One of the few movies to open this year, its a Stranger Things look at an unsolved crime in a northern town. Adam Brodie stars as the "Encyclopedia Brown" all grown up. A lot of classic detective movie gags here, but it does have a few mystery twists. Sophie Nelisse plays a good sidekick.
* * * of 5
Produced by Steven Spielberg, it's got that familiar 80s set design of a dark, suburban maze (Goonies, ET) and a cast of kids dealing with the supernatural. Zach Galligan and Phoebe Cates stars as two teenagers who find themselves dealing with a good gremlin named Gizmo which has spawned bad gremlins (e.g. Aliens) who are outlandish villains in the otherwise idyllic Kingston Falls.
Set at Christmas with the gremlin to be a Christmas present, it's kind of a movie with in a movie with various Christmas movies playing in the background.
Written by Christmas movie favorite Chris Columbus. Stay for the good ending.
**** of 5
Arnold Schwarzeneggar plays Howard, an overworked dad, who waits until Christmas Eve to find the most popular toy for his neglected son.
The toy Turbo Man is of course sold out and Howard in his quest runs into Myron (Sinbad) and they competitively try and find the last one in town. Their quest takes them through the Mall of America, Santa's warehouse and culminates in the big downtown parade through Minneapolis.
A nice combo between an action movie, a family movie and cartoon. The Turbo Man plot is very well done. Produced by family movie extraordinaire, Chris Columbus. Also starring Rita Moreno and Phil Hartman.
* * * * * Merry Christmas!
Back in the day when movies were events, this one was talked up quite a bit. It was initially to get an NC-17 rating and still has a lot of violent sex in it. A Hitchcock/femme fatale/feel to it.
* * * * of 5
20th anniversary of this movie this year - planning a rewatch.
Cast looks very Kevin Smith - Jason Lee, Frances McDormand
An autobiographic look at the 70s by Cameron Crowe, who did a similar memoir which turned into the movie Fast Times at Ridgemont High, which I read for the 1st time in 1981 in Playboy magazine.
Regular chosen as a favorite movie of many, this prison story about thriving despite the bad situation probably makes many think "Perhaps I could handle it". Starring Tim Robbins as Andy and Morgan Freeman (interesting name meaning!) as Red, Andy is sentenced to life for double murder that appears to be a railroad job. Red, the long-time inmate, shows him the ropes.
The period piece of this gothic prison look make the time look like something that probably never was. Interesting cinematography with many aerial shots and looking through long holes: a safe, the inevitable escape attempt. Similar 90s movies of that time were Forrest Gump and My Dog Skip.
* * * * of 5
