North by Northwest
1959  NR  SUSPENSE  2h 16min
CAST— Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint, James Mason, Leo G. Carroll, Martin Landau, Jessie Royce Landis, Phillip Ober, Adam Williams, Josephine Hutchinson, Edward Platt
MUSIC— Bernard Herrmann  DIRECTOR— Alfred Hitchcock

     Take a road trip with Cary Grant in this stylishly directed thriller taking the viewer on a journey from the famed halls of New York’s U.N. building to the unblinking stares of Mount Rushmore. Cold War conspirators mistake ad exec Grant for a U.S. agent and devise an unpleasant demise for him. Once he escapes certain death his adversaries frame him for the murder of a prominent U.N. representative. As a fugitive from justice he begins to unravel a murderous plot to smuggle secret microfilm out of the States. Grant must evade death traps and sinister agents in order to clear his name, culminating in a thrilling finale along the monolithic Mount Rushmore. Blending action, comedy, and drama, Hitchcock delivers again. Watch out for Hitch himself after the opening credits as he tries in vain to catch a bus. Deemed “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” by the United States Library of Congress National Film Registry.
OUR RATING— ** ½

     Norm of the North
2016  PG  ANIMATED  1h 28min
CAST— Rob Schneider, Heather Graham, Ken Jeong, Colm Meany, Loretta Devine, Gabriel Iglasias, Michael McElhatton, Bill Nighy
MUSIC— Stephen McKeon  DIRECTOR— Trevor Wall

     Another frigid, family friendly feature film that may leave viewers cold. Norm (Rob Schneider) is a polar bear, future king of the Arctic. But he’s pretty much a disgrace to his father, the current king. Norm does share certain talents with his grandfather (Colm Meany), the ability to speak human being foremost. When shady land developer Mr. Greene (Ken Jeong) plans to sell prefabricated condos in the Arctic Norm travels to NYC to persuade Greene and his assistant to leave his home as is. While in the city Norm gets caught up in public opinion polls that will decide whether or not Greene will get approved to build. Sounds like a blast, right? Yeah. Problems abound in this barely released, barely there kid flick that offers surprisingly good animation and a spirited, though one note vocal performance by Jeong as Greene. The usual morals are to be found here (nature: good, greed: bad, etc.) as is, unfortunately, the always expected crude humor, here delivered by a trio of near indestructible lemmings. Take it or leave it (though anyone over the age of four may be discerning enough to choose the latter).
OUR RATING— * ½

     Norman… is that You?
1976  PG  COMEDY  1h 31min
CAST— Red Foxx, Pearl Bailey, Dennis Dugan, Michael Warren, Tamara Dobson, Vernee Watson, Jayne Meadows
MUSIC— Unknown  DIRECTOR— George Schlatter  BASED ON— Norman, is that You? (play), by Ron Clark, Sam Bobrick

     Moderately entertaining farce set against the backdrop of a sexual revolution. When father Red Foxx visits his Californian son he’s in for quite the shock; sonny boy has been living a homosexual lifestyle. Despite Foxx’s pleads and demands his son refuses to see his side of the argument, that of the normalcy of being heterosexual. Then Foxx meets his son’s flamboyant partner, played by a convincing Dennis Dugan, and he sees the impossibility of the situation. Problems abound within the picture, there’s innuendo aplenty and there’s that dude with the puppets. Creepy.
OUR RATING— * ½

Trailer Unavailable

     Norbit
2007  PG-13  COMEDY  1h 42min
CAST— Eddie Murphy, Thandie Newton, Terry Crews, Clifton Powell, Cuba Gooding, Jr., Mighty Rasta, Eddie Griffin, Katt Williams, Marlon Wayans
MUSIC— David Newman  DIRECTOR— Brian Robbins

     Another bottom-of-the-barrel comedy that should not have been. The nauseating plot can be described thusly: Eddie Murphy plays Norbit, a nerdy wimp married to a five hundred pound monster named Rasputia. When his long-lost love moves back into town he befriends her and falls in love with her again, despite her fiancée and cheating Rasputia’s constant abuse. Some advice: don’t even. Razzie-winner for Worst Actor/Supporting Actor/Supporting Actress (Murphy).
OUR RATING— *

     Non-Stop
2014  PG-13  ACTION  1h 46min
CAST— Liam Neeson, Julianne Moore, Scoot McNairy, Michelle Dockery, Lupita Nyong’o, Nate Parker, Jason Butler Harner, Anson Mount
MUSIC— John Ottman  DIRECTOR— Jaume Collet-Serra

     Liam Neeson stars in this totally forgettable thriller that takes to the friendly skies. Neeson plays a troubled U.S. Air Marshal who begins to receive mysterious text messages from someone on his flight, texts threatening the murder of a random passenger if their demands for money are not met. It’s anyone’s guess as to who the death texter might be. The plot thickens when (after the deaths of a few frequent flyers) things begin to appear as though Neeson has been orchestrating events from the get-go. Neeson must clear his name while trying to find the baddie, even though by now his status as a government employee has been revoked. A totally forgettable thriller (was that already said?) though not totally worth walking away from. Well, almost.
OUR RATING— **

     No Highway in the Sky
1951  NR  DRAMA  1h 38min
CAST— James Stewart, Marlene Dietrich, Glynis Johns, Jack Hawkins, Jeanette Scott
MUSIC— Malcolm Arnold  DIRECTOR— Henry Koster  BASED ON— No Highway (novel), by Nevil Shute

     Another opportunity for James Stewart to shine in a pitch perfect performance. Here he plays an absent minded mathematician working for the British government as an aviations engineer. He has begun to form a theory that may throw a monkey wrench into the company’s ongoing plans. His theory suggests that after so many hours of flight the tail-end on their newest fleet of passenger planes will collapse, sending the plane to a ghastly end. Stewart continues to “aw, shucks” his way through the film until they put him on one of these potential death traps. He then pleads his case, urging the crew to land the plane before it’s too late. A nail-biter to be sure, but one laced with wit and charm from Stewart and flight attendant Glynis Johns. This one may now be under the radar, but one viewing and it feels like you’re going at Mach 2 with your hair on fire. Oh, wait; that’s another movie about planes… AKA: No Highway.
OUR RATING— ***

     Nine Lives
2016  PG  COMEDY  1h 27min
CAST— Kevin Spacey, Jennifer Garner, Robbie Amell, Cheryl Hines, Malina Weissman, Christopher Walken
MUSIC— Evgueni Galperine, Sacha Galperine  DIRECTOR— Barry Sonnenfeld

     Though labeled a family friendly feline-focused farce, the antics herein leave a lot to be desired. Workaholic Kevin Spacey barely sees his family. His board of directors take their place. Even the ever rare family time is spent pursuing business. But he’s forced to take notice when his daughter demands a cat for her birthday. Of course the preoccupied Spacey finds a secluded, out of the way pet shop with an odd Christopher Walken the sole proprietor. A cat is chosen, a strange accident occurs and Spacey now finds his consciousness in the cat, his human body in a coma. As this cat-hater learns the ins and outs of the household kitty he must simultaneously attempt to convince anyone of his true dilemma. Meanwhile, there’s plenty of superfluous nonsense about the family business, a skyscraper and a hostile takeover of the company. The film is never entertaining enough to be funny, with characters either cardboard or obnoxious taking center stage. The worst offender, sadly, is Spacey, whose attempt at a clever feline personality isn’t believable for a moment. Who does he think he is, Bill Murray? AKA Mr. Fuzzypants.
OUR RATING— * ½

     9
2009  PG-13  ANIMATED  1h 19min
CAST— Elijah Wood, John C. Reilly, Jennifer Connelly, Christopher Plummer, Crispin Glover, Martin Landau, Fred Tatasciore
MUSIC— Danny Elfman, Deborah Lurie  DIRECTOR— Shane Acker

     A vivid and unique vision of a post-apocalyptic world, where humanity is just a memory. After war with strange and intelligent machines the Earth is but a crumbling ruin. But there is a small family of creatures living amongst the rubble; a motley assortment of rag dolls, imbued with life, fight for survival against the remaining machines. One such creature, simply named 9, joins the fight with his numerical brethren. After inadvertently resurrecting a fierce machine with creative ingenuity 9 must evade capture long enough to learn the secret of his origins, thereby discovering a means to rid the world of the mechanized terrors once and for all. Stunning visuals enhance the surreal environment; fierce robotic creations provide the chills. Though hampered somewhat by a derivative tear-jerker finale, the film works on a visceral level that deserves applause.
OUR RATING— ***

Trailer Unavailable

     A Night to Remember
1942  NR  COMEDY  1h 25min
CAST— Loretta Young, Brian Aherne, Jeff Donnell, William Wright, Sidney Toler, Gale Sondergaard, Donald MacBride, Blanche Yurka
MUSIC— Werner R. Heymann  DIRECTOR— Richard Wallace  BASED ON— The Frightened Stiff (novel), by Kelley Roos

     Incomprehensible mystery comedy which may take a while to decipher. A mystery novelist and his wife move into a NYC apartment that contains its fair share of problems. There’s too much foot traffic, bodies seem to migrate there and an old turtle rules the roost. No one is who they seem in this disastrous whodunit. A fun premise is sadly wasted.
OUR RATING— * ½

     Nights in Rodanthe
2008  PG-13  DRAMA  1h 37min
CAST— Richard Gere, Diane Lane, James Franco, Scott Glenn, Christopher Meloni
MUSIC— Jeanine Tesori  DIRECTOR— George C. Wolfe  BASED ON— Nights in Rodanthe (novel), by Nicolas Sparks

     When problems arise you can always take a holiday, have a fling with a total stranger, solve their problems, and everything will suddenly seem clear. Yeah. That’s realistic. But that’s basically the plot to this underwhelming romantic drama. Diane Lane plays a harried mother whose ex wants her back. As she weighs her options she runs to the aid of a friend, an innkeeper on the North Carolina coast. She takes command of the inn, awaiting a single guest from Raleigh, a doctor with a past of his own. As he struggles with his inner demons, Lane becomes both impromptu therapist and lover (now there’s something they don’t print business cards for). This film has “standard” written all over it. Two strangers meet, drink wine, fall in love in quaint little setting… Haven’t we seen this before? Lane gives an adequate performance, but Richard Gere, as the tortured doctor, constantly looks uncomfortable, disassociated with his character. Even so, this should be labeled for Richard Gere freaks only.
OUR RATING— **

     Night of the Living Dead
1968  NR  HORROR  1h 36min
CAST— Duane Jones, Judith O’Dea, Russell Streiner, Karl Hardman, Keith Wayne
MUSIC— Various  DIRECTOR— George Romero

     Chills and thrills abound within this classic super-shocker from the last days of the atomic age. When an American space probe starts its descent back into the Earth’s atmosphere, high levels of a mysterious radiation emit from the probe. Although the military is able to destroy the dangerous probe before it touches down, the radiation still reaches earth… with catastrophic results. The radiation somehow reanimates the bodies of the recently dead, bringing them into the state of the undead. As these zombies roam the country they attack every living person they see, killing the person and, shockingly, eating the flesh of their victims. In a secluded farmhouse seven frightened people fight for their lives, fending off these reanimated corpses at all costs, praying that they’ll make it through the night, praying that help will come soon. Although over forty years have passed and although many imitators have tried to leave their mark in the annals of zombie legend, this film is still the original, and it’s definitely one of the all time best. Colorized version also available. Deemed “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” by the United States Library of Congress National Film Registry.
OUR RATING— ***
FOLLOWED BY— Dawn of the Dead (1978), Day of the Dead (1985), Land of the Dead (2005), Diary of the Dead (2007), Survival of the Dead (2009)
REMADE AS— Night of the Living Dead (1990), Night of the Living Dead 3D (2006)

     Night of the Lepus
1972  PG  SCIENCE FICTION  1h 28min
CAST— Stuart Whitman, Janet Leigh, Rory Calhoun, DeForest Kelley, Paul Fix, Melanie Fullerton
MUSIC— Jimmie Haskell  DIRECTOR— William F. Claxton  BASED ON— The Year of the Angry Rabbit (novel), by Russell Braddon

     Absolutely ludicrous account of life among the rabbits, should they become carnivorous and the size of Volkswagens. A scientist cooks up a hormone to control the rabbits’ population but instead they become a bloodthirsty menace to a small Arizona farm community. Those wascally wabbits! AKA Rabbits.
OUR RATING— *

     The Night of the Hunter
1955  NR  DRAMA  1h 32min
CAST— Robert Mitchum, Shelly Winters, Lillian Gish, Evelyn Varden, Peter Graves, James Gleason, Billy Chapin, Sally Jane Bruce
MUSIC— Walter Schumann  DIRECTOR— Charles Laughton  BASED ON— The Night of the Hunter (novel), by Davis Grubb

     Excellent suspense yarn in which the family of an executed bank robber falls victim to the most trusted man in town: the new minister, a genteel, scripture quoting charmer on the outside, a cunning and merciless killer below the surface. When he learns of the thief hiding $10,000 with his family he decides to take action and collect the spoils, so he slithers his way into the hearts of everyone in town, including the recent widow, never stopping until he marries her. Once he has her under his spell he goes to work on the kids, manipulating them, trying to pry the secret from them. They soon make a run for it; but perhaps there can be no escape… Robert Mitchum gives a dynamic performance in this stark and atmospheric thriller that you will either LOVE or HATE. Deemed “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” by the United States Library of Congress National Film Registry.
OUR RATING— ***
REMADE AS— Night of the Hunter (1991)

     Night Must Fall
1964  NR  DRAMA  1h 41min
CAST— Albert Finney, Susan Hampshire, Mona Washbourne, Sheila Hancock, Michael Medwin, Joe Gladwin, Martin Wyldeck
MUSIC— Ron Grainer  DIRECTOR— Karel Reisz  BASED ON— Night Must Fall (play), by Emlyn Williams

     An excruciating experience in boredom lies within this tangled mass of celluloid garbage, so much so that anyone watching may need to seek immediate psychiatric help. The helplessly horrible film begins with a young man committing murder in the woods, then dumping the body in a pond. He then meets up with his girlfriend, a maid for a house not far from the scene of the crime. He soon begins to charm the owner of the house, a reclusive invalid with maternal issues. Meanwhile, the search is on for the missing person in the nearby woods and the young man is getting a kick out of watching the search party combing the area. He begins to show signs of emotional distress and by this time most of the audience is asleep and dreaming of a better movie.
OUR RATING— *
ORIGINAL— Night Must Fall (1937)

     Nightmare Alley
1947  NR  DRAMA  1h 41min
CAST— Tyrone Power, Joan Blondell, Coleen Gray, Helen Walker, Taylor Holmes, Mike Mazurki, Ian Keith, Julia Dean
MUSIC— Cyril J. Mockridge  DIRECTOR— Edmund Goulding  BASED ON— Nightmare Alley (novel), by William Lindsay Gresham

     Absorbing tale of the rise of a star and the fall of a chump. Tyrone Power plays a carnival worker who seduces a phony psychic, hoping to coerce her into selling him a top selling act. Once he has the act he takes the fast track to fame; but even that isn’t enough for him. He teams up with an amoral psychologist to form a new act, half psychic, half evangelist, roping wealthy clients into spending extravagant amounts for his cause. But nothing lasts forever. He quickly descends to new depths, eventually becoming a carnival attraction himself. Unusual tale yet engrossing entertainment.
OUR RATING— ***

Trailer Unavailable

     Nightmare
1964  NR  HORROR  1h 23min
CAST— David Knight, Moira Redmond, Jennie Linden
MUSIC— Don Banks  DIRECTOR— Freddie Francis

     Impressive feature from Hammer Film Productions. Young Janet has been suffering from nightmares, due in part to her father's grisly murder at the hands of her mother. Now, years later, Janet lives in terror that her mother's insanity is hereditary. Visiting her family home only upsets her, especially when the nightmares manifest themselves in the waking world. On the anniversary of the murder she goes over the edge when she kills her guardian Henry's wife... or does she? It seems her guardian and the missus have been gaslighting Janet in hopes of committing her to an asylum, the estate going to Henry. They get their wish, but the new wife begins to experience odd occurrences of her own, and she's sure her new husband is already two-timing her. He adamantly denies all such accusations, but the suspicions remain, as do the visits from a mysterious, girlish figure. A fine example of what Hammer is truly capable of; no nocturnal blood-suckers, no undead creatures, just plain old suspense. Entertaining thriller with plenty of twists proves worth your while.
OUR RATING— ***

Trailer Unavailable

     A Night in Casablanca
1946  NR  COMEDY  1h 25min
CAST— Groucho Marx, Harpo Marx, Chico Marx, Lisette Verea, Charles Drake, Lois Collier, Dan Seymour, Sig Ruman
MUSIC— Werner Janssen  DIRECTOR— Archie Mayo

     Another Marx Brothers romp, this time showcasing the fellas’ attempts at ferreting out Nazis along the North African border at the posh Hotel Casablanca. The past managers of the hotel have all dropped like flies, so in comes Groucho (spouting his now familiar one-liners), ready to take the position and run the hotel his way. But trouble seems to be brewing: a French officer believes there to be Nazi spies lurking about the hotel, seeking a hidden treasure that they will do anything to attain. Not to worry; The Marx Brothers are too dumb to be in any real danger. With action, stunts, and laughs aplenty, this ranks among their best. Who’s sorry now?
OUR RATING— ** ½

Poster Advertises Film
as Captain Clegg

Trailer Unavailable

     












     Night Creatures

1962  NR  DRAMA  1h 20min






CAST— Peter Cushing, Yvonne Romain, Patrick Allen
MUSIC— Don Banks  DIRECTOR— Peter Graham Scott

     Though labeled a horror movie, this is actually a low key melodrama production from Hammer. In the days when the King's Navy pursued pirates a now deceased pirate captain garnered respect from colleagues and enemies alike. A vicar who knew the captain resides in a small English village on the moors, moors that are reputed to be haunted by strange phosphorescent phantoms. This area is notorious for rum runners smuggling shipments, evading the King's taxes and making quite a haul. When Navy men come for a surprise inspection, the smugglers must move fast if they're to successfully evade hanging. The smugglers include many prominent members of the community, the ringleader being none other than the vicar himself. As the deception wears on, one's patience wears thin. Though slightly better than one would expect (emphasis on "slightly"), this is still a tedious experience, held together only by the presence of Peter Cushing as the manipulative minister. AKA Captain Clegg.
OUR RATING— * ½

Trailer Unavailable

     A Night at the Roxbury
1998  PG-13  COMEDY  1h 22min
CAST— Will Ferrell, Chris Kattan, Molly Shannon, Dan Hadaya, Loni Anderson, Elisa Donovan, Gigi Rice, Richard Grieco, Dwayne Hickman, Colin Quinn, Michael Clark Duncan
MUSIC— David Kitay  DIRECTOR— John Fortenberry  BASED ON— Characters appearing on Saturday Night Live (television)

     The Butabi brothers, those clueless head-bopping club-hoppers from Saturday Night Live have actually starred in their own movie. Seriously. Yeah, the ones who do exactly the same thing in every single SNL sketch: dance at the bar and try to pick up women who have the good sense to stay away from them. In the film, the brothers desperately want to get into the hottest club in LA, The Roxbury. After achieving this goal they soon make plans to open their own club, but they have no money. So they lay their plans on the owner of The Roxbury in hopes of becoming partners. The film has very little to recommend it, other than a few minimal laughs. Honestly, it feels like an SNL sketch that never ends.
OUR RATING— * ½

     A Night at the Opera
1935  NR  COMEDY  1h 33min
CAST— Groucho Marx, Chico Marx, Harpo Marx, Kitty Carlisle, Allan Jones, Walter Woolf King, Margaret Dumont, Siegfried Rumann
MUSIC— Herbert Stothart  DIRECTOR— Sam Wood

     Two worlds collide as the upper crust and the bottom of the barrel co-mingle in this inspired plunge into lunacy, delivered with the smash that only the Marx Brothers could deliver. On a tour of Europe, a manager from New York seeks a superb operatic singer for the upcoming season. The fabled three gyp him into signing a friend of theirs, a hopeless romantic with a heart of gold. To get to America, they must board a steam ship as stowaways, where hilarity ensues. After arriving for the opera, the show must not go on, and they seem to try their best to make it happen. With memorable scenes, countless one-liners, and a charming musical number performed by the boys, A Night at the Opera leaves a lasting impression. Deemed “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” by the United States Library of Congress National Film Registry.
OUR RATING— ** ½

     Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist
2008  PG-13  COMEDY  1h 30min
CAST— Michael Cera, Kat Dennings, Alexis Dziena, Ari Graynor, Aaron Yoo, Jay Baruchel
MUSIC— Mark Mothersbaugh  DIRECTOR— Peter Sollett  BASED ON— Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist (novel), by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

     Nick is an average put-upon teenager: he plays bass in a band that is going nowhere fast; his cheating girlfriend has just dumped him; he drives a Yugo. Norah has a back story, as well: she is subtly resentful of her father’s position in the music business; she has dumped her has-been rocker boyfriend. What these two party animals have in common is a love of music, more specifically the band Where’s Fluffy? “Where’s Fluffy?”, indeed. This mysterious band is putting on a show in a clandestine location and Nick and Norah tool around NYC in search of the venue. Along the way they put on a search for a missing friend with the help of Nick’s band mates, running afoul of various exes every step of the way. Only sporadically entertaining, this eclectic film works best as a tribute to New York’s indie music scene, but as a comedy fails to gel. Not recommended for the younger set due to rather frank dialogue and subject matter.
OUR RATING— **

     Niagara
1953  NR  DRAMA  1h 28min
CAST— Marilyn Monroe, Joseph Cotton, Jean Peters, Casey Adams, Don Wilson, Richard Allan
MUSIC— Sol Kaplan  DIRECTOR— Henry Hathaway

     The beautiful scenery of Niagara Falls provides a backdrop for this suspense yarn starring Marilyn Monroe as a scheming adulteress married to brooding Joseph Cotton. A vacationing couple becomes nodding acquaintances with Monroe and Cotton but is soon drawn too close for comfort into their little world. Monroe plans for her boyfriend to kill Cotton, things backfire, Cotton evades death and now comes seeking revenge. All the while the vacationers are repeatedly drawn into the lives of these strangers that should keep to themselves, frankly. A tense finale caps off this Hitchcock-esqe thriller; if nothing else the film provides a nice scenic tour of the Falls.
OUR RATING— ** ½

     New in Town
2009  PG  COMEDY  1h 37min
CAST— Renee Zellweger, Harry Connick, Jr., J. K. Simmons, Frances Conroy, Siobhan Fallon Hogan
MUSIC— John Swihart  DIRECTOR— Jonas Elmer

     A fish-out-of-water tale featuring one cold fish in one cold town. Renee Zellweger stars as a corporate climber residing in Miami. When she is selected to oversee the effective downsizing of a plant she boards a plane and heads into the heart of wintry Minnesota. Upon arrival the climate alone seems to ward off wary Floridians, but when she meets some of the local yokels she knows she’s in for a long cold winter. Her new secretary soon matches her up with the local union official, an easygoing widower played by Harry Connick, Jr., yet things are not looking up for these two. As Zellweger adapts to her new surroundings she begins to find a place in her heart for the people, even Connick, Jr. The chemistry between the two leads is pretty much nonexistent, yet the supporting cast provides sparkle. Not much of a romantic comedy, but there are a few laughs to be had. Love that tapioca!
OUR RATING— **

     Never Say Never Again
1983  PG  ACTION  2h 14min
CAST— Sean Connery, Klaus Maria Brandauer, Max von Sydow, Barbara Carrera, Kim Basinger, Bernie Casey, Alec McCowen, Edward Fox, Rowan Atkinson
MUSIC— Michel Legrand  DIRECTOR— Irvin Kershner  BASED ON— Thunderball (novel), by Ian Fleming

     Slick (if somewhat unnecessary) rehash of major plot elements of the 1965 adventure film Thunderball. Sean Connery returns as MI6 agent 007, James Bond after signing off on the character after Diamonds are Forever (1971). This Bond is the same old chap (or should that be older chap?). Boss M has retired the 00s, relegating them to teaching duties and training exercises rather than actual missions. But now an old school crisis rears its ugly head; a major criminal organization has seized control of two nuclear warheads and is threatening the world with them. Bond follows a lead to the Bahamas and there gets mixed up with loose women, radio controlled sharks and one shocker of a video game. Surprisingly good compared to other (official) Bond films of the ‘80s. Utterly superfluous. Final note: due to binding legal stuff and so on and so forth this one is not part of the official 007 line-up. Bond fans should still take a look, though.
OUR RATING— ** ½
ORIGINAL— Thunderball (1965)

Trailer Unavailable

     Never Cry Wolf
1983  PG  DRAMA  1h 45min
CAST— Charles Martin Smith, Brian Dennehy, Zachary Ittimangnaq, Samson Jorah
MUSIC— Mark Isham  DIRECTOR— Carroll Ballard  BASED ON— Never Cry Wolf (book), by Farley Mowat

     No, not a film about the fabled boy who cried wolf, but a film of broad scope detailing the magnificence of the Arctic. A mild-mannered biologist is sent to the Arctic to conduct research on the dwindling numbers in caribou; it is believed that local packs of wolves are threatening the population. But when the doctor arrives he finds the wolf not to be the aggressive, frightening creature of legend, but a gentle species, devoted to family and territory, living a meager existence not on massive caribou, but on (of all things) field mice! He falls in love with this beautiful creature and the beautiful surroundings of Arctic life, but realizes that mankind can only reach so far into nature without disturbing the elements. Worth a viewing, if only for its panoramic scenes and gentle approach towards nature, but an overall feeling of melancholy pervades the film. And after a single viewing you’ll probably have your fill of seeing naked men running wild among the caribou.
OUR RATING— ** ½

     Never a Dull Moment
1950  NR  COMEDY  1h 29min
CAST— Irene Dunne, Fred MacMurray, William Demarest, Andy Divine, Gigi Perreau, Natalie Wood, Philip Ober, Ann Doran
MUSIC— Frederick Hollander  DIRECTOR— George Marshall  BASED ON— Who Could Ask for Anything More? (book), by Kay Swift

     Another starring vehicle for the always charming Irene Dunne, delivered during the latter part of her career. This time around the film is less than memorable as she plays a glamorous singer/songwriter, the toast of New York, who marries a backwater rancher/rodeo rider from rural Wyoming. A standard fish-out-of-water tale emerges as this city dweller tries to transition to life on the ranch, life as a housewife and cook, and living as a stepmother. Soon the ranch faces adversity from a neighboring competitor and she must make the decision between staying on the farm or continuing her once prominent career in the city. The laughs are pretty much nil, but the highlight of the film is Andy Divine’s scene stealing performance as a cantankerous farmhand.
OUR RATING— * ½

Trailer Unavailable

     The Navigator
1924  NR  COMEDY  59min
CAST— Buster Keaton, Kathryn McGuire, Frederick Vroom
MUSIC— Silent  DIRECTORS— Buster Keaton, Donald Crisp

     Buster Keaton delivers another winner in this silent comedy of a nautical nature. A spoiled rich kid takes an ocean voyage to Hawaii, but boards the wrong ship. By sheer chance the only other person aboard is the girl he wishes to marry. Now comes the MacGuffin; the plot device that moves the film forward but is pointless otherwise. Spies from a warring country set the ship (which is carrying explosives) adrift. Now the boy and girl are collateral damage in a war that neither of them took part in. They spend weeks adrift adjusting to the ways of the sea (in typical Keaton fashion). Very funny Keaton feature, though very little stunt work is showcased. Ahoy.
OUR RATING— ***

     Navajo Joe
1966  NR  WESTERN  1h 33min
CAST— Burt Reynolds, Aldo Sanbrell, Tanya Lopert, Fernando Rey
MUSIC— Leo Nichols (Ennio Morricone)  DIRECTOR— Sergio Corbucci

     Burt Reynolds gets back to his Native American roots in this Wild West revenge tale that more often than not hits a bull’s eye. After Reynolds’ Indian village is slaughtered by bandits led by a prejudiced half-breed Reynolds goes into Rambo mode, taking out the bandits with ruthless determination. Interesting to see Reynolds as the action hero (sans mustache) instead of the romantic hero. Then again, he could have played a “bandit”.
OUR RATING— ***

     National Velvet
1944  NR  DRAMA  2h 3min
CAST— Mickey Rooney, Elizabeth Taylor, Donald Crisp, Anne Revere, Angela Lansbury, Reginald Owen, Norma Varden, Jackie “Butch” Jenkins, Terry Kilburn
MUSIC— Herbert Stothart  DIRECTOR— Clarence Brown  BASED ON— National Velvet (novel), by Enid Bagnold

     Mickey Rooney and Elizabeth Taylor give spirited performances in this highly acclaimed drama, beloved by families for generations. He’s an ex-jockey named Mi who has taken a job as a stable boy, thereafter becoming an adopted member of the farmer’s family. He befriends one of the farmer’s daughters, a feisty girl with equestrian hopes and galloping dreams. To her delight she wins a young horse in a local raffle contest, much to her father’s chagrin. Eventually she coaxes Mi into training the horse to be a champion, with hope that he could enter the prestigious Grand National competition. With terrific performances to spare and a breathtaking steeplechase sequence, this film has stood the test of time and can be appreciated by everyone. Oscar-winner for Best Supporting Actress (Anne Revere), Best Film Editing. Later developed into a television series. Deemed “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” by the United States Library of Congress National Film Registry.
OUR RATING— ***
FOLLOWED BY— International Velvet (1978)

     National Treasure: Book of Secrets
2007  PG  ACTION  2h 4min
CAST— Nicolas Cage, Jon Voight, Harvey Keitel, Ed Harris, Diane Kruger, Justin Bartha, Bruce
Greenwood, Helen Mirren
MUSIC— Trevor Rabin  DIRECTOR— Jon Turteltaub

     Semi-entertaining treasure hunt involving a bit more than picks and shovels. Nicolas Cage returns as Ben Gates, historian extraordinaire, always on the move seeking historical truth. His family’s honor is at stake when knowledge comes forth claiming that one of Gates’ ancestors was involved in the assassination of President Lincoln. In order to disprove this claim he assembles the old team and starts traveling the globe, sneaking into palaces and diplomatic properties, seeking centuries-old clues that might exonerate his forefather. But he’d best beware; the very man who made the claim against Gates’ forebear (Ed Harris) is following Gates’ every step, hoping to be led to a legendary Native American city of gold. It’s gonna take a little more than cunning on Gates’ part to stay ahead of his rival (who actually may not be as bad of a guy as one might assume). The filmmakers certainly pull out all the stops in making this a harrowing adventure film, but sadly Nicolas Cage is no Harrison Ford. Films of this particular genre (few as they may be) all seem like Indiana Jones clones, inferior ones at that. If one can separate the entertainment here from Spielberg’s efforts, one may get more bang for their buck. Otherwise, take it or leave it. AKA National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets.
OUR RATING— **
PRECEDED BY— National Treasure (2004)

     National Treasure
2004  PG  ACTION  2h 11min
CAST— Nicolas Cage, Diane Kruger, Jon Voight, Sean Bean, Christopher Plummer, Harvey Keitel, Hunter Gomez, Justin Bartha
MUSIC— Trevor Rabin  DIRECTOR— Jon Turteltaub

     Got a dollar? If so you have a clue to the location of the greatest treasure in history, amassed over the centuries by the dominant world powers, passed from one culture to another, now hidden on American soil. History buff/treasure hunter Benjamin Gates has devoted his life to the pursuit of this elusive fortune. He discovers that a crucial clue may be hidden on the flip side of The Declaration of Independence; he decides to steal it before his villainous ex-partner gets to it first. But the feds are hot on his trail; he needs every clue he can find on this nationwide treasure hunt. Nicolas Cage is perfect in the role of Gates, as are the majority of the cast. Gates is no Indiana Jones but the film should entertain those in the mood for a good pseudo history lesson.
OUR RATING— ** ½
FOLLOWED BY— National Treasure: Book of Secrets (2007)

     National Lampoon’s Loaded Weapon 1
1993  PG-13  COMEDY  1h 23min
CAST— Emilio Estevez, Samuel L. Jackson, Jon Lovitz, Tim Curry, Kathy Ireland, Frank McRae, William Shatner, James Doohan, Charlie Sheen, Bill Nunn, F. Murray Abraham, Richard Moll, Denis Leary, Corey Feldman, Phil Hartman, J. T. Walsh, Erik Estrada, Larry Wilcox, Paul Gleason, Allyce Beasley, Rick Ducommun, Charles Napier, Beverly Johnson, Denise (Lee) Richards
MUSIC— Robert Folk  DIRECTOR— Gene Quintano

     Have you seen any and/or all of the Lethal Weapon movies? Did you like ‘em? Well get ready to see those (and other films of assorted genres) ripped up Airplane!-style in this often overlooked send-up of the aforementioned Lethal Weapon films. Detectives Colt and Luger are hot on the case of cocaine smugglers… but smugglers with a certain novel approach: They turn the coke into Wilderness Girls Cookies (“No wonder I couldn’t eat just one!”, says Luger at one point). And that’s basically it plot wise. Come on, what more did you expect? The real reason to watch is for the funny, which there’s plenty of. The film pretty much takes us from scene to scene without much setup, introducing characters at a whim (meaning cameos aplenty), and providing brainless, laugh-out-loud stuff that most of us (those of us with a sense of humor) should enjoy.
OUR RATING— ***

     National Lampoon’s European Vacation
1985  PG-13  COMEDY  1h 34min
CAST— Chevy Chase, Beverly D’Angelo, Dana Hill, Jason Lively, Victor Lanoux, Eric Idle
MUSIC— Charles Fox  DIRECTOR— Amy Heckerling

     The Griswald family returns in this less than inspired sequel to the ‘80s hit National Lampoon’s Vacation (1983). The family (by means of a ridiculous game show) have won a two week European vacation. While the kids are less than enthusiastic about the trip their parents are ready for a second honeymoon. Little do they know the fine mess they’ve gotten themselves into. Whether getting frisky with strangers, demolishing Stonehenge, or starting a brawl at Oktoberfest, the Griswalds have truly invaded Europe. If only it were funny. Even though we have a potentially great premise, slightly amusing scenarios, and Chevy Chase the comedy is sorely lacking. Sorely. The best this film has to offer is Monty Python alum Eric Idle, as he plays an unfortunate bicyclist. That’s about it. Where’s cousin Eddie when you need him?
OUR RATING— * ½
PRECEDED BY— National Lampoon’s Vacation (1983)
FOLLOWED BY— National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989), Vegas Vacation (1997), National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation 2: Cousin Eddie's Island Adventure (2003), Vacation (2015)

     Napoleon Dynamite
2004  PG  COMEDY  1h 35min
CAST— Jon Heder, Jon Gries, Aaron Ruell, Efren Ramirez, Tina Majorino, Diedrich Bader
MUSIC— John Swihart  DIRECTOR— Jared Hess

     Perhaps the most quotable film in a decade, Napoleon Dynamite chronicles the mundane misadventures of the title character, a high school loser with sweet skills. Along the way we meet his family: big brother Kip, a skinny little shrimp who sees himself an online Romeo who chats with babes all day, and Uncle Rico, a scheming wannabe who’s into sweet moolah. There’s also Napoleon’s best friend Pedro, who wants to make all our dreams come true by becoming class president, and Deb, who drinks 2% milk… even though she’s not fat; she could be drinking whole if she wants to. Then there’s Napoleon and Kip’s grandmother, who looks like a shemale Rodney Dangerfield impersonator, and Kip’s chat-room lover, Lafawnduh, his complete opposite, in every sense of the word. And who can forget Tina, a fat lard of a llama with helplessly strange eating habits? So the questions remain: Why spend so much time on the characters? Where’s the plot? Well, there really isn’t much of one, other than Pedro running for class president, and the characters are so funny and well-developed that everything relies on their dialogue and reactions, anyway. So, it doesn’t sound like much because it isn’t much. But it’s still funny and so enjoyable that that doesn’t matter. Everything falls into place just right, so that we come to know and love these oddball characters, and that’s what any good movie should do. Sweet! Later developed into an animated series.
OUR RATING— *** ½

     The Nanny
1965  NR  DRAMA  1h 31min
CAST— Bette Davis, Wendy Craig, Jill Bennett, James Villiers, Pamela Franklin, William Dix, Maurice Denham
MUSIC— Richard Rodney Bennett  DIRECTOR— Seth Holt  BASED ON— The Nanny (novel), by Evelyn Piper

     A Hammer film that offers, not schlocky horror, but a half baked mystery. Bette Davis stars as the title nanny, caretaker to a family laden with issues. Father is a cold hearted beast, mother is a panic attack waiting to happen… but sonny boy is the worst; a prank playing brat who deserves a little corporal punishment. The kid has just returned from school and immediately has started tearing into poor Davis, insisting that she has various plans for bumping him off. After seeing this kid would you blame her if she did? A more mature direction for Hammer than the usual gore, but not as entertaining.
OUR RATING— **

     The Naked Spur
1950  NR  WESTERN  1h 31min
CAST— James Stewart, Janet Leigh, Ralph Meeker, Robert Ryan, Millard Mitchell
MUSIC— Bronislau Kaper  DIRECTOR— Anthony Mann

     Engrossing suspense film set in the olden days of the West. James Stewart gives an intense performance as a bounty hunter from Kansas out to nab fugitive Robert Ryan far from home. The reward: 5,000 bucks. Stewart’s unavoidable mistake: he encounters two men along his travels, a crusty prospector and a recently (dishonorably) discharged Army officer… and they want a piece of the action. They all saddle up (including the fugitive’s tomboy of a girlfriend, played by Janet Leigh) and begin the arduous trek back to Kansas. But Ryan turns out to be a slimy, conniving instigator who begins to turn the three reluctant partners against one another; and, my, does he do the job. Well plotted, with moments of tense action and affecting drama, this is sure to please the fans. Deemed “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” by the United States Library of Congress National Film Registry.
OUR RATING— ***

Trailer Unavailable

     The Mystery of the Wax Museum
1932  NR  HORROR  1h 17min
CAST— Lionel Atwill, Fay Wray, Glenda Farrell, Allen Vincent, Frank McHugh, Arthur Edmund Carewe
MUSIC— Cliff Hess  DIRECTOR— Michael Curtiz  BASED ON— The Wax Works (story), by Charles Belden

     A deformed madman, obsessed with perfection, picks up a nifty and novel hobby: he uses the cadavers of the recently deceased, coats them in wax, and displays them for all the world to see at a trendy new gallery. When an investigative reporter sinks her teeth into the story of the missing stiffs she inevitably winds up at the wax museum, causing all manner of trouble to those in the know of the gallery’s dirty deeds. Not the greatest chiller of the era, but not bad.
OUR RATING— **
REMADE AS— House of Wax (1953/2005)

     Mystery Men
1999  PG-13  FANTASY  2h
CAST— Hank Azaria, Claire Forlani, Janeane Garofalo, Eddie Izzard, Greg Kinnear, William H. Macy, Kel Mitchell, Lena Olin, Paul Reubens, Geoffrey Rush, Ben Stiller, Wes Studi, Tom Waits
MUSIC— Stephen Warbeck  DIRECTOR— Kinka Usher  BASED ON— Characters appearing in Dark Horse Comics

     Here we go with yet another superhero movie… but this one’s different. This time we see a team of heroes who really aren’t that super, wannabes who are laughed at by the citizens and villains of Champion City. When Champion City’s real superhero, Captain Amazing, gets kidnapped by a ruthless supervillain, Casanova Frankenstein, it’s up to this rag-tag team of superheroes to save the day. Mr. Furious, The Shoveler, The Blue Raja, Invisible Boy, The Spleen, The Bowler, and The Sphinx (ridiculous characters with equally ridiculous “powers”) team up to defend their city, defeat the bad guy, and maybe become real heroes in this super fun film. Though the visual effects can be a bit overdone, the cast and characters more than make up for it. We like them and root for them because they’re idiots who screw up a lot, just like all of us in the real world.
OUR RATING— ***

     Mysterious Island
1961  NR  SCIENCE FICTION  1h 41min
CAST— Michael Craig, Joan Greenwood, Michael Callen, Gary Merrill, Herbert Lom
MUSIC— Bernard Herrmann  DIRECTOR— Cy Endfield  BASED ON— The Mysterious Island (novel), by Jules Verne

     “A world beyond imagination! Adventure beyond belief!” So says the theatrical poster. The reality is somewhat different. Union soldiers escape from a Confederate prison and travel by balloon to a mysterious island (hence the name) that contains monstrous versions of animal life, fleshed out by stop motion artist Ray Harryhausen. It’s a struggle to survive on this lone island with only their wits to guide them. Little excitement awaits you in this adaptation of the Jules Verne novel, but the effects, though simple, are deftly carried out. Not much else to recommend, but whatever floats your boat… AKA Jules Verne's Mysterious Island.
OUR RATING— * ½
REMADE AS— Mysterious Island (2005)

     The Mysterious Doctor
1943  NR  SUSPENSE  57min
CAST— John Lodor, Eleanor Parker
MUSIC— Howard Jackson, William Lava, Hans Sommer  DIRECTOR— Ben Stoloff

     A quickie chiller like this, running under an hour, assures that even if your interest wanes at least you don’t have long to wait for the finale. In the English village of Morgan’s Head the residents refuse to approach the local tin mines for fear of a legendary headless ghost. But it doesn’t take half a head to figure out that more is going on than meets the eye. Though extremely predictable and often poorly delivered, the time slides by and your hour could have been wasted by something much more unpleasant.
OUR RATING— * ½

Trailer Unavailable

     My Name is Julia Ross
1945  NR  DRAMA  1h 5min
CAST— Nina Foch, Dame May Whitty, George Macready, Roland Varno, Anita Bolster, Doris Lloyd
MUSIC— Mischa Bakaleinikoff  DIRECTOR— Joseph H. Lewis  BASED ON— The Woman in Red (novel), by Anthony Gilbert

     Fine atmospheric quickie that features a suitably freaked out Nina Foch and a kindly condescending Dame May Whitty. Foch, desperate for a job, moves in with Whitty and son in their countryside estate, believing this to be a secretarial job. But upon waking the next day, they claim that she is the young man’s wife, a bedridden amnesiac. Adamantly refusing to believe this nonsense, she is then virtually held captive in the massive house, awaiting rescue by anyone who happens to believe her. Fine use of shadows adds emphasis to the feeling of entrapment Foch endures.
OUR RATING— ** ½
REMADE AS— Dead of Winter (1987)

     My Man Godfrey
1936  NR  COMEDY  1h 34min
CAST— William Powell, Carole Lombard, Gail Patrick, Alice Brady, Eugene Pallette, Alan Mowbray, Mischa Auer, Franklin Pangborn
MUSIC— Charles Previn, Rudy Schrager  DIRECTOR— Gregory La Cava  BASED ON— 1101 Park Avenue (story), by Eric Hatch and Morrie Ryskind

     William Powell hands in another fine performance in this screwball classic. He plays a down-on-his-luck hobo (or “forgotten man”) who is offered a job to serve as butler for a slightly off-the-wall family. The two daughters in the family are polar opposites; the older a cold manipulator, her younger sister a chipper go-getter who happens to be in love with Powell. But he isn’t getting too close to anyone, for you see, Powell has a secret past unlike the average hobo. Besides Powell, Eugene Pallette, as the ever frazzled dad, is worth noticing in a cast worthy of praise. Deemed “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” by the United States Library of Congress National Film Registry.
OUR RATING— ** ½
REMADE AS— My Man Godfrey (1957)

Trailer Unavailable

     My Friend Irma
1949  NR  COMEDY  1h 42min
CAST— John Lund, Marie Wilson, Diana Lynn, Don DeFore, Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, Hans Conreid
MUSIC— Roy Webb  DIRECTOR— George Marshall  BASED ON— My Friend Irma (radio)

     My friend Irma is a klutz. But within her inner circle of friends she can theoretically be safe from blunder. She and her conniving boyfriend soon discover two more potential friends: the proprietors of an orange juice stand (Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis). Boyfriend sees dollar signs when he hears Dino crooning while he works. Irma’s roommate has just landed a secretarial job with a wealthy sophisticate. If Irma’s conniving boyfriend can convince the sophisticate to invest in Dino… well, who knows what might happen? The only real reason to watch this one is the inclusion of Martin and Lewis, in their film debut. Even so, the film proves to be bland entertainment that, sadly, even Jerry Lewis can’t salvage.
OUR RATING— * ½
FOLLOWED BY— My Friend Irma Goes West (1950)