Starring: Dudley Moore, Bo Derek, Julie Andrews, Robert Webber, Brian Dennehy, Dee Wallace

"So, what do you do? Do you play it safe? You get a fixation on a - beautiful young girl. A vision, I think, was your description. And I suspect - for your total vision - a virgin." George Webber

Why watch this? It is Blake Edwards' funniest movie.

Dad's Review: This film is a great reference guide for the "mid-life crisis". Is the film solely about bombshell Bo Derek? Nope. It's more about the idea of her as fantasized by middle-aged Dudley Moore, a man so insane about what he wants that he can't see what he has. This fine comedy has several humorous moments: the visit to the Reverend, the dentist visit aftermath, his neighbor's poolside orgies. This is Moore's film and nobody plays a spoiled, rich drunk better than he does. The film's end, however, might surprise you.

Starring: James Franco, Kate Mara, Amber Temblyn, Lizzy Caplan, Clémence Poésy, Treat Williams

"Don't lose it. Aron, do not lose it." - Aron Ralston

Why watch this? This real-life story is too compelling to pass over.

Dad's Review: This is a gut-wrenching film about an adventurous young man who finds lands himself in serious trouble. He is completely alone, fighting to free his arm that is trapped beneath a massive boulder. As his strength starts to leave him, a dream gives him the ability to take action. James Franco carries this rich, inspiring movie, which is based on a true story. May it impact you and help you think about your life and your dreams.

Starring: Steve Carrell, Seth Rogan, Paul Rudd, Romany Malco, Jane Lynch, Elizabeth Banks, Leslie Mann

"You know what? I respect women! I love women! I respect them so much that I completely stay away from them!" - Andy Stitzer

Why watch this? For the laughs! Enjoy Lynch, Carrell, Rogan, and Rudd tear it up.

Dad's Review: This film is very crude, but it somehow manages to remain really sweet. Carrell is perfect as the man that nerds grows up to be. It is hilarious how he functions in society and tries to "fit in" with his fellow co-workers at Smart Tech. Jane Lynch is notably funny as his prowling cougar boss. What did I learn? - Never get your chest hair waxed!

7 Faces of Dr. Lao (1964), Director: George Pal, not rated (Dad's best guess: PG)

Starring: Tony Randall, Arthur O’Connell, Barbara Eden, John Ericson, Noah Berry Jr., Kevin Tate, Royal Dano

"This is the circus of Dr. Lao. We show you things that you don't know. We've spared no pains and spared no dough, but we wanted to give you one helluva show!" - Dr. Lao

Why watch this? For its time, this was a strange wonderful film to behold.

Dad's Review: Tony Randall (of TV’s The Odd Couple) gives an amazing performance in this fantasy morality tale. He plays seven different characters in this morality fable. A small traveling circus comes to a typical Western town. Each of the circus' mysterious sideshow acts affects the townsfolk who attend. Most people, logically, have valuable, and sometimes terrible, lessons to learn. Still today, this is a great watch.

Starring: Raul Julia, Anjelica Huston, Christina Ricci, Christopher Lloyd, Carel Struycken, Judith Malina, John Franklin

"Don't torture yourself, Gomez. That's my job." – Morticia Addams

Why watch this? This film pays superb homage to the original TV series. Well done!

Dad's Review: This film version, based on the 1960’s TV show, is creepy fun from start to finish. You can tell that the actors are having a blast. Of particular technical note is "Thing", everyone’s favorite severed hand. The CGI magicians successfully gave Thing a wonderful personality, and it gets some of the film’s biggest laughs. I must also point out the late Raul Julia. He more than channels John Astin, as he nails the role of Gomez. RIP Raul. You left us too soon.

Starring: Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Basil Rathbone, Claude Rains, Una O'Connor, Patrick Knowles, Alan Hale, Ian Hunter

"I'll organize revolt, exact a death for a death, and I'll never rest until every Saxon in this shire can stand up free men, and strike a blow for Richard and England." - Robin Hood

Why watch this? Nobody wields a sword like Errol Flynn. Watch and be dazzled.

Dad's Review: This is the classic by which all swashbuckling films are compared. It stars the dashing, charming Errol Flynn. This adventurous tale takes us through Sherwood Forest, where we meet Robin and the members of his Merry Men. We also meet the maid Marion, Robin's true love. The land is ruled by the traitorous Prince John, and his evil cohort Sir Guy (deliciously played by Mr. Rathbone). The romance is dear, but the stunts and swordfights are amazing!

Starring: Jeff Bridges, Rachel Ward, James Woods, Alex Karras, Richard Widmark, Jane Greer, Dorian Harewood

"That idiot football player you were going to get - has got me by the balls." – Ben Caxton

Why watch this? This may be the sexiest film I can remember. Your eyeballs will fog up.

Dad's Review: This steamy 80’s drama featured two beautiful individuals in Jeff Bridges and Rachel Ward. He is an ex-NLF player who takes a job to track down a woman in Mexico. He finds her in Cozumel on the beach. She initially is annoyed by him, but that doesn’t last long. They become lovers, which creates a real problem for the man who's paying to find her. It’s romantic, suspenseful, sensual and easy on the eyes. 

Starring: Harrison Ford, Gary Oldman, Glenn Close, William H. Macy, Wendy Crewson, Liesel Matthews, Paul Guilfoyle, Dean Stockwell

"Your national security advisor has just been executed. He's a very good negotiator. He bought you another half hour." - Ivan Korshunov

Why watch this? This superb film is at its best when Ford and Oldman are slugging it out.

Dad's Review: Ford plays the US President whose plane is hijacked by Russian terrorists led by Oldman. The escape pod ejects, however the President secretly stays aboard to try to save his family. Ford is exceptional as the POTUS, and equally effective is Glenn Close as the stubborn VP. You’ll be on the edge of your seat through-out this high-flying thriller!

Starring: James Stewart, Lee Remick, George C. Scott, Ben Gazzara, Eve Arden, Kathryn Grant, Orson Bean, Russ Brown

"As a lawyer, I've had to learn that people aren't just good or just bad. People are many things." - Paul Biegler

Why watch this? This is a worthy and intense courtroom drama.

Dad's Review: There is a non-sensationalist quality to this film that feels like you are watching a real trial documentary, not a movie. This makes it more even more interesting. This technique was often employed by director Otto Preminger. George C. Scott and James Stewart are excellent as always, but the surprise performance is from the beautiful and engaging Lee Remick.

Starring: Shirley McLaine, Jack Lemmon, Fred MacMurray, Ray Walston, David Lewis, Jack Kruschen, Edie Adams, Hope Holiday

"When you're in love with a married man, you shouldn't wear mascara." - Fran Kubelik

Why watch this? It's funny and adorable. I love the old office culture on display!

Dad's Review: Once I discovered this sweet little film, it grew on me. It’s about a sheepish man who rents his apartment, for date nights, in order to curry favor with executives, who are hiding their extra-marital affairs. In this romantic comedy, McLaine and Lemon are so stinkin' loveable. They’re two lost souls, navigating through the cold, high-rise office culture. Both are being equally used by those in power. That's why you'll root for them to somehow find a way to each other.

Starring: Martin Sheen, Robert Duvall, Marlin Brando, Frederic Forrest, Albert Hall, Dennis Hopper, Sam Bottoms, G. D. Spradlin

"Charlie didn't get much USO. He was dug in too deep or moving too fast. His idea of great R&R was cold rice and a little rat meat. He had only two ways home: death, or victory." - Willard (voice-over)

Why watch this? This is Coppola's great masterpiece, an insane journey thru Viet Nam.

Dad's Review: This haunting journey descends into the jungles and madness of the Vietnam War. Like many drug addicted soldiers, this film is semi-lucid, and that is to great effect. An operative is sent to find a Special Forces Colonel who has gone AWOL and is waging his own guerrilla war. The secret emission is harrowing and takes the viewer into the madness. It will stick with you.

Starring: Rudy Youngblood, Raoul Trujillo, Gerardo Taracena, Jonathan Brewer, Morris Birdyellowhead, Israel Contreras

"My name is Jaguar Paw. I am a hunter. This is my forest. And my sons will hunt it with their sons after I am gone!" - Jaguar Paw

Why watch this? You will literally feel like you have been transported to the past.

Dad's Review: Deep in the jungles of Mesoamerica, a small group of men are captured to be sacrificed to the Aztec gods. Director Gibson transports the viewer into this incredible time in history. There is brutal violence as the captives are being sacrificed. However, the heart of the film is Jaguar Paw (Youngblood), a desperate escapee, fleeing his pursuers. This gem is engrossing from start to finish.

Starring: Tom Hanks, Ed Harris, Bill Paxton, Kevin Bacon, Gary Sinise, Kathleen Quinlan, Chris Ellis, Joe Spano, Marc McClure, Xander Berkeley

"We've never lost an American in space, we're sure as hell not gonna lose one on my watch! Failure is not an option." - Gene Kranz

Why watch this? It's important history, and so well done. I love that combo.

Dad's Review: This is an extraordinary telling of an event that could have ended in a horrible catastrophe. This is a case study in ingenuity and "necessity is the mother of invention". As their craft starts to experience serious trouble, scientists on Earth, and the men in space, focus all their knowledge, skills, and creativity to come up with ways to fix the problems and save the mission.

Starring: Bruce Campbell, Embeth Davidtz, Marcus Gilbert, Richard Grove, Patricia Tallman, Timothy Patrick, Michael Earl, Bridget Fonda

"Well hello Mister Fancy-pants. Well, I've got news for you pal, you ain't leadin' but two things, right now: Jack and shit... and Jack just left town." - Ash

Why watch this? Where the first two films just stayed in one place, this one goes someplace (and time) very interesting - the Middle Ages!

Dad's Review: This is the third film in the famed "Evil Dead" series by director Sam Raimi. In my opinion, this is the best. It takes the horror aspect of the first two films and turns it on its head. Ash is transported to the Middle Ages and there encounters an unspeakable evil, all caused by the Book of the Dead. With a shotgun in one hand and a chainsaw replacing the other, Ash revels in this newfound land. "Shop smart, shop S-Mart!"

Starring: Mike Myers, Michael York, Robert Wagner, Elizabeth Hurley, Seth Green, Verne Troyer, Heather Graham, Beyoncé Knowles, Michael Caine

"You know, I have one simple request, and that is to have sharks with frickin' laser beams attached to their heads!" – Dr. Evil

Why watch this? To just sit back and laugh your a$$ off.

Dad's Review: As silly as it is absurd, this film is a deep dive into the mind of Mike Myers. I remember thinking "what a dumb concept". Boy, was I wrong! You can’t help but fall in love with this James Bond spoof. Myers employed a cast of SNLer’s, A-list actors and himself as three villains: Dr. Evil, the infamous Fat Bastard, and Goldmember. All three films are gloriously crude and funny! The scene on the sub where Powers and Mini-Me are behind the medical screen is the funniest thing I have ever seen!   

Starring: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Michelle Rodriguez, Giovanni Ribisi, Joel David Moore, Dileep Rao

"Everything is backwards now, like out there is the true world, and in here is the dream." – Jake Sully

Why watch this? Visually, it's breath-taking, and so beautiful. It's a nice story, too.

Dad's Review: So, what film project does James Cameron take one as a follow-up to Titanic? It's this futuristic CGI-fest set on a gorgeous planet inhabited by native blue beings. Was he nuts? Apparently not. This film, many years in the making, is incredible. I believe the story is a parallel to the plight of humanity. I hear there are sequels on the way - can't wait!

Starring: Robert DeNiro, Robin Williams, Penelope A. Miller, Julie Kavner, John Heard, Max Von Sydow, Vincent Pastore, Ruth Nelson

"Hello. My name is Leonard Lowe. It has been explained to me that I've been away for quite some time. I'm... back." - Leonard Lowe

Why watch this? It was an unlikely pairing of stars, but they make the most of it.

Dad's Review: A quiet, wonderful, and deeply sad film about an experimental drug that awakens patients who are lost in a catatonic state. Williams really shows his acting chops in a role played completely without his usual manic zaniness. De Niro, a determined method actor, is excellent as the patient suddenly "awake" and able to function. Very quickly, he can talk, smile, interact, even fall in love. The ending will break your heart, but the film is still work watching.

Starring: Kurt Russell, William Baldwin, Scott Glenn, Robert De Niro, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Donald Sutherland, Rebecca De Mornay

"It's a living thing, Brian. It breathes, it eats, and it hates. The only way to beat it is to think like it." - Ben Rickert regarding fire

Why watch this? To appreciate the risks firefighters take every day.

Dad's Review: This is a great film about firefighters. There are some standard life-saving heroics, but the plot goes a lot deeper. There is an arsonist setting the recent fires. There is a great twist at the end that you won't see coming. Kurt Russell’s wonderful performance is so nuanced that you can't figure him out (Love his nickname: "Bull"). Special thanks are due to De Niro and Sutherland for their awesome supporting performances.

Starring: Rodney Daingerfield, Sally Kellerman, Burt Young, Keith Gordon, Robert Downey Jr., Paxton Whitehead, Sam Kinison, M. Emmet Walsh

"The football team at my high school, they were tough. After they sacked the quarterback, they went after his family." – Thornton Melon

Why watch this? Rodney Dangerfield - this guy is a National Treasure of Comedy.

Dad's Review: This film really surprised me because the premise is so far-fetched. But, somehow, it works. Rodney is dependably wonderful as a crude, loveable, rich dad, who tries too hard to help his son. His one liners are stellar, just like his live comedy routines. Look for a very young Robert Downey Jr. Something else, you will forever remember the term, "Triple Lindy".

Starring: Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Liam Neeson, Morgan Freeman, Katie Holmes, Gary Oldman, Cillian Murphy, Tom Wilkinson, Rutger Hauer

"As a man, I'm flesh and blood, I can be ignored, I can be destroyed; but as a symbol... as a symbol I can be incorruptible, I can be everlasting." – Bruce Wayne

Why watch this? It's a new film direction for the Caped Crusader. It works.

Dad's Review: This Batman origin film lacks the occasional silliness of the earlier Batman installments from Burton and Schumacher. That is a good thing. It darker, grittier, and our hero is very scary and threatening. Bale plays Bruce Wayne and the caped crusader to perfection. Neeson is excellent as his initial mentor, then a worthy adversary. 

Starring: Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly, Ed Harris, Paul Bettany, Christopher Plummer, Adam Goldberg, Josh Lucas, Judd Hirsch

"Imagine if you suddenly learned that the people, the places, the moments most important to you were not gone, not dead, but worse, had never been. What kind of hell would that be?" – Dr. Rosen

Why watch this? What is the difference between genius and insanity? A mere thread. 

Dad's Review: A truly inspiring story of American mathematician John Nash, who was brilliant, but suffered from paranoid schizophrenia. This Academy Award winning film will draw you in, stun you at every curve, and, in the end, blow you away. Kudos to Crowe and Connelly, whose award-winning performances as noteworthy.

Starring: Peter Sellers, Shirley McLaine, Melvyn Douglas, Jack Warden, Richard Dysart,  Richard Basehart, Than Wyenn, David Clennon

"As long as the roots are not severed, all is well. And all will be well in the garden." - Chance The Gardener

Why watch this? It's a creative story about men who see simplicity as wisdom, which it is.

Dad's Review: This is such an interesting tale of the borderline between what is and what we want it to be. Nominated for several Academy Awards, this film was its generation’s Forrest Gump. Chauncey Gardner is a simpleton mistaken for a genius (played superbly by Peter Sellers). You have to be patient, and let this film develop, but if you do, you will be rewarded.

Starring: Kurt Russell, Dennis Dun, James Hong, Victor Wong, Kim Cattrall, Kate Burton, Donald Li, Carter Wong, James Pax

"...it's all in the reflexes." - Jack Burton

Why watch this? It's packed full of action, sci-fi, martial arts and laughs.

Dad's Review:  This was Carpenter’s last great film. It has a little bit of everything: heroes, damsels, martial arts, Chinese mysticism, floating zombie heads, you know, the usual. Russell is iconic as Jack T. Burton, an over-confident truck driver who waaay over-estimates his charm. Still, there's a lot we love about him. James Hong is also superb as the evil sorcerer Lo Pan.  

Starring: Rutger Hauer, Joan Chen, Delroy Lindo, Vincent D'Onofrio, Anna Katarina, Justin Monjo, Hugh Keays-Byrne, Max Fairchild

"I don't like brutality. I like heroics. I like the blood of heroes." - Mara

Why watch this? It's a hidden gem in the post-apocalyptic film genre.

Dad's Review: After the apocalypse, survivors congregate in small villages. Food and water are scarce in this wasteland. One form of entertainment is "The Game", which is a brutal version of "capture the flag". Teams, called jugs, compete. There are few rules and many are killed. When I first saw this rare movie treasure, I could not believe more people weren't talking about it.

Starring: Kurt Russell, Patrick Wilson, Matthew Fox, Richard Jenkins, Lili Simmons, Evan Jonigkeit, David Arquette, Kathryn Morris

"This is why frontier life is so difficult. Not because of the Indians or the elements but because of the idiots." - Samantha

Why watch this? This Western horror film is intense, gory, disturbing and wonderful.

Dad's Review: After Tombstone, I eagerly awaited Kurt Russell’s next Western. I saw this film, read the summation, and knew I’d love it sight unseen, and I did. Here ill-prepared pursuers are tracking a kidnapped girl. They then encounter a tribe of cannibalistic savages, and they are hungry. Not good.

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