Prince of the City (1981)

 

A New York City narcotics detective reluctantly agrees to cooperate with a special commission investigating police corruption, and soon realizes he's in over his head, and nobody can be trusted. 

Criticized in comparison to the director's previous movie Serpico with the same topic and for its length,  Prince of the City in fact presents a much more nuanced, complex and dark study of police corruption with a large cast of characters and the length actually helps present them with depth; great performances throughout.

Halliwell*: "Punishingly long police semi-documentary on real events and apparently filmed with a political motive. Excellent acting and production detail do not prevent the enterprise from seeming like a half-speed version of Serpico." 

Maltin***: "Emotionally powerful story...Standout performances by Williams, fellow cop Orbach, weasely prosecutor Tolkan, but film's extreme length hurts overall impact; there are more details than really necessary to tell the story."

Smooth Talk (1985)

 

 

A free-spirited 15-year-old girl flirts with a dangerous stranger in the Northern California suburbs and must prepare herself for the frightening and traumatic consequences.

Laura Dern is extraordinary in this realistic, dark adaptation of a Joyce Carol Oates' story; the final sequence is particularly intense and harrowing.
 

Halliwell (no star): "Unattractive scenario about thoroughly dislikeable people."

Maltin**1/2: "Disarmingly realistic...Williams...all but deadens rest of the film. Worth seeing if only for Dern's fine performance. Impressive feature debut for documentary director Chopra..." 

 

 

Hair (1979)

In New York City for the first time while on his way to enlist in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War, an Oklahoma farm hand meets up with a freewheeling group of Central Park hippies.

From memory: First-rate adaptation of the successful 1968 musical is quite entertaining, but was produced way beyond its expiring date.  

Halliwell*: "Slick, vigorous but eventually unsatisfying version of a quickly dated musical frolic with some obvious points to make."

Maltin**1/2: "...hit musical play celebrated the '60s as the Age of Aquarius; unfortunately, it's now a period piece and its impact considerably muffled...has exciting musical moments, but doesn't hang together." 

A Little Bit of Heaven (2011)

An irreverent young woman who uses her humor to prevent matters from getting serious has a life-changing visit with her doctor. 

Mildly entertaining drama tries a bit too hard to take a slight and uplifting view on death - at times on the verge of silliness. 

Maltin*1/2: "Well-meaning but meandering story...Improbable subplot involving a budding romance with her doctor (played unconvincingly by Bernal) would sink this film if that hadn't already been accomplished by some embarrassing heavenly scenes with Whoopi Goldberg as a God-like character who dispenses advice to Hudson!" 

 

Deadfall (2012)

 

 

Two siblings decide to fend for themselves in the wake of a botched casino heist. 

 

Well-cast and suspenseful thriller marred by a quite unlikely plot. 

Maltin**: "Unpleasant characters propel this well-plotted but extremely violent crime thriller."

127 Hours (2010)

A mountain climber becomes trapped under a boulder while canyoneering alone near Moab, Utah and resorts to desperate measures in order to survive.

An unusual stoy about a terrifying misadventure is professionally handled with an imaginative inventory of cinematic tricks, but exactly all the cleverness in its production makes it artificial and only fairly engaging.

Maltin***: "Franco gives a fearless and emotionally engaging performance in this unusual film from Boyle...Squeamish viewers may want to avert their eyes during one key scene."