Film Diary: 2020
by linnea-gelland | created - 01 Jan 2020 | updated - 30 Dec 2020 | Public- Instant Watch Options
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1. Bachelor Mother (1939)
Passed | 82 min | Comedy, Romance
An unemployed woman discovers an abandoned baby on the steps of an orphanage, and accepts an offer to take responsibility for the child in return for a job.
Director: Garson Kanin | Stars: Ginger Rogers, David Niven, Charles Coburn, Frank Albertson
Votes: 4,610
2. The Mind, Explained (2019–2021)
TV-14 | 20 min | Documentary
Ever wonder what's happening inside your head? From dreaming to anxiety disorders, discover how your brain works with this illuminating series.
Stars: Emma Stone, Julianne Moore, Jewel Jordan, Faith Jones
Votes: 6,037
3. An Audience with Peter Ustinov (1988 TV Special)
50 min | Comedy
A classic live performance with the actor and raconteur. Peter Ustinov shares his comical stories with a celebrity audience.
Director: Alasdair Macmillan | Stars: Petula Clark, John Cleese, Antony Hopkins, Clive James
Votes: 61
4. Dolemite Is My Name (2019)
R | 118 min | Biography, Comedy, Drama
Eddie Murphy portrays real-life legend Rudy Ray Moore, a comedy and rap pioneer who proved naysayers wrong when his hilarious, obscene, kung-fu fighting alter ego, Dolemite, became a 1970s Blaxploitation phenomenon.
Director: Craig Brewer | Stars: Eddie Murphy, Keegan-Michael Key, Mike Epps, Craig Robinson
Votes: 64,982
I had no idea who Dolemite was until this film, but I'm glad I watched it. It's a real feel good with Eddie Murphy in absolute top form. And the rest of the cast too.
Sometimes you just want to watch cool people in the '70s making intentionally bad movies and drawing unexpectedly large audiences. Against all odds. Fool triumphant, as Blake Snyder would probably say. Except Dolemite isn't a fool, of course, people just think he is.
Welcome back Eddie Murphy! Great to see you.
5. Cowboys & Aliens (2011)
PG-13 | 119 min | Action, Drama, Sci-Fi
A spaceship arrives in 1873 Arizona to take over the Earth, starting with the Wild West region. All that stands in their way: a posse of cowboys and natives.
Director: Jon Favreau | Stars: Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, Olivia Wilde, Abigail Spencer
Votes: 232,573 | Gross: $100.24M
Yes! They played it straight! I was not expecting that. A much mellower tone than I thought they would go for. Really a straight-forward western with aliens in it. Actually quite realistic in its own way.
6. Dracula (2020)
TV-14 | 90 min | Action, Drama, Fantasy
In 1897 Transylvania, the blood-drinking Count draws his plans against Victorian London.
Stars: Claes Bang, Dolly Wells, Morfydd Clark, Lydia West
Votes: 52,622
I fall into the category of people who thought they should have left the last episode out, I'm afraid. But for what it is, that one is alright too. It's just that they don't really mesh well, and the first two were so brilliant in tone and style that I felt unwilling to give that up for the finale. I understand that they wanted a bit of a twist, but maybe what they already had was twisted enough.
The cast is fantastic. Claes Bang lives up to all expectations. I don't see anything strange in him romancing men and women alike, because of course he does. That's always been Dracula. He drinks Harker and sucking blood is the vampire's kiss. There was always a certain amount of sexual tension and desire, I think. I also liked the idea of Dracula taking on some of the skills and mannerisms of the previous victim, which provides a great way to show his vanity when he kills a man in order to learn the language and impress his dinner-lady. I would have liked that to come back on several occasions, though.
Making van Helsing a nun who's lost her faith was a stroke of genious. The entire convent in fact, is just filled to the brim with acting brilliance. They managed to make Jonathan Harker feel sympathetic, which isn't necessarily a given (I do like him as played by Bruno Gantz, but otherwise feel he often becomes a bit of a plot contrivance to get things going), as well as his fiancee, who really proves to be a tough sort too.
The special effects are amazing, with a mixture of what looks like stop-motion, puppets and costumes filled with acrobats and contortionists - the feat of making something so unnatural look and feel so real is no small one. As well as the boody horror inserts of flies walking on open eyes and nails peeling off. Terrifying in the greatest sense of the word.
Setting each episode in a fairly closed milieu works very well, even if it was probably done partly to save money. The original story is a monster in the house, after all. The castle looks great (and that set certainly couldn't have been cheap). The ship has a very "The Upper Berth"/"Room Nr. 13" (even if it's very clearly a No. 9, nudge, nudge) feeling to it with the cabin that hides something secret and hideous. I think the twist of van Helsing being the bad thing herself was a little too last series Sherlock, but at the same time I can't deny that it did give me a kick to be fooled.
Then there's the last episode. The living corpse in the fridge was definitely my favourite part. I had an idea that van Helsing would in fact be the same woman still, having been bitten by Dracula repeatedly in the previous episode and turned into a vampire unbeknownst to him - that also being an explanation for him not being able to drink her blood now. She would have kept the same age physically and had to start the vampire research program to feed herself in a more ethical way until Dracula washed up. This would also have provided her with the moral dilemma of essentially being the same thing as Dracula, while still dedicating her life to hunting him down. Who's good and who's evil sort of thing. But no. She's a decendant of van Helsing, which I'm not sure makes much sense anyway, but the biggest problem is that we suddenly have a completely new protagonist. It's the same actor, but certainly not the same character, and I don't care as much for her because I don't know her that well.
I was hoping from the get-go that Mark Gatiss would cast himself as Renfield, which he did. Sadly only in modern day, and as a margin-walking character. I was looking forward to seeing the goofier side in play, but there wasn't really any time for it. Howerver, Renfield is still on the lose, so who knows?
Just placing Dracula in a modern setting works fine. It's been done before and will be again. There are problems he has to overcome, borderlining on "Dark Shadows" in ridiculousness. Van Helsing is a little too well prepared, which makes Dracula seem out of touch at first. But he soon takes to the new times, a bit like Jack the Ripper in "Time and Time Again". He's still a menace, but maybe not the worst one around. The ending becomes a little anticlimactic just because it isn't the original van Helsing who battles him, since she is long dead. I did appreciate the Peter Cushing curtain-jump, though. Had it been a stand-alone episode, or the start of another series, it would have been alright. But as an ending it doesn't quite live up to the build-up. And sadly that's what one first remembers after watching the series.
Still though. For the most part it was really bloody good.
7. Cape Fear (1962)
Passed | 106 min | Drama, Thriller
A lawyer's family is stalked by a man he once helped put in jail.
Director: J. Lee Thompson | Stars: Gregory Peck, Robert Mitchum, Polly Bergen, Lori Martin
Votes: 31,898
Crazy Robert Mitchum. Need I say more? He's charming in his panama hat and loose shirt, but you really don't want him following your family around.
Felt very similar to Scorsese's remake really. Both good. Oh, and the Bernard Hermann score is a classic, of course.
8. The Enemy Below (1957)
Approved | 98 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
During WWII an American destroyer discovers a German U-boat, and in the ensuing duel the American captain must draw upon all his experience to defeat the equally experienced German commander.
Director: Dick Powell | Stars: Robert Mitchum, Curd Jürgens, David Hedison, Theodore Bikel
Votes: 12,263
Mitchum vs Jürgens. The Germans are doomed by history to lose, which makes the battle feel a little futile.
Jürgens's submarine captain becomes sympathetic mainly because of the situation of being trapped in a tin can under water, with an enemy ship above, as well as just doing his job, in contrast to one of the younger crewmen who insists on hanging pictures of Hitler everywhere and heiling them.
Mitchum is somewhat sympathetic too, but mainly through hearsay. It is rumoured among the crew before he shows up, that he is hiding in his cabin because of sea sickness, and probably suffering from PTSD due to a previous heroic mission. But none of this really shows or affects his actions later, which is a shame, I think. I would have liked to see him struggle more to get the approval of the crew. Fighting against anxiety to make the right choice in a stressful situation. Mitchum is just too cool here. Without the backstory there would be no personality. I would have loved to see him more as the drunken sheriff in "El Dorado", for instance.
9. Hans Arnold - Penselns häxmästare (2019)
90 min | Documentary
Documentary about the horror- and surrealist-artist Hans Arnold (1925-2010). A documentary that took 12 years to finish.
Director: Micke Engström | Stars: Björn Arnold, Hans Arnold, Ylva Arnold, Ernst Billgren
Votes: 56
Huvudsakligen intressant för att man får se så mycket av Arnolds konst genom åren. Jag hade gärna sett mer av hur han skapade den, vilka tekniker han använde, osv.
10. The Winston Affair (1964)
Approved | 94 min | Drama, War
In WW2, a US lieutenant stationed in India shoots dead a British NCO and admits his crime but his reason for the murder is so bizarre that it puzzles his defense counsel.
Director: Guy Hamilton | Stars: Robert Mitchum, France Nuyen, Barry Sullivan, Trevor Howard
Votes: 843
11. Familjehemligheter (2001)
101 min | Drama
Autumn 1978 in suburban Sweden. Everything seems to be fine with the middle class Bendrick family with their two teenage children and a younger son, until the mother starts seeing her first... See full summary »
Director: Kjell-Åke Andersson | Stars: Rolf Lassgård, Maria Lundqvist, Jerka Johansson, Emma Engström
Votes: 550
Väldigt bra skruvat familjedrama som urartar i komik. Jag gissade på förhand vilka hemligheterna som de respektive familjemedlammarna hade, skulle vara. Jag hade ett par rätt, fast på lite andra sätt än jag trodde.
Frun: affär (rätt, fast främst för att hon är uttråkad och less på ett inrutat liv)
Mannen: avskedad från jobbet (faktiskt tvärtom först, sedan husets förfall som han döljer för frun. Kan hända att han faktiskt blir avskedad i slutet, dock)
Äldsta sonen: gay (kanske, även om det inte framkom direkt. Däremot är han mycket avundsjuk på sin bästa vän, som sedan blir en fiende när vännen våldtar hans syster)
Dottern: snattare (fel, fast det nämns att brodern ibland stjäl saker från affärer. Istället är det våldäkten hon döljer för föräldrarna)
Yngsta sonen: skolkare (lite rätt. Hans problem är att han inte har några vänner i skolan efter att kompisen flyttar)
Framförallt Rolf Lassgård är förbaskat bra som en skrattande pappa som verkligen tror att allt är bra, tills motsatsen bevisas och han försöker släta över och låtsas att allt är bra i alla fall, tills det är omöjligt och han får ett nervöst sammanbrott. Den obekvämaste scenen är när äldste sonen faktiskt vill tala ut, vara allvarlig och få stöd. Han frågar pappan om han någonsin har haft ångest. Paus. Pappan ser först ut att överväga ett ärligt svar, innan något annat tar över och han skämtar bort det istället. De kunde ha kommit varandra riktigt nära där, men han schabblar bort det. Barnen, som varit in och ut ur ångest, klarar sig hyfsat bra trots allt som händer, medan pappan är helt oförberedd. Hans trygghet är byggd på felaktiga grunder, hans liv krackellerar, och när det väl brister så brister det ordentligt.
Dessutom är miljöerna, rekvisitan, kostymerna perfekta. Fotot är snyggt. Och det är fördärvat roligt mitt i allt elände.
12. Under the Sun (1998)
130 min | Drama, Romance
Olof lives alone on a farm after the death of his mother. Unable to read and write, he is dependent on his younger friend, Erik. Olof advertises for a housekeeper, and Ellen arrives. During summer Olof's heart and Erik's desires develops.
Director: Colin Nutley | Stars: Rolf Lassgård, Helena Bergström, Johan Widerberg, Gunilla Röör
Votes: 2,997 | Gross: $0.29M
13. The Good Old Boys (1995 TV Movie)
Not Rated | 130 min | Adventure, Drama, Western
An aging cowboy must choose between his desire to remain free and the responsibilities of maintaining a family.
Director: Tommy Lee Jones | Stars: Tommy Lee Jones, Terry Kinney, Frances McDormand, Sam Shepard
Votes: 842
14. Mannen som slutade röka (1972)
104 min | Comedy
Young Dante Alighieri inherits 17 million from his father the sausage maker on one condition - he has to give up smoking in 14 days. But the days go on and he simply can't quit. He hires a ... See full summary »
Director: Tage Danielsson | Stars: Gösta Ekman, Grynet Molvig, Toivo Pawlo, Holger Löwenadler
Votes: 1,497
15. The Sundowners (1960)
Passed | 133 min | Drama, Western
In Australia's Outback during the early twentieth century, the impoverished Carmody family lives a nomadic life out of their wagon, but the mom and son want to settle, while the dad is against it.
Director: Fred Zinnemann | Stars: Deborah Kerr, Robert Mitchum, Peter Ustinov, Glynis Johns
Votes: 4,841
16. The Yakuza (1974)
R | 112 min | Action, Crime, Drama
American private-eye Harry Kilmer returns to Japan to rescue a friend's kidnapped daughter from the clutches of the Yakuza.
Director: Sydney Pollack | Stars: Robert Mitchum, Ken Takakura, Eiji Okada, Herb Edelman
Votes: 10,458
17. The Hunters (1958)
Approved | 108 min | Action, Drama, Romance
In 1952, during the Korean War, two American pilots become bitter enemies over the same woman but must shelf their personal feud when confronted by deadly Chinese MIG fighter jets in battle.
Director: Dick Powell | Stars: Robert Mitchum, Robert Wagner, Richard Egan, May Britt
Votes: 1,655
18. Crimes of Passion: Dangerous Dreams (2013 TV Movie)
92 min | Crime, Thriller
Puck has managed to get a job working for the eccentric Nobel Literature Prize laureate Andreas Hallman. Hallman is charming and genial, but also a neurotic tyrant. He forces his wife, his ... See full summary »
Director: Molly Hartleb | Stars: Tuva Novotny, Linus Wahlgren, Ola Rapace, Björn Andersson
Votes: 693
19. Pat and Mike (1952)
Not Rated | 95 min | Comedy, Romance, Sport
Pat is a women's sports sensation unless her fiancé is around. Her new shady manager Mike keeps them apart and develops feelings for her.
Director: George Cukor | Stars: Spencer Tracy, Katharine Hepburn, Aldo Ray, William Ching
Votes: 6,167
20. Crimes of Passion: Death of a Loved One (2013)
89 min | Crime
Puck Ekstedt, doctoral student in literature, is invited by her supervisor Rutger to spend Midsummer with him and his wife at their summer house on an isolated island. When he reveals that ... See full summary »
Director: Birger Larsen | Stars: Tuva Novotny, Linus Wahlgren, Ola Rapace, Suzanna Dilber
Votes: 1,408
21. Mona Lisa (1986)
R | 104 min | Crime, Drama, Romance
A man recently released from prison manages to get a job driving a call girl from customer to customer.
Director: Neil Jordan | Stars: Bob Hoskins, Cathy Tyson, Michael Caine, Robbie Coltrane
Votes: 18,727 | Gross: $5.79M
22. Only You (1994)
PG | 109 min | Comedy, Romance
As a teen, Faith was told that her destiny is a man named Damon Bradley. Years later - Faith is about to marry another man - a Damon Bradley calls to wish them all the best. Faith blows off the wedding and follows Damon to Italy.
Director: Norman Jewison | Stars: Marisa Tomei, Robert Downey Jr., Bonnie Hunt, Joaquim de Almeida
Votes: 25,699 | Gross: $20.04M
23. The Gilded Cage (2013)
G | 90 min | Comedy, Drama
For thirty years now Maria and José Ribeiro have been living on the ground floor of a Haussmannian building in one of the most exclusive districts of Paris. Everybody loves this nice couple... See full summary »
Director: Ruben Alves | Stars: Rita Blanco, Joaquim de Almeida, Roland Giraud, Chantal Lauby
Votes: 10,632
24. Come Rain or Shine (2008)
110 min | Documentary, Music
Come Rain or Shine is an unusually frank and humorous music documentary about the band Genesis getting back together for their first tour in 15 years. Director Anthony Mathile followed the ... See full summary »
Director: Anthony Mathile | Stars: Victor Anderssen, Tony Banks, Sonja Benavidez, Tim Brockman
Votes: 47
The search for the perfect stool. A quest for the ages. Starring Phil Collins.
25. The Karate Kid (1984)
PG | 126 min | Action, Drama, Family
A martial arts master agrees to teach karate to a bullied teenager.
Director: John G. Avildsen | Stars: Ralph Macchio, Pat Morita, Elisabeth Shue, Martin Kove
Votes: 244,647 | Gross: $90.82M
26. 17 Again (2009)
PG-13 | 102 min | Comedy, Drama, Fantasy
Mike O'Donnell is ungrateful for how his life turned out. He gets a chance to rewrite his life when he tried to save a janitor near a bridge and jumped after him into a time vortex.
Director: Burr Steers | Stars: Zac Efron, Matthew Perry, Leslie Mann, Thomas Lennon
Votes: 216,495 | Gross: $64.17M
27. The Genesis Songbook (2001 Video)
100 min | Family, Music
A documentary on the history and various interworkings of the British progressive rock band Genesis.
Director: Bob Smeaton | Stars: Tony Banks, Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel, Steve Hackett
Votes: 76
28. Let's Kill Uncle (1966)
Approved | 92 min | Comedy, Horror, Thriller
A 12-year-old orphan who has just inherited a fortune is trapped on an island with his uncle, a former British Intelligence commander who intends to kill him. A young girl is the boy's only... See full summary »
Director: William Castle | Stars: Nigel Green, Mary Badham, Pat Cardi, Robert Pickering
Votes: 529
Fun little thing with Nigel Green in a delightful lead role as the charming but absolutely deadly Uncle out to kill his nephew. The boy may be cute, but 5 millions cute he isn't, as Uncle puts it.
The traps are all preposterous in their over the top-ness. Poisonous mushrooms, spiders, hypnotism... Uncle even imports a shark to the outdoor pool, just in case the kid would accidentally fall in before he gets there, thereby saving Uncle the trip.
I don't know if it's supposed to be a kids film, but both child actors are really good, and their love/hate relationship feels very realistic. In the end it's them against Uncle, and he treats them as equals in his game. Despite almost dying on several occasions, they all end up enjoying it (especially the girl, who gets almost Lord of the Flies-level ruthless), which leads into a twisted but somehow hopeful ending where Uncle and the nephew shake hands before Uncle disappears by plane. The other grown-ups have no idea what has been going on. This is something between the three of them, a sort of invisible bond built on shared experience and mutual respect.
Will the kids grow up to be like Uncle? Quite possibly.
29. Bitter Victory (1957)
Approved | 82 min | Drama, War
A commander receives a citation for an attack on Erwin Rommel's headquarters, which is actually undeserved, as the commander is unfit for his job. On top of that, unbeknownst to him, his wife is having an affair with one of his officers.
Director: Nicholas Ray | Stars: Richard Burton, Curd Jürgens, Ruth Roman, Raymond Pellegrin
Votes: 2,292
Really good Military Desert Travel with questions about moral, combined with a long hot walk.
The group is supposed to meet up with a supply-team carrying water, food and bringing camels. But this does not happen. Instead they have to keep walking.
It's a typical layout for this kind of film, with the rivalry between South African Curd Jürgens (!) and Welsh-as-ever Richard Burton at the centre, and Nigel Green playing the happy-go-lucky joker that Richard Attenborough usually plays, but with a mean streak. He isn't opposed to shooting a dying man if it keeps the others moving. Burton is more apprehensive towards this, but ends up doing it anyway, pressured by circumstances, while Jürgens is plagued by being labelled a coward.
I especially liked the scene where Green protests against walking any further by drawing letters on his feet: "I'm tired", "Me too". When the captain wants to keep going, he throws himself into a fit, shouting incomprehensible things and rolling around until they all think he's gone mad. It has the desired result of a short break. After that he's soon fine again... It's also nice to see him as one of the lads, rather than the stroppy leader, as he is often cast (and very good at too).
30. Tobruk (1967)
Approved | 107 min | Drama, War
A Canadian POW major is rescued by a special British military unit made up of Germans to help lead an attack on a major German fuel depot in Tobruk, Libya.
Director: Arthur Hiller | Stars: Rock Hudson, George Peppard, Nigel Green, Guy Stockwell
Votes: 3,586
Another Military Desert Travel movie. Why do I love those so much?
Taxi for Tobruk did it better, I think, but it's fun enough. Takes a while before they get cracking, but once they do it stomps forward at a pretty brisk pace.
Very confusing nationality-wise, but that's the point. German Jewish guys who work for the British, lead an English troup with a Canadian specialist in German uniforms. And there is a traitor, of course. A German who turns out to be German, so to speak. I actually guessed who it was when they brushed off his explanation of how he shot the real traitor so easily - after that I was just waiting for him to reveal himself.
Best scene: Nigel Green's Colonel is finally caught and presented with the actual German mole who wants him to hand over some documents. He doesn't have them anymore. Instead he says that he respects soldiers who are so willing to die for their cause, pulls a gun and shoots the traitor, well knowing that he'll be dead himself the next second. Which he is.
31. Sword of Sherwood Forest (1960)
Approved | 80 min | Adventure, Drama, History
While King Richard is away at the Crusades, some Nottingham nobles and their Sheriff plot to confiscate estates of fallen Crusaders but Robin Hood and Maid Marian foil their plan.
Director: Terence Fisher | Stars: Richard Greene, Peter Cushing, Niall MacGinnis, Richard Pasco
Votes: 1,483
Fun romp. Good Robin, Little John and Friar Tuck. Slightly strange plot that feels more like an episode of a tv-series than a film. Some very fake sword fights that look like they're all waiting for the next cut exactly where the choreographer said it should be, and without sound effects so that the swords sound like they're made out of plastic. But still.
32. Countess Dracula (1971)
PG | 93 min | Horror
In 17th-century Hungary, elderly widow Countess Elisabeth Nádasdy maintains her misleading youthful appearance by bathing in the blood of virgins regularly supplied to her by faithful servant Captain Dobi.
Director: Peter Sasdy | Stars: Ingrid Pitt, Nigel Green, Sandor Elès, Maurice Denham
Votes: 4,816
I was expecting cheap fun, a bit of schlock. But what I got was a finely tuned love triangle with gothic overtones and a haunting chain of events.
If the Countess had ony loved Dobi as much as he loved her, then none of the horrors would have followed. Instead she becomes obsessed with youth and beauty, wants to be surrounded by the young, as well as stay young herself. There is one way of doing this. Kill a virgin and bathe in her blood. Then date a handsome young fella and lie to him about being the daughter instead of the mother. But the hex doesn't last very long, and every time the Countess starts to age, she gets even uglier than before.
Luckily she has a servant lady to help her with the killings. And Dobi, of course. A very conflicted man who wishes nothing higher than to have her to himself (he's already waited for twenty years before her husband died), but instead has to watch her romance someone younger right in front of his eyes. And he has to help, or else she will never love him. He reluctantly hussles to lure virgins to the castle while simultaneously trying to sabotage everything and make the Countess understand that she doesn't want anyone else.
Things get even more complicated when the real daughter actually comes back home to meet her mother, who is now her own age, and Dobi hatches the plan to put the daughter forward as a killable virgin. But the Countess is beyond saving and would at this point happily slaughter her own daughter to remain beautiful one more day.
At the wedding she turns old again and the villagers can finally see her for what she is. The naked dead bodies of women are found behind some wine barrels in the cellar, and the Countess is renamed as a choir of disembodied voices chant Countess Dracula before she is taken away to be executed.
33. The Kremlin Letter (1970)
M/PG | 120 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
During the Cold War a Naval Intelligence officer endowed with a powerful photographic memory is transferred to the CIA to participate in a covert operation in Moscow.
Director: John Huston | Stars: Bibi Andersson, Richard Boone, Nigel Green, Dean Jagger
Votes: 2,312 | Gross: $0.24M
Intriguing spy thriller with a typical spy thriller name (Ipcress File, Rhinemann Exchange).
Very, very American guy with exceptional memory is called in for service in Russia, alongside a rag-tag group of spies with funny code names: Highwayman, Warlock, The Whore, Sweet Alice, etc.
The story is interesting, but it's the little bits in between that makes it good. Like the preparation where a piece of his finger is removed to hide a cyanide capsule. Or the conversations between Ward (called Nephew) and Rone (called Uncle) that somewhat forebodes the difficulty of trusting people in this business.
A funny thing about it is the way they decided to get around the language barriers by starting conversations in Russian, but with the English translation spoken by the same actor on top (like dubbed Russian movies, but backwards), for a few lines, and then slide over into English. It sort of works, even if it calls attention to itself by sheer unusualness.
I also came to like most of the spies. The Whore (Nigel Green) does it purely for economic reasons, but very enthusiastically. Then there is the guy who infiltrates a group of gay friends, and always knits socks for his supposed lover while leaving reports. And the girl who replaces her arthritic father last minute, because she can pick a safe lock with her feet...
Most of the spies are disposed of quietly offscreen near the end, which is a bit of a shame, since I would have liked to see at least part of an interrogation, but the ending is chilling. Nephew tries to bargain with Uncle, who has gone over to the other side after finishing his vendetta on top. Nephew is given the chance to save the girl, provided he does Uncle a favour, which he can read in a letter after he gets on the plane leaving for America. The last we see is the favour - kill another man's wife and daughter, both innocent. We don't know what he will do. The choice is impossible. Truly a shocker-ending and all the better for it.
34. The Pink Jungle (1968)
Approved | 104 min | Action, Adventure, Comedy
A South American fashion photo shoot turns into a diamond mine seeking adventure for an American photographer and his model.
Director: Delbert Mann | Stars: James Garner, Eva Renzi, George Kennedy, Nigel Green
Votes: 414
On my spree of Nigel Green films I stumbled across this little golden fleece flick. It was really quite entertaining. A reluctant Indiana Jones which turns into a bit of Treasure of the Sierra Madre for a while, but without losing its comedic sting.
Garner is charming and cool, while George Kennedy is a larger-than-life braggart, who can actually live up to most of his claims. After about half the movie they meet the supposedly dead Green, who turns out to be a shifty character. He looks a lot like Cheyenne in Once Upon a Time in the West, and the Australian accent isn't half bad to my ears. I would have liked to see more of him, but it was a nice, vicious little part anyway.
What surprised me the most was Eva Renzi's cracking performace. She is utterly brilliant as a tough cowgirl turned model. She's savvy and resourceful, doesn't complain once even during the desert walk (in fact she's willing to stay behind when she's struck by exhaustion, like one of those typical "leave me here to die" male heroes in war films), always has a comeback and can crack a mean joke. She also gets the best lines: "Models aren't temperamental, they're just hungry."
35. The Skull (1965)
Not Rated | 83 min | Horror, Thriller
A collector comes into possession of the skull of the Marquis de Sade and learns it is possessed by an evil spirit.
Director: Freddie Francis | Stars: Peter Cushing, Patrick Wymark, Christopher Lee, Jill Bennett
Votes: 3,583
36. The Mangler (1995)
R | 106 min | Horror, Mystery
A laundry-folding machine has been possessed by a demon, causing it to develop homicidal tendencies.
Director: Tobe Hooper | Stars: Robert Englund, Ted Levine, Daniel Matmor, Jeremy Crutchley
Votes: 9,966 | Gross: $1.78M
Preposterous, but a lot of fun. Oh, the amount of blood that goes into that machine! Their customers couldn't have been too happy with the blood-drenched sheets they were undoubtedly sent back. They should have gone out of business ages ago. Not to mention the amount of people sacrificed to keep the monster-mangler happy. There shouldn't be anyone left to work there.
The set-design is way off the wall, but actually really good. The steam feels real, and I know what I'm talking about when it comes to manglers. I don't even think it's that far fetched with a machine like that eating people. The first day I worked at the laundry, the boss told me that a woman had got her hand stuck in one of the folding-machines when she was pulling out a towel. Her skin was peeled off, he said, with a meaningful nod. Those things happen.
Ted Levine plays it straight, and to terriffic effect. Someone wrote in a review that he always looked like he was recovering from a hangover, and I agree. And it works.
I still wonder what was in those pills though. It was made into a big deal, but didn't seem to be resolved at all in the end.
This would go well as a double-bill alongside the 1999 "House on Haunted Hill" or something like that. Or possibly "Shocker". Silly, gruesome and very entertaining.
37. Witness in the Dark (1959)
62 min | Thriller
An elderly woman is murdered by a thief, with the only witness a blind girl whom the killer returns to silence permanently.
Director: Wolf Rilla | Stars: Patricia Dainton, Conrad Phillips, Madge Ryan, Nigel Green
Votes: 290
38. Corridors of Blood (1958)
Not Rated | 86 min | Crime, Horror, Thriller
Dr. Thomas Bolton fights for the use of anesthetic in surgery and uses himself as a guinea pig, but soon finds himself addicted.
Director: Robert Day | Stars: Boris Karloff, Betta St. John, Christopher Lee, Finlay Currie
Votes: 2,273
39. Morning Glory (2010)
PG-13 | 107 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
An upstart television producer accepts the challenge of reviving a struggling morning show program with warring co-hosts.
Director: Roger Michell | Stars: Rachel McAdams, Harrison Ford, Diane Keaton, Noah Bean
Votes: 82,784 | Gross: $31.01M
40. Midnight Run (1988)
R | 126 min | Action, Comedy, Crime
A bounty hunter pursues a former Mafia accountant who is also being chased by a rival bounty hunter, the F.B.I., and his old mob boss after jumping bail.
Director: Martin Brest | Stars: Robert De Niro, Charles Grodin, Yaphet Kotto, John Ashton
Votes: 94,289 | Gross: $38.41M
Why have I never seen this before? Why?
Brilliant road-movie of the classic sort.
41. The Deer Hunter (1978)
R | 183 min | Drama, War
An in-depth examination of the ways in which the Vietnam War impacts and disrupts the lives of several friends in a small steel mill town in Pennsylvania.
Director: Michael Cimino | Stars: Robert De Niro, Christopher Walken, John Cazale, John Savage
Votes: 362,426 | Gross: $48.98M
Maybe not what happened, but a great story. As a survival thriller/horror this is exactly what I want.
42. Meet the Parents (2000)
PG-13 | 108 min | Comedy, Romance
Male nurse Greg Focker meets his girlfriend's parents before proposing, but her suspicious father is every date's worst nightmare.
Director: Jay Roach | Stars: Ben Stiller, Robert De Niro, Teri Polo, Blythe Danner
Votes: 355,323 | Gross: $166.24M
Meh. Slightly funny.
43. The Mission (1986)
PG | 125 min | Adventure, Drama, History
Eighteenth-century Spanish Jesuits try to protect a remote South American tribe in danger of falling under the rule of pro-slavery Portugal.
Director: Roland Joffé | Stars: Robert De Niro, Jeremy Irons, Ray McAnally, Aidan Quinn
Votes: 65,724 | Gross: $17.22M
Too long, too brooding in boring ways, and confused about where the story lies and who is to tell it. But DeNiro's punishment walk is riveting, as is some of the more heartfelt moments between him, Irons and the people from the Mission. The landscape is beautiful too.
44. Everybody's Fine (2009)
PG-13 | 99 min | Adventure, Drama
A widower who realized his only connection to his family was through his wife sets off on an impromptu road trip to reunite with each of his grown children.
Director: Kirk Jones | Stars: Robert De Niro, Kate Beckinsale, Sam Rockwell, Drew Barrymore
Votes: 63,984 | Gross: $8.86M
Mainly sad and bittersweet.
45. Brandvägg (2006)
170 min | Crime, Thriller
The plot revolves around an attempt to disable all the financial systems in the Western world by idealists who believe that it will change the world and correct its imbalances, notably the poverty in Africa.
Stars: Rolf Lassgård, Marie Richardson, Lars Melin, Kerstin Andersson
Votes: 799
46. Moulin Rouge! (2001)
PG-13 | 127 min | Drama, Musical, Romance
A poor Bohemian poet in 1890s Paris falls for a beautiful courtesan and nightclub star coveted by a jealous duke.
Director: Baz Luhrmann | Stars: Nicole Kidman, Ewan McGregor, John Leguizamo, Jim Broadbent
Votes: 299,474 | Gross: $57.39M
The tango makes it worth it. It's like a parade of dreams ripped from someone else's head and projected into your own.
47. Plymouth Adventure (1952)
Passed | 105 min | Adventure, Drama, History
Trials and tribulations beset the one hundred odd settlers that journey to Virginia in 1620 including unexpectedly arriving in Plymouth, Massachusetts.
Director: Clarence Brown | Stars: Spencer Tracy, Gene Tierney, Van Johnson, Leo Genn
Votes: 1,653
Boring. Too many characters with no real focus and too few obstacles despite the difficult journey.
48. The Birdcage (1996)
R | 117 min | Comedy
A gay cabaret owner and his drag queen companion agree to put up a false straight front so that their son can introduce them to his fiancée's right-wing moralistic parents.
Director: Mike Nichols | Stars: Robin Williams, Nathan Lane, Gene Hackman, Dianne Wiest
Votes: 100,719 | Gross: $124.06M
Sweet and quite funny. Robin Williams is the main reason for watching it, but he's absolutely worth it. And the rest is heart-warming really.
49. Awakenings (1990)
PG-13 | 121 min | Biography, Drama
The victims of an encephalitis epidemic many years ago have been catatonic ever since, but now a new drug offers the prospect of reviving them.
Director: Penny Marshall | Stars: Robert De Niro, Robin Williams, Julie Kavner, Ruth Nelson
Votes: 158,878 | Gross: $52.10M
Fantastic performances, especially by DeNiro and the other "sleepers". He does a great job of making it look like a real person trapped inside his own body. And Robin Williams does the righteous, slightly naive yet non-conformist teacher-type that he does so well in "Good Will Hunting" and "Dead Poets Society".
50. The Creative Brain (2019)
52 min | Documentary
Neuroscientist David Eagleman taps into the creative process of various innovators while exploring brain-bending, risk-taking ways to spark creativity.
Directors: Jennifer Beamish, Toby Trackman | Stars: David Eagleman, Michelle Khine, Bjarke Ingels, Nathan Myhrvold
Votes: 981
Nothing new, but sort of inspiring. Especially the bit about creative writing for prisoners. I want to do that some time.
51. Yes Man (2008)
PG-13 | 104 min | Comedy, Romance
A man challenges himself to say "yes" to everything.
Director: Peyton Reed | Stars: Jim Carrey, Zooey Deschanel, Bradley Cooper, John Michael Higgins
Votes: 383,334 | Gross: $97.69M
Popcorn-fare. Kind of funny. Kind of typical. Can't decide if she is cute or annoying. I guess quirky would be the word, but I don't really like it. Can't decide if he's laughable or annoying either. It's the sort of thing that you shouldn't overthink, or else it gets very annoying.
52. The Ninth Configuration (1980)
R | 118 min | Comedy, Drama, Horror
An ex-marine psychiatrist attempts to rehabilitate his patients by indulging their fantasies, and seeks to prove the existence of a loving God to one especially troubled inmate.
Director: William Peter Blatty | Stars: Stacy Keach, Scott Wilson, Jason Miller, Ed Flanders
Votes: 8,983
No idea what this was. Kind of "Catch 22" mixed with "Shutter Island". But the fact that the doctor was really a patient was guessed by the inmates very early on, so it didn't come as a surprise even though it was played as a twist. Stacy Keach acted like someone had sedated him throughout the whole thing, which sort of worked, but also brought down the energy level to minus five. That performance also made it very clear that there was something wrong with this man from the start.
The backstory was rather creepy, and the flash-back scenes worked very well. Especially when we see him holding the head in his hands.
Oddly enough the second half of the film shifted perspective to one of the other guys on the ward. It all lead up to a barfight where Stacy comes in to save the day and ends up killing everyone. The fight-scene is tense, gritty and very good. And then he kills himself when he realizes who he is - but he does so in the most quiet way possible, which was definitely another one of the most worthwhile scenes of the movie.
An odd thing, certainly, with a couple of really striking bits in it, but over all way too long and a bit over-indulgent in the brooding madness-department.
53. Eli (I) (2019)
R | 98 min | Drama, Horror, Mystery
A boy receiving treatment for his auto-immune disorder discovers that the house he's living in isn't as safe as he thought.
Director: Ciarán Foy | Stars: Charlie Shotwell, Kelly Reilly, Max Martini, Lili Taylor
Votes: 40,859
I did like the twist. It wasn't something that surprised me a lot, but it felt satisfying enough. I gathered all the adults were probably in on whatever it was going on, that the doctor was actually sincere despite doing seemingly bad things, that the girl outside was not what she seemed, that Eli wasn't really sick and that they possibly tried to protect the world from him rather than the other way around. And I was right. But it didn't matter because I did come to care for Eli and root for him getting out of there. I liked the way they ended it by flipping the triumph into dread and the ominous threat of the bad kids going home to their dad. It was very much in line with "The Omen" and "Rosemary's Baby", which it also referenced mainly through character names.
It was properly eery in atmosphere and quite chilly.
54. Billy Elliot (2000)
R | 110 min | Drama, Music
A talented young boy becomes torn between his unexpected love of dance and the disintegration of his family.
Director: Stephen Daldry | Stars: Jamie Bell, Julie Walters, Jean Heywood, Jamie Draven
Votes: 142,897 | Gross: $22.00M
My goodness. I knew pretty much exactly what was going to happen. I mean, the layout of this kind of underdog narrative is no secret. But it still got me in the end. I almost felt disappointed in myself that I couldn't hold back the tears, but then I thought 'hey, that's okay, you're not inhuman'.
What got me most was the acting, I think. The dad's pent-up emotions, his frustration and anger that is converted and redirected into love and support for his son. The dance instructor who pushes him on. But most of all the two boys - Blushing, red-eared Billy who struggles to follow his new found dream, and Michael who is discovering his own emotions. The tender relationship between the two of them is so touching and honest. And the good-byes when Billy is leaving towards the end. That hug between boy and father like there is nothing else in the world in that moment. The kiss on the cheek. And then the final performance where grown-up Michael turns up in the audience to see something he's presumably waited for since that kiss.
I am also a sucker for angry dancing, and this has a lot of it.
Wonderfully shot, magnificently acted on all parts. The sodding thing just made me bloody weep.
55. Blow Out (1981)
R | 108 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
A movie sound recordist accidentally records the evidence that proves that a car accident was actually murder and consequently finds himself in danger.
Director: Brian De Palma | Stars: John Travolta, Nancy Allen, John Lithgow, Dennis Franz
Votes: 63,373 | Gross: $13.75M
56. Clockers (1995)
R | 128 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
Young drug pushers in the projects of Brooklyn live hard dangerous lives, trapped between their drug bosses and the detectives out to stop them.
Director: Spike Lee | Stars: Harvey Keitel, John Turturro, Delroy Lindo, Mekhi Phifer
Votes: 23,541 | Gross: $13.04M
57. Inherit the Wind (1960)
Passed | 128 min | Biography, Drama, History
Based on a real-life case in 1925; two great lawyers argue the case for, and against, a Tennessee science teacher accused of the crime of teaching Darwin's theory of evolution.
Director: Stanley Kramer | Stars: Spencer Tracy, Fredric March, Gene Kelly, Dick York
Votes: 32,792
58. Judgment at Nuremberg (1961)
Approved | 179 min | Drama, War
In 1948, an American court in occupied Germany tries four Nazis judged for war crimes.
Director: Stanley Kramer | Stars: Spencer Tracy, Burt Lancaster, Richard Widmark, Marlene Dietrich
Votes: 85,582
59. Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1967)
Approved | 108 min | Comedy, Drama
A couple's attitudes are challenged when their daughter introduces them to her African-American fiancé.
Director: Stanley Kramer | Stars: Spencer Tracy, Sidney Poitier, Katharine Hepburn, Katharine Houghton
Votes: 48,948 | Gross: $56.70M
60. Two Evil Eyes (1990)
R | 120 min | Horror
A duo of Edgar Allan Poe adaptations about a greedy wife's attempt to embezzle her dying husband's fortune, and a sleazy reporter's adoption of a strange black cat.
Directors: Dario Argento, George A. Romero | Stars: Adrienne Barbeau, Harvey Keitel, Ramy Zada, Bingo O'Malley
Votes: 8,148 | Gross: $0.35M
61. In the Mood for Love (2000)
PG | 98 min | Drama, Romance
Two neighbors form a strong bond after both suspect extramarital activities of their spouses. However, they agree to keep their bond platonic so as not to commit similar wrongs.
Director: Kar-Wai Wong | Stars: Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Maggie Cheung, Siu Ping-Lam, Tung Cho 'Joe' Cheung
Votes: 167,015 | Gross: $2.73M
62. Blood on the Moon (1948)
Passed | 88 min | Drama, Western
Unemployed cowhand Jim Garry is hired by his dishonest friend Tate Riling as muscle in a dispute between homesteaders and cattleman John Lufton.
Director: Robert Wise | Stars: Robert Mitchum, Barbara Bel Geddes, Robert Preston, Walter Brennan
Votes: 3,503
63. Dangerous Lady (1941)
Passed | 63 min | Action, Comedy, Crime
Out to prove that Hester is not a murderer, detectives Phyllis and Duke Maratindel try to stay one step ahead of the police as they track down the real killer.
Director: Bernard B. Ray | Stars: June Storey, Neil Hamilton, Douglas Fowley, John Holland
Votes: 128
64. Malaya (1949)
Passed | 98 min | Adventure, Drama, War
Newspaperman Royer convinces government officials of a plan to obtain rubber by smuggling it out from under the Japanese. Carnahan is let out of prison to help.
Director: Richard Thorpe | Stars: Spencer Tracy, James Stewart, Valentina Cortese, Sydney Greenstreet
Votes: 1,445
65. The People Against O'Hara (1951)
Passed | 102 min | Crime, Drama, Film-Noir
Jim Curtayne, formerly a successful defense attorney who is now a recovering alcoholic, attempts a comeback when he defends a neighbor's son facing a homicide charge.
Director: John Sturges | Stars: Spencer Tracy, Pat O'Brien, Diana Lynn, John Hodiak
Votes: 1,540
66. Ordinary People (1980)
R | 124 min | Drama
The accidental death of the older son of an affluent family deeply strains the relationships among the bitter mother, the good-natured father and the guilt-ridden younger son.
Director: Robert Redford | Stars: Donald Sutherland, Mary Tyler Moore, Judd Hirsch, Timothy Hutton
Votes: 56,717 | Gross: $54.80M
67. The Pale Horse (2020)
TV-MA | 59 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
Is a trio of witches responsible for a series of sudden deaths or is there a rational explanation?
Stars: Kaya Scodelario, Georgina Campbell, Rufus Sewell, Sean Pertwee
Votes: 6,194
68. Kelly's Heroes (1970)
GP | 144 min | Adventure, Comedy, War
A group of U.S. soldiers sneaks across enemy lines in WWII France to get their hands on a secret stash of Nazi treasure.
Director: Brian G. Hutton | Stars: Clint Eastwood, Telly Savalas, Don Rickles, Carroll O'Connor
Votes: 53,740 | Gross: $1.38M
69. Woman of the Year (1942)
Passed | 114 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
Rival reporters Sam and Tess fall in love and get married, only to find their relationship strained when Sam comes to resent Tess' hectic lifestyle.
Director: George Stevens | Stars: Spencer Tracy, Katharine Hepburn, Fay Bainter, Reginald Owen
Votes: 11,016
70. State of the Union (1948)
Approved | 124 min | Comedy, Drama
An industrialist is urged to run for President, but this requires uncomfortable compromises on both political and marital levels.
Director: Frank Capra | Stars: Spencer Tracy, Katharine Hepburn, Van Johnson, Angela Lansbury
Votes: 4,169
71. Living in Oblivion (1995)
R | 90 min | Comedy, Drama
This ultimate tribute to all independent filmmakers takes place during one day on the set of a non-budget movie.
Director: Tom DiCillo | Stars: Steve Buscemi, Catherine Keener, Dermot Mulroney, Danielle von Zerneck
Votes: 20,171 | Gross: $1.15M
72. Paul F. Tompkins: Driven to Drink (1999 TV Special)
TV-MA | 30 min | Short, Comedy
In this (mostly) one-man show, comedian Paul F. Tompkins holds forth on alcohol, pretension and Hollywood, managing to drink four full pints of Guinness over the course of the performance.
Director: Keith Truesdell | Stars: Paul F. Tompkins, Craig Anton
Votes: 144
73. Girlfriend's Day (2017)
TV-MA | 65 min | Comedy, Drama
Ray Wentworth, a now down-on-his-luck romance-card writer, decides to recapture the feelings that once made him the greatest with the creation of a new holiday: Girlfriend's Day.
Director: Michael Paul Stephenson | Stars: Bob Odenkirk, Amber Tamblyn, Stacy Keach, Alex Karpovsky
Votes: 5,215
74. The Post (2017)
PG-13 | 116 min | Biography, Drama, History
A cover-up spanning four U.S. Presidents pushes the country's first female newspaper publisher and her editor to join an unprecedented battle between press and government.
Director: Steven Spielberg | Stars: Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks, Sarah Paulson, Bob Odenkirk
Votes: 162,419 | Gross: $81.90M
75. Undone (2019–2022)
TV-MA | 377 min | Animation, Drama, Fantasy
After she very narrowly survives a serious car accident, a woman discovers that she has a new relationship with time.
Stars: Rosa Salazar, Angelique Cabral, Constance Marie, Bob Odenkirk
Votes: 23,486
Really cool. I like the way it blends live-action with animation without making it seem unreal or plain creepy.
Hoping for another series to provide some closure, but it's fine the way it is, if that doesn't happen.
76. 1917 (2019)
R | 119 min | Action, Drama, History
April 6th, 1917. As an infantry battalion assembles to wage war deep in enemy territory, two soldiers are assigned to race against time and deliver a message that will stop 1,600 men from walking straight into a deadly trap.
Director: Sam Mendes | Stars: Dean-Charles Chapman, George MacKay, Daniel Mays, Colin Firth
Votes: 676,366 | Gross: $159.23M
I should write something long. I can't think of anything that hasn't been said. It was fantastic.
77. Alice Cooper: Welcome to My Nightmare (1975)
PG | 84 min | Documentary, Horror, Music
An Alice Cooper concert hosted by Vincent Price, with Alice Cooper's trademark "horror" stage act, and performances of some of his hit songs, including "Only Women Bleed," "School's Out" and "Steven."
Director: David Winters | Stars: Alice Cooper, Vincent Price, Dick Wagner, Steve Hunter
Votes: 521
78. Mandy (I) (2018)
Not Rated | 121 min | Action, Fantasy, Horror
The enchanted lives of a couple in a secluded forest are brutally shattered by a nightmarish hippie cult and their demon-biker henchmen, propelling a man into a spiraling, surreal rampage of vengeance.
Director: Panos Cosmatos | Stars: Nicolas Cage, Andrea Riseborough, Linus Roache, Ned Dennehy
Votes: 89,588 | Gross: $1.21M
Cage is great. The rest is inconsequential. It looks impressive and hazy and the music adds to the experience.
79. Supermensch (2013)
R | 85 min | Documentary, Biography, Music
The life and career of the legendary Hollywood insider, Shep Gordon.
Directors: Beth Aala, Mike Myers | Stars: Shep Gordon, Sylvester Stallone, Michael Douglas, Alice Cooper
Votes: 3,403 | Gross: $0.21M
80. Super Duper Alice Cooper (2014)
Unrated | 98 min | Documentary, Biography, Music
Super Duper Alice Cooper is the twisted tale of a teenage Dr Jekyll whose rock n roll Mr Hyde almost kills him. It is the story of Vincent Furnier, preacher's son, who struck fear into the ... See full summary »
Directors: Sam Dunn, Reg Harkema, Scot McFadyen | Stars: Doris Buchrucker, Alice Cooper, Sheryl Cooper, Jack Curtis
Votes: 1,290
81. Forbidden Zone (1980)
R | 74 min | Comedy, Fantasy, Musical
The bizarre and musical tale of a girl who travels to another dimension through the gateway found in her family's basement.
Director: Richard Elfman | Stars: Gene Cunningham, Marie-Pascale Elfman, Virginia Rose, Phil Gordon
Votes: 5,446
Huh. What? I don't know. Weird? Yes. Oh, yes. Very much that. Also strangely inspiring. And a little nauseating. How I would imagine a roller-coaster ride to be. Or maybe a merry-go-round. Maybe I like the idea of it better than the actual thing, but there are some undeniably catchy tunes in there. And some set-designs and acting choices and yeah. A vaudeville experience worth suffering through and ashamedly liking. Sort of.
82. Prince of Darkness (1987)
R | 102 min | Horror
A group of graduate students and scientists uncover an ancient canister in an abandoned church, but when they open the container, they inadvertently unleash a strange liquid and an evil force on all humanity.
Director: John Carpenter | Stars: Donald Pleasence, Lisa Blount, Jameson Parker, Victor Wong
Votes: 50,001 | Gross: $14.18M
Somewhat overlooked Carpenter, it seems to me. Not one of his best, but enjoyable popcorn-fare. It's worth it just to see pale-faced Alice Cooper in a beanie and long coat menacingly staring at people.
83. Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert (2018 TV Movie)
TV-PG | 99 min | Drama, Musical
A live musical recounting the final days of Jesus Christ and those around him.
Directors: David Leveaux, Alex Rudzinski | Stars: Sara Bareilles, Alice Cooper, Ben Daniels, Brandon Victor Dixon
Votes: 4,047
84. Farligt löfte (1955)
82 min | Crime, Thriller
A woman is murdered and a little girl is the only one who can reveal the perpetrator.
Director: Håkan Bergström | Stars: Herman Ahlsell, Inger Juel, Bengt Blomgren, Ulla Holmberg
Votes: 78
85. Spöke på semester (1951)
75 min | Comedy
Stockholm 1950 is experiencing a gold rush, after the discovery of gold during the building of the new underground. Assistant Borgkrona (Järrell) owns a plot in the gold area. The lawyer ... See full summary »
Director: Gösta Bernhard | Stars: Stig Järrel, Sven Magnusson, Åke Fridell, Arne Källerud
Votes: 36
86. Desert Saints (2002)
R | 88 min | Action, Romance, Thriller
An American assassin, who works for cartels in Latin America, is back in USA. He gets a woman before each job and kills her after. FBI's on to him but are curious about his next big job.
Director: Richard Greenberg | Stars: Brent Roam, Shawn Woods, Christopher Bersh, Kiefer Sutherland
Votes: 3,427
87. The Killing Time (1987)
R | 94 min | Crime, Drama, Romance
A murderer who assumes the identity of a new deputy is unbeknownst to the sheriff planning to pin a separate murder on him.
Director: Rick King | Stars: Beau Bridges, Kiefer Sutherland, Wayne Rogers, Joe Don Baker
Votes: 1,273 | Gross: $0.50M
Young guy comes to town, pretending to be a cop and starts solving the crimes he himself commited. Cool late '80s crime flick with Kiefer Sutherland just starting to go somewhere after being a kid-actor.
I know he's a bit of a creep in the movie, but I rooted for him anyway.
88. To Have and Have Not (1944)
Passed | 100 min | Adventure, Comedy, Film-Noir
During World War II, American expatriate Harry Morgan helps transport a French Resistance leader and his beautiful wife to Martinique while romancing a sensuous lounge singer.
Director: Howard Hawks | Stars: Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, Walter Brennan, Dolores Moran
Votes: 38,018
89. Knock on Any Door (1949)
Passed | 100 min | Crime, Drama, Film-Noir
An attorney defends a hoodlum of murder, using the oppressiveness of the slums to appeal to the court.
Director: Nicholas Ray | Stars: Humphrey Bogart, John Derek, George Macready, Allene Roberts
Votes: 4,211
90. 27 sekundmeter snö (2005 TV Movie)
180 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
In 1939 ten people on an outing are caught in a mountain cabin during a snow storm together with the cabin's hostess. The first night one of them is killed, and it can not have been someone... See full summary »
Director: Tobias Falk | Stars: Jacob Ericksson, Anders Ahlbom Rosendahl, Mylaine Hedreul, Ulricha Johnson
Votes: 168
Vackra miljöer, rekvisita, scenografi, kostymering, och en del bra skådisar. Men tyvärr ganska långtråkig, trots goda förutsättningar för en bra deckargåta eller rentav skräckfilm.
91. Simon & Simon: In Trouble Again (1995 TV Movie)
96 min | Drama
En route to delivering an expensive yacht, Rick stops off in Seattle to visit A.J., who works there as an attorney. However, their reunion is disrupted and their investigative skills called... See full summary »
Director: John McPherson | Stars: Gerald McRaney, Jameson Parker, Mary Carver, Jeannie Wilson
Votes: 142
Never mess with Mrs. Simon. Just don't do it. The boys will be after you, and she'll have your scalp too, if she can reach it.
Very enjoyable tv-movie-reunion of all the favourites of the original cast. They're in good form and the chemistry between the brothers is as sparkling as ever. The only thing that seems a little dodgy is A-J's mustasche...
92. Sunrise (1927)
Passed | 94 min | Drama, Romance
A sophisticated city woman seduces a farmer and convinces him to murder his wife and join her in the city, but he ends up rekindling his romance with his wife when he changes his mind at the last moment.
Director: F.W. Murnau | Stars: George O'Brien, Janet Gaynor, Margaret Livingston, Bodil Rosing
Votes: 53,865 | Gross: $0.54M
93. Fright Night (1985)
R | 106 min | Horror
"Fright Night" sees a teenager believing that the newcomer in his neighborhood is a vampire. He turns to an actor in a television hosted horror movie show for help to deal with the undead.
Director: Tom Holland | Stars: Chris Sarandon, William Ragsdale, Amanda Bearse, Roddy McDowall
Votes: 78,698 | Gross: $24.92M
94. Little Murders (1971)
PG | 108 min | Comedy, Crime
Pitch black comedy about a young nihilistic New Yorker coping with pervasive urban violence, obscene phone calls, rusty water pipes, electrical blackouts, paranoia and ethnic-racial conflict during a typical summer of the 1970s.
Director: Alan Arkin | Stars: Elliott Gould, Marcia Rodd, Vincent Gardenia, Elizabeth Wilson
Votes: 3,568 | Gross: $0.26M
Oh boy, that was a wild ride. Incredibly funny in that uncanny valley kind of way where you see something that resembles reality and real people so much that it becomes hilarious when they start doing something just slightly off. Like shooting passers-by through the living room window for fun and recreation. It's built up so slowly and methodically that you're lured into a false sense of familiarity. So that whatever weird thing they do starts to make sense.
One of my favourite parts was the hippie-wedding with a brilliant speach by Donald Sutherland as an all-accepting priest.
I was completely caught off guard when the girlfriend died, and had no idea what to expect after that. The montage of Elliot Gould riding the subway with blood on his shirt, almost completely catatonic. And then the escalation into utter silliness with Alan Arkin's appearance as the detective very much on the verge of a nervous breakdown. If not right in the middle of one. It all made sense, even though nothing made sense.
95. The Score (2001)
R | 124 min | Action, Crime, Drama
An aging thief hopes to retire and live off his ill-gotten wealth with his lover when a young kid convinces him into doing one last heist that comes with a large payout.
Director: Frank Oz | Stars: Robert De Niro, Edward Norton, Marlon Brando, Angela Bassett
Votes: 134,166 | Gross: $71.07M
Pretty predictable and a little slow, but with some good sequences in it. It's always fun to watch quiet, calm and grumpy DeNiro pitted against someone who doesn't share his temperament. In this case it's the three generations of method that's on display, with Marlon Brando at the top, DeNiro in the middle and Edward Norton as the youngster.
The plan is solid enough, and it gets a little tense toward the end when you don't know if they'll make it on time. It did occur to me that a switch could have been possible, though. And that turned out to be the twist, so as I said, a little predictable. But I wanted DeNiro to win, so it doesn't matter.
96. Agatha and the Truth of Murder (2018 TV Movie)
Not Rated | 92 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
In 1926, with her personal life in tatters and her writing in crisis, a young Agatha Christie decides to solve a real-life murder.
Director: Terry Loane | Stars: Dean Andrews, Ruth Bradley, Bebe Cave, Amelia Dell
Votes: 5,549
Probably not what happened, but why not.
97. Missing (2017)
TV-14 | 180 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
Police superintendent Maja Silver goes back to her old hometown in the Swedish Bible belt to see her daughter, when a terrible discovery paralyzes the small community.
Stars: Helena Bergström, Johan H:son Kjellgren, Mattias Nordkvist, Anna Bjelkerud
Votes: 1,192
En serie konflikter sammansatta till ett polisdrama. Men konflikterna är fruktansvärt välkonstruerade. Dialogen känns naturlig, och skådespelarna vet exakt hur de ska fumla med orden tillräckligt för att den ska verka nypåkommen istället för noggrant nedskriven och inlärd. Helena Bergström är förstås mästare på det området, och visar både sin explosiva och sin mjukare sida. Hon är lika bra som alltid. Påminner mig en hel del om Jennifer Saunders, faktiskt.
98. Session 9 (2001)
R | 97 min | Drama, Horror, Mystery
Tensions rise within an asbestos cleaning crew as they work in an abandoned mental hospital with a horrific past that seems to be coming back.
Director: Brad Anderson | Stars: David Caruso, Stephen Gevedon, Paul Guilfoyle, Josh Lucas
Votes: 62,934 | Gross: $0.38M
Since I found this movie recommended alongside "Burnt Offerings" and "Dog Soldiers", I had to see it. I didn't think it was anywhere close to as good as those movies, but it was still an enjoyable watch.
The creepiness factor was quite high what with the huge deserted mental institution, random paper clippings, peeling paint, failing electricity and all.
The set-up is classic, with the rag-tag group being voluntarily (to begin with) trapped in a haunted house together, slowly going insane. Some more than others.
The ending stumped me a bit, even though I was guessing from the start that the leader of the pack would in fact be a former/current and halucinating patient of the place. I guess that's what was implied, but I'm not entirely sure.
99. Cure (1997)
Not Rated | 111 min | Crime, Horror, Mystery
A frustrated detective deals with the case of several gruesome murders committed by people who have no recollection of what they've done.
Director: Kiyoshi Kurosawa | Stars: Masato Hagiwara, Koji Yakusho, Tsuyoshi Ujiki, Anna Nakagawa
Votes: 23,132 | Gross: $0.09M
I don't even know what happened here, but I liked it.
100. Miami Blues (1990)
R | 97 min | Comedy, Crime, Drama
An ex-con's first act of freedom is moving to Miami where he restarts his old criminal ways with even more potency.
Director: George Armitage | Stars: Fred Ward, Alec Baldwin, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Cecilia Pérez-Cervera
Votes: 10,173 | Gross: $9.89M
Unexpectedly gory. Part of that early '90s crime wave of Neo Noir. This would make a great double bill with "Killing Time", "Death in Brunswick", "Lantana" or even "Reservoir Dogs". Kind of a sleeper that really deserves its place on the shelves of a crime movie fanatic.
I'm reminded of the song "Walkaway Joe" with Trisha Yearwood. This is pretty much the plot: Unassuming young girl falls in love with no-good small time crook, who promises to behave but doesn't. He ends up dead, and she ends up alone. It was doomed from the start, but boy was it good while it lasted.
There is also the cop with no teeth. I never felt manipulated to like him. None of the characters were that likeable really, and yet I loved it.
I enjoyed it most past the halfway mark, when it was obvious that Baldwin would not make it to the end. The heat turned up and the blood started dripping. The grocery store-scene was especially interesting, since he didn't have to do anything. He had nothing to gain from stopping the guy from robbing the place, but did it anyway - risking his own life. And he was punished for it too, of course. I found it funny that none of them was able to sew his eyebrow back on without fainting, yet later on he has precense of mind enough to bring his chopped off fingers with him home...
The meat-cleaver/machete was so unexpected that I burst out laughing (as the blood thirsty maniac I apparently am). And the ending turned out to be both satisfying and a little sad.
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