Movies I Almost Missed...
There are so many GEMS out there, for whatever reasons, I almost didn't see. As I mature in my movie enjoyment, I have quit "not seeing" movies because someone I consider a dud is in it. The list is getting long enough to where a movie's numerical place doesn't mean much. I have added a TV episodes list. Sometimes forced to watch it for social reasons, I have been surprised by some. Not often, but credit where due. I will make it public once there are 5 entries. I am still bumming over the Hall of Shame list being pulled.** Information age, kids. Keep lying, the stolen valor act is coming back...
*Well, not all are great BUT ALL are worth watching, anyhow.
**One of the wannabes on the Hall of Shame list cried and it is now gone. Google still has it cached. I had left comments open so anyone on the list could say their piece and one guy did. Oddly, I don't think it was him that cried to the admins. Oh, well. Maybe soon under a nom de plume.
*Well, not all are great BUT ALL are worth watching, anyhow.
**One of the wannabes on the Hall of Shame list cried and it is now gone. Google still has it cached. I had left comments open so anyone on the list could say their piece and one guy did. Oddly, I don't think it was him that cried to the admins. Oh, well. Maybe soon under a nom de plume.
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- DirectorBrian O'MalleyStarsLiam CunninghamPollyanna McIntoshBryan LarkinHeld in a remote police station, a mysterious stranger takes over the minds and souls of everyone inside.Very clever, if a bit disturbing. Great dialogue, above average acting and a clever movie. It shows how great writing, solid acting, and a talented crew can make the very most out of a budget.
- DirectorAlbert MagnoliStarsPaul MercurioHarley Jane KozakMichael YorkTwo sides, one known as the Alphas and the other the Rebels, struggle in a brutal war on Earth and in outer space. When a habitable planet is discovered in orbit around a star that is on the far side of a dangerous wormhole, the two sides mysteriously set aside their differences and send a joint mission to explore the planet. The mission of the starship Scylla is soon beset by political intrigue and treachery, jeopardizing not only the mission, but the lives of the entire crew.I caught this on Netflix. I could tell that most of this flick would take place on a spaceship. Well, it didn't have the best budget BUT it had very good acting, and a good story. I also liked the World War VI angle. That gives so much leeway towards the technology. A couple dark ages and a theocracy or two could really limit things to 1950s with space flight or whatever. Definitely worth a watch. York is so underrated. He is very believable, as are the two chicks. The rest of the cast goes from average to good. CHeck it out.
- DirectorJames FoleyStarsAl PacinoJack LemmonAlec BaldwinAn examination of the machinations behind the scenes at a real estate office.Sometimes when a play is made into a film, the cast and director transcend the material and make the sum truly greater than the parts. Jack Lemmon, Ed Harris, Alan Arkin, and Al Pacino are in the zone, pretty much in that order. Surprisingly (to some) Alec Baldwin is absolutely p-e-r-f-e-c-t in his small role. Kevin Spacey does what he does best, which is hold his own. Looking at the cast that he is "holding his own" with shows how he got his reputation.
This is a late edition because I did not realize how many folks have missed this gem. Willy Loman's rat race was a conga line compared to our so-called information age. As the IT guy, I hit a voice over IP webinar that, who knows how, got my phone number. The sheer numbers of sales calls generated by that one slip up was amazing to behold. If you had the same problem due to attending one by a clip joint who pretends it assists non profits my user name at gmail is a good way to get a hold of me. It's in the Philly area and had to change its names, allegedly because folks were getting wise to them. - DirectorBobcat GoldthwaitStarsBobcat GoldthwaitJulie BrownBruce BaumShakes is good at his job as party clown - when he's sober and shows up. Five druggy clowns frame him for the murder of his boss.I suppose it was the Police Academy movies, but I had a low opinion of Bobcat. Then, one day I was listening to Bob & Tom interviewing someone. the guy was funny, smart, witty, and very clever. As the time passed, I realized it was Goldthwait. Much later on, when I was finally free from booze & drugs, I watched 'Shakes". Now, it is one of my favourites.
- DirectorPeter WeirStarsRussell CrowePaul BettanyBilly BoydDuring the Napoleonic Wars, a brash British captain pushes his ship and crew to their limits in pursuit of a formidable French war vessel around South America.An absolutely stunning film, especially the visual story. I was hoping this would be the first in a franchise. I feel like Wendy at the end of the "Weight-gain 4000" episode of South Park. No one ever went broke underestimating the American public. The ship in the fog scene, and midshipman Hollom's decision should be iconic in stature.
- DirectorMichael BlakemoreStarsPatrick PearsonMichael ElphickJoe MeliaThe members of S.A.D.U.S.E.A. (Song and Dance Unit South East Asia) fall in and out of love while trying to dodge Malayan Communist bullets in the late 1940s. Not only that, they have to contend with Bible bashing Major Giles Flack (John Cleese), who creates far more danger than any of the jungle inhabitants. Only gay Acting Captain Terri Dennis (Denis Quilley) seems to be capable of coping with him, but even he isn't aware of the cowardly Sergeant Major Reg Drummond (Michael Elphick) selling arms to the natives.A look at the beginning of the cold war as the sun sets on the post-WWII empire. A very odd movie that grows on you. It is worth a second and third look maybe 2 weeks between. The story is sad, funny, and bittersweet. Stalin was counting on everyone being sick of war when he pulled all the same crap Hitler pulled in 1938. He had us pegged. Small warning, or really a "heads up". If you have hang ups about gay men or about them being presented as likable, normal folks, don't bother. You won't get it.
- DirectorChristophe GansStarsRadha MitchellLaurie HoldenSean BeanRose Da Silva takes her adopted daughter, Sharon, to the town of Silent Hill in an attempt to cure her of her ailment. After a violent car crash, Sharon disappears and Rose begins a horrific journey to get her back.Wow, this was unfairly savaged by the "critics". I wonder if Rex Reed even WATCHED it. And if he did, he didn't get it. I would wager it was the filmmaker's bold expectation that the viewer think for ourselves. It had style and substance. It can climb on top of you, so I don't watch it too often but most definitely worth a watch.
- DirectorRichard ElfmanStarsGene CunninghamMarie-Pascale ElfmanVirginia RoseThe bizarre and musical tale of a girl who travels to another dimension through the gateway found in her family's basement.THIS simply HAS to be seen to be believed. It is NOT for children, the squeamish, religious zealots, people lacking a sense of humour, or folks with heart conditions. Prolonged exposure may cause blindness or insanity, therefor only married men are advised repeated viewings. I dream of the princess' and her royal tomatoes to this very day. Too bad Satan gets her :-(
R.I.P. Susan Tyrrell - DirectorChristian AlvartStarsDennis QuaidBen FosterCam GigandetTwo crew members of a spaceship wake up from hypersleep to discover that all their colleagues are missing. Despite this, it appears that they are not alone.It's one of my character defects, but if Dennis Quaid is in it, I ain't watching it. Well, after playing the phenomenal game Dead Space, friends insisted I watch it, and I did. From the opening sequence, to the end of the flick, I hardly blinked. Mr. Quaid was VERY good in it. It just shows how important an open mind is.
NOTE: Same goes for "Shakes" - DirectorJon FoyStarsJustin DuerrMarc DuerrKevin RileyAn urban mystery unfurls as one man pieces together the surreal meaning of hundreds of cryptic tiled messages that have been appearing in city streets across the U.S. and South America.Being from Pittsburgh (If you dinna know from many other posts) I saw one of the tiles on Smithfield Street. I was intrigued but forgot about it. Justin didn't. In an amazing display of inherent skills, he figures it out. The documentary and his drawings are as interesting as the phenomenon itself. By all means, check this out.
- DirectorJonathan EnglishStarsPaul GiamattiJason FlemyngBrian CoxIn thirteenth-century England, a Knights Templar and a few of the Barons men fight to defend Rochester Castle against the tyrannical King John.A severely under rated movie. Paul Giamatti displays an incredible range and turns in a fantastic performance. Everyone else was in the zone as well, but Paul just rocked in this one. A move NOT to be missed. I know its on Netflix. Other services I ain't so sure about.
- DirectorBill PaxtonStarsBill PaxtonMatthew McConaugheyPowers BootheA mysterious man arrives at the offices of an FBI agent and recounts his childhood: how his religious fanatic father received visions telling him to destroy people who were in fact "demons."Chilling, haunting, and well-acted. Yes, you read that right. Matthew was VERY good, as was the always reliable Mr. Booth. When all those folks were floored at his Oscar, I thought of this flick. He just needed the right role. The kind the academy loves, you know? I first saw it with a pair of scumbags while dopesick. Not the best conditions but the story was haunting. Next time was in jail, due to drug use. As anyone who has done time can tell you, jail is the worst place to watch a flick. Finally, years later, drug-free, and digging life I picked up a copy. I was floored. By all means, check it out.
- DirectorKevin MacdonaldStarsJames McAvoyForest WhitakerGillian AndersonBased on the events of the brutal Ugandan dictator Idi Amin's regime as seen by his personal physician during the 1970s.It is hard to overstate how good the acting is in this film. The story matches a great deal to what I have read and saw about the infamous Idi. When a movie engrosses you to where you forget it is a film, tricking you into thinking its a window on the past, everybody involved did their jobs well. Chilling and sadly typical of post-colonial Africa and the power vacuums that formed and were filled.
- DirectorFrank PiersonStarsJames WoodsJoe Don BakerJoseph BolognaAs lawyer and power broker Roy Cohn lies dying of AIDS in a private hospital room, ghosts from his past visit him as he reflects on his life and loves.Man, this is one HBO production that should of been released theatrically. Really. Those feelings aren't because the crew used my hometown to fill in for a dozen cities over 30 years covered in the film. "Citizen Cohn" is a well-written and superbly acted cautionary tale of a fascinating, polarizing man. This is another movie in the "Not to be missed" file. Woods is perfect, even in the old man make up. To come across as anything besides a cartoon in "old man" make up is a challenge.
- DirectorJeff RenfroeStarsKevin ZegersLaurence FishburneBill PaxtonForced underground by the next ice age, a struggling outpost of survivors must fight to preserve humanity against a threat even more savage than nature.I have a higher opinion of humans as a whole but whatever. This flick had me on the edge of my seat quickly. I was hoping for more exposition. I guess it's apparently tacked on nature pulled the flick down a little bit. That, and the sort of silly sickness sub-plot knocked it down a wee bit. Still this movie is certainly worth a watch or two.
- DirectorMichael RadfordStarsJohn HurtRichard BurtonSuzanna HamiltonIn a totalitarian future society, a man, whose daily work is re-writing history, tries to rebel by falling in love.Filming this was/is a lose/lose scenario. The self-appointed purists (I would wager most only have read this one work out of Orwell's hundreds of incredible essays or books) were hating on this before any filming even commenced. Shoehorning a couple crappy Eurythmic tunes into it so "they" could have some allegedly bankable music for the soundtrack did not help. (Dominic, we LOVE "Oceania, 'tis for thee") A book whose main stage is the human mind would be tough no matter how you approached. That being said, and having read the book literally DOZENS of times, this is a great flick. As despairingly brutal as the Ministry of Love, it simply HAD to be filmed in the inverted year of 1948. Detractors? "You do NOT exist."
- DirectorHerk HarveyStarsCandace HilligossFrances FeistSidney BergerAfter a traumatic accident, a woman becomes drawn to a mysterious abandoned carnival.One of the most under-rated flicks you will ever see. Cheap but well done. IT is also the name of the last album KISS put out with their BEST (IMHO) line-up, Gene, Paul, Bruce, and Eric.
- DirectorMike DorseyStarsRon HaleCraig HarveyNikki Medlin"The Six Degrees of Helter Skelter" walks in the footsteps of the Manson Family, visiting over 40 locations related to the infamous Tate/LaBianca murders, and tying together the dozens of odd connections between Charles Manson and the Hollywood elite. Entertainingly led by famous Hollywood historian Scott Michaels (E!'s 20 Most Horrifying Hollywood Murders, Dearly Departed: Vol. 1, FindADeath.com), this epic documentary employs never-before-seen autopsy reports (analyzed with the help of the Los Angeles Department of the Coroner), dozens of rare photographs, original Manson Family music recordings, and modern-day visits to the locations where the action went down, in the most complete retelling of the Manson Murders ever put on film.As someone who knows a little too much about Manson, I was surprised when I found this on Netflix. VERY well written, interesting. By all means, check this out.
- DirectorRobert WiseStarsJulie HarrisClaire BloomRichard JohnsonHill House has stood for about 90 years and appears haunted: its inhabitants have always met strange, tragic ends. Now Dr. John Markway has assembled a team of people who he thinks will prove whether or not the house is haunted.WOW, just wow. This used to be on Chiller Theatre (A great Pittsburgh, PA show and the inspiration for Count Floyd) when I was a kid. As a 10 year old monster movie fan, this bored me to tears. As an adult, GREAT direction, cinematography, and lots of truly chilling moments. Not to be missed, for real.
- DirectorAndrew BergmanStarsMarlon BrandoMatthew BroderickBruno KirbyAn N.Y.C. film school student accepts a job with a local mobster who resembles a famous cinema godfather and who takes the young man under his wing, after demanding total loyalty.By 1990, most folks had plenty of Matthew B, thank you. The overexposure backlash was beginning. Too bad it may have affected some folks from seeing this gem. Witty, laugh out loud funny at times, and a great story to boot. Good 1st date movie
- DirectorRian JohnsonStarsJoseph Gordon-LevittBruce WillisEmily BluntIn 2074, when the mob wants to get rid of someone, the target is sent into the past, where a hired gun awaits - someone like Joe - who one day learns the mob wants to 'close the loop' by sending back Joe's future self for assassination.A very interesting premise that is presented pretty well. If you read into it too much, it gets a little silly. Watch it for what it is and you will enjoy it. Above average acting and a story that requires very little prop support to keep it "in the future".
- DirectorKevin ReynoldsStarsKevin CostnerJeanne TripplehornDennis HopperIn a future where the polar ice-caps have melted and Earth is almost entirely submerged, a mutated mariner fights starvation and outlaw "smokers," and reluctantly helps a woman and a young girl try to find dry land.I am sure some would disagree with this even having never seen it. "Battlefield Earth" it ain't. OK, it may be a tad too long. That length adds to the time the "dislike" part of the mariner that the character never recovers. The science is as laughable as ID4, and nowhere near enough time is spent "deep" (keeping spoiler-free). Takes those away and its a blast. Easily Hopper's best work besides "Blue Velvet".
"Nothing like a smoke when you miss your mom." - DirectorMichael GoguenTae Ho HanSeung Eun KimStarsRino RomanoPeter StormareTara StrongBatman faces off against the original creature of the night, Count Dracula, who has been unintentionally resurrected by the Penguin.The story, style, and feel are a blast. From the first minute to the last a solid match between the caped crusader and the prince of darkness.
- DirectorEdward ZwickStarsDaniel CraigLiev SchreiberJamie BellJewish brothers in German-occupied Eastern Europe escape into a Belorussian forest, where they join Russian resistance fighters, and endeavor to build a village, in order to protect themselves and about one thousand Jewish non-combatants.A movie NOT to be missed. It's not for the timid, and is very sad. The acting, locations, and story are all first-rate. It's hard to describe without being a spoiler. Check it out.
- DirectorJonathan GlazerStarsRay WinstoneBen KingsleyIan McShaneBrutal gangster Don Logan recruits "retired" safecracker Gal for one last job, but it goes badly for both of them.Kingsley's performance is electrifying, as over-used as that term is. One of THE best hiest flicks. NOT to be missed.