Movie Night: True Lies.

Review #606: True Lies.

Cast
Arnold Schwarzenegger (Harry Tasker), Jamie Lee Curtis (Helen Tasker), Tom Arnold (Albert Gibson), Bill Paxton (Simon), Tia Carrere (Juno Skinner), Art Malik (Salim Abu Aziz), Eliza Dushku (Dana Tasker), Grant Heslov (Faisal), and Charlton Heston (Spencer Trilby) Directed by James Cameron (#001 - Terminator 2: Judgement Day, #063 - The Terminator, #388 - Avatar, and #574 - Aliens)

Review
It figures we end the month on Schwarzenegger, and it's no coincidence that in two weeks this movie will celebrate its 20th anniversary. True Lies is a good action film, but also a decent comedy film, and part of the fun delivered is from Schwarzenegger, who as always is effective at delivering one-liners, and he is generally fun to watch. This is actually a remake of a French film, named La Totale!, but I haven't seen it, so it barely matters in context. Curtis is enjoyable, she doesn't have a bad scene in the whole movie, and it's fun watching her, along with Schwarzenegger. It's sort of strange watching Tom Arnold in this movie (whether you've watched Roseanne or not), and he does provide some hilarity, so he's alright, though it still doesn't make me want to watch The Stupids. Paxton is noteworthy, and amusing as a faux spy. The villain isn't really anything special, but Malik does at least try to make something out of it, and him trying to deliver a speech as the camera battery runs out is mildly hilarious. The action is fun, it's enjoyable and certainly satisfying. Cameron knows what he's doing with this film, trying to balance the action with some drama/comedy, and it works just right. Tomorrow, we begin July off with Canada.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Sandlot.

Review #605: The Sandlot.

Cast
Tom Guiry (Scott Smalls), Mike Vitar (Benny Rodriguez), Patrick Renna (Hamilton Porter), Chauncey Leopardi (Michael "Squints" Palledorous), Marty York (Alan McClennan), Brandon Quintin Adams (Kenny DeNunez), Grant Gelt (Bertram Weeks), Shane Obedzinski (Tommy Timmons), Victor DiMattia (Timmy Timmons), Denis Leary (Bill), James Earl Jones (Mr. Mertle), and Art LaFleur (Babe Ruth) Directed by David M. Evans.

Review
Yes, I know. I am aware of this movie's cult status, and I remember watching this movie a long time ago, though I never got to the end, so I get to connect to the past. And baseball films are usually enjoyable, so the movie has a good deal of promise. So how is the film? It's okay. Is it a classic? I guess so, but it all depends on what you define as classic. The Sandlot is slightly awkward (we all were like that once) and slightly fun, though the baseball action is more fun to watch than the interactions of the kids. Some of the cast are interesting, (Vitar, Leopardi, Jones, for all of his brief screen time), but others are just okay. Guiry isn't bad, I get the characterization of the new kid and how he develops, but eh, I still like Vitar better either way. He doesn't get much characterization, but he's fun to watch being the leader of a bunch of kids just playin' ball. The movie is more than just baseball, it's about these kids (and one big dog) and their summer in a time where there were only 20 teams in the majors (which means I can't make an Expos reference until 1969), and when baseball was at its era of dominance. The movie may not be a particularly great movie, but like Babe Ruth (played by a decent Art LaFleur) said, the legends never die.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Mighty Joe Young (1949).

Review #604: Mighty Joe Young.

Cast
Terry Moore (Jill Young), Ben Johnson (Gregg), Robert Armstrong (Max O'Hara), Frank McHugh (Windy), Douglas Fowley (Jones), and Denis Green (Crawford) Directed by Ernest B. Schoedsack (#283 - King Kong)

Review
King Kong was a massive success (so good they rushed out a sequel named Son of Kong only 9 months later), and a few re-releases inspired RKO to make another movie about an gorilla, with Willis O'Brien supervising the stop motion effects, with Ray Harryhausen assisting him. The gorilla isn't as big or tall as Kong, but he is more sympathetic (I suppose) and he even gets a happy ending. King Kong had an aura of mystery for the first half mainly because of Skull Island and what it would be. Mighty Joe Young just flat out brings you to Africa without much tension, but I guess at this point trying the same thing twice wouldn't work. The actors in this film are alright, and for once there isn't a shrieking character, and Armstrong (who was Carl Denham in King Kong) is certainly persuasive in the role, he's a very lovable figure, and the most noticeable actor in this film. The effects are great, even if Joe isn't as intimidating as it may seem. The climax of the movie is well enough, it's not everyday you see a gorilla on a moving van. This is an alright movie that runs short but means well. The effects are probably better than the actors, but it at least is good looking, and in the end, I guess that's all that counts to having a good time.

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Three Colors: Red.

Review #603: Three Colors: Red.

Cast
Irène Jacob (Valentine Dusseau), Jean-Louis Trintignant (Joseph Kern), Jean-Pierre Lorit (Auguste Bruner), and Frederique Feder (Karin) Directed by Krzysztof Kieślowski (#601 - Three Colors: Blue and #602 - Three Colors: White)

Review
This is the last movie Kieslowski ever made, and the last color of this trilogy from France-Poland-Switzerland. Like the other two movies, Red is its own in terms of plot. It isn't as isolated as Blue or darkly comical as White, it is a more optimistic movie, a more passionate movie that utilizes its main two actors exquisitely. Jacob is interesting, but Trintignant is even more interesting to watch, his character grows as the film progresses, we first see him as just a bitter man who doesn't even care that his dog was run over, but eventually we learn more about this character, his former profession, and his secrets. And while that's happening, a subplot involving the other two actors and how their romance deteriorates so quickly. The movie has red hues, but it also has its own connections to the past two films, such as the bottle sequence. In Blue, Julie sees a lady is seen trying to put a bottle into a container. In White, a man is seen trying to put a bottle into a container as Karol watches, grinning. In Red, Valentine helps an old lady put the bottle into the container. This just shows the level of emotion that varies from film to film to film, as it goes from sadness to helping others, and the final scene connects the three up nicely. All three end in tears, and of the three Blue may be the most sad, but Red is the most poignant and the most fitting. All in all, the movies are well made, well acted, and are all important figments in a great trilogy.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Three Colors: White.

Review #602: Three Colors: White.

Cast
Zbigniew Zamachowski (Karol Karol), Julie Delpy (Dominique Vidal), Janusz Gajos (Mikołaj), and Jerzy Stuhr (Jurek) Directed by Krzysztof Kieślowski (#601 - Three Colors: Blue)

Review
White (a film from France-Poland-Switzerland film) is more of a comedy/romance then Blue is, and while it may not be as good as Blue, it at least is enjoyable enough. The movie is connected to Blue due to one scene, which when watched in Blue didn't sound important, but in White, it's the first scene (first major scene, after the shot of the briefcases, which comes into play later) of the movie, and it serves as the springboard for the rest of the movie. The characters are quirky (Save for Dominique, who while being a theme for how saying and meaning love are two different things, is still a cruel person, though the ending validates her...sort of). Zamachowski (who I first thought looked like John Ritter) does a fine job, you can see how he changes from a mild mannered mook into a calmly ruthless fellow. His character goes through an arc, and it ends bittersweet for him. The movie itself is quirky. It has its moments of strange, but mostly fun humor. The movie takes a while to get interesting, but when it does, it is entertaining. Is it great? Probably not, but it at least is entertaining, it at least is good to watch, the movie has its moments of brilliance, and I guess that's enough.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Three Colors: Blue.

Review #601: Three Colors: Blue.

Cast
Juliette Binoche (Julie de Courcy Vignon), Benoît Régent (Olivier Benôit), Emmanuelle Riva (Madame Vignon), Florence Pernel (Sandrine), Guillaume de Tonquédec (Serge), Charlotte Very (Lucille), and Yann Trégouët (Antoine) Directed by Krzysztof Kieślowski.

Review
Krzysztof Kieślowski was a Polish filmmaker that had directed numerous films for 20 years, closing out his career with a trilogy of films, the first being Blue, the second being White, and the last being Red (with this being a film from France-Poland-Switzerland film, with the first two languages being spoken in the movie). The movies are unrelated to one another in most ways, the movies could be watched in any order, but I'll start with Blue first anyway. It is fun to review world cinema films (preferably with no dubbing because it is fun to read subtitles), and Blue is a treat. This is a powerful movie that is beautiful to watch and listen to. It's a movie that reveals its layers over time, it becomes more then just about one character's attempt at cold solitude, it becomes something new, a wonderful movie that is emotionally charged, from sadness to isolation to passion. The movie has a good deal of blue tinges, such as blue beads, the water in the pool Julie swims in constantly, and so on. This is a movie that has so much effort put into it by the actors. Binoche is simply stunning in her performance, you can see the levels of development she goes through simply by her facial expressions, and she interacts with the cast nicely. This is a great movie that is incredible in its emotion and level of passion it inflicts. Blue and White share one scene, which is a crucial scene in the beginning of the next film, which I'll cover in the next review.

Overall, I give it 10 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: City Lights.

Review #600: City Lights.

Cast
Charlie Chaplin (The Tramp), Virginia Cherrill (A Blind Girl), Florence Lee (Her Grandmother), Harry Myers (An Eccentric Millionaire), Al Ernest Garcia (His Butler), and Hank Mann (A Prizefighter) Directed by Charlie Chaplin (#353 -Monsieur Verdoux and #599 - The Kid)

Review
To close out this road to 600 Reviews, is a familiar face. Charlie Chaplin is probably one of the greatest filmmakers of all time, not only did he star in his own films, he was also the director, the writer, the producer and even the composer of the music for his own films. He starred in numerous films all throughout the early 20th century, eventually venturing into feature length films, and this is one of them. This was made just as sound films became popular, but Chaplin didn't care, he wanted to keep the silent charm of the iconic character, the Tramp. The movie has a neat premise that is simple yet easily compelling. Chaplin is a good director, but he is an even better actor. Watching him interact with everyone is pure joy, especially his first scene with Myers, which is exceedingly hilarious. Chaplin and Cherrill work well together, interacting perfectly together, and it adds a new layer to an already fun movie. The slapstick is fun to watch and extremely hilarious along with being memorable, especially the boxing match, for all of its silliness and charm. The whole movie is charming and warm, and the cast is just right. The final scene with Chaplin and Cherrill is absolutely perfect and is probably one of the best end scenes in motion history. This is a remarkable movie that is absolutely recommended for everyone, young and old, for happy or for the sad. Thank you for all of your support over the past 3 and a half years, and I hope for another 600 reviews.

Overall, I give it 10 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Kid.

Review #599: The Kid.

Cast
Charlie Chaplin (The Tramp), Jackie Coogan (The Kid), Edna Purviance (The Mother), Carl Miller (The Father), Tom Wilson (The Policeman), and Henry Bergman (Night Shelter Keeper / Professor Guido) Directed by Charlie Chaplin (#353 - Monsieur Verdoux)

Review
This is one of the oldest films reviewed on this show (With only #435 - Mickey and #261 - The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari being older), and it's only fitting that it's one with Charlie Chaplin. He starred in, edited, wrote and directed this movie (later composing the music in a re-release fifty years later at 82!), which shows his talent reaches just beyond being a Tramp. Chaplin especially shows his worth in this film, which is not only a funny movie but also a very good drama. The movie has a fine balance, but an even better cast. Chaplin and Coogan mesh perfect together, they work as a team in both being clever window helpers but also as father and son (of sorts). Coogan (known to many for being the original Uncle Fester) was only six, and he still shines in this film, he certainly shows much emotion is those beady eyes. The movie has many moments of hilarity, such as when the Tramp "fights" a bully, or (my favorite) when the Tramp enters Dreamland. The drama in the movie makes an already good film into a great one, especially when the two are reunited after a rooftop chase. The Tramp is an endearing figure who is always entertaining, along with being a lovable character. This is a silent film I wholly recommend to everyone looking for a good laugh...or a tear.

Overall, I give it 10 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Rescuers.

Review #598: The Rescuers.

Cast
Bob Newhart (Bernard), Eva Gabor (Miss Bianca), Geraldine Page (Madame Medusa), Michelle Stacy (Penny), Joe Flynn (Mr. Snoops), Jim Jordan (Orville), John McIntire (Rufus), Jeanette Nolan (Ellie Mae), Pat Buttram (Luke), James MacDonald (Evinrude), Candy Candido (Brutus and Nero), and Bernard Fox (Mr. Chairman) Directed by Wolfgang Reitherman & John Lounsbery (#250 - The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh), and Art Stevens.

Review
I've done a few Disney films (#073 - The Lion King, #156 - Aladdin, #178 - Peter Pan, #230 - The Great Mouse Detective, #250, #373 - Cinderella, #387 - Lilo & Stitch, #390 - Pocahontas, #511 - The Three Caballeros, #579 - Frozen) on this show, and they usually are entertaining enough (except Pocahontas, but that's another story), and The Rescuers is no different. The animation is good (especially when they show the diamond), but the cast is better. Newhart and Gabor share a good rapport with each other, they are certainly a good duo (you can insert your Newhart joke here), and the rest of the cast is certainly entertaining, even Page and Flynn are a good pair of villains, I like how Medusa has not only a cool swamp-mobile, but two big alligators. Let's not forget she lives on a riverboat, which adds some more style points. The movie is short, but it is entertaining, and while it may have one too many songs, it at least is a cool adventure for everyone. So yeah, what's going to be the 600th Review, you might ask? The next review will give you a hint.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Rocky IV.

Review #597: Rocky IV.

Cast
Sylvester Stallone (Rocky Balboa), Dolph Lundgren (Ivan Drago), Talia Shire (Adrian Balboa), Burt Young (Paulie Pennino), Carl Weathers (Apollo Creed), Brigitte Nielsen (Ludmilla Drago), Tony Burton (Tony "Duke" Evers), and Michael Pataki (Nicoli Koloff) Directed by Sylvester Stallone (#047 - The Expendables, #277 - Rocky II and #340 - Rocky III)

Review
When did the Rocky franchise went over the top? Rocky IV? I say that because Rocky III was the first movie where Rocky didn't fight Apollo Creed, instead he fought Mr. T. Oh, and Mickey dies because you know, reasons. But that argument goes out the window when the robot is introduced. Yes, a robot, which I guess would be fine except 29 years later, we're still waiting for robots. The foundation of silliness is cemented by James Brown and then planted fully into the ground with Ivan Drago, if that even makes sense. Going into this, I knew it would be silly, that it would probably the weirdest of the franchise. That, and it would have montages. Many, many montages. This is what parodies are made of, especially this movie. But is the movie any good? Probably. Look, it's a silly film with a lot of cheese and a lot of effort, and the performances are what they are, the good and bad. At this point, you know these characters and what they'll do and not do. You know Rocky will fight Drago despite people telling him not to, because reasons. The movie is like processed cheese: It's American, it can be used for almost anything, and it's easier to poke holes at it than Swiss cheese. Take this film for what it's worth: the silly, the silly and the bad.

Overall, I give it 6 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Random Harvest.

Review #596: Random Harvest.

Cast
Ronald Colman (Charles Rainier), Greer Garson (Paula Ridgeway/Margaret Hanson), Philip Dorn (Dr. Jonathan Benet), Susan Peters (Kitty Chilcet), Henry Travers (Dr. Sims), Reginald Owen (Biffer), Bramwell Fletcher (Harrison), Rhys Williams (Sam), Una O'Connor (Shopkeeper), Aubrey Mather (Sheldon), and Margaret Wycherly (Mrs. Deventer) Directed by Mervyn LeRoy.

Review
Romantic films can be many things, they can be pleasant to watch and joyful, or they can be unbearable to watch. This film falls into the first category. Colman and Garson are an excellent duo, and they pair off well each other, they are just perfectly cast, and Colman does a great subdued performance. The supporting cast is fun to watch, even Una O'Connor (evidently she hams it up only in horror films), Reginald Owen is a charm to watch, it's just fun to watch the interactions between everyone. The plot is well crafted, a treat to appreciate. This is a neat little movie practically wrapped in gold paper. This movie is good enough to even be shown on TCM on Tuesday night, picked by none other than guest programmer Gene Wilder (squee!), and I can see why he picked it. It's a good flick to watch, even in summer, I suppose.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Never Say Never Again.

Review #595: Never Say Never Again.

Cast
Sean Connery (James Bond), Kim Basinger (Domino Petachi), Klaus Maria Brandauer (Maximillian Largo), Barbara Carrera (Fatima Blush), Bernie Casey (Felix Leiter), Max von Sydow (Ernst Stavro Blofeld), Edward Fox (M), Rowan Atkinson (Nigel Small-Fawcett), Gavan O'Herlihy (Jack Petachi), and Alec McCowen (Q) Directed by Irvin Kershner (#004 - RoboCop 2 and #114 - The Empire Strikes Back)

Review
Due to Kevin McClory's lawsuit over the rights of the novel Thunderball, he gained the filming rights of the novel, even after the movie was released, despite EON's attempts to stop it, and McClory would help produce a new version on the Thunderball story, with Lorenzo Semple, Jr (notable for developing the 1960's Batman TV show and Flash Gordon - #215) writing the screenplay. Connery was brought to play the role 12 years after he last played Bond in the spectacular disaster of a film Diamonds Are Forever (#280). The film was released 4 months after Octopussy (#360), the other Bond film from 1983. So which one is better? It's hard to discuss this movie. Of the six Bond films in the 1980's, this isn't the worst one, but it also isn't the best. Connery does good in his return to Bond, a little aged but a little more defined, and refined. The supporting cast isn't bad (though Atkinson is an exception), it's certainly better than Thunderball's cast, especially with Felix Leiter, who is more interesting to watch this time around. Basinger does well, she has at least some chemistry with Connery, and the dance scene is at least watchable. The villain is ever more interesting because he leaves an impression on you, though admittedly the scene where he plays against Bond in a video game is either an odd inclusion or just surprising, but then again the other Bond movie had Bond dress up as a clown, so pick your poison. The aquatic action isn't as annoying due to not there being as much of it, which is refreshing. The movie is actually pretty decent, not too bad, and it's a good way for Connery to have one last hurrah. There, I've reviewed all the Bond films, even the unofficial ones...for now.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.

Review #594: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.

Cast
Zero Mostel (Pseudolus), Phil Silvers (Marcus Lycus), Michael Crawford (Hero), Jack Gilford (Hysterium), Annette Andre (Philia), Buster Keaton (Erronius), Michael Hordern (Senex), Leon Greene (Miles Gloriosus), Patricia Jessel (Domina), and Inga Neilsen (Gymnasia) Directed by Richard Lester (#541 - A Hard Day's Night)

Review
The movie begins and ends on the same song, "Comedy Tonight", which sums up the movie. The cast is exceptional, especially Zero Mostel, who is just as wacky and fun as he was in The Producers. The movie may be a comedy, but it's also a musical, and while the comedy dominates most of the time, the songs aren't that bad, and Mostel is a decent enough singer for these songs. I realize that I haven't covered Buster Keaton on this show before, but at least I finally get to say something about him (ironically in his last film role), and what I would say is that he is certainly noteworthy despite not having too much screen time, he delivers a chuckle or two. The movie has a good deal of fun lines and zany motion that makes a wild but fun film.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Pirates of Blood River.

Review #593: The Pirates of Blood River.

Cast
Kerwin Mathews (Jonathon Standing), Glenn Corbett (Henry), Christopher Lee (Captain LaRoche), Peter Arne (Hench), Marla Landi (Bess Standing), Desmond Llewelyn (Tom Blackthorne), Oliver Reed (Brocaire), Andrew Keir (Jason Standing), and Michael Ripper (Mack) Directed by John Gilling.

Review
Christopher Lee (a regular occurring actor on this show) as the villain in a Hammer pirate movie? What could go wrong? As it turns out, a few things. The biggest problem is that the film is so dull. It feels so standard, like it's fulfilling a checklist of stuff without much excitement to it. The movie has one sword fight, and it's at the end of the movie, but by the time you get to the end you'll either be asleep or won't care. The actors are just okay, it's a shame that Lee is wasted in this movie, stuck in a ridiculous haircut that makes him look like Moe from the Three Stooges and an eye patch from your local dollar store. The pirates are the most interesting characters as our main character is just boring, and so is the rest of the non pirate cast. The action is sparse, but there sure is a good deal of dialogue. They do have a sword fight between two pirates...blindfolded, which sounds fun for about 2 minutes. This is just a mediocre/boring film that is just a disappointment. Stick to better pirate movies. Countdown to 600: 10, 9, 8, 7...

Overall, I give it 5 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Dementia 13.

Review #592: Dementia 13.

Cast
William Campbell (Richard Haloran), Luana Anders (Louise Haloran), Patrick Magee (Dr. Justin Caleb), Bart Patton (Billy Haloran), Mary Mitchell (Kane), Eithne Dunne (Lady Haloran), and Peter Read (John Haloran) Directed by Francis Ford Coppola.

Review
This was the first mainstream film made by Francis Ford Coppola, and this was made only because Roger Corman had leftover money after making one of his numerous films (The Young Racers, which had some of the cast in this film), and Coppola made the story outline in about a day, with the production in Ireland. Corman did not like how the movie was after Coppola showed him the finished product, and so Corman demanded an additional death scene along with a prologue to be added, though the version I watched lacks the prologue. The movie has an eerie Gothic feel, with the castle being the backdrop. The plot is paper thin at times and sometimes odd, but in the end it all comes together to make a pretty well made movie. Coppola knows what he's doing and the cast does a fine job with the material. There aren't many murders, but at least the movie still enjoyable, even if the identity of the killer could be figured out by the halfway point. Take this for what it's worth, especially on this day, Friday the...13th. Yeah...Countdown to 600: 10, 9, 8...

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Wild Bunch.

Review #591: The Wild Bunch.

Cast
William Holden (Pike Bishop), Ernest Borgnine (Dutch Engstrom), Robert Ryan (Deke Thornton), Edmond O'Brien (Freddie Sykes), Warren Oates (Lyle Gorch), Jaime Sánchez (Angel), Ben Johnson (Tector Gorch), Emilio Fernández (General Mapache), Strother Martin (Coffer), L. Q. Jones (T.C.), Albert Dekker (Pat Harrigan), and Bo Hopkins (Clarence 'Crazy' Lee) Directed by Sam Peckinpah (#590 - Ride the High Country)

Review
Yeah, I should've known that I would review The Wild Bunch. I mentioned it previously in the last review, heck I even knew I was going to watch it before I finished my review of Ride the High Country. I was aware of the reputation this movie had, known for its violence, which was quite bloody, for a Western, the genre that normally treated the West like it was a happy place to be, full of villains easily taken down by the good guy. Peckinpah wanted to change all that. The movie begins and ends with violence, but the main point is to try and make it unsettling and according to Peckinpah, "twist it so that it's not fun anymore, just a wave of sickness in the gut." He succeeds with his goal, though it probably won't make people forget all the blood, which is very present all throughout. The action is well directed and the movie is well made, the flashbacks may not be set up always coherently, but they are at least decent to look at. The characters are outlaws, but we still can identify them as relics in an aging world where the West is slowing dying (in fact, one of the best quotes of the movie is about that: "We've got to start thinking beyond our guns. Those days are closing fast."), and the man hunting them down was once their friend. The whole gang of outlaws are still fun though, they may be outlaws, but they're still enjoyable to watch in their antics. The violence may be a bit unsettling (unless of course you can handle it), but it's very well shot and very well made, and Peckinpah certainly deserves credit for a movie that does all it wanted and a little bit more.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Ride the High Country.

Review #590: Ride the High Country.

Cast
Randolph Scott (Gil Westrum), Joel McCrea (Steve Judd), Mariette Hartley (Elsa Knudsen), Ron Starr (Heck Longtree), Edgar Buchanan (Judge Tolliver), R.G. Armstrong (Joshua Knudsen), Jenie Jackson (Kate), James Drury (Billy Hammond), L. Q. Jones (Sylvus Hammond), and John Anderson (Elder Hammond) Directed by Sam Peckinpah.

Review
Well, well, I'm finally doing a review of a Peckinpah film. I didn't know it would take this long to get to him, but hey, here we are. This was his second film (his first being The Deadly Companions), and he would direct only 14 films in the 22 years, from 1961 up until 1983, up until his death in 1984. Peckinpah is known for his eccentricities and range of violence of shown in his films, such as The Wild Bunch. But what about this film? This movie is more about the story of loyalty then about the action, and it works just fine. Scott and McCrea are brilliantly paired well against each other, and the way their friendship progresses throughout the movie is a useful part of what makes the movie work. It's not the rugged terrain, or the fairly decent action, it's the relationship between these two characters, and the others as well, about how the legends may fade, but their stories won't. The supporting cast is excellent, especially Hartley, who is certainly interesting to watch. This is on the whole a fairly decent movie that certainly shows the strengths of the good ol' Western. 10 to go to #600.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Wizard of Oz.

Review #589: Wizard of Oz.

Cast
Larry Semon (Scarecrow/Toymaker/Farmhand), Dorothy Dwan (Dorothy/Princess Dorothea), Bryant Washburn (Kynd), Oliver Hardy (Woodsman/Knight of the Garter/Farmhand), Josef Swickard (Prime Minister Kruel), Charles Murray (Wizard of Oz), Spencer Bell (Cowardly Lion/Rastus/Snowball), Frank Alexander (Uncle Henry/Prince of Whales), Otto Lederer (Ambassador Wikked), and Mary Carr (Aunt Em) Directed by Larry Semon.

Review
There was an earlier version of the Wizard of Oz? Yes, there was. Tons in fact. This isn't even the first one, there are other silent versions before this, all (loosely) adapted from the original novel by L. Frank Baum. This movie has the distinction of being written by (supposedly) L. Frank Baum, Jr and Larry Semon, who practically steals the show in this movie. And that's the problem considering this isn't the Scarecrow of Oz, it's the Wizard of Oz. Dorothy barely gets any screen time, especially in the last 40 minutes, when the movie is taken over fully by Semon, and occasionally Bell, who gets some moments, only for it to cut back to Semon, though I guess being the director means getting the opportunity to be in every scene. It wouldn't be as grating if the movie didn't pad itself by just not going anywhere, taking forever to begin the movie and taking forever to end the movie. It takes so long to get to Oz (again), and we're stuck watching slapstick over and over again. It's fun the first time, but it gets old really fast. The actors aren't bad, and if you look hard enough, you'll find Oliver Hardy, before he would gain fame as part of the duo Laurel and Hardy. The characters in this movie are bizarre in their actions, especially Hardy's character. The movie at least is colorful with the hues and the music is decent, but this is still a weird movie. You haven't lived life until you've seen a man flying through the air running away from lightening...and then he climbs into a house. Weird movies can be good, this is not. The setup for the movie by use of a toymaker narrator is either an odd way to setup the movie or just a lazy way. It could be both, given the nonsensical ending that leaves no proper conclusion. It's no wonder why this was a big failure (even bankrupting the studio), the movie is just not that good, and it suffers even more when compared to the more famous 1939 film, which knocks this right off the block. I'd recommend Return to Oz before I recommend this, at least the former is sensible. This is just a sad mess that can't comprehend itself.

Overall, I give it 4 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: All Is Lost.

Review #588: All Is Lost.

Cast
Robert Redford (Our Man) Directed by J. C. Chandor.

Review
All is Lost is unique in its setup, having only one character, one setting, and barely any dialogue, leaving Redford to carry an entire movie by himself. And he succeeds. Redford doesn't make the character just by dialogue, he makes the character his own by his actions, by how we watch him struggle with what's going on around him. Redford is still impressive to watch even today, especially when watching him try to call for help, which is both riveting and emotional. The movie may seemingly have a simple premise, but in that premise is layers of emotions that venture in. This is a remarkable movie, a movie that tries hard and succeeds in its main goal of excellence and telling a story.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Enter the Dragon.

Review #587: Enter the Dragon.

Cast
Bruce Lee (Lee), John Saxon (Roper), Jim Kelly (Williams), Ahna Capri (Tania), Shih Kien (Han), Robert Wall (O'Hara), Angela Mao (Su Lin), Betty Chung (Mei Ling), Geoffrey Weeks (Braithwaite), and Bolo Yeung (Bolo) Directed by Robert Clouse.

Review
This was the first Chinese martial arts film to have been produced by a major Hollywood studio, which was written by Bruce Lee, who was already famous across Asia due to such films as The Big Boss, Fist of Fury, and Way of the Dragon, and this made his legacy spread to the United States, although he would die before the movie would be released. So how is the movie? Really really good. The movie kinda feels like a comic book, with loads of action, a fortress with a villain who (spoiler!) has a claw hand with a row of mirrors, and let's not forget the tournament. In fact, one of the lines in the movie references this, and that's another strength, the effectiveness of the actors. Lee is awesome in both acting and kicking the snot out of henchmen, and Kelly and Saxon are great together when teamed up. The action is a sight to behold, staged by Bruce Lee himself, and it looks great to watch. The villain isn't exactly anything new, but his claw is awesome. The one part of the movie at least everyone knows is the hall of mirrors sequence, which is not only cool, but also really well directed by Robert Clouse. It's a chilling and effective scene, and the fight scene that accompanies it is also good. This is, to be perfectly honest, an awesome movie. Go watch it even if purely for the action, and you'll come out entirely satisfied.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Alien 3.

Review #586: Alien 3.

Cast
Sigourney Weaver (Ellen Ripley), Charles S. Dutton (Dillon), Charles Dance (Jonathan Clemens), Brian Glover (Harold Andrews), Ralph Brown (Aaron), Paul McGann (Golic), Danny Webb (Morse), Lance Henriksen (Bishop II), and Tom Woodruff, Jr. (The Alien) Directed by David Fincher.

Review
"No one hated it more than me; to this day, no one hates it more than me."
That quote came from the director himself, David Fincher, director of Alien 3, which is probably the unluckiest installment of the franchise. Where did all the trouble begin? Aliens was a massive success, and naturally the studio wanted a sequel, two in fact, but with Hicks the main focus instead of Ripley. The idea then fizzled out as an array of writers tried to deliver a satisfactory (to the studio) script, to the point where after all the scripts were rejected, the producers had to write the screenplay themselves, meshing parts of some of the other writers scripts (most notably the prison planet idea), and having to complete the script while filming started. Also there was interference by studio executives that meddled with the film, which made Fincher angry to the point where he has actually disowned the film.

So yeah, after all that trouble, how is the film itself? It's a sad mess of a movie, that's for sure. The first problem of the movie? How did the egg get onto the escape ship when there was no sign of any aliens on board? It's a plot hole that is quite literally made in the first minutes. Oh, and the characters you cared about in the last film? All dead. Yes, they are shamelessly killed off, without any sense of care, but on the plus side it sets the tone for an extremely depressing movie. The movie tries to set its own tone, trying to be its own. And it just doesn't help the movie much. The big problem is that all of the characters are disposable, Dutton is the only interesting new character, maybe because he lasts the longest, or because Paul McGann (insert your 8th Doctor reference here) isn't in it enough. It's not that we want the characters to die, we're just waiting for them to, which they do. It's not that I don't like the film because it's not like Aliens, I don't like it because it's just a slog of a movie to get through. Now granted it is hard to make a sequel to a franchise that has had two great movies already, but Alien 3 just doesn't cut it. It tries and fails at being something new. The deaths in the movie are not awful, but they certainly are predictable, and the four legged alien looks more silly then threatening, it's the movements that kill it. The shots with the motion camera as the alien chases the crew is ridiculous in its concept, only making you wonder how this franchise fell so far. Weaver isn't bad in this film, but not even she can save this train wreck. The movie at least knows when to end, and boy does it end spectacularly. There is an Assembly Cut for this movie that has more footage, but more doesn't necessarily mean better. Just stick to the first two, and watch this one if you want to be depressed.

Overall, I give it 6 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Top Secret!

Review #585: Top Secret!

Cast
Val Kilmer (Nick Rivers), Lucy Gutteridge (Hillary Flammond), Christopher Villiers (Nigel), Jeremy Kemp (General Streck), Omar Sharif (Agent Cedric), Peter Cushing (Bookstore Proprietor), Michael Gough (Dr. Paul Flammond), and Warren Clarke (Colonel von Horst) Directed by Jim Abrahams (#028 - Hot Shots! and #375 - Hot Shots! Part Deux), David Zucker, and Jerry Zucker.

Review
This is the first film reviewed on this show directed by the famed ZAZ trio (though I've reviewed two films of one of the three already), who are more well known for directing Airplane! and The Naked Gun. So how does this film hold up? If you love sight gags and love a dose of charm with an exceptional cast that's not too long, you'll love this film. Val Kilmer meshes well with the cast and he also seems to be a decent singer as well, the rest of the cast is certainly memorable (especially Omar Sharif, whose last scene consists of him being stuck in a crushed car...and surviving), and it is nice to see Gough and Cushing, even if it is brief. The sight gags are fun and brief, and this is a movie that is entertaining enough to last 90 minutes, which is perfectly fine for a Friday night on Summer break.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: X-Men: Days of Future Past.

Review #584: X-Men: Days of Future Past.

Cast
Hugh Jackman (Wolverine), James McAvoy and Patrick Stewart (Charles Xavier/Professor X), Michael Fassbender and Ian McKellen (Erik Lehnsherr/Magneto), Jennifer Lawrence (Mystique), Halle Berry (Storm), Nicholas Hoult and Kelsey Grammer (Hank McCoy/Beast), Ellen Page (Kitty Pryde), Peter Dinklage (Bolivar Trask), Shawn Ashmore (Bobby Drake/Iceman), Omar Sy (Bishop), Daniel Cudmore (Colossus), Evan Peters (Peter Maximoff/Quicksilver), Fan Bingbing (Blink), Adan Canto (Sunspot), Booboo Stewart (Warpath), Josh Helman (William Stryker) and Anna Paquin (Rogue) Directed by Bryan Singer (#008 - X-Men and #010 - X2: X-Men United)

Review
It's been a while since I've reviewed a X-Men film (The two I just listed along with #010 - X-Men: The Last Stand, #042 - X-Men: First Class), but here we are once again. This is a movie that tries to connect two timelines of this franchise and make them work (that and try and fix the problems of X-Men: The Last Stand), with the main connection being Jackman. With such a big cast and such a tall task, does this movie meet up to code? Of course. The movie manages to have good action scenes and a dynamic cast that you (mostly) forget all the confusing aspects of this movie (such as Cyclops being alive, but a quick Internet search always helps), and this is certainly an excellent X-Men film. The cast is good, though I'm still wondering how Cyclops gets more lines (2) then Rogue (0, which is a shame). Quicksilver is such an awesome character that is fun to watch, even if he's in the movie only for a few minutes, as Peters does a fine job overall. McKellen and Stewart don't get much time together, but they are fine as always. McAvoy and Fassbender are marvelous (see what I did there?) together, they work so well against each other, especially McAvoy, whose character undergoes so much change and still rocks a nice haircut. Dinklage does a good job being more than just a bad guy the X-Men fight to stop, and he shines among all the cast. This is a movie that certainly packs a punch when it comes to action, and it is excellent to watch, especially when backed up by a good cast like this. Is it a perfect movie? No, but it is a good, if not excellent comic book movie that certainly works in the right categories.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Hound of the Baskervilles (1939)

Review #583: The Hound of the Baskervilles.

Cast
Basil Rathbone (Sherlock Holmes), Nigel Bruce (Dr. John H. Watson), Richard Greene (Sir Henry Baskerville), Wendy Barrie (Beryl Stapleton), Lionel Atwill (Dr. James Mortimer), John Carradine (Barryman), Morton Lowry (John Stapleton), Eily Malyon (Mrs. Barryman), and Barlowe Borland (Frankland) Directed by Sidney Lanfield.

Review
I had previously reviewed an adaption of the classic novel by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (#272 - The Hound of the Baskervilles - 1959), which was excellent and such. So how does this film made 20 years beforehand fare? To be honest, I actually have read the novel (big shock, right?), and the movie manages to do a fine job in cramming the story into a small 78 minute window. The story flows well with the novel, not making drastic changes (The fate of the villain is left unknown, but leaving a little ambiguity as opposed to the novel doesn't hurt), and the landscapes look haunting and beautiful. The supporting cast is decent enough, but the main attraction is Basil Rathbone in his first movie as Sherlock Holmes, which he would play for 13 more films for seven more years alongside Nigel Bruce as Watson. Rathbone is certainly fun to watch deduce the crime, though it is debatable on whether if Bruce's somewhat bumbling performance is endearing enough to work or somewhat annoying. Whatever the case, the movie is simply excellent in its portrayal of the novel and manages to work on such a short time scale. Check this one out, then check out the 1959 film to see what all the fuss is about.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Godzilla (2014).

Review #582: Godzilla.

Cast
Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Lieutenant Ford Brody), Ken Watanabe (Dr. Ishiro Serizawa), Elizabeth Olsen (Elle Brody), Juliette Binoche (Sandra Brody), Sally Hawkins (Dr. Vivienne Graham), David Strathairn (Rear Admiral William Stenz), and Bryan Cranston (Joe Brody) Directed by Gareth Edwards.

Review
It may have taken a while to get to another Godzilla film (#167 - Gojira), but I finally got around to it. And what better way to review a Godzilla movie then the latest one? Imagine being in the theater, a packed house after waiting an hour (or so) in line and then a while longer with trailers and such (The Giver film sounds like it'll be awful, Edge of Tomorrow reminds me of Groundhog Day for some reason, etc, but you get my point), the movie premieres. And the biggest cheer of the audience in the whole movie? When Godzilla uses his atomic fire breath. Heck, even I cheered for that because some things are just too awesome to say in words, so we say them in claps. The movie itself is good and certainly deserves a sequel. The cast isn't bad (though I wish there was more Bryan Cranston in it), our main character is okay even though it seems the cast gets more screen time then the monster himself, Godzilla. The movie seems to want to build tension and wait, so it cuts the first two monster fights (along with waiting an hour to show Godzilla) so we don't see much and then relents and shows the final fight, which is fantastic. Godzilla looks fantastic, looking incredibly imposing, and the roar is just great to listen to. Gareth Edwards does a great job directing as well, making me hope he returns for a sequel. The movie may take a while to getting what makes Godzilla awesome, but the payoff is excellent enough to leave you wanting more.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Forrest Gump.

Review #581: Forrest Gump.

Cast
Tom Hanks (Forrest Gump), Robin Wright (Jenny Curran), Gary Sinise (Lt. Dan Taylor), Mykelti Williamson (Bubba Blue), Sally Field (Mrs. Gump), and Haley Joel Osment (Forrest Gump, Jr) Directed by Robert Zemeckis (#317 - The Polar Express and #352 - Who Framed Roger Rabbit)

Review
Forrest Gump is a movie that could be loved for its cheerfulness and epic way of storytelling or easily to deride for its over sentimental nature that make for an overrated movie (It could be argued by many that Pulp Fiction deserved the Best Picture Oscar more then this film, but that's neither here or there), but it is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're going to get. For me this is an alright movie, a movie that is certainly interesting and certainly endearing, especially with its performances. But he best performance for me isn't by Hanks, it's by Gary Sinise. Why? Because Sinise's character development from a character with a so called pre-determined destiny to a bitter vet who still manages to encounter Forrest is interesting to watch and his speech about how Gump cheated him out of his destiny is very dark but perfect for Sinise. It's not that I don't like Hanks as Gump, but after a while it doesn't hurt to admit that Sinise brings a layer of needed darkness to the movie and that his character is certainly welcomed in a film such as this. The rest of the cast is fine and quirky, the characters are about as whimsical as you expect (Save for Wright and Sinise, which is a good thing because too much whimsical would probably kill the movie), but oh well. The movie is certainly appealing, and I recommend at least one viewing to see what all the fuss about. Or (again) to see who deserved the Best Picture award more, but at least watch the movie.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Best Man.

Review #580: The Best Man.

Cast
Henry Fonda (William Russell), Cliff Robertson (Joe Cantwell), Lee Tracy (Art Hockstader), Edie Adams (Mabel Cantwell), Margaret Leighton (Alice Russell), Ann Sothern (Sue Ellen Gamadge), Shelley Berman (Sheldon Bascomb), Gene Raymond (Don Cantwell), Kevin McCarthy (Dick Jensen), John Henry Faulk (Governor T.T. Claypoole), and Richard Arlen (Senator Oscar Anderson) Directed by Franklin J. Schaffner (#347 - Planet of the Apes)

Review
It's sort of hard to talk about this movie because when it all boils down to it, this is an okay movie. Fonda and Robertson are exceptional, especially when they share a scene, but Lee Tracy is even better, he steals the show and makes it his own in his final performance as he just dominates the movie with a commanding presence. The movie itself is alright, full of supporting characters that either are tolerable or just forgettable, though at least Kevin McCarthy is decent. This is more of a curiosity of a time different from now, but relevant in some ways that surprise even me.

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Frozen.

Review #579: Frozen.

Cast
Kristen Bell (Anna), Idina Menzel (Elsa), Jonathan Groff (Kristoff), Josh Gad (Olaf), Santino Fontana (Hans), Alan Tudyk (Duke of Weselton), and Ciarán Hinds (Grand Pabbie the Troll King) Directed by Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee.

Review
Frozen is a movie that after watching it, feels like a classic. The songs are the first shining moments as they flow so well with each other and make a powerful feeling of fun. The characters are likable, they are fun to watch interact with one each other, especially Olaf, who is fun and certainly enduring, though Elsa is a brilliantly written character that is given her moment to shine. But most of all, the story is really well crafted, it's a really creative tale. The animation is wonderful, especially all the shots of ice because it looks so beautiful. Is the movie really great? Only time will tell, as movies come and go, but classics never fade from our memories, which is also what I say when trying to get "Let It Go" out of my head.

Overall, I give it 10 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Beethoven's 2nd.

Review #578: Beethoven's 2nd.

Cast
Charles Grodin (George Newton), Bonnie Hunt (Alice Newton), Nicholle Tom (Ryce Newton), Christopher Castile (Ted Newton), Sarah Rose Karr (Emily Newton), Debi Mazar (Regina), Chris Penn (Floyd), Ashley Hamilton (Taylor Devereaux), Danny Masterson (Seth), and Catherine Reitman (Janie) Directed by Rod Daniel.

Review
The sequel only happened due to the first movie's unexpected success (A family flick about a cute dog that's a success? Shocking.), as the main cast returns once again. The movie isn't really anything special, but boy does it try to top the cuteness factor of the first flick with not one, but five new dogs (characters, but whatever) in tow. Grodin is clearly having fun with this role, as do Hunt and the others in a movie that just seemingly goes through the motions of being a family flick with the tinges of teen romance, the dog slapstick humor, people falling into mud, the list goes on. The movie is at least enjoyable, if not just a bag of cliches rolled into one. But yes, the puppies are cute and destructive, so take this movie at your own risk.

Overall, I give it 6 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Beethoven.

Review #577: Beethoven.

Cast
Charles Grodin (George Newton), Bonnie Hunt (Alice Newton), Dean Jones (Dr. Varnick), Nicholle Tom (Ryce), Christopher Castile (Ted), Sarah Karr (Emily), Oliver Platt (Harvey), Stanley Tucci (Vernon), David Duchovny (Brad), and Patricia Heaton (Brie) Directed by Brian Levant (#491 - Jingle All the Way)

Review
Beethoven is a strange idea to begin with because no only was this produced by Ivan Reitman, this wasn't released in the 1980's. Of all the decades that had story ideas, the 80's had the weirdest, and Beethoven is right up that alley. The 90's? Maybe not as much, but let's get to the question of this review: How is this movie? The movie is probably more cute then good, all because of one big St. Bernard. Charles Grodin is a fun actor to watch because his facial expressions to this weird plot of a movie and his timing is just right. The dog is just a dog, growing from small ball of cuteness to a hug tub of stuff, and he is certainly charming...for a dog. The rest of the cast (insert your David Duchovny X-Files joke here) isn't bad, they certainly work well with each other. The movie has some quirky moments, and while it isn't really that funny, it's a decent family flick, harmless to say the least.

And yes, I will review the sequel soon.

Overall, I give it 6 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Last Action Hero.

Review #576: Last Action Hero.

Cast
Arnold Schwarzenegger (Jack Slater/Himself), Austin O'Brien (Danny Madigan), Charles Dance (Benedict), Robert Prosky (Nick), Tom Noonan (The Ripper/Himself), Art Carney (Frank), Frank McRae (Lieutenant Dekker), Anthony Quinn (Tony Vivaldi), Bridgette Wilson (Whitney Slater and Meredith Caprice), F. Murray Abraham (John Practice), and Mercedes Ruehl (Irene Madigan) Directed by John McTiernan (#014 - Die Hard, #018 - Die Hard with a Vengeance, #080 - The Hunt for Red October, and #325 - Predator)

Review
Last Action Hero tries and nearly succeeds in its goals of action and comedy fun for all. It's a better action movie then a comedy, Arnold can be funny, but the movie just doesn't have enough comedy in it. feeling like more like a commentary on itself which while welcome, isn't exactly that funny (Though seeing Stallone as the Terminator in Slater's world amuses me), at least it tries. The cast is okay, but I find more enjoyment with Schwarzenegger then with O'Brien because at least he does something fun to watch, where O'Brien is just the second fiddle who could be easily disposable if he wasn't out main character. At least Art Carney is fun to watch in his final film role, he packs some energy and is certainly warming to watch. The movie doesn't really break any new ground and it isn't one of Arnold's best, but this is an okay movie that isn't hard to like if you want some good ol' Arnold and some good ol' fun. Take it for what it's worth.

Overall, I give it 6 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Way Way Back.

Review #575: The Way Way Back.

Cast
Liam James (Duncan), Steve Carell (Trent Ramsey), Toni Collette (Pam), Sam Rockwell (Owen), Maya Rudolph (Caitlyn), AnnaSophia Robb (Susanna), Allison Janney (Betty), Rob Corddry (Kip), and Amanda Peet (Joan) Directed by Nat Faxon and Jim Rash.

Review
The Way Way Back may feel cobbled together out of tropes (The loner, the parents who are useless, the northeastern setting (I suppose), the one villainous character, the romance subplot, the quirky qualities of one or more characters), but at least this is a well made cobble of tropes. The movie has its quirks, it has moments of zing that try to make for a fun movie, which it does for the first half. The second half isn't exactly as good, but I guess it could be worse. Sam Rockwell is just a joy to watch, he has a level of quirk to him and he works well with James. James himself is a decent child actor, he works well with Robb, the chemistry awkward, but it does feel just right. I wasn't aware how effective Steve Carell could be in portraying an irredeemable character (no, Gru from Despicable Me doesn't count), which essentially tells me I should watch more of Carell's work. The second half just isn't as great, maybe it just feels so downbeat mixed with some sweetness just for kicks. The movie just has a bittersweet ending that either breaks the movie due to it being a buzz kill on the fun or it just wraps the movie up nicely and makes the movie work. I'm more on the former, but this is at least is an decent comedy that works for someone looking to spend an afternoon on a hot summer day...

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Aliens.

Review #574: Aliens.

Cast
Sigourney Weaver (Ellen Ripley), Michael Biehn (Corporal Dwayne Hicks), Jenette Goldstein (Private Jenette Vasquez), Carrie Henn (Rebecca "Newt" Jorden), Lance Henriksen (Bishop), Bill Paxton (Private William Hudson), Paul Reiser (Carter Burke), William Hope (Lieutenant William Gorman), Al Matthews (Sergeant Al Apone), and Mark Rolston (Private Mark Drake) Directed by James Cameron (#001 - Terminator 2: Judgement Day, #063 - The Terminator, #388 - Avatar)

Review
Back when I first reviewed the first film (#530 - Alien), I realized that if I ever managed to review the sequel, I had to answer the question that connects the first two films: Which one is better? Alien is a tense horror thriller that masterfully hides the alien for as long as it could to keep tension high. Aliens decides to use an alternate strategy. Aliens is an action-packed horror movie that still pulls a punch...and then some. We all know that trying to hide the aliens (A welcome change is to have multiple aliens) again is silly, so outright showing them all throughout is what Cameron does, more terror but also more awesomeness. Weaver is the big star and also the best character in the whole movie, right next to Bishop and Vasquez (You try to argue against an android who saves a character from dying while ripped in half; Vasquez is just fun to watch interact with the overconfident crew), the whole cast is great to watch interact with each other, the mood of the movie shifts from bravado to outright fear as the movie goes on, and everything works perfectly, especially the effects, which are still great. But here's the question: Is it better than the first movie?It all depends on what exactly you want, horror or action horror, but Aliens is the winner by a xenomorph egg. But we all can at least agree that the last two aren't up to par. Hopefully I'll get to the third movie sooner rather then forty reviews later.

Overall, I give it 10 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.

Review #573: E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.

Cast
Henry Thomas (Elliott), Pat Welsh (E.T.), Robert MacNaughton (Michael), Drew Barrymore (Gertie), Dee Wallace (Mary), Peter Coyote (Keys), K. C. Martel (Greg), Sean Frye (Steve), and C. Thomas Howell (Tyler) Directed by Steven Spielberg (#126 - Close Encounters of the Third Kind, #168 - Raiders of the Lost Ark, #169 - Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, #170 - Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, #302 - Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, #351 - Schindler's List, #480 - Jaws, #563 - The Sugarland Express)

Review
It's only fitting that I review this on my day off, E.T. is essentially a child's greatest fantasy come to life. It feels like if Spielberg bought the candy store that he went to as a kid and then made his own kind of candy. The movie feels like a time capsule back to the 80s (the Yoda costume, the same looking houses, playing RPG's...okay maybe it's not that old, Sesame Street...okay you could argue that's also a 70s/90s/00s flashback, faking sickness with a lamp - wouldn't be as easy to fake in this day and age), but also a trip back to youth itself, it makes anyone who watches it feel like a kid again. There are memorable moments such as when Gertie meets E.T., or most notably when E.T. and Elliott fly together on a bike. It seems that the kids are the only sensible ones in this movie, which I guess makes sense given the theme of this movie, which to me is all about friendship, about the bond of a kid and his alien. The effects on E.T. are good, it's not just some prop (Such as the ripoff Mac and Me), it's more than that. This is an emotional movie that pulls many punches and also pulls many parts of fun. I recommend this for everyone, as this is one of the better science fiction movies to watch and have fun with. Just don't play the video game based on this movie. For your own safety.

Overall, I give it 10 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Skyfall.

Review #572: Skyfall.

Cast
Daniel Craig (James Bond), Judi Dench (M), Javier Bardem (Raoul Silva), Bérénice Marlohe (Sévérine), Ralph Fiennes (Gareth Mallory), Naomie Harris (Eve Moneypenny), Albert Finney (Kincade), Ben Whishaw (Q), Rory Kinnear (Bill Tanner), and Ola Rapace (Patrice) Directed by Sam Mendes.

Review
Skyfall tries to do two things: Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Bond franchise without going overboard (I'm looking at you Die Another Day), and to try and make people forget about Quantum of Solace and get back to what makes Bond work. Does it do its goals? Yea, pretty much. Without completely veering off into how even though Quantum of Solace tried its hardest to bring a theme of coldness and still entertain and fail, Skyfall manages to be fun to watch and have a level of change. By the time this film ends, we have a new Q, a new Moneypenny...and a new M. The gadgets are simple (a gun that only firs to the one who holds it and no else and a radio), but the villain is complex, yet enjoyable to watch. Bardem can be energetic to watch, but he can also be a chilling equal to Bond. Daniel Craig is magnificent, it seems he has grown into this role fully, and he works especially well with Dench, who is given more time and therefore is given her moment to shine in Dench's swan song as M. Fiennes is entertaining in the amount of time he's given, and I do look forward to seeing him in the next film soon. The realization of what exactly Skyfall means is a nice twist. In the end, this a good way to continue the franchise that has been chugging for over 50 years now, and I can't wait to see what happens next. Skyfall is Bond's childhood home.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

Review #571: Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

Cast
Chris Evans (Steve Rogers/Captain America), Scarlett Johansson (Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow), Sebastian Stan (Winter Soldier), Anthony Mackie (Sam Wilson/Falcon), Frank Grillo (Brock Rumlow), Cobie Smulders (Maria Hill), Maximiliano Hernández (Jasper Sitwell), Emily VanCamp (Kate/Agent 13), Robert Redford (Alexander Pierce), and Samuel L. Jackson (Nick Fury) Directed by Anthony Russo and Joe Russo.

Review
You might be wondering why I waited two weeks after the movie premiered to finally watch and then review this movie. Well, I wanted to give this enough time to subside and not have as many people (That and I actually had plans to do stuff on the Friday it came out, the ACT was on the week after and a talent show on last Thursday, so I had to get a few things done first), and yet there was still a good crowd of people going to see this, which is a good sign. To make a good sequel, you have to make it good enough to make you forget about comparing it to the first movie, in which that it is good enough to stand on its own. So how is this movie? It's a real blast that also manages to be a game changer in terms of this movie universe. This movie feels like a thriller from way back when, so naturally Robert Redford is in this. And he is wonderful, managing to have great chemistry with everyone, and is fun to watch, and he's really just one piece that makes up a good supporting cast, along with Samuel L. Jackson, who is given more depth and given more to do.

But do the main cast members fare well? Yes, yes, yes, and yes. Evans and Johansson have great chemistry together, they do well together, and you feel the connection between the two. Mackie is a welcome addition to this franchise, a good newcomer that is also a cool superhero to watch because it is always fun to watch people fly. Sebastian Stan doesn't have much to do for dialogue, but his character is interesting to watch and cool to look at. His character arc does go somewhere, and he is intriguing to watch. The movie delivers a clever twist that actually does manage to make sense and even connects with other films of this universe. The action and the effects are really good and show the filmmakers know what they're doing. The movie has a level of suspense but also a level of fun, a hearken back to the old days of thrillers with an exceptional cast and exceptional values that make for a really good movie. Go see it before it's out of theaters. Hail Hydra.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Beavis and Butt-head Do America.

Review #570: Beavis and Butt-head Do America.

Cast
Mike Judge (Beavis, Butt-head, Tom Anderson, Principal McVicker, and Mr. Van Driessen), Demi Moore (Dallas Grimes), Bruce Willis (Muddy Grimes), Robert Stack (ATF Agent Flemming), Cloris Leachman (Old woman), Richard Linklater (Tour bus driver), Dale Reeves (President Bill Clinton), and Greg Kinnear (ATF Agent Bork) Directed by Mike Judge.

Review
To be honest, I never really watched this show (Of course not being alive when this show first aired helps), and while I know about the two characters, I watched this in the morning with a mostly open mind. It should be noted that following Gone with the Wind is a tough challenge, but at least this didn't last over 3 hours. So how is the film? For all of its weirdness, the movie is pretty funny. This is a rambunctious, wild, and out of control movie that is perfect for these two (no point in lying) dummies. The cast is enjoyable, all of the randomness and bizarre nature make for a movie with much enjoyment. The animation is silly but fun to watch, even during the hallucination sequence, which is as random as it gets. You want a movie that sums up the 1990s? This is for you.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Gone with the Wind.

Review #569: Gone with the Wind.

Cast
Clark Gable (Rhett Butler), Vivien Leigh (Scarlett O'Hara), Leslie Howard (Ashley Wilkes), Olivia de Havilland (Melanie Hamilton), Hattie McDaniel (Mammy), Thomas Mitchell (Gerald O'Hara), Howard C. Hickman (John Wilkes), Alicia Rhett (India Wilkes), Barbara O'Neil (Ellen O'Hara), Rand Brooks (Charles Hamilton), and Cammie King Conlon (Bonnie Blue Butler) Directed by Victor Fleming (The Wizard of Oz)

Review
When asked what is the greatest movie of all time, some answer Citizen Kane, others answer Vertigo, some answer The Empire Strikes Back (Or A New Hope, take your pick), or Battleship Potemkin. But some answer the question with this movie in mind. How is the movie? The best word I can use to describe this movie is enduring. It's an endurance to sit through a movie that runs nearly 4 hours long, but if you make it through, you realize that this an epic that is stylish in design, and a movie with some resounding performances. But would I call it one of the greatest? That depends on what we're going on here, but I'll get to that later. Gone with the Wind is great to look at, the camera practically serves as a character around the movie. Gable (A charming performance all in all) and Leigh (who does exceptional at acting to this character perfectly unlikable) do extremely well together, the cast is all well and interesting to watch, though sometimes they seem like set pieces than actors.

There may be at least one person wondering what I think of the movie's portrayal of slavery. While McDaniel does a fine job (even winning an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress), it doesn't excuse the fact the movie mosly sweeps it under the rug, never really touching on the issue, which is a drawback for anybody wanting to look up on history. This is a movie of its time, and while we aren't as willing to cover the rug (If you want to watch a movie about slavery, go watch 12 Years A Slave), we should remember the movie, not just forget about it, the good and the bad.

The movie has some memorable moments such as the burning of Atlanta, which is a spectacle to watch, and the last scene is certainly poignant to end a movie on, with the most memorable line in a motion picture. It is an endurance to watch and takes time to gain steam, but it certainly pays off. Is it overrated? It could be argued that people hype this movie a bit too much, but I do understand the hype. Gone with the Wind may be regarded as either a classic, a slightly overrated but good movie, or both, but this movie certainly has a place in movie history.

Overall, I give it 10 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: 21 Jump Street.

Review #568: 21 Jump Street.

Cast
Jonah Hill (Morton Schmid), Channing Tatum (Greg Jenko), Dave Franco (Eric Molsen), Brie Larson (Molly), Rob Riggle (Mr. Walter), DeRay Davis (Domingo), Ice Cube (Capt. Dickson), Dax Flame (Zack), and Chris Parnell (Mr. Gordon) Directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller (#540 - The Lego Movie)

Review
21 Jump Street is based off the television series of the same name, and is not a remake this time, so at least that's going in the movie's favor. The movie even features cameos from Johnny Depp and Peter DeLuise, the two original stars from the show, trying to connect the two together, and it works. But how is the movie? It works pretty good. Hill and Tatum are a good duo together, both with their own characteristics, neither getting more screentime than the other, they have good scenes together (Such as the scene where they both try to jump a car, also the scene where they celebrate their first arrest), and they make a good team, they're funny to watch and they never get on your nerves. The movie is a deconstruction of cliches, it has a good deal of bite and a good deal of fun with the source material, never wearing its welcome. It's a movie with a good supporting cast (Ice Cube is a pretty decent actor who can be funny at times with the right material, such as this movie) and just the right amount of fun to make this tolerable and fun to watch.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Ladykillers (1955).

Review #567: The Ladykillers.

Cast
Katie Johnson (Mrs Louisa Alexandra Wilberforce), Alec Guinness (Professor Marcus), Cecil Parker (Major Claude Courtney), Herbert Lom (Louis Harvey), Peter Sellers (Harry Robinson), Danny Green ('One-Round' Lawson), and Jack Warner (Police Superintendent) Directed by Alexander Mackendrick.

Review
Today is the 100th Anniversary of Alec Guinness' birth. Whether you remember him as Obi-Wan Kenobi (as I do) or Prince Faisal in Lawrence of Arabia, Guinness was a great actor of his time that will always be remembered for his charm and his ability to act as any type of character, and that goes for this film as well. Guinness acts well among a variety of actors (including a young Peter Sellers), in fact everybody in this film do splendid jobs, they all act well together in their own way. The movie has many moments of hilarity, especially at the end, but spoiling that ruins the fun. One of my favorite moments though is when all the characters try to capture a bird back into its cage...and fail miserably. I don't know why I find it so funny, maybe it's just a scene that shows how strange yet funny the movie can get. However you choose to honor Guinness' birthday, this is a good film to showcase the very best of Alec Guinness.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Angels in the Outfield (1994).

Review #566: Angels in the Outfield (1994).

Cast
Danny Glover (George Knox), Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Roger Bomman), Christopher Lloyd (Al "The Boss" Angel), Tony Danza (Mel Clark), Ben Johnson (Hank Murphy), Brenda Fricker (Maggie Nelson), Jay O. Sanders (Ranch Wilder), Milton Davis Jr. (J.P.), Taylor Negron (David Montagne), Tony Longo (Triscuitt Messmer), Neal McDonough (Whitt Bass), Stoney Jackson (Ray Mitchell), Adrien Brody (Danny Hemmerling), Tim Conlon (Wally), and Matthew McConaughey (Ben Williams) Directed by William Dear.

Review
In honor of Opening Day, I decided to review this movie because...it was easy to find. Of all the teams that deserve to win a pennant, the Angels (Known as the California Angels in this movie, then the Anaheim Angels, now the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. And they say sports is always logical) were probably not high up on the list (Do the word Chicago Cubs come to mind?) to win one. This is a remake of the 1951 classic, and the first big change is the focus on the kids rather then the manager of the hapless team, which I guess makes it not just a copy of the original. The movie focuses more on...depressing "child drama", which I guess makes it more 90's. But it makes it less about baseball, and more of a boring drama that probably felt sappy in the 90's, which makes you want to yell "Get on with it!", over and over. At least you get some nice shots of Angels Stadium, with the Big A sign and all.

I find it funny that this was released in 1994, the year with the infamous baseball strike (Vive Le' Expos!), and canceled the playoffs. Talking about this movie is sort of boring when baseball is in the air, real baseball (though having an Opening Series, then an Opening Night before Opening Day is sort of annoying), with real meaning. The cast are sometimes entertaining (I wish Glover would get more screen time), Levitt is effective in portraying...a kid, I suppose. It's not too hard to do that (Unless you're Jake Lloyd), and Davis Jr pairs off well with Levitt. Lloyd isn't bad, but if you blink long enough, you'll forget he's there. The baseball action isn't bad (the effects are fine for the time, as I barely noticed this was made only 20 years ago), but this is a mediocre movie that is only notable because of all the rising stars in this movie (McConaughey, Levitt, and Brody), and for being a remake. I hope you have a fun Opening Day, no matter how the team(s) you root for do tonight.

Overall, I give it 5 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Zardoz.

Review #565: Zardoz.

Cast
Sean Connery (Zed), Charlotte Rampling (Consuella), Sara Kestelman (May), John Alderton (Friend), Sally Anne Newton (Avalow), and Niall Buggy (Arthur Frayn / Zardoz) Directed by John Boorman.

Review
...This is a hard movie to grade. This is also a hard movie to not make fun of. Is this a movie with a inventive premise, an incomprehensible plot, or just a dated movie that while unique, is really silly? The answer could be either one of the options, all of the options, or even none. Sean Connery is decent, though the same can't be said for his costume, which exceeds uniqueness and branches into hilarious territory. The absurd nature of this movie manages to overrun the plot, for better or for worse. Keeping an open mind would help in order to watch this movie, but much like writing notes on a notepad for this movie, it doesn't really help all that much. The set designs look nice, it certainly showcases itself well, and it is fun to look at. It may be- Sorry, is a weird film, but it works if you're looking for something to think about late at night, whether for the plot or just what led Boorman to making this. The rating given for this movie came after a short period of deliberation (which involved debating over whether to give it a 7 or 5 stars), so I settled on a middle ground that shows one more thing: It can regarded as a decent experiment gone mostly right...or a middling disaster. Take this movie under consideration...with a grain of salt.

Overall, I give it 6 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Starsky & Hutch.

Review #564: Starsky & Hutch.

Cast
Ben Stiller (David Starsky), Owen Wilson (Ken "Hutch" Hutchinson), Vince Vaughn (Reese Feldman), Snoop Dogg (Huggy Bear Brown), Jason Bateman (Kevin Jutsum), Fred Williamson (Captain Doby), Will Ferrell (Big Earl), Amy Smart (Holly Monk), Carmen Electra (Stacey Haack), and Juliette Lewis (Kitty) Directed by Todd Phillips.

Review
This is a hard movie to rate, the movie does have its moments of highlights, but other times, the movie just falls flat. Stiller and Wilson are at best an okay duo, the movie works best in the first half because by the time the movie ends, it's already worn out its welcome. Vaughn is an okay villain, he doesn't really make much of an impression, but it could've been much more forgettable. I'm actually surprised the original Starsky and Hutch (David Soul and Paul Michael Glaser) made cameos, it doesn't help or hurt the movie, but it is noteworthy. The best character in this movie is played by Snoop Dogg. Why? While his character doesn't have too much screen time, he generates laughs and is a pretty fun guy to watch. The movie isn't awful but it doesn't really rise above mediocrity. It's probably best to rent the movie and make your own conclusions, but it could be worse.

Overall, I give it 6 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Sugarland Express.

Review #563: The Sugarland Express.

Cast
Goldie Hawn (Lou Jean Poplin), Ben Johnson (Captain Harlin Tanner), Michael Sacks (Patrolman Maxwell Slide), William Atherton (Clovis Michael Poplin), Gregory Walcott (Patrolman Ernie Mashburn), Steve Kanaly (Patrolman Jessup), and Louise Latham (Mrs. Looby) Directed by Steven Spielberg (#126 - Close Encounters of the Third Kind, #168 - Raiders of the Lost Ark, #169 - Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, #170 - Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, #302 - Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, #351 - Schindler's List, #480 - Jaws)

Review
The Sugarland Express was Spielberg's first feature length movie (Duel was a television movie later released to theaters), he also wrote the story to the movie that is based off the true story of Ila Fae Holiday, filmed in Sugarland, and other locations in Texas. Goldie Hawn does a wonderful performance, entertaining to watch, especially when paired with William Atherton, who is interesting to watch. The movie is not as entertaining as Spielberg's other films, but it is at least interesting enough to check out. The movie is shot well, and it is reasonably paced in the beginning, but it almost sputters near the end, it's hard to explain, maybe it's when the trio go through the parade of citizens, it just feels forced. Whatever the case, the movie has its moments, such as the couple who are stranded on the road the whole movie, which is a good chuckle. Check this one out if you want to start watching Spielberg. Or Amblin'.

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: It Happens Every Spring.

Review #562: It Happens Every Spring.

Cast
Ray Milland (Vernon K. Simpson/King Kelly), Jean Peters (Deborah Greenleaf), Paul Douglas (Monk Lanigan), Ed Begley (Edgar Stone), Ted de Corsia (Jimmy Dolan), Ray Collins (Prof. Greenleaf), Jessie Royce Landis (Mrs. Greenleaf), and Alan Hale Jr. (Schmidt) Directed by Lloyd Bacon

Review
It Happens Every Spring was made without the support of Major League Baseball, which is evident immediately, given that all the stadiums are referred to by city (such as Pittsburgh Stadium or Brooklyn Stadium), a practice not really done at the time (Instead, they were referred to by other names, such as Ebbets Field, Forbes Field, Shibe Park, and Sportsman Park (Used by both St. Louis teams for years), though Cleveland Stadium was an exception to the rule that I just mentioned), and all the teams in the movie are referred to by city name in both jerseys and in dialogue. I'd like to think that the team the main character plays for is the St. Louis Browns rather then the Cardinals because the though of having to see the Cardinals win the World Series again even in a movie makes me shudder. So yeah, how is the film itself? If you ignore the fact that the main character essentially cheats to help his team win the pennant and no one bothers to complain, the movie is easy to like. The actors are fine, and Paul Douglas is enjoyable to watch (Douglas also does a good performance in a baseball movie, (#433) Angels in the Outfield), and I guess the movie is alright, even though it's not exactly a great baseball movie. It's certainly a decent movie, and I can see the effort that was done for this movie. Would I recommend it? I'd recommend it along with other baseball movies, such as The Natural, Angels in the Outfield, and Field of Dreams. But oh well.

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Diner.

Review #561: Diner.

Cast
Steve Guttenberg (Edward "Eddie" Simmons), Daniel Stern (Laurence "Shrevie" Schreiber), Mickey Rourke (Robert "Boogie" Sheftell), Kevin Bacon (Timothy "Fen" Fenwick Jr), Tim Daly (William "Billy" Howard), Ellen Barkin (Beth Schreiber), Paul Reiser (Modell), Kathryn Dowling (Barbara), and Michael Tucker (Bagel) Directed by Barry Levinson (#383 - The Natural)

Review
Diner was Barry Levinson's directorial debut, and his first set around the city of Baltimore (He would make three others based on the city such as Tin Men, Avalon, and Liberty Heights), this being set on the turn of the 1950's. This is a very fun film to watch, this a movie that doesn't need much of a plot to work, it's a series of events that are pretty funny but also brilliant to watch (I like this one brief scene where Reiser complains over the word nuance. It's a short scene, but it exemplifies how random conversations get between friends, even over the stupidest things) The main five actors are great, they function well with each other, and that's the point of the movie. It's just a bunch of friends reuniting with one another for the wedding of one of them, but it's not about the wedding, it's a collection of moments between friends, a movie that feels natural, a movie that has fun and it's a movie that certainly delivers.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Experiment Alcatraz.

Review #560: Experiment Alcatraz.

Cast
John Howard (Dr. Ross Williams), Joan Dixon (Lt. Joan McKenna), Walter Kingsford (Dr. J.P. Finley), Lynne Carter (Ethel Ganz), Robert Shayne (Barry Morgan), Kim Spalding (Duke Shaw), Sam Scar (Eddie Ganz), and Kenneth MacDonald (Col. Harris) Directed by Edward L. Cahn (#331 - It! The Terror From Beyond Space)

Review
Experiment Alcatraz was one of the many B-movies made by Edward L. Cahn, also notable for directing Our Gang shorts in the late 1930s. So how is this B-movie? For all of its limitations, this is a pretty okay film. My expectations weren't high, it's a b-movie about injecting radiation into prisoners that turns into a mystery. The actors are alright, they keep the movie going without much flaws. The action is okay, not too bad, typical, but you get what you want. The plot is not that bad, it has a few twists along the way, and the movie runs okay, it runs about an hour, so it's a real easy breeze, a mostly typical b-movie good enough to pass the time.

Overall, I give it 5 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Grand Prix.

Review #559: Grand Prix.

Cast
James Garner (Pete Aron), Eva Marie Saint (Louise Frederickson), Yves Montand (Jean-Pierre Sarti), Toshiro Mifune (Izo Yamura), Brian Bedford (Scott Stoddard), Jessica Walter (Pat Stoddard), Antonio Sabàto (Nino Barlini), Françoise Hardy (Lisa), Adolfo Celi (Agostini Manetta), and Claude Dauphin (Hugo Simon) Directed by John Frankenheimer.

Review

Grand Prix was filmed in Super Panavision 70 and the cinematography by Saul Bass and Lionel Lindon, directed by first timer on Movie Night, John Frankenheimer (most known for directing the original The Manchurian Candidate, French Connection II...and the Island of Dr. Moreau), with a blend of actors from all around the world, all for a grand epic that many people call the best racing movie ever. The cinematography is beautiful to look at, seeing the perspective of the cars racing at times is incredible to watch, even the crashes are spectacular to watch in all the spectacle. This movie captures the passion, the mood, and the excitement of racing effectively. The plot isn't exactly as developed, but at least the actors are good, especially James Garner (Fun fact: He did his own racing in this film while the other three only did close up shots), who is fun to watch. This is a movie full of fun that doesn't feel like 3 hours, it feels like a good ol' trip to the grandstand, crashes and all.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.