Movie Night: Scrooge (1935).

Review #672: Scrooge.

Cast
Seymour Hicks (Ebenezer Scrooge), Donald Calthrop (Bob Cratchit), Robert Cochran (Fred), Mary Glynne (Belle), Garry Marsh (Belle's husband), Oscar Asche (Spirit of Christmas Present), Marie Ney (Spirit of Christmas Past), C.V. France (Spirit of Christmas Future), and Philip Frost (Tiny Tim) Directed by Henry Edwards.

Review
Yes, another adaptation of A Christmas Carol. But this time it's the 1935 film version, the first sound film based on the tale (after numerous stage versions and a silent film adaptation in 1913, which also had Hicks as Scrooge). This isn't my first foray into adaptations of the novel (#075 - Scrooged, #076 - Scrooge (1951), #079 - A Christmas Carol (1984), #498 - The Muppet Christmas Carol, and #503 - A Christmas Carol (1938), but somehow this has managed to be forgotten, probably lost in a sea of these adaptations that are on TV, as opposed to this film, though this film is in public domain, so there's that. What makes this film unique from the other versions? The ghosts aren't seen. They are merely shapes (except for the Spirit of Christmas Present), more non-real than the others. Whether that's a good thing or not is up to you. The atmosphere of the movie is at least well made, it certainly does feel festive with a touch of dark mood. Hicks is at least effective when it comes to portraying a miserable character such as Scrooge. Is it the best version? No, but it is fine enough for a film like this. The movie manages to tell its story effectively enough (77 minutes), cutting a few things but not anything too crucial. Overall, this is a movie that does a pretty good job at being entertaining and being a decent movie to watch come Christmastime (which seems to be coming closer), alongside the dozens of other picks. It was good to end November on a high note (and on a streak), and now comes December...and my birthday.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Night the World Exploded.

Review #671: The Night the World Exploded.

Cast
Kathryn Grant (Laura Hutchinson), William Leslie (Dr. David Conway), Tristram Coffin (Dr. Ellis Morton), Raymond Greenleaf (Gov. Chaney), Charles Evans (Gen. Bortes), and Frank J. Scannell (Sheriff Quinn) Directed by Fred F. Sears (#255 - The Giant Claw and #265 - Earth vs. the Flying Saucers)

Review
When it comes to attractive titles for films that get your eye, this is the key attraction. Just include the word "explode", "invade", "mutant" or "space" in the title, and there you go, you've got a 50's sci-fi movie. But at least the plot is normal enough, with some imagination put into the way the world...almost explodes. I guess it does explode in the sense that earthquakes keep popping up. Of course "The Night the World Had Earthquakes" is a little long, so there you go. The actors are passable, they don't overact (which is good), and at times Grant and Leslie do have some good chemistry together. The movie is at least entertaining and it only lasts about an hour, which really makes it less risky to watch. I mean, if it was over two and a half hours long and had polarizing reception, I'd worry a bit (I think you know what film I'm referencing). Take the movie for what it is: (possibly) classic time spending fun.

Overall, I give it 6 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Cliffhanger.

Review #670: Cliffhanger.

Cast
Sylvester Stallone (Gabe Walker), John Lithgow (Eric Qualen), Michael Rooker (Hal Tucker), Janine Turner (Jessie Deighan), Rex Linn (Richard Travers), Leon Robinson (Kynette), Craig Fairbrass (Delmar), Gregory Scott Cummins (Ryan), and Denis Forest (Heldon) Directed by Renny Harlin (#012 - Die Hard 2)

Review
Honestly, this sounds like something that could've been made in the 40's/50's, especially with the cliffs. But hey, some idea did stay original in the 90's, all you needed to do is add an action star and a villain with a cool accent and boom, you've got a winner. Stallone is entertaining enough, I guess when you co-write the screenplay, you can seem just fine (the "Premise by John Long" credit notwithstanding), but there you go. Lithgow is at entertaining enough as a villain, though he only gets one fight with Stallone...which lasts about 3 minutes. For some reason, my favorite actor in this film is Rex Linn. I don't know, maybe it's his exasperated expression, or his killer mustache (insert your CSI: Miami joke here). The cliff action is pretty fun though, you can enjoy it and still have a laugh anyway. You can be a good action/adventure film and yet still have some laughs with it (not necessarily at it), I especially like the scene where Linn's looking for a case of money...and the tracker leads him to a rabbit. Yes, he shoots at the bunny. And yes, he misses as the bunny runs away. This actually drives his character to go crazy. What's even more funny is the fact the original scene had the bunny dying before Stallone (personally) changed it due to crowd reaction. You want some entertaining action and a decent enough film? Then this is for you.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Home Sweet Home.

Review #669: Home Sweet Home.

Cast
Jake Steinfeld (Killer), Vinessa Shaw (Angel Bradley), Peter De Paula (Mistake Bradley), Don Edmonds (Harold Bradley), Charles Hoyes (Wayne), David Mielke (Scott), Leia Naron (Gail), and Lisa Rodríguez (Maria) Directed by Nettie Peña.

Review
Yes, a Thanksgiving horror film. Why? Because why not. After all, what better way to be thankful for stuff (and a stomachache from the food) than a slasher movie with a bunch of unknown actors? But hey, holiday themed horror films aren't that new, with Christmas and Halloween being the big focus (Leprechaun, and April Fool's Day notwithstanding), and I'm sure that I'll come across them again soon. But let's get back to this film, and its...slasher villain. It seems the makers of this film thought you could make a villain who just laughs. Steinfeld at least looks strong and muscular (here's a strange fact, he is a fitness advocate and the founder of the National Lacrosse League) for the part, but his laughing all throughout makes me laugh more than be scared. The characters are just what they are, characters slated to die. Here we've got our characters who romance each other, the kid character, and lastly the comic relief character, who has a guitar this time. And yes, his name is actually Mistake. I can think of one other name that sounds worse, and that name is Practice. The movie is at least quick with the deaths, though when your movie last 83 minutes (which seems short even for horror films), you kinda have to. What I'm disappointed in most is the lack of turkey. Heck, I wish the villain was a giant turkey (or someone dressed up as it), because then I could make turkey puns. But I'll just have to settle with Eli Roth's "Thanksgiving" trailer from Grindhouse instead. The story is thin, and to be honest I have no idea why the killer went to the Bradley house, but I can't really stress over it, I have other Thanksgiving stuff to deal with. Have a great day everyone, and enjoy the food (cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie, biscuits, biscuits with turkey in the middle, etc.), and the family too.

Overall, I give it 3 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Cat-Women of the Moon.

Review #668: Cat-Women of the Moon.

Cast
Sonny Tufts (Laird Grainger), Victor Jory (Kip Reissner), Marie Windsor (Helen Salinger), William Phipps (Doug Smith), Douglas Fowley (Walt Walters), Carol Brewster (Alpha), and Suzanne Alexander (Beta) Directed by Arthur Hilton.

Review
You're probably wondering if the Cat-Women in the title have tales or do anything cat-like. Sadly, no, which means I can't do any effective cat puns, which would've been fun, especially during the fights (a cat fight, you might say *rim shot*). But that aside, what we have here is a sci-fi flick from the 50's that apparently had such a good story that it would be remade five years later with Missile to the Moon. Is it any good though? With 50's flicks, you could be entertained in a variety of ways, even if the movie isn't that good. Heck, the fact that these Cat-Women are the last of their civilization is sort of creative. The rubber spider on the other hand makes me giggle. The acting is fine (William Phipps is in it, more notable for his work as Prince Charming in Cinderella - #373), they certainly carry their lines well enough. The movie isn't bad, it's pretty passable. You could do better (or worse, if that's your preference) with this time of month, and I know my picks for the rest of the month (and the month I love most) will probably be better (and worse) than this, but as someone once said, it is what it is.

Overall, I give it 6 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Freshman.

Review #667: The Freshman.

Cast
Harold Lloyd (Harold Lamb), Jobyna Ralston (Peggy), Brooks Benedict (The College Cad), James A. Anderson (The College Hero), Hazel Keener (The College Belle), Joseph Harrington (The College Tailor), and Pat Harmon (The Football Coach) Directed by Fred C. Newmeyer and Sam Taylor.

Review
When people think of Harold Lloyd, they think of him dangling from the clock tower in Safety Last, or his work in Grandma's Boy (which I'll review in the future), or his role in The Freshman, which is what I'm covering. Lloyd's career could've been stopped before he gained his fame; in 1919 he lost a finger and a thumb in an accident, with a prosthetic glove concealing the damage. But he did not let that stop him. The Freshman was Lloyd's highest grossing silent feature, and it's easy to see why. His character (Harold, also known in the movie as Speedy) is so likable. Lloyd's character isn't a random passerby who happens to pop in, he's a character whose purpose is given depth. You emphasize with him and his plight, which makes it easier to laugh at his naiveness. The gags are slight but easy to recognize, the movie has a lot of fun with the situation Harold sets himself in. My favorite gags involves Harold speaking to the crowd...while a kitten comes out of his sweater. The characters are easily describable given their character names, but at least they act their parts convincingly, especially Benedict, who is easy to dislike, and for good reason. The romance between the main leads is sweet and brief enough to work. The football action at the end is particularly noteworthy because we get to see how football was over 80 years ago. The action was filmed at the Rose Bowl (with crowd shots at Cal Memorial Stadium), and the football action is about as wild and silly (with Lloyd) as it can get. It certainly is a good way to end the film. The movie is like a gift basket, sweet and entertaining for a short period of time (about 70 minutes), and that's probably why this movie is still a great hit with others. I highly recommend this film (along with other silent movies with Keaton and Chaplin) for a good way to spend a day, especially on Thanksgiving.

Overall, I give it 10 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: RoboCop (2014).

Review #666: RoboCop (2014).

Cast
Joel Kinnaman (Alex Murphy/Robocop), Gary Oldman (Dr. Dennett Norton), Michael Keaton (Raymond Sellars), Samuel L. Jackson (Pat Novak), Abbie Cornish (Clara Murphy), Jackie Earle Haley (Rick Mattox), Michael K. Williams (Jack Lewis), Jennifer Ehle (Liz Kline), Jay Baruchel (Tom Pope), Aimee Garcia (Jae Kim), John Paul Ruttan (David Murphy), and Patrick Garrow (Antoine Vallon) Directed by José Padilha.

Review
It's not better than the original film. But I think we all knew that already. But at least it tries to be a decent movie. Whether or not it succeeds is up to the viewer. The movie's at least better than RoboCop 3 and up to the level of RoboCop 2, which I guess is a success. It's really hard to live up to the original film, especially for a remake/reboot, but at least it looks they tried to make a decent film. To be fair, I'd recommend renting the film. The acting is passable, the highlights being Michael Keaton and Samuel L. Jackson, they make the film seem less basic, and they are pretty entertaining also. Kinnaman is not bad, while at times he feels flat; the emotional aspect of the character is at least explored a little, though it's really hard to beat Peter Weller's portrayal. The movie is probably more enjoyable when not being compared to the original, but then again that's really hard to not compare. The action is fine, though the fact that it's toned down due to the PG-13 rating does hinder its effect. I guess it helps make the film have more chance at profit, but who didn't watch the original film when they were a teen? Heck, I watched the original for the first time when I was 13, though that's a product of my dad's love of buying movies. But enough about my recollections, back to the review.  At least the tone of the film feels different, and the suit looks...pretty good. While they first show the suit with grey/silver as the main color, it actually looks better in black. It looks more robotic and less human like. While it may seem like the human drama drags it down at times and sometimes it feels odd, but I guess in the end it works...sort of. Much like the last film reviewed here (Star Trek: Into Darkness), it's a toss-up. Pick your poison.

Overall, I give it 6 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Star Trek Into Darkness.

Review #665: Star Trek Into Darkness.

Cast
Chris Pine (James T. Kirk), Zachary Quinto (Spock), Benedict Cumberbatch (Khan), Simon Pegg (Scotty), Karl Urban (McCoy), Zoe Saldana (Uhura), Peter Weller (Alexander Marcus), Alice Eve (Dr. Carol Marcus), John Cho (Sulu), Anton Yelchin (Chekov), and Bruce Greenwood (Christopher Pike) Directed by J.J. Abrams (#009 - Star Trek and #149 - Super 8)

Review
Eh, it's been a while (10 months, 22 days to be exact) since I've done a Star Trek film (#515 - Star Trek: The Motion Picture), so why not do the most recent film. The first film (of the reboot series) wasn't bad, though it's not like it was a great piece of work, and you find that out during this film. It's not that this film is bad, it just feels like one step forward but one-and-a-half steps back. The effects are at least good, though those lens flares really get in the way on occasion, which almost gets in the way of actors trying to convey their scenes. The acting is fine, though I really didn't buy that Eve's character being Weller's daughter, maybe it's the lack of time they have together, but at least Weller is stellar despite limited time. Cumberbatch is pretty good, but it's the character I have an issue with. By making him play Khan, the film limits his motives in a sense. The original Khan had a motive of revenge and was great at portraying it. This Khan has more a touch of generic than revenge. Even when Cumberbatch cries it feels forced. It's not a bad performance, it's just flawed writing. The story is at least somewhat decent...until it rehashes Wrath of Khan's last half hour. Well, almost. Just because you have the villain from Wrath of Khan doesn't mean you have to emulate it, it's unnecessary and just makes the movie seem unsure of itself, like it wasn't confident with itself. At least the movie has its moments, any scene with Simon Pegg is brilliant, he brightens the movie, if only briefly. Your opinion on the movie will probably rest on what you think of Abrams as a director and/or Khan. It's a toss-up, basically.

Overall, I give it 6 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Airplane!

Review #664: Airplane!

Cast
Robert Hays (Ted Striker), Julie Hagerty (Elaine Dickinson), Leslie Nielsen (Dr. Rumack), Peter Graves (Capt. Clarence Oveur), Lloyd Bridges (Steve McCroskey), Robert Stack (Capt. Rex Kramer), Lorna Patterson (Randy), Stephen Stucker (Johnny), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (Roger Murdock), Frank Ashmore (Victor Basta), and Jonathan Banks (Gunderson) Directed by David Zucker, Jim Abrahams (#028 - Hot Shots! and #375 - Hot Shots! Part Deux), and Jerry Zucker.

Review
I knew I would eventually review this film, I just didn't know it would take so long to do so. It was worth the wait. When it comes to slapstick and having efficient gags, this is the movie people refer to for reference. But what also helps the movie is the fact the gags mesh with the story and not just outright overwhelm it. The movie is silly and also really, really, fun to watch. It's a breeze to watch, and watching how the actors react to all of this (hint: not very well) also helps. My favorite character isn't really a character, it's Otto, the inflatable balloon. It's just so amusing watching Otto, especially at the end, when he inflates...all by himself, with a inflatable girlfriend to boot. Hays and Hagerty do a fine job complimenting each other, their best scene is when they dance disco, or maybe I'm just amused of how people danced to disco (as opposed to now). Nielsen is a highlight as well, if it was anyone else playing that role, surely (see what I did there) the lines wouldn't be so memorable. The movie has dozens of gags, along with brief appearances by Ethel Merman (playing Ethel Merman) and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar...as a pilot. What I like is how the music sounds so serious, which is really funny given the tone, all due to Elmer Bernstein. The movie is quick and effective, and it's a good way to spend 90 minutes, along with being a really fun experience.

Billy...have you ever been in a Turkish prison?

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Them!

Review #663: Them!

Cast
James Whitmore (Sgt. Ben Peterson), Edmund Gwenn (Dr. Harold Medford), Joan Weldon (Dr. Pat Medford), James Arness (FBI Agent Robert Graham), Onslow Stevens (Gen. O'Brien), Sean McClory (Maj. Kibbee), Chris Drake (Trooper Ed Blackburn), and Sandy Descher (Ellinson girl) Directed by Gordon Douglas

Review
Them! was one of the first films released dealing with nuclear created monsters, which were a big thing in the 1950s (that and alien invaders), with a unique opening credits sequence to boot. The words practically glow against the black and white background and rightfully so. The insects used for this film are giant ants, which for me is terrifying enough (swarms of ants are already creepy, imagine a swarm of GIANT ants), but hey. The sounds that the ants make is also pretty chilling. The characters are fine, they serve the purpose of advancing the story without being annoying, though seeing Edmund Gwenn is enjoyable. The effects are brilliant to watch, they especially look good underground when the lights aren't as lit, which makes them look more menacing. I like how the movie just flows well with itself, it doesn't get too convoluted, it has its moments of terror along with moments of action, and the sewer scene at the end is pretty good. What we have here is a finely crafted sci-fi film that helped popularize the nuclear monster/bug era.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Beneath the Planet of the Apes.

Review #662: Beneath the Planet of the Apes.

Cast
James Franciscus (Brent), Kim Hunter (Zira), Maurice Evans (Dr. Zaius), Linda Harrison (Nova), Charlton Heston (Taylor), David Watson (Cornelius), Paul Richards (Mendez), and James Gregory (General Ursus) Directed by Ted Post.

Review
The original Planet of the Apes (#347) was a great look into what could bring man's downfall and our level of power that could be used against us, while providing a great twist ending. The sequel is not quite as good. Charlton Heston is not our main star this time, it's James Franciscus who takes over, and sadly he isn't really that exciting as a lead. Heston in his brief scenes is better only because I'm reminded of how Heston had a certain charm to him, a undefinable way of making you care about him immediately. The movie slogs around at points, such as in the beginning, when you realize you're stuck with Brent and Nova (a mute) as your main characters, with brief moments of Heston to spruce things up. The effects are alright, though that nuclear bomb being gold really makes it so off putting. The random blazes of fire that springs up comes it at a close second for weirdest thing in the movie, though. At this point, the plot has reached heights of near absurdity, and combined with everything in this movie, it makes for a strange and uneven experience. At least the ending tries to be a big surprise, but instead of being a good ending, it just makes you hit your head that it ended so abruptly. Especially given the fact there were three sequels to this, which just makes the ending even more moot. Take this film with a grain of salt and...judge for yourself.

Overall, I give it 6 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Are We There Yet?

Review #661: Are We There Yet?

Cast
Ice Cube (Nick Persons), Nia Long (Suzanne Kingston), Aleisha Allen (Lindsey Kingston), Philip Daniel Bolden (Kevin Kingston), Jay Mohr (Marty), M. C. Gainey (Al), and Tracy Morgan (Satchel Page Bobblehead) Directed by Brian Levant (#491 - Jingle All The Way and #577 - Beethoven)

Review
It's been almost ten years since this film was made, and in that span a sequel and a television series was made following this movie's...success. I guess this was made in an age where anyone thought they could do a family film no matter what they were before (Such as Vin Diesel with The Pacifier or Dwayne Johnson with The Game Plan), but whatever. This is classified as a "Christmas film" by Wikipedia, but I would compare this to giving your distant relative a fruitcake the day after Christmas. It seems this movie was made with good intentions, but it ultimately fizzles into boredom. The characters seem like they'll make a connection to you, but really you're just going through the motions and wondering how much longer it'll last. At least Ice Cube is decent, though he can't save a movie with stale jokes. The kids may seem nice, but really they just get on your nerves, and while later scenes try to make them look more sympathetic, it doesn't work. It's fitting that the movie has a bobble head in it that talks, because at this point, anything goes. It's a forgettable movie that bores you to the point where you truly wish it was Thanksgiving, because then you could go to your relative's house and forget all about it. And then remember it again after too much turkey.

Overall, I give it 4 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Sleeping Beauty.

Review #660: Sleeping Beauty.

Cast
Mary Costa (Princess Aurora / Sleeping Beauty), Eleanor Audley (Maleficent), Verna Felton (Flora - The Red Fairy and Queen Leah), Barbara Jo Allen (Fauna - The Green Fairy), Barbara Luddy (Merryweather - The Blue Fairy), Bill Shirley (Prince Phillip), Taylor Holmes (King Stefan), Bill Thompson (King Hubert), and Marvin Miller (The Narrator) Directed by Clyde Geronimi (#178 - Peter Pan, #373 - Cinderella, and #573 - The Three Caballeros), Les Clark, Eric Larson, and Wolfgang Reitherman (#250 - The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh and #598 - The Rescuers)

Review
Sleeping Beauty was given such a middling reaction (and little profit) that it was the last fairy tale Disney film made for 30 years. But now the movie has a legacy and is now called a classic (being re-released a few times does help), so time does change. The movie is astonishing to say the least. The movie looks beautiful to watch, the way that it is animated and how the backgrounds look so colorful and detailed. I like how the three fairies are colored, it's not just a simple red-green-blue schemes, the way that it is colored makes the difference. The cast is pretty decent, with Audley standing out, mostly because of the character she plays. Sleeping Beauty herself is alright, but her screentime is limited, focusing more on the villain/fairies. Speaking of which, Maleficent is awesome. Her design and her voice are so delightful to watch, she manages to be more interesting than Sleeping Beauty herself, which is probably why they made a movie about it...55 years later (not exactly late for Walt Disney Studios), but at least the movie is still fun to watch. The songs are alright, and the movie flows quickly enough at 75 minutes to never really drag on, it's easily watchable and easily enjoyable for anyone, with a cool villain to headline it all.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: True Grit (2010).

Review #659: True Grit (2010).

Cast
Jeff Bridges (Reuben J. "Rooster" Cogburn), Hailee Steinfeld (Mattie Ross), Matt Damon (LaBoeuf), Josh Brolin (Tom Chaney), Barry Pepper (Ned Pepper), Domhnall Gleeson (Moon), Bruce Green (Harold Parmalee), and Ed Lee Corbin (Bear Man) Directed by Joel Coen and Ethan Coen.

Review
I knew that one day I'd eventually watch a film by the Coen brothers, it wasn't intentional for it to be almost four years after this show started, it just happened that I didn't. But now I'm rectifying a mistake, in a sense, and with a recent Coen movie, which just happens to be True Grit. Based off the 1968 novel by Charles Portis, True Grit attempts to be like its namesake and succeeds. What I like about the movie is Jeff Bridges. He is so interesting to watch in this role, even at Cogburn's lowest point, Bridges manages to be so effective at making you feel empathy for him, and it's just so fun to watch him interact with nearly any actor in this film. Steinfeld is really effective at playing such a hardened child, it's interesting to watch the movie from her perspective and watch her progression throughout the movie. The rest of the cast is good, I like how Matt Damon practically blends into the role, and his interaction with Bridges is pretty fun to see. One of my favorite scenes is a scene with an actor who is the movie for only one scene, and that is Ed Lee Corbin...as a Bear Man. Watching him act while wearing a bear suit while talking to Bridges is really amusing and oddly memorable. The movie is a tale more about the journey and the progression of revenge on a person than the revenge itself (Brolin is only in the last half of the movie), I like how gritty the movie can get, I especially like how well made the movie is, there isn't a scene in the movie that is badly made. This is a movie with many redeeming features, two of them being Bridges and Steinfeld, who really make the movie even better. The fact that it runs under two hours probably isn't a selling point for most, but I'll use it solely because sometimes a Western can be a breeze to go through. But hey, watch it for Bridges. Or the Bear Man.

Overall, I give it 10 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Poor Little Rich Girl.

Review #658: The Poor Little Rich Girl.

Cast
Mary Pickford (Gwendolyn), Madlaine Traverse (Gwendolyn's Mother), Charles Wellesley (Gwendolyn's Father), Gladys Fairbanks (Jane), Frank McGlynn, Sr. (The Plumber), Emile La Croix (The Organ Grinder), Marcia Harris (Miss Royale), Charles Craig (Thomas), and Frank Andrews (Potter) Directed by Maurice Tourneur.

Review
This is the earliest film I've covered on this show, beating out Mickey and Back to God's Country (1918 and 1919 respectively) just barely. And it just so happens that this is the first film with Mary Pickford covered here as well. Who is Mary Pickford, you may ask? One of the most important stars in the silent film era. For example, she was one of the original investors in United Artists (along with Charlie Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks and D.W. Griffith), and this was after she had already made her own film company to distribute her films. And in this film, she does a wonderful job...playing a 11 year old. The 25 year old Pickford looks so small compared to the other actors, which helps give an illusion of youth. Her aura of wild energy and manner of comedy make for a really entertaining performance. The movie is practically lifted by her performance, while the story sounds repetitive at times (she tires to have fun, they later ruin it), the comedy is mildly decent enough to help outweigh boredom. My favorite scene is where Pickford's character believes her father deals with bears at his job, even imagining them huddling around her dad. That, and when the servants tell her of the bears that could attack her if she walks alone. Try telling someone your job has bears in it, and see how they react. The movie is at least entertaining enough to justify its 70 minute length, which makes for a brief but decent time.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Laura.

Review #657: Laura.

Cast
Gene Tierney (Laura Hunt), Dana Andrews (Mark McPherson), Clifton Webb (Waldo Lydecker), Vincent Price (Shelby Carpenter), Judith Anderson (Ann Treadwell), and Dorothy Adams (Bessie Clary) Directed by Otto Preminger.

Review
I had bought this movie for $2.99 at a Blockbuster only three weeks ago, and I knew I would review this eventually, preferably before the year ended. And given the movie's 70th anniversary just passed last month, it makes good sense to review it now to start off another month. Clifton Webb is brilliant. I like how his facade of insults and strange charm actually serves the movie well. I like how Gene Tierney and Dana Andrews interact with each other, they seem to just have an instant connection and it makes an already pretty decent movie a little better. This is the earliest Vincent Price film I've seen him in, and for once it's not a horror film, it's refreshing to watch him play a supporting character who seems much more at home. The movie flows efficiently enough, lasting less than 90 minutes yet revealing details not all at once and letting you get slowly interested as the tale is weaved along. Film noirs are usually enjoyable, and this is no exception. It manages to leave you guessing while also being riveting.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night Redux: Halloween (1978)

Review #068 - REDUX: Halloween.

Cast
Donald Pleasence (Dr. Sam Loomis), Jamie Lee Curtis (Laurie Strode), Nancy Kyes (Annie Brackett), P.J. Soles (Lynda van der Klok), Charles Cyphers (Sheriff Leigh Brackett), Kyle Richards (Lindsey Wallace), Brian Andrews (Tommy Doyle), John Michael Graham (Bob Simms), Nick Castle (The Shape), and Nancy Stephens (Marion Chambers) Directed by John Carpenter.

Review
I originally reviewed this movie on October 30, 2011, watching it on television. I remember it being entertaining to watch back then, for me movies are entertaining when you can just sit back and talk about how the movie works. Two years later, I decided to revisit this movie, which had been appearing on TV once again. Out of all the movies in the Halloween franchise, this is the best of them all, it also could be considered one of the best horror films of all time. The movie isn't perfect by any means; the beginning has a few choppy dialogue scenes where it feels really cliche, especially from P.J. Soles, who just keeps saying "totally". But the movie overcomes it with some really chilling music that makes the boring scenes more interesting. I especially love when the characters are talking and Myers suddenly appears out of nowhere, while the music adds a layer of depth. Of course it helps that the movie is also frightening with its death scene, showing little blood but using lighting and perspective to make for a truly chilling movie. My favorite scene is after one of the deaths as Myers looks at the body and tilts his head. It really is a perfect scene.

Donald Pleasence does a wonderful job as Loomis, explaining the motives (or there lack of) for Myers but also saying his lines in a tone of voice that fits the movie's tone, which is fright. Curtis is a really good screamer and a good actress here as well, she's the most interesting character to watch. Special mention goes to Nick Castle, who is the one most famous for playing Michael Myers (The Shape), though he wasn't the only one who played him, there were several others who did stunt work, but Castle is the most notable, and he would later become a movie director in his own right, with films such as The Last Starfighter and Major Payne. The movie takes its time, letting you get interested into what happens next, and it has one of the best endings that leaves you waiting for more. This is an essential movie for October, or for any month when you're looking for a scare.

Overall, I give it 10 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Invasion of the Saucer Men.

Review #656: Invasion of the Saucer Men.

Cast
Steven Terrell (Johnny Carter), Gloria Castillo (Joan Hayden), Frank Gorshin (Joe Gruen), Raymond Hatton (Farmer Larkin), Lyn Osborn (Artie Burns), Russ Bender (Doctor), Douglas Henderson (Lt. Wilkins), and Sam Buffington (Col. Ambrose) Directed by Edward L. Cahn (#331 - It! The Terror from Beyond Space and #560 - Experiment Alcatraz)

Review
Monster movies with comedy induced into is nothing new, and it especially carried over in the 50's, with this being one of them. It figures that this would be the last film reviewed for October, I know the month's output wasn't exactly great, but at least I'm ending it on...a high note? The movie's credits are imposed onto a book with comical illustrations...which is actually pretty nifty, given the movie's comical tone. The effects are not too bad, the alien has a big head with googly eyes, it actually fits the tone the movie is going for, which is a really silly one. The movie may have its cliches (older people not believing the young people's claims of alien/monsters, a trope I only like in movies when the elders finally see the monster/aliens), but it is what is, an alien movie with some comedy sprinkled into it. It has a quick pace, 69 minutes to tell a story that takes place in one day, with a few characters along the way. Frank Gorshin, known mostly for portraying the Riddler in the classic Batman TV series is in it, for a few minutes, but he is noteworthy. The rest of the characters are stock, but they do their jobs just fine, and they are entertaining. The movie is entertaining, easy to watch, and just has fun, which makes it really hard to hate the movie. I'll be generous for the rating because why not.

Happy Halloween.

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Young Frankenstein.

Review #655: Young Frankenstein.

Cast
Gene Wilder (Frederick Frankenstein), Marty Feldman (Igor), Peter Boyle (The Monster), Teri Garr (Inga), Cloris Leachman (Frau Blücher), Madeline Kahn (Elizabeth), Kenneth Mars (Inspector Kemp), and Gene Hackman (Harold, the Blind Man) Directed by Mel Brooks (#061 - Blazing Saddles, #198 - Spaceballs, #248 - Robin Hood: Men in Tights, #361 - The Producers, #364 - High Anxiety, and #623 - Silent Movie)

Review
Yeah, I guess at this point I had to cover this movie, and I have three reasons why: The 40th Anniversary of the movie's release is coming up very soon, It's October, for Pete's (or in this case, Rob's) sake, and...It's been long overdue. Seriously, I should've reviewed this last year, but I just forgot (Of course last October I reviewed 20 films in 31 days, but who's counting?), so I am now rectifying a mistake (Though I know I will undoubtedly make another mistake in the future). The movie is a wonderful parody of the classic Universal Horror films, especially Frankenstein (#072), right down to the black and white shooting. In fact, Kenneth Strickfaden, who made the electrical equipment for the lab scenes for the Universal films (and still had it with him), let them use the equipment for this film, which is highlighted by his name on the credits. But let's get to the part of the review where I just say the movie's really funny because that is the next part, isn't it? Every major actor in this movie has or is involved in a funny scene, especially Marty Feldman (What hump?), who is just so fun to watch move around and gaze upon. I especially like Peter Boyle in this film because his movements and way of speaking as the Monster (especially while singing "Puttin' on the Ritz") is just so charming. The movie flows really well and never misses a beat when it comes to being funny, it has so much atmosphere and so much charm, and that is just perfect for October, or for any month in particular. I urge anyone, if not everyone to go see it, you just have to look.

Overall, I give it 10 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Screaming Skull.

Review #654: The Screaming Skull.

Cast
John Hudson (Eric Whitlock), Peggy Webber (Jenni Whitlock), Russ Conway (Edward Snow), Tony Johnson (Mrs. Snow), and Alex Nicol (Mickey) Directed by Alex Nicol.

Review
Like I said back in the last review, the title says all you need to know about the movie. Actually, wait a moment, the opening scene telling people that the climax of the movie may actually kill them while offering free funeral processions is the icing on the cake. I was not aware that skulls could scream, so that's something to know, I guess. To say this movie is silly is an understatement. It actually does have some good laughs in it, the idea that a skull apparently terrorizes a couple and just randomly shows up is pretty quirky. Yes, the skull screams, though that's actually more amusing to type out then to watch. My favorite part is when the skull is superimposed onto the screen, as if making larger makes it terrifying, which is then followed by the skull...biting someone's neck. To be fair, at least the film tries its hardest to be spooky, and it does flow pretty well for a movie that last barely an hour. The film was directed by Alex Nicol, who also stars in the film as well, and he was apparently happy with the result: "I liked it; it had some nice dolly shots, a good atmosphere. So I was happy with that; it was a nice change from the films I'd been doing." Is it nice that even in a silly 50s film like this, there is at least one person who had fun while doing it, and had fun doing it for the production sake as well. The only reason to see the movie? For Spook-tober, obviously. But oh well.

Overall, I give it 4 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Brain That Wouldn't Die.

Review #653: The Brain That Wouldn't Die.

Cast
Jason Evers (Dr. Bill Cortner), Virginia Leith (Jan Compton), Leslie Daniels (Kurt), Adele Lamont (Doris Powell), and Eddie Carmel (Monster) Directed by Joseph Green.

Review
To say this movie has no hope of being good is an understatement. The movie's title says all you need to know about the movie , I guess that's a positive given that it lures you in, especially for October. Our stars are more like shooting stars, they fade away from our consciousness after about five minutes. So yeah, a brain that wouldn't die. The movie feels like it should be called "The Head that Wouldn't Die", which is apparently what the title card at the end called it. Yes, even the end credits disagree with the rest of the movie. Now I may be getting a-head of myself here, but the movie is an ultimate headache. Brain games aside, this a movie that I guess goes pretty quickly. When it comes to this movie, it's either watching the Mystery Science Theater 3000 version or the actual movie. Even if you've never heard of the MST3K rendition, it still sounds better than this film. I kept wondering throughout the film who I was supposed to hate more, Evers of Leith's character. By the time you get into an hour in the film, you just stop caring and just wish the movie would end quicker. You're probably wondering (or not) how a head can talk at all or breathe. It's explained through the magic of mad science, of course, what else. I'd say the movie feels tired, but even I'm tired, it's hard to care about a movie that doesn't even care about itself. You'd be better off making head puns, which is actually one "head" of an idea. See what I mean?

Overall, I give it 3 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Drive.

Review #652: Drive.

Cast
Ryan Gosling (The Driver), Carey Mulligan (Irene), Bryan Cranston (Shannon), Albert Brooks (Bernie Rose), Oscar Isaac (Standard Gabriel), Ron Perlman (Nino "Izzy" Paolozzi), and Christina Hendricks (Blanche) Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn.

Review
Drive is a strange film in the sense that it feels so retrofitted and could seemingly work in another era. Is it a bad thing to be compared to other eras and their films? No, not really. This is at heart a movie that gives you time to just watch it and not just listen to dialogue. Whether that's an aspect that makes the movie exciting/boring depends on the viewer's patience. Honestly the movie was fine for me, though I imagine it works best if watched at midnight, or a late time, as it just heightens the mood. The actors don't exactly have many lines to go by, but they do make the most of it, especially Albert Brooks. It's actually a bit surprising on how effective he is as a villain. He's a chilling character to watch at times, and he makes the movie his own for his scenes. Gosling and Mulligan do share a good bond with each other, Gosling is pretty effective playing a (mostly silent) character who looks like he'd fit into a 60's movie, seemingly inspired by Steve McQueen or even Clint Eastwood, which is a pretty good compliment. I like how he uses his expressions sometimes to help convey his emotions without dialogue. The supporting cast such as Bryan Cranston and Ron Perlman are fun to watch, along with Oscar Issac (in the brief scenes he has) and Christina Hendricks. Are the characters easy or hard to like? That all depends on the viewer, though Mulligan is probably the only character without blood on her hands. The action and violence is subdued, but when it happens it is a good payoff. I like how the driving sequences are shown, it feels so natural and the lack of dialogue actually helps make it better. This is a strange movie, it shouldn't work, but it works so well at being a movie of its own.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted.

Review #651: Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted.

Cast
Ben Stiller (Alex), Chris Rock (Marty), David Schwimmer (Melman), Jada Pinkett Smith (Gloria), Jessica Chastain (Gia), Bryan Cranston (Vitaly), Tom McGrath (Skipper and First Policeman), Chris Miller (Kowalski), Frances McDormand (Captain Chantel DuBois), Sacha Baron Cohen (King Julien XIII), Martin Short (Stefano), John DiMaggio (Rico), and Christopher Knights (Private) Directed by Eric Darnell (#154 - Madagascar 2, #165 - Madagascar, and #254 - Antz), Conrad Vernon (#162 - Shrek 2) and Tom McGrath (#154- Madagascar 2, #165 - Madagascar, and #195 - Megamind).

Review
The first two Madagascar films were alright, not too shabby. 7/10 star ratings, but again, decent enough and entertaining enough for at least children or teens. But hey, what do I know, right? Anyway, the third movie is more wild, more ambitious and also more entertaining. The animation this time is really good, I especially like the circus show with the use of black lights and trapeze work. It's so colorful to watch, and the use of "Firework" oddly enough goes really well with the scene, which is about as wild as you expect. The characters (old and new) are entertaining, especially Bryan Cranston, though admittedly that maybe just my preference for the rugged but entertaining to watch actor. Or maybe I just have Malcolm in the Middle (go watch it if you haven't already) on the mind, but whatever. The comedy is more fun to watch, and most of that comes from how awesomely insane the villain is, I especially like the scene where McDormand sings "Non Je Ne Regrette Rien". It comes out of nowhere, and the character reactions to the song are just priceless. Is the plot anything special? Probably not, but it makes up for it by having enough enjoyment and just having fun. Is it great? Not really, but it is better than the first two films, which I guess matters the most.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Ghost Breakers.

Review #650: The Ghost Breakers.

Cast
Bob Hope (Larry Lawrence), Paulette Goddard (Mary Carter), Richard Carlson (Geoff Montgomery), Paul Lukas (Parada), Willie Best (Alex), Pedro de Cordoba (Havez), Virginia Brissac (Mother Zombie), Noble Johnson (The Zombie), and Anthony Quinn (Ramon Mederes/Francisco Mederes) Directed by George Marshall.

Review
The Ghost Breakers isn't exactly a horror film, it's a comedy-horror mix, but it fits into the context of this month, and I get to rectify a long running mistake: Not reviewing a film with Bob Hope in the main cast. It's weird how it took almost four years to do this given Hope had a long running career with over 50 films in a span of 40 years not counting cameo roles. But anyway, this is a movie that even has zombies in it, and guys who play dual roles, this could very well have been a drama, though the movie had been made two times before in the silent era, so who knows? The actors are pretty good conveying spooks and decent enough comedic timing, Hope is probably the best  part of the movie, right next to the cinematography by Charles B. Lang, along with some really fine camera shots that make the movie at least have some chilliness to it. The movie is short at about 83 minutes, but it moves at a good pace and it manages to not overstay or under stay its welcome. Goddard does a pretty good job being the lead next to Hope, she even gets in a few fun lines, and her and Hope share a good rapport in this film, which is a plus. The movie is enjoyable enough and sweet enough to work as a film to watch if it's on or a rental, especially for this month.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors.

Review #649: A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors.

Cast
Heather Langenkamp (Dr. Nancy Thompson), Patricia Arquette (Kristen Parker), Robert Englund (Freddy Krueger), Craig Wasson (Dr. Neil Gordon), Ken Sagoes (Roland Kincaid), Jennifer Rubin (Taryn White), Bradley Gregg (Phillip Anderson), Ira Heiden (Will Stanton), Laurence Fishburne (Max Daniels), John Saxon (Donald Thompson), Rodney Eastman (Joey Crusel), and Penelope Sudrow (Jennifer Caulfield) Directed by Chuck Russell (#157 - The Mask)

Review
I described the second movie (Freddy's Revenge) as "a mismatch of random ideas that spring into a less than mediocre horror film." With that in mind, the third film can't be as bad because Langenkamp returns to the series, and she does a pretty good job once again, she doesn't get on your nerves (like the doctors in this movie), and she's not annoying, like some of the characters, such as the doctors (save for Wasson and Fishburne), who just keep believing that the dreams aren't killing them, despite two of them dying, because apparently none of the doctors have ever heard of Freddy Krueger. At least the actors are pretty good, Arquette is a pretty decent co-lead, though for me one of my favorite actors that return is John Saxon. He doesn't get too much screen time, but he is awesome to watch, for me it's his expressions and how he reacts to all of this, Saxon is just so cool to watch. The effects are pretty good, although for some reason my favorite scene is when Dick Cavett (in the strangest cameo for a horror movie I've seen in a while) suddenly turns into Kreuger while interviewing Zsa Zsa Gabor (2nd strangest cameo), which segues into one of the kids' deaths, which is a cool scene as well. The fact that Wes Craven returns to help write the screenplay is also a big help, and Russell does a pretty good job directing, I like how Kreuger is given something new to do, and Englund excels at that. The movie is not near the first's level of scares, but it's better than the second film and it's entertaining enough for October, or as I call it, Spooktober. Check it out, and have some fun-I mean fright.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Beowulf (2007).

Review #648: Beowulf.

Cast
Ray Winstone (Beowulf), Anthony Hopkins (Hrothgar), Angelina Jolie (Grendel's mother), John Malkovich (Uniferth), Brendan Gleeson (Wiglaf), Robin Wright Penn (Queen Wealtheow), Crispin Glover (Grendel), and Alison Lohman (Ursula) Directed by Robert Zemeckis (#317 - The Polar Express, #352 - Who Framed Roger Rabbit, and #581 - Forrest Gump)

Review
It is somewhat weird for me to write a review of a movie I also had to write a compare and contrast essay about, but here we are. Beowulf is a classic tale from long ago that inspired many tropes of heroism in other stories, which is why it has had a few adaptations over the years, like The 13th Warrior, or even the 1999 version of Beowulf, along with spin offs such as Grendel (and the film of it as well), but this movie is something of its own. Motion capture animation is hit and miss when it comes to scenes, at times it can look good, like the battle scenes but other times it looks a bit off-putting, such as closeup shots of characters looking more like a 90's interactive adventure story. The actors are at least entertaining, they seem to have a grasp on making these character interesting, though the character motivations and the plot itself is changed significantly. The idea to have Beowulf be a flawed man is either a brilliant way to make the plot seem more interesting, or just disappointing that they couldn't follow the story even in motivations.

At least the characters are given more screen time to develop, though the story sometimes seems more like a telenovela then an action film. At least the film has moments that are pretty fun to watch, the scene at the end is pretty good, I like how the movie doesn't hold back on the action/violence, and even though the movie has its silly moments (the beginning scenes are a bit odd to watch), it at least is an entertaining movie. Is it a movie that's true to the story? Not really, the whole subplot of Grendel's mother has a few new subplots and the movie ends on an ambiguous note, whereas the story ended on outright victory. I guess the movie's quality depends on your relation to the story and if you can let changes not affect your perception of the movie. I thought it was just okay, but at least it tried to be an entertaining movie, and it probably did a better job at doing that then the other two Beowulf films I mentioned earlier, which I guess is a good thing.

Overall, I give it 6 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Men in Black 3.

Review #647: Men in Black 3.

Cast
Will Smith (Agent J), Tommy Lee Jones (Agent K), Josh Brolin (1969 Agent K), Jemaine Clement (Boris the Animal and 1969 Boris), Emma Thompson (Agent O), Michael Stuhlbarg (Griffin), Mike Colter (James Darrell Edwards II), Nicole Scherzinger (Lilly Poison), and Michael Chernus (Jeffrey Price) Directed by Barry Sonnenfeld (#005 - Get Shorty, #077 - The Addams Family, #078 - Addams Family Values, #211 - Men in Black, #212 - Men in Black II, and #454 - Wild Wild West)

Review
10 years? It took 10 years to do this? (I mean the wait between films, not length of production) I wonder how long it'll take to make the next one, hopefully not 15 years. I don't know which is more surprising, the gap or the time travel plot. Actually the time travel plot is more surprising, though it is at least inventive and not just "stop the alien from destroying the world" again. Actually it is kind of like that, though at least it's more focused on stopping the past from changing, and Agent K again, though at least Jones and Brolin are enjoyable. The makeup and the effects (by Rick Baker) this time are pretty decent, they've evolved in a sense, which isn't necessarily a bad thing.  The characters are pretty good, I guess the villain is alright, but comparing him to the past two is all a matter of choice, though I still prefer D'Onofrio from the first film, at least Clement does his best. It is at least fun to watch Smith and Jones once again, and while the movie lacks Rip Torn (who they kill off), Emma Thompson is a good replacement. I do like the twist at the end with K, the ending of the movie is just good enough. The movie is not as good as the first, but it at least is better then the second film, which is all you need, I suppose.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Dredd.

Review #646: Dredd.

Cast
Karl Urban (Judge Dredd), Olivia Thirlby (Judge Anderson), Lena Headey (Ma-Ma), Wood Harris (Kay), and Domhnall Gleeson (Expert) Directed by Pete Travis.

Review
The original Judge Dredd (#332) film was awful. All the film tries to do is really distance itself from that movie and make its own identity, and it succeeds. The film has a variety of characters, though most either get only a few lines or are just there for a few moments, but the main four (with one supporting character) are the focus, and they all do a wonderful job. Karl Urban has the task of conveying a character and their emotion (or lack of, but still) with half of his face covered by a helmet, which is thankfully never taken off. And he succeeds. Urban is so awesome to watch, he looks just like a menacing judge figure. Thirlby is a pretty good lead as well, she manages to pair up well with Urban, and even her scenes with Harris are chillingly good. Headey plays a pretty decent villain, her voice is effective enough to play such a hardened character, the whole cast is wired and fun to watch. The movie plays out almost like a horror film, especially with the violence, but given that this is a movie about judges that protect against hardened criminals, the violence makes sense. The effects are beautiful at times to watch, especially the Slo-Mo parts, which make the film go slower but better looking. Overall, this is a brutal but pretty awesome movie that manages to be a good action film. And I imagine it's also a good adaptation of the comic strip as well, so go figure.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: School of Rock.

Review #645: School of Rock.

Cast
Jack Black (Dewey Finn), Joan Cusack (Roz Mullins), Mike White (Ned Schneebly), Sarah Silverman (Patty Di Marco), Miranda Cosgrove (Summer Hathaway), Joey Gaydos Jr. (Zack Mooneyham), Kevin Clark (Freddy Jones), Rebecca Brown (Katie), Robert Tsai (Lawrence), Maryam Hassan (Tomika), Caitlin Hale (Marta), and Aleisha Allen (Alicia) Directed by Richard Linklater.

Review
Rock and roll is awesome, let's just get that out of the way. We (audience included) could discuss our favorite bands all day, what we listen to and if disco is actually better than pop songs today, or we could do it over the comment section below. It's all up to you, but in the meanwhile, there's School of Rock to talk about. It figures that on Rocktober (Or Spooktober, but whatever), School of Rock pops up on television, and it was on my day off, which created a perfect storm (Imagine that, AMC actually showing movies for once.) to review it. Black was practically born to play a rocker turned teacher and he has so much energy, he seems to really just blend into the role and the fact that he's pretty good rocking it out makes for a real fun performance to watch. The rest of the cast is good, I do wonder if I was supposed to like Silverman's character (though I'd complain too if a rocker reject posed as a teacher by pretending to be someone else), though I think I'll just let that one slide, only because sometimes rock just invades the mind, "who made who", as you might say. It is a long way to the top, if you want to make a good film, and this film manages to overcome some quirks and become the pinball wizard. Whoops, I meant an enjoyable film.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Blot.

Review #644: The Blot.

Cast
Philip Hubbard (Professor Andrew Griggs), Margaret McWade (Mrs. Griggs), Claire Windsor (Amelia Griggs), Louis Calhern (Phil West), and Marie Walcamp (Juanita Claredon) Directed by Lois Weber.

Review
Lois Weber is probably one of the most important legends of the silent era, she directed over 100 films (short and feature length) in her lifetime, and that number isn't even accurate as she may have done at least 200, though only a small portion survive. This movie comes from the 1920's, a decade in which I admit I've barely covered (This is only the 13th film I've covered on this era), and the movie is still relevant in today's society, especially for teachers, which is a strong point, when a movie manages to not be dated even after 90 years. The actors do a fine job, they convey their feelings very well without managing to overact too much. The atmosphere is pretty decent, it helps that Weber filmed in real locations and not just sets, trying to make a film as realistic as possible, and she succeeds. The movie is a pretty good drama, it manages to convey a slight dark tone that has a glimmer of hope at the end of the tunnel.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Uncle Buck.

Review #643: Uncle Buck.

Cast
John Candy (Buck Russell), Jean Louisa Kelly (Tia Russell), Macaulay Culkin (Miles Russell), Gaby Hoffmann (Maizy Russell), Amy Madigan (Chanice Kobolowski), Jay Underwood (Bug), Garrett M. Brown (Bob Russell), Elaine Bromka (Cindy Russell), and Laurie Metcalf (Marcie Dahlgren-Frost) Directed by John Hughes (#046 - The Breakfast Club, #207 - Ferris Bueller's Day Off, #249 - Sixteen Candles)

Review
When it comes to John Hughes films (whether as writer or director), Movie Night revisits him and his movies every so often. This is another example, though at time it's one with John Candy, which is a plus. In fact, the main reason this movie is any good is because of John Candy and how his character is just so fun to watch interact with the other characters. I especially how he looks menacing to the teenagers, which made me though this was going to suddenly turn into a horror movie half way through (Imagine that, a comedy that turns into a horror film. I wonder how that would work out..), which is kinda nice. The movie is probably not as funny as Hughes' other movies, but it makes up for it by at least being entertaining enough. It's been a while since I've seen a clown get punched in the face, so I guess it gets a (rare) point for that. The actors had decent enough, Kelly does well in portraying such a mean character (who oddly reminds me of Lucy from Peanuts), and Culkin is....Culkin, only not as clever. I think. Anyway, the movie is passable, it at least is enjoyable enough and not too long to be a waste, you could spend 99 minutes doing worse stuff, this movie is along the "just fine" category, though really it's John Candy who makes the movie good, if not perfect.

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Jurassic Park.

Review #642: Jurassic Park.

Cast
Sam Neill (Dr. Alan Grant), Laura Dern (Dr. Ellie Sattler), Jeff Goldblum (Dr. Ian Malcolm), Richard Attenborough (John Hammond), Ariana Richards (Alexis Murphy), Joseph Mazzello (Tim Murphy), Bob Peck (Robert Muldoon), Martin Ferrero (Donald Gennaro), Wayne Knight (Dennis Nedry), and Samuel L. Jackson (Ray Arnold) Directed by Steven Spielburg (#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, and #573 - E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial)

Review
Jurassic Park is probably one of the most defining movies of the 1990s, and the special effects are the forefront of why this movie is what it is, which is awesome. The effects for the movie are so fantastic to look at, it has managed to not look dated after over 20 years, but it really comes down to the fact that the effects just look great. And yes, computer generated imagery can look good for a film, provided that it doesn't get abused and is used effectively, which this film does (of course it helps that they also used life sized animatronics). The film itself is also pretty good. While the effects may sometimes overshadow the story, it does actually have its moments of scares, making for a decent thriller. I especially like the kitchen scene near the end, it makes for a good way to end the movie, The characters are at least enjoyable, each having at least one memorable scene, especially Neill and Goldblum (Life does indeed find a way). For some reason, it is refreshing to see Wayne Knight (Hello, Newman) in this movie. I guess it's because he is probably the best person to portray a smarmy character and yet still be funny. The science behind the movie is probably questionable (So...flies can just suck blood from a dinosaur and then just happen to get stuck in amber and later just happen to be found preserved millions of years later? The exposition explaining this is actually nifty though.), but the movie manages to shine over it with some fun action and excellent special effects. Take the movie for what it is, and it is one pile of fun.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Apartment.

Review #641: The Apartment.

Cast
Jack Lemmon (C. C. Baxter), Shirley MacLaine (Fran Kubelik), Fred MacMurray (Jeff Sheldrake), Ray Walston (Joe Dobisch), Jack Kruschen (Dr. Dreyfuss), David Lewis (Al Kirkeby), Hope Holiday (Margie MacDougall), Joan Shawlee (Sylvia), Naomi Stevens (Mildred Dreyfuss), Johnny Seven (Karl Matuschka), and Edie Adams (Miss Olsen) Directed by Billy Wilder (#106 - Some Like It Hot, #194 - Ace in the Hole, and #422 - The Fortune Cookie)

Review

Billy Wilder was a fantastic director who always managed to showcase a theme he wanted to get across with memorable characters being the most notable highlight. And in this movie, there is no real exception, the movie is up to par with Wilder's other work reviewed here. Jack Lemmon is enjoyable to watch, especially when he shares scenes with Shirley MacLaine, the two just connect well with each other, they just have a certain spring to them, especially when they play gin rummy with each other, it's a refreshing scene given the preceding scene before it. The movie has a mix of warm and cold moments, essentially having some sadness mixed with layers of hope, it's good to have some sentimentality. The movie is great to look at, black and white film has many possibilities for looking stylish, and the cinematography by Joseph LaShelle looks wonderful. The movie is a good comedy-drama, it has its moments of both, I especially like the scene where Lemmon keeps switching the channels of the TV during a sponsor commercial, only for there to be an "alternate sponsor". The movie is enjoyable along with being clever, and Wilder is the reason for it, and the perfect person to make a movie like this.

Overall, I give it 10 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Bucket List.

Review #640: The Bucket List.

Cast
Jack Nicholson (Edward Cole), Morgan Freeman (Carter Chambers), Sean Hayes (Thomas/Matthew), Beverly Todd (Virginia Chambers), and Rob Morrow (Dr. Hollins) Directed by Rob Reiner (#108 - This Is Spinal Tap, #232 - The Princess Bride, and #363 - North)

Review
I do wonder how it is in real life for patients with lung cancer after they are diagnosed. Evidently after about a few days, you can be fine enough to go travel around the world to cross off stuff to do. Yes, it truly is a good idea to go cross stuff off a list before you die with somebody you barely met (the setup to them meeting could be compared to how couples meet in terrible romance films) instead of going home and settling things with your family. Granted, it seems he probably did that beforehand while in the hospital, but let's not forget that after he gets home, he gets to spend a grand total of one day before he get sicker. Is it selfish? You decide. These are characters that are at best just okay, it's the performances that make the movie look interesting because without these performances by Nicholson and Freeman, the movie would lose a lot of its strength. The supporting cast is small and barely focused on, but I guess Sean Hayes is okay, he's really just playing a cliche snippy assistant, which you can see done better in other movies, such as Arthur (1981). Is the movie funny? I guess so, but the movie hinges on if you like the premise. If you like the premise, you'll probably watch the movie. If you feel that people don't just spend of their time away from their families to go globetrotting with their friend before dying like me...you'll have to forget the movie immediately. Is it a well made movie? Yes, but it is not well made in its script, the key element. Or in this case, bucket.

Overall, I give it 5 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Kill Bill Volume 2.

Review #639: Kill Bill: Volume 2.

Cast
Uma Thurman (The Bride/Beatrix Kiddo), David Carradine (Bill), Michael Madsen (Budd), Daryl Hannah (Elle Driver), Gordon Liu (Pai Mei), and Perla Haney-Jardine (B.B) Directed by Quentin Tarantino (#638 - Kill Bill: Volume 1)

Review
The first film mainly set up the premise of revenge with loads of bloods. The second movie sets up the back story and gives the main character more depth. It's a good thing to have some story that helps develop the mythology, for one thing we actually get to know her name, which helps (unless you're the Doctor), I suppose. The action is still good, though it never hurts to have some dialogue for once. To decide which Kill Bill film is better depends on what you want the most, action or back story/emphasis on dialogue. For me, I like the scenes with Gordon Liu, there's just something so amusing about his scenes, or maybe it's his beard. Liu is such a random character who makes an impression with only flashback scenes, it's stuff like that which make this film not weaker than the first film but at the same level. These are movies chock full of influences from other forms of cinema, with sprinkles of pop culture references and chock full of bloody action. This is at heart a mostly fun movie that manages to be what it wants to be, entertainment. This movie still makes an impact after 10 years, and I imagine that we'll remember this as a classic even 60 years from now.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Kill Bill: Volume 1.

Review #638: Kill Bill: Volume 1.

Cast
Uma Thurman (The Bride), Lucy Liu (O-Ren Ishii), Vivica A. Fox (Vernita Green), Daryl Hannah (Elle Driver), Julie Dreyfus (Sofie Fatale), Chiaki Kuriyama (Gogo Yubari), David Carradine (Bill), Michael Madsen (Budd), and Sonny Chiba (Hattori Hanzo) Directed by Quentin Tarantino.

Review
I knew that eventually I would have to review a Quentin Tarantino film, and I had a feeling it would be this film. So how is this film? Is it a masterpiece, a great film, or something possibly overrated and slightly over hyped? In a way, it could be all four answers. The movie manages to be very stylish and memorable with the fight scenes, somehow you can make blood squirts look new, that or I'm just not used to so much blood. Does it need to be realistic to be better? No, I guess not, when we want a film to be more realistic or sillier really varies depending on the film (Best example I can think is the James Bond franchise, does it make sense to love all the eras despite their flaws? Yea, they all have their own qualities and flaws, some more than others, but you get the idea.), and in this case I can forgive it. The cast seem to flow well with each other, Thurman's character is a cool assassin, and that's all you need to know, her swordplay is great to watch. The movie is heart a tribute to 70's cinema films, such as martial arts and kung-fu films along with various others, and in the end this is a movie that is well made, it's a movie that doesn't require much story to work, it's just a film with a lot of determination...and blood, but there you go. Is it a great movie? It might just be one, ask yourself this question: Did you like The Wild Bunch? If you did, there's your answer.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Birdcage.

Review #637: The Birdcage.

Cast
Robin Williams (Armand Goldman), Nathan Lane (Albert), Gene Hackman (Kevin Keeley), Dianne Wiest (Louise Keeley), Dan Futterman (Val Goldman), Calista Flockhart (Barbara Keeley), Hank Azaria (Agador), and Christine Baranski (Katherine Archer) Directed by Mike Nichols (#175 - Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and #550 - The Graduate)

Review
What we have is a wild, weird movie full of fun scenes that make a unique experience. The biggest reason this movie works is the cast, they all seem to just mesh together awkwardly, which makes sense given the premise. It really is Hackman's facial expressions that just sum up what kind of world he's in, and any time you can end a movie with him in disguise at a nightclub with he doing the most uncomfortable expressions ever is pure gold. Williams and Lane are just watchable in every scene they share together, I especially like the scene where Williams tries to demonstrate how to dance for a musical scene by channeling dances, such as Madonna. The way that Williams moves and his energy make a strange scene into a great one. Does the movie have its cliches? Yes, but it embraces them, this is a movie on its own terms, with some great music and some good jokes. What we have here is a movie that is flashy, silly fun with a touch of decor for flavor.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Being There.

Review #636: Being There.

Cast
Peter Sellers (Chance the Gardener/Chauncey Gardiner), Shirley MacLaine (Eve Rand), Melvyn Douglas (Ben Rand), Jack Warden (The President), Richard Dysart (Dr. Robert Allenby), Richard Basehart (US Soviet Ambassador), David Clennon (Thomas Franklin), Fran Brill (Sally Hayes), and Ruth Attaway (Louise) Directed by Hal Ashby.

Review
What we have here is a movie based around a simple man who may have secrets that even he probably doesn't know about. The best quote to describe this movie is also the quote used to end the movie: "Life is a state of mind." My thought on this is that life is merely our mood at the time, if we feel a certain emotion, then that is how life is to us at that point. It varies, like our moods. But Chance is a different case. He's a man who spent years gardening and watching television. That's all he had done, until he was kicked out. His life evolves purely out of accidents out of his control, the movie's implications are still hilarious though. This was Peter Sellers' last movie released when he was alive, and he makes the most of it with a perfect performance for a character as strange as him. His walking, his face and most of all his delivery make for a really interesting performance. The rest of the cast is also good, MacLaine works best with Sellers, and Douglas nearly steals the show from Sellers, the main three cast members all manage to be intriguing characters, yet they also manage to feel so real. The movie has its moments of drama, though it also manages to be a very good comedy. It has its subtle moments, such as the music that plays when Chance leaves the house and cross the street for the first time. The end scene is yours to interpret, much like how it's your decision to interpret exactly who Chance is. This is a movie with a great deal of quirks, the biggest one being its biggest strength, and that just happens to be Peter Sellers.

Overall, I give it 10 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Nebraska.

Review #635: Nebraska.

Cast
Bruce Dern (Woody Grant), Will Forte (David Grant), June Squibb (Kate Grant), Bob Odenkirk (Ross Grant), Stacy Keach (Ed Pegram), Mary Louise Wilson (Aunt Martha), Missy Doty (Noel), and Angela McEwan (Pegy Nagy) Directed by Alexander Payne.

Review
This is a movie that manages to be both heartfelt and sometimes hilarious. This movie belongs to Bruce Dern, he manages to make every moment count, and he's even fun to watch when he's not talking, such as the denture scene, though my favorite scene is the Mount Rushmore scene because watching Dern's character describe it as a bunch of rocks that look unfinished is simply beautiful. The black and while photography makes the movie look crisp and gives the movie a tone of its own, which matches the dreariness of the characters and the landscape to an extent, but the movie is still interesting to look at. The characters are interesting to watch, living in a small state without much to do, but they all have their unique flair to it. Forte is actually a pretty good lead, and he works extremely well with Dern, that's what makes the movie work, the relationship of the two characters. The movie isn't just a trip to Nebraska, it's a chance to see layers of Dern's character get revealed, the good and bad, making for an emotional, if not somewhat funny film. The graveyard scene actually does provoke some laughs, I guess it because of June Squibb, who is essentially the only sane person in the movie, next to Forte. The movie is somewhat soothing in a way, but it is at heart charming, and a good way to spend your time, especially to see Bruce Dern.

Overall, I give it 10 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Escape from New York.

Review #634: Escape from New York.

Cast
Kurt Russell (Snake Plissken), Lee Van Cleef (Bob Hauk), Ernest Borgnine (Cabbie), Donald Pleasence (President), Isaac Hayes (The Duke), Harry Dean Stanton (Harold "Brain" Hellman), Adrienne Barbeau (Maggie), and Tom Atkins (Rehme) Directed by John Carpenter (#068 - Halloween)

Review
Some movies are just born to be awesome (the inverse is also true as well), and this is one of them. This is a dark movie, an unrelenting movie that never lets up on its dystopian outlook, with Plissken (played excellently by Kurt Russell) being the essential anti-hero for a movie such as this. The characters are jaded, but they still manage to be entertaining, such as Borgnine, he has a quirky charm in this movie, which contrasts well with Russell. The wire frame effect is in the movie for a few moments, but it does look impressive, and it is one of the highlights of the movie. That, and the fight between Russell and Ox Baker, or the car chase at the end, take your pick. This is at heart a thrill of a movie, it's an action movie that has fun in its own way, with a rouge gallery of characters and a good deal of sense. Now if you excuse me, I have some work to do. See you all soon.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Red Eye.

Review #633: Red Eye.

Cast
Rachel McAdams (Lisa Reisert), Cillian Murphy (Jackson Rippner), Brian Cox (Joe Reisert), Jayma Mays (Cynthia), and Jack Scalia (Charles Keefe) Directed by Wes Craven (#474 - A Nightmare on Elm Street and #558 - Scream)

Review
What we have here is a simple premise with a simple setting with a limited amount of cast members that manages to be a pretty good thriller. Murphy makes for a cold but effective villain, he looks the part and he certainly does a good job in being the villain without overacting it up too much, he's calm, but he is at least imposing and that helps, and his interactions with McAdams start nicely but slowly get more chilling. Speaking of that, the small cast do interact fine with each other, it's always nice to see Brian Cox, even in a supporting role, he doesn't have much to do, but still. The movie runs pretty short (85 minutes), which I guess makes it easily accessible to watch, the movie goes pretty quickly, but it is at least entertaining, and the action is passable. The movie relies on suspense and while it may not be a great thriller, it at least a competent one, and it's a good way to spend a hour and a half, and you take my word for it. Probably.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Total Recall.

Review #632: Total Recall.

Cast
Arnold Schwarzenegger (Douglas Quaid), Rachel Ticotin (Melina), Sharon Stone (Lori Quaid), Michael Ironside (Richter), Ronny Cox (Vilos Cohaagen), Mel Johnson, Jr. (Benny), and Marshall Bell (George/Kuato) Directed by Paul Verhoeven (#002 - RoboCop)

Review
This is a movie that probably has its own checklist of ways to be fun and/or awesome to people. Schwarzenegger making faces while trying to act? Check. Verhoeven style of over the top action? Check. Ronny Cox? Check. Effects that are really cool to look at? Check. This could go on for a while, but the point is that this is is at heart a really fun movie to watch. Does it have its moments to make fun of? Sure, but even looking at the reaction to being exposed to the Martian atmosphere is still a good effect, no matter how the face looks like. The story (Inspired by the short story We Can Remember It for You Wholesale, but who's counting) is decently made, it leaves you to figure out if all of this is part of Quaid's Rekall experience, or if it's something more to it, but it doesn't really matter all too much. The action is what you expect from Verhoeven, RoboCop was like this as well, and just like that movie, they are both fun in their own ways. It is always refreshing to see Arnold trying to act as a normal person placed into a tough situation, no matter the decade. Cox and Ironside (I resist typing that as IRONSIDE) are pretty good villains, they make for a good team together, they go a bit over the top, but that just makes it better. Ticotin and Stone are good opposites, they make for fine leads who do get to have some action. In the end, it's a movie that has its quirks, but also a good deal of fun as well.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Chinatown.

Review #631: Chinatown.

Cast
Jack Nicholson (J.J. "Jake" Gittes), Faye Dunaway (Evelyn Cross Mulwray), John Huston (Noah Cross), Perry Lopez (Lieutenant Lou Escobar), John Hillerman (Russ Yelburton), Darrell Zwerling (Hollis I. Mulwray), Diane Ladd (Ida Sessions), and Roy Jenson (Claude Mulvihill) Directed by Roman Polanski.

Review
Chinatown is a movie that basks in the past with much originality, with a high crafted story by Robert Towne. Nicholson is fun to watch here, he makes for a interesting character that is fun to watch in any scene. Dunaway seems like she's playing a femme fatale, but in reality she plays anything but that, and her emotions are very expressive, you get to feel for this character, and in a way also pity her as well. It's amazing how John Huston (a director who I've covered a few times before) can be so effective as a villain when you realize his soft demeanor hides his dark side, which is evident in the end scene. Speaking of which, the end scene is probably the most memorable aspect of this movie (that, and Nicholson's bandaged face), Towne originally had written a happier ending, but it was changed by the director to make for a more cynical, but still a better ending. It's a perfectly sad ending, a way to make the movie more than just a detective story, and more importantly, a classic story. The movie has its thrills and most importantly its chills, which make for a very well-rounded movie that's heartbreaking, but also very entertaining. Take the ending for what it's worth, or don't, whatever you want.

Overall, I give it 10 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Bride Wars.

Review #630: Bride Wars.

Cast
Kate Hudson (Olivia Lerner), Anne Hathaway (Emma Allen), Candice Bergen (Marion St. Claire), Chris Pratt (Fletcher Flemson), Bryan Greenberg (Nathan Lerner), Steve Howey (Daniel Williams), Kristen Johnston (Deb), and Michael Arden (Kevin) Directed by Gary Winick.

Review
Zzzzzzzzzzz....hmm? Oh sorry, I was busy sleeping, it seems I decided to take a nap after watching this film, hoping to find my happy place. It didn't work. The movie is rarely entertaining but its worst problem is the lack of fun you get with these characters. I guess these characters were supposed to change over time as the movie goes on, though that really doesn't happen. The whole movie rides on a clerical error. Actually, I take that back, it rides on the stubbornness on one of these characters simply changing their wedding venue or just having a double wedding, instead they morph into vengeful people who do pranks on the other one that are less funny and more head-shaking, as explained above. The supporting cast is mediocre, I'm surprised that the main characters aren't too angry (or suing it for that matter) at the wedding planner even though it is responsible for this "war" occurring. This is at heart a boring movie that makes me wonder how sleep doesn't help me find that happy place. At least the next movie (and review) will be better than this, I promise you that. Zzzzzzzzz.....

Overall, I give it 3 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Xanadu.

Review #629: Xanadu.

Cast
Olivia Newton-John (Kira), Michael Beck (Sonny Malone), Gene Kelly (Danny McGuire), James Sloyan (Simpson), Dimitra Arliss (Helen), and Katie Hanley (Sandra) Directed by Robert Greenwald.

Review
This is a musical that...just is so middling with its strengths and weak points. On the one hand, the music by ELO is awesome, or maybe I just love the band, though whatever the case, the music works really well for the movie, "I'm Alive" is a song I admire very much. The characters on the other hand, aren't as coll, though Gene Kelly is a delight even at over 60, especially the scenes when he dances, even if Kelly is just playing himself, which I guess is fine, the other actors are trying to play characters and they don't succeed that well. The story is odd, because I guess...there's a happy ending, though...maybe not, the movie's weird enough, with the roller skates and all. The effects are at least cool, they just work really well for the film, it give off a flashiness feeling, which works well for this film. At times the dancing is good, though it can't hide the fact this is a muddled film. Is it a romance, a fantasy, or...both? Maybe a villain would've helped make this movie a little better (as long as it's not a cliche one, but with this movie, all bets are off), even if this movie already feels like a 40's movie, which isn't that far off, apparently. The movie would later get adapted into a Broadway musical, which is probably more well suited for a premise like this, I suppose. One lasting thing that this film inspired was the creation of the Golden Raspberry Awards (that and Can't Stop the Music), which I guess is something productive. This is at best a campy, but somewhat interesting movie, with some killer music.

Overall, I give it 6 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Meet Wally Sparks.

Review #628: Meet Wally Sparks.

Cast
Rodney Dangerfield (Wally Sparks), Debi Mazar (Sandy), Michael Weatherly (Dean Sparks), David Ogden Stiers (Gov. Floyd Preston), Cindy Williams (Emily Preston), Burt Reynolds (Lenny), Lisa Thornhill (Priscilla Preston), and Eamonn Roche (Miller) Directed by Peter Baldwin.

Review
Misery sure loves company, doesn't it? This is a movie with a premise just made for Dangerfield...written by him as well (co-written, but whatever), in a film I'm sure not many remember...and for good reason. The movie feels really, really tired, a film that just flails around like a fish on a beach. Dangerfield does his usual one liners, which are fine, a shame that his character isn't really interesting. The main problem is the premise itself, it looks promising on paper, in the sense that it looks like an average movie that Dangerfield could make better (Oddly enough, the movie Ringmaster starring Jerry Springer would be released a year later, both movies marketed as comedies, about host of trash TV shows). The movie manages to be more boring than funny, like you're going through the motions. The gags feel old after about 30 minutes, and there's still 70 minutes to go, and then it turns into The Man Who Came to Dinner all of a sudden, it doesn't help the movie too much, though at least it reminds you to watch that film again. The characters are standard, though of all of them, I guess Stiers is the best character because any character who gets tired of the main character that isn't just the villain is fine with me. The movie flounders, sometimes trying to be trashy, and sometimes trying to be slapstick, and it garners some success, but not too much. At this point, you might as well watch Caddyshack instead, or Back to School, or Dangerfield's stand-up specials, those are much more interesting to watch, and not this misfire of a film.

Overall, I give it 3 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: What Dreams May Come.

Review #627: What Dreams May Come.

Cast
Robin Williams (Christopher Nielsen), Cuba Gooding, Jr. (Albert Lewis), Annabella Sciorra (Annie Collins-Nielsen), Max von Sydow (The Tracker), Jessica Brooks Grant (Marie Nielsen), Josh Paddock (Ian Nielsen), Rosalind Chao (Leona), and Lucinda Jenney (Mrs. Jacobs) Directed by Vincent Ward.

Review
This is a personal review for me, but I do imagine this film can be personal for others as well. My father had bought the DVD for this film about a few years ago, my father loved buying movies (especially Westerns), he was probably the reason I watched movies, with or without him, in fact this show started with a film he bought, I still wonder what he would think of this show if he were still here today. Why I am telling this story, you ask? Because sometimes telling a story helps when dealing with someone else's death, in this case the recent death of Robin Williams yesterday. I won't talk about that because honestly that's too sad to talk about, especially in the middle of a review of one of his movies. What Dreams May Come sometimes feels more like an experience than a movie, it sometimes feels like a movie that shows you the essence of one's dreams, showing us beauty with the paintings. The effects for this movie are really beautiful to watch, they capture the essence of imagination, and it works especially in a film like this. The acting is well done, especially by Williams, who was a good comedian, but he also could be really skilled at portraying dramatic characters, especially this one. The story is somewhat assembled weirdly, but at least the movie is enjoyable, and it all stems from the wonderful cast (Gooding is also fun to watch) and the effects. This is a bittersweet review; the movie is good, though I found myself tearing up a bit inside, the movie has its moments of struggle, and given Williams' death, it's amplified here. My father probably liked this film, and I imagine he also had a good time with it as well. No matter what project Williams was in, he always managed to make us smile.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Guardians of the Galaxy.

Review #626: Guardians of the Galaxy.

Cast
Chris Pratt (Peter Quill/Star-Lord), Zoe Saldana (Gamora), Dave Bautista (Drax the Destroyer), Vin Diesel (Groot), Bradley Cooper (Rocket), Lee Pace (Ronan the Accuser), Michael Rooker (Yondu Udonta), Karen Gillan (Nebula), Djimon Hounsou (Korath), John C. Reilly (Corpsman Rhomann Dey), Glenn Close (Nova Prime), and Benicio del Toro (The Collector) Directed by James Gunn.

Review
When it comes to having a good time at the movie theater, picking a Marvel movie is usually a safe bet. And that rings true once again with this film, which is a real treat. Does it feel like a pastiche of other films? Maybe, maybe not, but I don't care, this...is just a fun movie to watch. The main heroes all work so well because they're not just a team of heroes, they're a team of rouges who are all different, weird, and yet so fun to watch. It surprised that of all the heroes in this film, it's Groot that is just so delightful to watch. Even if he's in the background he still manages to leave an impression. And Vin Diesel has just a few lines to convey his character in voice...and it works. Diesel manages to convey emotion with those lines, though the effects on Groot also help that, and Groot smiling is just fun to watch. The villain is alright, Pace at least does manage to do a good job under all that makeup, and I liked seeing Karen Gillian, she did a pretty good job in a minor role. The effects are really impressive, for both the characters and the action, it's a movie that is amusing but also thrilling as well. The ending credit scene is pretty amusing, movies don't usually end on Howard the Duck, but it sums how zany this movie is, and how enjoyable it is, from it's retro music (that has a purpose) to its characters to its willingness to just have fun. Go see it, you'll most definitely have a good time.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.