Terminator: Salvation (2009)

Terminator: Salvation (2009)

[6] Terminator: Salvation is passable summer entertainment held together by a sliver of thematic sci-fi integrity and a strong supporting performance by Sam Worthington (Avatar). Why Christian Bale opted into this movie is beyond me -- it's a thankless role.…
Tarzan and the Lost Safari (1957)

Tarzan and the Lost Safari (1957)

[6] Gordon Scott's second outing at Tarzan is far better than his first, and it's also the first Tarzan film to be shot in color! This time around, the loinclothed lord is tasked with helping five passengers of a crashed…
Planet of the Apes (1968)

Planet of the Apes (1968)

[8] It may be tempting to dismiss Planet of the Apes as high camp, but there's provocative science-fiction under those monkey masks. Charlton Heston plays an American astronaut who's on his way back to Earth when he crashlands on a…
Mysterious Island (1961)

Mysterious Island (1961)

[6] Civil War soldiers escape capture in a hot air balloon only to become stranded on an uncharted island inhabited by mutant creatures. Mysterious Island is more than just another showcase for effects pioneer Ray Harryhausen. I enjoyed the survival…
King Kong (1933)

King Kong (1933)

[8] King Kong, the grandfather of all monster movies, is an ambitious visual effects extravaganza servicing a fast-paced adventure story. The film's action set-pieces have inspired generations, whether its Kong's clashes with prehistoric creatures on spooky Skull Island or his…
King Kong (2005)

King Kong (2005)

[8] After finishing The Lord of the Rings, Peter Jackson tackled a remake of his favorite film, King Kong. Jackson's remake is largely faithful to the 1933 original, while generously expanding the storyline and embellishing some of the characters. Jackson…
Clash of the Titans (1981)

Clash of the Titans (1981)

[8] Special effects maestro Ray Harryhausen brings Greek myths to life in Clash of the Titans. The story centers on heroic Perseus, favored son of Zeus, who must accomplish several deadly chores in order to save his beloved Andromeda from…
Where Eagles Dare (1968)

Where Eagles Dare (1968)

[6] There is at least a certain amount of fun to be had in watching Clint Eastwood pump lead into Nazis. Where Eagles Dare is about a group of Allied forces trying to raid a Nazi stronghold to rescue a captured…
The Finest Hours (2016)

The Finest Hours (2016)

[8] Chris Pine stars in this emotional rescue story about a heroic Coast Guardsman who leads a small crew into a winter storm to rescue the workers on a sinking oil tanker. The Finest Hours is based on the true 1952…
A Perfect Getaway (2009)

A Perfect Getaway (2009)

[7] What appears to be a hackneyed vacation nightmare movie turns out to be a fresh thriller from reliable writer/director David Twohy (Pitch Black, Below). The script takes a cue from Scream, reaching a level of self-reference that allows it…