Master and Commander - The Far Side of the World

I love sea epics...grew up on Captain Horatio Hornblower books. So this one appealed to me.

Russell Crowe stars in this 2003 adventure directed by Peter Weir.

A captain during the Napoleonic Wars places his crew in harm's way as he pursues the enemy at all costs.

Good action adventure that won two Oscars. I thought it was ripe for a sequel, but that hasn't happened yet. Too bad.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0311113/

Performance

Hmmm...Mick Jagger acting?

Nicolas Roeg and Donald Cammell co-directed this 1970 effort.

Who's the good guy and who's the bad guy? More importantly, what is real and what is not? London gangster takes refuge in the home of a has been rock star who melds personalities until we don't know who is who and what is up. Confusing? Yes. But interesting and absorbing.

Worth a look.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066214/

The Man Who Fell To Earth

1976 Nicolas Roeg film starring David Bowie.

Who better to play an alien passing as a human? Bowie is perfect as an extra terrestrial who comes to Earth for the water, a precious commodity on his home planet. Along the way he builds a company into a phenomenal success but doesn't count on the destructive, greedy nature of humans.

Interesting sci-fi film.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0074851/

If

Linsay Anderson film from 1968 stars Malcolm McDowell.

Life at a British Boys School becomes unbearable until the students revolt. Kind of a forerunner to "Taps" but more surreal.

McDowell's second film, his first was also for director Anderson. This film was considered one of the top Brit films ever.

Dramatic, dreamlike. stark, and thought provoking.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0063850/

A Christmas Story

Arguably the best Christmas movie ever.

1983 comedy directed by Bob Clark and starring Melinda Dillon, Darren McGavin, and Peter Billingsly.

I remember Jean Sherperd stories when I was growing up. They were always nostalgic, touching, and very funny and this one is no different. Based on Sheperd's story "In God We Trust All Others Pay Cash", this is the tale of little Ralphie and his hope of getting his best Christmas present ever: a Red Ryder BB gun with a compass in the stock. ("Don't be silly, you'll shoot your eye out!")

"The Wonder Years" TV show and even "How I Met Your Mother" with their narration have always reminder me of Sheperd's stories. Here's an original with the writer doing the film's narration himself.

A holiday treat.

A personal note - I have worked with Jeff Gillen, who plays Santa Claus in the film. He ran Great Southern Studios in North Miami and was a pleasure to do business with. A great guy who passed away much too young. He is missed by many of us who knew him in the Florida Production Community.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085334/

His Girl Friday

Howard Hawks directed this 1940 screwball comedy starring Cary Grant and Rosiland Russell.

Taken from the play "The Front Page" this has been made many times in various incarnations but this one remains classic.

Newspaper reporter (Russell) is leaving her job after divorcing her editor (Grant), who is as concerned about losing his wife and his star reporter. He schemes to keep her on the job and near him with a breaking story about a killer's execution.

Smart and funny, with overlapping dialogue that will keep you on your toes and laughing out loud.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032599/

The Incredible Shrinking Man

One of the most notable early sci-fi movies of all time.

Jack Arnold directed this classic from 1957 starring Grant Williams and Randy Stuart.

Williams is enveloped by a mysterious cloud which sets off a reaction causing him to shrink in size. Slowly but surely he gets smaller and smaller.

At first he becomes a media sensation but there perils of his new existence endanger his very survival. Great scenes include confrontations with his pet cat and a spider. Classic stuff. And it sets up an existential question of what will his existence be like as he reaches atomic and subatomic size.

Great special effects and engaging story make this a winner.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0050539/

Tremors

Kevin Bacon, Fred Ward, Michael Gross, and Reba McEntire star in this 1990 film from Ron Underwood.

Did you love all those monster flicks from the fifties? This is a throwback to those films.

Two not too swift handymen in a small desert town come to the realization that giant underground worms are threatening their town and their lives. Partly sci-fi, partly a monster movie, Remors is above all a fun romp that doesn't take itself too seriously.

Look for hysterically funny characters created by Gross and Reba as a pair of married survivalists who are prepared for anything that comes their way.

Spawned a number of sequels and a TV show. The second film wasn't bad, but they got less interesting as they went on...and on. But this one is a gem.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0100814/

The Man Who Would Be King

Michael Caine and Sean Connery star in this 1975 film directed by John Huston.

Two rogue British soldiers set themselves up as gods in a small country that can't contain their greed and egos. Great comedy/action/adventure story based on the Rudyard Kipling yarn.

Fun, funny, and a showcase for both actors. Has Michael Caine actually been in every movie ever made?

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0073341/

Sleuth

Michael Caine and Laurence Olivier star in this 1972 suspense film from Joseph Mankiewicz.

A cat and mouse game between a man who loves games and his wife's lover. What does he know? How far is he willing to go in this battle of wits? Will it turn deadly?

Both actors are superb and the suspense builds nicely. Highly recommended.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0069281/

My Favorite Wife

Garson Kanin directed this 1940 comedy starring Cary Grant, Irene Dunne, and Randolph Scott.

Grant's wife Dunne has been missing for seven years. Presuming she is dead, he remarries. But she returns, having been stranded on an island all that time. She is determined to win Grant back but things are complicated when Grant finds out she was not alone on the island.

Very funny romantic comedy. Remade decades later as "Move Over, Darling" but stick to the original.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0029284/