Movies-TV I've Seen and Recommend
Movies that have affected me in some way I consider positive, and that I feel could possibly be rewarding to someone else. An excessive inclusion of sci-fi, so if you didn't like sci-fi, you would probably be disappointed. Action movies are mixed with documentaries, and sappy love stories, classics and new releases. The only requirements are that I've seen them (and I remember something about them) and that I found something of value, especially if it was just fun.
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- DirectorGeorge LucasStarsMark HamillHarrison FordCarrie FisherLuke Skywalker joins forces with a Jedi Knight, a cocky pilot, a Wookiee and two droids to save the galaxy from the Empire's world-destroying battle station, while also attempting to rescue Princess Leia from the mysterious Darth Vader.This formed an important part of my imagination. I realized a lot about my impressions of space. The soundtrack was a critical element that was missing in the last three prequels.
- DirectorIrvin KershnerStarsMark HamillHarrison FordCarrie FisherAfter the Rebel Alliance are overpowered by the Empire, Luke Skywalker begins his Jedi training with Yoda, while his friends are pursued across the galaxy by Darth Vader and bounty hunter Boba Fett.Many people found this to be too dark, but for me it fit right into the expectation of a "between" movie. From beginning to end the rebels are on the run, and by the end we are concerned that they may be losing the war - which is how we're supposed to feel. "Come on, goldenrod!"
"I love you." "I know." - DirectorRichard MarquandStarsMark HamillHarrison FordCarrie FisherAfter rescuing Han Solo from Jabba the Hutt, the Rebel Alliance attempt to destroy the second Death Star, while Luke struggles to help Darth Vader back from the dark side.A perfect END to the series. Please disregard the prequels. There are great effects in them, but they create a disturbance in the field, the aura generated in those generations of children. Lucas really has committed a crime by his slow and steady dismantling of the originals. There is a Orwellian quality to his alteration of the past. What if the same was done to history? Improve it here and there, add muppets to the beach at Normandy?
- DirectorJ.J. AbramsStarsChris PineZachary QuintoSimon PeggThe brash James T. Kirk tries to live up to his father's legacy with Mr. Spock keeping him in check as a vengeful Romulan from the future creates black holes to destroy the Federation one planet at a time.I enjoyed the beginning scene in this one the most, the crazy kid loose in a Mustang. The villain was horribly inadequate, though. But the idea of re-defining the whole Star Trek series by altering time is great. Any series could be restarted this way. In fact, you could merge dying series together by some sort of time entanglement. Seeing a young Kirk and a young Spock strengthened the Roddenberry line.
- CreatorGene RoddenberryStarsWilliam ShatnerLeonard NimoyDeForest KelleyIn the 23rd Century, Captain James T. Kirk and the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise explore the galaxy and defend the United Federation of Planets.I watched this on TV originally. Kirk was the perfect father.
- DirectorRobert WiseStarsWilliam ShatnerLeonard NimoyDeForest KelleyWhen an alien spacecraft of enormous power is spotted approaching Earth, Admiral James T. Kirk resumes command of the overhauled USS Enterprise in order to intercept it.A lot of people hate this, but after several viewings I began to understand it in the Gene Roddenberry ethos. Man-machine merger, Spock learning his identity (which is forgotten by Star Trek II.) Decker provides a nice foil to an aging Kirk.
- DirectorNicholas MeyerStarsWilliam ShatnerLeonard NimoyDeForest KelleyWith the assistance of the Enterprise crew, Admiral Kirk must stop an old nemesis, Khan Noonien Singh, from using the life-generating Genesis Device as the ultimate weapon.Khan and Kirk. Without Khan, Kirk would have been hard to take. "With my last breath I spit at thee." The son is awful, the ex-wife is awful. Spock and Kirk and Khan create a trifecta. The hate between Kirk and Khan, and the brotherhood/friendship between Kirk and Spock are twin pieces that somehow create a thematic resonance possibly beyond anything intended by the writers.
- DirectorLeonard NimoyStarsWilliam ShatnerLeonard NimoyDeForest KelleyTo save Earth from an alien probe, Admiral James T. Kirk and his fugitive crew go back in time to San Francisco in 1986 to retrieve the only beings who can communicate with it: humpback whales.All the elements of the old Star Trek are here, except with the proper nostalgic treatment by the characters for days gone by.
- DirectorNicholas MeyerStarsWilliam ShatnerLeonard NimoyDeForest KelleyOn the eve of retirement, Kirk and McCoy are charged with assassinating the Klingon High Chancellor and imprisoned. The Enterprise crew must help them escape to thwart a conspiracy aimed at sabotaging the last best hope for peace.The bad guy in this tale is excellent. Shakespeare is always a welcome addition to Star Trek. "Once more into the breach!" "Cry havoc, and loose the dogs of war." "Prick me do I not bleed?"
The hate Kirk has for the Klingons is very socially relevant. - DirectorDavid CarsonStarsPatrick StewartWilliam ShatnerMalcolm McDowellWith the help of long presumed dead Captain Kirk, Captain Picard must stop a deranged scientist willing to murder on a planetary scale in order to enter a space matrix.Is this the one with the Ribbon? 'Time is the fire in which we all burn." That line has stuck with me forever.
- DirectorJon FavreauStarsRobert Downey Jr.Gwyneth PaltrowTerrence HowardAfter being held captive in an Afghan cave, billionaire engineer Tony Stark creates a unique weaponized suit of armor to fight evil.
- DirectorRidley ScottStarsSigourney WeaverTom SkerrittJohn HurtThe crew of a commercial spacecraft encounters a deadly lifeform after investigating a mysterious transmission of unknown origin.A bit gross, but critical to understanding Prometheus.
- DirectorJames CameronStarsSigourney WeaverMichael BiehnCarrie HennDecades after surviving the Nostromo incident, Ellen Ripley is sent out to re-establish contact with a terraforming colony but finds herself battling the Alien Queen and her offspring.
- DirectorJean-Pierre JeunetStarsSigourney WeaverWinona RyderDominique PinonTwo centuries after her death, a powerful human/alien hybrid clone of Ellen Ripley aids a crew of space pirates in stopping the aliens from reaching Earth.
- DirectorLouis LeterrierStarsEdward NortonLiv TylerTim RothBruce Banner, a scientist on the run from the U.S. Government, must find a cure for the monster he turns into whenever he loses his temper.
- DirectorKenneth BranaghStarsChris HemsworthAnthony HopkinsNatalie PortmanThe powerful but arrogant god Thor is cast out of Asgard to live amongst humans in Midgard (Earth), where he soon becomes one of their finest defenders.Hard to beat on a fun level.
- DirectorDuncan JonesStarsSam RockwellKevin SpaceyDominique McElligottAstronaut Sam Bell has a quintessentially personal encounter toward the end of his three-year stint on the Moon, where he, working alongside his computer, GERTY, sends back to Earth parcels of a resource that has helped diminish our planet's power problems.This wasn't as easy for me to enjoy, but my 14-year old son really got into it, which surprised me.
- DirectorTim BurtonStarsMichael KeatonJack NicholsonKim BasingerThe Dark Knight of Gotham City begins his war on crime with his first major enemy being Jack Napier, a criminal who becomes the clownishly homicidal Joker.Even though Bale took over the meaning of Batman, they all secretly worship Jack Nicholson's Joker.
- DirectorChristopher NolanStarsChristian BaleMichael CaineKen WatanabeAfter witnessing his parents' death, Bruce learns the art of fighting to confront injustice. When he returns to Gotham as Batman, he must stop a secret society that intends to destroy the city.The music is critical to this series. Listen to the strings as they manage to maintain the emotion when the story is thin.
- DirectorChristopher NolanStarsChristian BaleTom HardyAnne HathawayEight years after the Joker's reign of chaos, Batman is coerced out of exile with the assistance of the mysterious Selina Kyle in order to defend Gotham City from the vicious guerrilla terrorist Bane.Josh loved Bane, the bad guy. He is impressive, even though the movie peters out, and there's confusion at the end.
- DirectorChristopher NolanStarsChristian BaleHeath LedgerAaron EckhartWhen the menace known as the Joker wreaks havoc and chaos on the people of Gotham, Batman must accept one of the greatest psychological and physical tests of his ability to fight injustice.The best of the series, with the Jokers incredible capture of American's fascination with indifference.
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsHarrison FordKaren AllenPaul FreemanIn 1936, archaeologist and adventurer Indiana Jones is hired by the U.S. government to find the Ark of the Covenant before the Nazis can obtain its awesome powers.Good lines, good story, good music, great pacing. The girl is a bit off for me, but only a bit.
- DirectorTony ScottStarsDenzel WashingtonChristopher WalkenDakota FanningIn Mexico City, a former CIA operative swears vengeance on those who committed an unspeakable act against the family he was hired to protect.A bit depressing, but incredible "Man" power is expressed throughout, strong and silent, unstoppable rage.
- DirectorMartin CampbellStarsRyan ReynoldsBlake LivelyPeter SarsgaardReckless test pilot Hal Jordan is granted an alien ring that bestows him with otherworldly powers that inducts him into an intergalactic police force, the Green Lantern Corps.Hey, very corny, but still fun!
- DirectorRichard DonnerStarsChristopher ReeveMargot KidderGene HackmanAn alien orphan is sent from his dying planet to Earth, where he grows up to become his adoptive home's first and greatest superhero.My favorite version.
- DirectorRichard LesterStarsGene HackmanChristopher ReeveMargot KidderSuperman agrees to sacrifice his powers to start a relationship with Lois Lane, unaware that three Kryptonian criminals he inadvertently released are conquering Earth.
- DirectorPaul VerhoevenStarsArnold SchwarzeneggerSharon StoneMichael IronsideWhen a man goes in to have virtual vacation memories of the planet Mars implanted in his mind, an unexpected and harrowing series of events forces him to go to the planet for real - or is he?Good clean fun. Lots of action, quirky story, Phillip K. Dick again.
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsTom CruiseColin FarrellSamantha MortonJohn works with the PreCrime police which stop crimes before they take place, with the help of three 'PreCogs' who can foresee crimes. Events ensue when John finds himself framed for a future murder.
- DirectorBrian De PalmaStarsTom CruiseJon VoightEmmanuelle BéartAn American agent, under false suspicion of disloyalty, must discover and expose the real spy without the help of his organization.
- DirectorJohn WooStarsTom CruiseDougray ScottThandiwe NewtonIMF agent Ethan Hunt is sent to Sydney to find and destroy a genetically modified disease called "Chimera".
- DirectorStephen NorringtonStarsWesley SnipesStephen DorffKris KristoffersonA half-vampire, half-mortal man becomes a protector of the mortal race, while slaying evil vampires.
- DirectorRidley ScottStarsHarrison FordRutger HauerSean YoungA blade runner must pursue and terminate four replicants who stole a ship in space and have returned to Earth to find their creator.Which cut? Who cares! The ending is confusing on all of them.
- DirectorSimon WestStarsNicolas CageJohn CusackJohn MalkovichNewly-paroled ex-con and former U.S. Ranger Cameron Poe finds himself trapped in a prisoner-transport plane when the passengers seize control.
- DirectorJames CameronStarsArnold SchwarzeneggerLinda HamiltonMichael BiehnA human soldier is sent from 2029 to 1984 to stop an almost indestructible cyborg killing machine, sent from the same year, which has been programmed to execute a young woman whose unborn son is the key to humanity's future salvation.
- DirectorJonathan MostowStarsArnold SchwarzeneggerNick StahlKristanna LokenA machine from a post-apocalyptic future travels back in time to protect a man and a woman from an advanced robotic assassin to ensure they both survive a nuclear attack.
- DirectorJames CameronStarsArnold SchwarzeneggerLinda HamiltonEdward FurlongA cyborg, identical to the one who failed to kill Sarah Connor, must now protect her ten year old son John from an even more advanced and powerful cyborg.
- DirectorMark A.Z. DippéStarsMichael Jai WhiteJohn LeguizamoMartin SheenAn elite mercenary is killed, but comes back from Hell as a reluctant soldier of the Devil.Too gross?
- DirectorJohn McTiernanStarsArnold SchwarzeneggerCarl WeathersKevin Peter HallA team of commandos on a mission in a Central American jungle find themselves hunted by an extraterrestrial warrior.
- DirectorJohn McTiernanStarsBruce WillisAlan RickmanBonnie BedeliaA New York City police officer tries to save his estranged wife and several others taken hostage by terrorists during a Christmas party at the Nakatomi Plaza in Los Angeles.Key to your man voyage. "Yippie Kayee mother *beep* Woo hoo!
- DirectorRenny HarlinStarsBruce WillisWilliam AthertonBonnie BedeliaJohn McClane attempts to avert disaster as rogue military operatives seize control of Dulles International Airport in Washington, D.C.An excellent follow on to Die Hard, with a pretty good villain.
- DirectorJohn McTiernanStarsBruce WillisJeremy IronsSamuel L. JacksonJohn McClane and a Harlem store owner are targeted by German terrorist Simon in New York City, where he plans to rob the Federal Reserve Building.
- DirectorWolfgang PetersenStarsDustin HoffmanRene RussoMorgan FreemanArmy doctors struggle to find a cure for a deadly virus spreading throughout a California town that was brought to America by an African monkey.Pretty cool. Hoffman and Russo work as a pair. He is such a bindlestiff and she's such a bitch, they sparkle. And Freedman is great as always. What's not to love? The scenario is perfectly set up, and the comedy is well played.
- DirectorJames McTeigueStarsHugo WeavingNatalie PortmanRupert GravesIn a future British dystopian society, a shadowy freedom fighter, known only by the alias of "V", plots to overthrow the tyrannical government - with the help of a young woman.I love psychic torment for some sick reason. I love "Remember, remember, the 5 of September" or however it went. I love the idea of blowing up "Parliament."
- DirectorStephen HopkinsStarsDanny GloverGary BuseyKevin Peter HallThe Predator returns to Earth, this time to stake a claim on the war-torn streets of a dystopian Los Angeles.As usual, people didn't like this, because no Arnold, but Danny Glover is cool, and the effects are cool.
- DirectorJoel SchumacherStarsMichael DouglasRobert DuvallBarbara HersheyAn ordinary man frustrated with the various flaws he sees in society begins to psychotically and violently lash out against them."I'm the bad guy?" Love this. I always feel like this is my story. It's me the middle-aged white guy who's out of luck. Hershey is the biggest bitch on earth, she plays it sooo cool. Nooo, she didn't do anything to deserve this. Hah!
I know, I got the wrong message. oops. - DirectorDanny CannonStarsSylvester StalloneArmand AssanteRob SchneiderIn a dystopian future, Joseph Dredd, the most famous Judge (a police officer with instant field judiciary powers), is convicted for a crime he did not commit and must face his murderous counterpart.Diane Lane is great, Stallone is perfectly over the top and it works. "I am the Law!" The graphics aren't bad, the ideas are fairly classic science fiction.
- DirectorFranklin J. SchaffnerStarsCharlton HestonRoddy McDowallKim HunterAn astronaut crew crash-lands on a planet where highly intelligent non-human ape species are dominant and humans are enslaved."Get your damn hands off me, you filthy ape." Charleton Heston defined anger management. I took some of this in to my personality at an early age, and came to regret it later in life.
- DirectorTim BurtonStarsMark WahlbergHelena Bonham CarterTim RothIn 2029, an Air Force astronaut crash-lands on a mysterious planet where evolved, talking apes dominate a race of primitive humans.A confusing version, but worth watching for fun.
- DirectorRupert WyattStarsJames FrancoAndy SerkisFreida PintoA substance designed to help the brain repair itself gives advanced intelligence to a chimpanzee who leads an ape uprising.Very interesting ideas! I love anything with genetics. Of course it breaks the entire mythology of the earlier 70s series. Don't let them confuse you.
- DirectorTed PostStarsJames FranciscusKim HunterMaurice EvansThe sole survivor of an interplanetary rescue mission searches for the only survivor of the previous expedition. He discovers a planet ruled by apes and an underground city run by telepathic humans.
- DirectorJ. Lee ThompsonStarsRoddy McDowallClaude AkinsNatalie TrundyTen years after a worldwide series of ape revolutions and a brutal nuclear war among humans, Caesar must protect survivors of both species from an insidious human cult and a militant ape faction alike.
- DirectorJ. Lee ThompsonStarsRoddy McDowallDon MurrayRicardo MontalbanIn a futuristic world that has embraced ape slavery, Caesar, the son of the late simians Cornelius and Zira, surfaces after almost twenty years of hiding out from the authorities, and prepares for a slave revolt against humanity.
- DirectorDon TaylorStarsRoddy McDowallKim HunterBradford DillmanThe world is shocked by the appearance of three talking chimpanzees, who arrived mysteriously in a U.S. spacecraft. They become the toast of society, but one man believes them to be a threat to the human race.
- DirectorRuben FleischerStarsJesse EisenbergEmma StoneWoody HarrelsonA shy student trying to reach his family in Ohio, a gun-toting bruiser in search of the last Twinkie and a pair of sisters striving to get to an amusement park join forces in a trek across a zombie-filled America.Quirky and violently silly, the mix of sadism with tenderness is beyond acceptable in a PC society, so that's why I love it.
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsHaley Joel OsmentJude LawFrances O'ConnorA highly advanced robotic boy longs to become "real" so that he can regain the love of his human mother.You may hate this one, it's pretty slow and long, but Spielberg captures a flavor of modern sci-fi that you won't find many places. It's not hard sci-fi like 2010.
- DirectorStanley KubrickStarsKeir DulleaGary LockwoodWilliam SylvesterAfter uncovering a mysterious artifact buried beneath the Lunar surface, a spacecraft is sent to Jupiter to find its origins: a spacecraft manned by two men and the supercomputer HAL 9000.Sooooo slow, be careful. The message is tricky to find; I don't think Kubrik's vision matches Clarke's story, but it's a very intriguing one. 2010 goes into a more explicit outlining of Clarke's message.
- DirectorGregory HoblitStarsDenzel WashingtonJohn GoodmanDonald SutherlandHomicide detective John Hobbes witnesses the execution of serial killer Edgar Reese. Soon after the execution, the killings start again, and they are very similar to Reese's style.Creepy. Negative and dark. Not very funny, but the sheer volume of hopelessness for the situation makes you cringe.
- DirectorJan de BontStarsKeanu ReevesDennis HopperSandra BullockA young police officer must prevent a bomb exploding aboard a city bus by keeping its speed above 50 mph.Dennis Hopper. I love his evilness. Sandra Bullock is exaggerating the bimbo here, but it's not really offensive. The premise is enough to keep your attention.
- DirectorLana WachowskiLilly WachowskiStarsKeanu ReevesLaurence FishburneCarrie-Anne MossWhen a beautiful stranger leads computer hacker Neo to a forbidding underworld, he discovers the shocking truth--the life he knows is the elaborate deception of an evil cyber-intelligence.My kind of paranoia. Some don't think Keanu was effective, but as a stunted human struggling against an electromechanical world I think his bland expressions fit perfectly. The grey universe seems to grant a subtlety to his face that isn't there in his other work.
- DirectorLana WachowskiLilly WachowskiStarsKeanu ReevesLaurence FishburneCarrie-Anne MossFreedom fighters Neo, Trinity and Morpheus continue to lead the revolt against the Machine Army, unleashing their arsenal of extraordinary skills and weaponry against the systematic forces of repression and exploitation.
- DirectorLana WachowskiLilly WachowskiStarsKeanu ReevesLaurence FishburneCarrie-Anne MossThe human city of Zion defends itself against the massive invasion of the machines as Neo fights to end the war at another front while also opposing the rogue Agent Smith.
- DirectorRobert ZemeckisStarsJodie FosterMatthew McConaugheyTom SkerrittDr. Ellie Arroway, after years of searching, finds conclusive radio proof of extraterrestrial intelligence, sending plans for a mysterious machine.As strange as the story is, and with the awkward pacing, a 14-year old still can enjoy it, which I found unusual. The questions of faith are great when reflected in a story about first contact. The setting of SETI was nice to see in a film. SETI is a short chapter in human history, and at least for that reason this film is worth watching. Foster brings an idealism to the search of the heavens.
- DirectorRoger SpottiswoodeStarsArnold SchwarzeneggerMichael RapaportTony GoldwynA man meets a clone of himself and stumbles into a grand conspiracy about clones taking over the world.Pretty dumb, don't look for good sci-fi story or you'll be disappointed. If you treat it as entertainment, you'll be fine.
- DirectorJames CameronStarsArnold SchwarzeneggerJamie Lee CurtisTom ArnoldA fearless, globe-trotting, terrorist-battling secret agent has his life turned upside down when he discovers his wife might be having an affair with a used-car salesman while terrorists smuggle nuclear war heads into the United States.Entertaining, and at times overly silly. But fast-paced and the sidekick works.
- DirectorAndrew DavisStarsHarrison FordTommy Lee JonesSela WardDr. Richard Kimble, unjustly accused of murdering his wife, must find the real killer while being the target of a nationwide manhunt led by a seasoned U.S. Marshal.
- DirectorStuart BairdStarsTommy Lee JonesWesley SnipesRobert Downey Jr.U.S. Marshal Samuel Gerard and his team of Marshals are assigned to track down Sheridan, who has been accused of a double-murder.
- DirectorF. Gary GrayStarsSamuel L. JacksonKevin SpaceyDavid MorseIn a desperate attempt to prove his innocence, a skilled police negotiator accused of corruption and murder takes hostages in a government office to gain the time he needs to find the truth.
- DirectorJonathan HensleighStarsThomas JaneJohn TravoltaSamantha MathisAn undercover FBI agent becomes a vigilante and sets out to unleash his wrath upon the corrupt businessman who slaughtered his entire family at a reunion.
- DirectorDavid FincherStarsBrad PittEdward NortonMeat LoafAn insomniac office worker and a devil-may-care soap maker form an underground fight club that evolves into much more.
- DirectorBryan SingerStarsPatrick StewartHugh JackmanIan McKellenIn a world where mutants (evolved super-powered humans) exist and are discriminated against, two groups form for an inevitable clash: the supremacist Brotherhood, and the pacifist X-Men.
- DirectorBryan SingerStarsPatrick StewartHugh JackmanHalle BerryWhen anti-mutant Colonel William Stryker kidnaps Professor X and attacks his school, the X-Men must ally with their archenemy Magneto to stop him.
- DirectorGavin HoodStarsHugh JackmanLiev SchreiberRyan ReynoldsThe early years of James Logan, featuring his rivalry with his brother Victor Creed, his service in the special forces team Weapon X, and his experimentation into the metal-lined mutant Wolverine.
- DirectorBrett RatnerStarsPatrick StewartHugh JackmanHalle BerryThe human government develops a cure for mutations, and Jean Grey becomes a darker uncontrollable persona called the Phoenix who allies with Magneto, causing escalation into an all-out battle for the X-Men.
- DirectorMatthew VaughnStarsJames McAvoyMichael FassbenderJennifer LawrenceIn the 1960s, superpowered humans Charles Xavier and Erik Lensherr work together to find others like them, but Erik's vengeful pursuit of an ambitious mutant who ruined his life causes a schism to divide them.
- DirectorPeter JacksonStarsElijah WoodIan McKellenOrlando BloomA meek Hobbit from the Shire and eight companions set out on a journey to destroy the powerful One Ring and save Middle-earth from the Dark Lord Sauron.Not like the books; yes, we know. Now we can get past that and just enjoy the massive scale.
- DirectorPeter JacksonStarsElijah WoodIan McKellenViggo MortensenWhile Frodo and Sam edge closer to Mordor with the help of the shifty Gollum, the divided fellowship makes a stand against Sauron's new ally, Saruman, and his hordes of Isengard.
- DirectorPeter JacksonStarsElijah WoodViggo MortensenIan McKellenGandalf and Aragorn lead the World of Men against Sauron's army to draw his gaze from Frodo and Sam as they approach Mount Doom with the One Ring.
- DirectorFrank DarabontStarsThomas JaneMarcia Gay HardenLaurie HoldenA freak storm unleashes a species of bloodthirsty creatures on a small town, where a small band of citizens hole up in a supermarket and fight for their lives.Warning: This movie upset me deeply, but as a sci-fi it makes a critical point about our assumptions about aliens.
- DirectorMichael BayStarsShia LaBeoufMegan FoxJosh DuhamelAn ancient struggle between two Cybertronian races, the heroic Autobots and the evil Decepticons, comes to Earth, with a clue to the ultimate power held by a teenager.Not that good, may take it off. I love the machines and battles, but somehow the complex graphics and motion underwhelms. Maybe a 600 KHz screen would make it more enjoyable. I spent most of the time trying grasp at whizzing detail. Still, I enjoyed it on some baffled and dazed level.
- DirectorMartin CampbellStarsDaniel CraigEva GreenJudi DenchAfter earning 00 status and a licence to kill, secret agent James Bond sets out on his first mission as 007. Bond must defeat a private banker funding terrorists in a high-stakes game of poker at Casino Royale, Montenegro.
- DirectorZack SnyderStarsGerard ButlerLena HeadeyDavid WenhamIn the ancient battle of Thermopylae, King Leonidas and 300 Spartans fight against Xerxes and his massive Persian army. They face insurmountable odds when they are betrayed by a Spartan reject.Uber-man, but some of the Persian decadence is pretty gross.
- DirectorMatt ReevesStarsMike VogelJessica LucasLizzy CaplanA group of friends venture deep into the streets of New York on a rescue mission during a rampaging monster attack.Another example of an unsettling sci-fi, with a tragic twist. Done from a seemingly childish perspective, after letting go my stereotypes I was able to find an excellent story.
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsTom CruiseDakota FanningTim RobbinsAn alien invasion threatens the future of humanity. The catastrophic nightmare is depicted through the eyes of one American family fighting for survival.The story between the father and son, trying to keep his family together through an unsettling first contact gone wrong, is a powerful message for me, as a paranoiac worried about the collapse of civilization. See also Year Zero.
- DirectorKevin CostnerStarsKevin CostnerWill PattonLarenz TateA nameless drifter dons a postman's uniform and bag of mail as he begins a quest to inspire hope to the survivors living in post-apocalyptic America.I know we all hate Kevin Kostner, but what a basic apocalyptic story. The action is constant, the story is twisted, the villain is pretty clever, and I love the little bits of Shakespeare thrown in.
- 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.Everyone hates, especially women, but try to see the clever ideas there. The idea of water as an exchange mechanism is great. The ship he lives on is very clever.
- DirectorRobert LongoStarsKeanu ReevesDolph LundgrenDina MeyerA data courier, literally carrying a data package inside his head, must deliver it before he dies from the burden or is killed by the Yakuza.Geeky stuff. A hint of punk/cyber tech sci-fi. Not many films picked up these themes.
- DirectorRichard KellyStarsJake GyllenhaalJena MaloneMary McDonnellAfter narrowly escaping a bizarre accident, a troubled teenager is plagued by visions of a man in a large rabbit suit who manipulates him to commit a series of crimes.Not fast-paced, but so unusual and dark.
- DirectorBetty ThomasStarsSandra BullockViggo MortensenDominic WestA big-city newspaper columnist is forced to enter a drug and alcohol rehab center after ruining her sister's wedding and crashing a stolen limousine.
- DirectorMartin RosenStarsJohn HurtChristopher BenjaminJames BolamTwo dogs escape from a laboratory and are hunted as possible carriers of the bubonic plague.No one else likes this, but I like to cry for no apparent reason sometimes. The concept of two souls not worth a damn to the world except as experiments or as dangers is a strange sort of film. The ending (and beginning) hit me harder than anything. If you bother to watch, you must make note of the terse dialogue and how it portrays the world views of each of the characters, and how something important happens in the very last three lines. If you miss this, you missed the film.
- DirectorGeorge SluizerStarsBernard-Pierre DonnadieuGene BervoetsJohanna ter SteegeRex and Saskia, a young couple in love, are on vacation. They stop at a busy service station and Saskia is abducted. After three years and no sign of Saskia, Rex begins receiving letters from the abductor.French subtitles; very slow pacing. Caused nightmares for me and my dad, so if you have a sensitive nature, you might skip.
It has no soundtrack; right there you lose people. The film, like most good films, asks the viewer a question: What is love to you? When the chips are down, what are you willing to do? Beyond that, if you gave up all for love, and lost everything, but achieved more knowledge of love than most people ever do, would you be grateful?
These are the questions that try men's souls. - DirectorJosef RusnakStarsCraig BierkoGretchen MolArmin Mueller-StahlA computer scientist running a virtual reality simulation of 1937 becomes the primary suspect when his colleague and mentor is murdered.This may not be appreciated; I love recursive universe stories. Good for the paranoid.
- DirectorAndrew NiccolStarsEthan HawkeUma ThurmanJude LawA genetically inferior man assumes the identity of a superior one in order to pursue his lifelong dream of space travel.Some think this is over stylized, and, as usual, I'm baffled by this snooty perspective. When looked at as a story about our childhood beliefs, about the relationships between brothers. Do you have beliefs about genetics, that it defines you, or have you thought about it? It's a valid question we should ask ourselves, it's one that the Socratics couldn't ask themselves. It's the scientific revelation of a philosophic question.
- DirectorAndrew NiccolStarsNicolas CageEthan HawkeJared LetoAn arms dealer confronts the morality of his work as he is being chased by an INTERPOL Agent.Based on a true story, fun.
- DirectorBarry SonnenfeldStarsTommy Lee JonesWill SmithLinda FiorentinoJames, an NYC cop, is hired by Agent K of a secret government agency that monitors extraterrestrial life on Earth. Together, they must recover an item that has been stolen by an intergalactic villain.Entertaining.
- DirectorSpike LeeStarsDenzel WashingtonClive OwenJodie FosterA police detective, a bank robber, and a high-power broker enter high-stakes negotiations after the criminal's brilliant heist spirals into a hostage situation.Moody and quiet.
- DirectorStuart OrmeStarsDonald SutherlandEric ThalJulie WarnerThe Earth is invaded by stingray-shaped alien "slugs" that ride on people's backs and control their minds.Follows the Heinlein book more closely than any other adaptation, but overlooked by Heinlein fans. The detail into the alien invasion, the mechanics are great, and not out of the book, but perfect additions.
- DirectorJon FavreauStarsRobert Downey Jr.Mickey RourkeGwyneth PaltrowWith the world now aware of his identity as Iron Man, Tony Stark must contend with both his declining health and a vengeful mad man with ties to his father's legacy.I love the drunken robot scene, it's just funny.
- DirectorAlex ProyasStarsWill SmithBridget MoynahanBruce GreenwoodIn 2035, a technophobic cop investigates a crime that may have been perpetrated by a robot, which leads to a larger threat to humanity.Will Smith makes any movie fun. And the hint of a message, which only geeks will appreciate. The questions from the robot ("Can you?") and Smith's animosity provide a great baffle for the conflict of man vs. machine.
- DirectorJohn BadhamStarsAlly SheedySteve GuttenbergFisher StevensNumber 5 of a group of experimental robots in a lab is electrocuted, suddenly becomes intelligent, and escapes.Too cute for most macho men, but the robot is so optimistic and childlike, and the Indian stereotype is racist and funny.
- DirectorKenneth JohnsonStarsFisher StevensMichael McKeanTim BlaneyRobot Johnny Five comes to the city and gets manipulated by criminals who want him for their own purposes.Just as funny as the first, surprisingly.