OLIVER AND COMPANY (Theatrical Release USA 1988)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 3.8|5.0 Starsììì

Oliver and Company—not The Lion King or Aladdin but still recognizably classic Disney—plays like a B-grade film. Better than The Great Mouse Detective, its honest and simple story begins with the last kitten of a litter, Oliver (voiced by Joey Lawrence), sitting alone in a cardboard box. No one in Manhattan Borough chooses Oliver as a pet even though he is free. As a rain storm soaks the box, Oliver is forced to leave the box to find a home. Desperate and hungry, he desires a food vendor’s string of hot dogs. A dog named Dodger (voiced by Billy Joel) gets the hot dogs from the vendor, but fails to share them with Oliver. Oliver follows Dodger to the docks and becomes part of Dodger’s gang. The gang needs money and decides to take a limousine. When the plot fails, Oliver is adopted by the limousine’s passenger, a small and lonely rich girl, Jenny Foxworth (voiced by Natalie Gregory). The story is off and running with a series of comedic errors that lead to the usual Disney solution—happy ending for all the good.

Film Poster Courtesy of Google Images

Additional Thanks

Really Good Work for Director George Scribner. Thank you to Walt Disney Pictures/Productions for making this entertainment possible. Additional cast include: Einstein (voice of Richard Mulligan), Rita (voice of Sheryl Lee Ralph), Roscoe (voice of Taurean Blacque), Desoto (voice of Carl Weintraub), Winston (voice of William Glover), and Georgette (voice of Bette Midler).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Yes. A good watch for anyone who wants a satisfactory animated Disney flick.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia 

Ben Meyers

THE RUNDOWN * (Theatrical Release USA 2003)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 2.5|5.0 Starsìì

The Rundown should have been great. Who can miss with Dwayne Johnson? This movie fails because it needs a script rewrite that removes the comedic element, gets to a no-nonsense action dialogue, and eliminates all sexual overtones. At that point, we may have something that can make money in the box office. Hopefully, Director Peter Berg will do better with Friday Night Lights, his next scheduled movie.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Storyline

Beck (Dwayne Johnson) works as a ‘debt collector’ for Walker (William Lucking). He is assigned the retrieval of Walker’s son, Travis (Sean William Scott), from a South American Brazilian village. The story complicates itself with an uncooperative Travis, a golden artifact, a mine owner named Hatcher (Christopher Walken), resistance forces, and a female rebel named Mariana (Rosario Dawson).

Additional Thanks

Thank you to Executive Producers Alan Beattie, Chris Chesser, John Corry, Ric Kidney, and Vince McMahon for making the film possible. Additional character/cast include: Declan (Ewen Bremner), Harvey (Jon Gries), and Manito (Ernie Reyes Jr.).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

No. Even though Dwayne Johnson has a great personality on screen, the movie lacks appeal.

* Also known as Welcome to the Jungle

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Ben Meyers

2 FAST 2 FURIOUS (Theatrical Release USA 2003)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 3.8|5.0 Starsììì

2 Fast 2 Furious—fantastic racing scenes—critics hated it; box offices loved it. Despite its lack of realism in acting and dialogue, it’s an adrenaline rush of pure entertainment. No message here. No preaching. Just sit back and enjoy the ride. The film begins where the prequel left off. Brian O’Conner (Paul Walker) is on the run eluding F.B.I. for not arresting Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel). He finally ends in Florida where he meets Tej Parker (Ludacris), a street race organizer. Brian begins racing and finally gets arrested by the F.B.I. They offer him a deal: take out Carter Verone (Cole Hauser), a drug lord, and get a new start in life. The story is off and running with a few scenes with Eva Mendes (as character Monica Fuentes) thrown in as the romantic intrigue.

Film Poster Courtesy of  Wikipedia

Additional Thanks

Really Good Work for Director John Singleton. Thank you to Executive Producers Michael Fottrell and Lee R. Mayes for making the film possible. Additional cast include: Agent Markham (James Remar), Suki (Devon Aoki), Orange Julius (Amaury Nolasco), and Slap Jack (Michael Ealy).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Yes. This film creates good entertainment for any action fan and as the title implies, this is part 2 of the Fast and Furious movie series.

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Ben Meyers

THE BOXTROLLS (Theatrical Release USA 2014)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 4.6|5.0 Starsìììì

The Boxtrolls—completely new, fresh, clean, and beautiful animated feature—is an award winning story well directed by Directors Graham Annable and Anthony Stacchi. The characters are fully developed so that the film can be shared by children and adults.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia 

Storyline

The story revolves around shy, cardboard-box-dressed trolls living underground with a boy named Eggs. The trolls are feared by the community living above ground because a rumor has spread that they snatch human babies. The boy Eggs (voiced by Isaac Hempstead Wright) teams with a girl Winnie Portley-Rind (voiced by Elle Fanning) to find the true villain and set everything right in a satisfyingly happy ending.

Additional Thanks

Thank you to Producers David Bleiman and Travis Knight for making the film possible. Thank you to Music Composer Dario Marianelli. Additional character/cast include: Mr. Gristle (voice of Tracy Morgan), Archibald Snatcher (Ben Kingsley), Mr. Trout (voice of Nick Frost), Lord Portley-Rind (Jared Harris), Mr. Pickles (voice Richard Ayoade), Fish/Wheels/Bucket (voice of Dee Bradley Baker), and Shoe/Sparky (voice of Steve Blum).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Yes. This is a really great film as well as intellectually stimulating.

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Ben Meyers

GEORGE OF THE JUNGLE (Theatrical Release USA 1997)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 3.9|5.0 Starsììì

George of the Jungle—imaginative live action comedy, a perfect child/adult watch—bases itself on the animated 1967 TV series to make a fun piece of entertainment. Its theme runs on the Tarzan-like story of a child raised by jungle apes except this ‘white ape,’ George (Brendan Fraser), is notorious for running into trees. George’s love interest played by Leslie Mann as character Ursula Stanhope is just as confused when it comes to her choice between George or former boyfriend Lyle Van de Groot (Thomas Haden Church) as a mate for life The film is well done for presentation and acting. Brendan Fraser is a good pick for George. Good concept and storyline.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Storyline

A baby is raised by apes and is called George.

Additional Thanks

Really good work for Director Sam Weisman. Thank you to Executive Producers C. Tad Devlin for making the film possible. Additional character/cast include: The Narrator (voiced by Keith Scott), Beatrice Stanhope (Holland Taylor), Arthur Stanhope (John Bennett Perry), and Kwame (Richard Roundtree).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Yes. A well done film for the whole family.

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Ben Meyers

CATS AND DOGS (Theatrical Release USA 2001)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 3.7|5.0 Stars ìììì

Cats and Dogs—a live action comedy—can be enjoyed by the whole family. The story revolves around a power hungry cat, Mr. Tinkles (voiced by Sean Hayes), whose goal is to make all humans allergic to dogs. The dogs catch on to the scheme and work to foil the dastardly plot through great undercover agent work.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Additional Thanks

Really good work for Director Lawrence Guterman. Thank you to Executive Producers Chris Bender, J.C. Spink, and Bruce Berman for making the film possible. Additional character/cast members include: Lou the Beagle (voiced by Tobey McGuire), Butch (voiced by Alec Baldwin), Professor Brody (Jeff Goldblum), Scotty Brody (Alexander Pollock), Mrs. Brody (Elizabeth Perkins), and Sophie (Miriam Margolyes).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Yes. A good and cute family watch. 

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Ben Meyers

HOME (Theatrical Release USA 2014)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 3.5|5.0 Stars ììì

Home—an animated movie that doesn’t know what an ‘ending scene’ means. Every time one thinks the ending of the movie has arrived, it starts up again…and again…and again…and again. Finally! The movie ends. Thank goodness. The film has elements of enjoyable entertainment, but performs far outside the quality scope of other DreamWorks Animation productions, like The Croods (2013).

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia 

Storyline

A group of aliens run and hide whenever they are threatened by outside forces. Oh (voiced by Jim Parsons), an accident-prone member of this community, makes a mistake and sends a party invitation to the entire universe. This invitation has the potential of revealing the community’s latest hiding place to the community’s largest enemy threat. Captain Smek (voiced by Steve Martin) tries desperately to stop the invitation delivery before it reaches his nemesis, Gorg (voiced by Brian Stepanek).

Additional Thanks

Good work by Director Tim Johnson. Thank you to Producers Suzanne Buirgy, Christopher Jenkins, and Mireille Soria for making the film possible. Additional characters/voicing cast include: Gratuity 'Tip' Tucci (Rihanna), Lucy Tucci (Jennifer Lopez), and Kyle (Matt Jones).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Yes. Despite its flaws, children will enjoy its 'quirky' storyline and its action scenes.

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Ben Meyers

PADDINGTON (Theatrical Release USA 2014)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 4.3|5.0 Stars ìììì

Paddington combines live action with computer generated graphics to create a classic family entertainment piece. The graphics used to generate Paddington the Bear (voiced by Ben Whishaw) are some of the best out there and help to create a greatly believable visual work of art for both the child and adult. The story enhances family values, love, real aid for the needy, and compassion for others less fortunate. Not without a few elements of villainy that threaten Paddington’s ability to survive, this film produces an overall highly satisfactory experience as it explores the life of Paddington, a wonderfully lovable and rare bear from South America.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Storyline

Paddington Bear experiences an unexpected disruption in his South American life. He journeys to England to find the man who discovered his family of rare bears. But, England is a large country and Paddington finds himself stranded in a train station, very much alone.

Additional Thanks

Great work for Director Paul King. Thank you to Executive Producers Rosie Alison, Bob and Harvey Weinstein, Ron Halpern, Olivier Courson, Jeffery Clifford, and Alexandra Ferguson for making the film possible. Additional characters/cast include: Mrs. Bird (Julie Walters), Henry Brown (Hugh Bonneville), Mary Brown (Sally Hawkins), Jonathan Brown (Samuel Joslin), Judy Brown (Madeleine Harris), Millicent (Nicole Kidman), and Mr. Curry (Peter Capaldi).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Yes. A wonderful film for everyone and works well for fans of Paddington Bear. 

Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY (Theatrical Release USA 2014)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 4.7|5.0 Stars ìììì

Guardians of the Galaxy—terrific from start to finish—captures the reckless, rogue style we love with Hans Solo in the Star Wars series by introducing character Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) into this combination live action/computer generated Marvel Comic film. Peter, abducted by alien pirates as a young boy, is raised to loot and smuggle throughout galaxies. When Peter successfully steals a highly desirable orb, the action begins non-stop for the movie’s entire 122 minutes

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Additional Thanks

Terrific work by Director James Gunn. Everything is right in this film—timing, graphics, dialogue, comedic elements well-placed. No criticism here. Thank you to Executive Producers Louis D’Esposito, Nikolas Korda, Victoria Alonso, Alan Fine, Jeremy Latcham, and Stan Lee for making the film possible. Additional character/casting include: Gamora (Zoe Saldana), Nova Prime (Glenn Close), Drax (Dave Bautista), Corpsman Dey (John C. Reilly), Ronan (Lee Pace), Korath (Djimon Hounsou), Yondu Udonta (Michael Rooker), The Collector (Benicio Del Toro), Rocket (voice of Bradley Cooper), and Groot (voice of Vin Diesel).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Yes. A terrific concept that turns into an entertaining, well-acted and portrayed film. It  receives a Bravo! by Ben Meyers International Movie Critics.

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Ben Meyers

WHIPLASH (Sundance Film Festival at the Basin Recreation Fieldhouse in Park City, Utah USA 2014)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 4.8|5.0 Stars ìììì

Whiplash provides a disturbingly gruesome interpretation of creation of musical genius when a harsh, domineering jazz teacher develops a teaching interest in a hard-working, willing-to-sacrifice-everything protégé drummer. This film goes beyond necessary hard work, effort, and perseverance into the realm of devilish persecution coupled with self-mortification/mutilation to produce the final product. While Andrew’s (Miles Teller) ambition is completely understandable, it seems that this movie's portrayal of 'the climb’ to superb musical performance relies on a disturbingly sadistic theme. It is one thing to have a driven student and quite another to have a persecuting teacher, Fletcher (J.K. Simmons), yelling, throwing chairs, and physically abusing a student to do better. A student with this kind of drive does not need to be ‘abused,’ because they will internally criticize themselves to achieve their personal ideal of perfection. If internal criticism is coupled with external abuse, the result could be disastrous. In this movie there is a good ending for Andrew, but this is a movie—a story. For most driven students, it seems incongruous that the conclusion of the film is a legitimate final result. This film seems to send an incorrect message for achieving greatness in the musical world or in any other competitive endeavor.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia 

Additional Thanks

Thank you to Director Damien Chazelle for directing effort. Thank you to Executive Producers Jeanette Volturno-Brill, Cooper Samuelson, Gary Michael, and Jason Reitman for making the film possible. Additional character/cast include: Jim Neimann (Paul Reiser), Uncle Frank (Chris Mulkey), Nicole (Melissa Benoist), Aunt Emma (Suanne Spoke), and Mr. Kramer (Damon Gupton).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Yes. This is an interesting film, not the typical day to the movies.

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Ben Meyers

A GOOFY MOVIE (Theatrical Release USA 1995)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 4.4|5.0 Stars ìììì

A Goofy Movie—fun, animated ‘take’ on Dad/Son bonding—creates a good, 78-minute, child/adult ‘share’ film. Lots of mishaps and miscommunications as Goofy (voiced by Bill Farmer) endeavors to relive and revive old experiences with his son Max Goof (voiced by Jason Marsden). The usual final crisis and crossroad decision are successfully navigated through compromise and life goes on, none the better or worse for the effort.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Additional Thanks

Thank you to Director Kevin Lima directing efforts. Thank you to Producer Dan Rounds for making the film possible. Additional character/cast include: Pete (voice of Jim Cummings), P.J. Pete (voice of Rob Paulsen), Roxanne (voice of Kellie Martin), Principal Mazur (voice of Wallace Shawn), and Bigfoot (voice of Frank Welker).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Yes. A wonderful movie for anyone who wants a great Disney film and one of their better animated pictures to watch.

Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers

JIMMY NEUTRON: BOY GENIUS (Theatrical Release USA 2001)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 3.4|5.0 Stars ììì

Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius, not a great animated feature, stands in the middle class of children's entertainment fare with its clingy ties to childish dreams of banishing one authority for one far less serving. After the initial celebratory period ends and hungry desire for order and routine increases, then much more highly cultivated qualities are necessary to re-establish that which has been lost. While an adult may comprehend the links between the storyline, the message may be quite lost on the child viewer. Nevertheless, the movie earns its right to a Saturday afternoon watch.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Storyline

Aliens abduct parents and children decide a world without parents does not work as well as they had imagined. It's time to develop those superhero qualities that have the potential of restoring parents to their rightful place.

Additional Thanks

It is good work for Director John A. Davis. Thank you to Executive Producers Keith Alcorn and Julia Pistor for making the film possible. Additional character/cast include: Jimmy Neutron (voiced by Debi Derryberry), Judy Neutron/Vox (voiced by Megan Cavanaugh), Hugh Neutron/Pilot/Arena Guard (voiced by Mark DeCarlo), and Carl Wheezer/Carl’s Mom and Dad/Kid in Classroom/Kid (voiced by Rob Paulsen).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Yes. A Jimmy Neutron fan will enjoy the nostalgic return to a childhood animated character. 

Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers

AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS (Theatrical Release USA 2004)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 4.0|5.0 Stars ìììì

Around the World in 80 Days is terrifically fun entertainment. Sometimes Hollywood fails in a film remake; but this movie, a remake of the 1956 film by the same name, does not fail anywhere. Jackie Chan (character Passepartout/Lau Xing), Steve Coogan (character Phileas Fogg), and Cécile De France (character Monique LaRoche) work perfectly off each other to create a very amusing piece of entertainment for the entire family. Scenes include outrageous visits to France, Turkey, India, China, America, and England with enough satisfying challenges to qualify the story as an action-adventure.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Additional Thanks

Very good work for Director Frank Coraci. Thank you to Executive Producers Phyllis Alia, Jackie Chan, Willie Chan, Alex Schwartz, Solon So, and Alexandra Schwartz for making the film possible. Additional character/cast include: Lord Kelvin (Jim Broadbent), Inspector Fix (Ewen Bremner), Balloon Man (Richard Branson), Prince Hapi (Arnold Schwarzenegger), Steamer Captain (Mark Addy), San Francisco Hobo (Rob Schneider), Queen Victoria (Kathy Bates), Orville and Wilbur Wright (Luke and Owen Wilson), and Grizzled Sergeant (John Cleese).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Yes.  The movie delivers good family entertainment.  

Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers

THE SCOUT (Theatrical Release USA 1994)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 3.5|5.0 Stars ììì

Scout—another one of those ‘could have been great’ movies—misses its mark due to poor acting. The cast seems built upon people who either did not have a passion for this script or for their profession. That lack of passion cripples a very good story. The film has a great ending and becomes a good family watch.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Storyline

Baseball scout Al Percolo’(Albert Brooks) needs to jump-start a failed career based on his propensity to recruit mentally unstable players. In Mexico, he finds Steve Nebraska (Brendan Fraser), a man who can consistently throw a 100 mile per hour ball as well as consistently hit home runs when at bat. But, when scout Al Percolo brings Steve Nebraska back to the United States, baseball management requires a psychiatric evaluation of the new rookie before signing a contract with him. The rookie fails the examination and the rest of the story becomes the comedy of how Al Percolo gets Steve Nebraska signed and on the field. 

Additional Thanks

Good Work for Director Michael Ritchie. Thank you to Executive Producers Jack Cummins and Herb S. Nanas for making the film possible. Additional character/cast include: Doctor H. Aaron (Dianne Wiest) and Ron Wilson (Lane Smith).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Yes. An average film for the family watch and it works fairly well for Brendon Fraser fans. 

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Ben Meyers

BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA (Theatrical Release USA 1986)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 3.6|5.0 Stars ììì

Big Trouble in Little China—good concept with poor special effects—could have been a very good movie. The Chinatown storyline is just plain fun as heroes and heroines liberally spar with street gangs and Chinese wizards. 

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Storyline

Jack Burton (Kurt Russell), who transports pigs for Little China’s restaurants and butcher shops, gets tangled up in Chinese Black Magic and Sorcery with a Chinese friend Wang Chi (Dennis Dun). In the process they save two lovely girls, Gracie Law (Kim Cattrall) and Miao Yin (Suzee Pai) from human sacrifice and marriage.

Additional Thanks

Good work for Director John Carpenter. Thank you to Executive Producer Keith Barish for making the film possible. Additional characters and cast include: Egg Shen (Victor Wong), Thunder (Carter Wong), Rain (Peter Kwong), and Lightning (James Pax).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Yes. It's good to see Kurt Russell in another action film. Listen for some great punch lines in this film.

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Ben Meyers

CLOUD ATLAS (Theatrical Release USA 2012)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 4.3|5.0 Stars ìììì

Cloud Atlas—an incredibly complex piece of art—defies description. There is a spirit, even call it a spirituality, that moves and flows through this work that captivates wonder and intellectualizes the concept of infinity while simultaneously disallowing traditional definitions of intertwining, symbiotic relationships. The film is over-capped with heavy tones of systems of action-reaction, justice, and choice-consequence without common references to time and place. It is an R-rated film that deserves its rating, especially for the first half of the film. The second half of the film works itself into a PG-13 rating. This artwork absorbingly moves through six stories that span place and time from the Pacific Islands to England to San Francisco to London to Neo Seoul to Hawaii from 1849 to 2321. Like The Matrix series, the film turns another piece of fantastic entertainment via the talents of Andy and Lana Wachowski.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Storyline

Several personal relationships move through time and life/death cycles to attempt equilibrium.

Additional Thanks

Terrific work for Directors Tom Tykwer, Andy Wachowski, and Lana Wachowski. Thank you to Executive Producer Phillip Lee, John Chong, Caroline Kwauk, Uwe Schott, Pearry Reginald Teo, Ricky Tse, and Wilson Qiu for making the film possible. Characters and cast include: Dr. Henry Goose/Hotel Manager/Isaac Sachs/Dermott Hoggins/Cavendish Look-a-Like actor/Zackry (Tom Hanks), Native Woman/Jocasta Ayres/Luisa Rey/Indian Party Guest/Ovid/Meronym (Halle Berry), Captain Molyneux/Vyvyan Ayers/Timothy Cavendish/Korean Musician/Prescient 2 (Jim Broadbent), Haskell Moore/Tadeusz Kesselring/Bill Smoke/Nurse Noakes/Boardman Mephi/Old Georgie (Hugo Weaving), Adam Ewing/Poor Hotel Guest/Megan’s Dad/Highlander/Hae-Joo Chang/Adam (Jim Sturgess), Tilda/Megan’s Mom/Mexican Woman/Sonmi-451/Sonmi-351/Sonmi Prostitute (Doona Bae), and Cabin Boy/Robert Frobisher/Store Clerk/Georgette/Tribesman (Ben Whishaw).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Yes. This movie especially works for those who love intellectual movies. It completely engages the mind and requires full attention...this is not an "I'm going to get some popcorn while the movie runs' type of film. A very good watch.

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Ben Meyers

CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND (Theatrical Release USA 1977)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 4.9|5.0 Stars ìììì

Close Encounters of the Third Kind—perfect casting, perfect direction, perfect timing, perfect quality entertainment—displays the imaginative, creative talents of filmmaker Steven Spielberg. A model for future filmmakers to build upon, this movie creates a superior viewing experience for the entire family. 

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Storyline

The storyline revolves around electrical lineman, Roy Neary’s (Richard Dreyfuss) UFO experience, the lingering afterimages that move him to trek to Devil’s Tower in Wyoming, and the final results of that trek.

Additional Thanks

Thank you to Producers Julia and Michael Phillips for making the film possible. Thank you to Music Composer John Williams for a ‘WOW’ score. Additional characters include: Claude LaCombe (François Truffaut), Ronnie Neary (Teri Garr), David Laughlin (Bob Balaban), Jillian Guiler (Melinda Dillon), and Barry Guiler (Cary Guffey).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Yes. Bravo! Steven Spielberg makes some of the best movies for every generation. WOW! What a concept, presentation, and storyline.  

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Ben Meyers