ROBOCOP 3 (Theatrical Release USA 1993)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 3.5|5.0 Starsììì

Robocop 3—the best in the Robocop series—operates at a type of cult movie level that is hard to escape. There are some interesting scenes where humans stand against injustice that remind one of Terminator or Equilibrium, but this film does not begin to even draw close to the quality of those two films. It has spunk, though, which makes it worth a watch.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Storyline

When Robocop receives his assignment to clean up Old Detroit, he finds conflict of interest and changes sides in his fight against crime.

Additional Thanks

Thank You to Director Fred Dekker for directing effort. Thank you to Producer Patrick Crowley for making the film possible. Additional characters/cast include: RoboCop (Robert John Burke), Casey Wong (Mario Machado), Nikko (Remy Ryan), Nikko’s Mom (Jodi Long), Nikko’s Dad (John Posey), The CEO (Rip Torn), Kanemitsu (Mako), Paul McDaggett (John Castle), Bixby Snyder (S.D. Nemeth), Elderly Woman in Bathrobe (Edith Ivey), Rehab #1 (Curtis Taylor), Bertha (CCH Pounder), Seltz (Judson Vaughn), Rehab Patrol (Ken Strong), Zack (Stanley Anderson), Coontz (Stephen Root), Moreno (Daniel von Bargen), Security Monitor (Kenny Raskin), and Officer at Ordnance Depot (Blaise Corrigan).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Yes. For Robocop fans, it requires a watch to finish the series.

Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers

JUNGLE (Theatrical Release Australia 2017)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 3.8|5.0 Starsììì

Jungle—biographical film about a jungle adventure gone wrong—stars Daniel Radcliffe as Yossi Ghinsberg, a young Israeli adventurer in the Bolivian jungle. The film provides some back story of Yossi’s life and uses Daniel Radcliffe to tell its story. This is not a Harry Potter fantasy and it takes a while to get used to Radcliffe in this role. He seems to perform best in scenes where he is alone which leads to a conclusion that casting needs to balance the Radcliffe persona with a different supporting cast in order to tell the story at a higher level or to recast Radcliffe’s character with a lesser known actor to tell its story more effectively. It works as a B-grade entertainment piece.

Film Poster Courtesy of  Wikipedia

Storyline

Yossi Ghinsberg (Daniel Radcliffe) travels into the Bolivian Amazon jungle in search of adventure.

Additional Thanks

Thank You to Director Greg McLean for directing effort. Thank you to Executive Producers Yossi Ghinsberg, Lawrence Greenberg, Jeff Harrison, Mark Lazarus, Berry Meyerowitz, Randy Simon, and Ying Ye for making the film possible. Additional characters/cast include: Karl (Thomas Kretschmann), Kevin (Alex Russell), Kina (Yasmin Kassim), Kevin (Alex Russell), Kina (Yasmin Kassim), Amie (Lily Sullivan), Uncle Nissim (John Bluthal), Marcus (Joel Jackson), Moni Ghinsberg (Jacek Koman), Casino Fantasy Girl (Natasha Pruchniewicz), Tico (Luis Jose Lopez), Stela (Angie Milliken), Bolivian (Paris Moletti), Black Jack (Joey Vieira), Don Jorge (Lucho Velasco), Smiling Restaurant Girl (Claire Jones), Nun (Ioulia Pakhomova), and Casino Fantasy Girl #2 (Kirra Gaskell).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Yes. It is worth watching even though this is not Daniel Radcliffe’s best work.

Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers

A VIEW TO A KILL (Theatrical Release USA 1985)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 3.5|5.0 Starsììì

A View to A Kill—Roger Moore’s last James Bond film before turning it over to Timothy Dalton’s 1987 The Living Daylights—has good action, all the perks of a great OO7 film and starts out well with over the top snow skiing scenes. The all-important villain’s role however, as played by Christopher Walken, fails. Because of that failure, the film fails to deliver that cutting edge feel an audience comes to expect from a 007 feature and lies on the edge of mediocre. The script dialogue contains too much ‘small talk’ that seems as if the writers were trying too hard for realism and normalcy. That effort back fired and created an artificial dialogue which moved the film even further down toward the common, average effort.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Storyline

Agent 007 (Roger Moore) foils a plan to establish a monopoly over the microchip industry.

Additional Thanks

Thank You to Director John Glen for directing effort. Thank you to Producers Albert R. Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson for making the film possible. Additional characters/cast include: James Bond (Roger Moore), Max Zorin (Christopher Walken), Stacey Sutton (Tanya Roberts), May Day (Grace Jones), Sir Godfrey Tibbett (Patrick Macnee), Scarpine (Patrick Bauchau), Chuck Lee (David Yip), Pola Ivanova (Fiona Fullerton), Bob Conley (Manning Redwood), Jenny Flex (Alison Doody), Dr. Carl Mortner (Willoughby Gray), Q (Desmond Llewelyn), M (Robert Brown), Miss Moneypenny (Lois Maxwell), General Gogol (Walter Gotell), Minister of Defence (Geoffrey Keen), Achille Aubergine (Jean Rougerie), Howe (Daniel Benzali), and Klotkoff (Bogdan Kominowski).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Maybe. If there is an interest to see Roger Moore’s last James Bond film or to see Christopher Walken in one of his earlier acting efforts, then this movie is it. But, for full 007 James Bond entertainment value, try GoldenEye or Die Another Day instead.

Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers

ZATHURA: A SPACE ADVENTURE (Theatrical Release USA 2005)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 3.7|5.0 Starsììì

Zathura: A Space Adventure—the Jumanji movie all over again except its venue is outer space—does not measure up to the Jumanji story. The acting and portrayal are weak with no surprises in storyline. Dax Shepard does not play the astronaut character well. The film may serve the child audience, but it fails an adult audience.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Storyline

Three siblings begin playing a board game and are teleported into outer space with the only means of returning home based on finishing and winning the game.

Additional Thanks

Thank you to Director Jon Favreau for directing effort. Thank you to Executive Producers Louis D’Esposito and Ted Field for making the film possible. Additional characters/cast include: Danny (Jonah Bobo), Walter (Josh Hutcherson), Astronaut (Dax Shepard), Lisa (Kristen Stewart), Dad (Tim Robbins), Robot (voice of Frank Oz), Robot (John Alexander), Lead Zorgon (Derek Mears), Zorgon (Douglas Tait), Zorgon (Joe Bucaro III), Patrick Star (Bill Fagerbakke), Himself (Stuart Scott), and Zorgon (Jeff Wolfe).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Yes. A child may prefer a re-watch of Jumanji instead.

Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers

SAINTS AND SOLDIERS: AIRBORNE CREED (Theatrical Release USA 2012)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 3.7|5.0 Starsììì

Saints and Soldiers: Airborne Creed—despite its realism—confuses its story with poorly transitioned flashback scenes and failure to create relatable characters. The overall storyline seems not as satisfying as its prequel, Saints and Soldiers. For the war movie fan, it will serve as a fair to middling war flick.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Storyline

The 1944 Allied invasion of German-occupied France features the adventures of three paratroopers as they try to make it through German ground troops to Les Arcs, their original intended landing zone.

Additional Thanks

Thank You to Director Ryan Little for directing effort. Thank you to Executive Producers Charles Chan and Sunny Chen for making the film possible. Additional characters/cast include: Corporal Nathan ‘Deacon’ Greer (Corbin Allred), Medic Steven Gould (Alexander Polinsky), Flight Sergeant Oberon Winley (Kirby Heyborne), Private Shirley ‘Shirl’ Kendrick (Larry Bagby), Staff Sergeant Gordon Gunderson (Peter Holden),

Rudolph ‘Rudi’ Gertz (Ethan Vincent), Catherine Theary (Melinda Renee), Sophie Theary (Ruby Chase), Radio Announcer (Jeff Birk), Private McKinley (Benjamin Gourley), Injured One-Armed Soldier (Tane Williams), German Officer #1 (Randy Beard), German Soldier #1 (Curt Doussett), German Soldier #2 (Michael Buster), Weeping Soldier (M. Casey Reeves), American Soldier #1 (Chris Clark), Conversing German #1 (Christian Lee), Conversing German #2 (Christian Malzl), and Conversing German #3 (Philip Malzl).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Maybe. The film fails to provide enough backstory to know what is going on. Better war flicks are: We Were Soldiers, Saving Private Ryan, or Windtalkers.

Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers

HART’S WAR (Theatrical Release USA 2002)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 3.8|5.0 Starsììì

Hart’s War lacks entertainment value despite its fair concept and storyline. Even with the casting of Bruce Willis, Colin Farrell, and Terrance Howard this war film shows average with low realism and believability. This challenge comes partly from the manner in which the script plays out on screen and partially to direction that fails to capture the intenseness inherent in the story.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Storyline

Prisoners of war, Colonel William A. McNamara (Bruce Willis) and Lieutenant Thomas W. Hart (Colin Farrell), work through betrayal, racism, torture, and divulgence of vital information to learn personal lessons about honor and loyalty.

Additional Thanks

Thank you to Director Gregory Hoblit for directing effort. Thank you to Executive Producer Wolfgang Glattes for making the film possible. Additional characters/cast include: Lieutenant Lincoln A. Scott (Terrence Howard), Staff Sergeant Vic W. Bedford (Cole Hauser), Colonel Werner Visser (Marcel Iures), Captain Peter A. Ross (Linus Roache), Lieutenant Lamar T. Archer (Vicellous Shannon), Private First Class Dennis A. Gerber (Maury Sterling), Captain R.G. Sisk (Sam Jaeger), Corporal Joe S. Cromin (Scott Michael Campbell), Sergeant Carl S. Webb (Rory Cochrane), Private Bert D. ‘Moose’ Codman (Sebastian Tillinger), Major Joe Clary (Rick Ravanello), Private Daniel E. Abrams (Adrian Grenier), Private First Class W. Roy Potts (Michael Weston), Colonel J.M. Lange (Joe Spano), Corporal B.J. ‘Depot’ Guidry (Sam Worthington), and Private G.H. ‘Cookie’ Bell (Brad Hunt).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Maybe. The film is historically based on the Battle of the Bulge and for that reason might work; but for more impact and power try We Were Soldiers instead.

Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers

CHARLOTTE’S WEB (Theatrical Release USA 1973)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 3.7|5.0 Starsììì

Charlotte’s Web—sweet, with heart and good, old-fashioned animation—performs at a higher level of believability than the live action 2005 remake. Part of the realism lies in better portraiture of persons who live on farms and deal with farm animals and part of its draw lies in the choices of voice casting and the way the story enacts itself. Perfect example of an animation story that completely succeeds without all the bells and whistles that computer generation allows.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Storyline

Humans, farm animals, and a spider interact to help a runt pig succeed and escape the usual fate of farm pigs.

Additional Thanks

Thank you to Directors Charles Nichols and Iwao Takamoto for directing efforts. Thank you to Executive Producer Edgar M. Bronfman and Producers Joseph Barbera and William Hanna for making the film possible. Additional characters/cast include: Charlotte (voice of Debbie Reynolds), Templeton (voice of Paul Lynde), Wilbur (voice of Henry Gibson), Narrator (voice of Rex Allen), Mrs. Arable (voice of Martha Scott), Ram (voice of Dave Madden), Avery Arable (voice of Danny Bonaduce), Jeffrey (voice of Don Messick), Lurvy (voice of Herb Vigran), The Goose (voice of Agnes Moorehead), Fern Arable (Pamelyn Ferdin), Edith Zuckerman/Mrs. Fussy (voice of Joan Gerber), Homer Zuckerman (voice of Bob Holt), Mr. Arable/Parking Officer (voice of John Stephenson), Henry Fussy (voice of William B. White), Singer (voice of Joann Albert), and Singer (voice of John Richard Bolks).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Yes. It performs as a classic due to its ‘heart’. It’s the best of film attempts that have endeavored to tell this well-known children’s story. It provides entertainment for children and adults alike.

Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers

ON HER MAJESTY’S SECRET SERVICE (Theatrical Release USA 1969)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 3.4|5.0 Starsììì

On Her Majesty’s Secret Service—all the perks found in a typical James Bond including a great storyline—fails to deliver. George Lazenby replaces Sean Connery for a one-shot representation of the Bond persona. Casting thought Lazenby, a big name in Australia’s modeling circles, little known in the United States, a good choice for Connery’s replacement. They thought it would work and it didn’t. The Bond character requires more than suavity, which Lazenby amply provides both in his youth and in his seasoned age, to work. Lazenby lacks the believability and contributes heavily to one of the weakest Bond films made up to 1969. Telly Savalas, on the other hand, plays a strong part in this film and launches himself into the spotlight as an extremely charismatic actor. Concluding scenes lack force and satisfying climax. Fight scenes come off as an experiment in editing technique. It’s difficult to see who hit who and what is actually going on in the fight scenes. They seem to follow a format of ‘bang, bang’ and the fight is over.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Storyline

James Bond (George Lazenby) works to stymie a plot to ruin the world’s food supply.

Additional Thanks

Thank You to Director Peter R. Hunt for directing efforts. Thank you to Producers Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman for making the film possible. Additional characters/cast include: Tracy (Diana Rigg), Blofeld (Telly Savalas), Draco (Gabriele Ferzetti), Irma Bunt (Ilse Steppat), Moneypenny (Lois Maxwell), Sir Hilary Bray (George Baker), M (Bernard Lee), Campbell (Bernard Horsfall), Q (Desmond Llewelyn), Grunther (Yuri Borienko), and Olympe (Virginia North).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Maybe. This film explains how Bond gets married. Better films in the series are: GoldenEye and Tomorrow Never Dies.

Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers

MOONRAKER (Theatrical Release USA 1979)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 3.7|5.0 Starsììì

Moonraker—made for persons who love Roger Moore’s interpretation of James Bond—lacks some of the realism in its fight scenes that previous 007 films have while lacking that visible effort that previous James Bond characters seem to show.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Storyline

James Bond (Roger Moore) prevents a plot to eliminate masses of humankind to create a new master race.

Additional Thanks

Thank You to Director Lewis Gilbert for directing efforts. Thank you to Executive Producer Michael G.Wilson for making the film possible. Additional characters/cast include: James Bond (Roger Moore), Holly Goodhead (Lois Chiles), Hugo Drax (Michael Lonsdale), Jaws (Richard Kiel), Corinne Dufour (Corinne Cléry), M (Bernard Lee), Sir Frederick Gray (Geoffrey Keen), Q (Desmond Llewelyn), Miss Moneypenny (Lois Maxwell), Chang (Toshirô Suga), and Manuela (Emily Bolton).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Yes. The movie serves typical James Bond fare that works well for the Roger Moore fan.

Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers

ROBOCOP 2 (Theatrical Release USA 1990)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 3.5|5.0 Starsììì

Robocop 2—a better watch than its prequel Robocop—still serves up B-grade sci-fi action. Nothing really new here in storyline. Robocop has a problem and he saves the day. Gabriel Damon performs very well in his assigned character Hob. It’s a fair to middling piece of entertainment for the sci-fi fan and really works as a movie to run in the background during a get-together party after work with friends.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Storyline

After crime goes rampant in Detroit, Robocop needs to find a way to override his primary directives to effectively curb the increase in crime.

Additional Thanks

Thank You to Director Irvin Kershner for directing efforts. Thank you to Executive Producer Patrick Crowley for making the film possible. Additional characters/cast include: Magnavolt Salesman (John Glover), Casey Wong (Mario Machado), Jesse Perkins (Leeza Gibbons), Surgeon General (John Ingle), Cain (Tom Noonan), Whittaker (Roger Aaron Brown), Stef (Mark Rolston), Homeless Woman (Lila Finn), Purse Snatcher (John Hateley), Hooker (Gage Tarrant), Chet (Thomas Rosales, Jr.), and Flint (Brandon Smith).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Yes. If an audience wants to continue the Robocop series, then it should be on the viewing list, but the Lethal Weapon series 1 through 4 or Last Stand for police/action movies are better choices for higher quality entertainment value. If one is looking for a ‘saving the world’ entertainment piece, Total Recall performs solidly as a sci-fi/spy story combined.

Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers