Genre: Action

Year: 1970

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: Martin Balsam, Sô Yamamura, Joseph Cotten, Tatsuya Mihashi, E.G. Marshall

Director: Richard Fleischer, Kinji Fukasaku

My Review: A bit too many writing credits, but Japanese and American direction was well integrate. This movie was also directed by a few more people than usual (three credits, including Richard Fleischer: The Narrow Margin (1952), 20,000 leagues under the sea (1954), Fantastic Voyage, Soylent Green). Starring Martin Balsam, So Yamamura, Jason Robards and many others. If you've seen 'Pearl Harbor' (2001), you should forget that piece of drek and watch this instead. A dramatic retelling of the attack on Pearl Harbor. This movie has a much better feel for history, a better view of the Japanese side of the conflict - thanks to excellent direction from Kinji Fukasaku (Battle Royale (2000), and Toshio Masuda. It's 1941 (Pre-US entry into WWII) and the US has been enforcing an economic embargo on Japan. After several months of negotiations, Japan's leaders decide to attack the American fleet in Pearl Harbor. The movie is tense, more historically accurate than 'Pearl Harbor' and much more concerned with the nation-state conflict than a bunch of love-struck characters. This movie presents a view from both sides, and the heroic struggle on both sides. Extremely well done 'attack' footage. The writing, direction and acting were quite good. Despite the fact that most of us know the outcome of these events, the movie was tense and dramatic, keeping your interest throughout. I give this historical drama a 5 out of 5 (I own a copy).

Summary: A dramatization of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and the series of American blunders that allowed it to happen.

Genre: Drama, Western

Year: 2014

Country: Denmark, UK, South Africa, Sweden, Belgium

Rating:

Starring: Mads Mikkelsen, Eva Green, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Eric Cantona, Mikael Persbrandt

Director: Kristian Levring

My Review: Written by Anders Thomas Jensen and Kristian Levring. Directed by Kristian Levring (Relative unknown (to American cinema)). Starring Mads Mikkelsen, Eva Green, Jeffrey Dean Morgan and others. It's a tale of the old west in the 1870s. America is a 'melting pot', and Jon Jensen (played by Mads Mikkelsen) is one of the European settlers looking for a new life away from Europe. In the case of Jon, he's just escaped from war in Europe. He was a soldier who suffered defeat at the hands of the Germans. Now resettled in America, his wife and son have just arrived. Unfortunately, the ordered slaughter of the Germans is traded to the lawlessness of the old west. When he and his family are held at gun point the consequences could be dire indeed. His wife and child are killed, and he's left for dead. Vengeance is mine sayeth the squinty eyed gunslinger from Denmark (Mads Mikkelsen and the character Jon Jensen). What follows is a typical shoot-em-up western revenge saga. One of the bad guys that Jon kills is the brother of a deranged local tyrant (Henry Delarue, played by Jeffrey Dean Morgan). Henry and his cohort of bad guys torments the town folk, who quickly betray Jon. Henry's gang captures and tortures Jon. But Jon escapes, and then he executes a plan of vengeance that makes the bad-guys sorry they ever picked on Jon. It's a classic western tale that's been told a thousand time. There isn't much new here. Thankfully the director manages to execute the film in an effective manner, and the casting made for an interesting mix of talents. Mads Mikkelsen is the strong silent type, perfect for a western protagonist. Jeffrey Dean Morgan is a loud mouthed ruffian who works well as a ruthless bad guy. The setting, location, color work, musical score, editing and costumes were all done right. I give this movie a 3 out of 5.

Summary: The American West in the 1870s. A European settler, Jon Jensen (Mads Mikkelsen), has just welcomed his wife and son to the country when they are kidnapped and murdered. He takes revenge on the murderers, only to discover that one was the brother of a local land baron, Henry Delarue. Delarue runs the local town with a brutal hand. Now he wants vengeance on the man who killed his brother and the local townspeople are too scared of him to stand up to him. Jon is fighting more than just the local thugs, he is facing the entire town.

Genre: Drama, Sci-Fi

Year: 1951

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: Michael Rennie, Patricia Neal, Hugh Marlowe, Sam Jaffe, Billy Gray

Director: Robert Wise

My Review: Based on a story by Harry Bates, the screenplay was written by Edmund H. North. Directed by Robert Wise (Run Silent Run Deep (1958), West Side Story, The Haunting (1963), The Sound of Music, The Sand Pebbles, The Andromeda Strain). Starring Michael Rennie, Patricia Neal, Hugh Marlowe and others. With a relatively small budget, the producers managed to make a sci-fi classic that still stands the test of time. A saucer lands in Washington DC. The army surrounds the saucer, an alien (Ambassador Kaatu and his robot) emerges and tells the earthlings that they must live peacefully, or else. It's a great drama. Tense and nuanced, this post war message was meant as a warning to ourselves. Politically relevant, the story is still valid today. The alien language was fantastic, the special effects top-notch (for it's time), and the writing stellar. I really liked this movie. Watching the movie is a trip into the past, but the message is still valid today. If only we could evolve socially. I give this classic a 5 out of 5.

Summary: Travelling with mind-boggling speed, a gleaming unidentified flying object zooming in from the boundless deep space, penetrates the Earth's atmosphere, landing smoothly in Cold War-Washington, D.C. Encircled by large yet feeble military forces, the peaceful intergalactic ambassador, Klaatu, emerges from the mysterious vessel accompanied by the silently dangerous robot of incomprehensible power, Gort, only to witness firsthand the earthlings' hospitality. The sophisticated humanoid declares that he comes in peace; however, he needs to assemble the world's greatest minds to hear his merciful warning and a definitive ultimatum. Is Klaatu the messenger of humanity's doom?

Genre: Drama, History, Musical, Romance, War

Year: 2012

Country: UK, USA

Rating:

Starring: Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried, Sacha Baron Cohen

Director: Tom Hooper

My Review: Brings music back to this classic tale of suffering, hope and redemption. Based upon the novel by Victor Hugo (same name/written in 1862) and the 80's stage musical (by Claude-Michel Schonberg and Alain Boubil), there were numerous people involved in this evolving screenplay. It seems that every time it's 're-written', (40 matches in IMDB with exact title match (earliest is 1912)) another author or composer adds their spin, their flare to the story. Directed by Tom Hooper (The Damned United, The King's Speech, and many television shows). Starring Hugh Jackman, Russel Crowe, Anne Hathaway and many others. The setting is mid 19th century France (1815-1832). France is in political crisis, the Republic is seen as increasingly autocratic and unconcerned with the French people. This atmosphere is eventually leading up to the June Rebellion. Against this backdrop lays our tale of Jean Valjean a fugitive from justice. Jean Valjean is pursued by Javert a ruthless policeman, intent on ensuring that justice is done. When prisoner 24601 is released from prison, he violates his parole in an attempt to start over. This sets in motion the origins of a tale of woe which follows the couple (Jean Valjean and Javert) across a landscape of hardship, hope and redemption for both men. The music was quite good. I was really astonished, surprised and pleased to find that the actors were not lip-syncing. They were actually singing while acting. This made the film far better than those where the actors are clearly concentrating on the lip-syncing rather than their acting. The acting was outstanding. The supporting cast did a really good job. They were better in many regards than Russell Crowe; he seemed to not be giving it his all. Hugh Jackman on the other hand, was exceptional. The film, as a musical put to the screen seemed a bit subdued and restrained. The production detail was really great. This movie deserves repeat viewings and a second act (as a stage musical). I give it a 4 out of 5. If only Russell Crowe had been 'present' in the character of Javert.

Summary: Jean Valjean, known as Prisoner 24601, is released from prison and breaks parole to create a new life for himself while evading the grip of the persistent Inspector Javert. Set in post-revolutionary France, the story reaches resolution against the background of the June Rebellion.

Genre: Drama, Romance, Thriller

Year: 2015

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: Dakota Johnson, Jamie Dornan, Jennifer Ehle, Eloise Mumford, Victor Rasuk

Director: Sam Taylor-Johnson

My Review: No I haven't read the book, and this was Kim's pick, not mine. Just because I didn't read the book doesn't mean I'm prejudiced against the movie, but I will say that my natural instincts told me that this movie was written for a specific type of audience, and I might not be that target. The screenplay (based on the novel (same name) by E.L. James) was written by Kelly Marcel. Directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson (her first feature length film). Starring Dakota Johnson, Jamie Dornan, Jennifer Ehle and many other hot bodies. The movie starts out by introducing the characters. One of them is a super-wealthy elitist who's just out for a good time (Jamie Dornan playing Christian Grey). The other (Dakota Johnson playing Anastasia Steele) is an innocent young woman eager to work in her chosen field (literature), but struggling to make ends meet by working in a book store. If you've seen the previews (rather short), you probably know everything you need to know about the movie. It's designed entirely around hot young models (or actors if you prefer), great costumes, perfectly choreographed musical montages and the insinuation of kinky sex. That's it. I'm not saying it wasn't well executed. The production was great, the hot bodies were smoking, and the sidelong glances and breath-holding scenes were exquisite. It's a romance designed to make the women melt - so if you want your woman to melt in your hands; if you'd like to indulge in the fantasy for a few hours, then by all means - rent this movie and turn down the lights. Personally, I found the dialog a bit preposterous, pretentious and contrived. I didn't have much confidence in the sincerity of the characters. The chemistry really wasn't there, and it seemed as if the producers spent more time on the set, the scenery, and the costumes than they did on proper dialog and writing. It's definitely a well produced piece of Hollywood cinema, and it works to get your blood pressure up a bit, but it's not much beyond the surface assumptions. Watch it without high hopes or unrealistic expectations. I give it a 3 out of 5 for delivering on my expectations. PS The ending was stupid.

Summary: When Anastasia Steele, a literature student, goes to interview the wealthy Christian Grey as a favor to her roommate Kate Kavanagh, she encounters a beautiful, brilliant and intimidating man. The innocent and naive Ana starts to realize she wants him. Despite his enigmatic reserve and advice, she finds herself desperate to get close to him. Not able to resist Ana's beauty and independent spirit, Christian Grey admits he wants her too, but on his own terms. Ana hesitates as she discovers the singular tastes of Christian Grey - despite the embellishments of success, his multinational businesses, his vast wealth, and his loving family, Grey is consumed by the need to control everything.

Genre: Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi

Year: 2011

Country: UK, Sweden, Denmark, Ireland

Rating:

Starring: Eva Green, Lauren Tempany, Ewan McGregor, Connie Nielsen, Denis Lawson

Director: David Mackenzie

My Review: Written by Kim Fupz Aakeson. Directed by David Mackenzie (Hell or High Water, Outlaw King). Starring Ewan McGregor, Eva Green, Lauren Tempany and others. I liked the characters portrayed by Ewan McGregor (playing Michael - Chef at an uptown restaurant) and Eva Green (Susan - A doctor at the local hospital). There was some great chemistry between the two (the actors) and that was the good thing about the movie. The story? Well, that's where the plot falls apart. Without giving away too much of the story, I'll only reveal as much as a preview might get you. There's an odd outbreak occurring. It's lightning fast, and it robs you of your senses. One after another they go; starting with your sense of smell. The rest? Well, that's as much as you need to know. The voice-over (by the Susan character) didn't really add anything to the story, but the story is quite formulaic; as an outbreak story it's stale and overused. As a social justice movie it was quite blatant - All you privileged people who can see, or hear or smell? How would you like it if suddenly you lost all your senses?! There were production problems as well. I found myself struggling to hear the dialog, over the way too loud music/soundtrack. Thankfully I was watching with the subtitles on. The worst part of the movie was the ending, or lack thereof… The movie was very depressing. I give this one a 2 out of 5.

Summary: An odd epidemic appears across the globe: people suddenly lose one of their senses. At first, it's an outbreak of loss of smell. It's often presaged by a destructive temper tantrum. In this mix are a scientist and a chef - she's Susan, one of a team trying to understand the epidemic; he's Michael, charming and engaging. Susan and Michael begin a relationship in the middle of increasing chaos, as the loss of other senses plagues more people and as civil authorities try to maintain order. Susan's voice-over reflections provide insight. Is love possible in such a changed world? Can anything make perfect sense?

Genre: Adventure, Drama, Mystery

Year: 2011

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: Tom Hanks, Thomas Horn, Sandra Bullock, Zoe Caldwell, Dennis Hearn

Director: Stephen Daldry

My Review: Screenplay by Eric Roth is based on a book (with same name) by Jonathan Safran Foer. Directed by Stephen Daldry (Billy Elliot, The Hours, The Audience). Starring Thomas Horn, Tom Hanks, Sandra Bullock, Max Von Sydow and many others. This movie takes place on/after September 11, 2001. Nine year old Oskar loses his dad on that day. What happens afterwards is a search to discover the answer to a mystery; a scavenger hunt to find the lock that matches a key. It's an emotional journey that takes Oskar all over the city on a quest to rediscover his father through the people that he knew. At times, It was a difficult movie to watch, and then it was wonderful as well. The acting was the best. The movie had a great cast. I was surprised and quite please with the performances of all (including Sandra Bullock - oh my god, I can't believe I said that). The movie is somewhat superficial in it's up-front plot, but quite deep in it's symbolism. I give it a 4 out of 5.

Summary: A troubled young boy, Oskar, is trying to cope with the loss of his father. Oskar starts lashing out at his mother and the world. Until a year later, he discovers a mysterious key in his father's belongings and embarks on a scavenger hunt to find the matching lock, just as he used to when his father was alive. On this journey he is bound to meet a lot of people and learn a lot about himself and his family, but will he ever find the lock?

Genre: Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller

Year: 2015

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: Norman Reedus, Djimon Hounsou, Sandrine Holt, Michael Hogan, Steve Burgess

Director: Christian Cantamessa

My Review: Screenplay written by Christian Cantamessa and Chris Pasetto. Directed by Christian Cantamessa (His first feature length movie). Starring Norman Reedus, Djimon Hounsou, Sandrine Holt and others. It’s a Sci-Fi thriller with a preposterous plot - What if you couldn't breath the air anymore? The future is unbreathable - The air itself is toxic. We're all going to die - Except for the hundreds of people put into extended hibernation in underground bunkers. But someone's got to stay awake in order to make sure that the facility keeps operating. The movie puts two people in an isolated environment, in charge of keeping the 'Sleepers' alive. If they don't then all of humanity could perish. On borrowed time, their air is rapidly running out. The plot itself is fairly irrelevant, although it does serve to limit the environment and time available to the actors. This movie was more of a showcase for the actors than it was about the movie's premise. The situational drama was much more about the interpersonal relationship between the two characters and their internal struggles, than the external factors that led to this situation. As a first effort, the direction of Christian Cantamessa was o.k. but the excellent performances of Reedus and Hounsou seemed more internally directed than externally. This movie had two endings. I liked the first one more than the second. I give this movie a 3 out of 5.

Summary: In the near future, breathable air is nonexistent. Virtually all of humanity has disappeared and those chosen to reestablish society reside in a controlled state of suspended animation. Two engineers (Norman Reedus and Djimon Hounsou) tasked with guarding the last hope for mankind struggle to preserve their own sanity and lives while administering to their vital task at hand.

Genre: Comedy, Romance

Year: 2015

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: Jemaine Clement, Aundrea Gadsby, Gia Gadsby, Nancy Eng, Samantha Posey

Director: Jim Strouse

My Review: Written and directed by Jim Strouse (His first feature film). Starring Jemaine Clement (from the Flight of the Conchords), Regina Hall, Jessica Williams and others. Jemaine Clement is a natural. He's funny, irreverent and serious at the same time. In this movie he plays (Will Henry), a graphic artist who's just broken up with his wife. He's still angry at the world and unsure where to go or what to do; but he's got young twin daughters and he isn't giving up on them. So it's back to work: Teaching, inking, living, and trying to figure out how to navigate the world of new love while missing the old. It's a complex romantic comedy, that leaves you very conflicted. The writer/director has found the way to make you feel many emotions at once. Thankfully, Jermaine Clement helps you laugh along the way. Entertaining throughout, I give this movie a 4 out of 5. Now I need to watch 'Eagle vs Shark'.

Summary: PEOPLE PLACES THINGS tells the story of Will Henry (Jemaine Clement), a newly single graphic novelist father balancing single-parenting his young twin daughters, writers block, a classroom full students, all the while exploring and navigating the rich complexities of new love and letting go of the woman who left him.

Genre: Comedy

Year: 2009

Country:

Rating:

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

Director: Larry Blamire

My Review: From the creative genius behind the Lost Skeleton of Cadavra. Larry Blamire wrote and directed this movie. Starring H.M. Wynant, Frank Dietz, Christine Romeo and others. Yes, sequels stink. So it's no wonder this one lost points on principle… The Lost Skeleton of Cadavra was the greatest comedy ever, but this was its sequel. So it wasn't as good. Another 50s/60s parody. This time Larry Blamire sets his sights on the Jungle feature. Here's a 'Lost Continent' movie with a 'Lost Skeleton' - The cast (many from TLSOC) lampoons the genre by playing it straight in homage and hillarious satire. Time honored jungle movie cliches are trotted out for our amusement. Larry Blamire's writing is something you either love or hate. I found it hilarious, but I'm the sort who loved the first movie. There's plenty of visual gags and corny jokes to make fun of later. If you don't laugh its because 'your one of those people' - You know the kind who don't like Larry Blamire movies. The plot? Yes, I believe there is one. Something about a jungle, a rock, and a lost civilization. Oh yes, there's also a skeleton. I give this movie a 3 out of 5.

Summary: Jerranium 90. A little rock that made all the papers. Only what didn not make the papers is that the main source of this newly discovered element is buried deep within the Amazon. And everybody wants it, including crooked importer Handscomb Draile, slimy Gondreau Slykes, cheap crook Carl Traeger and evil scientist Dr. Ellamy Royne. So when Reet Pappin is sent on a mission, vital to national security, to find Dr. Paul Armstrong, now a bitter alcoholic disenchanted with science, he may have his work cut out for him! Especially when joined by Armstrongs loyal wife Betty and the mind control susceptible twin brother of Dr. Roger Fleming, who is carrying a familiar sinister skull belonging to none other than the Lost Skeleton of Cadavra himself!


As the parties converge in the dreaded Valley of the Monsters, other familiar faces begin to pop up, as well as a variety of monsters and an ancient race known as the Cantaloupe People, led by their haughty queen, Chinfa. Who will get what they want? And who will not get it?


Larry Blamire brings his own hysterical brand of adventure to life in this sequel to the mega cult hit The Lost Skeleton Of Cadavra! The Lost Skeleton Returns Again is a perfect tongue-in-cheek celebration of the adventure/horror serials of yesteryear presented in the majesty of Super Skeletorama!

Bonus Features:

* Cast And Crew Audio Commentary

* A Behind-The-Scenes Look At The Lost Skeleton Returns Again