Category: Movies

The Godfather Part III (1990)

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When it comes to your legacy, you hope that your actions are at least good enough to block out the other actions that you aren’t too proud of. You wish to end it on your terms, with the sunset facing ever forward. Life doesn’t tend to work out like that, but the fantasy is there. In 1990, when Michael Corleone thought he was out, he was pulled back in The Godfather Part III.

Trailer

With Michael Corleone now in old age, the legacy of his criminal actions still looms over him. Now he wants to step aside to provide a peaceful retirement for his family, especially his daughter, Mary. Problems relating to the most unlikely of places risk Michael’s exit strategy. Real-world and fictional tribulations will come to a head. In what would being the final instalment of the Corleone saga.

Trailer 1

The gang films have certainly been upended with the recent instalments, no small part due to the legacy left by the first two Godfathers. There has been a sea of imitators and proteges. III still shows that the franchise can stand on its own. While the tales of the Corleone family were supposed to be wrapped up in part 2, with its prequel sequel combination, financial pressure brought Coppola back in when he thought he was out. It is interesting seeing the later years of the criminal enterprise being shown through the eyes of the Corleone family. Taking both the rumours and stories from the latter half of the century of crime, complained with some good old-fashioned gangster scenes, that are a part and parcel of the genre.

TV Spot.

Despite the decade and a half, most of the familiar faces (who have survived the last two films) make a return. Both Al Pacino and Diane Keaton return to this ultimate send-off. We have some newcomers to reflect the passage of time, like Joe Mantegna, who, if his appearances in The Simpsons didn’t tip you off, is an excellent fit as Joey Zasa. We see Mary all grown up, too. It would have been nice to see Winona Ryder or the late Rebecca Schaeffer, but carrying on from her cameo as an infant, Sofia Coppola steps in as Mary once again.

TV Spot 2.

The Godfather Part III’s biggest issue is that it has to live with following both The Godfather and its sequel. On its own, The Godfather III would have been a perfectly enjoyable entry in a tale about an aged gangster being brought back in. Dealing with both the truth and the legend in the later years of the Cosa Nostra. At least this combination offers some entertainment value and a chance for some newer faces to shine. The franchise does have an ending, not opting to refuse the offer to end on its terms.

TV Spot 3

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Mobsters (1991)

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The rise of organised crime came into its own with the organised part of the statement. Putting together such a system to coordinate the vast network of competing interests and power plays is no easy task, yet somehow, it came to be. In 1991, the tale of those who put the organised back in organised crime, in Mobsters.

Official Trailer 1

Following the rise of Lucky Luciano, and the infamous members of the Italian and Jewish gangs, mobsters including Bugsy Segal, Frank Costello, and Meyer Lansky. From their plucky origins on the crowded New York streets, to working with the established figures of the prohibition era crime. Their clashes with the old ways of doing things and their new ways may lead to innovations in the way that these mobsters operate. Putting the rise of the organisation into organised crime, and chronicling the origins of the Five Families system.

Official Trailer 2

With the critically acclaimed Bugsy on one side and Touchstone’s Billy Bathgate on the other, 1991 would prove to be an interesting year for films depicting the gangsters of yesteryear. Still, the rise of The Commission is as intriguing a topic for a film as ever. Even if you’re getting a little tired of seeing Tommy Guns and the rise and fall of those who use said Tommy Guns. There are flashes of style and brilliance in this telling of these mobsters, but also numerous scenes of guns, death, and violence that come with the territory for films like these.

TV Spot 1

Christian Slater leads as Lucky Luciano, taking over from Stanley Tucci from Billy Bathgate, still turning heads after his stint in Heathers a few years back. Alongside him is McSteamy himself, Patrick Dempsey, as Meyer Lansky. It is clear that this film is loaded with heartthrobs, putting customers in seats based on star power alone, but the assembled cast does well in their roles. There are other power players, including the late great Michael Gambon and F. Murray Abraham, representing the older guard of the pre-organised crime families. They all come together to help tell this story of the Mafia before it took hold in the heart of U.S. popular culture.

TV Spot 2

Mobsters demonstrates the plucky ingenuity of its subject by trying to be leaner and meaner during the making and the presentation. Slater et al. manage to turn heads as both the infamous Lucky Luciano and the other founding members of The Commission. The rise of this modern way of Organised Crime is an interesting subject for a film, and one that feels rare in a genre that feels well-trodden in media. While there may have been stiff competition for mobster films in the early 90s, if you were considering any other films, forget about it.

TV Spot 3

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Billy Bathgate (1991)

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Coming up to a century since the figures depicted walked the earth, the media has been awash with tales of gangsters. Organised syndicates of mobsters have been turned into living legends, with films like The Godfather and Goodfellas, dosing the cold, hard reality of their lives, lost in their depictions. Their crimes fuel their “cool factor” amongst the impressionable. In 1991, years after the events depicted in a film showed the rise and fall of one criminal empire through the young eyes of Billy Bathgate.

Trailer.

Poor but talented, Billy quickly builds up a relationship with local mobster Dutch Schultz. Doing odd jobs for his syndicate and reaping the lifestyle. Tensions are rising between the pressure from prosecutors wanting to make a name for themselves, rival gangsters looking to expand into Schultz’s operations, and disloyalty in Schultz’s ranks. Donning the name, Bathgate, temptation will also come into Bathgate’s way in the form of Drew Prescott and dealing with the unpredictable nature of Schultz. Will Bathgate find his payday at the end of his criminal career?

TV Spot.

Mobster fever was certainly in the air in the early 90s, perhaps due to the success of Goodfellas and, to a lesser extent, the Dick Tracy film. But between Bugsy and Miller’s Crossing, the competition was cutthroat for films about organised mobsters. Most of the film is told from the titular Billy’s perspective, so we are treated to a lot of shots of him reacting to the highs and lows of mobster life and the whims of Schultz. It is interesting also seeing how all that gets upended with the inclusion of Drew into the mix, sworn to protection by her ex Weinberg, who disappeared one fateful day in 1935. That being said, it is a mob film, and you will have a certain expectation of certain set pieces that they will provide. Billy’s trials through the highs and lows of mobster life will more often than not hit those marks.

Another TV Spot.

Touchstone managed to assemble a compelling cast to tell this story, the film blending real-life gangland figures with fictional characters to help drive the narrative forward. Nicole Kidman is as charming as ever as the gangster’s moll and femme fatale, Drew Prescott. It feels like hardly any time has passed since her time in that tense boat-based thriller, Dead Calm, some few years earlier. Steve Buscemi is here decades before his success as Nucky Thompson, as is Bruce Willis, who feels born to play Bo Weinberg. Even though his presence in the film is brief, he still oozes the cool customer persona that served as his Bruno character. But eyes are on Dustin Hoffman as Schultz, you never quite know what character will be in each scene, from charismatic talker to dangerous psychopath, all in the blink of an eye.

Trailer.

Billy Bathgate, although following the usual conventions of these mobster films, does tell an interesting tale of Schultz right before his fall. Blending its truth and fiction, with an impressionable youth serving as an audience surrogate, tells its crime doesn’t pay message entertainingly. If you like those tales, this is yet another example of a slice of the Cosa Nostra. While there is no shortage of crime films, the tale of Billy Bathgate is unique enough.

Official Trailer.

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The Adventures Of Pluto Nash (2002)

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When creating a film intended for the whole family to enjoy, it becomes a delicate balancing act to keep every segment entertained without straying too far in one or more directions. Sometimes the old ideas still work best, even if you have to jazz them up to sell them. In 2002, a film looked to the year 2087 to tell a story of blasters, droids, nightclubs, and the continuing Adventures of Pluto Nash.

Pluto Nash official trailer

Ex-smuggler, Pluto Nash, has recently come into great fortune by buying a failing club from his buddy and turning it around into the hippest spot on the moon. Seven years on, a Kingpin by the name of Rex Crater wants the club, and he’s willing to use hired goons to get what he wants. With an ageing robotic bodyguard and an aspiring singer/waitress, looking to make just enough money for her ticket off the Moon. Pluto must keep one step ahead to get to the bottom of Crater’s plans.

Pluto Nash Trailer

Some attention was put into trying to create a plausible, but accessible world of the future. Little America feels like a location that you can tell the designers and writers had fun coming up with fun sight gags, even if some of them aged poorly, c’est la vie. In a sense, Little America seems like the perfect backdrop for this type of adventure, and you could see further sequels in this almost retro-futuristic landscape. Like many sci-fi films made around the turn of the millennium, Pluto Nash also features some fun special effects. Not only in its world-building, but in its gags. That being said, Pluto Nash isn’t a sci-fi spectacle; in its heart lies a pulp adventure of yesteryear, too, one that is thrilling, funny, and goes in places you wouldn’t expect.

T.V. Spot

Pluto Nash’s character just happens to be a great vehicle for Murphy’s comedy. Being a character with a chequered past, a quick tongue and handy in a fight, which sums up a lot of Eddie Murphy’s more successful roles in cinema if you think about it. Rosario Dawson plays a singer, Dina Lake, who is in over her head and looking for a ticket back home. Even Jackie Brown herself, Pam Grier, shows up for a few scenes as Pluto’s outlaw mother. And no, that isn’t Brent Spiner, it is Randy Quad playing the antiquated android bodyguard Bruno, although I can see why you might be confused. A couple of cute cameos also present themselves, from Alec Baldwin, Luis Guzmán (as Pluto’s Biggest fan), and John Cleese (the automatic robot-chauffeur). It is nice that the latter could pay off his role from the abandoned Beverly Hills Cop 3 concept. So the cast is all here and does well to populate the world of Little America.

T.V. Spot 2

Pluto Nash is a cute adventure, one that is fun for all the family, and has an unearned reputation. Murphy’s charm is ever-present in this fun retro-futuristic caper that genuinely had plot developments I did not see coming. If you want a ticket for adventure, and a trip to the moon is out of the question, this film is a great substitute.

Trailer

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Star Trek: Section 31 (2025)

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Utopias don’t come fully formed, often require more efforts than just the dreamer, the real hard work of the citizens to strive for that ideal and even then, sometimes that isn’t enough. In 2025, after a substantial time in a development limbo, Star Trek finally got to tell the story of the people behind the scenes to keep the Federation boldly going in Star Trek: Section 31.

We catch up with Philippa Georgiou, the evil Emperor from the Terran Empire, now an agent for this fledgling covert operative branch, Section 31. Doing the clandestine things that the Federation don’t want to be caught doing to promote their interests in the galaxy. The group’s problems are expedited, as a super-weapon designed previously by Georgiou has found its way into this dimension, and there’s a strong possibility of a mole in the new team. In a world of cloaks, daggers and covert ops, the real adventure is who to trust.

Section 31, the clandestine black ops branch of the Federation, has attracted a lot of speculation, especially during its introduction in the late 90s. The underhanded method by which they achieve results typically goes against the Federation’s ideals. It is interesting how the threat of this film does not stem from the established foes of the Alpha quadrant, but the Terran Empire. Usually, the realm of a quirky two-parter on the classic show, and less of a looming threat. Maybe the familiar faces of the Romulans or Klingons would have been more suitable threats, for a sequel series, but considering how their fates ended up in this Nu Trek universe.

This rag-tag bunch of operatives might not be what you would expect from William Sadler’s character back in Deep Space Nine. The gang feels more like the quintessentially marketable group of ragtag heroes that have been popular lately in popular culture. You have Michelle Yeoh, fresh off her Oscar, returning as the sassy empress. Robert Kazinsky, playing Zeph, a cyborg looking like a long-lost Hemsworth and a shape-shifter, played by Sam Richardson. Eyes are on the oddly emotional Vulcan, who is a robot, with a noticeable Irish accent and the human Rachel Garrett, a call back to fan favourite episode Yesterday’s Enterprise. Striving to keep the organisation true to the Federation’s ideals. The clandestine group does keep things fun in a manner that feels similar to other sci-fi action properties mentioned earlier. Some jokes having that Whedon-esque delivery and its apocalyptic threat feel right at home with modern tastes. Especially fans of newer Trek and the like. We can only speculate what elements of the show finally made it into this salvaged film, but it does show some promise at keeping the modern Star Trek vision going.

Star Trek has seen some dramatic changes since Roddenberry pitched the idea to Desilu Productions over 60 years ago. Changing circumstances have caused the very nature of TV to evolve with the times. From multi-season arcs to a single action adventure, it shows that Nu-Trek, as it is colloquially known, can operate just as well in any setting. A film filled with action and sass, and entertainment value shouldn’t be kept under wraps for long.

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Borderlands (2024)

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Translating between one medium and another isn’t a small task. Improvements in technology and a growing art base taking the medium seriously have resulted in a golden age for video-game-to-film adaptations. While not exactly Citizen Kane, these films have become crowd pleasers, adapting the spirit and making a healthy profit. In 2024, with the franchise in an interesting position, Gearbox finally got its cinematic adaptation of its hit game franchise, Borderlands.

Long ago, the Eridians lived. They were clever, but hid their technology in a vault on a planet, Pandora. It’s since become a bit of a lawless wasteland, with everybody trying to get their hand on the keys to the vault. A prophecy says that one girl, Tina, will be the key to finally getting that vault open, so naturally, every outlaw on Pandora wants Tina, including Lilith, a bounty hunter; Roland, an ex-soldier; and Kreig, a childlike behemoth. As these unlikely mercenaries become allies, they’ll soon learn that prophecy and rules are sometimes meant to be broken.

I should preface this by saying, I am one of the few people with an internet connection who found the Borderland game franchise to not be their cup of tea. It takes all sorts to make a world, although I’ve played a few hours of the first one. So, going in relativity blind was fascinating. Bits and pieces gleaned over decades of cultural osmosis presented themselves, but Roth et al. effectively told the solid story of the franchise lore. The franchise is known for its alien landscapes and cell-shade look, and while the translation to film isn’t directly one-to-one, it does evoke the feel of the varied landmass that is Pandora, its inhabitants and its fauna. Maybe a lot of its nuance was lost in the translation on screen, but for a lot of the time, I couldn’t tell. What I could gather is that a lot of the game’s sense of humour and style made the transition to the big screen, offering a newcomer a great taste of the Borderlands experience.

The cast of characters feels especially crafted for this type of film. Such as Lilith, being a bounty hunter, you’ve got Cate Blanchett doing a kinda Decker narration of the film’s events, and I think she’s an interesting pair of eyes into the world of Pandora. Barbie’s own Ariana Greenblatt is now Tina, whose manic quips and antics feel like a stark contrast to her character in Barbie, and alongside her is Kevin Rock, who here is playing Roland. The de facto mascot, Claptrap, is also here, and at times, you couldn’t tell that the voice was Jack Black. Claptrap’s original voice actor has had strong disagreements with Gearbox, but Black manages to fill in well enough that you can hardly notice a difference. Personally, Kreig’s almost child-like innocence managed to made him an endearing character. So you’ll have a wide variety of characters to root for, even if you are, like me, not the biggest fan of the franchise going in.

Borderlands makes sense as a contender for the blockbuster treatment, with its wit, whimsy and tongue-in-cheek wackiness making it a darling for those who live, breathe and thrive on the internet. Roth mostly succeeds in translating that sense of style modernised into an hour and forty minutes, not being able to attest to what changes were made to make a blockbuster like this work. My expectations were met and then some. While I may not be the best fit for scouring Pandora, the loot here is pretty good.

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Inchon! (1981)

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The various global conflicts throughout human history have spilled countless gallons of blood, but have also given us many tales of heroism, where quick wits and nerves of steel have helped change the course of battle. The media tends to love this, spending myriad hours retelling these stories. In 1981, with strong financial backing, Director Terrance Young attempted to retell the lives of those involved with The battle of Inchon!

With the destruction of World War 2 behind it, the Asian front is in a precarious position. Ideological differences and foreign influences have split the Korean peninsula in two. Both sides want reunification with them in charge. That is, until six years later, after receiving backing from the Soviets, the North Koreans launched an invasion force that pushed the South to the brink of extinction. If Operation Chromite can be made a success, the fight to retake the peninsula can begin.

The main selling point of Inchon is the film’s depiction of the many perspectives of the people involved. I say many perspectives, but the film doesn’t focus on the North much. From the high decision-makers trying to plan Operation Chromite, to the lowly troops and civilians who lie in the balance, Inchon shows the human struggle in all avenues affected by the titular Inchon landing. In almost a similar perspective to the hit dramedy M.A.S.H. However, if you want to see plenty of daring action scenes, Inchon still has you covered.

The story behind the film might be more infamous than the film itself, with lots of figures you wouldn’t expect financing a feature film lending 40 Million, a lot of money for a film back then. But you can see that investment is reflected in the talent assembled. The film casts Laurence Oliver as General McArthur, who campaigned in the region during W.W.2 and whose expertise is called on again here. You also might recognise the original Shaft himself, Robert Roundtree is here too. Terrance Young, who you might remember from some of the more iconic ’60s James Bond films, was picked to direct this film. Robin Moore, who wrote the novel that The French Connection was based on, wrote a large part of the script too. Along with Jerry Goldsmith providing yet another iconic score.

While this infamous film is hard to find, and its reception is still talked about to this day, Inchon is more than just the fascinating story of how it came to be. If you do find a copy, watch it because you can. If the gathering of big names doesn’t impress you, then the opportunity to see some more perspectives on the Korean War, outside M.A.S.H. The tapes are circulating, still making sure that as far away as the film was from the battle, you can still see Inchon!

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Heaven’s Gate (1980)

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Throughout the course of history, genres rise and fall, tastes change and the effect is gradual enough that there’s rarely one defining moment that pushes it. There is no single trigger point. Unless, of course, an expensive flop explodes publicly. In 1980, an ambitious epic may have halted a career, bankrupted a studio, and brought down a genre in telling the story of what happened at Heaven’s Gate.

We watch the graduating class of 1870, as they are about to embark on their future. 20 years on, James is a Marshall trying to keep order in the declining days of the Wild West. Racist sentiment is increasing amongst the frontier, and a rich cabal of landowners is looking to commit out-and-out murder to further their profits. As blood is spilled on the ever-growing border, this conflict is represented in the struggle between James and Nathan, who are fighting not just for their ideals, but for the affection of the same woman too. The lives of the community of Heaven’s Gate will be caught in the balance, as they will turn to any means to keep their way of life.

Your mileage may depend on what cut of the film you see. The film tries to live up to the moniker of epic by clocking in at around 5 and a half hours. Concerned financiers edited a large chunk of the film out to make it more approachable to the average cinema-goer in the early 80s, and modern home releases attempt a compromise somewhere in the middle. What is left is an interesting tale, you feel the in the air, even during the lighthearted moments, where the cast engages in an extended roller skating sequence. If you’re committed to seeking this out, you won’t find much that suggests that this project and the talent behind it were doomed to failure.

Directed by Michael Cimino, who is following on after the success of The Deer Hunter, got given a blank check to make this film. Auteur vision-making in films is not exactly rare; their success and failures have been well-documented, as are the stories of them living and dying by the sword. Heaven’s Gate does amass some talent in front of the camera, not only to see them in an extended rollerskating sequence, or the late great John Hurt, and Kris Kristofferson too. He is pitted against Christopher Walken in an ever-encroaching showdown on many fronts. Considering this was the last gasp of the Western for some time, it is fitting that they managed to gather some great players for it.

Through a careful retelling of history, Heaven’s Gate will go down in infamy, much like Xanadu and Ishtar, and not because of the similarly named group. The Western took a step back after the film’s spectacular failure only to be reworked a decade later into 90s introspection, a studio and a promising career were left in its wake. But also a sweeping epic about a fascinating time in the life of America, a tale of romance and conflict that is indicative of the soul of the nation. If you get the opportunity, roll don’t walk to give Heaven’s Gate another chance.

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Gods and Generals (2003)

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In any conflict, there are winners and losers, this cannot be helped of course as that generally is how conflicts tend to resolve themselves. Whether you were right or wrong doesn’t really matter, or may not even be truly knowable, but the debates will echo on long after the cession of any hostilities, long after any surviving member can rebuke the argument. In 2003 to follow up on the cinematic epic of Gettysburg over a decade ago, Ted Turner and others chronicled some of the tacticians of the losing side in Gods and Generals.

Following the life of Civil War belligerent, Stonewall Jackson, Gods and Generals focuses on the Civil War largely from the Confederate’s perspective. Almost immediately after the initial attack of Fort Sumner, we learn how he got the name Stonewall and his actions up until his death after the Battle of Chancellorsville. Gods and Generals threw a spotlight on General Lee, and selected few tacticians of the Civil War.

Focusing almost exclusively on the runners-up of the Civil War, Gods and Generals feels like the call and response to the other Civil War epic Gettysburg a decade earlier. Attempting to show the South’s Secession solely from their eyes. While, there have been many factors offered towards why the South did try to break away a century and change ago. The film has characters with the almost flowery poetic language used to justify their actions, it might be a tough pill to swallow as the causes and motivations of the war are heavily debated to this day. Yet if you want to see some of the greats of cinema take on these characters, Gods and Generals gives you another chance.

Sans the great Martin Sheen, a lot of the cast of Gettysburg do return, albeit playing new roles. General Robert E. Lee is Robert Duvall, but among him are such titans acting like W. Morgan Sheppard. Stonewall himself is Stephen Lang, who has recently risen in ranks after playing Pickett in Gettysburg. He is a capable actor, from his time as Freddie in Manhunter to his recent appearances in the Avatar films as the Colonel. Depending on what version you watch, you might also get extended footage of one John Wilks Booth, a valued player on Sondheim’s musical, and noted hater of quote-unquote tyrants. Rounding out the cast of characters in this Civil War play.

You don’t get many epics like Gods and Generals, certainly not ones clocking in at over three and a half hours. However, attempting to match up with the impressive might of Gettysburg might have forced Ted Turner et al down this path. It goes without saying that now is your chance if you watched Gettysburg and developed more of a taste for more epics based around the time. Although there were three books in this trilogy, Gods and Generals couldn’t muster up that much of a demand for the final instalment to be filmed. Although the South’s flirtation with independence lasted officially for only a few years. The efforts to compile the saga to film have gone on a lot longer.

If you want more positive reviews delivered to the e-mail box of your choice, you can click on that little text bubble at the bottom of the screen. Do you agree or disagree? or have a suggestion for another pop-culture artefact that needs a positive light shone on it? Leave a comment in the comment box below! But remember to keep it positive!