Glory (1989) – Edward Zwick

  An all-star cast, including Matthew Broderick, Morgan Freeman, Denzel Washington, Cary Elwes and Andre Braugher bring the next recommendation from the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book for my screening of The Red Badge of Courage. Based on the letters by Robert Gould Shaw, played in the film by Broderick, the film…

Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984) – Leonard Nimoy

  I continue to boldly go with the Star Trek films, courtesy of the Sci-Fi Chronicles, and having previously covered Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, I moved onto the third film in the series, helmed by Nimoy himself, one of the caveats about his reprising the Spock character. Spock is dead. The events…

Braveheart (1995) – Mel Gibson 

  The next war movie to take a look at thanks to the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book is this epic stunner from 1995, helmed and starring Mel Gibson, illustrating that yes, the man may have his problems, but can tell an amazing story. The tale of William Wallace (Gibson) gets the…

Field of Dreams (1989) – Phil Alden Robinson

  The next recommendation from the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book for my screening of Raging Bull is this beautiful and highly enjoyable film from Phil Alden Robinson who wrote and directed the film based on the book Shoeless Joe Jackson by W. P. Kinsella. Kevin Costner plays Ray Kinsella, an Iowa…

Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983) – Jack Clayton

  The Sci-Fi Chronicles book (and I am enjoying it so much) next brings me to Ray Bradbury, and the screenplay he wrote, which he adapted from his own classic story. Dark and moody, this one is definitely a family horror movie, this came from the period in the 1980s, when Disney started to play…

Leonard Nimoy (1931-2015)

  Leonard Nimoy has boldly gone. I only had the pleasure of meeting the man once, shaking his hand briefly at a photo op that left me look rather bewildered and goofy, but is still a treasured moment. He was kind, patient, and jovial with each of his fans that day, and despite the fact…

Battle Beyond the Stars (1980) – Jimmy T. Murakami

  With the advent of Star Wars in the late 70s, every studio, almost every writer, wanted to get in on the sci-fi band wagon, including Roger Corman. Known for his exploitation films with incredibly low budgets, Battle Beyond the Stars, was his biggest budgeted film, and was my introduction to the story of the…

Trailer Tracks: Krull (1983) – Peter Yates

This movie has terrible acting, some cheesey special effects, but a mostly cool idea, and I totally crushed on Lysette Anthony in this film! It has a score by James Horner, and features some very recognizable names and faces… Ken Marshall, Freddie Jones, Francesca Annis, Alun Armstrong, Robbie Coltrane and Liam Neeson!

Clear And Present Danger (1994) – Phillip Noyce

  Jack Ryan in the person of Harrison Ford returns to the 101 Action Movies list along with Patriot Games director Phillip Noyce in this adaptation of the Tom Clancy techno-thriller. This time out Jack is serving as the acting Deputy Director of Intelligence for the CIA while his boss, Admiral Greer (James Earl Jones)…

Patriot Games (1992) – Phillip Noyce

Phillip Noyce takes over for John McTiernan, Harrison Ford takes over for Alec Baldwin, and Tom Clancy’s techno-thriller follow-up to The Hunt For Red October, Patriot Games finds its way onto the 101 Action Movies list. Jack Ryan (Ford) and his family are on a working vacation in London, when he foils a kidnapping/assassination attempt…