No Way Out (1987)

There's a time in life that seems frozen - for me it was 1987 and the fine movies that came out that year.  This is one of them.  The rule is in effect - all plot points are coming, since this movie is over 20 years old!

Kevin Costner stars as Navy office Tom Farrell, assigned to work with the Secretary of Defense David Brice (Gene Hackman) at the behest of the secretary's right hand Tom (Will Patton).  It was the 80s and the Navy officer was a great leading man (Top Gun, An Officer and a  Gentleman).  The uniform never looked better than in those Reagan years.

Tom meets Susan (Sean Young)  and they have a very steamy affair, famous at the time.  They fall in love, but alas, Susan is the mistress of Tom's boss.  When David finds out, he kills Susan in a jealous rage.  He confesses to Tom who sets about to cover up the matter to protect his boss.  He says they will blame it on a mysterious Soviet spy "Yuri" who may or may not exist.

As the full power of the government comes down to find "Yuri", Tom is caught in the web.  It was no secret that he was seeing Susan, and as the investigation comes closer, the pressure increases... no way out... get it?

Tom attempts to fight back and the movie turns into quite a bloodbath.  At the end, Tom is getting interrogated.  He says to a mirror "I know you're back there!"  At that point, his landlord comes out -- and speaks to him IN RUSSIAN!  Turns out Tom really was Yuri.  Quite a final reveal.

In retrospect, this was based on a 1961 book and has a lot of Cold War aspects to it.  Still appropriate for its time in 1987.

* * * * *  of 5.   A classic to me.

Heat (1995)

One of the benefits of a sick day is the opportunity to watch some movies.  I had heard this one was a top 10 of a friend, and I had never seen it.  Thankfully I had the Netflix version on DVD right there.

This is a cat and mouse story about a cop Vincent  (Al Pacino) and a robber Neil (Robert DeNiro).  Reminiscent of Catch Me If You Can, Vincent become more and more infatuated with his prey as he just misses time after time.  All setting up for the final showdown, mano a mano.

What might make it great:  lots of realistic action, especially the gunplay.  Michael Mann has a knack for the first-person shooter angle and that is well displayed.  Unlike the Bond movies, the good guys do get shot by the bad guys.  Also, the story angle of having a woman as a weakness - it's written in various degrees through every main character.  That's an interesting angle as well.  And putting De Niro and Pacino together for the first time since Godfather Part II - that's something.

In the end, good, yes.  Great, no.

* * * * of 5

American Ultra

Just like with the The Gift, this trailer does not give the movie its due.    While Mike (Jesse Eisenberg) may like to smoke a little weed, he's no major stoner.  He lives with his girlfriend Phoebe (Kristen Stewart) in a little Rand University of a town.  While working at the local quick stop, he recieves a mysterious visitor warning him away.    He doesn't understand the warning.

But when he sees 2 men trying to mess with his beater of a car, he ends up killing them, Jason Bourne style.  Like Bourne, he doesn't know why he is able to do what he does.  He goes home to get Phoebe, and they go on the run.

There's some nice Tarantino Kill Bill action here which adds to the Manchurian Candidate plotline.  Better than expected.

* * * *  of 5