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/