[7] Mel Gibson returns as the iconic Mad Max, joined by Tina Turner in a fun, villainous role. But the third film in the series is also the weakest, first signaled by the PG-13 rating, a ridiculous attempt to make a hard-edged action franchise more family-friendly. The script splits the story into two distinct parts that then converge on each other in the third act. …
[5] This belated sequel gets by, for the most part, on good will and fond memories of the previous three installments. It’s light on memorable action scenes and heavy on silliness (the CGI mokeys and gophers are really, really hard to shake). What I really wanted were more special moments between Harrison Ford and Karen Allen. I mean, who didn’t always want to see Indy …
[7] James Cameron’s first film since Titanic is a supreme juvenile fantasy with a healthy sense of adventure and discovery. From its floating mountains to its bio-luminescent flora and fauna, the world of Pandora never stops unfolding before our eyes, and it’s a beautiful, trippy little place to visit. The core concept of Avatar — that of experiencing life through a separate host body — …
[8] Director Hugh Hudson (Chariots of Fire) delivers an emotionally compelling adaptation of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ vine-swinging legend. The first half of the movie, depicting Tarzan’s childhood up through his discovery by an Austrian explorer (Ian Holm), outshines the last, but the movie still works well overall. Christopher Lambert (Highlander) does a good job bringing out the extreme pathos of a character caught between two …
[7] Richard Beymer (West Side Story) stars as Ernest Hemingway’s alter-ego, a young man who comes of age by traveling the country and serving in the military during the early 1900s. With beautiful scenery of rural Michigan and Franz Waxman’s wistful score, the film is unabashedly romantic and nostalgic — it transports you to a time and place you’re reluctant to leave. But as Beymer …
[6] Johnny Weissmuller and Maureen O’Sullivan take a third swing at playing Tarzan and Jane in another solid entry in the long-running Tarzan series. This time around, swindlers convince Jane to leave the jungle to settle an inheritance dispute back in England. Meanwhile, Tarzan is captured by a circus exhibitionist who plans to exploit our hero as a side-show attraction. One of the highlights of …
[7] A well-structured, lovingly-crafted sword and sorcery flick. Arnold Schwarzenegger, limited as he may be, was born for this role and Basil Poledouris’ score is among the best ever recorded for film. Writer/director John Milius seems rushed at times, but some scenes are extraordinarily polished. I love the first half-hour most of all. The death of Conan’s mother could not be done better. It’s all …
[7] After his bomber crew crash behind enemy lines, Errol Flynn leads an ever-shrinking number of men out of Nazi Germany, carrying information that will help turn the tide of war. Desperate Journey often plays like a comic-book rendition of WWII, and yes, it’s Hollywood propaganda (the last line is, “Now, let’s go get those Japs!”) But it’s got Gunga Din‘s spirit of camaraderie and …
[6] Supergirl is good cheese, one of those ‘so bad it’s good’ kind of movies. You’ve got Faye Dunaway vamping out as a frustrated witch living in an abandoned amusement park, smokey voiced Brenda Vaccaro as her wise-cracking sidekick, a total waste of Peter O’Toole, and a whole bunch of monstrous threats hindered by budget constraints. Take for example Supergirl’s exciting battle with… a tractor. …
[6] This Rudyard Kipling adventure stars young Dean Stockwell in the title role, playing a sneaky street-wise kid who spies for British Intelligence in colonial India. The adventure is a little more episodic than I prefer, bringing Kim into contact with several supporting players, including an older spy named Red Beard (an underutilized Errol Flynn), a curt hypnotist (Arnold Moss), and a holy man (Paul …
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