Ali (2001)

A biography of sports legend Muhammad Ali, focusing on his triumphs and controversies between 1964 and 1974.

Great biopic, good acting, and the boxing matches very well done. More than just a sports movie.

Conrack (1974)

A young, white teacher is assigned to an isolated island off the coast of South Carolina populated mostly by poor black families.

From memory: Old-fashioned feel-good drama with a dubious white saviour message;  Jon Voight's role, which he plays excellently, was obviously intended as Oscar bait.

Halliwell*: "Nostalgically mellow happy-film, lit by bright smiles all around."

Maltin***: "Pleasant film..."

Getaway (2013)

To save his kidnapped wife, Brent Magna must drive at the orders of a mysterious man.

Basically just one endless car chase with lots of crashes throwing off any interest on the plot along the way. 

Maltin*1/2: "Predictable thriller consists mainly of one car chase after another."

Anaconda (1997)

A "National Geographic" film crew is taken hostage by an insane hunter, who forces them along on his quest to capture the world's largest - and deadliest - snake.

Tongue-in-cheek creature feature with an A-list cast doesn't quite do the trick, but is mildly enjoyable, mainly due to Jon Voight's smog over-the-top villain performance.

Halliwell (no star): "A bungled rip-off of Jaws, with Voight, who seems to relish his role as an expert snake-hunter, providing what like a parody of Brando at his most excessive; otherwise the action is decidedly tame."

Maltin**: "Hokey special effects and an expositionless script detract, but there's campy fun in the form of Voight's demonic snake poacher...Film makes most of beautiful Brazilian rainforest locale, yet the big serpentine climax looks strangely like deepest, darkest Arcadia."

Deliverance (1972)

Intent on seeing the Cahulawassee River before it's turned into one huge lake, an outdoor fanatic takes his friends on a river-rafting trip they'll never forget into the dangerous American back-country.

The Manchurian Candidate (2004)

In the midst of the Gulf War, soldiers are kidnapped and brainwashed for sinister purposes.

Intelligent remake of a classic, a joy to watch.

On renewed viewing: Nice-looking remake of a classic political satire updates the message and otherwise has its credentials in all departments, but the good work doesn't have the original's edge.

Maltin**1/2: "Remake of a genuinely great film puts an intriguing, modern spin on the depiction of backroom power brokers but lacks the chilling edge - and starkness - that marked the original."

Zoolander (2001)

At the end of his career, a clueless fashion model is brainwashed to kill the Prime Minister of Malaysia.

Deliberately silly, but actually entertaining spoof with lots of stars cameos; the cast seem to be enjoying the show.

Halliwell*: "Energetic farce that aims to be a satire on pop culture, but is too toothless for the task."

Maltin**1/2: "Clever comedy...Funny gags, satiric ideas, eye-popping production design, and celebrity cameos...make this fun for a while, but it can't sustain an entire film."

Beyond (2012)

A detective teams with a tabloid psychic to track down a missing child.

The movie starts promising with atmospheric settings in the Alaskan landscape, but the good cast can't help raise this standard crime mystery full of the usual cliches.

Midnight Cowboy (1969)

On the set: Jon Voight, John Schlesinger & Dustin Hoffman

The Champ (1979)

A child is torn between his divorced parents--a loving mother and an alcoholic ex-boxing father.

I remember: despite having an interesting cast this movie is quite a sentimental and unexciting  custody drama.

Halliwell*: "A lush version, so little updated in mood that its tearfulness seems to have strayed from another age."

Maltin*1/2: "Voight is too intelligent to convince as a dumb pug, and Dunaway, as a loving mother, looks as if she wants to bed down with her kid in hopeless remake of the 1931 sudser. Young Schroder cires (and cries) convincingly."