It’s been a couple of decades since I last watched Top Secret! I remember from my time working in a video store that it was a perennial favourite of my friend Ted. And with the passing of Val Kilmer, I felt it was definitely time to take it in again. And wow, did I laugh….
Tag: val kilmer
Red Planet (2000) – Anthony Hoffman
I remember Mission to Mars and Red Planet seemed to come out around the same time, and I found myself more interested in the De Palma film because it had to do with the ‘face on mars’ and the possibility of life on that distant planet. And who doesn’t love that idea? Red Planet, despite…
Deja Vu (2006) – Tony Scott
I do enjoy a Denzel Washington/Tony Scott team-up and this temporal thriller ends up being a lot more fun than I remember from the first time I saw it. Scott’s constantly moving camera, saturated colours, and tight editing are on full display here as the story follows ATF agent Doug Carlin (Washington) as he investigates…
The Saint (1997) – Phillip Noyce
Val Kilmer absolutely owns the role of Simon Templar in this big-screen adaptation of the classic novels and 60s television show. And while the film isn’t as strong as it could have been, Kilmer is nicely on point, and shares some wonderful chemistry with his co-star, Elizabeth Shue. Simon is a high-profile thief that can…
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005) – Shane Black
Excluding The Predator (what the hell was that?) Shane Black has been one of my favorite Hollywood writers, and I was super-excited when it was announced he was getting into the director’s chair for Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. Set, like most of Black’s tales, at Christmas, this one is a slice of modern noir. Robert…
Willow (1988) – Ron Howard
I remember the first time I saw Willow. I know where I was, and I remember how it swept me up in its narrative. I knew I had to see it the moment it told me it was from the imagination of George Lucas. I knew who Ron Howard was, but I was a teenager…
Tombstone (1993) – George P. Cosmatos
Kurt Russell leads a star studded cast that completely wows in this retelling of the Wyatt Earp story. Joining the always superb Russell is Bil Paxton, Sam Elliott, Val Kilmer, Dana Delaney, Michael Biehn, Powers Boothe, Jason Priestley, Stephen Lang, Thomas Haden Church, Billy Bob Thornton, Micheal Rooker, John Corbett, Joanna Pacula, Terry O’Quinn, Dana…
Heat (1995) – Michael Mann
I continue my time with Ten Bad Dates With De Niro, as I explore a list of Ten Scenes Where Shouty Al Shows Up, and yes, Pacino does yell a lot in this movie, but it is also a masterful epic that, for the first time, saw Al Pacino and Robert De Niro sharing scenes…
True Romance (1993) – Tony Scott
DK Books’ brings me a 90s classic that is on the What Else to Watch list following The Movie Book’s recommendation of Bonnie & Clyde. Directed by Tony Scott, featuring his flashy, gaudy style, and a script by Quentin Tarantino that is rife with his pop culture references and sharp dialogue, True Romance is a…
Lost Soul: The Doomed Journey of Richard Stanley’s Island of D. Moreau (2014) – David Gregory
It’s odd. While I was reviewing the 1996 version of The Island of Dr. Moreau a couple of months ago, I was made aware of this fantastic documentary. I missed seeing it when it screened her in Toronto. It just seemed so strange, I was literally watching the film when my Facebook feed notified…
The Mind Reels 