Collection ID 1487
Director: John Huston
Starring: Gregory Peck, Richard Basehart, Leo Genn, James Robertson Justice, Harry Andrews
Genre: Adventure, Drama
Studio: Moulin Productions Inc.   Release date: 1956   Rated: Not Rated   
Language (Country): English (UK, USA)
Summary: This classic story by Herman Melville revolves around Captain Ahab and his obsession with a huge whale, Moby Dick. The whale caused the loss of Ahab's leg years before, leaving Ahab to stomp the boards of his ship on a peg leg. Ahab is so crazed by his desire to kill the whale, that he is prepared to sacrifice everything, including his life, the lives of his crew members, and even his ship to find and destroy his nemesis, Moby Dick.
My Rating:
My Review: The 1956 version, directed by John Huston. Screenplay by Ray Badbury, based on the novel by Herman Melville. Starring Gregory Peck in the lead role. Here is the elemental tale of obsession, adventure and tragedy. Captain Ahab is captain of the 'Pequod' a ghost ship that doesn't know it yet. Years ago a great white whale took a piece of the Captain's soul, and Ahab has been stalking the decks with his peg leg ever since. Ahab seeks the destruction of this whale, no matter the cost. He stalks it, he hunts it, he would follow it to the ends of the earth. God help the ship and crew that Ahab drags with him in his maniacal quest. Gregory Peck was awesome. Inseparable from the character. The acting and direction were excellent. The sets, cinematography and music complemented the movie in an excellent way, creating and sustaining a somber mood of obsession throughout the movie. 5 out of 5.

Collection ID 594
Director: Richard Benjamin
Starring: Tom Hanks, Shelley Long, Alexander Godunov, Maureen Stapleton, Joe Mantegna
Genre: Comedy
Studio: Universal Studios Ho   Release date: 1986   Rated: PG   
Language (Country): English, Spanish, Chinese (USA)
Summary: Steven Spielberg produced this underwhelming 1986 effort at a slapstick spin on "Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House". The pre-Oscar Tom Hanks stars with Shelley Long as a married couple whose efforts to finish construction on their home are sabotaged by costly and sporadically funny accidents. The unfinished domicile becomes a metaphor for their troubled relationship, as evidenced by Long's character's attraction to a madman violinist (Alexander Godunov). Hanks is the only reason at this point to check this film out. Richard Benjamin ("My Favorite Year") directs but with no flair or distinction. "--Tom Keogh".
My Rating:
My Review: A fantastic comedy starring Tom Hanks (one of my favorites) and Shelly Long (as cold in this movie as she was in Cheers). Hanks produces non-stop laughs as half of a couple who buys a lemon of a house out of desparation, and they have to suffer through it's reconstruction. The part where Hanks is stuck in the floor is hillarious. His hysterical laughing after the bathtub crashes through the floor felt genuine beyond the normal performance. This romantic comedy is worth watching again and again. That's why I bought a copy.

Collection ID 1294
Director: Richard Benjamin
Starring: Tom Hanks, Shelley Long, Alexander Godunov, Maureen Stapleton, Joe Mantegna
Genre: Comedy
Studio: Universal Studios Ho   Release date: 1986   Rated: PG   
Language (Country): English, Spanish, Chinese (USA)
Summary: Steven Spielberg produced this underwhelming 1986 effort at a slapstick spin on "Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House". The pre-Oscar Tom Hanks stars with Shelley Long as a married couple whose efforts to finish construction on their home are sabotaged by costly and sporadically funny accidents. The unfinished domicile becomes a metaphor for their troubled relationship, as evidenced by Long's character's attraction to a madman violinist (Alexander Godunov). Hanks is the only reason at this point to check this film out. Richard Benjamin ("My Favorite Year") directs but with no flair or distinction. "--Tom Keogh".
My Rating:
My Review: A fantastic comedy starring Tom Hanks (one of my favorites) and Shelly Long (as cold in this movie as she was in Cheers). Hanks produces non-stop laughs as half of a couple who buys a lemon of a house out of desparation, and they have to suffer through it's reconstruction. The part where Hanks is stuck in the floor is hillarious. His hysterical laughing after the bathtub crashes through the floor felt genuine beyond the normal performance. This romantic comedy is worth watching again and again. That's why I bought a copy.

Collection ID 802
Director: Bennett Miller
Starring: Brad Pitt, Robin Wright, Jonah Hill, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Chris Pratt
Genre: Drama, Biography, Sport
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment   Release date: 2011   Rated: PG-13   
Language (Country): English (Großbritannien)
Summary: Oakland A's general manager Billy Beane (Brad Pitt) challenges the system and defies conventional wisdom when his is forced to rebuild his small-market team on a limited budget. Despite opposition from the old guard, the media, fans and their own field manager (Philip Seymour Hoffman), Beane - with the help of a young, number-crunching, Yale-educated economist (Jonah Hill) - develops a roster of misfits…and along the way, forever changes the way the game is played.
My Rating:
My Review: Not your typical Baseball movie, and that's what gets it the big rating. Unlike most baseball movies, this one doesn't set out to touch at the sentimental aspects of the sport, the drama, the competition or the tradition. Thank you - We've seen that one too many times. Here's a completely different story - The fact that it's based on a true story only makes it that much better. The story: Billy Beane is the GM of a small-time Major League Baseball team. The Oakland A's are struggling to stay in the game. Their market doesn't have the money that other teams are able to leverage, and all their best players are lured away with bigger salaries. Bradd Pitt plays the GM of this challenged baseball team. They are just about to falter when the GM decides to take a chance on a new strategy. Stop betting on the big names and media sweethearts, start calculating the odds and looking at the numbers. He hires a statistician and economist (Peter Brand played by Jonah Hill). When Billy tries to implement his new strategy he's thwarted by the traditional head coaching staff, led by Art Howe (played by Philip Seymour Hoffman). The characters were terrific, the casting masterful, the acting perfect and the direction amazing. The best part was the screenplay by Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin. Intelligent, believable and authentic. I loved this movie, it touched all the statistical, analytical nerves in my head. If you're a fan of baseball you may have different feelings about this movie. If you're an analyst, mathematician, or scientist you'll love it. I give it a 5 out of 5

Collection ID 1519
Director: Bennett Miller
Starring: Brad Pitt, Robin Wright, Jonah Hill, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Chris Pratt
Genre: Drama, Biography, Sport
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment   Release date: 2011   Rated: PG-13   
Language (Country): English (Großbritannien)
Summary: Oakland A's general manager Billy Beane (Brad Pitt) challenges the system and defies conventional wisdom when his is forced to rebuild his small-market team on a limited budget. Despite opposition from the old guard, the media, fans and their own field manager (Philip Seymour Hoffman), Beane - with the help of a young, number-crunching, Yale-educated economist (Jonah Hill) - develops a roster of misfits…and along the way, forever changes the way the game is played.
My Rating:
My Review: Not your typical Baseball movie, and that's what gets it the big rating. Unlike most baseball movies, this one doesn't set out to touch at the sentimental aspects of the sport, the drama, the competition or the tradition. Thank you - We've seen that one too many times. Here's a completely different story - The fact that it's based on a true story only makes it that much better. The story: Billy Beane is the GM of a small-time Major League Baseball team. The Oakland A's are struggling to stay in the game. Their market doesn't have the money that other teams are able to leverage, and all their best players are lured away with bigger salaries. Bradd Pitt plays the GM of this challenged baseball team. They are just about to falter when the GM decides to take a chance on a new strategy. Stop betting on the big names and media sweethearts, start calculating the odds and looking at the numbers. He hires a statistician and economist (Peter Brand played by Jonah Hill). When Billy tries to implement his new strategy he's thwarted by the traditional head coaching staff, led by Art Howe (played by Philip Seymour Hoffman). The characters were terrific, the casting masterful, the acting perfect and the direction amazing. The best part was the screenplay by Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin. Intelligent, believable and authentic. I loved this movie, it touched all the statistical, analytical nerves in my head. If you're a fan of baseball you may have different feelings about this movie. If you're an analyst, mathematician, or scientist you'll love it. I give it a 5 out of 5

Collection ID 790
Director: Irvin Berwick
Starring: Les Tremayne, Forrest Lewis, John Harmon, Frank Arvidson, Jeanne Carmen
Genre: Horror, Sci-Fi
Studio: Vanwick Productions   Release date: 1959   Rated: Unrated   
Language (Country): English (USA)
Summary: The monster, which looks like a snarling "Creature from the Black Lagoon," invades a sleepy seaside town. The lighthouse keeper, newly widowed and estranged from the town folk, has been leaving food out for the monster for years, unaware of it's blood lust. When the monster's appetite outstrips the keeper's ability to serve it, bloodless decapitated corpses start to show up.
My Rating:
My Review:

Collection ID 1576
Director: Irvin Berwick
Starring: Les Tremayne, Forrest Lewis, John Harmon, Frank Arvidson, Jeanne Carmen
Genre: Horror, Sci-Fi
Studio: Vanwick Productions   Release date: 1959   Rated: Unrated   
Language (Country): English (USA)
Summary: The monster, which looks like a snarling "Creature from the Black Lagoon," invades a sleepy seaside town. The lighthouse keeper, newly widowed and estranged from the town folk, has been leaving food out for the monster for years, unaware of it's blood lust. When the monster's appetite outstrips the keeper's ability to serve it, bloodless decapitated corpses start to show up.
My Rating:
My Review:

Collection ID 633
Director: Arild Østin Ommundsen
Starring: Vegar Hoel, Silje Salomonsen, Andreas Cappelen, Kim Bodnia
Genre: Drama
Studio: Canal+ Productions   Release date: 2004   Rated: Not Rated   
Language (Country): Norwegian, Danish (Norway)
Summary: A quirky romantic drama set in remote coastal Norway takes the viewer on a tumultuous ride through surfing aspirations, extreme weather and love.
My Rating:
My Review: (Norwegian - Monstertorsdag) The final selection from Filmmovement.com? Here's another drama selection. A love triangle that revolves around two men (best friends), and their common love interest (a woman). She started out with the underdog, then she switched to the surfing champion. After marrying, the surfer disappears (on a business trip), leaving his best friend with directions to 'watch out for her'. While surfer dude is gone, the best friend tries to woo the pregnant newlywed back to his camp. Nothing original here. Mixed in with this sordid love affair is a strange second story about a 'perfect wave', where the underdog tries to convince himself that he's just as good as the surfing champion. The acting was great, the pacing very good, and the camera work was subtle and well done.

Collection ID 1332
Director: Arild Østin Ommundsen
Starring: Vegar Hoel, Silje Salomonsen, Andreas Cappelen, Kim Bodnia
Genre: Drama
Studio: Canal+ Productions   Release date: 2004   Rated: Not Rated   
Language (Country): Norwegian, Danish (Norway)
Summary: A quirky romantic drama set in remote coastal Norway takes the viewer on a tumultuous ride through surfing aspirations, extreme weather and love.
My Rating:
My Review: (Norwegian - Monstertorsdag) The final selection from Filmmovement.com? Here's another drama selection. A love triangle that revolves around two men (best friends), and their common love interest (a woman). She started out with the underdog, then she switched to the surfing champion. After marrying, the surfer disappears (on a business trip), leaving his best friend with directions to 'watch out for her'. While surfer dude is gone, the best friend tries to woo the pregnant newlywed back to his camp. Nothing original here. Mixed in with this sordid love affair is a strange second story about a 'perfect wave', where the underdog tries to convince himself that he's just as good as the surfing champion. The acting was great, the pacing very good, and the camera work was subtle and well done.

Collection ID 178
Director: Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones
Starring: Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones
Genre: Adventure
Studio: Michael White Productions   Release date: 1975   Rated: PG   
Language (Country): English (UK)
Summary: King Arthur and his knights embark on a low-budget search for the Grail, encountering many very silly obstacles.
My Rating:
My Review: An absolute riot. A cult flick unlike any other. I have many friends who quote lines from this movie, and I've been known to do so as well. It's a very funny movie. One of my favorites. The somewhat frenetic pacing of this movie actually contributes to the comedic flavor. Everyone is rushing about trying to pack in one more joke. It's low budget, and the directors (Terry Gilliam & Terry Jones) take advantage of that to great effect (no horses, but we do have coconut shells). The useless prattle of wise-cracking villagers is most amusing. Of course there's a story - and it's one of my favorites; the story of King Arthur and his quest to find the holy grail. Traveling the 10th century country-side of England, the King and his band of misfit knights do battle with the French, a menacing wizard named 'Tim', killer rabbits and the maidens of castle Anthrax. The adventure is classic. Filled with fodder for anyone who enjoys a good story, and comic lines that will leave you reeling with barely concealed guffaws and outright bursts of bellowing laughter. I want to travel the countryside with King Arthur, fighting off the scourge of the workers in the anarcho-syndicalist commune. The ending was classic Python.