Driven (Released in 2001) - Starring Sylvester Stallone, Burt Reynolds, Kip Pardue, Til Schweiger - Flop movie

900 million spectators, 250 miles per hour,20 races, 1 championship. Beau Brandenburg (Til Schweiger) is the reigning world champion, defending his title successfully in every race, that is up until a new kid on the block - Jimmy Bly (Kip Pardue) enters the scene and upsets the game. Whether by amazing talent or sheer luck - Bly defeats Beau effortlessly in five races. This is a major cause for worry for the veteran racer, who is having a bad year both professionally as well as personally - he breaks up with fiancée Sophia, because he cannot handle the pressure of losing.
However the experts say that Jimmy ought to be more stable and secure, he is too young to handle the pressures of racing - this is evident from his lack of confidence and interest whilst interacting with the media; his brother Demille Bly (Robert Sean Leonard) is concerned and warns him that he must concentrate. Sure enough, Brandenburg is back to form as Jimmy bites his dust in the next race. Bly’s team owner Carl Henry (Burt Reynolds) is concerned about the boy, and seeks help from a former race driver, now retired Joe Tanto (Sylvester Stallone). Carl, who is wheelchair bound, requests Joe to mentor the youngster, the latter agrees.




Tanto comes in to replace his friend and ex wife’s present husband Memo Moreno (Cristián de la Fuente). In the next race, Jimmy is in the lead, with Beau in second lead. As the men race to outdo each other, Jimmy is stuck between a rock and a hard place as he gets too close to Beau - Carl panics and order Joe to be ready, asking him to recall Bly to the pit. Soon, as the race progresses, Henry’s hero Joe leaves the pit and blocks Brandenburg, making it a sure win for Jimmy Bly. The young man admires Tanto for his amazing skill and decision making - this clearly doesn’t go down well with his older brother Demille - he tries to sever the budding relationship.
On the other hand, Joe Tanto advises Beau Brandenburg on a personal matter - asking him to rethink his decision regarding Sophia, who is now getting closer to Jimmy, causing him to be careless and lose sight of his goals. Brandenburg reconsiders the break up, and at a party in Chicago to launch car prototypes for the next season, he proposes to the lady again, she agrees – much to Jimmy’s disappointment. Sophia feels responsible and apologizes to him, but Bly is beyond seeing any sense - instead, he rushes out of the convention centre in a brand new car from the show.
Tanto comes to the rescue, deciding to chase down Jimmy  – who was upset that Joe caused his relationship with Sophia to end. However, the two men forgive each other and decide to start afresh. On the other hand, Carl is unhappy with Joe Tanto’s interference to such an extent in a team member’s life and feels that the veteran is having a detrimental effect on Bly; he decides to recall Moreno. Audiences welcomed Stallone in his new avatar. Cameo appearances by racing legends like Montoya, Adrian Fernandez,Robert Moreno and a host of other drivers – charmed the audiences. Driven is directed by Renny Harlin, with Stallone contributing to the screenplay.

Mixed Nuts (released in 1994) - starring Steve Martin, Rita Wilson, Madeline Kahn, Anthony LaPaglia, Garry Shandling and Adam Sandler

Mixed Nuts is a comedy film directed by Norah Ephron, starring Steve Martin, Rita Wilson, Madeline Kahn, Anthony LaPaglia, Garry Shandling and Adam Sandler.
The story revolves around a suicide hot-line operating out of the rented premises by a crazy but nice guy called Phillip. Phillip tries hard to keep the hot-line alive inspite of repeated warnings by the landlord for eviction. He even tries keep the eviction notice a secret from the other staffers like, the nice Catherine, a pregnant Gracie and the crabby Mrs. Munchnik. Despite the expectation for a large number of calls from lonely souls on Christmas eve, the hot-line only receives certain frightened calls from the victims of the serial killer dubbed as the “Seaside Strangler”. They also receive threatening calls also from the serial killer.
Phillip trying to get a loan asks for help from his loan officer girl friend who unceremoniously dumps him in favor of her psychiatrist. Meanwhile Gracie is heavily pregnant and her temper is on a short leash. She fights with her slacker boyfriend Felix who runs away with a Santa suit.



Meanwhile Mrs. Munchnik gets caught in the elevator on the way to the Christmas dinner with her sister. Her frantic calls to Louie, her clueless song writer neighbor, does not help her and she is trapped for a long time. Meanwhile Gracie finds Felix who returns with Catherine and Phillip to apologize to her. She locks herself in the bathroom and whacks him with Munchnik's cookie tin. So Felix leaves to the vets office where he overdoses with tranquilizers and has to be sent to the emergency wing to be revived.
Meanwhile Chris, a troubled transvestite, tired of the the abuse calls in for help and Phillip inadvertently gives him their address. Chris arrives at the door when Gracie and Munchnik are alone. Scared of the serial killer, a tussle happens and Munchnik is knocked unconscious. Gracie leaves Chris and Munchnik alone to find Phillip to confront him about the eviction notice. Phillip meanwhile arrives to find Chris with the unconscious Munchnik and subtly suggests him to leave. But Chris takes it as an invitation for dancing and they do the slow dancing together. This is one of the craziest part of this clueless movie.
As the clueless movie moves, Gracie, Catherine and co arrive along with Felix and a gun shoot out happens after an altercation. Gracie wildly shoots killing the landlord across the door. Then they try to stuff the body as a Christmas tree and after some weird stuff the body is discovered by the police. Every body tries to save each other, but as luck could have it the landlord turns to be the serial killer. Gracie gets the reward for killing him and she rescues the hot-line. Phillip and Catherine discover each other during a hot bath and fall in love. And the movie ends to the relief of the audience.
Mixed nuts is one of the nuttiest movie which masquerades as a Christmas comedy. In fact the story goes hay wire and all the weird acting in the name of comedy actually tests your patience. This movie was pilloried by the critics and the audience and did not even recover its cost. I would not recommend this viewing even if you are stranded on an lonely island with the mixed nuts for company.

A Simple twist of fate (released in 1994) - Starring Steve Martin and Alana Austin

This 1994 movie directed by Gilles Mackann is loosely based on the George Elliot Classic “Silas Marner”. Steve Martin turns script writer for this film which he also stars with Alana Austin.
Steve Martin stars as Micheal Mackann, a high school music teacher who is cheated upon by his wife. A heart broken Micheal retires to rural Virginia as a maker of finely crafted furniture. A sad and morose man Micheal lives life clutching his savings in the form of gold coins. Meanwhile this small ray of happiness is also taken away from him by Danny Newland, the wayward brother of politician John Newland. He crashes the car and steals Michaels gold coins to pay for the damage. Micheal is completely devastated and retreats in to solitude.
Soon the golden rays of goodness arrive in the the form of a blonde toddler who stumbles in to his house on a foggy morning. Her drug addict mother is found dead on the grounds and Micheal presents the baby to John Newland.



After seeing the mother's dead body, John understands that the baby is his, but he conceals the fact to protect his career. He undertakes the investigation and allows Micheal to adopt the toddler. Micheal christens her Mathilda, and with the help of April Simon raises the child who grows up in to a precocious teenager. Mean while Micheal is transformed in to a doting dad interested in community activities.
John Newland in the meantime along with his wife Nancy suffers miscarriages and yearns for a baby. He takes Mathilda under his wing. He even gives her riding lessons and gifts a pony of her own. Nancy also understands that Mathilda is his baby, gives her tacit consent. As time passes by John Newland feels the need for a child and confesses Mathilda's birth secret. Nancy urges him to seek custody of his daughter who has grown very close to Micheal.
As John Newland files the custody suit, Micheal is devastated and he resolves to fight for Matilda. The Newland lawyer insinuates unsavory incidents in Micheal's earlier marriage and also urges the judge to consider the financial implications about Mathilda's future. Considering Micheal's penury and the economic advantages for Mathilda even the judge is inclined towards the Newland's, in-spite of the girl's repeated cries for being with Micheal. Then the case blows wide open with the discovery of Danny Newland's body under a desilted tank. Danny's corpse is found clutching the bag of gold coins belonging to Micheal. This sudden riches equalizes Micheal's station in life with that of the Newland's. The Judge also implies the killing of Danny to be that of murder by the Newland's and gives Mathilda's custody to Micheal. Mathilda devoted to her adoptive father accepts her mother and visits her grave for redemption.
This movie was panned by majority of the critics who disliked a Victorian theme which had no relevance in the twentieth century. But the film proves to be a box office darling and had decent collections. Alana Austin was nominated for the Young Artist Award for Best Performance by a Young Actress Starring in a Motion Picture for her portrayal of twelve-year-old Mathilda. Her younger sister Alyssa was nominated for Best Performance by an Actress Under Ten in a Motion Picture for her portrayal of the character at the age of five.
The movie is not recommended as a must watch and sometimes Steve Martin disappoints with this sad acts. If one has limited choices then this movie can be seen.

Pennies from Heaven (released in 1981) - A musical film starring Steve Martin

Pennies from Heaven is a 1981 Holly wood musical adapted from the BBC drama series of the the same name by Dennis Porter. Porter was nominated for the Oscar for the “best adapted Screenplay category” eventually loosing to the acclaimed “Golden Pond”. Directed by Herbert Ross it stars Steve Martin and Bernadette Peters in the title roles.
This depression era story is about Arthur Parker, a music sheet salesman who is down in the dumps with his relationships and finances. His relationship with his wife hits rock bottom as she frigidly resists his sexual advances. Frustrated by her lack of interest he moves out to sell his music. Joan, Arthur's wife is also un-supportive of his venture to open his own record store. Arthur leaves home threatening never to return.
That fateful day he meets Eileen, a plain school teacher with whom he falls in love at first sight. Eileen leaves with out paying any attention but becomes interested when he follows her to the farm. Soon Arthur and Eileen are engaged in a relationship and he lies to her about his wife. He plays on Eileen's sympathies for a sexual relationship. But soon Arthur returns home to Joan leaving her stranded. Joan and Arthur try to make their marriage work but are frustrated about their different outlook about relationships. Arthur and Eileen on the other hand are sexually compatible with Eileen enjoying his fantasies. Joan reluctantly finances his record store venture, but even that business languishes as customers are scarce. Eileen meanwhile gets pregnant and is fired from her job. She never finds Arthur as all his addresses turns out to be a fake one.



A desperate Eileen is forced to have an abortion and soon is drawn in to prostitution by a pimp, Tom. Arthur and Joan come to terms with their incompatibility and Arthur seeks out Eileen. He finds her as a prostitute and proposition her. Soon they decide to run away to start life anew. But as luck could have it Arthur is framed for the murder of a blind girl whom he helps across a bridge and Eileen runs out on him. Arthur is sentenced to the gallows where he sings out the song “Pennies from Heaven” to underscore the shortness of life. The audience is treated to a dream ending where Arthur and Eileen wind up together.
This movie was a box office disaster even though critical acclaim was more forth coming. The elaborate song and dance routine's sort of bored the audience in-spite of credible acting performances. Steve Martin as a music salesman was appreciated, but the audiences could never accept him in a serious role especially after the success of the comic caper like “Jerk”. It was nominated for 3 Academy awards and Golden Globes. Bernadette Peters won the golden Globe for her portrayal of Eileen. The song and dance numbers are still popular and are lip synced. But still the film lacks a soul to make the audience feel an empathy for the poor sexually starved characters.
I would never recommend watching this movie, better depression era saga's are made for movie lovers.

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (released in 1978) - A flop musical movie

If you like utter confusion along with Beatle lyrics sung by the Bee Gees, then this film is entirely for you. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band is an American musical film released in 1978. This movie was initially a Broadway show directed by Tim O'Horgan and has twenty sound tracks from the Beatles which act as the dialogue. Only George Burns has actual spoken lines which serves for the narration. The Sound-tracks include the Beatle albums 1967's Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and 1969's Abbey Road.
In the land called “heartland” lived Sgt. Pepper who with his music and band singlehandedly wins the World War one and returns home a hero to be immortalized on the top of of a wind vane in the town center. Pepper grows old and inevitably dies and his band is scattered. Cut to the present, Sgt. Pepper's grandson Billy wearing white overalls with his name emblazoned on it reforms the band and declares himself the new Sgt. Pepper. His new band has the Henderson brothers and they take Heartland by storm. They sing the Beatles number's so provocatively that you suspect the towns peoples sanity. The Mayor declares them the new phenomena and opens the town for them.



Anyways the new “it” boys are lured to Los Angeles where they go ga-ga over money, machines and women. In the mean time an unnamed villain gives his henchman Mr. Mustard a carte-blanche to destroy the innocence of Heartland. So Mr. Mustard plans to replace the pristine fields and the quaint town with gambling arcades and fast food restaurants. The villain also directs him to steal the original instruments of Sgt. Pepper and sell it to another bunch of bad guys, played by Steve Martin and Aerosmith. In the view of such debauchery and destruction, Billy's girl friend Strawberry fields set out in search for the saviors to Los Angeles.
As Billy and Co return Mr. Mustard gets nasty. Billy is electrocuted and is in a comatose state and even the sad songs from Strawberry Fields does not zap him to life. Then horror of horrors Strawberry is killed accidentally by Aerosmith. All this sadness brings the Sgt. Pepper weather vane to life (played by Beatles collaborator Billy Preston) and he zaps everything back to normal. Then all the bands sing “we are the world" with Tina Turner.
This movie has been a very odd wacky production which runs haywire. It started as a 1974 Broadway show, whose producer Robert Stigwood, determined to make a movie knocked out a script with all the Beatles songs. The end result was a patchwork story interspersed with songs pushing the audiences in to hysteria. Even critical acclaim was denied mercifully with majority of them pillorying the direction and script.
I for one thing would never recommend watching the Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band movie even on a really good day. Even the most wackiest simpleton would never understand the motives for making this movie.

The Last Horizon (released in 1937) - starring Ronald Colman and Jane Wyatt, and directed by Frank Capra

This 1937 movie directed by Frank Capra is adapted from the novel of the same name by James Hilton. This fantasy movie starred Ronald Coleman and Jane Wyatt.
Richard Conway is a man of many talents and is the new British Foreign Secretary. He is a famous Writer, Soldier and highly sought after diplomat. As an armed revolution threatens China he rescues the stranded foreigners in Baskul and escapes with the last of the evacuees. But unknown to him their plane is hijacked and crashes in a remote Himalayan kingdom killing their abductor. They are rescued and taken to Shangri-La, an idyllic valley sheltered from the bitter cold which is headed by a mysterious head Lama.
Here the passengers find their idyllic life very much to their liking. Most of the newcomers grow to love Shangri-La, including paleontologist Alexander Lovett, swindler Henry Barnard, and bitter, terminally ill Gloria Stone, who miraculously seems to be recovering. Richard finds the lovely Sondra whose allure and beauty mesmerizes him. But his younger brother George and another young woman Maria from Shangri-La are bent upon leaving the place. They constantly try to persuade Richard to leave the place.



Richard gets an audience with the Lama, who tells him that his presence in Shangri-La is no accident. His talent and wisdom had impressed them to choose him to be the leader of Shangri-La. The Lama informs him that Shangri-La is a mystical place where people do not age, fall sick or wither with age. He designates Richard as his heir and passes away.
George, depicts the story as mere fantasy and persuades Richard to leave the place. They move on with Maria who upon leaving Shangri-La reaches her real age and dies. George looses his sanity and commits suicide. Richard continues his journey and slowly looses his memory. But on the voyage back to England he remembers all and jumps from the ship rendering him untraceable. He anyway gives an account of his adventures to others traveling with him. Then he makes him way to Shangri-La to continue his task entrusted to him by the Lama.
The movie has major deviations from the book and this has been a sore point with the audience who wanted a faithful adaptation. This movie was one of the expensive movies made in the 30's which drove a rift between the studio and the director. It was not received well and never recovered its money for a long time, meeting costs after 5 years. After it was re-shot and edited it was released to garner some box office success. The critical reception was a mixed one with some critics praising it and others rubbishing the work. It was nominated for 7 academy awards wining the award for Best Art Direction, and Best Film Editing. It lost the award for the best Picture narrowly to the ultimate winner “The life of Emile Zola”. But the movie pioneered high technological advances which were used to film the Himalayan Scenes. A watchable movie if you are interested in the sci-fi Genre.

Road to Hong Kong (released in 1962) - starring Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, and Joan Collins (the last in the Road series)

This is the last edition of the Road series staring Bing Cosby and Bob Hope. But the female lead was played by Joan Collins instead of the old time favorite Dorothy Lamour. Lamour makes a smart guest appearance in the movie for old times sake. This movie was directed by Norman Panama.
Harry Turner and Chester Babock are small time vaudeville actors and Chester suffers a localized amnesia when he is hit on the the head while hawking a do-it-yourself-space kit in India. Harry takes him to a local Lama who feeds him a wonder herb which not only restores his mind but gives him a high speed photographic memory. At the airport, Chester meets Diane, a spy for the “Third Echelon” an organization of mad scientists who are bent upon ruling the world, sorry the universe. Diane mistakes him to be a photographer sent to copy the secret Russian formula for rocket fuel. Chester memorizes the formula just by glancing at it and Diane destroys the other copy.
Soon the mad men are after the con men and they are captured. Both Harry and Chester are send in a rocket in the place of apes and tested upon successfully. The third Echelon members try to sacrifice them for science and send them to a harem to make their final hours wonderful. Diane, by now realizes that her employers are starking mad and decides to help the duo. Soon the trio are in a mad run of an escape.



Dorothy Lamour, an old friend help them outwit the pursuers and keep them at her night club. She alerts the police and the Third Echelon is raided. But Harry, Chester and Diane are trapped in a rocket which takes them to a distant planet called Plutonium where they meet the new comic duo, Frank Sinatra and Dean martin. And thus the baton passes to the next generation.
The last edition of the Road movie was not well received by the audiences and one can safely say that this is the least funniest of the series. It tends to be a spoof of all the spy movies but fails flat on deliverance. The worst transgression was the female lead, Joan Collins who is a poor replacement for Dorothy Lamour. Lamour is infinitely more attractive, stately and talented. It seems that Cosby did not want Lamour because she was too old for the franchise and she had a guest appearance because of Hope's insistence. But I can safely say age has caught up on Bing Cosby's face, more than any of his co-actors of the series. And it is pretty safe to say Joan Collins falling for 60 something Cosby was too far fetched.
This picture was not made by Paramount pictures but by a British company and has hugely spoofed off Dr. No. Many James Bond regulars like, Robert Marley, Syd Cain and Walter Gotell along with Peter Niven appear in this movie. The famous transsexual April Ashley also appears in this movie and due to the gender discriminatory practices of those years, her name was pulled from the credits.
Well this movie is worth the look because of its predecessors, but do not go looking for the yesteryear gags. The magic is gone and the remnants of it promises a glint, not the glitter of gold.

Crossing over (released in 2009) - Starring Harrison Ford and Ray Liotta

"Crossing Over" is directed by Wayne Kramer who also writes the screen play and depicts the plight of immigrants who want to make USA their home. It deals with The film deals with the border, document fraud, the asylum and green card process, work-site enforcement, naturalization, the office of counter-terrorism and the clash of cultures. It stars Harrison Ford, Ashley Judd, Ray Liotta and many others in significant roles.
This drama film has a bunch of characters who goes through the rigors of immigration and their intertwining lives forms the basis of the screenplay. Officer Max Brogan is a tender hearted officer who goes beyond the call of duty to deliver the son of Mireya Sanchez who has been deported to Mexico. But he finds out that she has been killed at the border crossing and has the heart breaking task of delivering this news as well. Brogan's colleague Hamid Baraheri is an Iranian immigrant whose family has a tough time adjusting to the American life. His father and brother kill their sister for going out with her boyfriend and are arrested for this honor killing. Hamid knows the law and is torn between duty and family.



Kim Soon Yong, an south Korean unwittingly becomes a part of the robbery attempt which is intercepted by Hamid who shoots all perpetrators. Hamid spares Yong and lets him off with a warning and lies his superiors about the number of people to prevent a criminal record on Yong's name. Yong is able to get his green card because of Hamid's mercy.
Cole Frankel, a corrupt immigration official makes a deal with Claire Sheppard, and Australian for sexual favors in exchange of a green card. He falls in love with her and waives the mandatory two month waiting period to get a green card. But Sheppard does not love him and declines his offer. But soon the duo is caught and Sheppard is deported and Frankel is convicted of fraud. Denise Frankel adopts a Nigerian baby languishing in the detention center in a parallel story line.
Gavin Kosseff pretends to be a religious Jew to get admission to the Jewish school which will enable him to stay in US. He is caught by the Rabbi during the test, but the sympathetic Rabi passes him and ask him rectifies his deficiencies.
But Taslima Jahangir is not so lucky. She presents a school paper about 9/11 hijacking and her sympathetic tone makes the school see red. They notify the authorities and soon it is found that Taslima and her parents are illegal immigrants. Her sisters are deemed Americans as they are born there and she is deported with their mother to Bangladesh even though she had left the country when she was three. She is not allowed to see her father as she leaves USA.
The premise of the movie is the plight of the immigrant, but the movie fails to live up to the promise. The film does not have a continuous story line and has a feel of a documentary. It was a critical and box office failure on its release. A very forgettable movie.

Extraordinary measures (released in 2010) - A medical drama starring Harrison Ford and Brendan Fraser

The movie directed by Tim Vaughn is a real life drama which is immortalized in print by the Pulitzer prize winning novelist Geeta Anand. She wrote the book called “The Cure: How a Father Raised $100 Million--and Bucked the Medical Establishment--in a Quest to Save His Children " about a dad who goes about setting up a 100 dollar company to find a cure for his children's affliction.
The story is about John Crowley and his family who live a idyllic life. Crowley has a great job s a medical marketing executive in a big Pharma company and is on the fast track of success. But their lives are shattered when their youngest kids are diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder, Pompe Disease. Pompe Disease makes the internal organs swell causing muscular dystrophy and is always fatal. Many children thus afflicted do not see beyond their 10th birthday.
Crowley unable to bear his children, Meghan and Patrick's suffering, quits his job and vows to find a cure. After some research he zeroes in on Doctor Stonehill, a grouchy researcher who shows promising result. Crowley manages to convince him in setting up a biotech company which will develop a cure for Pompe disease.



With Crowley's business acumen and Stonehill's medical genius they soon develop a cure. But living with two eccentric personalities is not a cake walk. Crowley has to bear grouchiness, temper tantrums and outbursts. But he keeps up with it even when a big Pharma company swallows their small one.
John Crowley is the undisputed hero who goes to extraordinary measures to alleviate his kids suffering. He cajoles, pampers, yells, threatens and implores with the eccentric geniuses to work towards the cure. He is solidly supported by his wife and other children. You can see his determination as he walks away from his fast track success just to get his children alive.
In the end they develop a cure but even the success is tempered by the lack of common ground between the men. Dr. Stone hill develops an animosity towards Crowley and his tactics. Will it affect the cure and eclipse the guiding spirit of the company. One has to watch the movie to see two different men sink their animosity to save the lives of many. The film also explores the bureaucratic hassles faced by the protagonist and also informs the viewers the methodology of medical research.
Brendan Fraser and Harrison Ford star as John Crowley and Dr. Stonehill respectively. They are ably supported by Keri Russell as Mrs. Crowley and the cute child stars. The film was a moderate success and had a mixed reaction from the critics. It is an extraordinary film which tugs at the heart strings, even though some of the scenes are too long and tends to have a documentary feel. But thanks to Crowley and his team, today Pompe disease is curable and thousands of children are saved from a fatal fate with this research. A good movie for all ages.

K-19 Widow-maker (released in 2002) - A movie starring Harrison Ford

This movie is directed by Katheryn Bigelow takes a leaf out of the the real life incidents concerning the Russian Nuclear submarine K-19. It stars Harrison Ford and Liam Neeson in the pivotal roles.
K-19 is a Soviet ballistic Nuclear Submarine which is commandeered by Captain Alexei Vostrikov. Vostrikov commands no respect with his crew because he is said to have landed this plum job because of his wife's political connections. The second in command executive officer Mikhail Polenin is an experienced and well liked officer. He and his crew go a long way and have difficulty in accepting the rookie Vostrikov. Vostrikov tries to meddle with the daily workings of the submarine and accuses the officer and crew of being soft and lazy. He organize difficult maneuvers and actions which is not compatible with the submarine of this class. Due to the mounting injuries the crew began to grumble and a mutiny is quelled because of Polenin's intervention.



After very satisfying trials Vostrikov orders a very tricky maneuver to test the surface ballistic missile. It involves rapid surfacing of the sub from great depths to break the thick Arctic Ice. Polenin has his reservations, but Vostrikov conducts this trial with no difficulties. After its success he wins the grudging respect from his crew members for his fearlessness. But Polenin considers him to be very lucky not prudent.
But the damage has been done with the coolant pipes of the reactor totally damaged. As the submarine cruises through the Atlantic perilously close to the US and NATO army base the crew realizes that the reactor temperatures are abnormally high which would result in an nuclear explosion. Vostrikov ruefully admits that his drastic trials in the Arctic have wrecked the submarine. Soon a plan is made to drain their drinking water supplies and direct it to cool the reactor. It requires lion hearted men to weld those pipes with standing high amount of radiation. This is the high point of the movie where these brave hearts work with out any protective suits for 10 minute shifts to salvage the reactor.
In the mean time Vostrikov repeals all American help and waits with the silent ship whose radio's are also damaged. Soon a mutiny occurs and is quelled by the resourceful Polenin. Vostrikov again tries to order the welding which is resisted by the crew. Thats the time when Polenin utters those amazing words “don't order them, ask them”. Vostrikov then tells them that a nuclear explosion would wipe out the US Army base nearby signaling retaliatory strikes against Russia resulting in a nuclear holocaust. The crew goes back to work suffering heavy causalities and saves the submarine, reaching a Russian ship.
In the end Vostrikov and his men, old and infirm can only drink to their fallen comrades as they are denied even their medals since it was not a war situation. An amazing movie and I consider it on par with Saving Private Ryan. It was nominated for the Political Film Society Award and was a critical and box office success. A gripping drama for all peace-lovers.

The Devil's Own (released in 1997) - starring Harrison Ford and Brad Pitt

This movie directed by Alan Pakula was released in 1988, starring Harrison Ford, Brad Pitt, Julia stiles, Natascha McElhone and Treat Williams.
Frank McGuire, as an eight year old Irish boy witnesses the murder of his father by English sympathizers. This incident hardens him and makes him a IRA operative. After a tense gun battle with the British Troops, Frank escapes to a safe house hotly pursued by Harry Sloan, a British Agent. Frank and Martin Macduff, another IRA operative plan to acquire surface to air missiles and Frank travels to New York to get them. Here he meets a Irish sympathizer judge Peter Fitzsimmons who puts him in touch with Tom O'Meara. Tom is a police officer and welcomes Frank with out knowing his antecedents. Frank, working under his alias Rory contacts the arms smuggler Burke who agrees to supply him with the missiles.
Frankie meets Peter Fitzsimmons who provide him with millions of dollars which he hides in Tom's house. He also meets Megan, Fitzsimmon's nanny who is attracted to him. Mega agrees to help him in his endeavors. Tom and his partner Eddie have problems of their own regarding their work. Slowly a friendship develops between Frank and Tom. It deepens when Frank helps to beat back masked intruders who threaten Tom and his wife Sheila. Frank checks up on his money and feels guilty of his treachery.



Meanwhile the crafty Burke kidnaps Sean, Frank's fellow operative and holds him for ransom. Frank promises to pay him. Meanwhile Tom has found the money and questions Frank about the presence of such large amount of cash. Frank tells him about the kidnapping, but avoids mentioning the terrorism angle. Still Tom arrest Frank with the help of Eddie. When they are on the way to the Police station, Frank escapes, by knocking out Tom and kills Eddie during flight. He reaches Burke who has already killed Sean and tries to rob him off the cash. But Frank kills him and plans to escape with the missiles in the boat.
Meanwhile Tom questioned by his superiors and Harry Sloan comes to the starling realization that Frank is a wanted IRA terrorist. He plans to capture him to avenge Eddie's death. He traces Frank to Megan and forces her to reveal his where abouts. As Frank is planning to leave with the boat Tom reaches him and a fierce gun battle ensures. Tom is injured and Frank emerges holding him at gun point. But Tom fatally shoots him and makes his way home.
This movie was a moderate commercial success and has nothing new in the plot. Harrison Ford delivers his time and tested police cop routine and Brad Pitt is excellent as young Frank. The premise of the story is very sympathetic to the cause of the terrorist and I feel it betrays the day to day realities. It is fine for an action film buff who is intent on filling up his day. But better films have been made on the same subject. See it if you must, pass it if you can.

Hanover Street (released in 1979) - a war movie starring Harrison Ford (set during the second World War)

This is a romantic movie set against the back drop of world war two starring Harrison Ford, Christopher Plummer and Leslie Anne Down. Written and Directed by Peter Hyams it is known for the splendid aerial fight sequences.
Set in London, Lieutenant David Halloran meets Margaret Sellinger at a tea stall near Hanover street and soon are attracted to each other. Margaret is very much married to a simple Paul Sellinger who is away at war; and she is attracted to the charismatic Halloran. Soon Halloran and Margaret meet clandestinely and fall rapidly in love irrespective of their other relationship.
Paul Sellinger is with the British intelligence, and is a simple school teacher who needs to prove himself. and is given an assignment of penetrating Nazi German Head quarters inn Lyons in France. He has to photocopy the list of all the double agents active in Britain. The task of delivering him across German lines falls in to the capable hands of Halloran.



The two men are not aware of each other and travel together to France. Here they are shot down and Halloran needs to help Sellinger who is grievously wounded. He agrees to accompany him on the mission and contact French Resistance troops. They get hold of an uniform and soon penetrate the German defenses and get hold of the papers.
But as luck could have it they are betrayed by a collaborator and flee with the papers with the SS hot on their heels. Halloran has worked out that Sellinger is the husband of Margaret and saves him from tight situations. So after many cliff hanger moments Halloran and Sellinger make it through not before Halloran giving up on his love.
Here Margaret in London comes to the conclusion that both the men she loves are in a mission together. Ultimately she manages to reach a wounded Sellinger and Halloran and has to choose between the two. Well no prizes for guessing who the lucky one is. Margaret says her good byes to Halloran and proceeds to look after her husband and her duties. Halloran who loves her so much to let her go, moves down Hanover street to his place.
Released in 1977 this movie was a commercial and critical failure. It is not hard to understand why, because the movie which harps so much on romance glosses over the attraction felt by the lead pair. The initial meeting scenes between the two doomed lovers are very irritating and clichéd that you feel like hitting them to get it over with. It dwells on the duties of husband and wife and its aerial fight sequences. It seems to have a quite a following for the action sequences, but as a romantic movie it is a dud.
Moreover the story is so predictable and moves at a snails pace that you almost feel sorry for Sellinger to have such a wife and friend. I wouldn't recommend this tale of so called forbidden love, just watch some horror film instead. It will save you from ennui.

Mosquito Coast.(released in 1986) - starring Harrison Ford, the story of the great dream of a driven inventor

This movie is adapted from the classic by Paul Theroux. Directed by Peter Weir, it stars Harrison Ford, Helen Mirren and River Phoenix in the title roles. Harrison Ford plays the role of Allie Fox, a genius inventor who gets tired of the the crass commercialism pervading the American Society. He dreams about an ideal world where men live in harmony with what they need and not what they want. Allie abhors the materialism and the schizophrenic pace of the society and says "We eat when we're not hungry, drink when we're not thirsty. We buy what we don't need and throw away everything that's useful. Why sell a man what he wants? Sell him what he doesn't need. Pretend he's got eight legs and two stomachs and money to burn. It's wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong."
To escape from this material world Fox uproots himself and his family, of six from rural Massachusetts to a remote island La Moskitia in south America. Here his wife and 2 sons and twin daughters follow him and his ideals. Initially everything is hunky dory with fox finding the peace of mind to pursue his inventions and trying to better the natives lives. Soon with absolute dreams comes absolute and painful reality. The plan to civilize the natives is also a kind of intervention which is not a natural course of events.



The movie is narrated through the eyes of the eldest son, Charlie who completely admires his father's genius. His love and admiration is mixed and what has the upper hand is evident only at the end of the movie. Mother Fox, Allie's wife is a dutiful spouse following the marriage vows to the end. She moves herself from the comfort of their home to come to a remote clearing Jeronimo to play house and puts up with the ravings of her husbands flawed genius.
Allie on the high for bettering the plight of the natives plans to build a giant ice machine which uses fuel to make ice instantly. His need to awe makes him go to the interiors of the jungle to show off his machine. On his way he meets some dangerous ruffians who follow him back to Jeronimo and set fire to his inventions. As everything goes in to smoke Allie's descent in to chaos happens. In his madness he destroys his family, relationships and a fragile system he tried to nurture. At the very tragic end the movie poses some important questions about his despotic nature and the effect of it on his relationships.
The movie also has amazing philosophical moments when Allie spars with the preacher Spellgood whose fanaticism puts him off. But in the end Allie's contention that progress brings about civilization is as flawed as Spellgood's theory of religion uplifting man. One man's desire to shock, awe and better the natives to ultimately achieve glory and splendor falls flat on the ground. In the end Allie did bring in what he had fled in America, a search for material things and thats is his downfall.
Splendid performances by Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren is the highlight of the movie. This movie failed miserably at the box office but I still recommend it as a must see. It is a thinking man's movie and go with a philosophical frame of mind.

Force 10 from Navarone (released in 1978) - Robert Shaw, Edward Fox, Harrison Ford, Carl Weathers, Barbara Bach, Franco Nero and Richard Kiel

This movie is a sequel to the highly popular 'Guns Of Navarone' and is loosely based on Alistair MacLean's novel of the same name. Directed by Guy Hamilton and stars Robert Shaw,Edward Fox, Harrison Ford, Carl Weathers, Barbara Bach, Franco Nero and Richard Kiel.
Miller and Mallory are back from Navarone and are sent on a mission to Yugoslavia to assist the war efforts and to neutralize a spy who escaped from Navarone. The German spy Nikolai is posing as Captain Lescovar and has infiltrated the Partisans and is undermining the war efforts of the allies in Eastern Europe. They join effort with the Force 10 unit headed by Captain Barnsby. They are air dropped over Yugoslavia and are captured by the Germans and their allies the Chetniks lead by Captain Drazak.
Drazak brings them before Captain Schroeder and the prisoners present themselves as Allied deserters who were court martialed. Schroeder is skeptical and opens their suitcase which is supposedly filled with Penicillin. To their surprise the suitcase contains wooden logs and they concoct a story about burying it on their way to capture. So Schroeder sends Mallory and Barnsby along with his trusted lieutenant Maritza and two other soldiers to retrieve the Penicillin. Maritza proves to be a partisan spy, and helps them to escape and meet Colonel Petrovich, the Partisan leader. Here Mallory recognizes Captain Lescovar and informs Petrovich about the spy. But Petrovich is not impressed and informs Mallory that the spy Nikolai was killed by himself. He asks them to focus on destroying the bridge to avoid attack by the German forces.



Mallory informs Petrovich that Miller is the real explosive expert and is held captive by the Chetniks. He forms a plan to rescue them along with Maritza. They infiltrate the camp and help Miller and others to escape. Miller informs them that the bridge is impregnable to explosives, but the force of tons of water from the dam nearby could do the trick. So Force 10 plans to destroy the dam instead and ask for supplies. But a sabotage by Lescovar foil the plan and Maritza is killed before she can stop him.
Miller and co plan to raid the German Yard for explosives while a dejected Petrovich plans to return to the head quarters. A daring raid which is suicidal in its planning with a spy Lescovar thwarting their actions is hell enough but the team is successful in the end. Lescovar is killed by an enraged Barnsby and they leave to destroy the dam. With German forces closing on them the bombs are set at a short fuse which makes their survival doubtful. But as they walk away the bombs detonate bringing the dam and the bridge down washing down the enemy hopes. The protagonist trapped on the wrong side of the river start the perilous journey home through enemy lands.
The movie was a box-office and critical disaster and even Ford is said to have disliked his role. I would prefer the book which has better action sequences compared to the insipid sequences in the movie. Just watch it to complete the Navarone Saga.

Meteor (released in 1979) - a disaster movie about a meteor and efforts to evade it - starring Sean Connery and Natalie Wood

Meteor is directed by Ronald Neame and stars Sean Connery and Natalie wood. This movie is one of the last flicks of the disaster movie genre's of the 70's. This movie is inspired by the MIT project Icarus which talks about deflecting meteors by a missile strike. A voice over at the end of the film credits Project Icarus as an inspiration.
It deals with the asteroid which is on the collision course with earth and the efforts of the scientists to deflect it. A meteor five miles in diameter is on collision course with the earth. While the scientists and politicians scramble to contain the threat, the smaller meteor fragments shower down creating wide spread destruction. Soon the two super powers of the cold war era, the USA and the Soviet union have to shoulder the responsibility of averting this threat.
The United States has an orbiting nuclear missile platform in space called the Hercules. The similar platform of the soviets is called Peter the great. Neither the Soviets nor the Americans are willing to admit to their existence.



Soon the US president disregarding the advice of his military think tanks goes on live national television and admits to the presence of Hercules. He urges the Soviets also to do so. These are the only two stations capable of attacking and deflecting the incoming meteor. Soon Dr. Bradley who put the above station Hercules in space is called upon. He calls his soviet counter part Alexei Dubov to assist him. He even agrees to Dubov's suggestion of treating the orbiting missile unit as a theoretical thing since the soviets have not acknowledged its existence. The expert duo reach the head quarters run by commander Adlon to chalk out a strategy to deflect the meteorite. Bradley has an unenviable task of breaking the ice and distrust between the commander and Dubov.
Finally the Soviets admit to the platform's existence. They pitch in with their support. Missiles are launched first from Peter the Great and then Hercules. In the mean time a meteor fragment has destroyed new York with the head quarters situated in the Sony Building also decimated. The world trade center and many buildings are destroyed. People are killed and survivors are trapped in the debris. Chilling moments happen when the survivors have to dig themselves out from the debris with the river threatening to breach the tunnels.
But up above missiles of both the nations in a rainbow coalition meet its target. The director to add to the suspense, times the survivor's heroic rescue and the missile's exploding happening at the same time. In the end, meteor Orpheus is deflected from the collision course and the Earth is saved. Dubov and his interpretor Tatiana Donoskyaya board the plane back to Russia with enormous goodwill.
But this movie generated no goodwill at the box office. It tanked at the hustings and brought down its production house, American International Pictures. It made the dubious distinction of being one of the fifty worst movies of the century.

Fail Safe (released in 1964) - Starring Henry Fonda, and Walter Matthau - the horrible cost of a nuclear war and mutual mistrust

Fail safe is a film released in 1964, starring Henry Fonda, Walter Matthau and others. It is about a fictional cold war scenario which escalates to nuclear war and is adapted from the book of the same name by Eugene Burdick and Harvey Wheeler; the ultimate horrors of a nuclear exchange and the quest to avoid a suicidal war.
The strategic Air Command or SAC notices a suspicious aircraft heading to America from Europe. American bombers are deployed to counter the plane. According to the routine, six fighter planes are deployed around strategic points called the fail safe points around the Soviet Union. If the attack is innocuous the bombers are recalled back to the fail safe points.
Due to a technical transgression the attack code CAP 811 is transmitted to the six fail safe planes. The planes are the vindicator bombers with nuclear war heads commanded by Colonel Grady. Colonel Grady gets the code and tries to confirm it through radio. Since the frequencies are routinely jammed by the Soviets it fails to get through and he puts the attack in motion. Accordingly the bombers are dispatched to bomb Moscow.
According to the attack procedure, once the bombers are cruising towards the target they refuse to accept any audio alterations to their mission. It is felt that the enemy may use impersonators to distract them from their mission.



In America the whole establishment is in a tizzy. The president calls on the Soviet Premier to make him understand the accident. General Black, the Air chief fears that if Moscow is bombed the Soviets may launch nuclear missiles on America. To make them understand the sincerity of American operations six planes are deployed to shoot down the planes. But due to fuel constraints these planes fail and are lost. American President assures the soviet Premier that all of it was an accident and if Moscow is bombed he himself will order the bombing of New York. The Soviets are thus convinced of his sincerity.
Initially the Soviets refuse American help but turn around to ask for assistance. Americans help them to shoot down the plane. Five bombers are shot down and the President through the radio asks Gray to desist from the bombing. But Gray following orders says that he cannot take audio orders anymore fearing it to be an impostor. Soon the soviets detonate nuclear bombs in the air to avoid being hit, but Gray passes through and detonates the bomb over Moscow. When Moscow burns the American Ambassador's phone melts giving a shrill tone.
The Soviet Premier tells the President that he acknowledges that it was an accident and he does not blame anybody. Both the heads of state promise not to depend overtly on machine controls anymore. However, there is a price to be paid to avoid a nuclear war.
The President orders General black to bomb New York City as he had promised the Soviet Premier as a show of solidarity. The First Lady and Black's family are in New York, putting them in harm's danger. Black bombs new York city and commits suicide. The last haunting scenes are the lively scenes of New York City, all to be incinerated in the back drop of the shrill sound of the melting phone.
A classic and haunting film highlighting the cost of distrust.

Fort Apache (released in 1948) starring John Wayne and Henry Fonda - the prejudices between the White and the American Indians

Fort Apache is a western based loosely on the Battle of Little Bighorn and the Fetter-man massacre. It gives a balanced view about the soldiers and the Indian Settlers, Sioux in the battle. The story details about the prejudices which was prevalent among the whites which lead to the rebellion by the Indian tribe Apache. It is the story of class wars also and how love conquers everything. This movie won the prize for the best director in the Locarno film festival.
Fort Apache is a outlying cavalry post and its commanding officer is being moved. Every body expects Kirby York, a highly respected Captain to be given the command of the regiment. But it was given to the Lieutenant Colonel, Owen Thursday who is a graduate from the West Point military Academy and a decorated civil war officer. But he lacks the people skills and the experience to guide Fort Apache. He is accompanied by his Daughter, Philadelphia to the posting. Owen Thursday is a very egoistic and self-centered officer who is extremely class conscious. He is dismissive about the concerns about the Indian settlers and follows the rule book to the core. This builds resentment against him in the unit.



The Apache's are exploited by Silas Meacham and complaints reach Thursday. He has utter contempt for Meacham but he follows the rule book which states that Meacham being an United States agent is entitled for Army protection. York advices Thursday against angering the poor exploited Indians, but is ignored. Soon the Apaches rebel under the leadership of Cochise. Interwoven in the story is the love story between Philadelphia and Second lieutenant Michael Shannon O'Rouke, who is the son of a Sergeant Major who has won a gallantry medal. In-spite of being a West Point Graduate, O'Rouke is treated with contempt by Colonel Thursday who forbids the relationship between O'Rouke, and his daughter.
Soon the Indians rebel and and Thursday declares war on them. He charges against them in - spite of the odds staked against the company. Kirby York tires to reason with the colonel and is shunted out. Colonel Thursday removes him from his post and orders him to stay back. Soon the charge against the Indians who are comfortably entrenched on the hills is a failure an the company is decimated. Thursday is among the casualties. The surviving but wounded soldiers come back to the regiment and inform York who leads a rescue mission. Cochise spares York because he knows that he is a man of his word.
York who had spared O'Rouke from battle helps him to marry Philadelphia. In the end York assumes the command of the regiment and is deputed to negotiate with the Apaches. He does not bad mouth Thursday's failed charge against the Indians. When the journalists ask him whether he has sen the picture titled, “Thursday's Charge” he says that the regiment will always honor the memory of the brave officers and foot soldiers.
This film was directed by John Ford and first of his highly successful Cavalry Trilogy which was followed by “She Wore a Yellow Ribbon” and “Rio Grande”

Bringing Out the Dead (1999), directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Nicholas Cage - movie did not do too well

After a couple of movies such as Casino and Kundun, Martin Scorsese returned to the same location that is a staple of his movie, the gritty New York areas where he takes people with deep emotional conflicts and shows up the progression of these conflicts. In 'Bringing Out the Dead', Scorsese made a movie where he depicts the life of a deeply traumatized paramedic working the night shift in a New York Hospital (he has been traumatized by some of the experiences that he has seen, especially that of a young homeless girl; and his job is one that exposes him to profound grief shown by others - typically the relatives of people who area admitted to emergency services and who often do not survive). He is what you would call a typical recipe for a person heading to a collapse, with his nerves and emotions driving him to a point of collapse.
He realizes that he is headed to towards burnout, already suffers from insomnia, and wonders whether he will, in his current condition, meet another victim whom he cannot save; and he attempts to try and get fired. And then he gets salvation.
The movie was based on a novel by Joe Connelly (screenplay for the movie by Paul Schrader); but even though the movie is now considered a pretty good movie, it was a disaster at the box office with the US box office collections only making half of the $32 million budget.



The movie is a frantic 3 days, where the main character has 3 different partners in terms of his work as a paramedic (and the 3 partners also portray their roles - with 3 entirely different types of characters, one being very engaging, the second being more of a stirring type of person, and the third being more crazy). The path to salvation for Frank Pierce (Nicholas Cage in a pretty fine performance) comes from his meeting with the daughter of a heart attack victim that Frank had helped save; he meets Mary (Patricia Arquette) when she often comes to visit her father in the hospital.
It is Mary who, in her interactions with Frank, passes on her compassion and her feelings of helping others, which finally takes Frank out of his depression; repair his feelings about the people he was not able to save, and finally cure his insomnia.

New York, New York (released in 1977) - Directed by Martin Scorsese - a musical drama film starring Robert De Niro

Martin Scorsese is known for his movies about the seedier side of New York, with violence, emotional trauma, fast music; however, he has made a number of other movies with different tones. New York, New York is a musical drama, released in 1977, meant as a tribute from Martin Scorsese to his hometown of New York. The movie stars Robert De Niro and Liza Minnelli in the lead roles (playing lovers who are musicians), and has songs by John Kander and Fred Ebb. However, the movie did not do well, earning less ($13 million) than the budget ($14 million), and the failure depressed Martin Scorsese, and sending him to drugs. The failure of the movie meant that the movie studio (United Artists) cut down the movie length by around 19 minutes, however, the deleted scenes were restored in a re-release in 1981. The Theme from the movie became famous when Frank Sinatra released a cover version in 1979. The movie opens on the day that the World War II ended in 1945, a time of glorious celebration.



During a celebration in a New York nightclub, with music provided by the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, a smooth talking self-centered saxophone player Jimmy Doyle (Robert De Niro) bumps into an upcoming singer Francine Evans (Liza Minnelli). Jimmy wants to get Francine's number, but Francine wants to evade him. However, due to Jimmy's persistence and luck, they end up sharing up a cab the next morning and she also accompanies him to an audition. At the audition, their joint act impresses the owner, and he offers them a job. They also get into a relationship, but Jimmy is not ready for a deeper commitment, even when Francine gives birth to his baby, and he leaves. Separate, they prosper, and several years later, are both significant figures. But when Jimmy proposes that they reconcile, what does she do ?