The Last of the Mohicans: *** ½
Release Date: 1992MPAA Rating: R
Director: Michael Mann
Powerful historical drama has excellent cinematography, genuine battle sequences and an unforgettable music score. Romantic subplot fails to gain much traction, but the movie is evenly paced and handsomely produced; a beautiful, qualifying piece of cinema.
The Last Samurai: ***
Release Date: 2003
MPAA Rating: R
Director: Edward Zwick
Familiar but nevertheless strong story filmed through with incredible cinematography shots and a high sense of respect for Japanese culture. Beautiful film is all too reminscent of Dances with Wolves, and the end battle scene is a knockout.
Release Date: 1962
MPAA Rating: PG
Director: David Lean
A master of epics. Some of the best cinematography in film history that showcases the harshness and the beauty of the desert, as well as some of the best acting by English actors. Presents in masterful form one of the most untold events in history, about one man who both relished in and resented his time in battle.
Letters from Iwo Jima: *** ½
Release Date: 2006MPAA Rating: R
Director: Clint Eastwood
Eastwood's companion piece to Flags of our Fathers tells of the Battle of Iwo Jima from the Japanese perspective. Goes deep into characterization, and presents both the crimes and the heroics of both sides during the battle. Dysaturated colors add to the realistic feel. Most of it's in Japanese with English subtitles.
Liar Liar: ** ½
Release Date: 1997
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Director: Tom Shadyac
Jim Carrey star vehicle about a son who wishes his dad will stop lying for just twenty four hours. Has some charming moments, and overall entertaining, though it lacks impact even for a comedy.
License to Kill: ** ½
Release Date: 1989
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Director: John Glen
A dark Bond adventure where Bond resigns from the service to seek vengeance on those who betrayed him and his friends. Alas though, a revenge picture does not a Bond pic make. End action scene is climatical, and this becomes a personal vendetta fro the hero.
Live and Let Die: ** ½
Release Date: 1973MPAA Rating: PG
Director: Guy Hamilton
Catchy title song is one of the best in the series. This is the first Bond flick to feature Roger Moore as 007, who gives a more humorous and less serious tone to the hero. Action scenes are overextended and very overdone.
The Living Daylights: **
Release Date: 1987MPAA Rating: PG
Director: John Glen
First Bond film to feature Timothy Dalton as 007; he lacks the Bond persona. Overlong Bond adventure takes Bond across the globe, ending up in the middle of the Afghan War.
Release Date: 1962
MPAA Rating: G
Director: Ken Annakin, Andrew Marton, Bernhard Wicki
Based off of the book of the same name by Cornelius Ryan. Recounts the harrowing day of June 6, 1944 at Normandy. Headed by a star studded cast, this pic captures the gripping intensity of war on a grande scale, though it plays out simply like how any other 50s through 70s war film would, which makes it much less admirable.
Release Date: 2001
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Director: Peter Jackson
Magical, spectacular, brilliant and imaginative. Outstanding, genuine production value, supreme music score, and striking set pieces. An instant, pure, fantasy classic. The most faithful adaptation of the trilogy, telling the story of unlikely heroes who banded together to defeat the common enemy.
The Lord of the Rings, the Two Towers: *** ½
Release Date: 2002MPAA Rating: PG-13
Director: Peter Jackson
Suffers from being the middle installment in the trilogy, with no beginning and no end. Introduces more crucial characters, and goes deeper into the familiar ones. Battle sequences are some of the best captured on screen, and music score continues to play to great effect.
The Lord of the Rings, the Return of the King: ****
Release Date: 2003MPAA Rating: PG-13
Director: Peter Jackson
Visually stunning, and concludes the movie trilogy of our time. A rare accomplishment, masterfully done. Exciting, entertaining, and the battle sequences capture the immense chaos, tragedy and bedlam of war. Special effects are put to the greatest use in the trilogy. Rivals Ben-Hur in terms of sheer production value and set pieces.
The Lost World, Jurassic Park: ** ½
Release Date: 1997MPAA Rating: PG-13
Director: Steven Spielberg
Much more dinosaur time then the previous installment, whether that's good or bad. Not near to the achievement as it's groundbreaking predecessor, through still entertaining. End sequence where dinosaur goes on a rampage in the city pays homage to the 1925 silent film of the same name.
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