Rated: R
Release Date:1979
Running Time: 153
My Rating: 0/5
Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola
Starring: Marlon Brando, Martin Sheen, Robert Duvall, Frederic Forrest, Sam Bottoms, Albert Hall, Laurence Fishburne, Dennis Hopper, Harrison Ford, G.D. Spradlin, Jerry Ziesmer, Scott Glenn, Bo Byers, James Keane, Kerry Rossall

Digitally remastered with 49 minutes of previously unseen footage, "Apocalypse Now Redux" is the reference standard of Francis Coppola's 1979 epic. A metaphorical hallucination of the Vietnam War, the film was reconstructed by Coppola and editor Walter Murch to enrich themes and clarify the ending. On that basis "Redux" is a qualified success, more coherent than the original while inviting the same accusations of directorial excess. The restored "French plantation" sequence adds ghostly resonance to the war's absurdity, and Willard's theft of Colonel Kurtz's beloved surfboard adds welcomed humor to the film's nightmarish upriver journey. An encounter with Playboy Playmates seems superfluous compared to the enhanced interplay between Willard and his ill-fated boat crew, but compensation arrives in the hellish Kurtz compound, where Willard's mission--and the performances of Martin Sheen and Marlon Brando--reach even greater heights of insanity, thus validating "Redux" as the rightful heir to Coppola's triumphantly rampant ambition. "--Jeff Shannon"

Date added to my collection: 22 Oct 2005

My Comments:

Rated: R
Release Date:1995
Running Time: 177
My Rating: 0/5
Directed by: Mel Gibson
Starring: Mel Gibson, James Robinson, Sean Lawlor, Sandy Nelson, James Cosmo, Sean McGinley, Alan Tall, Andrew Weir, Gerda Stevenson, Ralph Riach, Mhairi Calvey, Brian Cox, Patrick McGoohan, Peter Hanly, Sophie Marceau

Mel Gibson's Oscar-winning 1995 "Braveheart" is an impassioned epic about William Wallace, the 13th-century Scottish leader of a popular revolt against England's tyrannical Edward I (Patrick McGoohan). Gibson cannily plays Wallace as a man trying to stay out of history's way until events force his hand, an attribute that instantly resonates with several of the actor's best-known roles, especially "Mad Max". The subsequent camaraderie and courage Wallace shares in the field with fellow warriors is pure enough and inspiring enough to bring envy to a viewer, and even as things go wrong for Wallace in the second half, the film does not easily cave in to a somber tone. One of the most impressive elements is the originality with which Gibson films battle scenes, featuring hundreds of extras wielding medieval weapons. After Eisenstein's "Alexander Nevsky", Orson Welles's "Chimes at Midnight", and even Kenneth Branagh's "Henry V", you might think there is little new that could be done in creating scenes of ancient combat; yet Gibson does it. "--Tom Keogh"

Date added to my collection: 22 Oct 2005

My Comments: What kind of man would defy a king?

Rated: R
Release Date:1999
Running Time: 139
My Rating: 0/5
Directed by: David Fincher
Starring: Edward Norton, Brad Pitt, Helena Bonham Carter, Meat Loaf, Zach Grenier, Richmond Arquette, David Andrews, George Maguire, Eugenie Bondurant, Christina Cabot, Sydney 'Big Dawg' Colston, Rachel Singer, Christie Cronenweth, Tim De Zarn, Ezra Buzzington

All films take a certain suspension of disbelief. "Fight Club" takes perhaps more than others, but if you're willing to let yourself get caught up in the anarchy, this film, based on the novel by Chuck Palahniuk, is a modern-day morality play warning of the decay of society. Edward Norton is the unnamed protagonist, a man going through life on cruise control, feeling nothing. To fill his hours, he begins attending support groups and 12-step meetings. True, he isn't actually afflicted with the problems, but he finds solace in the groups. This is destroyed, however, when he meets Marla (Helena Bonham Carter), also faking her way through groups. Spiraling back into insomnia, Norton finds his life is changed once again, by a chance encounter with Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt), whose forthright style and no-nonsense way of taking what he wants appeal to our narrator. Tyler and the protagonist find a new way to feel release: they fight. They fight each other, and then as others are attracted to their ways, they fight the men who come to join their newly formed Fight Club. Marla begins a destructive affair with Tyler, and things fly out of control, as Fight Club grows into a nationwide fascist group that escapes the protagonist's control.
"Fight Club", directed by David Fincher ("Seven"), is not for the faint of heart; the violence is no holds barred. But the film is captivating and beautifully shot, with some thought-provoking ideas. Pitt and Norton are an unbeatable duo, and the film has some surprisingly humorous moments. The film leaves you with a sense of profound discomfort and a desire to see it again, if for no other reason than to just to take it all in. "--Jenny Brown"

Date added to my collection: 22 Oct 2005

My Comments: Mischief. Mayhem. Soap.

Rated: Unrated
Release Date:2000
Running Time: 292
My Rating: 0/5
Directed by: John Harrison
Starring: William Hurt, Alec Newman, Saskia Reeves, James Watson, Jan Vlasák, P.H. Moriarty, Robert Russell, Laura Burton, Ian McNeice, Matt Keeslar, László I. Kish, Jan Unger, Giancarlo Giannini, Julie Cox, Miroslav Táborský

It's a mixed blessing, but "Frank Herbert's Dune" goes a long way toward satisfying science fiction purists who scoffed at David Lynch's previous attempt to adapt Herbert's epic narrative. Ironically, director John Harrison's 288-minute TV miniseries (broadcast on the Sci-Fi Channel in December 2000) offers its own share of strengths and weaknesses, which, in retrospect, emphasize the quality of Lynch's film while treating Herbert's novel with more comprehensive authority. Debate will continue as to which film is better; Lynch's extensive use of internal monologue now seems like a challenge well met, and Harrison's more conventional approach is better equipped to convey the epic scope of Herbert's interplanetary political intrigue.
This much is certain: this "Dune" is a sumptuous treat for the eyes, with sets and costumes that were conceived with no apparent limits of budget or creativity. In terms of architecture alone, this is one of the most impressive films in science fiction history. And although the special effects fall short of feature-film quality, writer-director Harrison (who rose from an extensive background in TV) admirably tames the sprawling narrative that pits the opposing houses of Atreides and Harkonnen in a struggle to control the lucrative market for the spice melange. This is as accurate as any "Dune" adaptation is likely to get (i.e., there's no need for another attempt), and even then, it can be tricky to keep track of who's doing what to whom. Unfortunately, the film's biggest flaws are the casting of a nearly comatose William Hurt as Duke Leto, and a wooden Alec Newman as the messiah-to-be, Paul Atreides. These are regrettable shortcomings, but this "Dune" remains altogether respectable. That Frank Herbert would be impressed is perhaps the biggest compliment one can pay. "--Jeff Shannon"

Date added to my collection: 22 Oct 2005

My Comments:

Rated: R
Release Date:2000
Running Time: 155
My Rating: 0/5
Directed by: Ridley Scott
Starring: Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen, Oliver Reed, Richard Harris, Derek Jacobi, Djimon Hounsou, David Schofield, John Shrapnel, Tomas Arana, Ralf Moeller, Spencer Treat Clark, David Hemmings, Tommy Flanagan, Sven-Ole Thorsen

A big-budget summer epic with money to burn and a scale worthy of its golden Hollywood predecessors, Ridley Scott's "Gladiator" is a rousing, grisly, action-packed epic that takes moviemaking back to the Roman Empire via computer-generated visual effects. While not as fluid as the computer work done for, say, "Titanic", it's an impressive achievement that will leave you marveling at the glory that was Rome, when you're not marveling at the glory that is Russell Crowe. Starring as the heroic general Maximus, Crowe firmly cements his star status both in terms of screen presence and acting chops, carrying the film on his decidedly non-computer-generated shoulders as he goes from brave general to wounded fugitive to stoic slave to gladiator hero. "Gladiator"'s plot is a whirlwind of faux-Shakespearean machinations of death, betrayal, power plays, and secret identities (with lots of faux-Shakespearean dialogue ladled on to keep the proceedings appropriately "classical"), but it's all briskly shot, edited, and paced with a contemporary sensibility. Even the action scenes, somewhat muted but graphic in terms of implied violence and liberal bloodletting, are shot with a veracity that brings to mind--believe it or not--"Saving Private Ryan", even if everyone is wearing a toga. As Crowe's nemesis, the evil emperor Commodus, Joaquin Phoenix chews scenery with authority, whether he's damning Maximus's popularity with the Roman mobs or lusting after his sister Lucilla (beautiful but distant Connie Nielsen); Oliver Reed, in his last role, hits the perfect notes of camp and "gravitas" as the slave owner who rescues Maximus from death and turns him into a coliseum star. Director Scott's visual flair is abundantly in evidence, with breathtaking shots and beautiful (albeit digital) landscapes, but it's Crowe's star power that will keep you in thrall--he's a true gladiator, worthy of his legendary status. Hail the conquering hero! "--Mark Englehart"

Date added to my collection: 22 Oct 2005

My Comments: What We Do In Life Echoes In Eternity.

Rated: PG-13
Release Date:2004
Running Time: 122
My Rating: 0/5
Directed by: Guillermo del Toro
Starring: Ron Perlman, John Hurt, Selma Blair, Rupert Evans, Karel Roden, Jeffrey Tambor, Doug Jones, Brian Steele, Ladislav Beran, Biddy Hodson, Corey Johnson, Kevin Trainor, Brian Caspe, James Babson, Stephen Fisher

In the ongoing deluge of comic-book adaptations, "Hellboy" ranks well above average. Having turned down an offer to helm "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" in favor of bringing "Hellboy"'s origin story to the big screen, the gifted Mexican director Guillermo del Toro compensates for the excesses of "Blade II" with a moodily effective, consistently entertaining action-packed fantasy, beginning in 1944 when the mad monk Rasputin--in cahoots with occult-buff Hitler and his Nazi thugs--opens a transdimensional portal through which a baby demon emerges, capable of destroying the world with his powers. Instead, the aptly named Hellboy is raised by the benevolent Prof. Bloom, founder of the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense, whose allied forces enlist the adult Hellboy (Ron Perlman, perfectly cast) to battle evil at every turn. While nursing a melancholy love for the comely firestarter Liz (Selma Blair), Hellboy files his demonic horns ("to fit in," says Bloom) and wreaks havoc on the bad guys. The action is occasionally routine (the movie suffers when compared to the similar "X-Men" blockbusters), but del Toro and Perlman have honored Mike Mignola's original Dark Horse comics with a lavish and loyal interpretation, retaining the amusing and sympathetic quirks of character that made the comic-book Hellboy a pop-culture original. He's red as a lobster, puffs stogies like Groucho Marx, and fights the good fight with a kind but troubled heart. What's not to like? "--Jeff Shannon"

Date added to my collection: 22 Oct 2005

My Comments: Give Evil Hell

Rated: PG-13
Release Date:2004
Running Time:
My Rating: 0/5
Directed by: Yimou Zhang
Starring: Zhang Yimou, Jet Li, Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Maggie Cheung, Ziyi Zhang, Daoming Chen, Donnie Yen

Director Zhang Yimou brings the sumptuous visual style of his previous films ("Raise the Red Lantern", "Shanghai Triad") to the high-kicking kung fu genre. A nameless warrior (Jet Li, "Romeo Must Die", "Once Upon a Time in China") arrives at an emperor's palace with three weapons, each belonging to a famous assassin who had sworn to kill the emperor. As the nameless man spins out his story--and the emperor presents his own interpretation of what might really have happened--each episode is drenched in red, blue, white or another dominant color. "Hero" combines sweeping cinematography and superb performances from the cream of the Hong Kong cinema (Maggie Cheung, "Irma Vep", "Comrades: Almost a Love Story"; Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, "In the Mood for Love", "Hard Boiled"; and Zhang Ziyi, "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon"). The result is stunning, a dazzling action movie with an emotional richness that deepens with every step. "--Bret Fetzer"

Date added to my collection: 22 Oct 2005

My Comments:

Rated: R
Release Date:1986
Running Time: 116
My Rating: 0/5
Directed by: Russell Mulcahy
Starring: Christopher Lambert, Roxanne Hart, Clancy Brown, Sean Connery, Beatie Edney, Alan North, Jon Polito, Sheila Gish, Hugh Quarshie, Christopher Malcolm, Peter Diamond, Billy Hartman, James Cosmo, Celia Imrie, Alistair Findlay

This 1986 fantasy/action thriller has since spawned two sequels, a popular syndicated TV series, numerous comic-book spinoffs, and a loyal (if somewhat oddly obsessive) following of fans. Directed by music video veteran Russell Mulcahy (which explains the dizzying camera work), the original theatrical release made hash of an intriguing story about an "Immortal" from 16th-century Scotland (Christopher Lambert) who time-leaps to modern-day America with his archenemy (Clancy Brown) in hot pursuit. It becomes a battle to the death (yes, Immortals can die), and Lambert seeks survival training from an Immortal mentor played by Sean Connery. Dazzling, energetic, and altogether confusing in its original form, the film has since been released on video, laserdisc, and DVD in this revised widescreen "director's cut," with additional footage, director and producers' commentary, a photo and artwork archive, the original trailer, and an official time line of the film's evolution from script to screen. A must for "Highlander" fans ... and you know who you are! "--Jeff Shannon"

Date added to my collection: 22 Oct 2005

My Comments: He fought his first battle on the Scottish Highlands in 1536. He will fight his greatest battle on the streets of New York City in 1986. His name is Connor MacLeod. He is immortal.

Rated: PG-13
Release Date:2005
Running Time: 119
My Rating: 0/5
Directed by: Yimou Zhang
Starring: Takeshi Kaneshiro, Andy Lau, Ziyi Zhang, Dandan Song

No one uses color like Chinese director Zhang Yimou--movies like "Raise the Red Lantern" or "Hero", though different in tone and subject matter, are drenched in rich, luscious shades of red, blue, yellow, and green. "House of Flying Daggers" is no exception; if they weren't choreographed with such vigorous imagination, the spectacular action sequences would seem little more than an excuse for vivid hues rippling across the screen. Government officers Leo and Jin (Asian superstars Andy Lau and Takeshi Kaneshiro) set out to destroy an underground rebellion called the House of Flying Daggers (named for their weapon of choice, a curved blade that swoops through the air like a boomerang). Their only chance to find the rebels is a blind women named Mei (Ziyi Zhang, "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon") who has some lethal kung fu moves of her own. In the guise of an aspiring rebel, Jin escorts Mei through gorgeous forests and fields that become bloody battlegrounds as soldiers try to kill them both. While arrows and spears of bamboo fly through the air, Mei, Jin, and Leo turn against each other in surprising ways, driven by passion and honor. Zhang's previous action/art film, "Hero", sometimes sacrificed momentum for sheer visual beauty; "House of Flying Daggers" finds a more muscular balance of aesthetic splendor and dazzling swordplay. "--Bret Fetzer"

Date added to my collection: 22 Oct 2005

My Comments:

Rated: R
Release Date:1997
Running Time: 154
My Rating: 0/5
Directed by: Quentin Tarantino
Starring: Pam Grier, Samuel L. Jackson, Robert Forster, Bridget Fonda, Michael Keaton, Robert De Niro, Michael Bowen, Chris Tucker, Lisa Gay Hamilton, Tom 'tiny' Lister Jr., Hattie Winston, Sid Haig, Aimee Graham, Ellis Williams, Tangie Ambrose

The curiosity of Quentin Tarantino's "Jackie Brown" is Robert Forster's worldly wise bail bondsman Max Cherry, the most alive character in this adaptation of Elmore Leonard's "Rum Punch". The Academy Awards saw it the same way, giving Forster the film's only nomination. The film is more "rum" than "punch" and will certainly disappoint those who are looking for Tarantino's trademark style. This movie is a slow, decaffeinated story of six characters glued to a half million dollars brought illegally into the country. The money belongs to Ordell (Samuel L. Jackson), a gunrunner just bright enough to control his universe and do his own dirty work. His just-paroled friend--a loose term with Ordell--Louis (Robert De Niro) is just taking up space and could be interested in the money. However, his loyalties are in question between his old partner and Ordell's doped-up girl (Bridget Fonda). Certainly Fed Ray Nicolette (Michael Keaton) wants to arrest Ordell with the illegal money. The key is the title character, a late-40s-ish flight attendant (Pam Grier) who can pull her own weight and soon has both sides believing she's working for them. The end result is rarely in doubt, and what is left is two hours of Tarantino's expert dialogue as he moves his characters around town.
Tarantino changed the race of Jackie and Ordell, a move that means little except that it allows Tarantino to heap on black culture and language, something he has a gift and passion for. He said this film is for an older audience although the language and drug use may put them off. The film is not a salute to Grier's blaxploitation films beyond the musical score. Unexpectedly the most fascinating scenes are between Grier and Forster: two neo-stars glowing in the limelight of their first major Hollywood film after decades of work. "--Doug Thomas"

Date added to my collection: 22 Oct 2005

My Comments: This Christmas, Santa's Got A Brand New Bag