Movie #399 - Legend

Legend
1985 - Rated PG - 1 hr 34 min
Director: Ridley Scott
Starring: Tom Cruise, Mia Sara, Tim Curry, Robert Picardo, Billy Barty, Alice Playten, David Bennent

 First of all, the original movie is much better than the Director's Cut - something we learned as a group at this week's movie night.  Little did I know we'd even purchased the special Director's Cut version, but there we were.  I have seen the original, maybe twice, so I was glad for the assistance picking out the added scenes. And dialogue. And singing.

Why Ridley Scott thought this cut was better was beyond us.  In fact, it kinda ruins the integrity of this otherwise decent fantasy/adventure movie. Too much singing, Ridley. They cut out Mia Sara's constant warbling for a reason, one we didn't need to see to believe.

Anyhow, as far as the plot goes, a young couple accidentally get themselves wrapped up in the coming of the "dark lord" (who is not Voldemort, but is in fact Tim Curry... dressed as a giant red demon that may or may not have inspired South Park's Satan character's look. Food for thought.) He's pretty bad-ass, it's true. And if they don't save the unicorn, it's gonna stay dark and frozen in their forest forever. Bad news bears.

Fun fantasy adventures ensue, including Star Trek Voyager's hologram doctor dressed in drag as Meg Mucklebone, a swamp witch (who has more screen time in Scott's cut, for better or for worse.) It's a bit nerdy, this movie, but I consider it a guilty pleasure.  The original cut, though. Not this one.

Movie #393 - The Last Samurai

The Last Samurai
2003 - Rated R - 2 hr 34 min
Director: Edward Zwick
Starring: Tom Cruise, Ken Watanabe, Billy Connolly, William Atherton, Chad Lindberg, Tony Goldwyn, Masato Harada, Timothy Spall

First of all, on a side note, I never noticed before how Timothy Spall is in everything. Seriously, the man shows up all over the place.  I had no clue.

Okay, so he's in this too, but not really in a huge part. So I'll focus on the actual plot.  This movie's got the feeling of a Gladiator-like epic, just set in Japan instead.  Tom Cruise's Nathan Algren suffers just about as much as Maximus and learns most of his important lessons while imprisoned.  An American officer sent to training the Japanese army to withstand rebel Samurai attacks in 1876, Algren is a drunk with a death wish.  He gets captured by the Samurai warriors and winds up training with them.  When they release him, he's caught between the old and new worlds of Japan, forced to decide which side he'll stand on.

This is a great story, told very well, albeit a bit long. But honestly, it's one movie where so much happens that you don't notice how long it really is.  Even having Tom Cruise as the star didn't dissuade me from it (I'm really not a big fan, in case you haven't noticed yet) and I think he does well, capturing the essence of this tortured war hero.  Good stuff, all around.

Movie #333 - A Few Good Men

A Few Good Men
1992 - Rated R - 2 hr 18 min
Director: Rob Reiner
Starring: Tom Cruise, Demi Moore, Jack Nicholson, Kevin Bacon, Kiefer Sutherland, Kevin Pollak, James Marshall, JT Walsh, Christopher Guest, Matt Craven, JA Preston, Noah Wyle

This is the first time I've watched this movie as an adult.  It was a favorite of my parents' so I had definitely seen it as a teen, but never really sat down and absorbed it as an adult.  Nor did I realize this is based on a play.  The style of the film and the scene structure makes a lot of sense knowing that.

Anyway, this really is a good damn movie. (SPOILER ALERT) It raises one of my favorite questions: Is it okay to sacrifice one to save many?  Nicholson's character things it is, Cruise and Moore don't think so.  As they dig to get to the bottom of this one, watching the chain of corruption climb higher and higher, this question gets asked many times.  The moral gray area is left for us to ponder, while the movie ends almost the only way it can.  He could get away with it, I guess, but not up against the unexpected powerhouse of Tom Cruise.  Really, who saw Cruise taking out Nicholson? Anywhere else, my money'd be on Jack.

Long story short, it was nice to enjoy this again with the ability to really process what it's trying to say.  Some outstanding performances here, but what I really enjoyed most were the questions it raised and asked me to answer for myself.

Movie #314 - Interview with the Vampire

Interview with the Vampire
1994 - Rated R - 2 hr 3 min
Director: Neil Jordan
Starring: Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, Antonio Banderas, Kirsten Dunst, Christian Slater, Thandie Newton

How doI love this movie? Let me count the ways...
     1. little Kirsten Dunst.... amazing
     2. vampires with feelings
     3. Hello, Brad Pitt.
     4. best ending possible
     5. a multi-period piece with some nice set and costume work - I can appreciate that

Honestly, this is my favorite vamp movie.  The new ones are all lame. This is the best.  And, to make it even better, it was made before vampires were trendy. So there, Stephenie Meyer.

But really.  This is a whole cast of emo, homo-erotic vampires played by really pretty celebrities who are all vamped out to look not so pretty anymore. Except Kirsten Dunst who is the world's most gorgeous little vampire.  And again, let's revisit how AH-MAZ-ING she is in this movie. Possibly her best role to date.  How unfortunate for her to peak so young, but how fortunate for us to be able to watch this performance over and over again, if we so choose.

It's not the best movie ever, I can admit that, but I think it's a great ensemble, a really creative premise (remember, this came out before "Buffy," ok?) and a unique way to tell the story. Plus, how deliciously evil is Tom Cruise? And I'm not even a big Cruise fan, but I love this performance.

Movie #125 - Collateral

Collateral
Paramount Pictures
2004 - Rated R - 2 hr
Director: Michael Mann
Starring: Tom Cruise, Jamie Foxx, Jada Pinkett Smith, Mark Ruffalo

This movie is weird. Intense, but weird.  An unsuspecting cab driver gets in over his head when he gives a ride to white-haired Tom Cruise, who's a total bad-ass criminal.  Look out!  And he wants to kill Jada Pinkett Smith, who Jamie Foxx (the cabbie) is mad crushing on, so that's bad news.

The premise is wild and full of lots of car-chase scenes and thrilling moments.  It's a pretty straight forward crime/drama/Tom Cruise movie.  Not a favorite of mine, but I don't have any specific complaints.  Everyone is great, Cruise is pretty bad-ass, Foxx is pretty in-over-his-head and innocent-bystander-y.  And Jada Pinkett Smith is all lawyer-like.  It's not bad, but it's not my cup of tea.

So intense, weird, need to be in the right mood to watch, but well acted. That's the best I can do with this one right now.