Superman the Movie

Movie: Superman the Movie

Actors:  Christopher Reeve, Margot Kidder, Gene Hackman, Marlon Brando, Ned Beatty, Jackie Cooper, Valerie Perrine

Rating: 10 out of 10, first and one of greatest comic book hero movies with an absolutely awesome musical score.  This movie holds up better than just about any other movie from the 70s.  Hackman is perfect as Luther and his comments to bumbling sidekick Beatty are funny as hell.  Reeve really dominates though and is very effective in becoming totally different characters when switching between roles.

MVP:  Reeve really sells the dual role of Kent and Superman, believable in both

Superman Returns

Actors:  Kevin Spacey, Parker Posey, Brandon Routh, Kate Bosworth, James Marsden, Frank Langella

Rating: 9 out of 10, great re-telling of the Superman legend borrowing from original 70's movie.  Bosworth is a total waste as Lois Lane but Spacey is coolly evil as Luther – much more diabolical than in the original.  Routh has some real talent and I liked Marsden in his small role.MVP:  Spacey as usual is delicious as the uber villain Lex Luther

Supernova

Actors:  James Spader, Angela Bassett, Robert Forster, Lou Diamond Phillips, Peter Facinelli, Robin Tunney

Rating: 7 out of 10, short but effective SF drama with solid cast and taut script.  It keeps you guessing until the end and the villain looks so much like Tom Cruise that it is spooky. 

MVP:  Facinelli as the Tom Cruise look alike bad guy

SWAT

Actors:  Samuel L Jackson, Colin Farrell, Michelle Rodriguez, LL Cool J, Jeremy Renner

Rating: 7 out of 10, solid action movie with likable cast but without a real coherent script.  The bad guy is Renner in an early role where you can see his potential.  Jackson kind of sleep walks through this but Farrell is solid.

MVP:  LLCool J as the new member is a natural, believable and dangerous

Swordfish

Actors:  Hugh Jackman, Halle Berry, John Travolta, Don Cheadle

Rating: 7 out of 10, fast paced action with an engaging cast and really far fetched story.  Travolta is so cool as the bad guy always a step ahead of everyone else.  Jackman is a very likable star and is believable as the hacker – Berry is in the movie for two reasons and that’s kind of a waste considering her talent – but worth watching.

MVP:  Travolta despite his wierd haircut dominates as the crime boss

Tailor of Panama

Actors:  Pierce Brosnan, Jamie Lee Curtis, Geoffrey Rush, Catherine McCormack

Rating: 6 out of 10, very cool seeing scenes in Panama, where I was stationed, but the story is all over the place and never really figures out where it is going. This is what happens when they try to get everything froma besteselling book into a movie.  Rush is always fun to watch and he is perfect as the con man faking aristocratic credentials.  Brosnan starts out strong but fades in the second half.  McCormack and Curtis are two of my favorite movie sirens.

MVP:  Curtis is still white hot and more than holds her own against Rush and Brosnan

Taken

Actors:  Liam Neeson, Famke Jenson, Maggie Grace

Rating: 10 out of 10, awesome action with relentless plot and a great cast.  I thought this would be a run of the mill action movie but it clearly transcends the normal.  Neeson is perfect as a slightly over the hill operative with the motivation to save his daughter.  He is very authentic and its great to see all the creeps get taken down without any political correctness.  Superb Movie!

MVP:  Neeson out Bauers Jack Bauer as the super star operative