Movies I Almost Missed...
There are so many GEMS out there, for whatever reasons, I almost didn't see. As I mature in my movie enjoyment, I have quit "not seeing" movies because someone I consider a dud is in it. The list is getting long enough to where a movie's numerical place doesn't mean much. I have added a TV episodes list. Sometimes forced to watch it for social reasons, I have been surprised by some. Not often, but credit where due. I will make it public once there are 5 entries. I am still bumming over the Hall of Shame list being pulled.** Information age, kids. Keep lying, the stolen valor act is coming back...
*Well, not all are great BUT ALL are worth watching, anyhow.
**One of the wannabes on the Hall of Shame list cried and it is now gone. Google still has it cached. I had left comments open so anyone on the list could say their piece and one guy did. Oddly, I don't think it was him that cried to the admins. Oh, well. Maybe soon under a nom de plume.
*Well, not all are great BUT ALL are worth watching, anyhow.
**One of the wannabes on the Hall of Shame list cried and it is now gone. Google still has it cached. I had left comments open so anyone on the list could say their piece and one guy did. Oddly, I don't think it was him that cried to the admins. Oh, well. Maybe soon under a nom de plume.
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- DirectorBrian O'MalleyStarsLiam CunninghamPollyanna McIntoshBryan LarkinHeld in a remote police station, a mysterious stranger takes over the minds and souls of everyone inside.Very clever, if a bit disturbing. Great dialogue, above average acting and a clever movie. It shows how great writing, solid acting, and a talented crew can make the very most out of a budget.
- DirectorAlbert MagnoliStarsPaul MercurioHarley Jane KozakMichael YorkTwo sides, one known as the Alphas and the other the Rebels, struggle in a brutal war on Earth and in outer space. When a habitable planet is discovered in orbit around a star that is on the far side of a dangerous wormhole, the two sides mysteriously set aside their differences and send a joint mission to explore the planet. The mission of the starship Scylla is soon beset by political intrigue and treachery, jeopardizing not only the mission, but the lives of the entire crew.I caught this on Netflix. I could tell that most of this flick would take place on a spaceship. Well, it didn't have the best budget BUT it had very good acting, and a good story. I also liked the World War VI angle. That gives so much leeway towards the technology. A couple dark ages and a theocracy or two could really limit things to 1950s with space flight or whatever. Definitely worth a watch. York is so underrated. He is very believable, as are the two chicks. The rest of the cast goes from average to good. CHeck it out.
- DirectorJames FoleyStarsAl PacinoJack LemmonAlec BaldwinAn examination of the machinations behind the scenes at a real estate office.Sometimes when a play is made into a film, the cast and director transcend the material and make the sum truly greater than the parts. Jack Lemmon, Ed Harris, Alan Arkin, and Al Pacino are in the zone, pretty much in that order. Surprisingly (to some) Alec Baldwin is absolutely p-e-r-f-e-c-t in his small role. Kevin Spacey does what he does best, which is hold his own. Looking at the cast that he is "holding his own" with shows how he got his reputation.
This is a late edition because I did not realize how many folks have missed this gem. Willy Loman's rat race was a conga line compared to our so-called information age. As the IT guy, I hit a voice over IP webinar that, who knows how, got my phone number. The sheer numbers of sales calls generated by that one slip up was amazing to behold. If you had the same problem due to attending one by a clip joint who pretends it assists non profits my user name at gmail is a good way to get a hold of me. It's in the Philly area and had to change its names, allegedly because folks were getting wise to them. - DirectorBobcat GoldthwaitStarsBobcat GoldthwaitJulie BrownBruce BaumShakes is good at his job as party clown - when he's sober and shows up. Five druggy clowns frame him for the murder of his boss.I suppose it was the Police Academy movies, but I had a low opinion of Bobcat. Then, one day I was listening to Bob & Tom interviewing someone. the guy was funny, smart, witty, and very clever. As the time passed, I realized it was Goldthwait. Much later on, when I was finally free from booze & drugs, I watched 'Shakes". Now, it is one of my favourites.
- DirectorPeter WeirStarsRussell CrowePaul BettanyBilly BoydDuring the Napoleonic Wars, a brash British captain pushes his ship and crew to their limits in pursuit of a formidable French war vessel around South America.An absolutely stunning film, especially the visual story. I was hoping this would be the first in a franchise. I feel like Wendy at the end of the "Weight-gain 4000" episode of South Park. No one ever went broke underestimating the American public. The ship in the fog scene, and midshipman Hollom's decision should be iconic in stature.
- DirectorMichael BlakemoreStarsPatrick PearsonMichael ElphickJoe MeliaThe members of S.A.D.U.S.E.A. (Song and Dance Unit South East Asia) fall in and out of love while trying to dodge Malayan Communist bullets in the late 1940s. Not only that, they have to contend with Bible bashing Major Giles Flack (John Cleese), who creates far more danger than any of the jungle inhabitants. Only gay Acting Captain Terri Dennis (Denis Quilley) seems to be capable of coping with him, but even he isn't aware of the cowardly Sergeant Major Reg Drummond (Michael Elphick) selling arms to the natives.A look at the beginning of the cold war as the sun sets on the post-WWII empire. A very odd movie that grows on you. It is worth a second and third look maybe 2 weeks between. The story is sad, funny, and bittersweet. Stalin was counting on everyone being sick of war when he pulled all the same crap Hitler pulled in 1938. He had us pegged. Small warning, or really a "heads up". If you have hang ups about gay men or about them being presented as likable, normal folks, don't bother. You won't get it.
- DirectorChristophe GansStarsRadha MitchellLaurie HoldenSean BeanA woman, Rose, goes in search for her adopted daughter within the confines of a strange, desolate town called Silent Hill.Wow, this was unfairly savaged by the "critics". I wonder if Rex Reed even WATCHED it. And if he did, he didn't get it. I would wager it was the filmmaker's bold expectation that the viewer think for ourselves. It had style and substance. It can climb on top of you, so I don't watch it too often but most definitely worth a watch.
- DirectorRichard ElfmanStarsGene CunninghamMarie-Pascale ElfmanVirginia RoseThe bizarre and musical tale of a girl who travels to another dimension through the gateway found in her family's basement.THIS simply HAS to be seen to be believed. It is NOT for children, the squeamish, religious zealots, people lacking a sense of humour, or folks with heart conditions. Prolonged exposure may cause blindness or insanity, therefor only married men are advised repeated viewings. I dream of the princess' and her royal tomatoes to this very day. Too bad Satan gets her :-(
R.I.P. Susan Tyrrell - DirectorChristian AlvartStarsDennis QuaidBen FosterCam GigandetTwo crew members of a spaceship wake up from hypersleep to discover that all their colleagues are missing. Despite this, it appears that they are not alone.It's one of my character defects, but if Dennis Quaid is in it, I ain't watching it. Well, after playing the phenomenal game Dead Space, friends insisted I watch it, and I did. From the opening sequence, to the end of the flick, I hardly blinked. Mr. Quaid was VERY good in it. It just shows how important an open mind is.
NOTE: Same goes for "Shakes" - DirectorJon FoyStarsJustin DuerrMarc DuerrKevin RileyAn urban mystery unfurls as one man pieces together the surreal meaning of hundreds of cryptic tiled messages that have been appearing in city streets across the U.S. and South America.Being from Pittsburgh (If you dinna know from many other posts) I saw one of the tiles on Smithfield Street. I was intrigued but forgot about it. Justin didn't. In an amazing display of inherent skills, he figures it out. The documentary and his drawings are as interesting as the phenomenon itself. By all means, check this out.
- DirectorJonathan EnglishStarsPaul GiamattiJason FlemyngBrian CoxIn thirteenth-century England, a Knights Templar and a few of the Barons men fight to defend Rochester Castle against the tyrannical King John.A severely under rated movie. Paul Giamatti displays an incredible range and turns in a fantastic performance. Everyone else was in the zone as well, but Paul just rocked in this one. A move NOT to be missed. I know its on Netflix. Other services I ain't so sure about.
- DirectorBill PaxtonStarsBill PaxtonMatthew McConaugheyPowers BootheA mysterious man arrives at the offices of an FBI agent and recounts his childhood: how his religious fanatic father received visions telling him to destroy people who were in fact "demons."Chilling, haunting, and well-acted. Yes, you read that right. Matthew was VERY good, as was the always reliable Mr. Booth. When all those folks were floored at his Oscar, I thought of this flick. He just needed the right role. The kind the academy loves, you know? I first saw it with a pair of scumbags while dopesick. Not the best conditions but the story was haunting. Next time was in jail, due to drug use. As anyone who has done time can tell you, jail is the worst place to watch a flick. Finally, years later, drug-free, and digging life I picked up a copy. I was floored. By all means, check it out.
- DirectorKevin MacdonaldStarsJames McAvoyForest WhitakerGillian AndersonBased on the events of the brutal Ugandan dictator Idi Amin's regime as seen by his personal physician during the 1970s.It is hard to overstate how good the acting is in this film. The story matches a great deal to what I have read and saw about the infamous Idi. When a movie engrosses you to where you forget it is a film, tricking you into thinking its a window on the past, everybody involved did their jobs well. Chilling and sadly typical of post-colonial Africa and the power vacuums that formed and were filled.
- DirectorFrank PiersonStarsJames WoodsJoe Don BakerJoseph BolognaAs lawyer and power broker Roy Cohn lies dying of AIDS in a private hospital room, ghosts from his past visit him as he reflects on his life and loves.Man, this is one HBO production that should of been released theatrically. Really. Those feelings aren't because the crew used my hometown to fill in for a dozen cities over 30 years covered in the film. "Citizen Cohn" is a well-written and superbly acted cautionary tale of a fascinating, polarizing man. This is another movie in the "Not to be missed" file. Woods is perfect, even in the old man make up. To come across as anything besides a cartoon in "old man" make up is a challenge.
- DirectorJeff RenfroeStarsKevin ZegersLaurence FishburneBill PaxtonForced underground by the next ice age, a struggling outpost of survivors must fight to preserve humanity against a threat even more savage than nature.I have a higher opinion of humans as a whole but whatever. This flick had me on the edge of my seat quickly. I was hoping for more exposition. I guess it's apparently tacked on nature pulled the flick down a little bit. That, and the sort of silly sickness sub-plot knocked it down a wee bit. Still this movie is certainly worth a watch or two.
- DirectorMichael RadfordStarsJohn HurtRichard BurtonSuzanna HamiltonIn a totalitarian future society, a man, whose daily work is re-writing history, tries to rebel by falling in love.Filming this was/is a lose/lose scenario. The self-appointed purists (I would wager most only have read this one work out of Orwell's hundreds of incredible essays or books) were hating on this before any filming even commenced. Shoehorning a couple crappy Eurythmic tunes into it so "they" could have some allegedly bankable music for the soundtrack did not help. (Dominic, we LOVE "Oceania, 'tis for thee") A book whose main stage is the human mind would be tough no matter how you approached. That being said, and having read the book literally DOZENS of times, this is a great flick. As despairingly brutal as the Ministry of Love, it simply HAD to be filmed in the inverted year of 1948. Detractors? "You do NOT exist."
- DirectorHerk HarveyStarsCandace HilligossFrances FeistSidney BergerAfter a traumatic accident, a woman becomes drawn to a mysterious abandoned carnival.One of the most under-rated flicks you will ever see. Cheap but well done. IT is also the name of the last album KISS put out with their BEST (IMHO) line-up, Gene, Paul, Bruce, and Eric.
- DirectorMike DorseyStarsRon HaleCraig HarveyNikki Medlin"The Six Degrees of Helter Skelter" walks in the footsteps of the Manson Family, visiting over 40 locations related to the infamous Tate/LaBianca murders, and tying together the dozens of odd connections between Charles Manson and the Hollywood elite. Entertainingly led by famous Hollywood historian Scott Michaels (E!'s 20 Most Horrifying Hollywood Murders, Dearly Departed: Vol. 1, FindADeath.com), this epic documentary employs never-before-seen autopsy reports (analyzed with the help of the Los Angeles Department of the Coroner), dozens of rare photographs, original Manson Family music recordings, and modern-day visits to the locations where the action went down, in the most complete retelling of the Manson Murders ever put on film.As someone who knows a little too much about Manson, I was surprised when I found this on Netflix. VERY well written, interesting. By all means, check this out.
- DirectorRobert WiseStarsJulie HarrisClaire BloomRichard JohnsonHill House has stood for about 90 years and appears haunted: its inhabitants have always met strange, tragic ends. Now Dr. John Markway has assembled a team of people who he thinks will prove whether or not the house is haunted.WOW, just wow. This used to be on Chiller Theatre (A great Pittsburgh, PA show and the inspiration for Count Floyd) when I was a kid. As a 10 year old monster movie fan, this bored me to tears. As an adult, GREAT direction, cinematography, and lots of truly chilling moments. Not to be missed, for real.
- DirectorAndrew BergmanStarsMarlon BrandoMatthew BroderickBruno KirbyAn N.Y.C. film school student accepts a job with a local mobster who resembles a famous cinema godfather and who takes the young man under his wing, after demanding total loyalty.By 1990, most folks had plenty of Matthew B, thank you. The overexposure backlash was beginning. Too bad it may have affected some folks from seeing this gem. Witty, laugh out loud funny at times, and a great story to boot. Good 1st date movie
- DirectorRian JohnsonStarsJoseph Gordon-LevittBruce WillisEmily BluntIn 2074, when the mob wants to get rid of someone, the target is sent into the past, where a hired gun awaits - someone like Joe - who one day learns the mob wants to 'close the loop' by sending back Joe's future self for assassination.A very interesting premise that is presented pretty well. If you read into it too much, it gets a little silly. Watch it for what it is and you will enjoy it. Above average acting and a story that requires very little prop support to keep it "in the future".
- DirectorKevin ReynoldsStarsKevin CostnerJeanne TripplehornDennis HopperIn a future where the polar ice-caps have melted and Earth is almost entirely submerged, a mutated mariner fights starvation and outlaw "smokers," and reluctantly helps a woman and a young girl try to find dry land.I am sure some would disagree with this even having never seen it. "Battlefield Earth" it ain't. OK, it may be a tad too long. That length adds to the time the "dislike" part of the mariner that the character never recovers. The science is as laughable as ID4, and nowhere near enough time is spent "deep" (keeping spoiler-free). Takes those away and its a blast. Easily Hopper's best work besides "Blue Velvet".
"Nothing like a smoke when you miss your mom." - DirectorMichael GoguenTae Ho HanSeung Eun KimStarsRino RomanoPeter StormareTara StrongBatman faces off against the original creature of the night, Count Dracula, who has been unintentionally resurrected by the Penguin.The story, style, and feel are a blast. From the first minute to the last a solid match between the caped crusader and the prince of darkness.
- DirectorEdward ZwickStarsDaniel CraigLiev SchreiberJamie BellJewish brothers in German-occupied Eastern Europe escape into a Belorussian forest, where they join Russian resistance fighters, and endeavor to build a village, in order to protect themselves and about one thousand Jewish non-combatants.A movie NOT to be missed. It's not for the timid, and is very sad. The acting, locations, and story are all first-rate. It's hard to describe without being a spoiler. Check it out.
- DirectorJonathan GlazerStarsRay WinstoneBen KingsleyIan McShaneBrutal gangster Don Logan recruits "retired" safecracker Gal for one last job, but it goes badly for both of them.Kingsley's performance is electrifying, as over-used as that term is. One of THE best hiest flicks. NOT to be missed.
- DirectorAndrew NiccolStarsJustin TimberlakeAmanda SeyfriedCillian MurphyIn a future where people stop aging at 25, but are engineered to live only one more year, having the means to buy your way out of the situation is a shot at immortal youth. Will Salas is accused of murder and on the run with a hostage.Look, I thought the same thing. Me very, very good friend (a bachelor) comes over for dinner and a movie every Sunday. We each get a turn to pick, so every 3 weeks is his turn, natch. I inwardly groaned when he pulled this one out. Staying true to my 'never mind who is in it' vow was a test but it paid off. The idea and premise is very fresh. The execution isn't as good as the ideas, but that is a common malady. Now the part that is (WAS*) hard to write. Justin Timberlake turns in an above average performance. Now, I am a metal-head in recovery and absolutely despise the state of the modern music (As if) industry. He is far better than many so-called actors and actresses. He certainly holds his own. Heck, his is the best performance. I would rather watch a so-so performance of an attempt at something different than most of the processed sugar that comes out. I never thought I would ever recommend something from Justin, but this movie is worth a watch. I was pleasantly surprised.
*NOTE: Over at This Ain't Hell http://thisainthell.us/blog/?p=30331 (An AWESOME milblog) Mr. Timberlake was discussed for his attending the annual Marine Corps ball. He (Justin) talked about the ball at the Spike awards big time in a very respectful manner. (SARCASM ALERT) Careful, kid, you may be destroying your film career in it's infancy. - DirectorBen AffleckStarsBen AffleckBryan CranstonJohn GoodmanActing under the cover of a Hollywood producer scouting a location for a science fiction film, a CIA agent launches a dangerous operation to rescue six Americans in Tehran during the U.S. hostage crisis in Iran in 1979.I know, "Best Picture" etc. Please see my introduction and entries that discuss Bobcat, Justin Timberlake, Dennis Quaid, and a couple others. I really did not like Benny boy enough to where I was slow to see this flick. I see movies just to see them and no longer like or dislike individual actors. All I know about them is from the media, anyhow. I try to just watch their flicks. Props to Ben Affleck. Yep, I wrote that and meant it. I was in 9th grade when the hostages were taken. I was an infantryman for 3/4 of the Reagan presidency and EVERYTHING in Argo was spot-on.
- DirectorSngmoo LeeStarsJang Dong-gunKate BosworthGeoffrey RushA warrior-assassin is forced to hide in a small town in the American Badlands after refusing a mission.An imaginative and very different type of movie. The cinematography of this flick is the most striking and original in quite some time. Maybe it's the red hair, but Kate is smoking hot in a very understated way. Mr. Rush is magnificent. This stands up to multiple viewings.
- DirectorSu-chang KongStarsChun Ho-jinHyun-jae ChoLee Young-hoonA group of GP506 soldiers have been brutally massacred, leaving only one alive but comatose. A military police investigator has only that night to uncover the facts, but ends up discovering a terrifying truth.Fascinating, scary, and very gory. I was watching a bunch of DPRK propaganda cartoons and went Googling. The IMDB fan list feature is awesome. What really makes it useful is the Amazon Prime filter on the right. Between the 3 events mentioned, I ran across this. As an occidental, the flashbacks can get confusing on the first viewing. Once you get used to who is who, the second viewing is even better. Making some, well lots, of friends watch this formed an opinion if you were in the service and pulled guard duty, it will be much more appreciated. Especially if you were or are a fellow grunt.
- DirectorTay GarnettStarsLana TurnerJohn GarfieldCecil KellawayA married woman and a drifter fall in love and then plot to murder her husband.Magnificent in every way. The story, the acting, the photography, the directing, in every way a classic. Fred Flinstone (well, the guy who did his voice) as a sleazeball is so unsettling.
- DirectorAndrew StantonStarsTaylor KitschLynn CollinsWillem DafoeTransported to Barsoom, a Civil War vet discovers a barren planet seemingly inhabited by 12-foot tall barbarians. Finding himself prisoner of these creatures, he escapes, only to encounter Woola and a princess in desperate need of a savior.For once, I wasn't following this one's troubled shooting and release. I don't know if any film justifies a $250million (!!?!!) budget, but the finished product should not have 'bombed'. Ignore the alleged shooting drama/backstory and just watch the film. You won't be sorry. I do agree with the fanboys about the glaring 'of Mars' omission in the title. I devoured the ERB novels from 11 until the end of my enlistment in the Army. I may read them again.
- DirectorBilly WilderStarsWilliam HoldenGloria SwansonErich von StroheimA screenwriter develops a dangerous relationship with a faded film star determined to make a triumphant return.This is one of those movies that so many have claimed to have seen but hasn't. It arguably made an impact on popular culture similar to the 1st Matrix movie. This is one you really should see, you will like it.
- DirectorOliver StoneStarsKevin CostnerGary OldmanJack LemmonNew Orleans District Attorney Jim Garrison discovers there's more to the Kennedy assassination than the official story.No matter what you think about Oliver Stone, JFK's assassination, or the Warren report, this is a fine movie. If it helps, think of it as a fictional portrayal of a fictional assassination of a fictional president. The atmosphere of paranoia is palpable. It also demonstrates how John Candy was taken away too quickly. He did a GREAT dramatic turn.
- DirectorSidney SalkowStarsVincent PriceSebastian CabotBrett HalseyThree horror stories based on the writings of Nathaniel Hawthorne. In the first story titled "Dr. Heidegger's Experiment", Heidegger attempts to restore the youth of himself, his fiancee and his best friend. In "Rappaccini's Daughter", Vincent Price plays a demented father inoculating his daughter with poison so she may never leave her garden of poisonous plants. In the final story "The House of the Seven Gables", the Pyncheon family suffers from a hundred year old curse and the Pyncheon brother returns to his home to search for a hidden vault.The first vignette was the best but all are good. Solid acting, great stories and solid costumes make this 90 minutes well spent.
- DirectorDan CurtisStarsKaren BlackOliver ReedBurgess MeredithA family moves into a large old mansion in the countryside which seems to have a mysterious and sinister power over its new residents.Moody, well done, and a believable child actor made this a film that has stood the test of time, at least to me. Bette Davis, Karen Black, Oliver Reed, and Burgess Meredeth vamping as an effeminate paraplegic in a haunted house? What more could you want out of a film?
- DirectorAndrew BushStarsMark LittleKayla LoretteScott VroomanWhen a roller-skating-obsessed town is overrun by video-game-shilling gangsters, only one man has the funk deep enough to boogie them back to oblivion.Hit or miss, it has some side-splitting moments. Any film with a Rudy Ray Moore homage is a film worth watching. The women are awesome. REAL girls, no fake t*ts, pretty without that over-doing it Yank faux glamour. Heck, the women alone make it worth a watch.
- DirectorMaría LidónStarsVincent GalloMaria de MedeirosJoaquim de AlmeidaAn international group of astronauts crash land on Mars with limited supplies. Help from Earth is 26 months away which means only two can survive. The crew is forced to make desperate choices.Slow and a wee bit on the cheap side, the characters and their conversations make it worth watching.
- DirectorChris FisherStarsLuke WilsonSamuel L. JacksonLeslie BibbJohn is taken on a murder-fueled ride by a mysterious stranger that transforms the weak-willed, disillusioned husband and father into a desperate hero willing to go to any length to protect his family.This film is newest film to have an entry on the list. I am floored at how poorly this did regarding money. I guess this was sort of released then dumped to DVD. I will have to hit the IMDB entry pretty heavy for this one. I caught it on Amazon Prime as a suggestion that came up. There was a period of my life that living to the next sunrise was not so much a given. I was not a secret squirrel in the Army. The most (heck, the only) dangerous period of my life was the "junkie" phase. As ashamed as I am of that, it happened. Now I have to make amends and not use drugs, one day at a time. That period put me in incredibly dangerous situations, places and people. The film made it so realistic in that it happens and you, strange as it sounds, roll with it. I suppose it was its seeming unreality that turn some folks off. Like the ancient Greek who secretly pinched the pig, the rabble booed his "imitation" pig sounds. The unfocused, 'where is this going?' feeling also matches reality. Samuel Jackson was PERFECT. I guess Mr John Ford's "shoot the legend" quip applies to more than just old westerns. Do yourself a favour and watch this flick.
- DirectorDouglas SchulzeStarsAllen MaldonadoSid HaigLauren Mae ShaferA group of horror fans find themselves unwilling participants in a nightmarish role playing game that pays homage to a classic horror film.Stick it out past the "party" scene. It is a good idea executed well. The acting is solid and the story pretty good. An imaginative celluloid trip that is pretty original. Check it out. A MUST for the handful of Romero fans that still exist.
- DirectorColin MinihanStuart OrtizThe Vicious BrothersStarsBenjamin WilkinsonSean RogersonAshleigh GryzkoFor their ghost hunting reality show, a production crew locks themselves inside an abandoned mental hospital that's supposedly haunted - and it might prove to be all too true.The description on Netflix or Amazon Prime (I forget which) was very interesting. Nothing against indies, but the studio name and the kids on the picture had me pass. Halloween I remembered it and watched it. Surprisingly well-done with some solid creeps and a legit scare or two. Check it out. Like the Blair Witch in many ways including a sequel that is just as terrible as the other's'. Rough sentence but after you see them, it will make sense.
- DirectorRoger NygardStarsDenise CrosbyFrank D'AmicoBarbara AdamsDenise Crosby takes a first look at the huge fans of "Star Trek" and how the series from around America has affected and shaped their lives.This movie got me to write my first review for our great hosts, the IMDB. Now, it needs to be seen, by anyone remotely into Star Trek. I am not going to repeat anything from the review. Keep a lookout for Starbase Dental. Watch the gold-digger. Anytime Ms. Crosby talks to the staff, she is THERE watching the poor girls like a hawk. When Crosby and Mr. WHIPple joke about James Doohan's missing finger, I get VIOLENTLY angry. It was shot off at Normandy, bitches. Brent Spiner comes across as a really stand up kind of guy. Watch it, for real.
- DirectorStanley KubrickStarsRyan O'NealMarisa BerensonPatrick MageeAn Irish rogue wins the heart of a rich widow and assumes her dead husband's aristocratic position in 18th-century England.You are doing yourself a disservice if you have not seen this. Fascinating, perfectly filmed and the acting is superb. Think of a Renaissance painting that follows a story. A fascinating story at that. It bombed? When has anyone MADE money OVER estimating the American public?
- DirectorChristopher SmithStarsEddie RedmayneSean BeanCarice van HoutenSet during the time of the first outbreak of bubonic plague in England, a young monk is given the task of learning the truth about reports of people being brought back to life in a small village.Solid, solid acting, a gripping story, and magnificent cinematography were all pleasant surprises, since I hardly knew the cast when I saw it. The violence gets gruesome, as is befitting the time period. Certainly not for kids, but teens can wrap their heads around the underlying historical factors that support the story. Perfect 4th date material if you are still waiting to be waved around 3rd base.
- DirectorRobert WiseStarsGeorge C. ScottAnne BancroftWilliam AthertonA chronicle of the Hindenburg disaster in which a zeppelin burst into flames.
- DirectorGregory HoblitStarsDenzel WashingtonJohn GoodmanDonald SutherlandHomicide detective John Hobbes witnesses the execution of serial killer Edgar Reese. Soon after the execution, the killings start again, and they are very similar to Reese's style.The pacing can be a bit slow, but the scene transitions are great. Denzel turns on a solid performance. An intelligent man is stuck in a nightmare that is running its course, whether he believes it or not. The story's handling of the collateral damage is gripping. By all means, put this on the instant queue.
- DirectorFranco ZeffirelliStarsMel GibsonGlenn CloseAlan BatesHamlet, Prince of Denmark, finds out that his uncle Claudius killed his father to obtain the throne, and plans revenge.Man, this is NOT the vanity project so many dismissed it as. Everyone except HBC is in the zone. To be fair, shes a bit young. Anyhow, Gibson, Close, Bates, Holm and all the others are great. If you are a fan of the Bard, you are doing yourself a disservice if you miss this one.