Genre: Action, Drama, Thriller

Year: 2010

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: Helen Mirren, Tom Wilkinson, Ciarán Hinds, Romi Aboulafia, Tomer Ben David

Director: John Madden

My Review: The Debt is an American remake of a 2007 Israeli movie named Ha-Hov (It's not available on Netflix). In this remake, three young Mossad agents are sent to East Germany in order to abduct a former Nazi war criminal. While capturing the 'Surgeon of Birkenau' isn't all that hard, getting him safely out of the country and back to Israel for a proper trial is far more difficult. An excellent espionage thriller which takes place in two time periods. In 1965 as the trio of Mossad agents pursue the Dieter Vogel in East Germany, and 1997 as they wrestle with the moral and ethical consequences of that fateful mission so many years later. Excellent drama and action, but the scenes set in 60's Berlin are far better than the story set in '97. It almost seems as if there were two different writers for these two parts of the movie. The disconnect between the two different settings had a negative impact. The '97 setting wasn't as good as the parts in Berlin. I give it a 3 out of 5.

Summary: The espionage thriller begins in 1997, as shocking news reaches retired Mossad secret agents Rachel (Helen Mirren) and Stefan (Tom Wilkinson) about their former colleague David (Ciarán Hinds). All three have been venerated for decades by their country because of the mission that they undertook back in 1965, when the trio (portrayed, respectively, by Jessica Chastain, Marton Csokas, and Sam Worthington) tracked down Nazi war criminal Vogel (Jesper Christensen) in East Berlin. At great risk, and at considerable personal cost, the team's mission was accomplished - or was it? The suspense builds in and across two different time periods, with startling action and surprising revelations.

Genre: Action

Year: 1986

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: C. Thomas Howell, Rutger Hauer, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Jeffrey DeMunn, John M. Jackson

Director: Robert Harmon

My Review: Rutger Hauer as the psycho hitch hiker is definitely the star of this movie. Everyone else is just dragged along for the ride. A brilliant thriller with non-stop action, an excellent story and a well matched cast. Jim Halsey (played by C. Thomas Howell) is driving cross country to deliver a 'drive away' to California. When he stops to pick up a hitch hiker. Rutger Hauer plays the psycho hitch hiker, and Jennifer Jason Leigh plays a truck-stop waitress. Together this trio tells a terrific tale of terror in this late night highway horror flick. Perfect pacing, a fantastic sound track, excellent editing and top notch direction in a low budget blow-out. I give it a 5 out of 5.

Summary: A young man transporting a car to another state is stalked along the road by a cunning and relentless serial killer who eventually frames the driver for a string of murders. Chased by police and shadowed by the killer, the driver's only help comes from a truck stop waitress.

Genre: Drama, History, War

Year: 1963

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: Tom Tryon, Carol Lynley, Dorothy Gish, Maggie McNamara, Bill Hayes

Director: Otto Preminger

My Review: A long, slow look at Father Stephen Fermoyle (played by Tom Tryon), a young American priest working for the Vatican. Fr. Fermoyle is destined for greatness (see movie title), but this movie isn't. It's a pretty good bio-pic, but it's not… A fictionalized account about the Roman Catholic church, the challenges it (and it's priests) faced in the years up to and including WWII. The movie explores bigotry, racism, abortion, Naziism, morality and corruption in America and Europe. This newly ordained Irish Catholic priest finds himself called to the church to serve the Holy See during this tumultuous time of change. As a Vatican diplomat, he finds himself involved in all manner of hot-button topics. We're also treated to his personal angst over the death of his sister, his feelings of inadequacy, his suppressed desires, his love for a woman… As I said earlier, the movie was presented as a bio-pic, but it's really an exploration of difficult social issues confronting the 20th century. Unfortunately, the lack of truly personalized biographic data, and luke warm confrontation on the social issues, leaves the movie with an extremely slow, detached feeling. At 175 minutes, I had to take advantage of the 'intermission'. I couldn't take it anymore. I went to bed and finished the movie a day later. The story (remember - it wasn't a bio-pic) wasn't the best. They never truly confronted any of the issues they explored. Fr. Fermoyle seemed a likable fellow - but if he was the embodiment of the Catholic Church in his role, then the Catholic Church stood idly by as Racists ravaged America and Nazis conquered Europe. Despite the excellent production and great cast, the direction was lacking, the pacing terrible, and the editing as bland as a week old bagel. Thankfully, the locations, sets and cinematography take up some of the slack. I give it a 3 out of 5.

Summary: Stephen Fermoyle has grown up in Boston at the turn of the twentieth century knowing that his destiny lies with the Catholic priesthood. Finally finishing his studies in Rome, he returns to America full of certitude and ambition to one day join the College of Cardinals. But his road to that office is a long one, paved with crises. In Boston, he must decide whether to save the life of his sister or her unborn child, conceived out of wedlock. In Austria, he confronts the question of whether to remain with the priesthood or abandon his oath so that he can be with the woman he loves. In Georgia, he contends with Rome's indifference in the face of racial bigotry. And in Austria, he finds himself personally involved in the church's dealings with the Third Reich.

Genre: Adventure, Family, Fantasy, Romance, Sci-Fi

Year: 1959

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: Pat Boone, James Mason, Arlene Dahl, Diane Baker, Thayer David

Director: Henry Levin

My Review: It's a fantastic family drama, a sci-fi classic and a well produced epic adventure. Here is a classic Jules Verne novel brought to the screen. Set in the late 1800s, Prof. Lindenbrook (played by James Mason) and his friends set forth from an Edinburgh university on a great adventure. Into the bowels of the Earth. They've discovered a route from an Icelandic Volcano through to the center of the Earth, and out the other side. They gather in Iceland, ready their gear, and discover a murderous and treacherous plot from a competing explorer. It's an 'Indian Jones' style adventure in a subterranean world of wondrous sights, perilous pits and prehistoric creatures. The music was awesome, but the acting rather poor. Released in 1959, the sets, production and special effects were pretty good. A cinematic sci-fi adventure to the center of the Earth. Quite imaginative. I give it a 4 out of 5.

Summary: Prof. Lindenbrook leads his intrepid party on an expedition to the centre of the earth, via a volcano in Iceland, encountering all manner of prehistoric monsters and life-threatening hazards on the way.

Genre: Adventure

Year: 1984

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: Dennis Quaid, Max von Sydow, Christopher Plummer, Eddie Albert, Kate Capshaw

Director: Joseph Ruben

My Review: A fantastic premise, the story is amazing. A government funded research project where 'psychonauts' are trained to enter other people's dreams. Dennis Quaid plays Alex Gardner (one of the gifted psychonauts), Max von Sydow plays Dr. Paul Novotny (the all so serious project leader), Kate Capshaw plays Dr. Jane DeVries (the sexy female doctor), David Patrick Kelly plays Tommy Ray Glatman (the other 'psychonaut' - head lab rat). The cast was great. The 80s special effects… Well, the 80s were a trying time for special effects. The stop motion animation was pretty good, but it wasn't well integrated into the visual effects. The music was typical 80s horror flick style, but the story was still the star of this movie. What's haunting the President's dreams? Who's really in charge of this research project? What is the real goal of this dream exploration project? The drama was excellent. The ending sequences awesome. I give it a 4 out of 5.

Summary: A government funded project looks into using psychics to enter people's dreams, with some mechanical help. When a subject dies in his sleep from a heart attack Alex Gardner becomes suspicious that another of the psychics is killing people in the dreams somehow and that is causing them to die in real life. He must find a way to stop the abuse of the power to enter dreams.

Genre: Thriller

Year: 1984

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: David Keith, Drew Barrymore, Freddie Jones, Heather Locklear, Martin Sheen

Director: Mark L. Lester

My Review: Surprisingly good, but dated. An 80s thriller (based on a Stephen King novel) starring David Keith and a very young (9 years old) Drew Barrymore as a Father Daughter pair on the run. These two are the casualties of an experimental drug program. A program designed to induce psychic powers. The program worked for some - Andrew and Vicky - but others suffered horrible fates. Living in relative comfort with their daughter Charlie, the two are cautious, suspicious, distrusting of their keepers. When Charlie's powers (inherited from her parents) begin to manifest, the 'Shop' decides it's time to bring her in for testing. A tragic accident occurs, there's a fire… Vicky dies… In the end, Andy and Charlie are on the run. The covert government group pursuing this pair soon regret their attempts to wrangle the two back under their control. Charlie's ability to ignite fires with just a glance could be a powerful weapon, or a deadly curse. The 'Shop' intends to take control of the situation, and they won't take 'no' for an answer. A thrilling sci-fi action movie, with some excellent special effects. The direction and editing were pretty bad, but the story was excellent, and drew Drew Barrymore's performance was outstanding. She truly was the star of this movie. A great supporting cast, some spooky music and an excellent climatic ending made for a great movie. I give it a 4 out of 5.

Summary: A couple who participated in a potent medical experiment gain telekinetic ability and then have a child who is pyrokinetic.