movies i have seen...
Tuesday, December 21, 2004
Seven Samurai (1954) *****
Akira Kurosawa's heroic tale of honor and duty begins with master samurai Kambei (Takashi Shimura) posing as a monk to save a kidnapped child. Impressed by his bravery, a group of farmers begs him to defend their village from encroaching bandits. Kambei agrees and assembles a group of six other samurai, and together they build a militia with the villagers while the bandits loom nearby. Soon the raids begin, culminating in a bloody battle.
Starring: Takashi Shimura, Toshiro Mifune
Director: Akira Kurosawa
Ordinary Decent Criminal (2000) ***
Michael Lynch (Kevin Spacey) is a happy-go-lucky thief and head of a gang who takes delight in plotting and executing heists with the kind of élan that makes him a popular and charismatic figure in the very Dublin that he plunders. The story is loosely based on the life of Irish freedom fighter Martin Cahill, also chronicled in the 1998 film The General. Co-stars Linda Fiorentino.
Starring: Kevin Spacey, Linda Fiorentino
Director: Thaddeus O'Sullivan
Seven Years in Tibet (1997) *****
Austrian mountaineer Heinrich Harrer (Brad Pitt) journeys to the Himalayas without his family to head an expedition in 1939. When World War II breaks out, the arrogant Harrer falls into Allied forces' hands as a prisoner of war. He escapes with a fellow detainee and makes his way to Llaso, Tibet, where he meets the 14-year-old Dalai Lama (Jamyang Jamtsho Wangchuk) -- whose friendship ultimately transforms the self-seeking Harrer.
Starring: Brad Pitt, David Thewlis
Director: Jean-Jacques Annaud
Cocoon: The Return (1988) ***
In this sequel to the huge hit Cocoon, the seniors who exited Earth in exchange for eternal youth return to terra firma to visit with the loved ones they left behind. Meanwhile, their alien hosts plot the rescue of a cocoon retrieved from the ocean floor by a troublesome oceanographer (Courteney Cox). Don Ameche reprises his Oscar-winning role along with Wilford Brimley, Hume Cronyn, Gwen Verdon, Maureen Stapleton and Jessica Tandy.
Starring: Don Ameche, Wilford Brimley
Director: Daniel Petrie
Aliens III (1986) ***
Sigourney Weaver returns as Lt. Ripley in this action-packed sequel to Alien. The only survivor from the first film, Ripley finds her horrific account of the alien and her crew's fate is met with skepticism -- until the mysterious disappearance of colonists on LV-426 prompts a team of high-tech Marines to investigate. This disc features a commentary by cast and crew members and both the theatrical and special edition versions of the film.
Starring: Sigourney Weaver, Michael Biehn
Director: James Cameron
The Others (2001) **
Writer-director Alejandro Amenábar manipulates viewers' psyches so thoroughly in this goose-pimply homage to old-school haunted-house movies that The Others would be bone-chilling even if everything on the screen were blacked out except Nicole Kidman's porcelain face, her eyes frozen with fear. Kidman's powerful performance as an embattled mother fighting to protect her two children from some heinous spooks is riveting.
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Christopher Eccleston
Director: Alejandro Amenabar
Paycheck (2003) ****
Michael Jennings (Ben Affleck) is a genius who's hired -- and paid handsomely -- by high-tech firms to work on highly sensitive projects, after which his short-term memory is erased so he can't breach security. But at the end of a 3-year job, he's told he isn't getting a paycheck and instead receives a mysterious envelope. In it are clues he must piece together to find out why he wasn't paid and how he's gotten in hot water. Co-stars Uma Thurman.
Starring: Ben Affleck, Uma Thurman
Director: John Woo
Out of Time (2003) **
Matt Lee Whitlock (Denzel Washington), chief of police in the small town of Banyan Key, Fla., is respected by his peers and loved by his community. But when Banyan Key is shocked by a double homicide, everything Matt Lee thought he knew starts to unravel as he falls under suspicion. Racing against time to solve the murders, Matt Lee must stay a few steps ahead of his own police force and everyone he's trusted in order to uncover the truth.
Starring: Denzel Washington, Eva Mendes
Director: Carl Franklin
The Missing (2003) ****
A father and daughter reunite for a battle even larger than the one they wage against each other in this suspenseful drama helmed by Oscar-winning director Ron Howard. When Maggie Gilkeson's (Cate Blanchett) oldest daughter (Evan Rachel Wood) is abducted by a murderous cult leader (Eric Scweig), Maggie enlists her estranged father's (Tommy Lee Jones) help to find her. They soon discover that other girls have gone missing, and time's running out.
Starring: Tommy Lee Jones, Cate Blanchett
Director: Ron Howard
Bend It Like Beckham (2002) ****
A proper Indian girl shouldn't be spending her time playing soccer. That's what Jess's family thinks, anyway. An ardent fan of British soccer sensation David Beckham, Jess (Parminder K. Nagra) wants nothing more than to be on the field. And she has the talent to boot. But her parents want her to be just like her sister Pinky, who cooks chapati like a pro and wants a traditional Indian wedding. A sweet sports comedy with plenty of heart.
Starring: Parminder K. Nagra, Keira Knightley
Director: Gurinder Chadha
Ever After: A Cinderella Story (1998) *****
Drew Barrymore stars as the put-upon princess-to-be in this fresh look at the classic fairy tale. Orphaned as a child, Danielle (Barrymore) is treated like a servant by her wicked stepmother (Anjelica Huston) and two stepsisters. When Danielle accidentally stumbles onto Prince Henry (Dougray Scott), who's fleeing an arranged marriage, the two inspire each other to resolve their respective troubles in this lushly produced romantic fable.
Starring: Drew Barrymore, Dougray Scott
Director: Andy Tennant
Chaos (2001) ****
In this French drama, a wealthy housewife, Helene (Catherine Frot), departs from her life of genteel comfort and luxury when she meets a prostitute, Noemie (Rachida Brakni). En route to a party with her businessman husband (Vincent Lindon), their car is stopped by Noemie, who begs to be let in but is attacked by a group of men. Wracked with guilt, Helene later finds Noemie and helps her escape her pursuers.
Starring: Catherine Frot, Vincent Lindon
Director: Coline Serreau
Rambo: First Blood (1982) *****
You'd think in this first film in a long line of sequels, the law would learn not to mess with ex-Green Beret John Rambo (Sylvester Stallone). Alas, no. When he's harassed by local law enforcement, this Vietnam vet snaps, runs for the hills and rat-a-tat-tats his way into the action movie hall of fame. This edition includes commentary by Stallone and deleted scenes -- including an alternate ending.
Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Richard Crenna
Director: Ted Kotcheff
