Fellowship of Filming(s)

The NeverEnding Story (1984)

Wikipedia:

The NeverEnding Story (German: Die Unendliche Geschichte) is a 1984 English-language German fantasy film directed and co-written by Wolfgang Petersen (in his first English-language film), and based on the novel The Neverending Story by Michael Ende. The film was produced by Bernd Eichinger and Dieter Giessler. It stars Noah Hathaway, Barret Oliver, Tami Stronach, Patricia Hayes, Sydney Bromley, Gerald McRaney, Moses Gunn, and Alan Oppenheimer as the voices of both Falkor and Gmork (as well as other characters). The film follows a boy who happens upon a magical book that tells of a young warrior who is given the task of stopping the Nothing, a dark force, from engulfing the mystical world of Fantasia.

I really do like children’s movies based on books. Well, the ones that actually pull a kid into a book are better, which is why I like The Pagemaster too. Aside from that, this is a fun fantasy adventure movie for kids. Even though I’m an adult, I’m still a kid at heart and enjoy these types of movies.

I love the characters that appear in this movie, and I believe that they really do make the movie; I meant where would we be without Falcor? Or Morla? Or even the Southern Oracle, Rockbiter, Nighthob, Teeny Weeny, Gmork, and the Empress?

Honestly, Morla is probably my favorite. I do like turtles, a lot.

My Rating: ★★★★

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)

Wikipedia

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is a 2008 American action-adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg and the fourth installment in the Indiana Jones series. Released nineteen years after the previous film, the film is set in 1957, pitting Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) against Soviet agents—led by Irina Spalko (Cate Blanchett)—searching for a telepathic crystal skull. Jones is aided by his former lover, Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen), and her son, Mutt Williams (Shia LaBeouf). Ray Winstone, John Hurt, and Jim Broadbent are also part of the supporting cast.

I really like the more modern plot of this movie, and its another family adventure!

While there is very little religious connotations to this movie’s plot as compared to previous movies in the series, it does incorporate the current theory of “Ancient Aliens” which is still a theory (it could go either way, we simply don’t have enough evidence in my opinion).

I also really like that it’s another family adventure; Marion returns with her son Mutt, and a new/old friend in Oxley. Let’s just say by the end of the movie some old grudges have been dealt with and some new ones arise. It also sets the stage for a continuation with a new Jones at the helm.

My Rating: ★★★★

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)

Wikipedia

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade is a 1989 American action-adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg, from a story co-written by executive producer George Lucas. It is the third installment in the Indiana Jones franchise. Harrison Ford reprises the title role, while his father is portrayed by Sean Connery. Other cast members featured include Alison Doody, Denholm Elliott, Julian Glover, River Phoenix, and John Rhys-Davies. In the film, set largely in 1938, Indiana searches for his father, a Holy Grail scholar, who has been kidnapped by Nazis.

Even though this isn’t the first movie with a religious context, it is the one that gets the most personal. Indiana is forced to confront his own faith as he pursues the Holy Grail against the Nazis.

Now that I’m into the third movie I can see how each pursues a relic of religious context: the Ark of the Covenant, Shiva’s Sankara Stones, and the Holy Grail. I find that supremely interesting.

I also really liked that we got to see a young Indy (River Phoenix), whom I once had a crush on, and his father (Sean Connery). It turns it into a fun family flick!

My Rating: ★★★★

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)

Wikipedia

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom is a 1984 American action-adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg. It is the second installment in the Indiana Jones franchise and a prequel to the 1981 film Raiders of the Lost Ark, featuring Harrison Ford reprising his role as the title character. After arriving in India, Indiana Jones is asked by desperate villagers to find a mystical stone and rescue their children from a Thuggee cult practicing child slavery, black magic and ritualistic human sacrifice in honor of the goddess Kali.

At this point, what I don’t understand is why this film wasn’t made first… it’s the first in the series, right?

Anyway, the Temple of Doom gets a bit into Indian mythology, which I wholeheartedly support. I love mythology, doesn’t matter which one, I love the stories. I will also say that India mythology is one that I know very little about, so I can’t say if the stories of the Gods involved is made up (ha ha) or based on the stories.

Digressing from there, I love all the secret passages, the brain-washing, and the triumphant return! Also, the elephant. Love that elephant.

My Rating: ★★★★

Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

Wikipedia

Raiders of the Lost Ark (later marketed as Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark) is a 1981 American action-adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg, written by Lawrence Kasdan from a story by George Lucas and Philip Kaufman. It was produced by Frank Marshall for Lucasfilm Ltd., with Lucas and Howard Kazanjian as executive producers. The film originated from Lucas’s desire to create a modern version of the serials of the 1930s and 1940s. The first installment in the Indiana Jones franchise, the film stars Harrison Ford as archaeologist Indiana Jones, who battles a group of Nazis searching for the Ark of the Covenant. It co-stars Karen Allen as Indiana’s former lover, Marion Ravenwood; Paul Freeman as Indiana’s rival, French archaeologist René Belloq; John Rhys-Davies as Indiana’s sidekick, Sallah; Ronald Lacey as Gestapo agent Arnold Toht; and Denholm Elliott as Indiana’s colleague, Marcus Brody. Production was based at Elstree Studios, England, but filming also took place in La Rochelle, France, Tunisia, Hawaii, and California from June to September 1980.

This is the first film produced in the series, but technically not the first in the film’s timeline, that belongs to the Temple of Doom. This is a movie my parents had, and so I watched it growing up. I’ve seen it at least a million times. It still hasn’t gotten old.

Harrison Ford is another actor favorite (I mean he’s also Han Solo), and I quite like his female counterpart (who reappears in a sequel). This is also another action adventure classic movie and movie series. There isn’t much else I can say except it’s been a movie favorite of mine for a couple decades now.

My Rating: ★★★★

Child’s Play (1988)

Wikipedia

Child’s Play is a 1988 American horror film directed and co-written by Tom Holland, and produced by David Kirschner from a story by Don Mancini. It is the first film in the Child’s Play series and the first installment to feature the character Chucky. It stars Catherine Hicks, Dinah Manoff, Chris Sarandon, Alex Vincent, and Brad Dourif. Hicks plays a widowed mother who gives her son a doll for his birthday, unaware that the doll is possessed by the soul of a serial killer.

Creepy possessed dolls are seriously creepy. Seriously. Taking innocent children’s toys and turning them into psychopathic murderers just isn’t right. But it does make for a good movie. Well, movie series, there’s more than one of these things.

I’ve never seen the movie in it’s entirety until I sat down and watched it on YouTube. There were several moments that mad me cringe: Karen being considered crazy and the cop not even taking a second look (until that crazy turns up and tries to kill you), at what point do you stop the car and bail while trying to avoid being murdered?

Also, why isn’t this a supernatural horror movie? It deals with souls and soul transfers, so why not?

My Rating: ★ ★ ★

The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)

Wikipedia

The Rocky Horror Picture Show is a 1975 musical comedy horror film by 20th Century Fox, produced by Lou Adler and Michael White and directed by Jim Sharman. The screenplay was written by Sharman and actor Richard O’Brien, who is also a member of the cast. The film is based on the 1973 musical stage production The Rocky Horror Show, with music, book, and lyrics by O’Brien. The production is a parody tribute to the science fiction and horror B movies of the 1930s through to the early 1960s. Along with O’Brien, the film stars Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon, and Barry Bostwick and is narrated by Charles Gray with cast members from the original Royal Court Theatre, Roxy Theatre, and Belasco Theatre productions including Nell Campbell and Patricia Quinn. It is widely considered a Cult film.

A musical, a classic, and Tim Curry in drag. Wonderful.

This is another movie where it’s hard to find anything new to say since so many things have already been said. You could say it has the flair of a parody. You could say it’s a comedy. You could say it’s horror. All of which would be true in one context or another.

I like Tim Curry as an actor, and this is him at his best. This is by far his most outrageous performance. The song “Time Warp” has been a radio hit, and is played at dances still. You just can’t beat those Transsexual Transylvanian Transvestites.

My Rating: ★★★

Grease (1978)

Wikipedia

Grease is a 1978 American musical romantic comedy film based on the 1971 musical of the same name by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. Written by Bronte Woodard and directed by Randal Kleiser in his theatrical feature film debut, the film depicts the lives of greaser Danny Zuko and Australian transfer student Sandy Olsson who develop an attraction for each other. The film stars John Travolta as Danny, Olivia Newton-John as Sandy, and Stockard Channing as Betty Rizzo, the leader of the Pink Ladies.

There’s not too much I can say about this movie that hasn’t already been said several times over. It’s a classic. It’s a musical. Several of the songs have been radio hits. There are many moments that are quotable and memorable.

I will say that I’m not a big fan of the ending. It seems a little one-sided for my tastes. I do like this movie though, have re-watched it several times, own the soundtrack, and love the music.

My Rating: ★★★

The Ring (2002)

Wikipedia

The Ring is a 2002 American supernatural horror film directed by Gore Verbinski and starring Naomi Watts, Martin Henderson, David Dorfman, Brian Cox, and Daveigh Chase. It is a remake of the 1998 Japanese horror film Ring, based on the novel of the same name by Koji Suzuki. Watts portrays a journalist who investigates a cursed videotape that seemingly kills the viewer seven days after watching it.

Wikipedia bills this as a supernatural horror. I disagree with this somewhat. It is supernatural, and maybe it does start out as a horror flick. But it quickly turns into a sad family drama.

Don’t get me wrong, I love a good horror movie, and I see why this one fits the genre, but it is so much more than that. So much more. It also features a classic ending that horror movies love, bringing it back to horror movie status.

My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★

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