Sunday, 29 April 2018
Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films (2014)
The history of the independent film company, The Cannon Film Group, Inc.
Fast-paced and extensive documentary is arguably more entertaining than most of Cannon's own products.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
A criminal pleads insanity after getting into trouble again and once in the mental institution rebels against the oppressive nurse and rallies up the scared patients.
A masterpiece of anti-establishment entertainment, excellently staged and with an unforgettable cast, still manages to captivate, although it does reveal a strong streak of misogyny.
Halliwell****: "Wildly and unexpectedly commercial film of a project which had lain dormant for fourteen years, this amusing and horrifying film conveniently sums up anti-government attitudes as well as make love not war and all that. It's certainly impossible to ignore."
Maltin****: "Ken Kesey's script is a triumph of human spirit..."
Thursday, 26 April 2018
Sneakers (1992)
A security pro finds his past coming back to haunt him, when he and his unique team are tasked with retrieving a particularly important item.
Good-humoured and harmless caper comedy, although it does presciently convey an alarming attempt at global surveillance.
Halliwell**: "Enjoyable caper that pleasantly passes a couple of hours."
Maltin**1/2: "High-tech caper yarn...Redford is in fine form in a lighthearted leading-man role, and his "team" is fun, but why does this story take so long to unravel - and why does it jettison every shred of believability toward the end?"
Wednesday, 25 April 2018
Fantastic Voyage (1966)
A scientist is nearly assassinated. In order to save him, a submarine is shrunken to microscopic size and injected into his blood stream with a small crew. Problems arise almost as soon as they enter the bloodstream.
At its time a spectacular special effects sci-fi event despite a trashy plot it very quickly became outdated and is now merely of historic interest.
Halliwell*: "Engagingly absurd science fiction which keeps its momentum but is somwhat let down by its décor."
Maltin***1/2: "Tremendously entertaining science fiction story...Film's then-state-of-the-art visual effects look great in widescreen."
Michael Weldon/Psychotronic: "Lots of enlarged guts, a voyage through the ventricles, and a lung-induced tornado."
Monday, 23 April 2018
Sunday, 22 April 2018
Man on a Ledge (2012)
As a police psychologist works to talk down an ex-con who is threatening to jump from a Manhattan hotel rooftop, the biggest diamond heist ever committed is in motion.
Nicely made and fairly entertaining thriller loses credibility with its far-fetched plot.
Maltin**: "There are clever moments, but the plot gets progressively more ridiculous and eventually loses steam; the depiction of dirty cops and a ruthless business tycoon are pretty shopworn."
Saturday, 21 April 2018
Earthquake (1974)
Various stories of various people as an earthquake of un-imaginable magnitude hits Los Angeles.
Risible and bad disaster movie, the advertised "Sensurround" sound probably installed to drown out the ridiculous 'special effects'.
On renewed viewing: pretty bad, trashy entertainment.
Halliwell*: "Dreary drama with very variable special effects, gimmicked up by Sensurround. A box-office bonanza."
Maltin BOMB: "...hackneyed disaster epic..."
Joschka und Herr Fischer (2011)
He was a student activist, an urban guerrilla, a taxi driver; Joseph "Joschka" Fischer emerged from the Extra-parliamentary Opposition (APO) to become Hessen's trainer-clad environment minister and Germany's suited and booted foreign minister.
Although conceived as a mouthpiece for Joschka Fischer, who tells and explains his life story in this documentary, he does show enough self-criticism and reveals new details to make this an interesting watch.
Friday, 20 April 2018
Swing Vote (2008)
In a remarkable turn-of-events, the result of the presidential election comes down to one man's vote.
Surprisingly entertaining and humorous satire with a good cast, and Madeline Carroll is the true star of the movie.
Maltin***: "Sharp, funny, relevant comedy...Genuinely Capraesque movie has a terrific cast that makes the most of the screenplay..."
Justice League (2017)
Fueled by his restored faith in humanity and inspired by Superman's selfless act, Bruce Wayne enlists the help of his newfound ally, Diana Prince, to face an even greater enemy.
Above-average superhero tohobohu entertains with good special effects, lots of action and, especially, a healthy amount of humour.
Thursday, 19 April 2018
Tuesday, 17 April 2018
Trespass (2011)
As they're held for ransom, a husband and wife's predicament grows more dire amid the discovery of betrayal and deception.
Unpleasant thriller with an ensemble of disagreeable characters relentlessly stomps through its confused plot.
Maltin BOMB: "If there's a point to this unpleasant, endlessly repetitive time-waster, it's that the wealthy are just as corrupt and miserable as their "lessers." But you knew that."
Mr. Majestyk (1974)
A melon farmer battles organized crime and a hit man who wants to kill him.
Action thriller with a strange premise and wildly unreal plot somehow manages to do the trick and entertain.
Halliwell*: "Violent but unexpectedly enjoyable action melodrama."
Maltin**1/2: "Above average Bronson thriller...surprisingly tongue-in-cheek script by Elmore Leonard."
Monday, 16 April 2018
Hidden Figures (2017)
A team of African-American women provide NASA with important mathematical data needed to launch the program's first successful space missions.
Sunday, 15 April 2018
Exposed (2016)
A police detective investigates the truth behind his partner's death. The mysterious case reveals disturbing police corruption and a dangerous secret involving an unlikely young woman.
Strangely muddled crime story with supernatural tidbits has some good set pieces, but simply doesn't add up to a coherent narrative.
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