The Story That Won't Go Way

Starring: Kevin Costner, Kevin Bacon, Tommy Lee Jones, Laurie Metcalf, Gary Oldman, Michael Rooker, Jay O. Sanders, Sissy Spacek, Joe Pesci, Beata Pozniak, Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau, Donald Sutherland, Ed Asner, Brian Doyle-Murray, John Candy

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ - great

"The organizing principle of any society, Mr. Garrison, is for war. The authority of the state over its people resides in its war powers. And Kennedy wanted to end the Cold War in his second term." – X

Why watch this? Oliver Stone takes on the Kennedy assassination, not an easy topic to resolve.

Plot Summary: This historical story chronicles New Orleans District Attorney Jim Garrison's investigation into the assassination of President John F. Kennedy after he becomes suspicious of the official explanation provided by the Warren Commission. As Garrison and his team delve deeper, they uncover a complex web of potential motives and inconsistencies that suggest a vast conspiracy to assassinate the president and frame Lee Harvey Oswald.
 

Dad's Preview: On the heels several box offices successes (namely Platoon 1986), Oliver Stone had the clout to address the nation's story that invented the term conspiracy theory. What he delivers is a compelling courtroom drama packed with Hollywood A-List stars, that tells a whopper, occasionally peppered with facts. That is the way Stone likes his films - controversial. Costner shines as the steadfast New Orleans District Attorney, Jim Garrison, determined to convince the jury that Kennedy was killed as part of a government conspiracy, and Lee Harvey Oswald was the scapegoat. During the trial, Garrison plays the famous Zapruder film over and over. I personally do not need to see a man's skull blown up that many times. I feel the best performance belonged to Tommy Lee Jones, as gay businessman Claw Shaw. This drama is historical, exciting, engrossing, and one possible way it might have happened.

Le Studio Canal+, Regency Enterprises,
Alcor Films, Ixtlan Corp; Warner Bros.

Being a victim was her only crime.

Starring: Jodie Foster, Kelly McGillis, Bernie Coulson, Leo Rossi, Ann Hearn, Carmen Argenziano, Steve Antin, Tom O'Brien, Woody Brown

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ - great

"What the hell are you talking about? You saw me at the hospital, what you think I asked for that? Is that what you think? If that's what you think then you get the f*** out of my house!" - Sarah Tobias

Why watch this? This fine effort jump-started the 2nd half of Jodie Foster's career.

Plot Summary: A young girl, Sarah Tobias, is hanging out at a bar having a good time, drinking a lot, and suggestively dancing. In a back pool room, four guys rape her. Nobody stops it. Determined to bring the perpetrators to justice, she hires lawyer Kathryn Murphy, who becomes equally committed to holding the men to account.

Stanley R. Jaffe, Sherry Lansing;
Paramount Pictures

A Powerful True Story Of Bitter Revenge...

Starring: Edward Woodward, Jack Thompson, Jon Waters, Bryan Brown, Charles "Bud" Tingwell, Terence Donovan, Vincent Ball, Ray Meagher, Chris Haywood, Russell Kiefel, Lewis Fitz-Gerald, Rod Mullinar, Alan Cassell, Rob Steele

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ - great

"The fact of the matter is that war changes men's natures. The barbarities of war are seldom committed by abnormal men. The tragedy of war is that these horrors are committed by normal men in abnormal situations. Situations in which the ebb and flow of everyday life have departed and have been replaced by a constant round of fear and anger, blood and death." - Harry Morant

Why watch this? This is a superb study on the Boer War, and what combat does to normal men.

Plot Summary: This military trial drama centers occurs at the end of the Second Anglo-Boer War in South Africa. Three Australian officers in the elite Bushveldt Carbineers who are accused of murder by their British commanders for the crime of murdering captured prisoners. The three, Harry "Breaker" Morant, Peter Handcock and George Witton, are assigned to Major Thomas, an inexperienced military lawyer with little time to prepare. The clear British goal is to use this event, showing their willingness to sentence their own soldiers to death, will hopefully help to end the conflict.

Sout Australian Film Corp., Australian Film Comm.,
The Seven Network, Pact Prod.;
Roadshow Film Distributors

The true story of Barbara Graham-whose murder trial shocked the world!

Starring: Susan Hayward, Simon Oakland, Virginia Vincent, Theodore Bikel, Wesley Lau, Philip Coolidge, Lou Krugman, James Philbrook, Bartlett Robinson, Gage Clark

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ - great

"A tramp, but smart. Good-looking girl, too - the kind that fools ya'." - Police Inspector describing Barbara Graham

Why watch this? Susan Hayward's performance is unforgettable.

Plot Summary: Based on the true story of Barbara Graham, a tough and reckless woman with a shady past is implicated in a robbery-murder when her criminal associates turn her in. As she fights to maintain her innocence from death row, the film focuses on her desperate struggles against the criminal justice system and the sensationalized press. The gritty narrative highlights her final days, building toward a tense, emotional climax as she faces the death penalty.

Walter Wanger, Figaro, Inc.; United Artists

Defend your Honor.

Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Robert Duvall, Vera Farmiga, Vincent D'Onofrio, Jeremy Strong, Dax Shepard, Leighton Meester, Billy Bob Thornton, Ken Howard, Emma Tremblay

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ - great

"Did you know 90% of the country believes in ghosts? Less than a third in evolution? 35% can correctly identify Homer Simpson's fictional town in which he resides, less than 1% knows the name Thurgood Marshall. But... when you put 12 Americans together in a jury and you ask for justice? Something just south of brilliance happens. Often as not, they get it right." – Hank Palmer

Why watch this? The two Roberts here deliver excellent dramatic performances.

Plot Summary: A high-powered big-city lawyer returns to his rural hometown for his mother's funeral, forced to confront his estranged, intimidating father who serves as the local judge. Tensions escalate when the judge is suddenly accused of murder, compelling the reluctant son to stay and defend him in court. Amidst a high-stakes legal battle, the dysfunctional family must confront long-buried secrets and confront their complex relationships.

Village Roadshow Pics, RatPac-Dune Ent.,
Team Downey, Big Kid Pictures;
Warner Bros. Pictures

There is no such thing as the simple truth.

Starring: Ian Holm, Sarah Polley, Caerthan Banks, Tom McCamus, Gabrielle Rose, Alberta Watson, Maury Chaykin, Stephanie Morgenstern

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ - great

"Why am I telling you this, Mr. Ansel? Because we've all lost our children. They're dead to us." - Mitchell Stephens

Why watch this? A small, isolated Canadian town is devastated by a single horrific event.

Plot Summary: After a devastating bus accident kills many children in a small Canadian town, a big-city lawyer arrives to initiate a class-action lawsuit on behalf of the grieving parents. His presence stirs up tensions within the community, which is already struggling to come to terms with the tragedy. Amidst this conflict, a teenage survivor of the accident, now facing her own challenges, plays a pivotal role in revealing the complexities of the town's grief.

Ego Film Arts; Alliance Communications

In the heart of the nation's capital, in a courthouse of the U.S. government,
one man will stop at nothing to keep his honor, and one will stop at nothing to find the truth.

Starring: Tom Cruise, Demi Moore, Jack Nicholson, Kevin Bacon, J. T. Walsh, Kevin Pollak, James Marshall, Kieffer Sutherland

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"You can't handle the truth!" - Col. Nathan Jessep

Why watch this? It it's on, I'm watching it. Cruise is great, but Nicholson, holy cow he's incredible!

Plot Summary: Two U.S. Marines are charged with the murder of a fellow Marine at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base. A team of military lawyers, including Lieut. Daniel Kaffee, takes on the case, initially expecting a simple plea bargain. However, as the investigation progresses, they uncover a potential conspiracy involving a high-ranking officer and the unauthorized disciplinary practice known as "Code Red". The lawyers must navigate the military's strict chain of command and the code of honor to uncover the truth.

Castle Rock Entertainment; Columbia Pictures

The most electrifying entertainment of our time!

Starring: Tyrone Power, Marlene Dietrich, Charles Laughton, Elsa Lanchester, John Williams, Henry Daniell, Ian Wolfe, Torin Thatcher

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"The question is, Frau Helm, were you lying then, are you lying now, or are you not in fact a chronic and habitual LIAR!" - Sir Wilfrid

Why watch this? It's a compelling courtroom drama that features top performances and more than a few twists.

Plot Summary: Based on an Agatha Christie story, this is a gripping courtroom drama set in London's Old Bailey. The film follows Leonard Vole, a man accused of murdering a wealthy widow who named him as the primary beneficiary in her will, and his cunning wife Christine, who becomes a pivotal witness in the trial. Celebrated defense barrister Sir Wilfrid Robarts takes on Vole's seemingly hopeless case, uncovering shocking twists and turns.

Edward Small Productions; United Artists

Last year's No.1 best-seller ... This year's No.1 motion picture.

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

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"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.

Plot Summary: A small-town lawyer is assigned to defend a U.S. Army lieutenant accused of murdering a man who allegedly raped his wife. The film follows the defense attorney's challenging journey as he navigates the complex legal proceedings and courtroom drama.

Carlyle Prod.; Columbia Pictures

It's all about the monkey trial that rocked America.

Starring: Spencer Tracy, Fredric March, Gene Kelly, Dick York, Donna Anderson, Harry Morgan, Claude Akins, Noah Beery Jr.

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"Why did God plague us with the capacity to think? Mr. Brady, why do you deny the one faculty of man that raises him above the other creatures of the earth, the power of his brain to reason? What other merit have we?" – Henry Drummond

Why watch this? This retells the 1925 Scopes "Monkey" Trial regarding a school teacher and Darwinism.

Plot Summary: Based on the real-life 1925 Scopes Monkey Trial, the film depicts a fictionalized account of the passionate courtroom clash between two legal giants representing opposing viewpoints. A teacher is accused of breaking a state law by teaching evolution, sparking a highly publicized legal battle that captures national attention.
 

Dad's Preview: This is a courtroom drama like no other. It features two cinematic legends in Spencer Tracy as Henry Drummond, and Fredric March as Biblical scholar Matthew Brady (he won the Best Actor Oscar for his performance). It's a heavyweight courtroom fight as these two debate the primordial question of Creation vs. Evolution. Astonishingly, we're still discussing it today. This masterpiece explores themes of intellectual freedom, the clash between religious belief and scientific inquiry, and the right to think freely.

Stanley Kramer; United Artists

She brought a small town to its feet and a huge corporation to its knees.

Starring: Julia Roberts, Albert Finney, Aaron Eckhart, Dawn Didawick, Conchata Ferrell, Marg Helgenberger, Tracey Walter, Peter Coyote

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"Ya know why everyone thinks that all lawyers are backstabbing, bloodsucking scumbags? 'Cause they are!" - Erin Brockovich

Why watch this? This is Julia Roberts at the peak of her career. She is a force.

Plot Summary: This is the true story of a tenacious single mother who, after convincing her lawyer to hire her, stumbles upon suspicious medical records hidden within real estate files. Despite lacking formal legal training, she investigates and uncovers a massive corporate cover-up involving the poisoning of a town's water supply by a large utilities company. Driven by a fierce sense of justice and empathy for the affected residents, Erin takes on the powerful corporation in a landmark class-action lawsuit.

Columbia Pic, Jersey Films; Universal Pictures

Sicily 1912. Little Italy, New York 1915. Las Vegas 1958. Cuba 1959. Washington 1962.
Miami 1972. The rise and fall of the Corleone empire.

Starring: Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton, John Cazale, Talia Shire, Lee Strasberg, G. D. Spradlin, Richard Bright

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"My father taught me many things here - he taught me in this room. He taught me: Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer." – Michael Corleone

Why watch this? This film gives us Don's origin story, and Michael's bloody rise to power.

Plot Summary: There are two interwoven narratives: one follows Michael Corleone in the late 1950s as he expands his family's criminal enterprise, and the other depicts his father Vito's youth and rise to power in New York City in the early 20th century. The film explores the themes of power, loyalty, and betrayal within the context of organized crime and the Corleone family. Both Vito and Michael navigate a dangerous world where they are forced to make difficult decisions that impact their families and the people around them.

The Coppola Company; Paramount Pictures

The most beloved Pulitzer Prize book now comes vividly alive on the screen!

Starring: Gregory Peck, Mary Badham, Phillip Alford, Brock Peters, Paul Fix, Robert Duvall, Frank Overton, John Megna, Rosemary Murphy, Ruth White

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"If you just learn a single trick, Scout, you'll get along a lot better with all kinds of folks. You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view... Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it." – Atticus Finch

Why watch this? It's a superb adaptation of the Pulitzer-winning classic novel.

Plot Summary: Scout Finch is a young girl growing up in a racially segregated Alabama town during the Great Depression. Her principled lawyer father, Atticus, defends a black man falsely accused of raping a white woman. Through the trial and interactions with their mysterious neighbor, Boo Radley, Scout and her brother Jem confront the complex realities of prejudice, injustice, and the loss of childhood innocence.

Brentwood Productions; Universal Pictures

Once in a generation...a motion picture explodes into greatness!

Starring: Spencer Tracy, Burt Lancaster, Richard Widmark, Maximilian Schell, Marlene Dietrich, Judy Garland

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"Those people, those millions of people...I never knew it would come to that. YOU must believe it, you MUST believe it." – Ernst Janning

"Herr Janning, it came to that the first time you sentenced a man to death you knew to be innocent." - Judge Dan Haywood, responding to Janning

Why watch this? Its historical significance. War criminals must face judgment.

Plot Summary: An American military tribunal convenes in post-WWII Nuremberg, Germany, to try four German judges accused of crimes against humanity under the Nazi regime. The proceedings delve into the extent of individual and collective responsibility for Nazi atrocities, examining whether the judges were simply following orders or willingly participating in a corrupt legal system. Presiding Judge Dan Haywood faces moral and political pressure as he navigates the complex issues of justice, truth, and the value of a single human life amidst a tense international backdrop including the onset of the Cold War.
 

Dad's Preview: This is the trial of the key German scientists and officers who oversaw the prison camps and atrocities that would become known as The Holocaust. It's important to see and absorb. This is a film about historical record. It happened. Don't let anyone tell you different. This all-star cast, and Kramer's stern direction, puts forth an amazing, yet understandably disturbing film. While Tracy, Widmark and Lancaster deliver memorable performances, its Maximilian Schell, as the German defense attorney, who captivates us - he's relentless as a man defending the indefensible.

Roxlom Films, Amber Entertainment;
United Artists

The Truth Can Be Adjusted

Starring: George Clooney, Tom Wilkinson, Tilda Swinton, Sydney Pollack, Michael O'Keefe, Danielle Skraastad, Wai Chan

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"I'm not the guy you kill. I'm the guy you buy! Are you so f'ing blind that you don't even see what I am? I sold out Arthur for 80 grand. I'm your easiest problem and you're gonna kill me?" - Michael Clayton

Why watch this? This is another solid effort by Clooney. He's a master of understatement.

Plot Summary: Michael Clayton works as a "fixer" at a prestigious New York law firm, essentially cleaning up the messes made by the firm and its wealthy clients. He's called in when one of the firm's senior partners, Arthur Edens, has a breakdown during a multi-billion dollar class-action lawsuit against an agricultural conglomerate called U-North. As Clayton tries to manage the fallout from Edens' erratic behavior, he uncovers corruption and potential criminal wrongdoing surrounding the lawsuit, putting his own life at risk.

Samuels Media, Castle Rock Ent., Mirage Ent.,
Section Eight Prod.; Warner Bros. Pictures

It explodes in the no-man's land no picture ever dared cross before!

Starring: Kirk Douglas, Ralph Meeker, Adolphe Menjou, George Macready, Wayne Morris, Richard Anderson, Joe Turkel, Peter Capell

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"I apologize, sir, for not telling you sooner that you're a degenerate, sadistic old man. And you can go to hell before I apologize to you now or ever again!" - Colonel Dax

Why watch this? ... it's a superb war film set in the trenches of the first World War.

Plot Summary: Colonel Dax, a French officer in World War I, is ordered by his superiors to lead his men in a suicidal assault on a German position known as the "Ant Hill". The mission ends in disaster and the French General, in an effort to deflect blame from himself, demands that three soldiers be court-martialed and executed for cowardice. Dax, a former lawyer, volunteers to defend his men against the blatant injustice of the proceedings.

Bryna Productions, Harris-Kubrick
Pictures Corp.; United Artists

Stirring - In the seeing! Precious - In the remembering!

Starring: James Stewart, Jean Arthur, Claude Rains, Thomas Mitchell, Edward Arnold, Beulah Bondi, Harry Carey, Eugene Pallette

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

DML Top 50 #34 - Dad's Full (Spoiler) Review and Deep Dive of Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

"You all think I'm licked. Well I'm not licked. And I'm gonna stay right here and fight for this lost cause!" - Senator Jefferson Smith, Tenn.

Why watch this? ... an idyllic young Senator finds himself attacked by corruption.

Plot Summary: Idealistic young man Jefferson Smith is unexpectedly appointed to the U.S. Senate to fill a vacant seat. Initially, Smith is seen as easily manipulated by corrupt political figures, including his state's powerful political boss and even his childhood hero, Senator Joseph Paine. However, when Smith proposes a national boys' camp that interferes with a corrupt land scheme, he finds himself in a fight for his ideals against the powerful forces of political corruption.
 

Dad's Preview: Nobody plays the underdog like Jimmy Stewart. This is the second Stewart-Capra collaboration. Every American should watch this, and ask yourself, "What do I stand for?" Am I pulling for the young Tennessee senator, Jefferson Smith, who still believes is fair government, helping common citizens? Or do I relate more to the senator who takes bribes from bullying businessmen? Well? I choose Jeff Smith, and a government of the people by the people and for the people. This is a MUST SEE!

Frank Capra; Columbia Pictures

An Immortal Screen Classic that will live Forever!

Starring: Renée Jeanne Falconetti, Eugène Silvain, André Berley, Maurice Schutz, Antonin Artaud, Gilbert Dalleu, Michel Simon 

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"When the mission that God has entrusted to me is over, I will again dress as a woman." - Jeanne d'Arc, when asked why she wears men's clothing

Why watch this? ... her passion, as shown here, is otherworldly.

Plot Summary: This silent film chronicles the 15th-century trial of Joan of Arc, a young warrior accused of heresy for claiming divine visions. The film focuses on her intense interrogation by church officials who attempt to force her to recant her claims and beliefs. Ultimately, she faces a brutal punishment and becomes a symbol of martyrdom and steadfast faith.

Société Générale des Films

Frank Galvin Has One Last Chance At A Big Case.

Starring: Paul Newman, Charlotte Rampling, Jack Warden, James Mason, Milo O'Shea, Lindsay Crouse, Edward Binns, Julie Bovasso

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"All I wanted in this case is an even shake. You rushed me into court in five days... my star witness disappears, I can't get a continuance, and I don't give a damn. I'm going up there and I'm going to try it. Let the jury decide." – Frank Galvin

Why watch this? Paul Newman is spectacular in this tense, courtroom drama.

Plot Summary: Has-been lawyer Frank Galvin, facing the end of his career, receives an opportunity to handle a seemingly straightforward medical malpractice suit. Initially inclined to settle, he decides to take the case to trial against a powerful hospital and the Archdiocese of Boston, seeking justice and a chance at personal redemption.

The Zanuck/Brown Company;
20th Century Fox

No one would take on his case... until one man was willing to take on the system.

Starring: Denzel Washington, Tom Hanks, Jason Robarbs, Mary Steenburgen, Antonio Banderas, Joanne Woodward

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

DML Top 50 #27 - Dad's Full (Spoiler) Review and Deep Dive of Philadelphia

"Every now and again - not often, but occasionally - you get to be a part of justice being done. That really is quite a thrill when that happens." - Andrew Beckett

Why watch this? ... are all men created equal? Apparently not all men.

Plot Summary: An ambitious lawyer Andrew Beckett is fired from his prestigious law firm after his HIV-positive status and homosexuality are discovered, prompting him to sue for wrongful termination. He hires Joe Miller, a homophobic personal injury lawyer, as his only willing advocate, and together they fight his former employers in a landmark discrimination case that challenges prejudice and reveals uncomfortable truths.

Clinica Estetico Prod.; TriStar Pictures

12 Angry Men (1957), Director: Sidney Lumet, Rated: Approved

Life Is In Their Hands -- Death Is On Their Minds!

Starring: Henry Fonda, Lee J. Cobb, Jack Warden, Jack Klugman, Martin Balsam, John Fiedler, E. G. Marshall, Edward Binns, Joseph Sweeney, Ed Begley, George Voskevec, Robert Webber

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

DML Top 50 #26 - Dad's Full (Spoiler) Review and Deep Dive of 12 Angry Men

"You don't really mean that you would kill me, do you?" Juror #8

Why watch this? A superb character study about a jury deciding a boy's fate.

Plot Summary: This film focuses on a jury's deliberation during a murder trial for a young man accused of killing his father. Initially, the vast majority of the jurors believe the defendant is guilty, but one juror raises doubt, prompting a heated debate and re-examination of the evidence. The film explores themes of justice, prejudice, and the power of individual conscience as the men must decide whether or not to reach a unanimous decision.

Orion-Nova Prod.; United Artists