Stakeout (1987) R - 3½ Stars

Here's an older movie that can still live up to a good chuckle in today's standards. A very young Emilio Estevez and Dreyfuss give brilliant performances, as well as the slap happy antics between the gang of dectectives.

Detectives Chris Lecce (Richard Dreyfuss), and Bill Reimers (Emilio Estevez),are on a F.B.I. stakeout across the street from a sexy senorita Maria McGuirethey Madeleine Stowe), they are monitoring. It's their hopes former boyfriend Richard "Stick" Montgomery (Aidan Quinn), who's escaped from prison, will make his appearance at her house.

With their visuals set up and in place, they need to still capture the audio and as Reimers watches carefully through his binoculars, Lecce dressed as a phone technician, knocks on her door to get inside. Once in, Maria offers him a drink as he plants his bugs in each phone and snoops around her bedroom. But as Maria invites him to stay for more than lemonade, Lecce has a hard time turning her down. They keep running into each other until finally, he can no longer resist. He ends up back at her home as an invited guest and after a wild night of sex and falling asleep, he now becomes part of the investigation when caught sneaking out of her house with shift change at dawn.
Buena Vista Pictures
Director: John Badham
Writer: M. James Kouf Jr.
Producers: Cathleen Summers, M. James Kouf Jr., Gregg Champion

I viewed 1/09

Babylon A.D. (2008) PG13 - 3 Stars

If you are Vin Diesel fan, you may really enjoy this movie. For me, he has an extremely monotone acting style and voice, and just not one of my favorite actors to watch. However, the movie does have plenty of action, twists and turns, beautiful scenery and some decent special effects to make it worth the rental.

Toorop (Vin Diesel) is a bad ass futuristic transporter living in a His new assignment is to transport a young girl Aurora (Mélanie Thierry), and her guardian nun Sister Rebeka (Michelle Yeoh), on a journey of over 6,000 miles from their convent in Kazakhstan to the city of New York. Toorop doesn't care to know the details of why, his only concern is delivering the girl to her destination safely in order to collect his pay. Along the journey, he's put through many tests to keep the women and himself alive. As the three become traveling partners. Toorop will learn exactly how special this cargo is to deliver. In the end, he must make a tough choice as to buy himself freedom and walk away, or fight for her, to the end.

20th Century Fox
Director: Mathieu Kassovitz
Writers: Eric Besnard, Mathieu Kassovitz
Producers: Alain Goldman, Mathieu Kassovitz

I viewed 1/09

Out of the Ashes (2003) R - 4½ Stars

Christine Lahti gives an Oscar winning performance in her role as Dr. Gisella Perl, a Jewish Hungarian gynaecologist, fighting to stay alive in the Auschwitz death camp of World War II. This movie is based on the true story of her life convincing her father she would become a doctor someday to being held captive by the Nazi's, along with her entire family, husband and son. They were separated as they entered the camp. She naively thinks the general will grant her wishes of seeing her family if she helps him organize the pregnant women to get aboard Red Cross trucks to be taken to the infirmary for treatment and better conditions fr their pregnancies. Instead she learns, they have been singled out and taken to their deaths, as they are in no condition for working. It's then she learns her family has also met that same fate.

Dr. Perl secretly preforms over 1,000 abortions in Auschwitz prison camp, helping save these women's lives. If found to be pregnant, they knew their fate and sought the doctors help. Dr. Perl, with the use of only her hand, preformed these abortions vowing to someday right her wrongs by helping bring new lives back into the Jewish faith. She did the best she could with what she had to work with to make live as painless as possible for these women until finally allied forces, freed the women.

Now in 1946, and in America, she has a very hard time convincing immigration she should be awarded American citizenship. Even though she had already passed all the medical exams to award her doctors credentials in America, she had to re-live her terrible ordeal and convince a panel of three men from immigration court, that she was not "collaborated" with the Nazis, just doing what she needed to do to survive.

Ardent Productions
Director: Joseph Sargent
Producer: Lee Levinson

I viewed 1/09

Lady Chatterley (2006) R - 3½ Stars

This movie is not for everyone. I didn't realize when I first watched the movie that it is actually based on a true story. It took a game of Trivial Pursuit where the answer was "Lady Chatterley" regarding a question about infidelity in the 1920's for me to realize it. Though the movie is slow in movement and though almost three hours long, the visual surroundings bloom along side of the seduction of the lonely woman who yearns to feel the closeness of love again. Set in England, 1921, where discussions on sexual betrayal were rarely common knowledge. The acting is pretty stiff and the sexual scenes are not all that romantically sexy to me. But that is also what makes the film seem more real to me. It's not your glamours stars portraying an visually exotic sexual love affair. It's two ordinary common looking people, coming together to fill each others emptiness, eventually turning to love. I did like their running naked in the forest rain, ending in the mud.

Sir Clifford Chatterley (Hippolyte Girardot), is a wealthy British nobleman who has returned home from war paralyzed. He is many years older than his lovely bride Constance (Marina Hands) and she finds herself now playing the role of care giver. The two live lavishly in a large country estate in the forests of England. Constance finds herself overwhelmed at times and takes many journeys, by foot ,exploring the beautiful surroundings they live on. Their only neighbors are the servants and the gamekeeper Parkin (Jean-Louis Coulloc'h).

Parkin has a shed on the property for fixing things and raising pheasant for the couples dinner meals. Constance appears are the doorsteps of the shed, inquisitive about the role Parkin has on the property. Parkin, being a loner, prefers his solitude and when Constance asks for a set of keys to be able to come to the shed at any time, he reluctantly produces a set of keys for her. As he doesn't fell comfortable with her presence and their social differences, he does eventually accept her persistence at sharing in his solitary world. The two will find this outlet, a way of escape for both of them.

As they become more conversational, they find themselves inside the shed, as she exists on their sharing a sexually encounter. Though this proper lady has no idea how she should be responding to the sensation, she soon learns she can not be without his heavy grasp of touch. A trip away with her sister only strengthens her attachment to Parkin. The problem is, the more the two discover about themselves and their sexual love need for each other, the small town is also learning of their secret.

2007 - Lady Chatterley - French Academy of Cinema - Best Picture
2007 - Lady Chatterley - French Academy of Cinema - Best Cinematography
2007 - Lady Chatterley - French Academy of Cinema - Best Actress
2007 - Lady Chatterley - Tribeca Film Festival - Best Actress in a Narrative Feature

Kino Film
Director: Pascale Ferran
Writers: Pierre Trividic, Pascale Ferran, Roger Bohbot
Producer: Gilles Sandoz

I viewed 1/09

The Wanderers (1979) R - 4 Stars

Great all time classic coming of age movie, between boys, girls and the gangs on the streets of the Bronx in 1963. The music score alone make The Wanderers one of those movies you should see at least once in your life time. The 60's are probably one of my favorite nostalgia eras growing up. The simpleness and togetherness of the nation and the impact that was felt when John F. Kennedy was assassinated, will never be forgotten. Back then, even the gangs took a break, after the assassination, to take a better look at their own human spirit. Sort of a clash between "West Side Story", with a lot less drama and "Happy Days" with the Fonz. Great acting and a big thumbs up.

The movie focuses on 5 young teenage Italian-American boys involved with their gang "The Wanderers" and their ongoing clashes with their rival gangs the "Fordham Baldies" and the "Wongs" and "Bombers". The Baldies, at over 50 strong, have started taking over the streets and have shaved their heads bald, not to be known as skin heads but when fighting, hair won't be in the way. One of the members of the Wanderers, Joey (John Friedrich) , shaves his head to try and fit in with both gangs.

When two of the boys Richie (Ken Wahl) and Joey are cornered by the Baldies, Perry (Tony Ganios) at 6'5", appears as a out of nowhere and the Baldies back down. Perry has just moved into the neighborhood, and the Wanderers are happy to show him the ropes while inviting his strength into their gang. As the rivalries grow, the gangs are all called out to finally settle the score once and for all. As they show up to take each other on, the "The Ducky Boys", (a real life gang of that time period, known as killers) arrive and the teens unite, black, Asian, white and bald, to take them on.

GTO Films Ltd, Orion Pictures
Director: Philip Kaufman
Writers: Philip Kaufman, Rose Kaufman
Producer: Martin Ransohoff

I viewed 1/09

Behind Enemy Lines: Colombia (2009) R - 3½ Stars

Though the movie did not get great reviews, I liked it a lot. When you think of the Navy Seals, you think of the guys able to pull off seemingly impossible missions. This movie puts them to their test as they must save one of their own behind enemy lines, while also saving their good name. The action is good, the story line somewhat predictable, but the stars give believable performances while they're easy on the eye to look at.

Columbia's government has a long on going battle with it's insurgent guerrillas and when the US Navy SEALS get wind of activity growing in the area, they send in some of their finest on a secret mission to observe. Kevin Derricks (Channon Roe), Steve Gaines (Chris J. Johnson), Greg Armstrong, (Antony Matos), and (Geoffrey M. Reeves) are sent to observe and record the meeting. However, as the meeting is showing some progress, a new Colombian special force task attacks the meeting, killing leaders from both sides, the SEALS are accused and abandoned by their government. It's now up to them to survive behind enemy lines, while clearing their name.

WWE Films, Twentieth Century Fox
Director: Tim Matheson
Writer: Tobias Iaconis
Producer: Jeff Freilich

I viewed 1/09

Bangkok Dangerous (2008) R - 3½ Stars

The movie is a remake of a popular 1999 thriller directed by the same as the original. If you are looking for action, you will probably like the movie as I feel it has plenty of it. However, I don't think it's one of Cage's best. I'm not sure I was convinced of his "relationship" with the deaf girl. Other than her being kind to him, I don't think the story makes you feel the love for her. I do however feel, Cage's stiff performance does lead to his empty character, as an assassin with no feelings. To me, it's worth the price of a rental even though it won't win any awards. Filmed entirely on location in Bangkok.

Joe (Nicolas Cage), is a quiet, private loner with no friends or social life. His goal in life is his work as a ruthless assassin. He's been hired by crime boss Surat (Nirattisai Kaljaruek), to travel to Bangkok to eliminate 4 clients. One thing that makes his job easier, he never meets with the person who hires him, but receives his direction by messenger.

Once in Bangkok, Joe meets up with a hustler named Kong (Chakrit Yamnarm). Kong will do anything to try and make a quick buck and finally learns if he can just keep his mouth shut and just do what's asked, he has a good income coming from Joe. Kong's job as messenger, gets him close to a beautiful dancer where his messages come from. Joe also meets love, in a deaf woman, as he is about to end the life of his last client. Her innocence causes Joe to start feeling again which may cost him his life.

Lionsgate
Directors: Danny Pang, Oxide Pang Chun
Writer: Jason Richman
Producers: Nicolas Cage, Jason Shuman, William Sherak

I viewed 1/09

Righteous Kill (2008) R - 3½ Stars

The movie starts out a little slow for me but it sure ends a way I did not expect. DeNiro and Pacino have their way of playing characters with that mysterious touch into the dark side. Both give great performances where you're just not sure who's the good and the bad guy. The movie is not as good as I was hoping it would be with such big named header, but I did still enjoy it a DeNiro and Pacino can hold up on their own.

"Turk" (Robert De Niro), and "Rooster" (Al Pacino) are police detectives in New York and have worked together, as partners taking down the bad guys, for over 30 years. When a new set of murders start happening, they both agree this new "serial killer" targeting scumbags, should be thanked for getting the creeps off the street. But with each new murder, a four line poem is left, as if to justify the killing. Turk and Rooster have worked cases like this in the past and when it's determined the force has a vigilante on their team, the two go to great lengths to protect each others backs. Also starring, Det. Ted Riley (Donnie Wahlberg), Det. Simon Perez (John Leguizamo), and Spider (50 Cent).

Overture Films
Director: Jon Avnet
Writer: Russell Gewirtz
Producers: Avi Lerner, Lati Grobman, Jon Avnet

I viewed 1/09

Pineapple Express (2008) R - 2½ Stars

From the makers of Super Bad, which I thought was super bad, comes Pineapple Express, which I also think is not as bad but not all that great. Then again, I think most movies about smoking pot are way over exaggerated and bad, except of course for "Saving Grace" which was pretty damn funny. Okay back to this one. There are a few laughs but all and all, I thought it was pretty far fetched and not all that funny.

Dale Denton (Seth Rogen) is a process server who visits his local pot connection to score some weed to smoke while waiting to serve his next client. He shows up at Saul Silver (James Franco) apartment and Saul turns him on to some really good stuff called Pineapple Express. The two get high and Dale leaves with baggie in hand and off to the home of his new client. As he sits in front smoking a joint, a cop pulls up behind him. She enters the home and Dale proceeds to watch in horror as the officer and the occupant murder a man. Chucking his roach in the street, he has no one to flee to except Saul. Dale fears the murderer will find his roach and trace the "Pineapple Express" back to Saul so the two flee as they try to figure things out. Before long, they're running for their lives because of the Pineapple Express.

2008 - Pineapple Express - Austin Film Critics - Best Breakthrough Artist

Apatow Productions, Relativity Media, Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group
Director: David Gordon Green
Writers: Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg
Producers: Shauna Robertson, Judd Apatow

I viewed 1/09

Linewatch (2008) R - 3½ Stars

Seems like the movie is a bit low budget as I can't even find any images to go with it. The story line is somewhat predictable but Cuba does a great job as border patrol agent Dixon. The movie also shows some of the yahoo's patrolling the border without a badge, that just might be out there. Not the greatest but good action that kept me entertained. I think it was worth the rental.

Mike Dixon (Cuba Gooding, Jr.) used to be a gang member in the streets of Los Angeles. Now trying to escape his past, his new line of work has him watching the borders of New Mexico, as an agent for the U.S. Border Patrol.He's settled down and has a new life with his wife Angela (Sharon Leal) and daughter Emily. He now roams the desert canyons in search of paid coyotes making illegal crossings. Hot on their trail, he and his partner arrive at a trailer only to be ambushed. His partner takes a bullet at a trailer they are about to raid. Dixon recognises the last fleeing young man as his nephew (Evan Ross), doesn't shoot and allows him to escape with no mention of his discovery, when writing his report. His old gang, Drake (Omari Hardwick), Stokes (AMG), and others, get wind of it and decide to show up forcing Dixon to ignore his badge and aid them in some artillery smuggling. Drake sets up home with Angela while Dixon has no choice but to help them. Now, he must decide which side of the law he is on.

Sony Pictures
Director: Kevin Bray
Writer: David Warfield
Producers: Brad Krevoy, Reuben Liber, Karri O'Reilly

I viewed 1/09

The Education of Shelby Knox (2005) NR - 3 Stars

Though the documentary is a little slow in getting her point across, I must say I admire the courage of this young teenage girl, from an very religious Christian family, to become a political activist in an effort to bring sex education classes to high schools. Though her parents try to stand behind her having her own opinions, they do not want her to stray away from the strong religious values she was brought up with. I like the fact that as Shelby becomes more involved with meeting people of different sexual orientation, she opens herself up to gay rights and begins to question her strict religious beliefs.

Shelby Knox is a teenage girl growing up in Lubbock, Texas. She has taken a vow of abstaining from sex till marriage. However, Lubbock Texas has one of the highest rates of teen pregnancy and Shelby tries to make light of why that is. There is no sexual education on the high school as most of the town believes that should be something the parents are responsible for. But when pregnant girls fill the class rooms are pretty much go unnoticed, she decides to do something to change it.

2005 - The Education of Shelby Knox - Sundance Film Festival - American Excellence in Cinematography Award (Documentary)

INCITE PICTURES, CINE QUA NON, Inc.
Directors: Rose Rosenblatt, Tiffany Shlain, Marion Lipschutz
Producers: Marion Lipschutz, Rose Rosenblatt

I viewed 1/09