Sergeant York - 4 stars out of 5 stars

Released in 1941 and shot in B&W and running a bit long at 134 minutes,those are the reasons I took 1 star of a film that couldn't be made today and that would be a shame.
All the rules of today's "political correctness"were broken but this film was made much closer to the time of the events than to today and thats the charm and treat of its relevance.
The actions of one Sergeant York,played by academy award winner for the performance,Gary Cooper aren't even shown until well into the second hour.No,the first hour is a telling of poverty as a way of the hard life in Tennessee back in the early 1900's.
From that back ground we begin to learn of  the life of Alvin C. York and a little of what made the man who became the most decorated US soldier of WW1. Very PC incorrect but very accurate,believe it or not,for the time.MUST see for historical relevance,both socially and historically.Trailer URL follows the pix and a IMDB summary for those very young or trapped in"the bubble"

True story of a hillbilly sharpshooter drafted in WW1 despite his claim to be a pacifist, who ends up becoming a war hero.

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

Airport ( 1970 ) - 4 stars out of 5 stars

The film that inspired 4 remakes and updates and then a slew of comedic spoofs.Truly a classic in every sense.Fine acting,good script and more than a little nostalgic considering todays security at airports.This film captures the allure and glamor of what was then still a growing fun experience and adds to it drama and human frailty.Many who have seen the comedy of the "Airplane"movie franchise will see just were some of the great parody came from.The cast is A+ headed by  Burt Lancaster,Dean Martin and a host of others in the mood  of the true disaster genre.Released in 1970 it runs 137 minutes and I took 1 star off for being very dated,BUT its still a bucket list film.Trailer URL follows the pix and a IMDB summary below.



Mel Bakersfeld is the hard-charging manager of Lincoln International Airport, trying to keep his airport open despite a raging Midwestern snowstorm and an angry wife. Meanwhile, his antagonistic brother-in-law, Vernon Demerest, may have his plans for a placid layover in Italy disturbed by unexpected news from Gwen Meighen, and by the plans of the D.O. Guerrero, the loose cannon on board. Written by Steve Fenwick <scf@w0x0f.com>

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PACKbKt8MOw

4 For Texas - 3 1/2 stars out of 5 stars

OK,its not a "great western"buts its a good example of the funny by play that both Sinatra and Martin were capable of back in the day.Also what a difference in"sex symbols"with then stars Anita Ekberg and Ursula Andress vs todays stars.Lets just say they would never"drown"and weren't starving.Also interesting to see Charles Bronson as a bad guy and a host of familiar actors from that time.Released in 1963 and running a bit long at 124 minutes,it has laughs and shows the difference in humor from then to now.I took the 1 and 1/2 stars off because its no great story just a fun ride with two of the best there ever was and two women who,well…………
Trailer URL follows the pix and a IMDB summary below

Sharpshooters Zack Thomas and Joe Jarrett are in a Texan stage-coach and manage to fight off Matson's robber gang, so afterward they can fight over the $100,000 cash carried by a railroad official. Both make it to Galveston, where each, including vexed Matson, meets up with respective accomplices in various dirty schemes. The money keeps changing hands and the scene shifts to a river boat, which should multiply the winnings as a casino, but the crooks and bullets follow. Written by KGF Vissers 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blTr9jqLL70

Gone to Texas - AKA- Houston:The Legend of Texas - 4 stars out of 5 stars

Sometimes even before HBO,a TV movie was made worth seeing.Not the huge budget to give the subject was it deserves,but for its time,1986 it's really quite good.Sam Elliott as Sam Houston is the focus and the scope of the story that is almost as broad as the USA itself.So some will be disappointed at the short,quick overview of many very important details.There is so very much to tell. And like many TV movies it starts so very slow that only the power of Elliott's screen presence keeps you interested.Surly someone will one day make a true picture of the father of Texas.He deserves it,booze,women and all.For remember this,he was a head of state,governor of two states and a congressman and senator from different states,Who else in our country had that pedigree??
How much is fact,or fiction,I don't know,however I would like to know about his dream for a indian nation in Texas before he ever went there.If Honest Abe is getting a new look this year,I believe Houston should get one two.For all its flaws and unevenness,this film temps you to learn more about this crazy character and very unique figure in our history.REMAKE !!!! The film runs 144 minutes and I took 1 star off for the slow start and being a TV movie
Sorry I can find no trailer or scenes online.

Dirty Harry 4 stars out of 5 stars

Do you feel lucky punk??A quote we all know from a screen character we've all heard of even if we haven't seen the films.Oh yeah,there were four sequels.Sadly the film seems dated ,in dress and feel, and political correctness but its a lot of fun and well,only a chair wouldn't be afraid of old Dirty Harry.Released in 1971 and running 102 minutes I took the one star off for the reasons I mentioned above.But like the "Death Wish" series of films you can't help loving Clint Eastwood cutting thru all the BS and insuring the bad guys get what the deserve.If only the real world were so simple.Trailer URL follows the pix and a IMDB summary for those who live in a bubble.

In the year 1971, San Francisco faces the terror of a maniac known as Scorpio- who snipes at innocent victims and demands ransom through notes left at the scene of the crime. Inspector Harry Callahan (known as Dirty Harry by his peers through his reputation handling of homicidal cases) is assigned to the case along with his newest partner Inspector Chico Gonzalez to track down Scorpio and stop him. Using humiliation and cat and mouse type of games against Callahan, Scorpio is put to the test with the cop with a dirty attitude. Written by commanderblue

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzeV8Sd9pV0

Evita - 3 1/2 stars out of 5 stars

Let me say this film is engrossing IF and its a big if,you can stay with it.I have 2 major issues with it.First,I HATE in the action but not really there narrators.Second its NOT a musical but a opera.Now  Antonio Banderas is fine as Ché,the narrator or maybe its a shout out to that cuban revolutionary Guevara,doesn't matter,its just annoys me. Opera is NOT a traditional musical but a whole movie of"sung"dialogue unlike the traditional broadway musical you might think your going to see as its based on such a "musical".So casting Madonna     as Eva Perón was brilliant.So these two major irritants plus the 135 minute length and a incoherent history of true Peronist politics forces me to take 1 and 1/2 stars off.However this 1996 release scores well in the capturing of the post war feel of the 40's and 50's as well as any film since"Godfather"truly well crafted for effect. Shedding enough light on this period of Argentine politics is also a plus as I hope you'll want to know much more and the period and the Perón's life.It's not what you may have hoped for but its a decent enough film if you give it a chance.Trailer URL follows the pix and a IMDB summary is below.

High-flying, adored! The film adaptation of the hit Broadway musical depicting the infamous real-life story of Eva "Evita" Duarte de Peron, the wife of President Juan Peron, who rose from poverty to become the most famous Argentine woman in history. Her huge political influence and constant charity works earned her scorn and fear from the military and upper classes but adoration and love from the workers and descamisados. Evita's legendary life is displayed before your eyes as the most hated and most beloved woman in Argentina. Written by O.G.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXwvM0kQrw0

The Sitter - 2 1/2 stars out of 5 stars

OK we gone through the comedy thing many times before and well,this movie is kinda BAD.However I like Jonah Hill and Sam Rockwell was outstanding BUT little Landry Bender has future star written all over her.The rest of the cast is ok,but the story is STUPID.Still it has a few funny spots and gags and it looks like most of it was shot in my old stomping grounds as a kid.Released in 2011 and LONG at 81 minutes,its more like a bunch of quick sketches than a coherent believable movie.Therefore my lowest,still ok to view, rating of 2 1/2 stars.Trailer URL follows the picture and a IMDB summary below.

Noah, is not your typical entertain-the-kids-no-matter-how-boring-it-is kind of sitter. He's reluctant to take a sitting gig; he'd rather, well, be doing anything else, especially if it involves slacking. When Noah is watching the neighbor's kid he gets a booty call from his girlfriend in the city. To hook up with her, Noah takes to the streets, but his urban adventure spins out of control as he finds himself on the run from a maniacal drug lord.

http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi2490605081/

The Wild Bunch - 5 stars out of 5 stars

Simply one of 2 or 3 of the greatest westerns ever made.Perhaps a bit to violent for some but otherwise nothing to like in this 1969 release that runs 145 minutes and doesn't even seem that long.The film is essential viewing because director and writer  Sam
Peckinpah,infused the bloodiest shootout ever seen up to that time  that brought adulthood to a genre of film that hinted but never got down and dirty before.However the film is far more than that,it not only fused the older elements of good vs bad,evil and redemption,but added something new,"OLD AGE"as well as the familiar theme of being left behind to progress and the winds of change.The cast is "A+"headed by William Holden and Ernest Borgnine and a host of others.Essential viewing for any serious movie fan or jut western fans in general.Trailer URL follows the picture and a IMDB summary below.

In the Wild Bunch the movie opens with a group of aging outlaw's final score, a bank robbery. The event concludes with a violent and overtly bloody shootout that would generally mark the finale of a movie. This is correct in that it marks the finale of an era, for the characters and the world they live in. They simply can no longer keep up, the times are changing, technology advancing, and they're style of life is getting left behind in the dust that they spent so long galloping through. They abandon their careers for the simpler life of retirement. They enjoy this time, they live their fantasies. During this time the law is always on their tracks, bounty hunters. The further into their fantasy they get, the closer their demise seems to get. When one of their own is captured they are faced with the choice of escape or what is certainly a suicide mission to attempt and free their fallen behind comrade... Written by VilanTrub@gmail.com

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwE3TfJUB48

Last Man Standing - ( 1996 ) - 3 1/2 stars out of 5 stars

Not a great film but the almost comic book shoot outs set in a west texas near the border town  during prohibition makes for a guilty pleasure.Released in 1996 and running 101 minutes,there are other films with the same name,however,this is like no others.The cast is 
"B+",headed by Bruce Willis and under utilizing Christopher Walken,even good old Bruce Dern and not yet a star Michael Imperioli,jump out among many other familiar character actors.The story is stupid thus 1 and 1/2 stars off,but the feeling is so antique and desolate that you have to love the"feel"of the film.I liked it and feel so ashamed,ha,ha.
Trailer URL follows the picture and a IMDB summary is below.

John Smith is an amoral gunslinger in the days of Prohibition. On the lam from his latest (unspecified) exploits, he happens upon the town of Jericho, Texas. Actually, calling Jericho a town would be too generous--it has become more like a ghost town, since two warring gangs have 'driven off all the decent folk.' Smith sees this as an opportunity to play both sides off against each other, earning himself a nice piece of change as a hired gun. Despite his strictly avowed mercenary intentions, he finds himself risking his life for his, albeit skewed, sense of honor.... Written by Tad Dibbern <DIBBERN_D@a1.mscf.upenn.edu>

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzeilAzE_8M

1941 - 3 1/2 stars out of 5 stars

Released in 1979 and running 118 minutes,this   Steven Spielberg is a bit to slyck.It opens with a homage to his hugely successful "Jaws"than try to have a "SNL" and"Animal house"feel.Sorry,WW11 wasn't that funny.However the "A"cast does make many of the jokes work,but there are too many "inside"jokes and that robs the film of staying power.So 1 and 1/2 off for slickness,inside jokes,and some poor taste.Still the overtop fear of invasion on the west coast, during that war ,does lend itself to a little satire.You choice as I have stated many times about humor.My main reason for recommending is John Belushi,Dan Aykroyd,Tim Matheson,Christopher Lee and Toshirô Mifune.Trailer URL follows the picture and a IMDB summary below.

Hysteria grips California in the wake of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. An assorted group of defenders attempt to make the coast defensible against an imagined Japanese invasion, in this big budget, big cast comedy. Members of a Japanese submarine crew scout out the madness, along with a Captain in Germany's Kreigsmarine (Navy). Written by Keith Loh <loh@sfu.ca>   

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cytGrQ5z8dY

Elmer Gantry - 5 stars out of 5 stars

Sometimes a film truly becomes art,such is the case with this 1960 film that although its a might long at 146 minutes,is none the less flawless as art.True enough,many only thought of it as a indictment of religion as home to the flim flan man.No,its much more than that.It IS a story of religion and faith,deception and contrivance but above all that it is a story of the human condition.Fine acting by all involved but mainly by Burt Lancaster in as dominate role as any even preformed on the screen.Below I have posted the IMDB summary as well as the trailer URL after the picture but my take on the film is this.Its a hard cruel world and only belief and hope gives you the strength to plug along.Set in the prohibition era after the end of WW1,this country was slowly moving from a agricultural society to a urban one and that meant a whole new set of trials and tribulations for us all.It has been said that religion is the refuge of fools,no,to me,its a anchor in a turbulent world.After watching this film you just might understand the forces at work in Islam today,just as the forces at work in Christianity had their modern upheavals in the time depicted in this film.Was Elmer the devil or Jesus stuck in a modern desert battling the devil ?Was Sister Sharon Falconer,played by Jean Simmons,a saint or a fool?Shirley Jones as Lulu Bains,a post modern Mary Magdalene ??
So many questions and points of views.Just like any work of art.Must see bucket list film,today,more than ever. 

Elmer Gantry is a fast talking, hard drinking traveling salesman who always has a risqué story and a hip flask to entertain cronies and customers alike. He is immediately taken with Sister Sharon Falconer, a lay preacher whose hellfire and damnation revivalism has attracted quite a following. Gantry uses his own quick wit and knowledge of the bible to become an indispensable part of Sister Sharon's roadshow but soon finds that his past catches up with him in the form of Lulu Bains, now a prostitute. While Gantry seeks and eventually gets forgiveness from Sharon, tragedy strikes when she finally manages to get out of her revivalist tent and opens a permanent church. Written by garykmcd 

http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi862455065/

The Shawshank Redemption - 4 stars out of 5 stars

OK,I'll admit its a great picture however the subject,innocent man in prison,never was a favorite of mine,thus 1 star off.Released in 1994 and running 142 minutes,its also a bit long.The acting however is second to none and thats the key to the films popularity I believe.Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman shine as the main characters and Bob Gunton as the warden leads the great supporting cast.Its worth a look as a great crafted film with the need for "justice"at the end fulfilled in a interesting way.Trailer URL follows the pix and a IMDB summary is below.

Andy Dufresne is a young and successful banker whose life changes drastically when he is convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of his wife and her lover. Set in the 1940's, the film shows how Andy, with the help of his friend Red, the prison entrepreneur, turns out to be a most unconventional prisoner. Written by Martin Lewison <milst1@cislabs.pitt.edu>

http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi882809625/

Car Wash - 3 1/2 stars out of 5 stars

Released in 1976 and running 97 minutes I had to take 1 and 1/2 stars off for being very dated and very ethnic in its humor.However those weakness's are the reason to also see this classic film that would never be made today.Comedy is subjective but this film is not politically correct.Still,I laugh and just wish it started a little faster as I felt it was slow to hit its stride.Its hard to explain the story other than a day in the lives of a car wash and its mostly black employees in LA during the 70's disco and r&b scene. The cast is outstanding with much smaller roles that expected for Richard Pryor and George Carlin.Also interesting to see Otis Day is a acting role a few years BEFORE "Animal House" as well as the Pointer Sisters and many many more.Give it about 20 minutes and you'll be hooked as I was.Trailer URL follows the pix.Sample of the jokes,automated car washes were just starting back when this film was made,so THIS car  wash has a sign saying"Best Hand Job in town"

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

Bonnie and Clyde - 3 stars out of 5 stars

Released in 1967 and running 112 minutes I never really "got"this film.Sure Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway as well as a good supporting cast do well in this story of the famous girl&guy killer/robbers and their gang.However the story for me is un remarkable.Low life poorly educated "white trash "who get what they deserve.There's not a bot of morality or virtue for me at all.Thats why I take 2 stars off and recommend for the historical aspects only.Trailer URL follows the pix and a IMDB summary below.

A bored small-town girl and a small-time bank robber leave in their wake a string of violent robberies and newspaper headlines that catch the imagination of the Depression-struck Mid-West in this take on the legendary crime spree of these archetypal lovers on the run. Written by Keith Loh <loh@sfu.ca>

http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi2495283481/

The Bridge on the River Kwai - 5 stars out of 5 stars

Released in 1957 and running 161 minutes,another classic film made to absorb and make you contemplate as a good novel once did for those of you have never read one.
Its hard to add to the IMDB summary directly below and a trailer URL follows the pix.However I must add that seen in todays dark exploration into humanity, only heightens the impact of this film of 60+ years ago, strange as that may seem.I will only add that again William Holden as Shears,the american,again shows that he just might be the most underrated actor that ever lived.Of course  Alec Guinness as Colonel Nicholson shows you younger folks he was far more than Ben Obi-Wan Kenobi.The rest of the cast is fine as well.MUST SEE for many reasons,least of which is the conversations you'll have for weeks to come. OH yes,you might become a whistler afterwards.

The film deals with the situation of British prisoners of war during World War II who are ordered to build a bridge to accommodate the Burma-Siam railway. Their instinct is to sabotage the bridge but, under the leadership of Colonel Nicholson, they are persuaded that the bridge should be constructed as a symbol of British morale, spirit and dignity in adverse circumstances. At first, the prisoners admire Nicholson when he bravely endures torture rather than compromise his principles for the benefit of the Japanese commandant Saito. He is an honorable but arrogant man, who is slowly revealed to be a deluded obsessive. He convinces himself that the bridge is a monument to British character, but actually is a monument to himself, and his insistence on its construction becomes a subtle form of collaboration with the enemy. Unknown to him, the Allies have sent a mission into the jungle, led by Warden and an American, Shears, to blow up the bridge. Written by alfiehitchie 

http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi1900740633/

TV Series - Homeland - 4 stars out of 5 stars

Showtime is in the second season of this interesting series.It was hyped as another 24 type show but its really not.Its more like the new "Battlestar Gallactica"in the sense that, are we "the good guys"the same as the really,really bad guys??Our hero is a bi-polar CIA field officer Carrie Mathison,who is really unstable and singleminded BUT a good patriot.Claire Danes,who play's her even reminds me of Starbuck in the new "Battlestar Gallactica".My only issue is thats is very slow moving compared to other shows out there,but hey,it shows how really cerebral this war on terror can be.Thats why I took 1 star off.By the way,Mandy Patinkin is stellar as Carries boss.The rest of the cast works well.
Trailer URL follows the pix and a IMDB summary is below.

Carrie Mathison, a CIA operations officer, is on probation after carrying out an unauthorized operation in Iraq. As a result, she has been reassigned to the Counter terrorism center. Whilst in Iraq, she was warned that an American prisoner had been turned by Al-Qaeda. When Nicholas Brody, a U.S. Marine Sergeant, is rescued after being held hostage since 2003, she suspects that he is the turned American prisoner. Brody is received home as a war hero, so Carrie goes to any lengths possible, ignoring protocol, to catch him out. Written by Kad

http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi3352929561/

North Star - 2 1/2 stars out of 5 stars

With a cast of James Caan,Christopher Lambert and Burt Young,I expected a whole lot more than I got from this 1996 film that ran 90 minutes. Sadley its only a 50/50 proposition because of the snowy Alaska setting with dog sleds and all.It's nearly watcable because the plot is so cliche and done so often before, just not with all these cold weather settings.So if you need a western good vs evil with some snow throw in on a HOT summer night,maybe……..
Trailer URL follows the pix and a IMDB summary below.

Set during the Alaskan gold rush of the late 1800's. In his efforts to gain control of a small mining town, Sean McLennon is buying up every mining claim that becomes available, usually after the deaths of the previous owners at the hands of McLennon's 'assistants'. One of the miners targeted by McLennon, a half-Indian hunter named Hudson Saanteek, manages to escape his hired thugs and comes back into town looking to re-establish his claim and get revenge. McLennon and his men have the advantange of numbers and weapons, but Saanteek has his survival skills and knowledge of the Alaskan wilderness. Written by Jean-Marc Rocher <rocher@fiberbit.net>

http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi77201689/

American Gigolo - 3 stars out of 5 stars

Not a great film or even a very good one,BUT a interesting adult themed movie.Richard Gere  play Julian,a male escort,and indeed a very handsome one and Lauren Hutton plays Michelle ,someone who doesn't need one yet they meet and nature takes its course.In a strange tale of murder and secrets we see a seedy underside of the world that really exists.Well maybe,but that's the fun of watching a movie you may have seen before but not from THIS side of the sexual divide.The supporting cast is fine but the film really belongs to the leeds.Released in 1980 and running a bit long at 117 minutes,I took 2 stars off for being dated and a not really new story if it was about"working girls"but that "Blondie"song"Call me"always brings me back.Nice adult film. Trailer URL follows the pix and a IMDB summary below. 

Julian makes a lucrative living as an escort to older women in the Los Angeles area. He begins a relationship with Michelle, a local politician's wife, without expecting any pay. One of his clients is murdered and Detective Sunday begins pumping him for details on his different clients, something he is reluctant to do considering the nature of his work. Julian begins to suspect he's being framed. Meanwhile Michelle begins to fall in love with him. Written by Ed Sutton <esutton@mindspring.com> 

http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi1924530457/

In the Heat of the Night - 5 stars out of 5 stars

Nothing not to like in this classic 1967 release that runs 109 minutes thus the 5 stars.A film like this would NEVER be made today,a true child of the 60's.Stero type's run amuck but as we used to say,it ain't paranoia if their out to get you,and in those days down south in Mississippi they were killing blacks.You may not the stero typing but the acting is on another level.Sidney Poitier starred as  Virgil Tibbs and would later would be known as"super nigger"in a affectionate way because of this and many other roles.Rod Steiger plays Sheriff Gillespie ,the fat racist cop as maybe just a victim of his surroundings.Together they rock the screen and almost themselves in some of the smartest,wittiest and funny dialogue ever filmed. A must see as a example of the media being used as a tool for social change while entertaining.Trailer URL follows the pix and a IMDB summary below.

Detective Virgil Tibbs is caught up in the racial tension of the US South when he is arrested after the murder of a prominent businessman. Tibbs was simply waiting for his next train at the station in Sparta, Mississippi and the confusion is soon resolved but when local police chief Gillespie learns that Tibbs is the Philadelphia PD's number one homicide expert, he reluctantly asks for his assistance. The murdered man, Mr. Colbert, had come to Sparta from the North to build a new factory and his wife and business associates immediately point the finger at Endicott, the most powerful man in the county and the one who had the most to lose if a major new employer comes to the area. Tibbs' life is clearly in danger but he perseveres in a highly charged and racially explosive environment until the killer is found. Written by garykmcd

http://www.zuguide.com/#In-the-Heat-of-the-Night

18 Again ! - 3 stars out of 5 stars

OK,I love these "switch"bodies or conscience or whatever sort of out of body experience films you want to call them and so I seek them out.Sadly this film has only one reason to see it and thats the late great George Burns.He has a quite grace that transcends any foolishness his roles call for and this movie calls for a few,least of which is any even remotely believable explanation of why a 81 year oldster switches conscience with his college aged grandson.The grandson, played by Charlie Schlatter, slowly grows on you and the in between'er role played by Tony Roberts is wasted.Red Buttons,Anita Morris and a VERY low keyed Pauly Shore are the only other actors worth noting.The plot is standard older gets younger one last time.Nothing new or earthshaking and the lack of science and VERY dated feel of dress and style makes it fairly boring unless you are really into these sort of films.See a lot better ones first, than see this for Mr.Burns ONLY.There was a sort of funny scene in a history class room about what the "S"inHarry S.Truman's name stood for but that was one of too few.Released in 1988 it runs a short 93 minutes.I took 2 stars off for lack of science and being very dated.Trailer URL follows the pix.

http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi3223691545/

A Hard Days Night - 4 stars out of 5 stars

Released in 1964 and running only 87 there is little not to like in this classic beatles film.Because its in b&w sadly younger viewers may not enjoy it and its as corny as any old "monkeys"TV show you may have seen,thats why I took 1 star off,BUT IT'S THE BEATLES !!!!Early on in their career,and my favorite time for them.Even the b&w fits with the innocence of that time.Lines like,are you a mod or a rocker ?i'm a mocker,still make me laugh.They were something and we shall not EVER see their like again.A must see foe historical reasons if you love music and fun.The other actors are just fillers and the story,what story??Its just a funny romp to a performance with the group hamming it up in little SNL type vignette's  along the way.There would have never been a SNL or The Monkeys or even music videos without the hilarity shown in these loose tied together gags scenes of a film.Trailer URL follows the pix and a IMDB summary below.

The Beatles--the world's most famous rock and roll band--travel from their home town of Liverpool to London to perform in a television broadcast. Along the way they must rescue Paul's unconventional grandfather from various misadventures and drummer Ringo goes missing just before the crucial concert. Written by Jim Beaver <jumblejim@prodigy.net>

http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi1592696345/

Death Wish - 3 1/2 stars out of 5 stars

Classic film that spawned a genre of"revenge"films and four sequels of its own over 15 or so years and forever will have you remember Charles Bronson who plays Paul Kersey,as a film character classic.Released in 1974 and running only 93 minutes there is only a few problems with the original.First its highly dated so younger viewers might not like the pacing and most important to that fact is that the bad guys for the most part,use knives instead of guns.If you can get over that,the story is classic "old west"and is not ashamed of it.Sadly the bad guys unpunished but other baddies pay the price for them.Thats a little disturbing but its still satisfying on a few levels to root for vigilante justice.There's also some fine actors who had bit parts,early in their careers, in the film.You can try to fine them,hah,hah.The main cast is fine but the movie has a "TV"movie feel.So I took 1 and 1/2 stars for more technical issues than story.I still enjoy it from time to time and have to revisit the 4 sequels.Trailer URL follows the pix and a IMDB summary below.

A New York City architect becomes a one-man vigilante squad after his wife is murdered by street punks in which he randomly goes out and kills would-be muggers on the mean streets after dark.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GieK_55uyY

Westworld - 4 stars out of 5 stars

OK this is the third "Robot"film in a row I'm reviewing and maybe the best ever made except for the classic"The Terminator"This 1973 film that runs only 88 minutes,takes the idea of a adult themed Disney type fantasy park and turns it into a warning about machines taking over.Whats really worth watching is the acting.Yul Brynner as the Robot Gunslinger plays it as he did in "The Magnificent Seven" only adding to it menacing relentlessness as Arnold was in"The Terminator".Thats the key to believability in both films.Richard Benjamin and James Brolin are good as the two buddies whose are trapped when the robots started running amuck.The rest of the cast have minor roles but fine including Majel Barrett as Miss Carrie for you Trekkies out there.The film however is very dated thats why I had to take a star off,but you can do FAR worse than this forgotten gem.
Trailer URL follows the pix,and a IMDB summary below.

A robot malfunction creates havoc and terror for unsuspecting vacationers at a futuristic, adult-themed amusement park.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_lBnqz-0ek

Robot Monster - 4 stars out of 5 stars

You have to know your sci-fi and enjoy all types of movies and understand the differences between camp and before it's time and just plain bad to "get"this film.First off it's made in 1953 and runs only 66 minutes.Short and to the point.Man has been discovered,deemed unworthy and will be destroyed.Not hard to understand after only 8 years and the memory of world war two and the atom bomb.So what we really have is the first real "post apocalypse" picture.It's even a tribute to "The Wizard of Oz"as its all in a child's dream.
Ok,ok,some real camp stuff,but hey it's 1953 and made THAT way.Lots of reference to TV however as the alien uses a "flat screen"TV to communicate and has TV antenna's in his fish bowl head gear over a ape suite.Yea,early "planet of the apes"inspiration???
It even has scenes no one would be allowed to shoot afterwards because of standards and practice codes dealing with child harm although in silly 1950's context.
Bottom line,its bad because we expect so much,but if it was a 1050's film school project,"A",maybe it was ???By the way,Elmer Bernstein was music director and George Nader is a earlier version of Leslie Nielsen and that accent of John Mylong rivals Bela Lugosi however Gregory Moffett won't have anyone forgetting Judy Garland anytime soon.The rest of the cast including the love interest Claudia Barrett,are second rate.
Still if you "like"cinema,this work is a must as early trail setting sci-fi or high camp but its NOT THAT BAD !!!!!!
I took a star of for b&w and being sooooooo very dated.
Trailer URL follows the pix.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cq9IKsH9BXg

Real Steel - 2 1/2 stars out of 5 stars

Released in 2011 and running long at 124 minutes,there is little to like but the acting.The characters leave little to care about and the science is never explained and the story,is well,silly and contrived to be a tale of redemption and finding ones self in ones lost family.BALONEY.Thats why I give it my lowest rating at 50-50 for a night with truly nothing else to watch.Now to the limited good stuff.Loved the robot fighting FX,much better than spike TV show from the UK,"Robot Wars"and the kids games "Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots"that it draws on.Plus the actors,Evangeline Lilly as Bailey Tallet,in her first role since "Lost"and the always great Hugh Jackman as Charlie Kenton  and young actor Dakota Goyo     as Max Kenton .Is that enough??You decide.Trailer URL follows the pix and a IMDB summary below.

Set in the near future, where robot boxing is a top sport, a struggling promoter feels he's found a champion in a discarded robot. During his hopeful rise to the top, he discovers he has an 11-year-old son who wants to know his father.

http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi3446840601/

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/