black pyramid and failing to find any crew in need of rescuing or any reason for the distress signal, the crew of the rescue ship are attacked and picked off one by one by the icky nasty inhabitants of the pyramid. The film is extremely violent. One scene features a person being killed by having their skull crushed. Then there’s the violent mutant-worm scene where a nude Taaffe O’Connell is raped to death by the evil mutant worm creature. There are many elements here that remind me of Alien, and it’s quite evident that those elements were intentionally taken from that film. Throw in the bad lighting, horrible dialog and ridiculous music and you’ve got yourself one horrible sci-fi movie. The only plus sides of this movie were some of the set designs and the scenes featuring the buxom Taaffe O’Connell. I give it a 2 out of 5.

Summary: As a lone spaceship proceeds on its long voyage across space, the crew are surprised to encounter a strange pyramid form. Surprise turns to horror as one by one, they discover that their darkest nightmares are all starting to become real. The pyramid has to be behind it all somehow, but how can they save themselves from its influence?

Genre: Crime, Mystery, Thriller

Year: 2013

Country: France, USA

Rating:

Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, Woody Harrelson, Isla Fisher, Dave Franco

Director: Louis Leterrier

My Review: Now You See Me - Hollywood glitz, entertaining but shallow. Directed by Louis Leterrier, and starring a Star Studded cast (Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, Woody Harrelson, Isla Fisher, Dave Franco, Common (fka Common Sense) and many, many, others. This movie featured more in the way of “who’s who” than I ‘gave a damn’. The story is one of feisty, self-assured magicians turned burglars as they do their best to steal from banks and give the money to the poor. Glorifying the criminal act in a big hollywood showcase. The FBI and Interpol are made to look like morons as the freshman squad of celebrity magicians lead the veteran investigators on a merry chase. The mysterious beginnings see four magicians responding to a secret summons where the group concocts their criminal plot. A year later the ‘Four Horseman’ illusionist show is launched. The finale of their show is a big time bank robbery where the audience is thrilled and the FBI left dazzled and dumbfounded. I had low expectations heading into this movie, and I wasn’t let down. I saw plenty of the plot twists as they came and wasn’t too surprised to see the ending sequence. I give the screen writer, director and producer credit for pulling the movie together in a very entertaining way. It was highly entertaining, and I’d watch it again, but it’s not something I’d own or go out of my way to watch. 3 out of 5.

Summary: Four magicians each answer a mysterious summons to an obscure address with secrets inside. A year later, they are the Four Horsemen, big time stage illusionists who climax their sold out Las Vegas show with a bank apparently robbed for real. This puts agents Dylan Rhodes of the FBI and Alma Dray of Interpol on the case to find out how they did it. However, this mystery proves difficult to solve even with the insights of the professional illusion exposer, Thaddeus Bradley. What follows is a bizarre investigation where nothing is what it seems with illusions, dark secrets and hidden agendas galore as all involved are reminded of a great truth in this puzzle: the closer you look, the less you see.

Genre: Action, Drama, History, War

Year: 1969

Country: UK

Rating:

Starring: Harry Andrews, Michael Caine, Trevor Howard, Curd Jürgens, Ian McShane

Director: Guy Hamilton

My Review: Battle of Britain - A star filled WWII epic. Set in the skies over England during 1940. This movie seeks to recreate a ferocious air attack. Early in the war Britain’s RAF did their best to hold off the German Luftwaffe. A battle for the control of the airspace over Britain. A prelude to modern warfare. If the Luftwaffe can dominate the British airways they can assure themselves victory over the allies. If the British Air Force fails an invasion of the British Isles is likely. This movie is a historical reenactment of that epic air battle; featuring several different kinds of scenes. Interiors, exteriors, intimate scenes, speeches, ground strafings, bombings, aerial combat, landings, runway operations and more. The special effects were well done and the cast was outstanding, but too big. We never became engaged with any of the characters - even the highly cliched ones. An excellent reenactment, displaying historical highlights, but the pacing and dialog make for a dull motion picture. I give it a 3 out of 5.

Summary: Historical reenactment of the air war in the early days of World War Two for control of the skies over Britain as the new Luftwaffe and the Royal Air Force determine whether or not an invasion can take place.

Genre: Comedy, Drama

Year: 2013

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: Julianne Moore, Michael Angarano, Greg Kinnear, Lily Collins, Nathan Lane

Director: Craig Zisk

My Review: The English Teacher - A charming drama about an English teacher (Linda Sinclair, played by Julianne Moore) in the small town of Kingston PA. Her life is disrupted when a former student (Jason Sherwood, played by Michael Angarano) returns from New York. His plans to be a big time playwright didn’t work out as well as he had hoped. Her small apartment, crammed full of cats and books has to make room for this former student. While he struggles with a decision about his future, she finds herself struggling with romantic feelings about her life, literature and the struggling young artist she’s admitted into her life. She can’t bear to see Jason’s dreams and her romantic visions crushed by the weight of harsh reality. Instead she does her best to produce Jason’s play as a High School project. The movie is charming, a bit comedic and well paced. Unfortunately it’s little more than amusing and I can’t rate it any higher than a 3 out of 5.

Summary: Linda Sinclair (Julianne Moore) is a forty-year-old unmarried high school English teacher in the small town of Kingston, Pennsylvania. She shares a small apartment with two Siamese cats and her rich collection of great literature. She maintains no close personal relationships aside from those she has with her favorite authors and stories. Her life is far less complicated than the dramas she devours on the page, and she likes it that way. But Linda's simple life turns an unexpected page when former star pupil Jason Sherwood (Michael Angarano) returns to Kingston after trying to make it as a playwright in New York. Now in his 20s, Jason is on the verge of abandoning art, pressured by his overbearing father, Dr. Tom Sherwood (Greg Kinnear), to face reality and go to law school. Linda can't stand the thought of Jason giving up on his dreams so she decides to mount his play - a dark, angst-ridden, ambitious work - as a Kingston High School production, with flamboyant drama teacher Carl ...

Genre: Comedy

Year: 2006

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: Luke Wilson, Maya Rudolph, Dax Shepard, Anthony 'Citric' Campos, David Herman

Director: Mike Judge

My Review: Idiocracy - Written and directed by Mike Judge (Office Space, Beavis & Butthead). This brutally satirical comedy, starring Luke Wilson, pokes a stick directly into America's sleepy, half-open, lazy eye. Average joe soldier and a street walker, are chosen to be subjects of an army experiment which goes awry. Placed in suspended animation, they're accidentally awakened in the year 2505. In this dystopian future, the dimwit of today is a genius of the future. While the acting is mediocre, the story is a biting satire on the state of American culture, and the laughs are big but somewhat distressing - It makes you think, could this really be our fate? This controversial film, which pokes serious fun at corporate sponsors, was penalized by it's parent (who can't take a joke) for being too up front about the dumbing down of America. Thankfully, it was released, and we're the lucky consumers. Some of the lines are very funny. "It's got 'lectrolytes".

Summary: From Mike Judge, one of the creative minds behind Beavis and Butt-Head, King of the Hill and Office Space, comes an outrageous sci-fi comedy that'll make you think twice about the future of mankind.
Meet Joe Bowers (Luke Wilson). He's not the sharpest tool in the shed. But when a government hibernation experiment goes awry, Bowers awakens in the year 2505 to find a society so dumbed-down by mass commercialism and mindless TV programming that he's become the smartest guy on the planet. Now it's up to an average Joe to get human evolution back on track!
Filled with razor-sharp sarcasm and outrageous sight gags, Idiocracy will make you laugh out loud whether you're an absolute genius or a complete idiot!

Genre: Adventure, Family, Fantasy

Year: 2013

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: James Franco, Mila Kunis, Rachel Weisz, Michelle Williams, Zach Braff

Director: Sam Raimi

My Review: Oz the Great and Powerful - A Wizard of Oz prequel directed by Sam Raimi (the Evil Dead, Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn, Army of Darkness, Spider-Man, Spider-Man 2, Spider-Man 3, Dark-Man, Miller’s Crossing, and many others). Written by three different people - Typically a mistake. The movie is based upon the works of L. Frank Baum. Starring James Franco (as Oz), Mila Kunis, Rachel Weisz, Michelle Williams, Zach Braff, Bill Cobbs, Bruce Campbell (it’s a Sam Raimi film) and many others. It’s an origin story where James Franco playing Oscar Diggs the circus magician is magically whisked away to the Land of Oz. There he is forced to deal with three different witches. He uses his skills as an illusionist and showman to create a new persona - One that the residents of Oz adopt as their ‘Wizard’. I liked the way the movie started out in a black and white 4:3 aspect ratio, and then it transformed into a wide screen technicolor spectacle after Oscar Diggs is sucked into the land of Oz. With an original story, excellent acting, and outstanding cgi, it’s hard to find fault with this movie - The plot is a bit simplistic, and well geared towards a family audience. I give it a 4 out of 5.

Summary: Oscar Diggs (James Franco), a small-time circus magician with dubious ethics, is hurled away from dusty Kansas to the vibrant Land of Oz. At first he thinks he's hit the jackpot-fame and fortune are his for the taking. That all changes, however, when he meets three witches, Theodora (Mila Kunis), Evanora (Rachel Weisz), and Glinda (Michelle Williams), who are not convinced he is the great wizard everyone's been expecting. Reluctantly drawn into the epic problems facing the Land of Oz and its inhabitants, Oscar must find out who is good and who is evil before it is too late. Putting his magical arts to use through illusion, ingenuity-and even a bit of wizardry-Oscar transforms himself not only into the great and powerful Wizard of Oz but into a better man as well.

Genre: Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller

Year: 2012

Country: USA, UK

Rating:

Starring: Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron, Idris Elba, Guy Pearce

Director: Ridley Scott

My Review: Prometheus - Another masterpiece by director Ridley Scott (The Duelists, Alien, Blade Runner, Black Rain, Gladiator, Kingdom of Heaven, American Gangster). Ridley Scott returns to his roots with this sci-fi epic. An origins movie for the Alien mythos. It's hard to characterize/categorize this movie. It's sci-fi, drama, horror, action, adventure. The atmosphere, pacing and tone of this movie are perfect. The landscapes and cinematography breathtaking. I originally thought it was filmed in Antarctica, then Greenland, then Alaska, The New Zealand? Nah - can't be… Much of the movie was filmed in Iceland and the landscapes are raw, primordial and full of energy. Not strictly a prequel to the movie Alien, the story is a prequel to the entire Alien series. I've seen all the Alien films, and consider the original to be one of my favorite all time movies. The story in this prequel is an adventure to discover the origins of life on Earth. Scientist discover a clue that points to a star system far from our system. A hyper-sleep ship is staffed with scientists, technicians and a group of no-nonsense space truckers sent on their way to discover the source of this mysterious clue. When they arrive, they discover the remains of a civilization from a distant past. I won't say much more than that, for fear of spoiling the movie. Of course there's an alien/aliens - It's an Alien origins movie. The technology in this movie pays homage to the spartan late 70s, early 80s look as well as the crowded, cluttered look of the movie Alien. The movie is filled with technology, alien landscapes, pseudo-religious imagery and terrifying creatures. I love that the movie isn't overburdened with unnecessary exposition, and there are more than enough opportunities for a sequel to fill the gap between this movie and the first 'Alien'. The performances were excellent. Michael Fassbender was outstanding in both his roles. As an android discovering his individuality and an android who bases his persona on the mythic ideals of a romantic past in the Lawrence of Arabia character. Many actors in the cast provided interesting characters to drive the dramatic aspects of the movie. Noomi Rapace did a good job in her role, but she has much more to learn about subtlety in performance, and there wasn't really enough time in the movie to properly develop all the characters. The movie is intense, grisly, dark and dramatic. The film contains more than enough cringe worthy and jump out of your seat moments, and fans of action will find more than enough to pump up the adrenalin. The cgi was nearly perfect, with very natural movement, surfaces and movement. The editing was well done, blending cgi and real action in a expert manner. The movie works on it's own, but it's primarily fashioned as a prequel to the entire Alien series. There are a few homage moments in the set production and dialog, and those few gems made me smile upon recognition. I give it a 5 out of 5.

Summary: A team of scientists travels through the universe on the spaceship "Prometheus" on a voyage to investigate alien life forms. The team of scientists becomes stranded on an Alien world, and as they struggle to survive it becomes clear that the horrors they experience are not just a threat to themselves, but to all of mankind.

Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi

Year: 2013

Country: USA, China

Rating:

Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce, Rebecca Hall

Director: Shane Black

My Review: Iron Man 3 - The third movie in the franchise presents nothing new. Robert Downey Jr. once again plays Tony Stark/Iron Man the Playboy cum Patriot who defends humanity against an evil villain bent on destroying the world. Tony Stark’s character gets some minor development in this movie, but he’s still the same egotistical multi-millionaire who only deals with personal issues when they threaten to unravel his personal world. Downey does a good job of playing the smug super hero and the dialog continues the tradition of comedic relief at the expense of character driven drama.The action sequences were thrilling and well executed, but the cgi felt less satisfying than other movies. This movie doesn’t really deliver beyond the first two. I give it a 3 out of 5.

Summary: Marvel's "Iron Man 3" pits brash-but-brilliant industrialist Tony Stark/Iron Man against an enemy whose reach knows no bounds. When Stark finds his personal world destroyed at his enemy's hands, he embarks on a harrowing quest to find those responsible. This journey, at every turn, will test his mettle. With his back against the wall, Stark is left to survive by his own devices, relying on his ingenuity and instincts to protect those closest to him. As he fights his way back, Stark discovers the answer to the question that has secretly haunted him: does the man make the suit or does the suit make the man?

Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi

Year: 2013

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, Simon Pegg

Director: J.J. Abrams

My Review: Star Trek Into Darkness - The second movie in the ‘re-imagined’ Star Trek franchise. With a new cast, the Star Trek franchise moves into the 21st century. Chris Pine as Kirk is a good choice. He’s just as arrogant as Shatner, and that’s a key ingredient to the character created by Shatner. Zachary Quinto is excellent as Spock. His cool and even tempered style always remind me of Spock, and his looks seem tailored for the role. Zoe Saldana as Uhura was an excellent choice. Smart and sexy, she heats up every scene she’s in. Karl Urban as Bones was another great choice. His down home attitude and Southern accent bring just what we need from the Dr. with a ‘get back out there’ bedside manner. Simon Pegg as Scotty is my least favorite casting choice. Especially when he’s paired with the odd-ball alien assistant. John Cho as Sulu may be a good choice, but he seems a bit reserved. Hopefully he’ll become more confident with the role. The bad-guy (if you could call him that), Benedict Cumberbatch; seems to have been picked for his good looks and accent. He wasn’t very menacing in his role, and I couldn’t really see him as Khan - His bravado didn’t match Kirk’s and his detachment was a bit less menacing than I would hope for in the Archetype. We need a character who’s certain that everything he comes up with is the best idea every conceived. Anton Yelchin as Checkov was a excellent choice. His cocky attitude makes Checkov the type of character who everyone will pull for. Bruce Greenwood as Captain Pike is/was another great choice. The casting for this reboot of the franchise was very well done. As for the movie - I loved the original Khan Character, but I’m not sure that the writing has done this character any justice by bringing back the past. It might be a better idea to keep the characters, the technology and the settings, but alter the scenarios. Bring us some fresh writing. The twists on this ‘Khan plot’ are acceptable, but I didn’t particularly care for the fact that some of the plot points are being recycled. The plot was epic - Save the Federation, save the Earth, save your crew and the Enterprise. Unfortunately, the scope of the challenge seems a bit much. I really liked the look and feel of the movie, but the explosions and super-massive effects aren’t necessary if you have a really good story. Once again we spent (the movie spent) considerable time introducing the characters, and I spent too much time trying to decide whether I liked the new cast. It really took close to an hour for me to get comfortable with the new cast and the new directing. Despite my reservations and expectations with a ‘re-imagining’ of the Star Trek franchise, I really did like the movie. I will watch it again, and again in order to savor all it’s nuanced flavors. I’m really looking forward to a new bold exploration of the vast unknown, and this latest movie leaves me excited to see the next. 4 out of 5.

Summary: When the crew of the Enterprise is called back home, they find an unstoppable force of terror from within their own organization has detonated the fleet and everything it stands for, leaving our world in a state of crisis. With a personal score to settle, Captain Kirk leads a manhunt to a war-zone world to capture a one man weapon of mass destruction. As our heroes are propelled into an epic chess game of life and death, love will be challenged, friendships will be torn apart, and sacrifices must be made for the only family Kirk has left: his crew.

Genre: Action, Adventure, Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller

Year: 2013

Country: USA, Malta

Rating:

Starring: Brad Pitt, Mireille Enos, Daniella Kertesz, James Badge Dale, Ludi Boeken

Director: Marc Forster

My Review: World War Z - The title may be one of the best things about this movie. It’s another Zombocalypse movie (Zombie Apocalypse). The media is full of books, graphic novels, games and TV shows about zombies. Hollywood couldn’t resist, it had to join in the fun. Based on a 2006 novel by Max Brooks, the movie is directed by Marc Forster (The Kite Runner, Quantum of Solace) and stars Brad Pitt as it’s big draw. Pitt plays Gerry Lane, a UN investigator who’s retired from the UN in order to spend more time with his family. The movie opens with a breaking news montage - Some sort of sickness is sweeping the world. It’s highly infectious and converts those who catch it into mindless ravenous zombies, hell-bent on devouring other humans. Gerry and his family barely escape the initial lightning fast spread of this infectious onslaught. They’re safe for now, tucked away on a helicopter carrier at sea, but there’s only enough food for so long. The survivors need someone who can handle the challenge ahead. Gerry is forced to help look for a cure, a way out of this humanity ending epidemic must have an off-switch. Can Gerry help the survivors get past the initial infection? The zombies in this movie are 28 Days Later driven - Adrenalin driven, with a desire to kill, they won’t stop for anything - Except a bullet to the head. It’s Gerry’s job to fly around the world, investigate the cause of this infection and figure out whether it can be stopped. It’s a thrilling ride, but there simply isn’t enough time to deliver a film that isn’t more than the trailers portray. If you’ve seen the trailers for this movie then you’ve already seen all you need in order to pass judgement. It’s a roller-coaster action flick with Brad Pitt and the rest of the cast racing to outrun the zombies. I give it a 3 out of 5.

Summary: Life for former United Nations investigator Gerry Lane and his family seems content. Suddenly, the world is plagued by a mysterious infection turning whole human populations into rampaging mindless zombies. After barely escaping the chaos, Lane is persuaded to go on a mission to investigate this disease. What follows is a perilous trek around the world where Lane must brave horrific dangers and long odds to find answers before human civilization falls.