Superman (1978)

 

An alien orphan is sent from his dying planet to Earth, where he grows up to become his adoptive home's first and greatest superhero.

From memory: Entertaining, witty, star-cast screen adaptation of the classic comics superhero has a lot to offer, but is also a bit heavy-handed, and the villains are not that convincing; however, Christopher Reeves was a perfect choice to cast him as Superman.​ 

Halliwell (no star): "Long, lugubrious and only patchily entertaining version of the famous comic strip, with far too many irrelevant preliminaries and a misguided sense of its own importance."

Maltin***1/2: "Dynamic, grandly entertaining saga...mixing equal parts sincerity, special effects..., and send-up.Great fun." 

Wise Blood (1979)

A Southerner--young, poor, ambitious but uneducated--determines to become something in the world and decides that the best way to do that is to become a preacher and start up his own church.

Quite loyal adaptation of Flannery O'Connor's novel with some good performances which brings the grotesqueness of plot and the characters to full power.

Halliwell***: "Odd story, not easy to like but with many impressive moments."

Maltin***1/2: "Brilliant translation of Flannery O'Connor's peculiar hell-and-salvation tale. Flawless cast, ledd by Dourif..inhabits Southern Gothic world as though born in it."

Superman II (1980)

Superman agrees to sacrifice his powers to start a relationship with Lois Lane, unaware that three Kryptonian criminals he inadvertently released are conquering Earth.

From memory: Director Richard Lester adds some much-needed humor and speedy action, even breaking some taboos along the way, and Gene Hackman is fine as villain Lex Luthor.

Halliwell (no star): "Half the first episode was devoted to a creaky unnecessary setting up of plot and characters.  This sequel is all the better for diving straight into action, but a classic it isn't, even of the comic strip kind."

Maltin***: "Screw the Superman legend, forget logic, and full speed ahead: that's the attitude of this flashy sequel...Full of great effects and entertainingly played, but lacking the awe and wonder of the original film, adding cruelty and violence instead."

1941 (1979)

Hysterical Californians prepare for a Japanese invasion in the days after Pearl Harbor.

From memory: Monstrously overblown spoof does have lots of brilliant bits and pieces and is occasionally funny, but, in every aspect, there is simply too much going on so that you really can take it all in

Halliwell*: "Absurdly over-budgeted manic farce which substitutes noise for wit and slapstick for comedy; it fails on every level."

Maltin**1/2: "Gargantuan comedy from the bigger-is-funnier school of filmmaking. Some excellent vignettes and dazzling special effects..., but on the whole suffers from overkill."

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.

In the Electric Mist (2009)

A detective in post Katrina New Orleans area has a series of surreal encounters with a troop of friendly Confederate soldiers while investigating serial killings of local prostitutes, a 1965 lynching and corrupt local businessmen.

Interesting as this great French director's first American production, but despite all talent involved, the plot goes in all directions and makes the story diffuse and without focus.


On second viewing: still agree that the story is vague and without focus, but the movie hold's one interst with atmosphere and a good cast.

Maltin **1/2: "Atmospheric and well cast, this police procedural with mystical undertones is highly watchable, although some of the characters and relationships seem a bit sketchy ..."

Alambrista! (1977)

After the birth of his first child a young Mexican man slips across the border into the United States seeking work to support his family back home, but he finds that working hard is not enough.

I remember: This is a politically committed movie on immigration that also manages to tell a thrilling story.

Maltin***: "Touching, fresh, insightful..."

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