Animal House (1978)

Director John Landis may well be the King of Cliche, andthis movie is no exception. In fact, this movie sets the bar very high and has often been imitated since.

Many now-famous stars got their start with this movie, including: John Belushi (Blues Brothers), Kevin Bacon (A Few Good Men), Tom Hulce (Amadeus), Stephen Furst (voice of Booster in Buzz Lightyear of Star Command series), Karen Allen (Indiana Jones), and many others. Nice casting.

If you were part of any fraternity in college, you may be offended by this movie. Or not. If you were a GDI (gawd-damned-independent) in college, you will certainly not be offended. If you remember college, you will most likely be amused. If you don't, you may be totally busted.

This DVD contains a great little mockumentary about the alum of the film. Very funny. You should watch this before the movie itself. There are way too many funny stories behind this movie to comment on here. Bottom line - you should know that much of what happened in this movie really did happen to somebody involved in the writing, directing, or production.

Watch this movie with somebody who went to college in the 1960s and pay attention to how they react.

Kelly's Heros (1970)

Chronologically the second movie in the "Clint" DVD boxed set, this set the bar very high for the buddy/ensemble comedies. Forty years ago somebody had a fun idea - take some of the biggest stars around and put them all in a movie together. That formula still works most of the time.

Clint Eastwood, Telly Savalas, Donald Sutherland, Don Rickles, and Gavin MacLeod play a very different band of brothers. This group is scheming to steal $16 million in gold from the German army and keeping the American army from finding out about it. A near perfect crime.

You have comedy of course with some great one-liners from the king of the zingers Mr. Rickles. There is some action, some battle scenes, and some great dialogues between flamboyant characters.

Watch this movie with someone who does not take their war movies too seriously.

Robin Hood (2010)

High budgets and huge stars lead to high expectations. If you are a fan of "Hood-lore" then this is a must see. For the rest, it totally depends on what you are in the mood for and which stars you like to watch.

Russel Crowe plays Robin in this "prequel", with Kate Blanchett as a very strong Marion Loxley. Max von Sydow is brilliant as Sir Walter Loxley and Mark Addy is wonderful as Friar Tuck. Little John is played by so well by Kevin Durand that I totally forgive him for his role in Lost. HA! He's not proportionate. Best line in the movie.

The bad guys are perfect - Mark Strong as Godfrey and Oscar Isaac as Prince John.

Bottom line this is a version of the story leading up to Robin Longstribe being declared an outlaw and becoming Robin Hood. It is NOT the Gladiator of Hood-lore as Director Ridley Scott wanted. It is however a worthy addition to the collection of stories around this theme.

Watch this movie with expectations lower than the $200M budget would suggest, and you won't be disappointed.

City Island (2009)

Every family has it's secrets. Or, more correctly, every family member has them. This movie is primarily about best-kept secrets. There are enough character studies in this story to keep a professional amused.

Andy Garcia plays a second generation City Island native, or Clam Digger, who keeps multiple secrets from his family. Julianna Margulies plays a wife with no secrets, apparently. Steven Strait plays one of the secrets and Dominik Garcia-Lorido (yes Andy's real daughter) plays his daughter with a few secrets of her own. The secret keeping son is played by Ezra Miller. All in all - a very funny dysfunctional family. But in truth, their only real problem is that they don't tell each other the truth.

Alan Arkin and Emily Mortimer have wonderful roles as well. You gotta love movies where new Yorkers poke a little fun at themselves.

If you think you know NYC but have never heard of City Island (a best kept secret itself), you will probably love this movie. If your family needs a lesson in telling the truth to each other, this is a great story to help you get there. If you like a story with a very credible, funny, tidy ending, you should love this one.

Watch this movie with someone who has dreams of being an actor.

Central do Brasil (1998)

Central Station is a troubling but heart-warming story from the harsh realities of Brazilian life.

A retired school teacher played by legendary Fernanda Montenegro writes letters for illiterates in Rio's central train station. Some she chooses to mail, many end up in a drawer in her apartment, and some are tossed in the trash. Not very nice.

The real star of the movie however is a little boy who just wants to meet his father played by Vinícius de Oliveira. He is either a gifted prodigy or his director, Walter Salles (Motorcycle Diaries and Paris, jet t'aime), is a genius. I figure both are true.

The two become entwined and linked to each other to their own chagrin. They embark on a cross-country journey to find the boy's father. Part comedy part drama, this story could reach you on several different levels.

You will see parts of Brazil that few gringos ever see, and certainly no tourists. You will see a woman who is convinced her sins are revisited upon her in the form of a young boy. You will see a boy hell-bent finding his father against all odds. You will see a journey worthy of NatGeo's Great Migrations. You will see a very satisfying ending, if not totally happy.

Watch this with someone who will laugh at the uniquely Brazilian funny bits AND explain them to you later.

The Electric Horseman (1979)

The critics didn't like this movie then and many still don't. It's one of my favorites to watch. Lots of funny scenes and great one-liners.

Robert Redford plays an allegedly washed-up champion rodeo cowboy. Jane Fonda plans a television report with a nose for a story. Willie Nelson, in his film debut, plays the best friend and "handler" of Redford's character.

If you like country music or western humor, this might be a fun movie for you to watch. If you like the idea of the little guy really "sticking it" to the big guy, you will most likely enjoy this one. If you like horses or cowboys or both, chances are this movie will register with you.

Redford did all of his own riding scenes for this movie and owned the horse for several years after the movie was completed.

Watch this movie with someone who does not believe horses belong on stage with dancing girls.

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Undead (2009)

This movie is certainly not for everyone. If you are into vampire lore, you may like this a bunch. If you are between the ages of 18 and 30, you may also like this. If you are both, BAM!, watch this movie.

Jake Hoffman is perfectly neurotic here as the "controllable human" director of the Hamlet remake in New York City. John Ventimiglia is creek weird as "the master". Everyone else, even Ralph Macchio, do a good job of being over-the-top dramatic. If that is your thing, enjoy.

Watch movie if you love vampires and couldn't care less about Shakespeare.

Flickan som lekte med elden (2009)

The Girl Who Played With Fire (English title) is the second installment of the 3-part story of Lisbeth Salander and Mikael Blomkvist. If you are familiar with the story you don't need to read any further.

An investigative journalist with a knack for getting into trouble teams up with a uber-goth computer hacker with multiple demons in her closet. Noomi Rapace is outstanding as Lisbeth and one wonders has much of Noomi is in the character and vice versa. Michael Nyqvist is the journalist with more than enough on his mind.

This second installment has a few loose ends towards the end, but I expect those will be revisited in the final movie.

How do you prove you did not commit murders when you had motive, opportunity, and means. Oh and your prints are all over the weapon? Well clearly you will need help. Getting there is what this story is about.

This movie is graphic. Sexually and violently. Be forewarned. There are scenes of rape and torture. Don't look if you don't want to see.

While this movie is not as good as the original, it does set up the last of the series perfectly.

Watch this movie with your grip on reality bolted down.

Where Eagles Dare (1968)

This is the first movie in the Clint Eastwood boxed set aptly titled "Clint". I say first only because it is the oldest. The movies are actually organized by genre; cop, western, war, etc.

Richard Burton and Clint Eastwood - at the time the old guard and the new Turk. The extra features on the DVD have a very interesting interview with Richard Burton where he describes the differences between them. Classic Burton and an interesting Hollywood interview.

In the movie Burton plays a British intelligence officer and Eastwood plays an American special forces officer. They are tasked with leading a rescue of a British pilot downed in German territory. They dress as German troops and work their way towards the prisoner.

If you like war movies, this is a classic. If you like movies where you are kept guessing who is really who they say they are, this is a good story well told. If you like big stars and defining roles, you should like this.

Watch this movie in a very cold room to help create the proper atmosphere.

The Karate Kid (2010)

Released internationally on some bootleg copies, and more appropriately, as The Kung Fu Kid, this remake of the classic 1984 movie of the same name does not measure up. There are some very respectful nods to the original. There is some good acting. The photography is very nice. But it does not add up to the much-loved original.

Jackie Chan is very good as the teacher. Jaden Smith, as the kid, is a little stiff with his lines at times and a little too contrived at other times. Taraji Penda Henson fills her role well as the single mom who has to move to China from Detroit to start over again.

There plenty of similarities as there should be, but I did not feel the warmth and humor of the first effort.

That said, I think it's okay to spend time with kids watching this movie. They may relate to the guy who not only is the new kid at school but all the new kid in-country.

Watch this with any kids in your reach between the ages of 10 and 15.

Toy Story 3 (2010)

Easily the best of the bunch. Great story, true to the original. Great animation. One forgets is a "cartoon". Great voices - talk about an all-star cast.

Tom Hanks and Tim Allen return as the voices of Woody and Buzz Lightyear. Joan Cusack is back as Jessie. Don Rickles and Estelle Harris as the Potato Heads. Wallace Shawn and John Ratzenberger Rex and Hamm. All the staples of of series.

We are treated however to some new fun surprises. Micheal Keaton and Jodi Benson as Ken and Barbie. Fabulous! And Ned Beatty as the strawberry scented Lotso. If you have not seen it yet, you don't know what you are missing.

John Morris returns as guy who has been the voice of Andy all these years.

You may know what you think is going to happen next, but you will not guess how. You may know what you think is going to happen in the end, but you are still surprised and pleased. At least I was, and I love when that happens.

Watch this with someone who has donated their favorite toys to a worthy new owner.

Absence of Malice (1981)

If you can get past the fashions and haircuts, this is a very smart movie. This is the story of a story. If you are student of journalistic ethics you will find this movie interesting. If you every wonder about the path a story in the news takes with it's twists and turns, this is an impressive peek behind the scenes.

Of course this is back in the day when newspapers were the forefront of investigative journalism so you'll have to imagine what that was like. Imagine also a story where doing the right things is conflicted with doing things right. This is a theme and a lesson that never gets old. Maybe it means now more than in 1981?

Paul Newman was subdued but brilliant as the son of dead gangster trying to outwit the FBI and a federal Justice Dept. task force, and a very nearly great newspaper reporter played by Sally Field. Other faces you will surely recognize are Bob Balaban, Melinda Dillon, and a very special cameo by Wilford Brimley.

This is a drama of a fairly high order. Pay attention to the details. Understand what is, and is not, happening. Enjoy the ride.

Watch this with someone who want to be a journalist, or a bureaucrat, when they grow up.