|
Four Kernel
Movies
Categories
About my
Reviews
I rent all my movies at: www.netflix.com
which is a top notch movie DVD mail-order rental company. You
can't beat their selection and fast delivery. The descriptions below come from
Netflix. Some of my own movie reviews from when I was a movie
reviewer for the Shelburne News are included as well. I use the
four (popcorn) kernel rating system similar to Roger
Ebert, my favorite movie reviewer. Four kernels is as good
as it gets. More of my reviews
here.
Contemporary
Dramas
8 Mile
The people of Detroit know 8 Mile as the city limit, a
border, a boundary. It is also a psychological dividing line
that separates Jimmy Smith Jr. from where and who he wants to
be. A provocative fictional examination of a critical week in
Jimmy's life, 8 Mile stars multi-platinum recording artist
Eminem in his first feature-film leading role, along with Kim
Basinger (as Jimmy's mother), Mekhi Phifer, Brittany Murphy and
Eugene Byrd.
American Gigolo
Julian Kaye (Richard Gere) is a high-class escort for lonely
women in this drama written and directed by Paul Schrader. When
one of Julian's tricks turns up dead, his actual client refuses
to give him an alibi, and Detective Sunday (Hector Elizondo)
keeps asking questions Julian can't answer. Seems the only
person who can help Julian now is his one non-paying lover, a
local politician's wife (Lauren Hutton).
A Perfect World
The leading icons of two generations of acting meet when
fugitive Kevin Costner takes a young boy hostage and goes on the
lam across the Lone Star State, hotly pursued by Texas Ranger
Clint Eastwood. Robbery, murder and a haunting final
confrontation are the lynchpins of a remarkable movie that takes
a close look at the true nature of violence. Eastwood also
directs, and Laura Dern plays a criminologist who joins Eastwood
in the pursuit.
American Beauty
A shocking and funny look at suburban life, American Beauty
stars Kevin Spacey and Annette Bening as a couple struggling to
endure a stale marriage, unfulfilling careers and a rebellious
teen daughter. Immersed in a midlife crisis, Spacey decides to
rattle some cages. The ensuing familial contempt, tit-for-tat
insults and outlandish behavior will leave you laughing,
cringing and thinking long after the credits roll.
Bagdad Cafe
Bavarian tourist Jasmin (Marianne Sägebrecht) fights with
her husband in the Mojave Desert and storms off to a nearby
café-motel, where she develops a prickly friendship with the
owner, Brenda (CCH Pounder). In time, they turn the decrepit
café into a local hot spot, and Jasmin becomes a popular
entertainer. The characters who collect at the café, including
Hollywood set-painter Rudi (Jack Palance), form an odd sort of
family in this quirky film.
Bandits
Bank robbers Bruce Willis and Billy Bob Thornton battle over
the affections of a woman (Cate Blanchett) they kidnap before
one of their big heists. Adding insult to injury, they then
force a TV show host to cover their 15 minutes of fame while
they go on a bank-robbing spree -- Blanchett in tow -- and gain
notoriety as "The Sleepover Bandits."
The Big Easy
A smooth-talkin' New Orleans detective (Dennis Quaid)
uncovers a drug-based mob war while dating a no-nonsense
assistant D.A. (Ellen Barkin). It's a fast-paced action comedy
highlighted by the hot romance between Quaid and Barkin.
Bonnie and Clyde
Serial bank robbers, sometime lovers and folkloric heroes,
Bonnie Parker (Faye Dunaway) and Clyde Barrow (Warren Beatty)
barrel across depression-ravaged America on a shooting spree
that ended in a deathly rain of bullets -- for them. Sexy and
stylish, the film, directed by Arthur Penn, shattered the crime
film mold, layering comedy onto mayhem and youthful criminality.
Gene Wilder makes his first film appearance here.
The Breakfast Club
At 7 a.m., Emilio Estevez, Anthony Michael Hall, Judd
Nelson, Molly Ringwald, and Ally Sheedy had nothing to say to
each other as they faced a Saturday detention together in their
high school library. But by four p.m., they had bared their
souls in this seminal '80s film. To the outside world they were
simply the Jock, the Brain, the Criminal, the Princess, and the
Kook, but to each other, they would always be The Breakfast
Club.
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
Paul Newman and Robert Redford are an immortal team as two
wisecracking cowboy bandits with delusions of the grand heist.
When they flee to Bolivia, thinking South America will be easier
pickings than the Old West, the duo get up to their necks in
trouble. William Goldman's peerlessly scripted buddy comedy
prototype features Burt Bacharach's catchy "Raindrops Keep
Fallin' on My Head."
The Butterfly Effect
If you could travel back in time and undo a horrible
childhood, would you? This thriller poses that complex question
when a young man named Evan Treborn (Ashton Kutcher), who's
besieged by tragic memories, discovers a way to alter his past.
But should he? And will it make a difference? Amy Smart, Kevin
Schmidt and Eric Stoltz co-star.
Calendar Girls
The members of the Rylstone Women's Institute of North
Yorkshire are resilient, resourceful and refined. They're also
about to shock the residents of this little English town. When
one of their own discovers her husband has cancer and needs
treatment that the couple can't afford, the group decides to put
out their yearly calendar to raise money. But instead of the
usual Yorkshire dales, they'll be gracing the pages in the nude.
The Cider House Rules
Director Lasse Hallström's nostalgic look at the past takes
on racism, romance and the difficulty of saying goodbye to those
you love. A young man (Tobey Maguire) leaves the orphanage where
he was raised to see the world, learning in the process that the
real world is wherever you are. John Irving's carefully hewn
script and supporting actor Michael Caine won Oscars.
The Cooler
Bernie Lootz (William H. Macy) is the unluckiest man in Las
Vegas. Looking to knock out their highest rollers, one of the
last mob-run casinos in town uses Bernie as a "cooler"
to defuse lucky streaks. The scheme goes along just fine until
Bernie falls in love with a cocktail waitress (Maria Bello) who
becomes his "lady luck," much to the chagrin of the
casino's crooked director (Alec Baldwin).
They Shoot Horses Don't They (1969)
(from Netflix) In the midst of the Depression an entire
generation sought out the dance marathon. Brought together by
chance, Gloria and Robert test their friendship and physical
endurance as the manipulative contest promoter pushes them to
the limits. The dance marathon was eventually banned legally in
all states.
**This has the slower pacing of older movies, but when I got
what the story was about - which is not what you think it's
about - I was incredibly moved. This film won nine academy
awards and by the end I knew why. I thought about it for days.
Crazy in Alabama
Young Peejoe (Lucas Black) sees his quiet life in rural
Alabama turned upside down one troubled summer in the 1960s.
Peejoe's eccentric Aunt Lucille (Melanie Griffith) kills her
husband and heads for Hollywood just as their town explodes in
racial strife. Griffith's husband, Antonio Banderas, made his
directorial debut with this heady mix of social drama and dark
comedy.
The Crime of Padre Amaro
Young Amaro, a recently ordained priest, goes to Los Reyes
to help Father Benito with the duties of the temple. There,
Father Amaro meets and falls in love with Amelia, a beautiful,
sensual 16-year-old girl -- which leads to his discovering many
dark secrets about the local diocese. A huge scandal is
unleashed when the town newspaper publishes these secrets,
sending the diocese, with father Amaro's aid, scrambling to
contain it.
Dirty Pretty Things
Okwe (Chjwetel Ejiofor), an illegal immigrant working as a
night porter at a posh London hotel, stumbles across evidence of
a bizarre murder. He and Senay (Audrey Tautou), a Turkish
chambermaid -- and fellow undocumented worker -- venture into
the city's seedy underworld to find out what happened. Stephen
Frears directs this gritty urban thriller.
Don Juan De Marco
Psychiatrist Marlon Brando is assigned to diagnose a
mysterious young man (Johnny Depp) who's convinced that he's Don
Juan De Marco, a legendary lover and swashbuckler. The journey
into Don Juan's past revitalizes the doctor's own relationship
with his wife (Faye Dunaway). The mix of old and new star power
plus charm to spare makes this a great first date DVD. The café
singer is Selena, who died just weeks before this film's
release.
Fame
Competition is fierce at New York City's High School for the
Performing Arts. The kids who attend it have big dreams … and
the talent to make them come true. This Academy Award-winning
(for Best Original Score and Best Original Song) musical depicts
the search for fame by a band of students who want you to
remember their names: Coco (Irene Cara), Montgomery (Paul
McCrane), Doris (Maureen Teefy), Raul (Barry Miller) and Bruno
(Lee Curreri).
Far from Heaven
A Connecticut housewife (Julianne Moore) finds herself
dealing with her husband's (Dennis Quaid) infidelity (she finds
him with another man) and the racial tension that epitomized the
late 1950s at the advent of the Civil Rights movement in
America. As a coping mechanism, she develops a friendship with
her African-American gardener (Dennis Haysbert), who's full of
sage wisdom.
Fried Green Tomatoes
Set in rural Alabama, this is a funny and heartwarming story
about family, friendship and murder. Adapted from Fannie Flagg's
best selling novel this movie was a big hit at the box office
due to superb acting by a very talented cast.
Gaudi Afternoon
Barcelona hasn't turned out to be the romantic dreamland
fledgling translator Cassandra Reilly (Judy Davis) thought it
would be. Nearly broke, she's about to return to America when
the beautiful and mysterious Frankie Stevens (Marcia Gay Harden)
offers her an abnormally large sum of money to track down
Frankie's missing lover. Soon, Cassandra's embroiled in a
kidnapping case full of double crosses and lesbian femmes
fatales!
Get on the Bus
A father and son, chained together by court order. A black
historian. A cop. A former gangbanger. These are some of the
souls who rode the bus from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C., to
attend the Million Man March in 1995. Released on the one-year
anniversary of the controversial gathering, director Spike Lee's
stirring narrative examines the delicate threads of racism that
permeate African-American culture.
Glengarry Glen Ross
A group of real estate salesmen (Jack Lemmon, Al Pacino, Ed
Harris and Alan Arkin) in Chicago vie for the best
"leads" at a small firm selling property in resort
areas such as Florida and Arizona. When a hotshot executive
(Alec Baldwin) from the head office arrives and proposes a
vicious sales contest (the winner gets a Cadillac, the loser
gets fired), competition gets stiff, and the veteran salesmen
suddenly find their jobs in jeopardy.
Glory
An epic tale of triumph and tragedy. Based on the letters of
Col. Robert G. Shaw, Glory tells the tale of a Union Army
regiment composed entirely of black volunteers. Denzel
Washington, Morgan Freeman and Andre Braugher stand out as
soldiers with a personal stake in the fight against slavery.
Matthew Broderick shines as Shaw, who commanded the regiment at
great personal risk.
Godspell **NOTE: the
soundtrack for this film is magnificent and I highly recommend
it. Unfortunately the movie, in my opinion, is drek. I included
it here anyhow only because of the score.
The popular Broadway musical is adapted to film by directors
David Greene and John-Michael Tebelak. Godspell retells the
gospel of St. Matthew as it might happen in late-1960s
Manhattan, as John the Baptist (David Haskell) gathers nine
hippies and baptizes them in Central Park. When Jesus Christ
(Victor Garber) joins in, a real love-fest begins, and the group
joyously performs Biblical parables as they wander the city.
Grease
John Travolta solidified his position as the most versatile
and magnetic screen presence of the 1970s in this film version
of the smash hit play. Recording star Olivia Newton-John made
her American film debut as Sandy, Travolta's naïve love
interest. The impressive supporting cast reads like a
"who's who" in this quintessential musical about the
fabulous '50s -- an energetic and exciting musical homage to the
age of rock 'n' roll!
The Green Mile
Director Frank Darabont's powerful adaptation of Stephen
King's supernatural tale is set on death row in a Southern
prison. The cellblock's head guard, Paul Edgecomb (Tom Hanks),
develops a poignant relationship with inmate John Coffey
(Michael Clarke Duncan), a gentle giant who has the power to
heal people's ailments. Edgecomb soon recognizes Coffey's gift
and desperately tries to help the falsely convicted man stave
off his execution.
The Grifters
Roy Dillon's (John Cusack) life is turned upside down when a
con job goes bad. His estranged mother, Lilly (Anjelica Huston),
who happens to be on the lam, reunites with her son to oversee
his health care, only to be faced by Roy's headstrong,
competitive, con-artist girlfriend Myra Langtry (Annette
Bening). Myra does her best to win over her man in Stephen
Frears's darkly funny and intricately layered look at life's
seedy side.
Grosse Pointe Blank (my
review)
John Cusack stars as Martin Blank, a freelance assassin
facing a crisis of conscience. Back home for his 10th
anniversary high school reunion, Blank must fend off a
professional peer (Dan Aykroyd) dead-set on inducting him into
the newly formed assassins union, sort out his feelings for his
high school sweetheart (Minnie Driver), and squeeze in a
last-minute contract killing.
Hair
In the film version of the hit Broadway
musical, Treat Williams owns the screen as Berger, the
iconoclastic leader of a group of hippies living in New York
City's Central Park. They meet Claude (John Savage), a naive
Midwesterner on his way to Vietnam, and try to make him one of
their own. The musical numbers, staged by modern danseuse Twyla
Tharp, electrify. NOTE: The best scene in this film is
when they sing "Aquarius." It's mesmerizing.
The Handmaid's Tale
Following a coup, America is a country still at war with
itself and ruled by a repressive Bible-inspired regime. Past
pollution means only 1% of women can bear children, and female
criminals found to be potential mothers are put into an
institution run by 'Aunt Lydia' to be indoctrinated.
High Fidelity
Vintage record store owner Rob Gordon (John Cusack) has been
dumped by his girlfriend, Laura (Iben Hjejle), because he hasn't
changed since they met. In an attempt to figure out where things
went wrong, Rob revisits his top five breakups of all time. As
he seeks out his former lovers to find out why they dumped him,
he continues his efforts to win Laura back. Based on the Nick
Hornby novel, the film is a clever, funny tribute to the music
scene.
Iron Jawed Angels
From 1912 to 1920, a group of fiery young suffragettes led
by Alice Paul (Hilary Swank) and Lucy Burns (Frances O'Connor)
band together to wheedle the United States into adapting a
Constitutional amendment guaranteeing women the right to vote.
Along the way, they incur the wrath of President Woodrow Wilson
(Bob Gunton) and anger other suffragette leaders (Anjelica
Huston and Lois Smith). Directed by Katja von Garnier.
Jesus Christ Superstar **NOTE: I
found both the 1973 film, and 2000 theatre to film versions
marginal at best. I included this movie here because the score
by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber is unquestionably one of the
most inspired and moving pieces of music I have ever heard.
Don't rent the movie. Instead buy the CD from the original
Broadway production featuring Murray Head as Judas. His powerful
and emotional vocals far surpass anything you will hear in the
films.
Told from Judas' point of view, this rock opera chronicles
the last 7 days of Christ's life on earth. The key to the film's
success was a brilliant musical score that produced several hit
songs and won an Academy award.
Keeping the Faith
Despite differing faiths, the Rev. Brian Finn (Edward
Norton) and Rabbi Jacob Schram (Ben Stiller) -- who were boyhood
pals -- enjoy working together to spread "the word."
But when Anna Riley (Jenna Elfman) enters the picture, it
creates a love triangle that threatens to destroy the men's
friendship as they jockey to win Anna's hand in this divine
comedy.
Kids
Telly (Leo Fitzpatrick) is on a mission to deflower as many
virgins as possible. His addle-brained theory: Boffing
first-timers will protect him from contracting HIV. Trouble is,
he already has it. Controversial photographer-filmmaker Larry
Clark follows a group of aimless New York teens around a city
with few parents and fewer boundaries. Nineteen-year-old Harmony
Korine (Gummo) co-wrote the raw, provocative script.
Kiss of the Spider Woman
Brilliant film with William Hurt and Raul Julia. *not
available from Netflix
Roger Ebert's review is here:
http://www.suntimes.com/ebert/ebert_reviews/1985/08/7261.html
L. A. Story
A wacky television weatherman (Steve Martin) thinks his life
is perfect until an electronic freeway sign changes his life.
The sign's advice leads him into a frivolous romance and
ultimately to true love with the woman of his dreams.
The Last Temptation of Christ
Nikos Kazantzakis' landmark novel comes to life in this
moving and spiritual film from director Martin Scorsese. The
all-star cast includes Harvey Keitel, Barbara Hershey, Harry
Dean Stanton, David Bowie and Willem Dafoe as Jesus. NOTE: This
movie was hugely controversial when it came out because it
portrayed Jesus as a real man, with human needs. That being
said, there is this truly amazing scene where Jesus is in the
desert and rips his own heart out.
Lawless Heart
Three men who've led very different lives are reunited by
the funeral of their mutual friend. Stuart's accidental death
leads his brother-in-law (Bill Nighy), his boyfriend (Tom
Hollander) and his best friend (Douglas Henshall) to reconsider
some of their choices in life -- and even to take a few risks.
Told in three parts (from each character's perspective), this
modern romance takes a remarkable look at how delicately lives
can be intertwined.
Life as a House
Faced with a diagnosis of terminal cancer, George (Kevin
Kline) decides to construct a beautiful new house on his land
overlooking the Pacific ocean, while at the same time trying to
connect with his estranged son (Hayden Christensen). Kristin
Scott Thomas and Mary Steenburgen co-star in a dramedy that
speaks eloquent volumes about the fragility -- and resilience --
of the human condition.
Like Water for Chocolate
A feast for the senses, Like Water for Chocolate is a
magical romance from Mexico. The passionate Tita loves Pedro,
but Tita's controlling mother forbids her to marry until an
older sister finds a husband. Stymied in love, Tita turns to
cooking and learns that she has the power to transfer her
emotions through the food she prepares.
The Locusts
Delilah Potts (Kate Capshaw) has always had her choice of
men to work her ranch and fill her bed. But from the moment Clay
Hewitt (Vince Vaughn), a handsome drifter with a mysterious
past, arrives at her door, Delilah knows that her life will
never be the same.
Love Field
Bored housewife Lurene Hallett idolizes Jacqueline Kennedy,
and plans to console the First Lady at the President's funeral.
The real adventure begins when Lurene boards the bus headed for
Washington.
Matchstick Men
A professional con man (Nicolas Cage) struggling with an
obsessive-compulsive disorder meets the daughter (Alison Lohman)
he never knew he had, inadvertently jeopardizing his very
organized and artificially controlled life. Sam Rockwell plays
Cage's partner and protégé in the con man business, and Melora
Walters plays Cage's ex-wife. Directed by Ridley Scott and based
on Eric Garcia's novel of the same name.
A Midnight Clear
n 1944 France, an American intelligence squad locates a
German platoon that prefers to surrender rather than die in
Germany's final war offensive. The two groups of men, isolated
from the war at present, put aside their differences and spend
Christmas together before the surrender plan turns bad and
they're forced to fight each other. The superb ensemble cast
includes Ethan Hawke and Kevin Dillon.
Monster
Aileen Wuornos (Charlize Theron, in an Oscar-winning
performance) faced difficult odds early in life, abusing drugs
and becoming a prostitute (and pregnant) by the age of 13.
Wuornos moved from Michigan to Florida where she continued to
ply her "trade," specializing in a clientele
consisting mainly of truck drivers. It was during that time that
she began murdering any "John" who tried to rape her.
Christina Ricci co-stars in this true story.
Moonlight Mile
Moonlight Mile is the story of a young man (Jake Gyllenhaal)
who's taken in by the mother (Susan Sarandon) and father (Dustin
Hoffman) of his recently deceased fiancée, as he's the only
living connection to their daughter. Even as they're all still
grieving, Gyllenhaal begins to fall in love with a woman (Ellen
Pompeo) whose boyfriend has gone missing. But will Gyllenhaal's
former in-laws-to-be accept the new relationship?
Music Box
When an elderly Hungarian man (Armin Mueller-Stahl) is
accused of war crimes that took place many decades ago, his
lawyer daughter (Jessica Lange) decides to defend him in court.
But there's another reason she's speaking out for him; for her
own peace of mind, she needs to know he truly is innocent.
Co-stars Frederic Forrest, Lukas Haas and Cheryl Lynn Bruce.
Mystic River
Three childhood friends, Sean (Kevin Bacon), Dave (Tim
Robbins) and Jimmy (Sean Penn) are reunited in Boston 25 years
later when they are linked together in the murder investigation
of Jimmy's daughter. This taut thriller from director Clint
Eastwood won two Oscars (Robbins and Penn) and was nominated for
several more in its exploration of human behavior when faced
with pain just beneath the surface, justified rage, and scars
that never heal.
October Sky (my review)
As the Soviet satellite Sputnik streaks across the heavens
in October 1957, it's a source of inspiration for 17-year-old
Homer Hickam (Jake Gyllenhaal), who refuses to follow in his
father's footsteps laboring in West Virginia's coal mines. Homer
would rather reach for the stars -- literally. Drafting a few
friends, he sets about crafting a rocket to compete for a
science-fair scholarship -- and a chance to change his seemingly
immutable future.
Of Mice And Men (with Gary Sinese)
Based on John Steinbeck's 1937 classic tale, this drama
tells the story of friends George (Gary Sinise, who also
directed) and dim-witted gentle giant Lennie (John Malkovich),
who wander the country during the Depression. They find work on
a California farm and get closer to realizing their dream of
settling down, but it all goes tragically wrong when the boss's
wife (Sherilyn Fenn) makes advances.
One Night Stand
With a continent separating Wesley Snipes and his wife, he
meets the comely Nastassja Kinski and agrees to take the spare
bed in her hotel room. Needless to say, the cot doesn't get much
use. Intended to be a loosely connected series of sex scenes,
director Mike Figgis instead weaves a protracted tale about loss
and regret.
The Piano
Forget the Lifetime Channel -- The Piano is real
entertainment for women with a decidedly female point of view.
Holly Hunter (who won a Best Actress Oscar) plays a
strong-willed 19th century Scottish expatriate who arrives in
New Zealand with her daughter (Anna Paquin) and her beloved
piano. Although betrothed to a farmer (Sam Neill), Hunter falls
for former Maori tribesman Harvey Keitel.
Picture Bride
Following her parents' deaths, Riyo (Tamlyn Tomita), a
16-year-old Japanese girl, becomes a "picture bride"
for Matsuji, a Hawaiian sugarcane worker who, as is the custom,
willingly enters into the arranged marriage. But after Riyo
arrives in Hawaii, she discovers that her fiancé has deceived
her with an old photo and that Matsuji is really 43. Despite the
lie, and with few other options, she marries him -- but won't
sleep with him.
Pleasantville (my review)
What happens when a brother (Tobey Maguire) and sister
(Reese Witherspoon) time-travel to the black-and-white world of
a 1950s TV sitcom with a perfect mom (Joan Allen) and dad
(William H. Macy)? They find the "perfect" world has
imperfections. This delicate fable with heart examines in a
rich, thoughtful way our collective nostalgia for days of apple
pie and peace that perhaps never existed.
Pump Up the Volume
When a book on Lenny Bruce falls into the right young,
disaffected, youthful hands, the FCC has its work cut out for
it. Christian Slater plays a quiet high school student whose
alter ego "Hard Harry" cries injustice and spins punk
and rap records from his basement at night for a growing fan
base who finds his radio frequency. When the ultra-conservative
school administration starts swinging, Hard Harry's fans rally,
and Slater gets the girl.
The Quiet American
Based on the novel by Graham Greene, this murder mystery
centers on a love triangle set against the French Indochina War
in 1952 Vietnam -- a world suffused with opium, intrigue and
betrayal. A British reporter, Fowler (Michael Caine, in an
Oscar-nominated performance), falls in love with a young
Vietnamese woman, Phuong (Do Thi Hai Yen), and is dismayed when
American CIA agent Pyle (Brendan Fraser) also begins vying for
her attention.
Rambling Rose
Everything changes when Rose (Laura Dern) moves in with a
Southern family to care for their children. The father (Robert
Duvall), tries to resist the temptations of Rose, who relates to
everyone in an innocent yet highly sexual manner.
A River Runs Through It
Director Robert Redford narrates this nostalgically American
true story of two Montana brothers whose fly-fishing symbolizes
their lives. The older brother (Craig Sheffer) makes plans and
works hard, while the younger (Brad Pitt) does as he pleases and
follows his gut; both struggle to live up to their father's high
standards in fishing and morals. This character drama clinched
an Oscar for Best Cinematography and two other Academy
nominations.
Road to Perdition
Hit man Michael Sullivan (Tom Hanks), known in his 1930s
Chicago world as The Angel of Death, is on the run after his
wife (Jennifer Jason Leigh) and son are murdered. With his
surviving son (Tyler Hoechlin) in tow, Michael sets out to exact
brutal vengeance. Complicating matters in this crime actioner
are a reporter (Jude Law), Al Capone's enforcer (Stanley Tucci)
and other shady characters.
Reversal of Fortune
In this tauntingly ambiguous courtroom drama, the enigmatic
Claus von Bülow (Jeremy Irons) stands accused of putting his
wife, Sunny (Glenn Close), into a perpetual coma with an insulin
overdose. Claus hires hard-charging attorney Alan Dershowitz
(Ron Silver), who scrambles to defend his client -- with help
from some impassioned Harvard law students -- while Sunny
narrates flashbacks that shed light on the events that lead to
her condition.
The Rocky Horror Picture Show
Come to the lab, and see what's on the slab! This notorious
horror parody -- a fast-paced potpourri of camp, sci-fi and rock
'n' roll, among other things -- tracks the exploits of naïve
couple Brad (Barry Bostwick) and Janet (Susan Sarandon) after
they stumble across the lair of transvestite vampire Dr.
Frank-N-Furter (a brilliant Tim Curry). The film bombed in its
initial release but later gained a cult following at midnight
showings.
Runaway Jury
In this drama based on John Grisham's best-selling novel,
Nick Easter (John Cusack) gets himself on the jury of a landmark
case against a gun manufacturer and, as the foreman, tries to
influence the other jury members to vote a certain way.
Meanwhile, Easter's girlfriend, Marlee (Rachel Weisz), tries to
swindle the attorneys (Gene Hackman and Dustin Hoffman) to pay
millions of dollars to have the jury return a verdict friendly
to their clients.
Seabiscuit
During the Depression, a former bicycle repairman, Charles
Howard (Jeff Bridges), owned a small, knobbly-kneed horse called
Seabiscuit. Howard teamed up with half-blind ex-prize-fighter
Red Pollard (Tobey Maguire), who became the horse's jockey, and
former "mustang breaker" Tom Smith (Chris Cooper), who
became the horse's trainer. People around the country became
fascinated with the story of Seabiscuit, who won Horse of the
Year honors in 1938.
Shattered Glass
This fact-based film depicts the rise and fall of disgraced
journalist Stephen Glass (Hayden Christensen), who was a staff
writer at The New Republic and contributed stories to Rolling
Stone and other magazines. Glass fabricated many of his stories,
which led to his downfall. Steve Zahn plays the Forbes.com
technology reporter who uncovered the truth about Glass's
deception. Chloe Sevigny, Hank Azaria and Rosario Dawson also
star.
The Shawshank Redemption
"I guess it comes down to a simple choice, really. Get
busy living or get busy dying," says Andy (Tim Robbins), a
timid banker in jail for murder. Morgan Freeman is unforgettable
as Red in this adaptation of Stephen King's short story
"Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption." Tough
and tender, the film takes viewers deep into a prison community
rich with simple wisdom and humanity.
Shining Through
With Melanie Griffith & Michael Douglas *not available
from Netflix
Roger Ebert's review is here:
http://www.suntimes.com/ebert/ebert_reviews/1992/01/738849.html
The Shipping News
Distraught after the disappearance of his estranged wife,
Quoyle's (Kevin Spacey) long-lost aunt (Judi Dench) convinces
him to move with his daughter to their ancestral home in
Newfoundland. Here, where life is rough and secrets are many,
Quoyle lands a job as a reporter for the local paper. Now, a
past is emerging, a mystery is unfolding and life is awakening.
Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by E. Annie Proulx.
Sliding Doors (my review)
Two universes unfold in Sliding Doors, a romantic fantasy
about alternate possibilities. Londoner Gwyneth Paltrow is shown
in two scenarios, each propelled by the same incident. In the
first scenario, she squeezes through the subway train's doors on
time and catches her boyfriend fooling around. In the second
version, she's stuck on the train and returns to her flat, none
the wiser.
Sling Blade
A tour de force from writer-director-star Billy Bob
Thornton, Sling Blade is the story of Karl Childers, a man
released from a psychiatric hospital where he had been
incarcerated since age 12 for murdering his mother and her
lover. Returning to his hometown, Karl (though mentally
handicapped) lands a job at a garage fixing motors and befriends
a young boy. But can he outrun his past?
Smilla's Sense of Snow (my review)
When her 6-year-old neighbor falls from a roof, Smilla
Jasperson (Julia Ormond) suspects the boy's death was no
accident. She starts investigating and discovers that the boy's
father died on a secret expedition while working for a mining
company. With the help of a mysterious neighbor known as the
Mechanic (Gabriel Byrne), Smilla defies local authorities and
begins a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse to uncover the truth.
Smoke
A Brooklyn cigar store anchors the vignettes that make up
this lyrical Wayne Wang movie written by famous author Paul
Auster. Auggie (Harvey Keitel), the store manager, is surprised
by a visit from his ex-wife, who says their daughter is in
trouble. Rashid (Harold Perrineau Jr.), a runaway searching for
his father (Forest Whittaker), saves Auggie's customer, Paul
(William Hurt), from being hit by a car, and changes his life
forever.
The Station Agent
When his only friend dies, a young dwarf named Finbar
McBride (Peter Dinklage) relocates to an abandoned train station
in rural New Jersey, intent on living the life of a hermit. But
his solitude is soon interrupted by his colorful neighbors,
which include a struggling artist (Patricia Clarkson) coping
with the recent death of her young son and a talkative Cuban hot
dog vendor (Bobby Cannavale).
The Sting
Fueled by ragtime music, The Sting takes the thrill of the
confidence game to giddy heights. After rookie grifter Johnny
Hooker (Robert Redford) tracks down veteran flim-flam man Henry
Gondorff (Paul Newman) in 1930s Chicago, the duo plans to fleece
a homicidal racketeer (Robert Shaw) through a phony racetrack
scam. Ripe with double and triple crosses, The Sting keeps
viewers guessing (and yearning for another Newman-Redford
seriocomic teaming).
Summer House
With Joan Plowright. *not available from Netflix
Roger Ebert's review is here:
http://www.suntimes.com/ebert/ebert_reviews/1993/12/896010.html
Sunshine State
In this tale about small-town folks battling big-time
business, Desiree Perry (Angela Bassett) returns to her hometown
of Plantation Island, Fla., to resurrect herself and reconnect
with her family. Longtime resident Marly Temple (Edie Falco)
runs her family's small motel. When a big developer attempts to
build a golf resort, the women team up to save their stretch of
seashore.
Thelma & Louise
Waitress Louise Sawyer (Susan Sarandon) and naive housewife
Thelma Dickinson (Geena Davis) take off for a simple weekend
free of men … and become outlaws blazing a cathartic trail
across America.
The Third Man
Who was Harry Lime? And who killed him? And is he really
dead? These are just a few of the questions writer-turned-sleuth
Holly Martins (Joseph Cotton) tries to answer as he trolls the
shadowy streets of postwar Vienna. Director Carol Reed turns
Graham Greene's classic mystery into a film noir without equal.
You'll be humming the zither theme for weeks!
Twilight
A burned-out private eye - Paul Newman - offers to help an
old friend with a blackmail scheme. As the truth slowly comes to
light Newman finds himself uncovering the details of a long,
unsolved case.
The War
Vietnam War veteran Stephen Simmons (Kevin Costner) deals
with an entirely different set of conflicts at home in 1970
Mississippi. As Stephen copes with his post-traumatic stress
disorder and employment difficulties, his children -- led by son
Stuart (Elijah Wood) -- build a gigantic tree house in the woods
and then must defend it against a group of local bullies. Mare
Winningham plays Stuart's wife, Lois, in this Jon Avnet-directed
film.
War Games
After he cracks the security of an Air Force supercomputer,
young hacker David Lightman (Matthew Broderick) accidentally
tells it to start preparing a preemptive nuclear strike.
Combining Cold War paranoia with adolescent adventure, director
John Badham's techno-thriller follows Lightman and girlfriend
Jennifer (Ally Sheedy) as they travel across the country to try
and warn the military of the impending launch.
The Weight of Water
Two couples (Catherine McCormack and Sean Penn, Josh Lucas
and Elizabeth Hurley) head off to New Hampshire to look into the
double murder of two sisters in 1873. The film, based on Anita
Shreve's novel, volleys back and forth between the past and the
present, dredging up not only the past killings but the
modern-day relationships of the foursome, as well.
White Palace
With Susan Sarandon & James Spader *not available from
Netflix
Roger Ebert's review is here:
http://www.suntimes.com/ebert/ebert_reviews/1990/10/573033.html
Wonder Boys
An endearing slice of life that centers on an unraveling
English professor (Michael Douglas) forced to confront his
writer's block, fear of aging and irresponsibility as he watches
a student (Tobey Maguire) surpass him. Douglas and cast give
powerfully realistic performances in this poignant dramedy.
Steven Kloves copped an Oscar nod for his faithful adaptation of
Michael Chabon's novel.
Working Girl
Industrious secretary Tess McGill (Melanie Griffith) dreams
of climbing the corporate ladder and may be on her way after
landing a job with Katherine Parker (Sigourney Weaver), a top
brokerage firm executive. When a skiing mishap puts Katharine
out of commission, the secretary discovers her boss has stolen
Tess' idea for saving a client. Hooking up with investment
broker Jack Trainer (Harrison Ford), Tess takes over the deal
and turns the tables.
Futuristic
12 Monkeys
In the year 2035, convict James Cole (Bruce Willis)
reluctantly volunteers to be sent back in time by scientists to
1996 to discover the origin of a virus that wiped out nearly all
of the earth's population. When Cole is mistakenly sent to 1990,
he's arrested and locked up in a mental hospital, where he meets
a psychiatrist (Madeleine Stowe) and the son (Brad Pitt) of a
famous virus expert (Christopher Plummer). Terry Gilliam
directs.
Equilibrium
In a futuristic world, a strict regime has eliminated war by
suppressing emotions: Books, art and music are strictly
forbidden, and feeling is a crime punishable by death -- a rule
that's enforced by feeding the denizens a mood-limiting drug.
John Preston (Christian Bale) is a top government official
responsible for destroying those who resist the rules. But when
he misses a dose of his own medication, he experiences a pang of
conscience.
Gattaca
A young man, born in the 90s, is vulnerable to emotions he's
not supposed to feel in the 21st Century where perfection is
made possible by genetic science. Sci-fi thriller about an
all-too-human man who dares to defy the system.
The Matrix
In this complex story that aspires to mythology, a computer
hacker (Keanu Reeves) searches for the truth behind the
mysterious force known as the Matrix. He finds his answer with a
group of strangers led by the charismatic Morpheus (Laurence
Fishburne). What they encounter in confronting that truth makes
for a lightning-paced, eye-popping thrill ride of a movie that
cleverly combines sociopolitical commentary with cutting-edge
special effects.
Minority Report
Thrills, spills and kills -- well, not the last, if Tom
Cruise can help it. Cruise plays John Anderton, a top Pre-Crime
cop in the late-21st century, when technology can predict crimes
before they're committed. But Anderton becomes the quarry when
another investigator (Colin Farrell) targets him for a murder
charge. Can Anderton find a glitch in the system and prove his
innocence before it's too late?
Strange Days
Ex-cop Lenny Nero (Ralph Fiennes) is a pusher of potent --
and illegal -- virtual-reality clips, peddling sex, murder and
violence to the masses in quasi-futuristic Los Angeles. But when
a high-profile murder shows up in his collection, Lenny is
snared in a fast-paced manhunt. With the help of his friend Mace
Mason (Angela Bassett), he stays ahead of danger and tries to
protect an old flame (Juliette Lewis).
Tank Girl
In this laugh-a-minute, futuristic thriller, a mega-villian
(Malcolm McDowell) controls the world's water supply, and it's
up to Tank Girl (Lori Petty) and her outrageous cohorts to end
his greedy reign.
Costume
Dramas/Period Pieces
The Age of Innocence
Edith Wharton's sprawling, Pulitzer Prize-winning novel
about manners in 1870s New York society transfers to the screen
in fine fashion (it was filmed before in 1924 and 1934). Daniel
Day-Lewis is a well-bred man-about-town who's engaged to marry
his opposite number (Winona Ryder). But when free-thinking
beauty Michelle Pfeiffer enters the picture, all bets are off.
Martin Scorsese directs this fascinating paean to Victorian
mores.
Amadeus
F. Murray Abraham earned a Best Actor Oscar for his
imperious performance as Antonio Salieri, a mediocre composer
whose churlish young rival, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Tom Hulce),
wins immortality with his musical genius. Salieri, not happy to
see his talent eclipsed, deviously plots revenge. Sly and
compelling from start to finish, Amadeus also won Oscars for
Best Picture and Best Director (Milos Forman).
Camille Claudel
*Read
my Mindful Living Column on this
The talent and ambition of French sculptor Camille Claudel
(Isabelle Adjani) catch the attention of legendary sculptor
Auguste Rodin (Gérard Depardieu) in this passionate
biographical drama. Claudel abandons her work to assist the
womanizing Rodin, becoming his muse and his lover. When the
affair ends disastrously, Claudel spins into an emotional
turmoil that eventually sends her spiraling toward madness.
Dangerous Liasons
In this film version of the acclaimed stage play, French
aristocrats Glenn Close and John Malkovich enjoy lives of
privilege in palaces as beautiful as their souls are ugly. Close
and Malkovich enter into wagers focusing on the virginal Uma
Thurman and the virtuous Michelle Pfeiffer. It's just a game …
until it isn't, and passions become inflamed in a battle for
control.
Ethan Frome
In this drama based on Edith Wharton's 1911 novel detailing
a forbidden love triangle, Ethan Frome (Liam Neeson) is torn
between his joyless marriage to Zenobia (Joan Allen) and his
longing for cousin and housekeeper, Mattie Silver (Patricia
Arquette). Directed by John Madden (would later direct the
multi-Oscar-winning Shakespeare in Love), the film features a
rare screen appearance by Katherine Houghton (Guess Who's Coming
to Dinner).
Girl with a Pearl Earring
Sometimes, inspiration is found in the most surprising
places ... or people. In this cinematic adaptation of the
best-selling novel of the same name, Scarlett Johansson stars as
Griet, the young housemaid with a hidden appreciation for art
who becomes the muse of Dutch master painter Johannes Vermeer
(Colin Firth), famous for capturing the luminosity and grace of
women in their domestic setting.
The Remains of the Day
Anthony Hopkins is a dutiful manservant to an English lord
with Nazi sympathies in this Merchant-Ivory production that
reunites him with his Howard's End co-star, Emma Thompson. She
plays the head housekeeper at the baronial manor and tries to
coax Hopkins out of his staid shell -- with middling results.
Both Hopkins and Thompson were Oscar-nominated for their subtle,
glancing work here.
Sommersby
This romantic drama stars Richard Gere as Confederate
soldier Jack Sommersby, who goes home to his wife Laurel (Jodie
Foster) after the war. Feeling guilty for assuming Jack was dead
and getting engaged to another man, Laurel decides to take back
the husband she never loved and finds he's a different man --
perhaps literally. His benevolent acts attract the attention of
Laurel's scorned beau, who digs into Jack's past and finds he's
a wanted man.
Up at the Villa
Danger is the ultimate aphrodisiac in this romance set in
pre-World War II Italy. Kristin Scott Thomas is a beautiful,
penniless English widow forced by circumstances to consider the
proposal of an aging diplomat. When she's seated at a dinner
party next to a brash young American (Sean Penn), a chain of
events unfolds leaving her with a murder to cover up and a
passionate night to remember.
Suspense/Adventure/Action/Body
Heat Genre/Thrillers/Mystery
American History X with that freaking amazing
actor Edward Norton
A California neo-Nazi (Oscar-nominee Edward Norton) gets sent to
prison for murder and comes out a changed man. But can Norton
atone for his sins and prevent his younger brother (Edward
Furlong) from following in his hate-filled footsteps? With
searing performances and gut-wrenching realism, American History
X offers a compelling and anguishing look at racism, family and
forgiveness.
Black Widow
Body Heat genre film with Debra Winger as the black widow
spider who makes love to her men, then bites their heads off.
(figuratively speaking)
*not available from Netflix
Roger Ebert's review is here:
http://www.suntimes.com/ebert/ebert_reviews/1987/02/215782.html
Fight Club
When corporate drone Edward Norton can't sleep, his insomnia
leads him to take desperate measures and introduces him to
roguish rebel Brad Pitt. Together they stage impromptu (and
brutal) parking lot boxing matches. But when other men join in
the "fun," Pitt transforms the club from a group of
men rebelling against conformity into a nihilistic cult of
pranksters with greater malice in store.
Rules of Engagement
Sensing a crisis in Yemen, the U.S. government sends Col.
Terry Childers (Samuel L. Jackson) to remove the U.S. ambassador
and his family. Childers succeeds but ends up killing 80
civilians in the process. Fearing a court martial that could put
him behind bars for the rest of his life, Childers looks to Col.
Hayes Hodges (Tommy Lee Jones) to defend him in court.
Body Heat
A movie hot enough to melt paint. Ambulance-chasing lawyer
Ned Racine (William Hurt) falls for femme fatale Matty Walker
(Kathleen Turner), who's married to the richest man in town.
Clearly derived from Double Indemnity, Body Heat scores with
style: It's a steamy, adult update of classic film noir. John
Barry's seductive score adds to a film already dripping with
atmosphere.
Catch Me If You Can
Frank W. Abagnale Jr. was a true Renaissance man -- working
as a doctor, a lawyer and a pilot for a major American airline
all before he turned 18. In Catch Me if You Can, Leonardo
DiCaprio plays the cunning Abagnale, a con artist so skilled at
forgery that he managed to steal millions of dollars. Tom Hanks
is Carl Hanratty, an FBI agent hot on Abagnale's trail in this
fact-based crime film directed and produced by Steven Spielberg.
Confessions of a Dangerous Mind
Chuck Barris (Sam Rockwell) has it all -- a hot TV hit,
"The Gong Show," and the love of a good woman (Drew
Barrymore). But he's got one big secret: He's a CIA assassin who
kills while purportedly escorting his game show winners on their
vacation prizes. George Clooney directs and co-stars with Julia
Roberts in this film based on the book of the same name,
authored by the real-life Barris.
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Ang Lee's articulate direction, coupled with Yuen Woo-Ping's
(The Matrix) balletic martial arts choreography, makes for a
devastating one-two punch. Potent performances from Chow Yun-Fat,
Michelle Yeoh and newcomer Ziyi Zhang also give heft to this
story about a young woman in ancient China who longs for an
adventurous life rather than a dull arranged marriage. The
treetop fight scene is not to be missed.
Fat Man and Little Boy
This film tracks the remarkable relationship between a
military man and his scientist colleague, whose project will
forever change history. General Leslie Groves (Paul Newman) is a
sardonic soldier in charge of World War II's Manhattan Project
along with head scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer (Dwight
Schultz). While the quest for control of nuclear power grows
closer, tension escalates for those involved as ethical
questions continue to arise.
Frailty
Bill Paxton and Matthew McConaughey star in this gripping
thriller with evil at its core - and a family in the crossfire.
FBI Agent Wesley Doyle is charged with tracking down "God's
Hand," a notorious murderer who terrorized a Texas town
years ago and has surfaced again. When Fenton Meeks tells the
FBI that he knows the killer, past and present converge as Meeks
tries to put an end to the murders and relieve his
long-tormented conscience.
Identity
Ten complete strangers are stranded at a remote desert motel
during a raging storm and soon find themselves the target of a
deranged murderer. As their numbers thin out, the travelers
begin to turn on each other, as each tries to figure out who the
killer might be. This spine-tingling thriller stars John Cusack,
Jake Busey, Rebecca DeMornay, Clea DuVall and Ray Liotta.
Memento
Suffering short-term memory loss after a head injury,
Leonard Shelby (Guy Pearce) embarks on a grim quest to find the
lowlife who murdered his wife. To carry out his plan, Shelby
snaps Polaroids of people and places, jotting down contextual
notes on the backs of the photos to aid in his search and jog
his memory. A gritty, complex thriller, Memento packs more knots
than a hangman's noose.
Murder on the Orient Express NOTE:
I have seen this film many times, and even so, every time I
watch the opening sequence I'm scared witless.
Renowned Belgian investigator Hercule Poirot (Albert Finney)
is heading home on the Orient Express. An American businessman,
Samuel Ratchett (Richard Widmark), and his assistants are on
board. During the journey, Ratchett is found murdered. As
Ratchett was responsible for the kidnapping and killing of a
baby, everyone on the train wanted him dead, so Poirot must now
sift through an eccentric group of suspects to find the killer.
Paycheck
Michael Jennings (Ben Affleck) is a genius who's hired --
and paid handsomely -- by high-tech firms to work on highly
sensitive projects, after which his short-term memory is erased
so he can't breach security. But at the end of a 3-year job,
he's told he isn't getting a paycheck and instead receives a
mysterious envelope. In it are clues he must piece together to
find out why he wasn't paid and how he's gotten in hot water.
Co-stars Uma Thurman.
Point of No Return (U.S. Version of La Femme Nikita)
This American remake of La Femme Nikita stars Bridget Fonda
as a cop killer on death row. After the government stages her
execution, she wakes up to an unusual offer: Become a government
assassin, or die -- this time, for real. A mix of My Fair Lady
and James Bond, Point of No Return turns electrifying when Fonda
tries to push the eject button.
Sleuth
Milo Tindle (Michael Caine) has an affair with Marguerite
(Eve Channing), the wife of mystery writer Andrew Wyke (Laurence
Olivier). Andrew tells Milo he'd be glad to be rid of his wife,
but wants to avoid paying alimony. He suggests that Milo pretend
to rob the house and get away with the wife and her jewelry,
while Andrew claims the insurance loss. You won't guess all the
twists in this smart psychological thriller.
The Long Kiss Goodnight
Geena Davis is an innocent citizen pursued by the
government. An amnesiac schoolteacher, she can't remember
anything before the day she "woke up" 8 years ago,
injured and 2 months pregnant. When killers come knocking on her
door, she goes on the lam with lowlife detective Samuel L.
Jackson, only to discover that she was once a CIA assassin.
Saw (2004)
(from Netflix) Would you die to live? That's what two
men, Adam (Leigh Whannell) and Gordon (Cary Elwes), have
to ask themselves when they're paired up in a deadly
situation. Abducted by a serial killer, they're both holed
up in a prison constructed with such ingenuity that they
may not be able to escape before their captor decides it's
time to dismantle their bodies in his signature way.
Attempting to break free may kill them too, but staying
definitely will.
**There are definitely some gruesome parts to this so
if you're sensitive, don't rent it. It's gruesome in a
delightful way though. It was gripping from the very first
moment.
The Sixth Sense
Some kids have imaginary friends. Cole (Haley Joel Osment)
does them one better: He lives in a world beyond imagination,
filled with ghosts and madness. Bruce Willis is the empathic
child psychiatrist who tries to heal the child, only to find
that the poltergeists are not of this world and the problem may
be his own. Tightly wound and filled with twists, M. Night
Shyamalan's terrifying thriller will chill you.
The Spanish Prisoner (my
review)
Never trust what you see. When a naïve inventor (Campbell
Scott) develops "The Process," a top-secret program
guaranteed to make billions for his company, the wolves come out
-- to fleece him. David Mamet wrote and directed this twisty
mystery with masterful sleight of hand. Powerful performances by
Ben Gazarra and Steve Martin, plus plenty of surprises and
stings, make The Spanish Prisoner the ultimate con flick.
Taking Lives
FBI profiler Illeana Scott (Angelina Jolie) is recruited to
assist Montreal police in their desperate search for a serial
killer who assumes the identities of his victims. Feeling like a
square peg in a round hole, Illeana tries to forge a working
relationship with the Canucks while racing against time before
the killer can strike again. Ethan Hawke also stars as a museum
employee who may be the killer's only eyewitness.
Wargames
After he cracks the security of an Air Force supercomputer,
young hacker David Lightman (Matthew Broderick) accidentally
tells it to start preparing a preemptive nuclear strike.
Combining Cold War paranoia with adolescent adventure, director
John Badham's techno-thriller follows Lightman and girlfriend
Jennifer (Ally Sheedy) as they travel across the country to try
and warn the military of the impending launch.
Comedies
A Fish Called Wanda
A crooked foursome commits the heist of the century and is
about to get away ... until the London police arrest one of
them. Can the three on the lam (Michael Palin, Jamie Lee Curtis
and Kevin Kline) persuade their comrade's lawyer (John Cleese)
to reveal the stolen loot's location? Laugh-out-loud funny, A
Fish Called Wanda explores the notion of "honor" among
thieves.
American Graffiti
The film that put director George Lucas on the Hollywood map
also expertly showcased newcomers such as Harrison Ford, Richard
Dreyfuss, Suzanne Somers and "Ronny" Howard. Lucas
masterfully weaves together the stories of a disparate group of
high school students as they struggle with adolescent rites of
passage in 1962. Touching and timeless, American Graffiti is a
not-to-be-missed classic.
Benny and Joon
Benny is the older brother and caretaker to his mentally ill
sister Joon, who is charming if she doesn't forget to take her
medication. Sam, a sane but creative soul falls in love with
Joon sparking a jealous tinge in Benny.
City Slickers
For a change of pace, three amigos (Billy Crystal, Daniel
Stern, Bruno Kirby) facing midlife crises sign on for a
fortnight cattle drive through the Colorado hills. The
urbanites' survival depends on a leathery trail boss (Jack
Palance, winner of the Best Supporting Actor Oscar) who doesn't
cotton to greenhorn city slickers. Though they run into foul
weather, pregnant cows and pistol-packin' ranchers, trail's end
brings a bittersweet victory.
Desperately Seeking Susan
Bored New Jersey housewife Roberta fills her days by reading
the personal ads and following an ongoing romance between Jim
and Susan, a mysterious drifter. The mystery and fun begins when
Roberta mistakenly takes on the identity of Susan.
Freaky Friday (2004 remake)
Jamie Lee Curtis stars as Tess Coleman, mother of
15-year-old Anna (Lindsay Lohan), in this remake of the 1976
comedy starring Jodie Foster. Mother and daughter bicker over
everything -- what Anna wears, whom she likes and what she wants
to do when she's older. In turn, Anna detests Tess's fiancé
(Mark Harmon). When a magical fortune cookie switches their
personalities, they each get a peek at how the other person
feels, thinks and lives.
In and Out (my review)
Hilarious and cutting edge comedy with Kevin Kline and Joan Cusak.
*not available from Netflix
Roger Ebert's review is here:
http://www.suntimes.com/ebert/ebert_reviews/1997/09/091905.html
Multiplicity
When an overworked contractor has himself cloned so that he
can spend more time with his family, the result is hilarious as
the clones begin to make his life even more complicated.
My Fellow Americans
Jack Lemmon and James Garner star as ex-presidents and
former political foes who unite in the face of adversity.
They're forced to overcome their partisan bickering when the
current president (Dan Aykroyd) tries to frame and kill them to
conceal his crimes. To clear their names, they go on a different
type of whistle-stop tour, taking it on the lam among the
"common people."
Outrageous Fortune
Two of America's funniest comediennes, Bette Midler and
Shelley Long, embark on a hilarious adventure to track down the
man they love and crack the mystery of his disappearance.
Patch Adams (my review)
After committing himself to a mental institution, Hunter
"Patch" Adams (Robin Williams) realizes that
introducing his fellow patients to humor significantly improves
their quality of life. Upon leaving the institution, he decides
to become a doctor who cures people using laughter rather than
cold, analytical processes. Although jeopardizing his future in
medicine, Patch continues his unconventional yet promising
healing methods.
Maid in Manhattan
In this modern-day Cinderella story, it's love at first
sight when Marissa Ventura (Jennifer Lopez) and Christopher
Marshall (Ralph Fiennes) literally run into each other at a posh
New York City hotel. The only problem? The fast-rising
politician has mistaken Marissa for a hotel guest, when she's
actually one of the chambermaids! Can love conquer class
warfare? One can only hope.
Documentaries
Blind Spot: Hitler's Secretary
Documentarians Andre Heller and Othmar Schmiderer turn their
camera on 81-year-old Traudl Junge, who served as Adolf Hitler's
secretary from 1942 to 1945, and allow her to speak for 95
minutes about her experiences. Junge sheds light on life in the
Third Reich and the days leading up to Hitler's death in the
famed bunker, where Junge recorded Hitler's last will and
testament. Her gripping account is nothing short of mesmerizing.
Bowling for Columbine
Famed documentarian and left-wing political humorist Michael
Moore tackles the issue of America's unique obsession with
firearms. Taking off from the Columbine High School massacre in
April 1999, Moore visits a Michigan bank that gives new
customers a free gun, marshals statistics for gun deaths in the
U.S. and interviews subjects as diverse as National Rifle
Association spokesman Charlton Heston and shock rocker Marilyn
Manson.
Classics
Arsenic and Old Lace
You are what you eat -- and that's dead if it's teatime at
Abby and Martha Brewster's house! Mortimer Brewster's (Cary
Grant) two maiden aunts have a peculiar avocation: poisoning old
men and burying them in the cellar. But now that the Brewster
sisters' secret is out, what's a dutiful nephew to do? Frank
Capra directed this adaptation of the hit Broadway play.
Fiddler on the Roof
Filmed on location in Eastern Europe, this 1971 musical
based on Sholem Aleichem's stories was a smash on Broadway,
Fiddler on the Roof is a true crowd-pleaser. Israeli actor Topol
mesmerizes as Tevye, humble father of three strong-willed
daughters in the Russian village of Anatevka. His self-imposed
task: Preserve Jewish heritage at all costs. NOTE: If you like
the soundtrack for this movie, get the Broadway version which is
much better.
Gaslight
Director George Cukor's dramatic mystery garnered seven
Oscar nominations and remains a classic. Beautiful, naive
socialite Paula (Ingrid Bergman) is slowly tormented by strange
happenings in her home -- the home in which her murdered aunt's
jewels are reportedly hidden. The suspect? Her devoted husband
(Charles Boyer). Also included on this disc is director Thorold
Dickinson's 1940 version of the film, starring Diana Wynyard and
Anton Walbrook.
Miracle on 34th Street 1994
When Santa falls down drunk in the Thanksgiving Day Parade,
reluctant Macy's supervisor Doris Walker (Maureen O'Hara) offers
the job to a bearded Kris Kringle (Edmund Gwenn, who won a Best
Supporting Actor Oscar) purporting to be the real Santa! During
the Christmas season, he shares a flat with Doris' neighbor
(John Payne), who has eyes for Doris. Kris hopes to unite the
two while winning over Doris' skeptical 6-year-old daughter
(Natalie Wood).
Notorious
This top-notch Hitchcock espionage thriller builds to an
incredibly suspenseful climax. Government agent T.R. Devlin
(Cary Grant) recruits Alicia Huberman (Ingrid Bergman) to spy on
her father's influential Nazi friends. As part of her cover, she
marries ringleader Claude Rains, but finds she's falling in love
with Grant. The 360-degree camera pan around a smitten Grant and
Bergman ranks as one of the screen's hottest love scenes.
Paper Moon
A con man (Ryan O'Neal) and his precocious
"daughter" (Tatum O'Neal, in an Oscar-winning role as
Best Supporting Actress) grift their way across the heartland of
depression-era America in director Peter Bogdanovich's nostalgic
look at the 1930s. As the two try desperately to scrounge up
enough money to live on, their "father/daughter
relationship" soon becomes a business partnership when they
realize they need each other for survival.
The Last Picture Show
There's not much to do in the windswept Texas hamlet of
Anarene, where the town's only cinema is about to close forever.
High-school seniors Sonny (Timothy Bottoms) and Duane (Jeff
Bridges) lust after incorrigible flirt Jacy Farrow (Cybill
Shepherd) while trying to chart their uncertain futures. When
Duane heads for Korea after joining the service and Jacy gets
shipped off to college, Sonny is left behind in Anarene -- a
ghost town in the making
The Music Man (1962 version NOT the 2003 version with Matthew
Broderick)
It doesn't get any better than this slice of Midwestern
Americana. Charming con man Harold Hill (Robert Preston) wants
to steal River City, Iowans' money with a "boys' band"
scam but finds it hard to skip town when lovely librarian Marian
Paroo (Shirley Jones) steals his heart. Composer Meredith
Willson's valentine to his hometown (Cedar Rapids) packs great
songs and wonderful performances from, among others, Buddy
Hackett and a young Ron Howard.
West Side Story
In retelling the Romeo and Juliet tragedy, West Side Story
won 10 Oscars. But instead of Verona's warring Montagues and
Capulets, it's the Sharks vs. the Jets, rival gangs battling for
turf on the streets of 1950s New York City. When Jet Tony
(Richard Beymer) falls for Shark Maria (Natalie Wood), the only
way to solve their dilemma is through a rumble in the asphalt
jungle.
|
