Movie Night: Avatar (2009).

Review #388: Avatar.

Cast
Sam Worthington (Jake Sully), Zoe Saldaña (Neytiri), Stephen Lang (Miles Quaritch), Sigourney Weaver (Dr. Grace Augustine), Michelle Rodriguez (Trudy Chacón), Giovanni Ribisi (Parker Selfridge), Joel David Moore (Norm Spellman), and Dileep Rao (Max Patel) Directed by James Cameron (#001 - Terminator 2: Judgement Day, #063 - The Terminator)

Review
When this film was about to come out, I had never heard so much hype before. And keep in mind, it has been four years since the film was released, and I barely just got to reviewing this. So, after all this hype, does it live up to in a satisfactory way? Sort of. It does have good effects at points, which do work to its advantage, but effects aren't everything. The characters...aren't are as good as the effects. The flaw I think is evident in this film is the way the characters are portrayed, which is easily summed up like this: "The hero with a "unknown" secret" to "unlikable brute". There are of course scientists, but the film somewhat follows the Scientist Rule, which means that if you have a scientist in your film, he/she will either be ignored by a important character which proves to be important. While the characters may not have that much depth to them, the actors at least are alright. Maybe it's just me, but my favorite actress in this film is Sigourney Weaver, doing another good job in a film reviewed here. Someone once described this film as "Dances with Smurfs", and after seeing this, I can't argue against that. The film has spectacle, but this film sometimes hammers its message too much, the character sometimes feel a bit generic. Does it have anything good? Sure, but this is not a great film by any means. It's not Star Wars (1977), more of a Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith.

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Lilo & Stitch.

Review #387: Lilo & Stitch.

Cast
Chris Sanders (Stitch), Daveigh Chase (Lilo), Tia Carrere (Nani), David Ogden Stiers (Jumba), Kevin McDonald (Pleakley), Ving Rhames (Cobra Bubbles), Kevin Michael Richardson (Captain Gantu), Zoe Caldwell (Grand Councilwoman), and Jason Scott Lee (David Kawena) Directed by Chris Sanders (#294 - How to Train Your Dragon)

Review
Once again I'm reviewing a Disney film, the last time I reviewed one was Wreck-It Ralph, which was...1 review ago, so this is a bit of trend, for once. Disney films have a well enough track record, so I wondered if this would keep that trend going. It did, for the most part. The pairing of Stitch and Lilo work allright, but the one between Lilo and Nani also works well enough because it doesn't feel artificial, it feels real enough to work in a film like this. The action, while not the main part of the story, works well enough. The film, while having a good sense of drama, has some gags to it, and they work allright. The film has lush animation at times, using its environment and setting very well. It has its moments of fun and it can entertain more than just kids, but for everyone, for the most part.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Wreck-It Ralph.

Review #386: Wreck-It Ralph.

Cast
John C. Reilly (Wreck-It Ralph), Sarah Silverman (Vanellope von Schweetz), Jack McBrayer (Fix-It Felix, Jr), Jane Lynch (Jean Calhoun), Alan Tudyk (King Candy), Mindy Kaling (Taffyta Muttonfudge), Joe Lo Truglio (Markowsk), Ed O'Neill (Mr. Litwak), Dennis Haysbert (General Hologram), Adam Carolla (Wynnche), and Horatio Sanz (Duncan) Directed by Rich Moore.

Review
Wreck-It Ralph has an interesting enough premise and it uses it extremely well and has a heck of a time while doing it. The cast works out really well, especially John C. Reilly and Sarah Silverman (two actors I thought I'd never utter in the same sentence), who pair off really well. The same could also go with Jack McBrayer and Jane Lynch, which also meshes well. The animation looks great not just for looking nice but because it manages to keep focus on what it has (either its pixels or the lush animation), and it works well. It sets itself up nicely for a sequel, which I honestly hope happens. Well done...Disney.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Secondhand Lions.

Review #385: Secondhand Lions.

Cast
Haley Joel Osment (Walter Caldwell), Michael Caine (Garth McCann), Robert Duvall (Hub McCann), Kyra Sedgwick (Mae Caldwell), Nicky Katt (Stan), Josh Lucas (Adult Walter Caldwell), Michael O'Neill (Ralph), Deirdre O'Connell (Helen), Christian Kane (Young Hub), Daniel Brooks (Sheik's Great-Grandson), Kevin Haberer (Young Garth), Eric Balfour (Sheik's grandson), Emmanuelle Vaugier (Jasmine), and Adam Ozturk (The Sheik) Directed by Tim McCanlies.

Review
When I watched this earlier today, I had...never heard of this. Yeah, a film made 10 years ago (in a decade where I've reviewed 85 of them), and yet has Michael Caine (#054 - The Dark Knight, #055 - Inception, #062 - Batman Begins, #134 - Austin Powers in Goldmember) and Robert Duvall (#036 - Network, #116 - To Kill a Mockingbird, #191 - The 6th Day, #383 - The Natural) in it. Is it any good? Sure. Some might find it "schmaltzy", I find it to be good. Sometimes a film is just fun for what it has, and this has a wholesome heart and a lot of fun to it. Caine and Duvall play off each other well, with Duvall being the breakout star who steals the show, and this being a good thing. While Caine may seem off cast (Trying to portray a Texan), he still manages to do a fine enough job. Osment is allright, not too bad, for a...teen actor I suppose. The film starts off fine and gets better as it goes along. It has its moments and it does entertain for the most part. It has adventure, excitement, and a lot of fun to go with it.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Quantum of Solace.

Review #384: Quantum of Solace.

Cast
Daniel Craig (James Bond), Olga Kurylenko (Camille Montes), Mathieu Amalric (Dominic Greene), Judi Dench (M), Gemma Arterton (Strawberry Fields), Giancarlo Giannini (René Mathis), Jeffrey Wright (Felix Leiter), Anatole Taubman (Elvis), David Harbour (Gregg Beam), Joaquín Cosío (General Medrano), Fernando Guillén Cuervo (Carlos), Jesper Christensen (Mr. White), Rory Kinnear (Bill Tanner), and Paul Ritter (Guy Haines) Directed by Marc Forster.

Review
I liked Casino Royale (#285), I liked how it could be gritty but have excitement and a fairly decent love story reminiscent of On Her Majesty's Secret Service. Daniel Craig was good and I wondered if the sequel would be better. And...it's like this. If Casino Royale was like OHMSS (#279), than Quantum of Solace is like Diamonds Are Forever in the sense both are only terribly okay. The sad thing this tries to continue from the last film, but even when it does try it manages to be disjointed and feeling rushed as well. Craig is alright, but his supporting cast isn't much help. Kurylenko is an okay lead actress, but the main flaw is the two (Craig and Kurylenko) have no chemistry together. I get it, Bond is meant to be scarred from the last film, but does that mean the film gets dull for it? Even the idea of Bond going rouge has been used before with Licence to Kill, and this doesn't have the excitement of it. Even the villain isn't that memorable. Admittedly, Bond villains can either be memorable for being evil enough or for some deformity (Dr. No, Largo) of such. Greene is neither. He doesn't have much threat or even a plan that makes sense. Come to think of it, Quantum is not really any better than SPECTRE because at least SPECTRE didn't have easy to spy on meetings. Quantum of Solace is an odd title that barely has any meaning, and the only things I liked were Giannini and Judi Dench. Sadly, Jeffrey Wright is given not much screen time to do anything to better his performance from the last film. The action is okay, but sometimes I wonder if you could make a drinking game on the many, many cuts in the action scenes. The film seems rushed at times and aside from boasting many locations in filming, it only barely manages to capture any spirit of Casino Royale, and that's sad.

Overall, I give it 6 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Natural.

Review #383: The Natural.

Cast
Robert Redford (Roy Hobbs), Robert Duvall (Max Mercy), Glenn Close (Iris Gaines), Kim Basinger (Memo Paris), Wilford Brimley (Pop Fisher), Barbara Hershey (Harriet Bird), Robert Prosky (The Judge), Richard Farnsworth (Red Blow), and Joe Don Baker (The Whammer) Directed by Barry Levinson.

Review
While this is the first time I've reviewed a film with Robert Redford, this is not the first time I've mentioned him (#252 - Quiz Show), as he directed that, and I said this about it: "The film is nail-gripping in its drama, being very well delivered, all thanks to the direction by Robert Redford." This time, he's the main star and not behind the camera, but does this film work well either way is the question. And...I like it. While at times the film sounds a bit much in idolizing its main character sometimes, it does have heart and the baseball action goes well with it. Redford does a pretty good job, essentially a "natural" at this. Duvall is fine, and Close does a noticeable, but good job. The rest of the cast, especially Brimley, do good as well, and the film goes along without much flaws. It has its moments and it goes along well in a decent 137 minute pace. Films like these don't come along too much, but when they do they have good merit to it.

Overall, I give it 10 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Toy Story 3.

Review #382: Toy Story 3.

Cast
Tom Hanks (Woody), Tim Allen (Buzz Lightyear), Joan Cusack (Jessie), Ned Beatty (Lotso), John Morris (Andy), Don Rickles (Mr. Potato Head), Blake Clark (Slinky Dog), Wallace Shawn (Rex), John Ratzenberger (Hamm), Estelle Harris (Mrs. Potato Head), Michael Keaton (Ken), Jodi Benson (Barbie), Emily Hahn (Bonnie), Jeff Pidgeon (Little Green Men), Timothy Dalton (Mr. Pricklepants), Kristen Schaal (Trixie), Jeff Garlin (Buttercup), Bonnie Hunt (Dolly), Whoopi Goldberg (Stretch), and Bud Luckey (Chuckles) Directed by Lee Unkrich (#074 - Monsters, Inc and #155 - Finding Nemo)

Review
The first two Toy Stories by now are probably films that this generation has for nostalgia. The first was released in 1995, the 2nd in 1999, and this one was released in 2010. In that case, it's like a cycle, from the beginning to the...end? After watching this, I wonder if it is the end for these characters and their stories. Whatever the case, if it is meant to be, they went out with a proper bang. Hanks and Allen do a good job, pairing off each other well as does some of the others. The animation is good, having new settings that do look pretty good. But the thing that holds the film together is Ned Beatty as Lotso. For a character to turn in motivation from when you first see him to later in the film, it's a pretty stunning transformation. The film has some dark themes, but they aren't too dark for anyone not to enjoy, and it makes sense, given the progression of the series. The ending has some weirdness to it, but that does not overshadow a film that is pretty good, really good.

Overall, I give it 10 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Cobb.

Review #381: Cobb.

Cast
Tommy Lee Jones (Ty Cobb), Robert Wuhl (Al Stump), Lolita Davidovich (Ramona), Lou Myers (Willie), William Utay (Jameson), J. Kenneth Campbell (William Herschel Cobb), and Rhoda Griffis (Amanda Chitwood Cobb) Directed by Ron Shelton.

Review
Watching a film based off Cobb: The Life and Times of the Meanest Man in Baseball by Al Stump is a strange thing, since the film isn't as sensational and fictionalized as the book is now known to be. Take the film for what it is: A movie, with some sort of fact but also some sort of fiction. 

Tyrus Raymond Cobb was a legend in baseball, and judging from the film, you might think that. Or you might wonder if the (somewhat questionable) writer of the book about Cobb about him fabricated the events in some ways. Cobb once described himself like this: "In legend I am a sadistic, slashing, swashbuckling despot who waged war in the guise of sport.". The film sadly does not show a lot of baseball moments from his career, focusing more on Stump and Cobb, which I find to be a bit disappointing because the film while it does try to focus on the biography of Cobb and the writing, it probably should have tried to be more about him and not just him and his biographer. Nonetheless, Jones pulls off a brutal performance of Cobb. It may either turn you off from the film or be the thing that glues the film together. Wuhl is all right, reminding me of a writer, but whether a good or bad one is questionable. It's noisy, its mean and dark, but that's what makes the film what it is, it doesn't try to be light on things, it does what it wants to accomplish, the good and the bad. Whether the viewer likes it or not is up to you.

Overall, I give it 5 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Mad Max.

Review #380: Mad Max.

Cast
Mel Gibson (Max Rockatansky), Joanne Samuel (Jessie Rockatansky), Hugh Keays-Byrne (Toecutter), Steve Bisley (Jim Goose), Tim Burns (Johnny), Geoff Parry (Bubba Zanetti), Roger Ward (Fifi Macaffee), and David Bracks (Mudguts) Directed by George Miller.

Review
It's been a while since I've reviewed something with Mel Gibson in it (#356 - Lethal Weapon 2), and its also been a while since I've reviewed a film from Australia, which I barely noticed (#023 - Crocodile Dundee, #024 - Crocodile Dundee 2, #032 - The Man From Snowy River) until now. How is this film? Pretty good. Its brutal nature and dystopian outlook work well for the film is because the film uses its sets well. Gibson does a fine job in a film that was in the beginning of his career. The rest of the (let me be honest) unknown cast do an alright job, contributing to the bleak outlook of the film. Its car chases are destructive but effective.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Double Team.

Review #379: Double Team.

Cast
Jean-Claude Van Damme (Jack Quinn), Dennis Rodman (Yaz), Mickey Rourke (Stavro), Natacha Lindinger (Kathryn Quinn), and Paul Freeman (Alex Goldsmythe) Directed by Tsui Hark.

Review
This is a weird combination, isn't it? Obvioously not because of Van Damme, but because of Rodman. I don't know if it is the rainbow-ish hair or the fact that even when he wears a hat, he sticks out like a sore thumb. The thing about this combination is that it makes no sense. Who in their right mind thought this was going to be successful? Rodman manages to do no better than Michael Jordan (#235: Space Jam) in terms of athletes trying to act. Van Damme (llast seen here in #326 - Timecop) does okay, but it feels he isn't trying that much to begin with, but who is? Mickey Rourke is strangely in this film, last seen doing better films (such as #047 - The Expendables and #334 - Iron Man 2) in better times. The film's action scenes, rather than entertaining the viewer, reminds them of better action films. While the film has one scene (involving a soda machine, a tiger and some mines) that is memorable, it is memorable for all the wrong reasons. The film doesn't keep much interest despite Rodman and Damme "trying" in vein. Sometimes picking two random names from a hat does not mean a good combo for a film.

Overall, I give it 3 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Rise of the Guardians.

Review #378: Rise of the Guardians.

Cast
Chris Pine (Jack Frost), Alec Baldwin (Santa Claus), Hugh Jackman (Easter Bunny), Isla Fisher (Tooth Fairy), Jude Law (Pitch Black/The Boogeyman), and Dakota Goyo (Jamie Bennett). Directed by Peter Ramsey.

Review
Before I begin, I'll mention that this was based off the book series by William Joyce, and this seems to be a trend for Dreamworks, making movies based off books (Shrek, Over the Hedge, though that was a comic strip and How to Train Your Dragon), and this seems to be working well, and I'm not going to lie, I like this film. Honestly, I didn't really expect too much from the film, I thought it would be a flick just for kids that didn't have too much. It managed to override the expectations. The casting works well, especially with Chris Pine and oddly enough, Alec Baldwin. The jokes work fine, but they don't form the base of the film, that's where the fantasy comes in, and the story works well enough to keep you interested in what's going on. The animation works well because it also keep the suspense going, conveying the story at a decent pace. For a 97 minute film, it keeps a fine pace, and it sets up the possibility for more, because...I like where this is going. That's what films sometimes do, making the viewer hungering for more because they know the story has only just begun, not just wanting a rehash. But then maybe that's just me. But still, this is a good film that entertains well and finishes well.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Muppets from Space.

Review #377: Muppets from Space.

Cast
Dave Goelz (The Great Gonzo, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, Waldorf, The Bird Man, The Swedish Chef and Zoot), Steve Whitmire (Kermit the Frog, Rizzo the Rat, Beaker and Bean Bunny), Frank Oz (Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Animal and Sam the Eagle), Bill Barretta (Pepe the King Prawn, Bobo the Bear as Agent Rentro, Johnny Fiama, Bubba the Rat and Rowlf the Dog), Jerry Nelson (Robin the Frog, Statler, Uber-Gonzo and Floyd Pepper), Jeffrey Tambor (K. Edgar Singer), and Andie MacDowell (Shelley Snipes) Directed by Tim Hill (#308 - Alvin and the Chipmunks)

Review
It figures that I review a Muppets film, and what better than on Mothers' Day? I know, I could've have picked something else. But I don't care at this point. But hey, can I trust a film directed by someone who would later on make an unspeakable sell out with chipmunks? Eh...sort of. The Muppets themselves are interesting and they do have some good lines that do make me chuckle. The Muppets are more interesting than the human characters, maybe because they have more intelligence than the actual humans, which makes me groan. The effects work alright, and the story flows well in a relatively typical run time of 88 minutes, which at this point, isn't that surprising, but oh well. At least this gives me another opportunity to watch Frank Oz and his voicework, which is welcome. The film is alright for the most part, flowing decently, and this in a way is a underrated gem.

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Short Circuit 2.

Review #376: Short Circuit 2.

Cast
Tim Blaney (Johnny 5), Fisher Stevens (Ben Jahrvi), Michael McKean (Fred Ritter), Cynthia Gibb (Sandy Banatoni), Jack Weston (Oscar Baldwin), David Hemblen (Jones), and Don Lake (Manic Mike) Directed by Kenneth Johnson.

Review
Well, what do you know, I'm reviewing another sequel to a film long ago here, 288 reviews ago and 473 days to be exact, which was (#088) Short Circuit. It had some creativity, and while it didn't exactly make me laugh a lot or really be any good, it had a spark of entertainment, for all its weirdness. And so, once again, the qeustion is asked is does this film live up to the first one? Eh...yea. Johnny 5 is allright, once again having some decent lines as...a person robot? Made weirder by the fact he is actually declared a citizen at the end, I'm not kidding. Fisher Stevens is back once again, in a way promoted from sidekick to Steve Guttenburg to mostly-main character. Guttenburg and Sheedy from the first film don't appear (though it is explained they are in Montana. Okay?), and the depth (or there little of) is replaced with...comedy. Strangely enough, the film has a revenge sub plot and even tries to be tear-inducing at one point. In the end, the film isn't horrible, it's just...okay.

BTW: If you have any questions about this site or just about the reviews, just ask on this post, any questions at all. Please.

Overall, I give it 6 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Hot Shots! Part Deux.

Review #375: Hot Shots! Part Deux.

Cast
Charlie Sheen (Topper Harley), Lloyd Bridges (Thomas Benson), Valeria Golino (Ramada Hayman), Richard Crenna (Denton Walters), Brenda Bakke (Michelle Huddleston), Miguel Ferrer (Arvid Harbinger), Rowan Atkinson (Dexter Hayman), and Jerry Haleva. Directed by Jim Abrahams (#028 - Hot Shots!)

Review
It seems only yesterday that I reviewed the first Hot Shots! film. And if yesterday, I mean over 2 years and 347 reviews later. Oddly enough, this is the 375th Review. The first one parodied Top Gun, with the second being a parody of First Blood (#025), with may references to other films. But is the film funny even after 20 years (it being a parody and all) and such? Well...yeah. The puns and gags are endless and the lines may either make you go groan or chuckle, it depends. For me, it was the latter. The cast does a fine job of comedy acting, not too over the top. Sheen once again has a lot of energy that helps out in the action scenes. The action is over the top, as should be, given the parody material, but it manages to mix in the comedy in a strange blend that works well. Is it better than the first one? Not really, but it does at least come close enough, and it still entertains. And given the "parody" movies in recent years, this does the job of making you laugh, which given these days, it is a good thing.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: It Came from Beneath the Sea.

Review #374: It Came from Beneath the Sea.

Cast
Kenneth Tobey (Commander Pete Mathews), Faith Domergue (Professor Lesley Joyce), Donald Curtis (Dr. John Carter), Ian Keith (Admiral Burns), Dean Maddox Jr. (Admiral Norman), Chuck Griffiths (Lieutenant Griff), Harry Lauter (Deputy Bill Nash), and Richard W. Peterson (Capt. Stacy) Directed by Robert Gordon.

Review
In light of Ray Harryhausen's death, I decided to review something of his work. His effects work, which has been covered before in my reviews (#064 - Clash of the Titans, #111 - Jason and the Argonauts, #265 - Earth vs. the Flying Saucers), and I liked them. I liked the originality of them and the way it helped the story go far, and those skeletons. Oh those skeletons. This film is sort of creative with its premise and the effects by Harryhausen do a good job once again. The characters, while 1950's like, aren't terrible, and the fact the cast isn't that stocked up in amounts, surprised me. The film has its moments, and it has a decent run time that doesn't over-run or under-run. It may sound like 50's horror, but...Harryhausen's magic bag of effects make it worthwhile. Rest in Peace, Ray. We'll keep watching forever and ever.

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Cinderella (1950).

Review #373: Cinderella.

Cast
Ilene Woods (Cinderella), Eleanor Audley (Lady Tremaine), Luis Van Rooten (Grand Duke and the King), Jimmy MacDonald (Jaq, Gus, and Bruno), William Phipps (Prince Charming), Lucille Bliss (Anastasia), Rhoda Williams (Drizella), and Verna Felton (Fairy Godmother) Directed by Clyde Geronimi, Hamilton Luske, and Wilfred Jackson (#178 - Peter Pan)

Review
Disney films seem to do relatively well here (#073 - The Lion King, #156 - Aladdin, #178, #230 - The Great Mouse Detective, #250 - The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh), and of course they have some charm and memorable moments that seem to keep popping up in people's minds year after year. Is this any different? Yea, pretty much. The approach is not bad, and it has its charms, with the mice (who apparently don't disgust the lead like some others would be, but oh well.) providing some laughs. Cinderella is an allright character, not bad. The only thing I wonder is why Prince Charming has only about, oh two lines. For a character who is matters most for the film's last act, he has less lines then the Stepsisters, which is kind of odd. I know the film is called Cinderella, but there could have been at least a little focus on the Prince and what about his motivations as a character is and not just told by the King. But the film has good animation style and it manages to keep the viewer entertained at a unusually short rate of about 75 minutes. Take it for what its worth.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: 42.

Review #372: 42.

Cast
Chadwick Boseman (Jackie Robinson), Harrison Ford (Branch Rickey), Andre Holland (Wendell Smith), Christopher Meloni (Leo Durocher), John C. McGinley (Red Barber), Lucas Black (Pee Wee Reese), Alan Tudyk (Ben Chapman), Nicole Beharie (Rachel Isum Robinson), Brett Cullen (Clay Hopper), and Ryan Merriman (Dixie Walker) Directed by Brian Helgeland.

Review
On a day like this where baseball is around to entertain us as the week begins, history is once again turned into a movie and once again I'm reviewing a film about Jackie Robinson, the first one starring himself (#365 - The Jackie Robinson Story), which wasn't bad, but not too special. This is first film reviewed here from 2013, and trust me there will be more soon enough from 2013. This film...manages to be entertaining. While it may have some inaccuracies that some have found, I don't mind. It seems sweetening and easy to figure, but it manages to capture a tone of the 1940's, which given the mood back then, makes sense, I suppose. Boseman is a surprisingly good actor for someone I haven't watched before, leaving an impression, looking the part. But the actor I think is the best out of all of them is Harrison Ford, who surprised me because he does radical change to be Rickey and does a great job, making me smile. The rest of the cast (Examples being Meloni, Holland and Beharie) do a fine job, keeping the film at pace as well. The baseball action works well, and it captures an old feel of life, baseball and more. It has its moments, and it certainly is a good biopic. Essentially, 42 hits a ball that goes deep into right field, narrowly missing the foul pole but still going fair.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Dünyayı Kurtaran Adam.

Review #371: Dünyayı Kurtaran Adam (Turkish Star Wars).

Cast
Cüneyt Arkin (Murat), Aytekin Akkaya (Ali), Füsun Uçar (Bilgin'in Kizi), Hüseyin Peyda (Bilgin), Necla Fide (Kraliçe), Mehmet Ugur (Yaratik), Kadir Kök (Yaratik), Aydin Haberdar (Yaratik), Yadigar Ejder (Yaratik), and Hikmet Tasdemir (Sihirbaz) Directed by Çetin Inanç.

Review
Oh look, it's May 4th, which means..."May the Fourth be with you", and normally this would be where I would review something Star Wars related, but since I reviewed the main six (which in a few years will be contradicted, hopefully being a good thing) films in the saga, I resorted to what is known as "Turkish Star Wars" (while the title translates to The Man Who Saved the World), with this being the first film from Turkey to be reviewed here. And how was it? You know damn well how it is. It is...terrible. It is the bitter taste in my mouth, much like if someone put sweet sugar into vinegar mixed with vanilla and spinach. The level of bad in world cinema films (with this being the ninth world cinema film reviewed here: #015 - The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, #017 - A Fistful of Dollars, #019 - For a Few Dollars More, #167 - Gojira, #256 - Nosferatu, #261 - The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, #309 - Santa Claus, #333 - M) reviewed here rears its ugly head once more (example of this being in that Santa Claus film I just mentioned), and I wonder how anyone could mix Flash Gordon's music with Raiders of the Lost Ark's and then use footage of Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope and yet still have a terrible film. Maybe it's the shoddy "filmmaking", with examples being film footage that is really grainy, almost like they didn't do a very good job shooting (and taking footage from other films) this, but at least they hide the obvious trampolines the actor jumps from. The makeup must've been from a costume shop, a really cheap one. The "acting" of movement by the actors is pretty awful, but at least the version I watched had English subtitles to try to make this understandable. Actually, I take that back, it makes the film even more incomprehensible as the logic in this film knows no bounds, making me wonder who the heck unearthed this film and made it known to everyone. But how bad is this? It is bad, but it certainly has its moments of being laugh inducing and at least isn't as strange as Santa Claus or as terribly made like Birdemic or even as terribly made like Manos. This had to have some effort into it (which apparently got somebody to make a sequel) at least. Though I wish this would've been called "Trampoline", that would be funny. Happy Star Wars Day, everyone.

Overall, I give it 3 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Replacements.

Review #370: The Replacements.

Cast
Keanu Reeves (Shane Falco), Gene Hackman (Jimmy McGinty), Brooke Langton (Annabelle Farrell), Jon Favreau (Daniel Bateman), Rhys Ifans (Nigel Gruff), Orlando Jones (Clifford Franklin), Brett Cullen (Eddie Martel), Faizon Love (Jamal Jackson), Michael Taliferro (Andre Jackson), Jack Warden (Edward O'Neil), and Ace Yonamine (Jumbo) Directed by Howard Deutch.

Review
This is at heart...an epitome of generic sports movie. This is a movie filled with sports cliche on top of more sports cliches. In fact, you could count the amount of cliches and play Cliche Bingo. What is Cliche Bingo? Think of the cliches that make up sports movies, such as:

The washed up player who is trying to redeem himself.
The grumpy coach.
The romance subplot between a player and cheerleader/person.
The crazy owner.

The big man.
The crazy guy who has a lot of power.
A speech about needing heart/determination/the guts to win.
Playing a strong team and being the underdogs yet somehow winning.

The antagonist who could also be one of their own.
The comic relief character.
Being down at halftime/near the end of the game.
Dramatically diving/slding/slapshooting/moving by a player.

I realize that's only 12 and you would need 12 more to make an actual bingo card, but let me tell you a secret: You can find the rest if you look hard enough. The acting is decent enough, though I do wonder what exactly motivated Hackman to do this movie. I know what you're thinking is the reason, which might be the reason for Welcome to Mooseport, but that's neither here or there. The football action is at least watchable, the movie's not horrible, it's just a typical sports movie that is sickeningly sweet to the point where by the end of it you just want to watch actual football, at least that isn't acted out. Most of the time.

Overall, I give it 6 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: House on Haunted Hill (1959).

Review #369: House on Haunted Hill.

Cast
Vincent Price (Frederick Loren), Carol Ohmart (Annabelle Loren), Richard Long (Lance Schroeder), Alan Marshal (Dr. David Trent), Carolyn Craig (Nora Manning), Elisha Cook Jr. (Watson Pritchard), Julie Mitchum (Ruth Bridgers), Leona Anderson (Mrs. Slydes), and Howard Hoffman (Jonas) Directed by William Castle.

Review
In a way this was the longest time ever spent on a film. Why so? See, I began watching the film last Tuesday before being cut off due a neighbor's fire, which postponed the review until I got enough time to watch this ironically short length film which lasts about 70 minutes. So how was it? It was allright. It wasn't as silly I thought it could've been, and it does have its moments with even a twist at the end, which I didn't really expect honestly. And there's our main lead, Vincent Price, who has been reviewed here before in House of Wax and The Great Mouse Detective, and in this film he does pretty good, evoking the classical master of cool, overshadowing the rest of the cast and yet still making this a fine film to at least watch.

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Little Shop of Horrors.

Review #368: The Little Shop of Horrors.

Cast
Jonathan Haze (Seymour Krelboyne), Jackie Joseph (Audrey Fulquard), Mel Welles (Gravis Mushnick), Dick Miller (Burson Fouch), Myrtle Vail (Winifred Krelboyne), Karyn Kupcinet (Shirley), Leola Wendorff (Siddie Shiva), Lynn Storey (Hortense Fishtwanger), Wally Campo (Joe Fink/Narrator), John Shaner (Dr. Phoebus Farb), Jack Nicholson (Wilbur Force), and Charles B. Griffith (Audrey Junior) Directed by Roger Corman.

Review
Not only is today Jack Nicholson's birthday, it is also the first review of a film directed by Roger Corman, who reportedly has directed over 50 films and produced 300...one of them being Sharktopus. But nevertheless, this is an early 60's film made in two days from sets used in another Roger Corman production that has inspired a musical and a remake. And...the film is good. Despite the title, it actually has a good amount of laughs, which make the horror scenes more contrasting, creating a good balance. And of course, Audrey Junior makes me giggle, and that may sound strange, given the amount of reviews here. Nicholson may have a small part, but it certainly is memorable. The acting is fine, and it has its good moments all throughout. The effects work well and the film flows well given the small, but fine length. Happy 76th birthday, Jack. Great way to celebrate Earth Day, huh?

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Julius Caesar (1970).

Review #367: Julius Caesar.

Cast
Charlton Heston (Mark Antony), Jason Robards (Brutus), John Gielgud (Julius Caesar), Richard Johnson (Cassius), Robert Vaughn (Casca), Richard Chamberlain (Octavius), Diana Rigg (Portia), Jill Bennett (Calpurnia), and Christopher Lee (Artemidorus) Directed by Stuart Burge.

Review
Well, well, I'm reviewing a movie based on a play by William Shakespeare, and it's been a while since I've done that (#103 - Romeo + Juliet, unless you count #229 - She's the Man, but even that was just a revised version), but there is the benefit of the star power, who've managed to be reviewed in films here, examples being: Planet of the Apes, Arthur, On Her Majesty's Secret Service, any of Christopher Lee's films, etc. (Seriously, this is the tenth time he has been listed, and he is listed here due to his small but significant part in the film.) But nevertheless, does that mean that there is a good film in all of that? In some ways yes, but in others, no. Heston does a good job, commandeering a relatively good performance, probably the best here. Gielgud does alright, even if his part is ironically small (It's not like his character is the title of the film or anything), but oh well, and Richard Johnson does a decent job, even if he is another example of having a beard equaling being evil. The supporting cast (Such as Rigg, Vaughn and even Lee) do okay, not having much time to act but adding on nicely. Then there's the acting performance that apparently some are split on, Jason Robards as our de facto lead. His performance has been called "flat" and "wooden", I prefer to use "miscast". He just looks a bit old for the part, given the grey hair, which even Johnson doesn't have. Besides that, the battle sequences are alright and the sets do look like there was effort put into it, but in the end not everything connects perfectly, despite the movie being a decent adaptation of the play. Take it for what its worth, which may or may not end with "Et tu, Brute?". Ironically, the only reason I watched this was due to my teacher selecting this to be shown to our English class.

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Dude, Where's My Car?

Review #366: Dude, Where's My Car?

Cast
Ashton Kutcher (Jesse), Seann William Scott (Chester), Jennifer Garner (Wanda), Marla Sokoloff (Wilma), Kristy Swanson (Christie), David Herman (Nelson), and Hal Sparks (Zoltan) Directed by Danny Leiner.

Review
This movie feels like it was made on a whim, made with sub plots held together by a very loose string made (obviously) in the turn of the millennium, and because of that, this film is deeply rooted in the 2000's, nothing more, but is there any hope for this film? Maybe if you were really, really, really bored or needed 100 minutes to waste, sure. Kutcher and Scott are strangely a decent duo, only because they match in annoyance, oddly enough they remind me of a 2000's like version of Bill and Ted, which is either sickening or just sad. The jokes are hit and miss and sometimes annoying to the point where I just yell "Get to the point", which changed from a playful annoyance to an irritated yell which thankfully did not make me want to throw my hockey puck. The story is strung up easily but it feels like the jokes are the only thing making the movie last longer, which is what most would call "padding", which gets old. There's no point in judging the acting because there's not much point, but at least some comedies try to be a bit subtle, but oh well. The movie isn't "North" bad, it's around the level of "Happy Gilmore" level.

Overall, I give it 5 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Jackie Robinson Story.

Review #365: The Jackie Robinson Story.

Cast
Jackie Robinson (Jackie Robinson), Ruby Dee (Rae Robinson), Minor Watson (Branch Rickey), Louise Beavers (Mallie Robinson), Richard Lane (Clay Hopper), and Harry Shannon (Frank Shaughnessy) Directed by Alfred E. Green.

Review
This is an unusual movie, not because it's a film about a baseball player, but the fact that the man that plays the main character based off real life events...is the same guy, starring himself. Basically in a nutshell, Jackie Robinson playing Jackie Robinson. But nevertheless, the film doesn't have any other odd quarks, it is sort of a footnote, released at the mid point of Jackie Robinson's career, and this was the first of a few films about him. The acting is decent, nothing too special. Robinson does okay for what is essentially just Robinson being Robinson. But at least the film has its moments and it at least for what it's worth tells a story. Robinson was the first African American to play in Major League Baseball since the 1880's, and he would be the first of many to come. The film is okay and short to the point at about 70 minutes. Take it for what it is worth.

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: High Anxiety.

Review #364: High Anxiety.

Cast
Mel Brooks (Richard Thorndyke), Madeline Kahn (Victoria Brisbane), Ron Carey (Brophy), Cloris Leachman (Nurse Diesel), Harvey Korman (Dr. Montague), Howard Morris (Professor Lilloman), Albert Whitlock (Arthur Brisbane), and Rudy De Luca (Braces) Directed by Mel Brooks (#061 - Blazing Saddles, #198 - Spaceballs, #248 - Robin Hood: Men In Tights, #361 - The Producers)

Review
Mel Brooks keeps popping up here, and this is the fifth review reviewing a film directed by him (sixth with him, #087 - Robots), and the track record of his films are fine, ranging from a 7 to a 10, so could this keep the track record going? Yeah, pretty much. The film is a parody of suspense films by Alfred Hitchcock (most notably Vertigo), and the parody for the most part works out well. It doesn't shred Hitchcock (in fact, Hitchcock gave Brooks some wine after the film was released), it instead embraces it, and yet still has some good gags. Brooks is alright, not a bad lead. Kahn and Carey are okay, but what I find the best are Cloris Leachman and Harvey Korman, who do a fine job (being the villains, spoilers, but yeah.), and make this worthwhile. Admittedly some of the jokes don't hold up as well, but at least I had some fun while watching. Trust me when I say this, this won't be the last time a Mel Brooks film will be reviewed here. While this film isn't as good as say, Blazing Saddles or The Producers, it is at least a decent Mel Brooks film, and that's usually enough.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: North.

Review #363: North.

Cast
Elijah Wood (North), Jon Lovitz (Arthur Belt), Matthew McCurley (Winchell), Alan Arkin (Judge Buckle), Jason Alexander, Julie-Louis Dreyfus, Dan Aykroyd, Reba McEntire, John Ritter, Abe Vigoda, and Bruce Willis. Directed by Rob Reiner (#108 - This Is Spinal Tap, #180 - Stand by Me, #232 - The Princess Bride)

Review
It's sad, a cast that looks recognizable, and a director with a good record on the reviews all got together to make this. The only reason I know about this film is due to Roger Ebert and his review of the film, absolutely destroying this film. But does the film have ANY respectable thing going for it? Does it have anything that makes it any better than something like, say The Room? Well........No. Kind of expected, actually. But hey, it-No wait, it really can't be that worse. The film starts and ends...with Bruce Willis. Seriously, he pops up seven times, and not one of them makes any sense. Is he his guardian or does he really just pop up for no reason? It's sad that that this is my first review of Elijah Wood (Okay second counting 9, but first live action film.), and he actually does a decent job, not annoying. That goes to Matthew McCurley, who oddly enough reminds me of Macaulay Culkin, but he's actually worse, not having one degree of subtleness or even a smudge of actual character.  What's sadder for me is that Rob Reiner directed this, a director who's last three films reviewed here got scores of 8, 9, and 10 respectively, and he churns out a painfully unfunny film. I wondered who they made this for, who would possibly like this. Kids? Maybe, but then they would grow older and hate this film and tell others to stay away. I figured this would be easy to watch, given it's scant 88 minute run time. I was wrong. While the film does boast showing locations from Alaska to...South Dakota, it practically has a checklist of what things to make "fun" of, none of them working. What's even stranger is that this was based off a novel named "North: The Tale of a 9-Year-Old Boy Who Becomes a Free Agent and Travels the World in Search of the Perfect Parents" by Alan Zweibel, and this film was even co-produced and screenwriten by the author. Clearly, this isn't a case of "Bad novel adaptation", this is a rare case of "Bad movie coming from possible bad novel", which is extremely rare. Clearly this film was made for the sole purpose of having exotic film locations to film in more for vacationing than actual good movie making. But to close this review, I will let a definite judgement of the film come from someone else more experienced for over 45 years sum it up: "I hated this movie. Hated, hated, hated, hated, hated this movie. I hated it. Hated every simpering stupid vacant audience-insulting moment of it. Hated the sensibility that thought anyone would like it. Hated the implied insult to the audience by its belief that anyone would be entertained by it." Roger Ebert, everyone.

Overall, I give it 2 out of 10 stars.

Rest in Peace - Roger Ebert.

    There was a time when people watched two crtics talk about movies, not on paper, but on television, and it originally had Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert as the two critics. After Siskel's death, Richard Roeper would replace him, but the main defining force was Roger Ebert. He reviewed films for over 45 years, and he was the first critic I ever watched on TV, and probably the first for other people as well.

Roger Ebert once said that "Being a film critic mean finding someone who's willing to pay you to do what you love."

In his last words on his blog, he said: "So on this day of reflection I say again, thank you for going on this journey with me. I'll see you at the movies."

Truly he was a great man, and from a reviewer to another reviewer, my thoughts are with him and his loved ones.

Roger Ebert: 1942-2013.

Movie Night: Mac and Me.

Review #362: Mac and Me.

Cast
Jade Calegory (Eric), Christine Ebersole (Janet), Jonathan Ward (Michael), Katrina Caspary (Courtney), MAC (MAC), Squire Fridell, and Ronald McDonald. Directed by Stewart Raffill.

Review
It just so happens this is nearly 25 years old, but hey, who's counting? Anyway, this was made for the sole purpose of...entertainment. Yeah, nothing else, nothing at all, and with a "purpose" like that, even Ronald McDonald decided to star, for the "honor", I suppose. I think this is actually my first review with a lead actor who uses a wheelchair, and he does a fine job, not really a bad actor, not memorable, but not annoying. Then there's our alien, named MAC, which stands for "Mysterious Alien Creature". What, it sound repetive and oddly familiar to some other alien with letters that form an acronym? Never noticed. The plot is essentially an alien who crashes down to the planet, getting into hilarious hijinks, and of course he is discovered by the kids, and even though we (the audience) know he exists, we must go through sequences where the parents don't believe the kids, until finally, they do. Oh and, let's not forget the scientists who try to capture the alien, even though they cause more damage, almost eliminating the purpose of the scientists. Almost, because clearly they aren't a cliche, nope, not at all. Oh, and there's a dance sequence at McDonalds, and it totally works into a plot like this. And naturally, everything works out well, because this was the 80's, so, yeah. What a happy film.

Overall I give it "10" out of 10 stars...


...APRIL FOOLS! (actual rating: 5)

Movie Night: The Producers (1968).

Review #361: The Producers.

Cast
Zero Mostel (Max Bialystock), Gene Wilder (Leo Bloom), Dick Shawn (Lorenzo St. DuBois), Kenneth Mars (Franz Liebkind), Lee Meredith (Ulla), Estelle Winwood, Christopher Hewett (Roger De Bris), and Andreas Voutsinas (Carmen Ghia) Directed by Mel Brooks (#061 - Blazing Saddles, #198 - Spaceballs and #248 - Robin Hood: Men In Tights)

Review
On March 18, 1968, a film was released, named The Producers, the first film directed by Mel Brooks, who I've reviewed before along with Zero Mostel (#300 - Watership Down) and Gene Wilder (Blazing Saddles and #131 - Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory), so this already has a familiarity for me. But the real question is this a good film? You bet your Springtime it is. The comedy is a riot, especially with the main two leads. Wilder has an impenetrable charm that combines with the manic energy of Mostel, which combines together with the rest of the cast and their lunacy. The plot is simple, yet actually creative, in an odd way. In a way, it's like if a producer wanted to remake Manos: The Hands of Fate with Tommy Wiseau directing in 3D, but...better? Anyway...What I like about the film is that it has a lot of spirit, it feels like something great, managing to have a lot of gags that aren't over the top, more toned down, something that isn't seen much now. After 45 years, this is a really good film, and if you can find the film (about 90 minutes), give it a watch, you won't regret it.

Overall, I give it 10 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Octopussy.

Review #360: Octopussy.

Cast
Roger Moore (James Bond), Maud Adams (Octopussy), Louis Jourdan (Kamal Khan), Steven Berkoff (General Orlov), Kabir Bedi (Gobinda), Kristina Wayborn (Magda), Vijay Amritraj (Vijay), David Meyer (Mischka), Anthony Meyer (Grischka), Desmond Llewelyn (Q), Robert Brown (M), Geoffrey Keen (Fredrick Gray), Walter Gotell (General Gogol), Douglas Wilmer (Jim Fanning), and Lois Maxwell (Miss Moneypenny) Directed by John Glen (#281 - The Living Daylights, #290 - Licence to Kill, #296 - A View to a Kill, #358 - For Your Eyes Only)

Review
This was the 13th James Bond film, and Roger Moore's 6th overall. This is the last review of Roger Moore as James Bond, and his era (of 12 years) had its good films (The Spy Who Loved Me, For Your Eyes Only), its strangeness (Live and Let Die, Moonraker, A View to a Kill), and... well...(The Man with the Golden Gun)...yeah. But is this any good? Well...Let's get to the point. Moore does a fine job as usual, nothing really to pick at for acting per say. Maud Adams is our lady in the Bond franchise...again. She was in TMWTGG, a secondary leading lady, now she is the main lead. And she is okay, not really a great leading lady, but take her acting for what it's worth. Jourdan plays our...villain. He's kinda forgettable and his henchmen is sadly forgettable. The only memorable guy with a weapon is...the guy with a saw yo-yo. Seriously. Llewelyn gets a slightly bigger role and he is enjoyable, like usual. Robert Brown as the new M is alright, not as well as Bernard Lee, but still alright. He would be M for the next three films. The rest of the cast (Keen, Gotell, and Maxwell) do good as always. Of course the film seems like a good film, and it does have its moments, but it all bogs down due to a flaw: the plot. Maybe it's just me, but I really wonder what the plot was about exactly, something about smuggling, or about...Bond briefly as a clown? Yeah, it's a bit weird. Is it odd? Yes. Does it have moments of watchability? Sure. Is it that bad? Not really. It is alright, but take it for what's it worth.

Overall, I give it 6 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Leprechaun.

Review #359: Leprechaun.

Cast
Warwick Davis (Leprechaun), Jennifer Aniston (Tory), Ken Olandt (Nathan), Mark Holton (Ozzie), Robert Hy Gorman (Alex Murphy), David Permenter (Deputy Tripet), William Newman (Sheriff Roy Cronin), and Shay Duffin (Daniel O'Grady) Directed by Mark Jones

Review
Ah yes, what better way to celebrate St. Patrick's Day than with a Leprechaun. Doesn't that sound fun? No? Then I wouldn't watch this film either. The main figment of the film is, well the leprechaun, played by former Ewok, Warwick Davis. And that is why the film fails as well. He really isn't that scary, maybe it's the purple pants or the fact that...it's a leprechaun, trying to eliminate people with a pogo stick, or...having his getaway vehicle being a tricycle and a go kart. Also, what is he going to do with the coins if he got them all? Actually, this film is a perfect checklist of horror films. It has a few characters, in a secluded place, where one stalks them (being something unpredictable), the phone goes out, the car never starts when needed, the comedy relief that either manages to escape or not, and a mediocre run time of 90 minutes. Is the acting good? Ha ha, no. Its acting is average, not really anything useful. And yes, this is an example of an actor having their debut in horror films. Why, I don't know. Is it any good? Are leprechauns scary? I think we both know the answer. Happy St. Patrick's Day I suppose.

Overall, I give it 3 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: For Your Eyes Only.

Review #358: For Your Eyes Only.

Cast
Roger Moore (James Bond), Carole Bouquet (Melina Havelock), Julian Glover (Aristotle Kristatos), Chaim Topol (Milos Columbo), Lynn-Holly Johnson (Bibi Dahl), Michael Gothard (Emile Locque), Cassandra Harris (Lisl von Schlaf), John Wyman (Erich Kriegler), Desmond Llewelyn (Q), Jill Bennett (Jacoba Brink), Jack Hedley (Timothy Havelock), Lois Maxwell (Miss Moneypenny), Geoffrey Keen (Fredrick Gray), James Villiers (Bill Tanner), John Moreno (Luigi Ferrara), Walter Gotell (General Gogol), and Robert Rietti (Blofeld) Directed by John Glen (#281 - The Living Daylights, #290 - Licence to Kill, and #296 - A View to a Kill)

Review
This is the 12th Bond film and the fifth with Roger Moore. While Moonraker was indeed a success, the next film intended to be more serious, more down to earth. Does it work is the main question. And...it sort of works. Moore even at 52 still does a pretty good job. He still has his quips and an odd charm that only Moore can pull off as Bond. The leading lady is Carole Bouquet, and she does an alright job, not great but not bad. Then there's our villain, played by Julian Glover. I do admire the approach the writers went with for the character (which I won't spoil), but overall he isn't really villainous enough. I feel he doesn't really steal the show or even try to eliminate Bond like some would do (which is likely the point, considering some of the previous adversaries Bond has faced - Jaws being an easy example). Even dropping him into a pool of sharks would be better than "dragging him" in the water. Glover's scheme is not entirely bad though. The rest of the cast is alright, Chaim Topol (last seen in #215 - Flash Gordon) is good, and cast regulars like Desmond Llewelyn and Lois Maxwell do their usual best. It might be useful to note that Bernard Lee (and M) are absent from this film, but that is due to Lee dying before this film went into production, and M was left absent out of respect. The film doesn't exactly sputter, it kinda chugs and chugs a bit slowly to the finish line, where something is missing, it feels like it needed something unknown to make this a bit better, though it still is a fine experience; obviously this is an improvement over Moonraker. It has its moments (such as the scene at the beginning with Blofeld which sadly is better than the Blofeld in Diamonds Are Forever), and director John Glen shows why he would direct the next four films of the franchise, he has good action scenes and it works when it needs to. Take it for when it works.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Last Boy Scout.

Review #357: The Last Boy Scout.

Cast
Bruce Willis (Joe Hallenbeck), Damon Wayans (James Dix), Noble Willingham (Sheldon Marcone), Taylor Negron (Milo), Danielle Harris (Darian Hallenbeck), Halle Berry (Cory), Chelsea Field (Sarah Hallenbeck), and Bruce McGill (Mike Matthews) Directed by Tony Scott (#029 - Top Gun and #253 - Unstoppable)

Review
This film is like a checklist for action films in some senses. Longtime action star? Check. Second cast member who helps out the first action star? Check. 80s-90s feel? Check. Writer of a previous action film? Check. Director of previous action films? Check. But the last question is: Is it any good? Ehhh...sure. Willis tries his best given the limited range for this character, but I'll certainly say he does better than he did in Hudson Hawk. Wayans does okay, nothing really that special. The rest of the cast is okay, either being over the top or just okay.The action isn't all that bad, it has its moments. The film reminds me of Lethal Weapon, with its small bits of comedy and action sequences, both sharing the same writer, Shane Black, who coincidentally is directing Iron Man 3. It has its moments despite not really being any different from other action films, but it isn't that bad.

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Lethal Weapon 2.

Review #356: Lethal Weapon 2.

Cast
Mel Gibson (Martin Riggs), Danny Glover (Roger Murtaugh), Joe Pesci (Leo Getz), Joss Ackland (Arjen Rudd), Derrick O'Connor (Pieter Vorstedt), Patsy Kensit (Rika Van Den Haas), Darlene Love (Trish Murtaugh), Traci Wolfe (Rianne Murtaugh), Steve Kahan (Captain Murphy), Mark Rolston (Hans), and Jenette Goldstein (Meagan Shapiro) Directed by Richard Donner.

Review
Lethal Weapon 2 is a film that in the end manages to hold up to the first one in many ways, with twists of its own. To begin with, Gibson and Glover do well, but the twist to this is the addition of Joe Pesci (part of the "Sequel-Character" Rule, where a film's sequel has added a new character to affect or help out in the story.), who..does a fine job. Maybe it's because I can handle his aspects of acting in the film better than Chris Tucker in Rush Hour. Come to think of it, this is more entertaining than the Rush Hour films, with a better to story to boot. This story is allright, weaving the good parts of the first with unusually more comedy aspects that make this an entertaining flick that keeps the magic of the first film alive.

Overall, I give it 10 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Lethal Weapon.

Review #355: Lethal Weapon.

Cast
Mel Gibson (Martin Riggs), Danny Glover (Roger Murtaugh), Gary Busey (Mr. Joshua), Mitchell Ryan (Peter McAllister), Tom Atkins (Michael Hunsaker), Darlene Love (Trish Murtaugh), Jackie Swanson (Amanda Hunsaker), Traci Wolfe (Rianne Murtaugh), Damon Hines (Nick Murtaugh), and Ebonie Smith (Carrie Murtaugh) Directed by Richard Donner (#075 - Scrooged)

Review
This has a lot going for it, especially with the two main characters and the villain. Gibson and Glover work especially well, as a duo for some laughs and as a double team, which is magnified by the action. Oddly enough, Gary Busey does a fine job as...a villain. Last I reviewed him he was Buddy Holly, so its a bit of a change. But it works. The rest of the cast is good as well, keeping the pace going. The film manages to have some gags that do manage to not get in the way of the action. It's a strange, but good feeling. The story is fine, and the directing is effective. After all these years and some sequels, this hangs well, managing to live on and on. I'm not getting too old for this stuff...

Overall, I give it 10 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: You Only Live Twice.

Review #354: You Only Live Twice.

Cast
Sean Connery (James Bond), Akiko Wakabayashi (Aki), Mie Hama (Kissy Suzuki), Donald Pleasence (Ernst Stavro Blofeld), Tetsurō Tamba (Tiger Tanaka), Teru Shimada (Mr. Osato), Karin Dor (Helga Brandt), Bernard Lee (M), Charles Gray (Dikko Henderson), Burt Kwouk (Spectre 3), Lois Maxwell (Miss Moneypenny), Desmond Llewelyn (Q), and Ronald Rich (Hans) Directed by Lewis Gilbert (#292 - The Spy Who Loved Me and #338 - Moonraker)

Review
This was the fifth James Bond film, two years after Thunderball, and Sean Connery's first "retirement" from the role. I already talked about Diamonds Are Forever and how it failed to give Connery a proper swan song. But is this film any better nonetheless? Sort of. Connery is improved from Thunderball, and the action and setting do indeed work compared to the last one, especially the scenery. The plot is strange-ish, I don't know what it is, maybe it's the rockets that get swallowed or something. It baffles me if that makes any sense. Then there's our leading ladies, which...are all right. Wakabayashi does a fine job, being memorable enough. Hama is okay; she's not a bad Bond girl, but she's also not entirely memorable. It is admirable that the film has some culture, with the setting being good for a Bond film. Then there's Donald Pleasence as Blofeld, a villain that had been built up in the previous films, where we see his face. And...it is creepy, but I don't know how you could've revealed him without someone being disappointed. He doesn't get much to do, but I suppose it makes sense, its about Bond, not the villain. Pleasence does okay, but I find myself to prefer Telly Savalas' portrayal in the next film. The film does have its merits, though it sets the beginnings for the silly aspects of the next few films (thankfully not with OHMSS), which may or may not be a good thing. This probably would've been a good end for Connery's Bond, but oh no, it wasn't. But oh well.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Monsieur Verdoux.

Review #353: Monsieur Verdoux.

Cast
Charlie Chaplin (Henri Verdoux), Martha Raye (Annabella Bonheur), Isobel Elsom (Marie Grosnay), Margaret Hoffman (Lydia Floray), Marilyn Nash (The Girl), Barbara Slater (The Florist), Irving Bacon (Pierre Couvais), Edwin Mills (Jean Couvais), Virginia Brissac (Carlotta Couvais), Almira Sessions (Lena Couvais), Eula Morgan (Phoebe Couvais), and William Frawley (Jean La Salle) Directed by Charlie Chaplin.

Review
I thought it might've been a good idea to review a 40s film, especially for March 1st. And what do you know, it stars none other than Charlie Chaplin. Chaplin is a legend whose career spanned over four decades, directing, starring, writing, and composing his own films, and this film is one of them. A fun fact is that Orson Welles suggested the idea of the film. So how is the film is the actual question. And...it's real good. Its dark humor seems to hit a chord with me, and Chaplin manages get some laughs here and there. The writing works, it certainly feels fun and strangely it is kinda sad when it ends, because you kinda don't want it to end, it has a feel that grows on you after a while, where you keep watching for Chaplin and for the fun. That, and it is very well made.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Who Framed Roger Rabbit.

Superceded by Redux Review: https://movienightcentral.blogspot.com/2023/06/redux-who-framed-roger-rabbit.html

 
Review #352: Who Framed Roger Rabbit.

Cast
Bob Hoskins (Eddie Valiant), Charles Fleischer (Roger Rabbit, Benny the Cab, Psycho, Greasy), Christopher Lloyd (Judge Doom), Kathleen Turner (Jessica Rabbit), Joanna Cassidy (Dolores), Alan Tilvern (R. K. Maroon), Stubby Kaye (Marvin Acme), and Lou Hirsch (Baby Herman) Directed by Robert Zemeckis (#317 - The Polar Express)

Review
Well, well, what can I say. I've heard so much about this film and its new techniques it used all those years ago, directed by none other than Robert Zemeckis. While the Polar Express wasn't exactly great per se, it was okay. This film...is so much better. The animation works really well, especially when it interacts with the live action characters, obviously made with skill and care. The acting works too, especially from Bob Hoskins. I love the way he acts with Roger, managing to get a laugh from me even when he is so hard boiled. Fleischer does well, emulating a classic cartoon character, not too annoying, which is fine. He also voices other characters who are just as memorable. But Lloyd steals the show, with the scenes that he is in, then again, he always gave me a sense of enjoyment, which stays around here. The rest of the cast, including Turner, do respectable jobs, keeping the tone of the film intact. This is a charming film that manages to keep itself going, weaving a creative story along with making me laugh, being a highlight of animation all in all.

Overall, I give it 10 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Schindler's List.

Review #351: Schindler's List.

Cast
Liam Neeson (Oskar Schindler), Ben Kingsley (Itzhak Stern), Ralph Fiennes (Amon Göth), Caroline Goodall (Emilie Schindler), Jonathan Sagall (Poldek Pfefferberg), Embeth Davidtz (Helen Hirsch), Małgorzata Gebel (Wiktoria Klonowska), Mark Ivanir (Marcel Goldberg), Beatrice Macola (Ingrid), Andrzej Seweryn (Julian Scherner), Friedrich von Thun (Rolf Czurda), and Jerzy Nowak (Investor) 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, and #302 - Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull)

Review
This is a polarizing film. This is a film that blends into any time period, managing to have shock and horror, but not disgusting you to the point of leaving. It keeps you in, managing to work for all with Spielberg obviously wanting to do this project, and to do it right, and for good reason. Films usually don't always touch us, some are for entertainment, some are for art, some are for others, but this is for many, many people, as a tribute, which works to the film and to the people. It is a reminder, it is a sad tale, with the black and white working especially well. The acting is good, especially from Neeson, who manages to leave an impact on you. It's been twenty years since this film, and even so it still works very well. It is what most call a masterpiece.

Overall, I give it 10 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Manos: The Hands of Fate.

Review #350: Manos: The Hands of Fate.

Cast
Harold P. Warren (Michael), Diane Mahree (Margaret), Jackie Neyman (Debbie), John Reynolds (Torgo), and Tom Neyman (The Master) Directed by Harold P. Warren.

Review
If I ever regret watching a film, this would be it, along with Birdemic. What can I say about a film that has nothing going for it? The facts about the film are immensely better then the film itself. It has really bad choppy edits, with a camera that can't film more then half a minute and the quality being a copy of a copy of the original work print (which was recently found in 2011), which gives the impression of being filmed through a drain. The fact that this managed to be filmed in color (Eastman as said by the...poster of the film) and not in black and white astonishes me.

This was made on a bet to see if Harold P. Warren (a insurance and fertilizer salesman) could make a film all by himself on the budget of a shoestring ($19,000), with amateur acting (including himself). You might think that because he did a majority of the film making process, the is the 60s equivalent of Tommy Wiseau. He is not for only one reason: Wiseau had a budget ($7 million), and he still had a bad (if not laughable) film. This is an incoherent mess, with dubbing for all the voices, being shot at night (they couldn't film at daytime because the actors has jobs) an attracting moths, without much light for scene, including one scene where two cops go "investigate" by going three steps away from the car, then give up (this due to the fact the lights didn't illuminate much, if at at all), which is immensely noticeable. The only person that looked like they had some talent is John Reynolds, as Torgo (also known as that guy with big springs in his legs), giving a slightly creepy performance, even if sometimes it is undermined by the dubber (The dubber apparently thought repeating lines made sense. Oh well. The dubber apparently thought repeating lines made sense.) The fun fact is that "Manos" translates to Hands, making this literally Hands: The Hands of Fate.

Believe it or not, but this film actually had a grand premiere, at a theater, with a searchlight and the whole cast (Except for Reynolds who had died earlier) there to see the grand failure. Warren said that if was dubbed differently, it could be me made into a comedy, which is correct. The film faded from the critical eye for nearly 30 years, fading from laughter until Mystery Science Theater 3000 riffed on it, giving this film some level of recognition, good or bad is debatable (for about 5 seconds), but nonetheless, this is one of those films that you can suffer through AND still comment on, either as jokes, or at yourself if you manage to watch it. If you need to waste an hour, you could watch it and have some sort of critique...or just watch the MST3K version. Either way. Wow, great idea for Review #350, hmm? It's like I make a copy of a review, badly saturated, and with the same line writing months ago. I lived through the film, and if you can live through the film, you should get a medal. But hey, 350 Reviews, at least that's something. Now then...

Overall, I give it 1 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Wings (1927).

 Review #349: Wings.

Cast
Charles Rogers (Jack Powell), Clara Bow (Mary Preston), Richard Arlen (David Armstrong), Gary Cooper (Cadet White), Jobyna Ralston (Sylvia Lewis), El Brendel (Herman Schwimpf), Richard Tucker (Air Commander), Gunboat Smith (Sergeant), and Roscoe Karns (Lieutenant Cameron) Directed by William A. Wellman.

Review
Wings is an unique film in some ways. It was the first film to win Best Picture (known as Outstanding Picture at the time) at the first Academy Awards, the only silent film to win the award, and it also includes aerial action from the yesteryear of 1927, over 85 years ago. But does this film still hold up? Yeah, pretty much. The actors do try to convey emotion, to convey message with expressions rather then voice (Obviously considering this is silent), which works decent. Clara Bow does a memorable job, though, having a certain zing which manages to make you interested in her character, which helps. The aerial action is understandably cool. It works really well, especially with the brief flash of color when the planes go down. The story isn't a whole lot, but the action and the relative enjoyment exceed overall. Is it great? Not precisely, but it is a fixture of importance in film and in history, which is more than enough. Countdown to 350 Reviews: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Poltergeist (1982).

Review #348: Poltergeist.

Cast
Craig T. Nelson (Steven Freeling), JoBeth Williams (Diane Freeling), Heather O'Rourke (Carol Freeling), Dominique Dunne (Dana Freeling), Oliver Robins (Robbie Freeling), Zelda Rubinstein (Tangina Barrons), Beatrice Straight (Dr. Lesh), Martin Casella (Marty), Richard Lawson (Ryan), James Karen (Mr. Teague) Directed by Tobe Hooper.

Review
When I think about it, there are some films I watch and have an expectation for, and with Steven Spielburg contributing to the story and screenplay and with Tobe Hooper directing, what could go wrong? The only thing that happen to be wrong was in my assumptions. The film frightfully exceeded my expectations and turns out to be one of the best film in the decade of the 1980s. The acting works very well, especially from Nelson and Williams, given that the pairing of them comes off strong, always keeping the tension going, along with O'Rourke. The best part though is the story and the effects. Oh boy, those effects. The story works well, and it even manages to pull a twist at the end. The effects do provide scares, especially in the middle and at the end as well. It's a film that provides all the perks of a classic with good atmosphere and chills to go with it. Countdown to 350 Reviews: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2...

Overall, I give it 10 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Planet of the Apes (1968).

Review #347: Planet of the Apes.

Cast
Charlton Heston (George Taylor), Roddy McDowall (Cornelius), Kim Hunter (Zira), Maurice Evans (Dr. Zaius), James Whitmore (Assembly President), James Daly (Honorious), Linda Harrison (Nova), and Robert Gunner (Landon) Directed by Franklin J. Schaffner.

Review
It figures that even though I happen to own the 2001 remake and the 2011 reboot Rise of the Planet of the Apes, the original, 1968 version is reviewed first. That or it was on, I suppose. And because Rod Serling wrote the screenplay along with having Charlton Heston and Roddy McDowall starring in their first times here, why the heck not, they can't pry this review from my cold, dead, hands. The story is good, I like how it doesn't try to veer into silliness, strangely resembling (for me anyway) a longer version of a Twilight Zone episode (BTW, you should really check out The Twilight Zone, it's a really great series. The 50's one, I mean), especially with the ending, which works well to this day. The acting works, it grows on you after a while or so (like Heston), especially with some memorable quotes. It is easy, however to tell what age this was made from as is sometimes has a dated look, but that doesn't hurt the film entirely. 45 years since, and it still is a recommended piece to watch, either before or after watching the remake. My goodness...You did it. You really did it. You maniacs! You remade it! Damn you! Damn you all to hell! Countdown to 350 Reviews: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3...

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: On the Town.

Review #346: On the Town.

Cast

Gene Kelly (Gabey), Frank Sinatra (Chip), Ann Miller (Claire Huddesen), Jules Munshin (Ozzie), Betty Garrett (Brunhilde Esterhazy), and Vera-Ellen (Ivy Smith) Directed by Stanley Donen (#137 - Bedazzled and #227 - Singin' in the Rain) and Gene Kelly (#227 - Singin' in the Rain)

Review

It's been a while since I reviewed a musical or even a film, and this just happens to be both. But look, Frank Sinatra happens to be in this (I wonder if anyone will be thinking to themselves "Who?"), so there's a small first. Gene Kelly pops up once again, always seeming to be impressive in either directing or starring. The film around Kelly does a respectable job, with singing and dancing right off the bat, mostly being useful. Kelly again does manage to carry a good portion of the film, which is useful, along with Sinatra and Garrett. The story may no be much, and it may seem strangely short (at about 100 minutes), but it works for the most part. It has a strange charm, keeping you watching for some odd reason. Countdown to 350 Reviews: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4...

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Happy Gilmore.

Review #345: Happy Gilmore.

Cast
Adam Sandler (Happy Gilmore), Christopher McDonald (Shooter McGavin), Julie Bowen (Virginia Venit), Frances Bay (Grandma Gilmore), Carl Weathers (Chubbs Peterson), Allen Covert (Otto), Kevin Nealon (Gary Potter), Richard Kiel (Mr. Larson), and Bob Barker. Directed by Dennis Dugan.

Review
It's unamazing how I've managed to not review a film starring Adam Sandler for over 300 reviews. The predicatble thing I would say would be "And after watching this, I probably won't review him for the next 300 reviews." Granted,  that might be true, but that word predictable does ring in for this film. Like some (or most) sports films, they have a formula, the loser who manages to break his way into a sport, who goes throught trouble and some major event happens to him, which motivates the person as they win a major event in the end. But hey, it could be worse, I could be watching The Waterboy. Sandler does okay, I suppose, not really funny, but...not really funny. The only things I can say are enjoyable for me is the fight with Bob Barker and...Richard Kiel (Gee, isn't that familiar...), oddly enough. If you want a golf movie...you'd be best off with Caddyshack. But I digress. The strange thing is that it gets a better rating than Twilight. Ouch.

Overall, I give it 5 out of 10 stars.