Ordinary People ( 1980 ) - 4 stars out of 5 stars

There are a few other films with like or very similar names,but there is only one film like this 1980 release that runs 124 minutes.According to the IMDB summary,

"The accidental death of the older son of an affluent family deeply strains the relationships among the bitter mother, the good-natured father, and the guilt-ridden younger son."

it seems simple enough.Oh contra !!!
I took 1 star off because I generally don't want to see films about those who HAVE it,waste it.Also it is slow and I guess thats the story teller in the films director  Robert Redford.
Today,I doubt audiences would sit thru the hour or so it takes to finally make you feel vested in the lives of the three main characters.Too bad for you than,because the last hour is as tugging yet frustrating as a film can get.There is NO happy ending,only understanding and that will have to do as it does for us all,rich or poor.
There are four standout performances that keep your interest through  Redford's slow early directing. They are Donald Sutherland  as Calvin Jarrett ,the father  and  Mary Tyler Moore     as Beth Jarrett,the mother,Timothy Hutton as Conrad Jarrett as the son and finally Judd Hirsch as Dr. Tyrone Berger ,who will challenge your beliefs as he did mine,that phycologists are quacks.He shows at least that they care and sometimes that just might be enough.  A good cry will come to those who wait and watch the entire film.Trailer URL follows the pix

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdjlLq1tqmU

Galaxina - 3 stars out of 5 stars

There are a few reasons to view this film when there is nothing else important to see.First off as a parody of sci-fi and westerns it's so bad it's high camp.Second,some really bad acting that makes you wonder how wonderful character actor Stephen Macht got caught in this as well as veteran funny man Avery Schreiber.Finally,Dorothy Stratten,who was killed in a sensational Hollywood murder the same year,1980 as this 95 minute film was released.She was indeed beautiful and had a screen presence if not really a "good"actress.
Back to the film.It's pretty bad BUT it does reference a few  good films and the "Star Wars"bar parodies as well as the old "Flash Gordon"music are fun to see and hear.The film"Flesh Gordon"had better effects but this parodies a few films rather than spoofing only one well.The "shootout"parody of "Good the Bad and the Ugly"is also amusing.Its just the bad acting and simple plot that forces me to take 2 stars off.Tepid recommendation.
Trailer URL follows the pix and a IMDB summary below.

Main Plot: Crew of interstellar police ship is sent to recover a mysterious crystal, the blue star. Sub Plots: The ships female android and a crew member fall in love. Alien is spoofed as as the captain gives birth to an alien who grows up on the ship thinking the captain is its mother Written by jk0101

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GrEZZbL4Tg

Texas Across The River - 4 stars out of 5 stars

When this film was made back in 1966,I don't think there was a "genre"of film parodies,I guess they just called them "comedies".Well welcome to the earliest western comedy I can remember.Even before"Blazzing Saddles"which I consider the gold standard of western comedy.Except for some very poor editing and super imposing,its a well made film.That might be my only complaint.There are many funny Texas jokes and some funny if a little politically incorrect,lines as well. But the real fun is the casting of Dean Martin and Alan Delon,both of whom played serious roles in major westerns.Martin earlier in "Rio Bravo" and Delon later in "Red Sun".You also have to LOVE Peter Graves as Capt. Stimpson in a hint to the comedy yet to come from this fine actor.Even Joey Bishop as a indian named Kronk  is low key funny.Finally Michael Ansara as Iron Jacket,a comanche chief is funny.The rest of the cast works well also.So if your looking for a good funny western parody and have already seen "Saddles"check it out.It's worth a few laughs. Especially jokes about that"poison black water" The film runs 101 minutes and I took 1 star of for the poor editing and super imposing.Trailer URL follows the pix and a IMDB summary is below.

The Louisiana wedding of debutante Phoebe Ann Naylor to Don Andrea de Baldasar, El Duce de la Casala is stopped by the Cavalry over a matter of honor. Don Andrea flees across the river to Texas, where he meets up with Sam Hollis and his Indian sidekick, Kronk, who are carrying rifles to the town of Moccasin Flats. Don Andrea rescues an Indian maiden, Lonetta, tames some longhorns, competes with Sam for Phoebe's affections, eludes a Comanche war party and the cavalry (who have come to Moccasin Flats to celebrate Texas' statehood) and ultimately saves the town and gets his girl. Written by Robin Richmond

http://www.starz.com/titles/texasacrosstheriver

Conan the Barbarian (2011) - 3 1/2 stars out of 5 stars

Usually remakes"suck",this one is,well,so,so.I wanted to see it because I be loving me some Jason Momoa,who plays Conan in this version.While he was GREAT in "Stargate Atlantis"and "Game of Thrones",both TV series and both reviewed on this blog,sadly he can't make you forget Arnold who first played Conan.Its also unfair to compare the two film versions as the first with Arnold was really over the top and therefore really good fun.This film is much more serious and well,that doesn't work as well.Stephen Lang who plays Khalar Zym,the baddie who kills Conan's father,is no James Earl Jones ether.Perhalps it would have been better to name the film something else??However,even so,the story is too similar to confuse with something else even through there are some major changes,still its a story of a youth who seeks vengeance over the years and finds it.
So see this version which was released in 2011 and runs 113 minutes only if you like the cast,as I do,and you enjoy the genre.However there is no comparing the two films,Arnold wins hands down,thus 1 and 1/2 stars off.Trailer URL follows the pix and a IMDB summary below.

 The tale of Conan the Cimmerian and his adventures across the continent of Hyboria on a quest to avenge the murder of his father and the slaughter of his village.

http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi990092569/

The Big Lebowski - 3 stars out of 5 stars

Ethan Coen and Joel Coen have written many scripts that became hit movies.Like most prolific writers you might like some and others not so much.My sons LOVE this movie,it is NOT one of my favorite Coen films,that would be "Fargo"which I also reviewed,however this movie is viewable in spite of the heavy drug overtones.A fabulous cast and crazy mixed up story make for a few good laughs and a good musical score. In fact afterwards I felt like bowling a few games.Released in 1998 and running 117 minutes I took the 2 stars off for the language and drugs.Still,gotta love the Saddam and Cong references as well as small roles by Sam Elliott as The Stranger and John Turturro as Jesus Quintana.However the movie stands on the main characters ,Jeff Bridges as Jeffrey Lebowski - The Dude and John Goodman as Walter Sobchak. I felt that Steve Buscemi as Theodore Donald 'Donny' Kerabatsos and Ben Gazzara     as Jackie Treehorn were wasted but the rest of the cast was fillers but performed well.Comedy is subjective but you could do far worse.Trailer URL follows the pix and a IMDB summary below.

"Dude" Lebowski, mistaken for a millionaire Lebowski, seeks restitution for his ruined rug and enlists his bowling buddies to help get it.

http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi4018733337/

The Fountainhead - 4 stars out of 5 stars

For this political election season I recommend this old 1949 classic that runs 114 minutes,as a primer on the republican parties goddess,Ayn Rand.This film is in B&W and VERY dated and might not interest younger viewers.That is a shame and the only reason I took off 1 star. Clearly defined is the argument of individual vs the collective as this film is based on the novel and the screenplay itself is written by Ayn Rand.The metaphor is freedom of ideas expressed by a architect who must fight against conformity to have his own work commissioned.Adding to the intense melodrama is as weird a triangle as you'll ever see between Gary Cooper as Howard Roark,the idealistic architect and the always dynamic Raymond Massey as Gail Wynand ,one who was as Roark but is no longer.Finally never more beautiful Patricia Neal     as Dominique Francon  who loves one,but marries the other. The rest of the cast are well recognized actors of that era. The story covers years of fighting against the norms for ones own integrity and clearly defines that giving of oneself for nothing,in regards to helping others through collectiveness,is slavery.This film does define the arguments of big government ( the norms) vs small entrepreneurial spirt ( the individual) we hear today in yesterdays terms.Both are clearly defined.Highly recommended.Trailer URL follows the pix and a IMDB summary is below.

An uncompromising, visionary architect struggles to maintain his integrity and individualism despite personal, professional and economic pressures to conform to popular standards.

http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi1751647513/

Texas Killing Fields - 2 1/2 stars out of 5 stars

This is a strange trick that producer Michael Mann and his daughter,director Ami Canaan Mann have played on us.Up front I must admit that as a director,I have always loved me some Michael Mann,so I was somewhat disturbed at this movie.His daughter shows much of the grit of her dad and may someday rival him,HOWEVER,this film is a tease and not what it seems.You will have to be the judge of if it was worth the view.You see I have family that live around Texas City  Texas and well,it is at the center of what may be the largest unsolved collection of murders in the country.Of course it was naive to think this film had answers,but I didn't expect a gritty story of life on the edge with the murders as only a background for the story of of these characters.Even at that,the characters are never fleshed out enough to really care about them.Only the acting excels and was enough to keep me watching.Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Brian Heigh,a ex New Yorker,like me,is the best of all. Sam Worthington as Mike Souder,local boy and son of a cop,and now one himself.Underused Jessica Chastain as Pam Stall,ex wife of Mike and a detective herself. 
There are others in smaller roles and all are fine.But they aren't worth really caring about and the murders aren't really tied in but for a very vague maybe with no evidence or proof.
So watch only as a curiosity.Thats why I only rated it my lowest ok at 2 1/2 stars.Released in 2011 it runs 105 minutes.Trailer URL follows pix and a IMDB summary is below.

Souder, a homicide detective in a small Texan town, and his partner, transplanted New York City cop Detective Heigh, track a sadistic serial killer dumping his victims' mutilated bodies in a nearby marsh locals call 'The Killing Fields'. Though the swampland crime scenes are outside their jurisdiction, Detective Heigh is unable to turn his back on solving the gruesome murders. Despite his partner's warnings, he sets out to investigate the crimes. Before long, the killer changes the game and begins hunting the detectives, teasing them with possible clues at the crime scenes while always remaining one step ahead. When familiar local girl Anne goes missing, the detectives find themselves racing against time to catch the killer and save the young girl's life. Written by Anonymous

http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi152149017/

TV Series - Strike Back - 4 stars out of 5 stars

Extremely violent version of a "24"type show with much better locations and modern effect as it is about covert UK military operations and all THAT entails rather than homeland type US security.I'm HOOKED.It's basically about a special branch called "section 20"which travels all over the world in search of terrorists and weapons of mass distraction.It has its "secrets""double crosses"and other intrigue that the hugely popular series "24" had but MUCH more violent and action packed and I saw it on cable TV cinemas. Now over 2 seasons and 14 episodes I like it much more than 24 but fans in the UK should understand that were it NOT for the HUGE success of 24,would there be a strike back series. It would be very hard to unravel the series many plots and sub plots but it revolves around Philip Winchester as Sgt. Michael Stonebridge,who is SAS trained and the main" in the field "operative and Sullivan Stapleton as Sgt. Damien Scott a disgraced former US Army Iraq war vet.There seemed to be a earlier 3 episodes that weren't shown here but may be available as a movie,but the 14 TV episodes so far are well worth it and they continue.Anyway,these 2 characters bond and have each others backs thru combat and intrigue and personnel crises.The FX work well and don't kill the acting and the"real time"satellite imagery views are fascinating.MUST SEE TV. It came out in 2010 and my only issues are the extreme sex and violence make it a truly adult series,thus 1 star off.
By the way,if you like "Game of Thrones"you'll note from that series these actors in THIS series.Iain Glen and Charles Dance.Trailer in this case is a scene and follows the pix.

http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi1313578009/

Cowboys & Aliens - 4 stars out of 5 stars

Interesting if a bit uneven film that I enjoyed more than I thought I would.Took 1 star off for length and the unevenness towards the end.Never thought i could believe Daniel Craig as Jake Lonergan but I did, and i fully expected Harrison Ford to work as Woodrow Dolarhyde and he did.There was a full range of good actors rounding out the cast in what began as your dark but typical western and finally became uneven when they tried to mix in the aliens at the end and NO,not the ones from the movies with the same name but more like the ones from the TV show "Falling Skies"also a Spielberg production as is this movie,but not quite so don't look for prequels here.Released in 2011 and running what seems a little long at 119 minutes because I didn't quite buy the ending.Still,it is different and worth a look for western fans more that sci-fi fans.Trailer URL follows the pix and a IMDB summary is below.

A spaceship arrives in Arizona, 1873, to take over the Earth, starting with the Wild West region. A posse of cowboys and natives are all that stand in their way

http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi2016976153/

Father of Invention - 3 and 1/2 stars out of 5 stars

OK I admit I always be loving me some Kevin Spacey and "Black Comedies".While this film pales as good comedy,its still good enough Spacey for me and thus the ONLY reason to see it.Infomercials are boring and silly and so are the people who make them.In some regards this film is a update of "The Jerk"in the sense that a guy has it all and loses it because of a bad product then gets it all back.Instead of being  born a "poor black child"
Spacey's Robert Axle is the common emotionally poor father.The rest of the cast are unimportant as their characters really mean nothing including Axle's daughter,played well enough by Camilla Belle.No,its the sharp ever scheming mind of Axle that matters and Spacey can do this sort of part very well,see "Casino Jack "as a example.Released in 2010 and running but 93 minutes,its for Spacey fans only as no one could really care about someone like Axle for real,or his pathetic life.Thus I took 1 and 1/2 stars off.Trailer URL follows the pix and a IMDB summary below.

After 8 years in prison, inventor Robert Axle struggles to win over his estranged family and catch up on current technology as he works to once again become the king of the infomercial.

http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi269523993/

J. Edgar - 2 and 1/2 stars out of 5 stars

Clint Eastwood may not have done his best work directing this film.Released in 2011 and running a very long 137 minutes,I was bored and confused but I wanted to k now so much about the man,J Edgar Hoover who just might have been the most powerful man alive in his day.Yet what we get is a so/so back and forth confusing rehash of some very questionable parts of his life.Thats why I took 2 1/2 star off.Perhaps the issue is the final cut and editing,I don't know,but I wanted so much and got little.I thought everything was was done acting and film wise except the total story and concept of how it was done.So i recommend only for serious government geeks who want to know who Hoover was ( head of the FBI for 48 years and 8 presidents) as there is no other film about him.Trailer URL follows the pix and a IMDB summary below.

Biopic of J. Edgar Hoover told by Hoover as he recalls his career for a biography. Early in his career, Hoover fixated on Communists, anarchists and any other revolutionary taking action against the U.S. government. He slowly builds the agency's reputation, becoming the sole arbiter of who gets hired and fired. One of his hires is Clyde Tolson who is quickly promoted to Assistant Director and would be Hoover's confidant and companion for the rest of Hoover's life. Hoover's memories have him playing a greater role in the many high profile cases the FBI was involved in - the Lindbergh baby kidnapping, the arrest of bank robbers like John Dillinger - and also show him to be quite adept at manipulating the various politicians he's worked with over his career, thanks in large part to his secret files. Written by garykmcd 

http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi1849990169/

What's Your Number? - 4 stars out of 5 stars

OK we know all about how comedy is personal,yadda,yadda,and I always be lov'in me some Anna Faris,whom sadly makes some lousy movies that no one would see if not for her,but be warned,this is full of VERY ADULT content.Only she could pull off the off color jokes and situations and you still love her for that shred of innocence that is always there just below her characters surface.While the rest of the cast has talent and you've seen most of them before,this film relies on her and her alone.Released in 2011 and running but 106 minutes,I took the one star off for the STRONG sexual innuendoes but hey,so many OTHER comedies are full of drug innuendos,I rather prefer sex,just me.I'll tell you this,her "number"is shocking,but only she can pull it off without seeming to be a slut.Oh,by the way,a girls number is "how many guys she slept with."My number is…….,MUCH less than her's,ha,ha.
Trailer URL follows the pix and a IMDB summary below.

A woman looks back at the past twenty men she's had relationships with in her life and wonders if one of them might be her one true love.

http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi2886245657/

Live ( 2007) - 5 stars out of 5 stars

There are a few film with this title so it may be hard to find but worth looking for."Black Comedy"done well is very hard as politically correctness always seems to get in the way.Not in this film.It's "The Onion"meats "The Deer Hunter".Bill Guttentag's fine effort starts as a simple Onion spoof of the absurd overtaking of network television by silly self absorbed money hungry producers and 15 minutes of fame TV wanna bee common folk.However slowly and sometimes painfully,it turns into the Deer Hunter.Quick reminder here,Deer Hunter was about the violence of war,not being enough,had to include a suicide game of Russian Roulette for money and fun by soldiers driven half mad by war.
Mr. Guttentag may or may not have intended to draw any comparisons between the films but if you have seen both,its hard not to.Even to the fact of the film character of the producer is killed in the end.So for those looking for "light"entertainment,look elsewhere.For those who want to be shocked and warned that we continue to climb a slippery slope,HOLD ON before we all slip.
Oh,the film is about the ultimate quiz/reality TV show of Russian Roulette by 6 people with 5 getting 5 million dollars apiece and one,well……….
Meanwhile the producer of the TV show herself is the subject of a documentary being filmed in real time.
It's well acted and cast although I'm not really sure Eva Mendes nailed her character of Katy,the TV shows producer.Started as a sexy money grabbing bimbo and then seemed to feel the pressure of what she started to the point of her own death.Or maybe she really did,and I didn't "get"it ? In a film like this,its hard to always feel the "texture"of the moments.I  felt Jeffrey Dean Morgan and David Krumholtz in defining their roles,were OUTSTANDING and Monet Mazur had a movie scene stealing moment.Must see movie.
Released in 2007 it runs  only 96 minutes.Trailer URL follows the pix.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNGlRH1nQac

The Linda McCartney Story - 3 stars out of 5 stars

This was a CBS TV movie released in 2000 and running 90 minutes.I found parts of it very interesting but it really told the story of Linda's marriage to Paul basically but with a few interesting sidelights and omissions.Thus I took 2 stars off and recommend only for really Paul fans as you are led to believe his life would have been in ruin after the Beatle breakup if not for Linda.Still the film has some fine moments as its told in a back and forward framed timeline, as Linda is fighting cancer which finally she died from in 1998 after 30 years with Paul and being talked into playing in his new follow up band"Wings".They had 3 kids together and seemed to love each other though both were very experienced before they met.See she was a photographer for Rolling Stone and had affairs with Mick Jagger and  Jim Morrison and already had a daughter from a prior marriage.So if you want to see actors portraying Rock Stars when they are still alive,its another reason to see the film.Most of the cast are "b" list but work well in their rolls and Elizabeth Mitchell is a better actor than I thought. Notably absent is the heavy drug use though Paul's 9 days in jail in Japan for possession is touched on.So its worth a view for the specialized audience I mentioned.Trailer URL follows the pix.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7q3heAE40Qo

Spaceballs - 4 stars out of 5 stars

OK again I admit to being a butt boy,in this case,Mel Brooks.I've already reviewed "The Producers"and"Blazing Saddles".This film is different in that it is direct satire of others films.In Blazing Saddles it was a broad satire of a film genre,in this case,its individual films.The main target is "Star Wars"and thats maybe 75+% of the jokes,but there are shots at "Alien",Jaws",Rambo",Lawrence of Arabia","Planet of the Apes","The Wizard of Oz"and even Star Trek.There are also healthy servings of yiddish humor and good music throughout.Brooks was the best of his day and perhaps today he's not as relevant in this politically correct climate but judge that for yourself.It was released in 1987 and runs only 96 minutes.I took 1 star off for the relevance of satire to these older films for todays audiences.However there is a funny "transformers"reference scene which points to just how popular those old cartoons were.For those younger fans,there would be NO transformers movies if there were no cartoons first.My favorite lines are still the jewish/yiddish jokes.Nice "nose"joke,"princess"ect.Even a funny line about seeing seeing you again in the sequel,the search for more money…………
Trailer URL follows the pix and the cast is great headed by Brooks himself and the late John Candy and many others.MUST SEE for movie to comedy parody fans.

http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi4171498777/

Soul Food ( 1997 ) - 3 stars out of 5 stars

Not in the class of Spike Lee's "Crooklyn" which I reviewed previously,but ok anyway.There is another film with the same name but I haven't seen it so I don't know what if anything,it has in common with this one.Released in 1997 and running 115 minutes,this films strength is also it's weakness,thats why I take 2 stars off.The issues in this film,though seen thru black eyes,could be just as easily white issues.Thats the problem as well.In"Crooklyn"disaster was always around the corner.In"Soul Food"you get the feeling they put themselves in their own problem positions and would figure away out,or else,so be it.That most certainly is NOT the case in Crooklyn.Anyway,back to this film.Brandon Hammond is outstanding as a the young lad who is telling his families story while trying to keep it together after his grandma's death.HE is the main reason to see this film.The rest of the cast is ok,with some just ok music by"Babyface"If you want to see a black film,its JUST ok.There are better,but few better performances than the ending by young Brandon.Trailer URL follows pix and a IMDB summary below.

Matriarch Mama Joe has held her family together for 40 years around a Sunday dinner of soul food. When diabetes hospitalizes her, the dinners stop and tensions among her three daughters start to break the family apart. Two of the sisters feud continuously: Teri is jealous of Maxine's marriage and irritated that everyone assumes her corporate salary is open to the rest of the family's uses. Maxine resents Teri's bossiness and insensitivity to family tradition. Bird, the youngest, newly married to an ex-con, accepts a favor from an old lover that leads to her husband's arrest. Mama Joe's grandson Ahmad cooks up a scheme to bring the family together, back to the table. Written by <jhailey@hotmail.com>

http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi4286841113/

Conan the Barbarian (1982) - 4 stars out of 5 stars

Before Conan Arnold Schwarzenegger was a virtual unknown but he not only became a star he also revived the "sword and sorcery"as I call it,genre of films  including a sequel.There is also a remake that I have to see.However this is about this 1982 film that runs 129 minutes.The film stands up well over these years but its not for children.Sexual content.It is for those who like the tradition good vs evil storyline.Here is good,Conan,with a questionable past,vs pure evil in the form of James Earl Jones as Thulsa Doom  whom is not in that much of the film,but he sure commands it when he's in it, even as a really bad guy.The rest of the cast is good but i loved the small role by William Smith as Conan's Father. A veteran character actor that I like a lot.Also for fans who like to spot athletics in film roles,I give you Oakland Raider Ben Davidson as Rexor. Type casting?? Now some may say its a little corny,well,it is,thats why I took 1 star off.However its still a classic and a must see for film historical reference points,and just plain fun !!!! Trailer URL follows the pix and a IMDB summary below

The epic tale of child sold into slavery who grows into a man who seeks revenge against the warlord who massacred his tribe.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1XmZ9_ckdw

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo ( 2009 ) - 4 stars out of 5 stars

Not since Federico Fellini's films,as a young man n the 70's,  have I seen a Swedish film and the ONLY reason I saw this one was to see why it was remade in 2011 in the US and I have since reviewed.I rate them both 4 stars and take the one star of for the dark subject matter.The big plus is that both films are pretty much the same with only two major differences.The US film seem to be star driven and the accent in on the performance while here it has a more dark,dare I say Fellini, story overtone.Finally the ending goes in different directions and one would have to see the swedish sequel and await a US one to see if that matters much.Bottom line I recommend both for the story line and contrived plot line.Must for mystery who done it fans.It has a few shock scenes but not quite as graphic as the US version,close however.
Trailer URL follows the pix and the IMDB summary below.Remember there are 3 books written in this series,this is but the first and all 3 have been filmed already in Sweden.I have only seen this first one which the original swedish name is Män som hatar kvinnor.

Forty years ago, Harriet Vanger disappeared from a family gathering on the island owned and inhabited by the powerful Vanger clan. Her body was never found, yet her uncle is convinced it was murder and that the killer is a member of his own tightly knit but dysfunctional family. He employs disgraced financial journalist Mikael Blomkvist and the tattooed, ruthless computer hacker Lisbeth Salander to investigate. When the pair link Harriet's disappearance to a number of grotesque murders from almost forty years ago, they begin to unravel a dark and appalling family history. But the Vangers are a secretive clan, and Blomkvist and Salander are about to find out just how far they are prepared to go to protect themselves. Written by Music Box Films

http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi2735866905/ 

Man on the Moon - 5 stars out of 5 stars

Andy Kaufman was a acquired taste and not for everyone.He was made for the 70's and will always be remembered both fondly by some, and as a "pet rock"craze by others.I have a family connection from Great Neck LI,though I never met him,and choose to remember him as something like a comet,Here as a big flash,and then gone.This film was released in 1999 and runs 118 minutes and Andy died in 1984 so ,many people from his career appear as themselves,but not all.Four actors must be singled out.Danny DeVito as George Shapiro his manager.Courtney Love as Lynne Marguiles ,Andy's girl.Paul Giamatti as Bob Zmuda his writer.Finally Jim Carrey as Andy, nails his quirks as close as another can.Andy was "different"in the way he put YOU on and you had to laugh for falling for it.His only real great mainstream act was a dead on Elvis impression,but then even THAT was a put on in the sense that who can't do a great Elvis if they had a shred of talent?? See the film "3000 miles to Graceland"which I reviewed to prove that point.
     No Andy's thing was the put on.What finally polarized the public on him was wrestling.First he wrestled women in the most chauvinistic ways.Then a real male wrestler with a fake injury and threat of lawsuits for credibility.But as he was dying and desperately trying any cure for Cancer he could find,he traveled to the Philippines for"Physic  surgery"and had to laugh when he witnessed that it was a fake and thus a "joke"on him.
Till his death,many though cancer was another joke on THEM.
Andy had to be remembered and this film is as fair as can be to show what he was and then you can decide was he a talent or a fake.Trailer URL follows the pix.

http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi497811737/

13 Rue Madeleine - 4 stars out of 5 stars

Ok,ok,I admit I'm a James Cagney but-boy but this old chestnut from 1947 running but 95 minutes is as good as it gets before FX and cold war Bond or Bourne flicks.This is WW11 and the beginning of the secret wars still being fought till today.Yes its shot in b&w and might seem silly sometimes by todays standards BUT look closely and you see what we have become and how important getting "intel"can be.I took 1 star off for being dated but its a classic and if secret agent films are your thing its a MUST see.A very young Richard Conte makes a good"Bad"guy and we sometimes forget how good a actor Sam Jaffe was.Trailer URL follows the pix and a IMDB summary is below.Oh and yes in bit parts that was future stars E.G. Marshall,Karl Malden and Red Buttons.

Documentary-style prologue follows training of O.S.S. agents for WWII work behind enemy lines. One of the group is a German "mole;" leaders Gibson and Sharkey are aware of this and scheme to feed him false info about the invasion of Europe, while the real agents go to France to find a secret V-2 rocket depot. But the German spy outsmarts them and rejoins his people knowing too much; Bob Sharkey takes the risk of going in after him. Written by Rod Crawford <puffinus@u.washington.edu>

13 Rue Madeleine - 4 stars out of 5 stars

Contagion - 3 stars out of 5 stars

OK for realism of what might happen if you have a outbreak of some unknown contagion,but,no real plot or adventure.See its almost like a documentary of life during the outbreak to the cure for the survivors.Not really entertainment but more informational about what systems we have in place and their shortcomings.So thats why I took 2 stars off.Oh for all you Gwyneth Paltrow haters,she dies early and painfully.No actors really stand out but maybe Jude Law  as a blogger.Still a good interesting cast and for a 2011 film release running 106 minutes its ok for kids but you'll have to do some explaining during and after.Trailer URL follows the pix and a IMDB summary,such as can be,is below.

Soon after her return from a business trip to Hong Kong, Beth Emhoff dies from what is a flu or some other type of infection. Her young son dies later the same day. Her husband Mitch however seems immune. Thus begins the spread of a deadly infection. For doctors and administrators at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, several days pass before anyone realizes the extent or gravity of this new infection. They must first identify the type of virus in question and then find a means of combating it, a process that will likely take several months. As the contagion spreads to millions of people worldwide, societal order begins to break down as people panic. Written by garykmcd

http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi3924270105/

La Bamba - 5 stars out of 5 stars

Perhaps you've heard of"the day the music died"? Without going into too much history here, that was  February 3, 1959 and Ritchie Valens was but 17 and he and 3 others died in a plane crash that night.This movie is about his short 2 year run to music stardom and untimely early death.It made a instant star out of Lou Diamond Phillips who played him and recognition to the music group Los Lobos which duplicated his music.Released in 1987 and running 107 minutes,it was a huge commercial success and reminded us all of what was lost that day.Again,he was but one of three plus a pilot that died.Another film was made about one of the others and also made a star of the actor who portrayed him and that was"The Buddy Holly story"and Gary Bussie.However this is the film we are reviewing and I'll stick to it.The fact I didn't know about Ritchie was he did NOT speak Spanish.Odd and another reason well done bio-flicks are so rewarding.In todays movies many actors also perform but in this film that didn't matter.See in those days it was lip singing on TV and even in some concerts so to catch the"person"is so much more important than catching the performance which wasn't"live"more often than not back in that day.The whole cast feels right but its Diamonds film.Must see if only to put a face on that time and music for all the young's out there. It's note worthy how many of these great"music"films Joe Pantoliano appears in. Trailer URL follows pix.
Sex,drugs and Rock and Roll.................

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wRCCUVT5jE

For Whom The Bell Tolls - 4 stars out of 5 stars

After viewing and later reviewing HBO's "Hemingway & Gellhorn"I was moved to view the 1943 film based on the novel he wrote while in Spain for their Civil War.I had seen this movie once long ago in lieu of reading the book for a school report.Who amongst us hasn't done that??Well,now I do understand  and consider this movie just a touch below Casablanca as a love story with war as a backdrop. This film is far more intense as a lifetime of desire and hope is condensed into but a few days,unlike Casablanca where lives were haunted for years.Pick your poison,both can kill a heart.Odd that Ingrid Bergman should be the object of such love in both movies.I be lov'in her memory.This movie is quite long at 170 minutes and is slow but for the intense action scenes.Not for todays FX crowd at all.But,if your a romantic and understand that nothing,even love,can be more intense than when death, through the threat of war, lurks in every shadow,than this film is for you.Perhaps those youngins of the twilight ilk might enjoy true angst ??Thus 1 star off.
Trailer URL follows the pix and a IMDB summary is below.

Spain in the 1930s is the place to be for a man of action like Robert Jordan. There is a civil war going on and Jordan who has joined up on the side that appeals most to idealists of that era -- like Ernest Hemingway and his friends -- has been given a high-risk assignment up in the mountains. He awaits the right time to blow up a bridge in a cave. Pilar, who is in charge there, has an ability to foretell the future. And so that night she encourages Maria, a young girl ravaged by enemy soldiers, to join Jordan who has decided to spend the night under the stars. Written by Dale O'Connor <daleoc@interaccess.com>

http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi162005273/

Krull - 3 1/2 stars out of 5 stars

Fantasy meets sci-fi back in 1983 and we are all better for it.James Horner did the sound track and we all know him as one of the best,Star Trek,Titanic ect. Early Liam Neeson small role.Be lov'in me best english character actor Freddie Jones and a good cast down the line.The story is silly enough,sort of King Arthur meets Stargate on the way to star wars or some such nonsense.Thats not important.Its fantasy like Lord of the rings with a lot of good old fashion honor and a true love quest.Running a long 121 minutes and being limited as really a tail for us never growed up kids,I had to take 1 and 1/2 stars off.
Remember its not Earth,Krull is the PLANET of choice for trhis fantasy so go with it if you still a kid and a romantic.Trailer URL follows the pix and a IMDB summary below.

From the sky will come the Black Fortress. From the Fortress will come the Slayers to devour the planet of Krull. Then shall a girl of ancient name become queen...she shall choose a king...and together they shall rule the planet. And their son shall rule the galaxy. Written by Stanford Sherman  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6i2par2Fv0

They Live - 4 stars out of 5 stars

Whats good and bad about this film are quite the same.What??.It's a John Carpenter film,get it??Thus 1 star off.Released in 1988 and running 93 minutes,its a different sort of film for the master film maker.Sci-fi but with a very today message.Money corrupts and blinds.I'm sure in some small way,"The Matrix trilogy"has some small insperation from this film and todays 99% who strive to be 1%'ers also need to see this. Me?I just love it when some one beats you to within a inch of your life to save it,by forcing you to wear sun glasses.You have to see the film to understand THAT.Roddy Piper,a pro wrestler,was a inspired choice in a  John Carpenter sort of way to be the lead in a so/so cast,but as in all of John Carpenter's films its the message that counts,not the messenger.Trailer URL follows the pix and a IMDB summary below.

Nada, a down-on-his-luck construction worker, discovers a pair of special sunglasses. Wearing them, he is able to see the world as it really is: people being bombarded by media and government with messages like "Stay Asleep", "No Imagination", "Submit to Authority". Even scarier is that he is able to see that some usually normal-looking people are in fact ugly aliens in charge of the massive campaign to keep humans subdued. Written by Melissa Portell <mportell@s-cwis.unomaha.edu>

http://www.cinemagia.ro/trailer/they-live-they-live-3754/

Bad Boys (1995) - 3 1/2 stars out of 5 stars

Nothing really new or special about this film which spawned a few sequels and there are a few other films with the same name.Why see it then? Well the action is ok but I do like "cop buddy"flixs and this is not disappointing.Michael Bay also is very adept at making action films.For me however,its a good chemistry between Will Smith and Martin Lawrence as the cop buddies and two of my favorite supporting actors have small roles,Joe Pantoliano and Michael Imperioli and I always be lov'in me some Téa Leoni and Tchéky Karyo is a fine as your bad guy.So for those cozy nights you just want some action with witty buddy repartee,this is your film.railer URL follows the pix and a IMDB summary is below.Enjoy.

Marcus Burnett is a hen-pecked family man. Mike Lowry is a foot-loose and fancy free ladies' man. Both are Miami policemen, and both have 72 hours to reclaim a consignment of drugs stolen from under their station's nose. To complicate matters, in order to get the assistance of the sole witness to a murder, they have to pretend to be each other. Written by James Hastie <jdh1000@cus.cam.ac.uk> 

http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi2344091929/

In Time - 3 1/2 stars out of 5 stars

Updated idea of "Logans Run"right down to the crazy true believer "sandman"types.What differs is buying extra years,but thats one of the issues I have with this film and thus I took 1 and 1/2 stars off.It sort of adds"Highlander"and "Bonnie and Clyde"to the mix and so goes all over the place plot wise,rather than staying on target of a society choosing to kill itself at a young age unless……………..????Still its a novel idea and for those who like this sort of future hedonist type world will go for it as the cast is attractive and talented but I just couldn't get into a non-blonde Amanda Seyfried as I always love me some of that. Kuddos to Justin Timberlake as well.Released in 2011 it runs 109 minutes.Trailer URL follows pic and a IMDB summary is below.

Welcome to a world where time has become the ultimate currency. You stop aging at 25, but there's a catch: you're genetically-engineered to live only one more year, unless you can buy your way out of it. The rich "earn" decades at a time (remaining at age 25), becoming essentially immortal, while the rest beg, borrow or steal enough hours to make it through the day. When a man from the wrong side of the tracks is falsely accused of murder, he is forced to go on the run with a beautiful hostage. Living minute to minute, the duo's love becomes a powerful tool in their war against the system. Written by Twentieth Century Fox

http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi775265305/

Superman - 4 1/2 stars out of 5 stars

Released in 1978 and running long at 143 minutes with the LONGEST credits both opening and closing you'll EVER see,is why I took 1/2 star off from the greatest superhero movie ever made.There can and are debates about other super hero movies BUT like"Godfather"did for gangster movies,Superman does for superhero movies ( read into that Batman,ect.).Its no coincidence that Marlon Brando was in both movies.However Christopher Reeve WAS Superman and carried the movie.Aided by Brando and Hackman and Ford and Kidder and so on,the cast was amongst the best ever,BUT superhero movies depend on believing the "UN"believable and that was Reeves.If you somehow missed this movie because it is 34 years old,see it because it does stand up.Trailer URL below and a IMDB summary for those who somehow never heard of this,is below.And for you young'ins who loved TV's "Smallville"this movie and the comic it was based on, is what inspired it.

Unable to convince the ruling council of Krypton that their world will destroy itself soon, scientist Jor-El takes drastic measures to preserve the Kryptonian race: He sends his infant son Kal-El to Earth. There, gaining great powers under Earth's yellow sun, he will become a champion of truth and justice. Raised by the Kents, an elderly farm couple, Clark Kent learns that his abilities must be used for good. The adult Clark travels to Metropolis, where he becomes a mild-mannered reporter for the Daily Planet...and a caped wonder whose amazing feats stun the city: Superman! Meanwhile, Lex Luthor, the world's greatest criminal mind, is plotting the greatest real estate swindle of all time. Can't even the Man of Steel stop this nefarious scheme? Written by Gregory A. Sheets <m-sheets2@onu.edu>

http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi2710307097/

Dolphin Tale - 4 stars out of 5 stars

In this crazy world gone mad with hatred and violence and even worse,apathy,kudos to a film,while corny and not really presenting anything new at all in that respect,updates what can sometimes be lost these days,our humanity and human ingenuity.Based on true events and Clearwater Marine Aquariums own Dolphin,Winter,we get a new spin as real and heart wrenching as the 50,000 + wounded warriors  this country is now home to.Thru a story about a Dolphin we get a allegory of todays sometimes neglected  veterans and the extraordinary medical advancements being made on their behalf.I was drawn to this 2011 film that runs 113 minutes by its cast.Harry Connick Jr.,Kris Kristofferson, and Morgan Freeman,and I always be lov'in me some Ashley Judd.But a movie like this needs good child actors and Cozi Zuehlsdorff and Nathan Gamble are all that.Winter the Dolphin is a good animal/actor to base a story on as well.It can be a "tissue movie"and I recommend it for times like this past weekend when you just want the world to go away.My only issue is that's a corny movie like this works best when the world really sucks and you need hope for better days.Thus 1 star off.Trailer URL follows the pix and a IMDB summary below.

A lonely and friendless boy finds and untangles a hurt dolphin that is caught in a crab trap. He becomes very attached to the dolphin when the tail must be taken off to save the dolphin's life. The boy believes the dolphin would be able to swim normally if it was given a prosthetic tail. Written by Douglas Young (the-movie-guy)

http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi1353554969/

50 First Dates - 3 1/2 stars out of 5 stars

Adam Sandler is usually not for me and thats why I took 1 and 1/2 stars off + the uneven re-working of the"groundhog day"idea.Still,its a point of view twist that has its moments aided by a wonderfully comic yet poignant performance by Drew Barrymore.Released in 2004 and running but 99 minutes,there are quite a few funny acting turns by others BUT its really the molding together of the characters portrayed by Barrymore and Sandler that is the whole film.Adam starts as the typical childish jerk he always plays yet evolves into a driven hero of sorts as he falls for someone who will not ever remember meeting him the next day.Groundhog day with a tragic twist as those around her can never forget the endless day always being relived.Spoiler ending,Drew gets to re-know Adam each and every day and the fact they are married and have a young daughter at the end of the film in as fine a ending as anything Sandler has ever done or could hope to ever duplicate.Strong recommendation dispute Sandlers infantile beginning as is his custom in all his films.Trailer URL follows the pix and a IMDB summary below.


Henry Roth lives in a Hawaiian paradise with the company of endless women with no strings attached. This is until he meets Lucy Whitmore. Both Henry and Lucy enjoy the company of each other and feel the start of a serious relationship occurring. Approaching Lucy the next day, Henry is confused when Lucy fails to recognize him. This is the moment Henry discovers that Lucy actually suffers from short term memory loss and can't remember each individual day. Henry won't let this stop him and is prepared to make her fall in love with him all over again, each and every day. Written by FilmFanUk

http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi867434777/

The Help - 4 and 1/2 stars out of 5 stars

What keeps this film from total perfection is it starts very slowly,so much so that after 15 minutes I wanted to move on to something else.That's why I took but 1/2 star off.Well once it grabbed me I went willing along for a emotional "chick flick"ride.Now the 50's and 60's has been explored many times before,in fact,I reviewed a film called"the Painting"and well,this subject has been done 100 times before.Than why rave about THIS film?? Well,first off,its really from a woman's perspective.Best done film from that point of view I can recall.Second,the cast.Viola Davis as Aibileen Clark  does earn her Oscar,however,there are 2 other worthy performances as well.Octavia Spencer as Minny Jackson  and I be loving me some Emma Stone as Skeeter Phelan .The rest of the cast are outstanding as well,but,the main focus is these three woman.What did truly surprise me is that Disney made this film.Are they growing up finally??Released in 2011 its a little long at 146 minutes TILL it starts rolling,then its over before you realize it.


Set in Mississippi during the 1960s, Skeeter (Stone) is a southern society girl who returns from college determined to become a writer, but turns her friends' lives -- and a Mississippi town -- upside down when she decides to interview the black women who have spent their lives taking care of prominent southern families. Aibileen (Davis), Skeeter's best friend's housekeeper, is the first to open up -- to the dismay of her friends in the tight-knit black community. Despite Skeeter's life-long friendships hanging in the balance, she and Aibileen continue their collaboration and soon more women come forward to tell their stories -- and as it turns out, they have a lot to say. Along the way, unlikely friendships are forged and a new sisterhood emerges, but not before everyone in town has a thing or two to say themselves when they become unwittingly -- and unwillingly -- caught up in the changing times. Written by Walt Disney Pictures  

http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi809278745/

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011) - 4 stars out of 5 stars

Swedish novelist Stieg Larsson wrote a trilogy of books called "Millennium series" ,the first of which was The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and all 3 novels were made into films and this one was directed by Swedish Director Niels Arden Oplev.That was in 2009 and this is the American re-make of that acclaimed novel and film.Not having seen that film or read the novel I was drawn to THIS film out of curiosity of the casting of a granddaughter Rooney Mara,of football royalty, in a major role and the Academy Awards nomination she received.BRAVO,but her grandfather name sakes are probably turning over in their graves.Not since " La Femme Nikita"has there been a nastier female role to play and play this one well is the main reason to see this 2011 release.I took 1 star of for low down and very rough dirty sex and length.The plot is also kinda hard to believe,a father and son family of  serial killers and big time corporate greed and secrecy cloaked within a old family of Swedish WW11 Nazi collaborators.Kinda really out there BUT Rooney along with a fine turn by current "Bond"actor Daniel Craig as Mikael Blomkvist ,pull it off.BE WARNED,its a very rough film and not for maybe half of you.Still,its gritty and a dirty pleasure and I be loving me some Rooney Mara about now :)
Trailer URL follow the pix and a IMDB summary below.

This English-language adaptation of the Swedish novel by Stieg Larsson follows a disgraced journalist, Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig), as he investigates the disappearance of a wealthy patriarch's niece from 40 years ago. He is aided by the pierced, tattooed, punk computer hacker named Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara). As they work together in the investigation, Blomkvist and Salander uncover immense corruption beyond anything they have ever imagined. Written by Anonymous 

http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi3830160409/

Air Force One - 4 and 1/2 stars out of 5 stars

OK its hard to believe but thats what film fantasy is all about and in this really poor political year of 2012,MAN do we really need a film such as this 1997 release of 124 minutes. Its strength is its weakness thus 1/2 star off.NO President will ever be like Harrison's Ford  portrayal of President James Marshall.This President is more like those who have lost the election for that office than the ones who won.The closest might be Bush 1,but thats a stretch.He's tough and older yet young enough to still fight hand to hand and win !!!He's the right man we never seem to get in the real world.Oh,and the bad guys.Real bad.Gary Oldman plays Ivan Korshunov a loyal follower to a internal squabble between mother Russia and one of the former USSR republics Kazakhstan.Not important because the whole highjacking of air force one that this film is built around is unbelievable.Its the acting and "gezz I wish we had that sort of President "is why I  recommending this film.
President Ford I salute you.


The President of the USA goes to Moscow and gives a stirring speech outlining the USA's new "Zero-tolerance" policy with respect to terrorism. On the flight home, terrorists take over Air Force One (the President's official plane) and take the passengers (including his wife and daughter) hostage. The terrorists plan to execute one hostage every half-hour unless/until their demands are met. However, the President is a former Medal of Honor winner, so the terrorists may be in for a surprise... Written by Afterburner <aburner@erols.com>

 http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi1773469977/

The Big Year - 2 and 1/2 stars out of 5 stars

Released in 2011 and running 100 minutes I was not amused and thus a 50/50 - 2 and 1/2 star rating.A outstanding comedy cast headed by Steve Martin and Owen Wilson and Jack Black supported by other comedy funny folk led by Kevin Pollak and many ,many others,I expected a lot more. For me bird watching doesn't do it no matter how they try to mix it with the lifes of regular folk and by that I mean regular other than that fetish of bird watching.for me,its a curiosity only.Trailer URL follows the pix and a IMDB summary below.

In birding, a Big Year is seeing or hearing as many different species of birds as possible in a calendar year. Three men pursue the Birder of the Year title: Kenny Bostick, who's seen a record 732 in a past big year, Stu Preissler, newly retired, and Brad Harris, who narrates the story. Life gets in the way: Bostick's wife wants a baby, Stu's firm needs him for sensitive negotiations, and Brad, divorced and underemployed at 36, has an encouraging mom and a disapproving dad. They criss-cross the U.S. (including a trip to Alaska's westernmost island), follow migration patterns, and head for storms that force birds to ground. Who will win, at what cost, and with what rewards? Written by <jhailey@hotmail.com>

http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi862297113/

Hemingway & Gellhorn - 4 stars out of 5 stars

Another fine HBO film.This years release 2012,at a long 155 gets 1 stars knocked off for  nude love scenes ( Nicole,your better than that,even if it is HBO ) and length and not really telling us more about this tortured relationship.Then why see it?Oddly enough for the very reason that it does take on so much history through this relationship and to learn something about Martha Gellhorn,played by Nicole Kidman,who was the third of "papa's"4 wives.Papa of course is Ernest Hemingway,played by Clive Owen.We all know of papa's service in WW1 and later becoming arguably his generations "larger than life"writer ala Mark Twain.What is lesser known is the relationship with Martha.What is so very interesting and sad at the same time is the fact that both died at their own hands.Papa is shown in the film BUT we are left with Martha still plugging along when in fact she killed herself in 1998.So the history that is shown to fill out Martha's role as a war correspondent is the real interest here.Her bearing witness to wars hell is almost unimaginable.The film doesn't even touch the 30+ years of conflicts she covered after papa's death.Like Nam,the Middle East,Bonia,ect. Those alone would be more than a life's work.These are also events we remember for the most part.However the film starts with the Spanish Civil War.,than Russia's invasion of Finland.Japans invasion of Manchuria where Papa and Martha meet both Chiang Kai-shek AND Zhou Enlai. Than on to the invasion of Europe and ending at the German death camps.More than any human should ever see and perhaps thats why both killed themselves when they couldn't live with each other.Sometimes seeing what should never be seen and than seeing it more intensely time after time,makes for intense love that also can never be sustained in the same sad way.
Trailer URL follows the pix.See it for history that never should be forgotten.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uG-ATeTT-R4

Caddyshack - 3 stars out of 5 stars

Again remember, humor is oh so subjective.For me,there are but 2 reasons to see this otherwise low brow, poor taste comedy about the most boring sport there is.First,the late no respect Rodney Dangerfield and second,the spaced out role of assistant groundskeeper charged with killing a oh so cute gopher,played by a young Bill Murray.That is enough to check out this comedy but is it a"classic"like"Animal House",or even "Stripes"( both of which I have reviewed earlier) NO !!!! Released in 1980 and running only 98 minutes I took 2 stars off for being a very simple comedy.Trailer URL follows the pix and a IMDB summary is below.

An exclusive golf course has to deal with a brash new member and a destructive dancing gopher.

http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi3032219929/

Tomorrow,When the War Began - 4 stars out of 5 stars

To me this is a updated remake of"Red Dawn"( which I already reviewed)set in Aussie land rather than the US.However there are already 2 sequels in the works. "Tomorrow When the war Began" is the First book in the Series known as the "Tomorrow Series", a series of seven books and a further series known as "The Ellie Chronicles" by Australian Author John Marsden,and THAT is what they claim this movie is based on.No matter,it's still "Red dawn"to me and like many other updated remakes its similar but very different.The concept of a invading Army occupying a advanced western country is so WW11 its laughable and that's what you had to suspend belief on to enjoy both "Dawn" and this film.What I did find interesting is the more realistic interactive male and female relationships of this film than Dawn.Very"Twilightish"and the cast is attractive enough and does a fair job.Not as well as Dawn,but they were really future stars and this cast,well,time will tell.I was least impressed with the lead actress Caitlin Stasey as Ellie Linton.She's no Kristen Stewart of "twilight"fame and if they hope she can carry this franchise like she does,well…..
Thats why I took 1 star off.However its good fantasy fun, but if you really like battles and lots of military action,Dawn is more for you.This is more teenage angst in the face of war.
Released in 2010 it runs 103 minutes and the trailer URL follows the pix and a IMDB summary is below.

When their country is invaded and their families are taken, eight unlikely high school teenagers band together to fight.

http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi3928858905/

The Debt - 3 1/2 stars out of 5 stars

This is film is strange indeed,a throwback to the classic cold war thriller days with deep dark secrets. Perhaps I've seen too many of these films because I was strangely unmoved when it was finished.Released in 2010 and running 113 minutes,I was draw to this film because of Helen Mirren.However the entire cast was fine even Tom Wilkinson whom I thought going in ,might be in over his head,he wasn't,and did fine.There were 2 fine plot twists near the end that made it worth while sitting through a rather boring film otherwise.So if you like films about the old cold war days when Nazi war criminals were hunted in secret by Isreali agents, told in flashback to today,you might like this film.
Perhaps I must see it again.Still i resent or should I say doubt the old love"triangle"and "pops there he is"plot twists at the end.Although a desperate 80 something vs a 60 something fight to the death is done in a such a way that it is NOT laughable.So thats why I had to take 1 and 1/2 stars off.I've said enough.Trailer URL follows the pix and a IMDB summary is below.OH yes,also 2 of todays best young actors also have major roles and do them well,Jessica Chastain and Sam Worthington.

1965, three Mossad agents cross into East Berlin to apprehend a notorious Nazi war criminal. Thirty years later, the secrets the agents share come back to haunt them.

http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi22978073/

Executive Decision - 4 stars out of 5 stars

Released in 1996 and running very long at 133 minutes,I took 1 star off for the mid air infiltration of our special forces unit along with the films length. Everything else rocks.
Fabulous cast,gripping suspense and sadly feels very real.Oh did I mention Halle Berry ?
How many films does Steven Seagal die in?John Leguizamo is cool but its Kurt Russell picture.The rest of the cast is great and boy does David Suchet nails the part of the bad guy.The story is a little far fetched but still scares so please,if you want a thrill,check it out.Trailer URL follows the pix and a IMDB summary is below,oh by the way,do you like hockey and did I mention Halle Berry?

When terrorists seize control of an airliner, an intelligence analyst accompanies a commando unit for a midair boarding operation

http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi4003791129/

The Italian Job ( 2003 ) - 3 stars out of 5 stars

There is a earlier film with the same name,never saw that and I am told this film is NOT  remake.So to it,released in 2003 and running 111 minutes there is nothing wrong with this film.Good action,nice double cross plot,good cast with a really alluring Charlize Theron,be still my heart,so why 2 stars off?The film was just a fun ride,nothing more.I can't see saying you must see this.There are more intense and memorable action/thief films to see.
So if you like action,its JUST ok,ah but Charlize…………….
Trailer URL below the pix and a IMDB summary below.

After being betrayed and left for dead in Italy, Charlie Croker and his team plan an elaborate gold heist against their former ally.

http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi3086221593/

Cuba - 2 and 1/2 stars out of 5 stars

Released in 1979 and running 122 minutes this is a 50/50 film.Too long,unclear early plot and vague love story.On the plus side,Sean Connery.Thats about it.Sure its a trip to 1959 Cuba on the verge of Fidel's revolt with all the contrast and interest that brings.yet it is VERY boring.The trailer URL is actual spliced together scenes and a IMDB summary is below.For Cuba romantics and Connery fans ONLY.

A British mercenary arrives in pre-Revolution Cuba to help train the corrupt General Batista's army against Castro's guerrillas while he also romances a former lover now married to an unscrupulous plantation owner.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXA-AxBvjq0

5 Days of War - 5 stars out of 5 stars

How can I explain why I gave this film a perfect 5 stars?? Well we will start with the fact this film was released in 2011 and running 113 minutes,about about a War in 2008.That makes it a first film for that war.
Second its about a war few even know happened as it lasted but 5 days and was up against the Olympics in China for media attention.Yes thats true,look it up.
Third its from a smaller film company that spent its budget on location shooting it seems.
Forth,the war involves my ancestral home country of Russia.
Five,it also involved another country with boots on the ground AT OUR SIDE in Iraq,GEORGIA.
Six ,some real interesting casting.
Seven,the story is based on facts.
Eight,its also a story of those forgotten press who live and die to get a story out,literally.
Nine,its combat scenes are as intensely realistic as any I've seen.
Ten,the other 9 reasons make it the kinda gem of a film we live for.
Now to the war itself,this film contributes little to the understanding of why the war happened at all,but,isn't that true in many cases? Really people,BE HONEST !!!!!
The casting,well,I turned in to see Heather Graham and Andy Garcia and Val Kilmer with other unknowns to see how it would mix and i wasn't to optimistic.Damned if Heather isn't killed in the opening scene and Val is little seen till he's killed late in the film,BUT Andy is good as the Georgian President but not really needed as I said earlier,it's really about the press,not politics.
Now the press, thats Rupert Friend playing Thomas Anders, the reporter the story is built around, and he really does grow on you as the film moves along.AH,but Johnathon Schaech as Cpt. Rezo Avaliani ,a Georgian who saved Thomas in Iraq and then in Georgia has some acting career ahead !!!!
As to the war itself,don't look to this movie as truth,as it said itself at the very beginning,the first casualty of war IS the truth.No,this story is as stated before,a tribute to the people who cover it.Trailer URL follows the pix.If your looking for a war gem of a film,SEE IT.

http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi2926681625/

Freejack - 3 stars out of 5 stars

Truly a movie crying out"Remake me NOW"Maybe its the casting,or the the flawed plot,but there is a good idea in this 1992 film that runs 110 minutes.The sci-fi idea is thought provoking.The future holds the ability to snatch someone in the past, a moment before their own death, so a rich old future type can have their own mind transferred into that all but "dead man walking"would have been dead younger body, like a transplant of sorts to continue living.OK,I think you can see both the moral as well as sci-fi aspects of this VERY interesting idea.Sadly,this plot falls very short by making it simply old rich future folks live in a world going bad and still cling to there own fantasy by reliving life in a past ideal.Well,maybe,thats still not so bad,but when you think of alternate timelines and butterfly fly effects,well,my head hurts!!!!
The casting is youth rock and rollish and that also lessens the impact to a large degree as well.Yeah,Jagger shows he can act a little and Rene Russo fits her part well,but Emilio Estevez??? Finally when they turn loose Anthony Hopkins its too late.The rest of the cast are just film fodder and supply a few yucks along the way. Still,kudos for a good idea,now will someone refine it??? 2 stars off for all the negatives I mentioned.Trailer URL follows the pix and a IMDB summary below.

Auto racer Alex Furlong is snatched by time travel, a split second before a fatal explosion, by Vasendak's 21st-century team of techies, who plan to sell his healthy body to an ailing rich man at McCandless Corporation, for a mind transfer. He escapes, but has no rights in this nightmare future of violence and sleaze. The story concerns his survival, and his attempt to revive his relationship with his fiancée Julie, now 15 years older and an executive at McCandless. Written by Will Briggs <wbriggs@sirius.uta.edu> 

http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi3416785177/

The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou - 2 1/2 stars out of 5 stars

Released in 2004 and running long at 119 minutes the ONLY reason to see this film is the cast.Other than that it seems to be a completely far out send up of a Jacques-Yves Cousteau film and voyage with some waked out "do you get it?"in joke.Well I didn't but a cast of Bill Murray,Owen Wilson,Cate Blanchett,Willem Dafoe,Jeff Goldblum,Michael Gambon,Anjelica Huston and Seu Jorge  singing David Bowie songs in Portuguese make it a 50/50 prop to see if your bored.Trailer follows the pix and a IMDB summary below.

With a plan to exact revenge on a mythical shark that killed his partner, oceanographer Steve Zissou rallies a crew that includes his estranged wife, a journalist, and a man who may or may not be his son.

http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi3686859033/