50/50x2: Blade Runner

When I get these 50 lists compiled I usually take a glance and try to leave at least one film for the very last that I think will knock my socks off.

During the first 50 list I definitely guessed correctly with Inglourious Basterds. On this list, I picked a pretty fair film, but not one that really blew me away.

Blade Runner is a film set in the 'not-so' distant future. The film was made in 1982 and the future is the year 2019. So, seeing as it is now 2012 and we are nowhere near the future this film is talking about, it was a little hard to believe. (sort of like Back to the Future II).

Anyway, in this future the human race has created replicants, or a replica for humans, that are much stronger than humans but usually have a small lifespan of about four years. These replicants have been placed on another planet away from Earth, but occasionally a few of them make it to the planet. When this happens, the police send out blade runners to track them down and retire them (or kill them).

One of the best blade runners, Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford), is now retired but as six replicants high jack a spaceship and make it to Earth, police chief Bryant (M. Emmet Walsh) encourages him to go after the four that remain - Pris (Daryl Hannah), Leon (Brion James), Zhora (Joanna Cassidy) and their leader Roy (Rutger Hauer).

Deckard goes to the main who creates these replicants, Dr. Eldon Tyrell (Joe Turkel), to get more information and discovers that his assistant Rachael (Sean Young) is a new breed of replicant - one that does not she is because of memories inserted into her.

Once Bryant and Deckard's 'partner' Gaff (Edward James Olmos) finds out about Rachael - she is added to Deckard's list to retire - despite the fact that Deckard just may have feelings for her.

Would this film have been better in 1982? I can pretty much guarantee it. The special effects would have been amazing back then and 2019 was so far away at the time that this future may have been plausible.

Now, not so much. But, I still enjoyed the film. It just wasn't spectacular to me, like it may have been in the '80s - and like I have heard it should have been from many others.

Ford was, as usual, spectacular. I have heard the name Sean Young a ton, but honestly I don't really know her from much of anything except Ace Ventura, but she was also good as Rachael. Another standout to me was William Sanderson, who played J.F. Sebastian, a person that worked on the replicants that Pris locates to get close to Tyrell.

Finally, Hannah was pretty good as Pris, but her screen time was rather slim - Hauer, who I don't believe I had ever seen, was pretty over the top as the main bad guy. But, from an '80s film that is what we come to expect.

Grade:

6/50: The Fugitive

The Fugitive is yet another film that I am very much ashamed that I have not seen. I mean this came out in 1993 and stars one of my favorite actors - yet here I am 18 years later finally tossing in the DVD.

Dr. Richard Kimble's (Harrison Ford) wife is killed after a benefit dinner at their house. Kimble was called into work for an emergency surgery after the dinner and upon returning home fought with his wife's murderer - a one armed man.

Law enforcement, however, didn't believe Kimble's story and he was convicted of killing his wife. As he is being transferred to prison, the bus transporting him and a handful of other prisoners crashes and is hit by a train. Kimble escapes and becomes a fugitive on the run.

U.S. Marshal Samuel Gerard (Tommy Lee Jones) and his team are brought in to capture Kimble and bring him back to prison. Kimble's main goal is to stay out long enough to track down the one armed man that killed his wife, bring her to justice and prove his own innocence.

Great acting along the way by both Ford and Jones. Tons of great action scenes and a powerful story of a man seeking redemption for both himself and his murdered wife.

It was fun to see so many actors in bit parts that are now more recognizable, such as Julianne Moore and Jane Lynch to name a few. Always nice to see Joe Pantoliano as well - really enjoy him as an actor.

Grade:

Top Ten: Movie Presidents

Well, seeing as how we are swearing in the 44th president of the United States today, I thought I would pull out the old Top Ten list for the occasion.

It has been quite a long time since I have made a Top Ten list, but again, this is (hopefully) a very special day in United States history - and (hopefully) the first day towards a better America.

So, here are my Top Ten Movie Presidents. These are, again, just my opinions - and of course I have not see every movie out there with a president.

Here they are (in reverse order as always):

10) Monroe Cole (Gene Hackman)/Welcome to Mooseport

9) President Camacho (Terry Crews)/Idiocracy

8) Thomas Benson (Lloyd Bridges)/Hot Shots! Part Deux

7) President Harris (Leslie Nielson)/Scary Movie 3 & 4

6) Robert Fowler (James Cromwell)/The Sum of All Fears

5) Richard M. Nixon (Dan Hedaya)/Dick

4) Tom Beck (Morgan Freeman)/Deep Impact

3) Dave Kovic/Bill Mitchell (Kevin Kline)/Dave

2) Thomas Whitmore (Bill Pullman)/Independence Day

1) James Marshall (Harrison Ford)/Air Force One

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

(For a different point of view, please Click Here)

You are in luck. I actually have both the time and a functional computer to write a blog review of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

It's been nearly 20 years since Harrison Ford was galloping on horseback in search of the Holy Grail in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

Ford, now 65 years old, has dusted off his fedora for a brand new adventure - this time in search of a hidden, and some say imaginary, village.

Despite his age, a subject that is a running joke throughout the film, Ford definitely retains his magic as the titular character. The wit from the original trilogy remains, and in some cases is even better.

Joining Ford through this voyage is up and coming actor Shia LaBeouf. as Mutt Williams. I have enjoyed Shia since his run on the Disney show Even Stevens. And thanks to my joy of the creative process of movie making - I was able to witness Shia on the show Project Greenlight and subsequent movie, Battle of Shaker Heights. Since then he has really come alive, with hit movies like Transformers and Disturbia.

I felt that the addition of LaBeouf was very welcome. He did hold some chemistry with Ford and the future of the Indiana Jones franchise could be in his hands.

Karen Allen, who played Marion Ravenwood in Raiders of the Lost Arc, returns as Mutt's mother in this movie.

I will not dispose any of the secrets of Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, but if you have been a fan of Indiana Jones in the past, then you should enjoy this movie. Like I said the humor definitely returns and the action is pretty much non-stop.

I wasn't sure if Cate Blanchett would be able to handle the job of being the villain of the film, but she certainly holds her own.

And if you are looking for the token animal attack (ie. rats, snakes, spiders), you don't have to worry - there is definitely something that attacks.

This film does have some unbelievable aspects to it. Certain things that are just pretty hard to believe. For instance, in two of the previous films Indiana goes after actual items - the Arc of the Covenant and the Holy Grail. In Temple of Doom and Crystal Skull the subject of the film is most likely fictional. Also, one of the parts of the action sequence is pretty hard to believe - but, this is a movie and it was fun to watch.

I would put this chapter pretty close to the originals. I wouldn't say it is the best of the bunch, but it certainly holds its own. I would definitely recommend this movie to anyone, especially those who enjoy action. An easy 5/5 grade from me.