Body Heat

Movie Name: Body Heat
Year of Release: 1981

Director: Lawrence Kasdan

Stars: William Hurt, Kathleen Turner, Richard Crenna, Ted Danson, Mickey Rourke, J.A. Preston, Kim Zimmer, Jane Hallaren, Lanna Saunders, Carola McGuinness, Michael Ryan, Larry Marko
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 9

Synopsis:

"Body Heat" was a debut for many of the key players involved, namely for director Lawrence Kasdan (who had at the time been only responsible for the screenplay of "Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back"), and for actress Kathleen Turner. The film follows the story of small town attorney Ned Racine, who gets involved with a mysterious and beautiful blonde, by the name of Matty Walker. He realizes she's married to a  much older man, but they embark on a torrid affair. As the relationship evolves, Matty slowly convinces Ned to kill her husband, so they can both resume their lives together, with her as the sole heir of his estate. However once the plan is established and executed, things slowly start unraveling for Ned.
"Body Heat" is a modern classic that updates a lot of the pulp stories from the 1940s and 1950s, with the concept of the mysterious femme fatale, who lures the gullible man to her deceitful web (much like Barbara Stanwyck in "Double Indemnity" for instance). Lawrence Kasdan successfully builds the environment where these characters exist - from the humidity of Florida, through the characters that inhabit this small town (where everyone knows everybody). The actors are also very well cast, particularly the central pair, played by William Hurt and Kathleen Turner - they have an instant chemistry and bring authenticity and credibility to situations that might have been otherwise ludicrous  (so much that Kathleen Turner had the femme fatale persona "glued" to her for most of the 80s). The fantastic soundtrack from John Barry also became associated with the genre. The film is a perfect combination of thriller, suspense and erotic relationship put on screen. A classic always worth revisiting.

Collateral

Movie Name: Collateral
Year of Release: 2004

Director: Michael Mann

Stars: Tom Cruise, Jamie Foxx, Jada Pinkett Smith, Mark Ruffalo, Peter Berg, Bruce McGill, Javier Bardem, Irma P. Hall, Richard T. Jones, Bodhi Elfman, Debi Mazar, Emilio Rivera
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 8

Synopsis:

Michael Mann has forged a career, that though not very productive, has primed for its detailed execution. "Collateral" followed his well received "Ali" (the biopic on Muhammad Ali), but went in a direction of creating more of a suspense/thriller exercise. The film follows the story of Max, a cab driver who has the ambition of creating his own limousine business. Max on one of his routes, picks Vincent, an apparent businessman, who hires him to drive around all night while he finishes his businesses. Much to Max's horror, he accidentally discovers that Vincent is in fact a hired assassin. It's up to him to escape from that situation and simultaneously save the life of Vincent's last target.
Michael Mann has always excelled in creating atmospheres and situations that feel real and very tied to the scenario he is depicting. His attention to detail, paired with his ability to allow the characters to be flushed out and more than just cliches, allows "Collateral" to be more than just a cat and mouse story about a killer in pursuit of his prey. It's a film about the loneliness of living in anonymous cities, about the need to establish connections, and indeed a suspense story and a lesson of how quickly things and situations can change. The film has a great cast, starting with Tom Cruise playing a menacing figure, Jamie Foxx credibly creating an every day man filled with dreams and ambitions, Jada Pinkett Smith and Mark Ruffalo. The cinematography from Dion Beebe and Paul Cameron is beautiful, as is the score from James Newton Howard. A wonderful film always worth revisiting.

Hercules

Movie Name: Hercules
Year of Release: 2014

Director: Brett Ratner

Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Ian McShane, John Hurt, Rufus Sewell, Aksel Hennie, Ingrid Bolso Berdal, Reece Ritchie, Joseph Fiennes, Peter Mullan, Rebecca Ferguson, Joe Anderson, Nicholas Moss
Genre: Action, Adventure

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 3

Synopsis:

Director Brett Ratner is back, following "Tower Heist", his previous bid budget comedy that failed to get much traction (both with audiences and critics alike). "Hercules" follows the well known story of the mythological greek hero, son of Zeus and the mortal Alcmene. The film portrays Hercules as a mercenary hero, with a group of allies, who help those in need in exchange for a proper amount of money. His resourcefulness and good nature is tested when he is called upon the King of Thrace, to help out battle a formidable enemy. However things, like most of his own stories, are not what they seem.
Brett Ratner has made a career for himself directing films that range from comedies to family films, where the common denominator seems to be a need to please the largest crowd possible. "Hercules" again follows this formula - the film is all too pleasing, slick, with efficient visual effects that create a level of credibility that is expected in big budget Hollywood films these days, but without any edge. Whereas John Milius' "Conan" for instance, went for a visceral look where the violence felt present, this "Hercules" is anchored more in a realm of fantasy (almost like the similarly mediocre efforts that were Louis Leterrier's "Clash of the Titans" and Jonathan Liebesman's "Wrath of the Titans"). What ends up redeeming this film is the fantastic supporting cast that Brett Ratner managed to assemble, namely Ian McShane, John Hurt, Peter Mullan, Rufus Sewell, which give the film both it's humor and sense of menace. Visually the film benefits from the beautiful cinematography from Dante Spinotti, but the production design is a bit all over the place (the tapestry of sets that was built feels almost too fake for it's own good). This is a film that though not terrible, would benefit from a director with a distinct vision (for instance Tarsem Singh's "Immortals" is a good comparison), to elevate it from instant oblivion.

Guardians of the Galaxy

Movie Name: Guardians of the Galaxy
Year of Release: 2014

Director: James Gunn

Stars: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Lee Pace, Bradley Cooper, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Glenn Close, John C. Reilly, Michael Rooker, Karen Gillan, Benicio Del Toro, Laura Haddock, Sean Gunn, Djimon Hounsou
Genre: Action, Sci-Fi

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6

Synopsis:

Director James Gunn made a splash with the irreverent horror film "Slither" in 2006, which was followed by the independent "Super" in 2010. His new Marvel Studios feature, "Guardians of the Galaxy" is a definite jump forward - mostly in terms of budget and visual artistry. The film follows the story of Peter Quill, a young boy who is kidnapped from Earth in 1988, only to become a space mercenary in his adulthood. By force of circumstances, he's teamed with a group of individuals, all of which possess unique capabilities, in order to stop a menace under the name of Ronan, from destroying the entire universe.
Marvel Studios has become for the better and for the worse, a studio churning out new films at a regular pace. Like every production facility, it anchors the stories on hooks (and formulas) that keep their audiences engaged and traditionally instantly perceptive of where the heroes and their foes lie. The directors that have been hired to handle their properties, are for the most part, professionals with little or no experience in big budget films, which also means that their quest for a more personal and artistic vision is also severely kept in check. "Guardians of the Galaxy", for all of it's irreverence, and different cast of characters, also feels very formulaic and similar to what Marvel has already presented with "The Avengers", or even "Thor". Stories where these odd alien creatures of enormous power, are defeated by the resourceful hero (heroes), who team up to battle these towering foes. That being said, "Guardians of the Galaxy" manages to have a good balance of humor, while allowing the characters to interact, without being submerged in action set pieces where the special effects overtake everything. It's a film where the visual effects and production design are stunning, and where the actors, in particular Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana and Bradley Cooper, have fun with their characters, bringing some energy and humor to an otherwise cliche ridden screenplay. A film worth watching.

Lucy

Movie Name: Lucy
Year of Release: 2014

Director: Luc Besson

Stars: Scarlett Johansson, Morgan Freeman, Min-sik Choi, Amr Waked, Julian Rhind-Tutt, Analeigh Tipton, Jan Oliver Schroeder
Genre: Action, Sci-Fi

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 5

Synopsis:

"Lucy" is the latest directorial effort from the always prolific Luc Besson. It comes after the mediocre "The Family", and focuses on the story of Lucy, a young American woman studying in Taiwan. Lucy erroneously gets involved with the local criminal underground, and is used as a drug mule for an experimental drug that is being smuggled throughout Europe. However Lucy is violently beaten, which causes a rupture on the drugs that she's carrying. This rupture produces side effects throughout her body, particularly in her brain, which starts increasing capability at a geometric rate. With her new found capabilities, Lucy seeks out Professor Norman, a specialist in brain knowledge, while simultaneously evading the criminals in her pursuit.
Luc Besson has become known in the recent years as a writer and producer of action films, that have become quite successful, but somewhat formulaic - namely "The Transporter", "Taken" and "Colombiana", to name but a few. "Lucy" has some faint contacts with his previous female centric action film "La Femme Nikita" (from 1990), but unlike the latter one, "Lucy" does not contain much development about the character - it focuses on the development of the human brain and how the concept of being human evolves accordingly. The film is scarce in character or story development, presenting mostly ideas and some interesting action set pieces. Scarlett Johansson manages to create an interesting character, going from a scared young woman, to an individual that is questioning herself, her humanity and gaining a sense of knowledge that is unparalleled. It's an interesting parallel to her character in Jonathan Glazer's "Under the Skin", and ultimately she gives the film the depth and authenticity that it has. This is an interesting concept, one that deserved a bit more development.

Something Wild

Movie Name: Something Wild
Year of Release: 1986

Director: Jonathan Demme

Stars: Melanie Griffith, Jeff Daniels, Ray Liotta, Tracey Walter, Charles Napier, Margaret Colin, John Sayles, John Waters
Genre: Comedy, Crime, Romance

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 8

Synopsis:

When "Something Wild" came along in 1986, celebrated director Jonathan Demme, hadn't established himself as a directorial talent to be considered. His previous efforts, namely "The Last Embrace", "Melvin and Howard" and "Swing Shift", didn't really convey his sensibilities and artistic ambition. "Something Wild" was the first feature that really had his trademark, a style that was simultaneously comedic, edgy and real. The film follows the story of Charles Driggs, a regular bank employee, whose biggest quirk is walking out of restaurants without paying his bill. In one of these occasions, he meets the beautiful Lulu, who calls him out on his scheme, and who volunteers to drive him back to his office. This apparent and seemingly innocent act, takes Charley and Lulu (whose actual name is Audrey) on an adventure that becomes increasingly more dangerous.
Jonathan Demme really came into his own style with "Something Wild". The film featured a wonderful mix of comedy with a darker twist, that showcased his talent to allow characters to be multidimensional, and not just archetypes. The film also featured his trademark taste of music, and in this case, his collaboration with David Byrne (and the Talking Heads, with whom Demme had made "Stop Making Sense"). This taste in music permeated into the rhythm of the movie itself, with the first part of the film definitely more upbeat and tropical, and the second part rockier and edgier. Demme would of course go on to do "Married to the Mob", "Silence of the Lambs" and "Philadelphia", but this film stands as testament to the freshness of his vision, and a showcase of the talents of Melanie Griffith and Jeff Daniels. A great film worth exploring!

Snowpiercer

Movie Name: Snowpiercer
Year of Release: 2013

Director: Joon-ho Bong

Stars: Chris Evans, Tilda Swinton, Jamie Bell, Octavia Spencer, John Hurt, Ed Harris, Ewen Bremmer, Alison Pill, Kang-ho Song, Ah-sung Ko, Vlad Ivanov, Luke Pasqualino, Adnan Haskovic, Emma Levie, Steve Park
Genre: Action, Thriller, Sci-Fi

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7

Synopsis:

Joon-ho Bong has carved himself a name as a director with the success of his features "The Host" and "Mother". "Snowpiercer" is his latest feature, and it's an adaptation of a french graphic novel originally published in 1982. The film takes place in a not so distant future, where Earth has frozen and the few remaining survivors are located in a train that perpetually circles around the planet. The train is organized in different carts, and there's a caste structure in place, where the rich and wealthy sit in the front, and the poorer and destitute are located at the end of the train. The population is controlled strictly and mobility is non-existent. The people located at the bottom of the train, start a revolution, aiming to take charge of the train, and abandon the torture and low conditions in which they live. In order to do so, they have to go all the way to the front of the train, and that's where all the obstacles lie.
"Snowpiercer" is an interesting metaphor for the state of our society, and how decisions that are made for the greater good, usually imply the destruction of the concept of humanity. The futuristic setting and the constraint of the train, allow for the film to have a feeling of claustrophobia and eminent threat, since there is no place to hide or to go beyond those carts. The screenplay falters in some aspects, since the usual clichés are there - the anti-hero with a past that haunts him, the father figure that makes the sacrifice for the greater good, the unstoppable villain and so forth, but the overall look and feel of the film, still feels fresh and original. The feature is also beautifully designed and rendered, and benefits from a terrific sprawling cast, where the highlights are the usually fantastic Tilda Swinton (almost unrecognizable) and John Hurt. The cinematography from Kyung-pyo Hong, is stunning, as is the art direction, which creates a unique universe in that train. A very interesting film worth watching.

Odd Thomas

Movie Name: Odd Thomas
Year of Release: 2013

Director: Stephen Sommers

Stars: Anton Yelchin, Addison Timlin, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Willem Dafoe, Nico Tortorella, Kyle McKeever, Patton Oswalt, Laurel Harris, Arnold Vosloo, Shuler Hensley
Genre: Fantasy, Mystery, Thriller

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7

Synopsis:

Director Stephen Sommers is back, after his big budget "G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra", with an adaptation of the Dean Koontz book, "Odd Thomas". The film follows the story of Odd Thomas, a young cook, with special paranormal abilities, that allow him to see the dead and understand the clues they leave that tell him when something deadly and menacing is going to occur. Odd starts finding out clues for an event of massive proportions, that forces him, alongside his girlfriend, Stormy and the chief of police, to figure out what is about to occur.
Stephen Sommers has made his name as a director of big blockbusters, particularly the "Mummy" series and "Van Helsing". These were films that relied heavily on the visual effects and big action set pieces, and not so much on character development (or even originality of concept and story). "Odd Thomas" is definitely a smaller scale film for him - the feature focuses specifically on a young hero, that against all odds, has the responsibility of saving the world from ultimate destruction. The hero is a lonesome figure, since he has been born with special powers or capabilities, that allow him to see the world differently. The director isn't much interested in how the character inhabits the world, the focus is definitely on the procedural part of the story, where Odd has to track clues and understand what the menace is and how it's going to present itself. What the film lacks in character development, it relies on the momentum of the mystery that slowly unravels as the film progresses. The film also benefits from the engaging Anton Yelchin, who continues to cement his rise as an interesting actor (with very eclectic career choices) and the always solid support from Willem Dafoe. A very entertaining film worth finding out.

Alien: Resurrection

Movie Name: Alien: Resurrection
Year of Release: 1997

Director: Jean-Pierre Jeunet

Stars: Sigourney Weaver, Winona Ryder, Ron Perlman, Dominique Pinon, Michael Wincott, Dan Hedaya, Gary Dourdan, Kim Flowers, J.E. Freeman, Brad Dourif, Raymond Cruz, Leland Orser
Genre: Sci-Fi, Horror

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 5

Synopsis:

Following the debacle of "Alien 3", 20th Century Fox hired Joss Whedon to write a screenplay that would bring back Ripley, but with an edge. The selected director was Jean-Pierre Jeunet, at the time mostly well known for "Delicatessen" and "La Cité des Enfants Perdus". The story picks up centuries after the events of "Alien 3". Ellen Ripley is successfully cloned after her demise, but in the process, her DNA has gotten mixed with the alien creature, giving her some enhanced capabilities, but also forcing her to question her humanity. She comes across a team of space mercenaries, working for the army who has interests of their own, as far as the alien creatures are concerned. All of these plans go awry once the aliens go rampant and start decimating the entire ship. It's up to Ripley and her new found allies to figure out a way to stop the lethal creatures.
Jean-Pierre Jeunet is an interesting director, one that has always focused on creating excessive universes, that are a metaphor for how people ultimately treat each other. His early films were co-directed with art director Marc Caro, but "Alien: Resurrection" was his first effort as a solo taskmaster. The film suffers from a certain unbalance in finding it's own tone - whereas the previous films were dominated by a certain bleakness, menace and atmosphere, this film tries to maintain a certain level of humor, something that doesn't really gel with the material. Jeunet brings his usual collaborators to the fold, and where cinematographer Darius Khondji elevates the look and feel of the film, the contributions of Ron Perlman and Dominique Pinon, are superfluous (they almost feel like they are on a different film than the one that Sigourney Weaver's Ripley inhabits). This awkward tone, that comes from the screenplay of Joss Whedon, leaves the film in a certain limbo, between a space adventure with a crew of wise cracking mercenaries, and Ripley's story, that is ultimately what has always brought gravitas and interest to the series. Sigourney Weaver brings depth and edge to a part that she has made her own, and the visual effects of Alec Gillis and Tom Woodruff Jr. are fantastic as always. This is a film that ended the series on a downward quality level, though it has some interest.

Alien 3

Movie Name: Alien 3
Year of Release: 1992

Director: David Fincher

Stars: Sigourney Weaver, Charles S. Dutton, Charles Dance, Paul McGann, Brian Glover, Ralph Brown, Danny Webb, Christopher John Fields, Holt McCallany, Lance Henriksen
Genre: Sci-Fi, Horror

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7 (extended cut - 145 minutes)

Synopsis:

David Fincher's "Alien 3" premiered in 1992, but it was marred by a hectic and troublesome production and pre-production history. The film went through different directors, storylines and screenplays, before 20th Century Fox settled on David Fincher, back then mostly known for his commercials work (he had directed at the time videos for Madonna and George Michael, to name but a few).
The film picks up immediately after the events of James Cameron's "Aliens": while in stasis, Ripley, Newt, Hicks, get attacked by a facehugger that was left behind by the destroyed queen alien. That forces an evacuation of the pods where they are all sleeping, and they all crash land on a planet, Fiorina 161, a semi-abandoned foundry and penal colony facility. In their pod also comes an alien, that attacks one of the animals of the facility, upon which it starts attacking all the inmates. It's up to Ripley and her newfound colleagues to battle this unstoppable menace.
David Fincher is, justifiably so, one of the most celebrated and interesting directors working these days, however in 1991, when he was hired to handle "Alien 3", there was a plethora of problems surrounding the feature. The main one, ended up being the fact that the screenplay was unfinished, and the studio kept on interfering with his decisions (creative and otherwise). This eventually resulted in Fincher abandoning the film, never claiming it as his own, not even to this day. The version that was released to the theaters was assembled by Terry Rawlings, but for the release of the "Alien Quadrilogy" box set, the longer cut that was initially presented to the studio was introduced, and that came closer to what originally Fincher intended to do. The film echoes some of the concepts presented by Ridley Scott in "Alien": a menace that is unstoppable and lurking, starts killing the humans and using them as hosts for new creatures. The sense of menace and the constraints of both technology and the prison facility, add to the claustrophobic feeling the director successfully creates. Visually the film is stunning, mostly due to the mix of futuristic landscape and medieval look that was part of the original concept of the screenplay. The cast is again uniformly good, with Sigourney Weaver evolving her interpretation of Ripley, who is now a tired and cynical survivor. Charles Dance and Charles S. Dutton give good support as the doctor who nurses Ripley and the spiritual leader of the community, respectively. The cinematography of Alex Thomson and the score from Eliot Goldenthal are fantastic. A good film worth discovering and watching.

Aliens

Movie Name: Aliens
Year of Release: 1986

Director: James Cameron

Stars: Sigourney Weaver, Michael Biehn, Carrie Henn, Paul Reiser, Bill Paxton, Jenette Goldstein, William Hope, Lance Henriksen, Al Matthews, Mark Rolston, Ricco Ross, Colette Hiller, Daniel Kash
Genre: Sci-Fi, Horror

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 10

Synopsis:

"Aliens" premiered in the Summer of 1986, the follow up to James Cameron's "The Terminator", which had premiered in 1984, to acclaim and commercial success. Coming from a somewhat difficult shoot (that saw the replacement of both the director of photography and the main male lead actor), the film was a huge hit and gathered 7 Academy Award nominations (winning two).
The film picks up after the events of "Alien". Ripley is found on the space ship she escaped on 57 years later. Much to her dismay, the planet with the alien creatures has now been colonized by her corporate employer. When communication with that colony ceases, Ripley alongside a team of marines, is charged with going back and investigating what has occurred in that planet. None of them is however quite prepared for what they encounter, which will test everyone's resilience.
James Cameron cemented his name as one of the most ingenious action film directors with "Aliens". Whereas Ridley Scott's "Alien" was about the atmosphere and the suggestion of menace, "Aliens" was deeply rooted in the more belligerent atmosphere of the 80s films. "Aliens" was truly a war movie in space. The film benefited from a fantastic script, that allowed for action set pieces, and for the story of Ripley to co-exist and complement each other. At the core of the film, it was a mother trying to protect her child from a menace that was unstoppable. The film benefited from a fantastic cast, particularly Sigourney Weaver, who carried the film with sheer charisma, displaying both a resourcefulness and emotion, something that hadn't been seen in lead characters in action films yet. To this day it remains as one the best and most vital displays of a fully rounded leading female character in Hollywood films. The visual effects from Stan Winston and his team were also phenomenal, as was the cinematography from Adrian Biddle. A classic always worth revisiting.

Alien

Movie Name: Alien
Year of Release: 1979

Director: Ridley Scott

Stars: Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt, Yaphet Kotto, Veronica Cartwright, John Hurt, Harry Dean Stanton, Ian Holm
Genre: Sci-Fi, Horror

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 10

Synopsis:

The classic "Alien", came out in 1979, introducing the talent of director Ridley Scott, and of it's leading lady Sigourney Weaver to the public. The film came after the huge success of George Lucas' "Star Wars", and whereas this was a vision of good vs evil more anchored in a traditional western context (space western that is), "Alien" introduced a menace that was beyond redemption (or explanation).
The film follows the story of the crew from a commercial ship named Nostromo, who are awaken from their hyper sleep, to address an unknown help signal coming from an uncharted planet. Upon descending onto the planet, one of the crew members is attacked by an alien creature, that latches to that individual. Trying to save the crew member, the individual is brought with the alien creature onto the spaceship, which spawns a series of fatal events.
Ridley Scott, prior to directing "Alien", had done "The Duellists" (featuring Harvey Keitel), a period piece which was received with good reviews. "Alien" was his first feature for a large studio, in this case, Twentieth Century Fox (which had distributed "Star Wars" as well). Coming from a background of commercials, the director primed for his aesthetic and visual style, which married perfectly with the tight script from Dan O'Bannon and Ronald Shusett. The film manages to blend the claustrophobic atmosphere of being in space confined to a limited vessel, and the menace of a creature that stops at nothing to eliminate it's opponents. The director also smartly avoids showing much of the creature, building tension and suspense, instead of displaying gore and gratuitous violence. This is a film that lives from atmosphere, from suggestion and from the aesthetic that both Ridley Scott and Swiss designer H.R. Giger devised. The cast is uniformly great, from the always fantastic Sigourney Weaver (in her big screen debut), to Ian Holm, John Hurt and Veronica Cartwright. This film is a classic always worth watching!

My Own Private Idaho

Movie Name: My Own Private Idaho
Year of Release: 1991

Director: Gus Van Sant

Stars: River Phoenix, Keanu Reeves, James Russo, William Richert, Rodney Harvey, Chiara Caselli, Michael Parker, Jessie Thomas, Flea, Grace Zabriskie, Tom Troupe, Udo Kier, Mickey Cottrell

Genre: Drama

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 8

Synopsis:

"My Own Private Idaho" was Gus Van Sant's third feature, right after the acclaimed "Drugstore Cowboy". The film premiered at the Venice Film Festival, where it won River Phoenix a best actor award, the many that he collected for this film during that year and also in 1992.
The film follows the story of Mike Waters, a young street hustler, who suffers from narcolepsy, and who is desperately trying to find his long lost mother. He has the help of another hustler, Scott Favor, the son of the Mayor of Portland, who is rebelling against his upbringing, by joining Mike and other young street hustlers, who form a resemblance of a community, where all are accepted and helped (overseen by the father figure of Bob Pigeon). Mike and Scott, end up following a lead that Mike's mother is in Italy, where they eventually meet the lovely Carmella, who changes the dynamics between the two young men forever.
Gus Van Sant has built a career that is eclectic and filled with different subjects and matters - for every big mainstream feature he makes, such as "Finding Forrester", there's always a "Elephant" or "Last Days", where his universe and aesthetic are clearly more on display. His more personal films usually tend to veer towards young men, who are trying to find their way in the world, a path that is usually filled with obstacles and where their first instinct is to rebel against everything and everyone. "My Own Private Idaho" lives from that feeling - the disconnect that Mike feels, of not belonging anywhere, of being alone. Van Sant captures the lives of the young street hustlers, of their dreams and every day lives, with a raw quality, that feels authentic and almost documentary style. The film benefits from a fantastic central performance from River Phoenix, in a role that has remained iconic and forever linked to his brief screen life. A film always worth revisiting.

Edge of Tomorrow

Movie Name: Edge of Tomorrow
Year of Release: 2014

Director: Doug Liman

Stars: Tom Cruise, Emily Blunt, Brendan Gleeson, Bill Paxton, Noah Taylor, Jonas Armstrong, Tony Way, Kick Gurry, Franz Drameh, Charlotte Riley, Terence Maynard, Lara Pulver

Genre: Action, Sci-Fi

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7

Synopsis:

Director Doug Liman is back, following the excellent and little seen "Fair Game" (which featured a great performance by Naomi Watts). "Edge of Tomorrow" introduces us to a futuristic reality, one where aliens have invaded Earth and have almost destroyed the human race. The story focuses on Major William Cage, an officer who has never seen a day of combat, and who is thrown into that reality. Killed within minutes of being in the battle field, Cage however is immersed in the alien creatures DNA, which grants him the capability of reliving the same day over and over. Reliving this day consecutively, allows him to meet Rita Vrataski, an experienced and phenomenal officer, who had the same power as he does (who lost it in the meantime). Together they both try to devise a way to reach the hive that commands all the invading alien creatures.
Doug Liman is a resourceful director, one who excels in story lines where the central character is usually completely unaware of their own potential and strength (which was the case of "The Bourne Identity" for instance). In this case, William Cage is the unaware hero, who by force of circumstances is forced to overcome his fears, and make a sacrifice to save humanity. The action set pieces flow seamlessly, and though huge in scope and ambition, the film never feels saturated by its visual effects (they allow for the action to be simultaneously realistic and futuristic). The actors are uniformly excellent, from Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt, to the underrated Noah Taylor and Bill Paxton. The cinematography from Dion Beebe is also one of the highlights of the feature. A very entertaining film worth watching!

Maleficent

Movie Name: Maleficent
Year of Release: 2014

Director: Robert Stromberg

Stars: Angelina Jolie, Elle Fanning, Sharlto Copley, Lesley Manville, Imelda Staunton, June Temple, Sam Riley, Brandon Thwaites, Kenneth Cranham, Hannah New, Isobelle Molloy, Michael Higgins

Genre: Action, Family, Adventure

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 5

Synopsis:

"Maleficent" is the debut feature for Robert Stromberg, after a career in production design and special effects (he won Oscars for both Tim Burton's "Alice in Wonderland" and James Cameron's "Avatar").
The film focuses on the story of a fairy named Maleficent. She lives in a kingdom of magical creatures, which is surrounded by a kingdom of humans, ruled by a greedy king who is adamant on taking over the magical surroundings. Upon seeing his army vanquished, he requests that one of his underlings vanquishes Maleficent and gains access to her kingdom. This request is taken by Stefan, an ambitious young man, whom Maleficent has loved since her young childhood. He takes advantage of her affections, and that drives her to a dark side and to seek revenge upon all the wrongs inflected on her and her kind.
Robert Stromberg is clearly a talented technician, with a gift to create universes that are rich and support the vision from other filmmakers and storytellers. However, in his debut feature, he does not benefit from a rich enough screenplay, to actually provide a canvas for his story telling and universe to be brought to life. The central character, Maleficent, though larger than life and rich enough to have a film focused on her, fails to have much to do throughout the film, thanks to a reductive screenplay, where the trifecta of her motivations are love/revenge/redemption. In the hands of a more experienced director, that would be enough for a richly layered film, however Robert Stromberg merely illustrates the story in a decorative way, giving a hint of a certain darkness, never probing much deeper into the character of Maleficent. Angelina Jolie does a fantastic job, as usual, investing the character with a depth that the film never matches, however the supporting actors have little to do with characters that are basic archetypes. A missed opportunity.