The Invisible Man: Special Edition (1933)

Featuring: Claude Rains, Gloria Stuart, William Harrigan, Henry Travers. Director: James Whale.

The Invisible Man is probably my favorite of the old school Universal monster movies. The reason is definitely Claude Rains incredible performance. Rains plays a scientist who discovers a serum that turns whoever injects it completely invisible. As with most drugs, there are side effects. In this case... madness.

It's hard to pull off madness without it coming across as campy. Watching this movie now, as opposed to as a kid, I can really appreciate how good of a job Rains did. It's really unbelievable to me that an actor you can't even see can completely command all of your attention on screen. The most comparable performance I can think of to this one is Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight. Rains and Ledger created characters that were both supremely creepy, insane, and completely unpredictable. The chaos caused by the Joker and The Invisible Man is some of the most random, and wild anarchy you'll see on screen.

This is one of my favorite movies. It's a technical marvel in old school filmmaking with wonderful acting. If you've never seen it and you like sci-fi type horror you really owe it to yourself to queue this one up. You won't be disappointed, The Invisible Man is way ahead of it's time.

Click here to add this to your Netflix queue.

According to Netflix this movie will stop streaming on 5/1/14. Of course, sometimes they lie.

The Standard 5:

Why is it in your queue? It's a classic, it should be in everyone's queue.

Is it artsy? No, but Rains is an evil genius.

What stood out the most to you? Rains performance and spotting Clarence from It's a Wonderful Life.

What mood should I be in to watch this movie? Ready to witness sci-fi horror madness.

What rating did you give it on Netflix? 5 Stars!
 

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Duck, You Sucker (1971)

Featuring: Rod Steiger, James Coburn. Director: Sergio Leone.

Warning: This movie is only supposed to be available for streaming until Jan. 1st. Act fast!

Look at that cover. Look at it. How could anyone not be intrigued by the possibilities? A cover like this one is only found on two kinds of movies. Awful movies, and awfully awesome movies. Luckily, this one is representative  of the latter. I should have known that after I saw the king of spaghetti westerns, Sergio Leone, was at the helm.

The first ten minutes of this film are strange, confronting and to be honest made me a little queasy - in a good way. The rest of the film is partly hilarious, a bit over the top, and disturbingly tragic. Needless to say there is a lot going on this film.

It stars James Coburn as an IRA explosives-man on the run in Mexico during the revolution. Coburn's character meets up with a bandit, played by Rod Steiger, who is out to make the score of a lifetime and just happens to need a man that is good with dynamite. The two are rivals and confrontational at first but eventually build enough mutual respect to become friends. I won't really go into where the story goes from there, except that to say it goes all over the place and not in directions you will expect.

This is one of those movies you find yourself enjoying way more than you thought you would. It's a roller coaster ride, filled with  the ups and downs, the fear and all the excitement that goes with it. Check it out, you'll either love it or hate it. But, you're queue will look much cooler with that cover in it.

Click here to add this to your Netflix queue.

According to Netflix this movie will stop streaming on 1/1/12. Of course, sometimes they lie.

The Standard 5:

Why is it in your queue? Look at that cover, seriously.

Is it artsy? Not at all.

What stood out the most to you? From the disturbing opening ten minutes I was hooked.

What mood should I be in to watch this movie? Looking for something over the top, a little disturbed and different.

What rating did you give it on Netflix? 4 Stars.  

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Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958)

Featuring: Elizabeth Taylor, Paul Newman, Burl Ives. Director: Richard Brooks.

Warning: This movie is only supposed to be available for streaming until Jan. 1st. Act fast!

With Paul Newman and Elizabeth Taylor joining forces I think Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, hands down, wins the award for prettiest eyes in a movie. Taylor is smoking hot as the neglected wife who is completely desperate to get her husband into bed and Newman plays opposite her as a stubborn drunk who has given up on life. Somehow, I think only Paul Newman could play that role sexy. And yes, I am feeling very secure in my masculinity as I write this review.

Despite the bad southern accents (as twitterer @Tny8 pointed out, because being a Chicagoan I can't tell a bad one from an authentic one), I found myself getting all wrapped up in the drama of this movie. When I wasn't busy thinking about how bad I wanted Liz (yes, we're on a first name basis), I found myself relating to the troubles of Newman's character. I understand high expectations, and I understand not living up to them. Particularly now that my 30th birthday is just around the corner (same age as Newman's character). That sort of pressure can be hard to escape, it can be hard to find yourself, and I suppose it could make you even do something as insane as neglect a woman as foxey as Liz Taylor in her prime.

That sort of depression can only come from complexity. The complexity in this movie, and Newman's character, is born from his insanely dysfunctional family, the suicide of a best friend, and the pain and suffering young love can bring about. Over the course of the 24 hours portrayed in this movie Newman is able to work through his issues with his father (interesting performance from Burl Ives) and his wife. Were the answers satisfactory? I won't spoil that, but I will say that in life, they rarely are.

Click here to add this to your Netflix queue.

According to Netflix this movie will stop streaming on 1/1/12. Of course, sometimes they lie.

The Standard 5:

Why is it in your queue? Paul Newman and Elizabeth Taylor. Do I really need any other reason?

Is it artsy? No, but it is based on a Tennessee Williams play and my understanding is he was a bit of an artist with that sort of thing..

What stood out the most to you? Paul Newman gave a great performance, Taylor was f***** hot.

What mood should I be in to watch this movie? Looking for conflict and sizzle.

What rating did you give it on Netflix? 4 Stars.  
 

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Giant (1956)

Featuring: Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson, James Dean. Director: George Stevens.

Warning: This movie is only supposed to be available for streaming until Jan. 1st. Act fast!

You can't really go wrong with a cast like Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson and James Dean. Each of them were legends in their own right. I also believe that Hudson and Dean gave the best performances of their careers in this movie (Hate to admit it, but I think Rebel Without a Cause is a bit overrated).

Hudson was wonderful as a wealthy, traditional Texas rancher who falls for the strong-willed (surprise, surprise) Elizabeth Taylor the moment they met. This is really a tale of their marriage over the years, and the dysfunctional family the two of them produced. The charisma between Hudson and Taylor is absolutely fantastic and some of the most memorable scenes are the two of them in bed arguing like an old married couple. It's hard to pull off those simpler moments in life and make them relateable and the two of them are very convincing.

James Dean plays Hudson's rival who has a huge chip on his shoulder and uses that motivation to work his way from the bottom to build his own empire. He creates a complex, if troubled character and portrays a man with an inferiority complex wonderfully. Overall, this is a fantastic epic well worth the over three hour run-time. You will witness some of the greatest actors of all time doing what they do best, creating characters that are believable, like us yet different and very compelling. You should definitely check this one out.

Click here to add this to your Netflix queue.

According to Netflix this movie will stop streaming on 1/1/12. Of course, sometimes they lie.

The Standard 5:

Why is it in your queue? I'm in love with Elizabeth Taylor, and not in some creepy necrophilia kind of way either you sicko.

Is it artsy? No.

What stood out the most to you? The chemistry Taylor and Hudson had as an old married couple could be really funny at times.

What mood should I be in to watch this movie? In the mood to watch a good movie with humor, intrigue and interesting characters. Also, you should have about three and a half hours because it's pretty long.

What rating did you give it on Netflix? 4 Stars.

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Destry Rides Again (1939)

Featuring: Jimmy Stewart, Marlene Dietrich. Director: George Marshall.

Warning: This movie is only supposed to be available for streaming until Dec. 25th. Act fast!

I've always associated the holidays with Jimmy Stewart. His charm, the peculiar way in which he talks and the morally upstanding, but mischievous characters he plays, give me the warm and fuzzy feeling I crave in between thanksgiving and new years day. Before I decided to watch It's a Wonderful Life for the millionth time, I thought I'd see what else ol' Jimmy had on Netflix. I came across a few movies and the one I decided to watch first was Destry Rides Again.

I picked this one mostly because I had no idea how the hell a guy like Jimmy Stewart would fit into a western genre known more for violence and rough characters than that aw-shucks charm Mr. Stewart is famous for. Throw the always intriguing Marlene Dietrich into the mix and I just couldn't resist. This movie wasn't at all what I expected when I turned it on, but after watching it, I thought that it was exactly what I should have expected. Jimmy Stewart fit in the way he always fits in, with that unique force of nature he seems to possess.

Having Marlene Dietrich playing opposite of him made this movie quite the treat. She played a wild and sometimes venomous woman that was always interesting when on screen and her chemistry with Stewart was wonderful. Stewart played a sort of pacifist sheriff out to bring law and order to a wild west town. The premise is a little silly, but the performances of Dietrich and Stewart make the end product wonderful. If you like westerns, and/or Stewart and Dietrich, queue this one up immediately.

Click here to add this to your Netflix queue.

According to Netflix this movie will stop streaming on 12/25/11. Of course, sometimes they lie.

The Standard 5:

Why is it in your queue? I just couldn't imagine what Jimmy Stewart would be like in a western.

Is it artsy? No, its good raunchy (for the time) fun.

What stood out the most to you? How wild Marlene Dietrich could be.

What mood should I be in to watch this movie? In the mood to watch an old movie that will make you laugh.

What rating did you give it on Netflix? 4 Stars.

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Abbott & Costello Meet the Mummy (1955)

Featuring: Bud Abbott, Lou Costello. Director: Charles Lamont.

I must be feeling nostalgic lately because as with yesterday's reminisces on classic monster movies, today I'm reviewing another type of movie that makes me think of being a kid. That kind of movie would be any movie featuring the classic comedy team of Abbott and Costello. When I was a kid, the only people in black and white that I found funny were The Three Stooges and Abbott and Costello. In fact, they still crack me up to this day.

As you could probably guess from the title, in this one the two buddies end up in Egypt with mummys walking about and scaring the pants off of our half-brained heroes. As with all Abbott and Costello flicks there is great comedic timing and some kick ass one-liners. Unfortunately, for me anyway, it wasn't as packed with laughs as some of the other movies they made. It might have been because I was on the tail end of an all day movie marathon when I watched it, but it just didn't seem to have the same comedic brilliance many of their other films did.

Don't get me wrong, there were still moments that made me laugh, there just weren't as many. A few times during the movie I wished I was watching Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein instead. If you're an Abbott and Costello fan you'll still enjoy this movie, but if you're just looking to dive into their catalog now I'd recommend starting with one of their other films.

Click here to add this movie to your Netflix queue.

According to Netflix this movie will stop streaming on 1/1/13. Of course, sometimes they lie.

The Standard 5:

Why is it in your queue? Abbott and Costello are one of the greatest comedic teams in film history.

Is it artsy? Nope, it's old time vaudeville style laughs.

What stood out the most to you? The chemistry between Abbott and Costello (as is to be expected).

What mood should I be in to watch this movie? Ready to laugh.

What rating did you give it on Netflix? 3 Stars. 

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Creature from the Black Lagoon: Special Edition (1954)

Featuring: Richard Carlson, Julie Adams, Richard Denning. Director: Jack Arnold.

When it comes to horror movies, I've always had a soft spot for the classics. When I was little and it was around Halloween, my Dad would go to the video store and come back with titles like Dracula and The Mummy. Once we popped in the VHS tape and got the tracking adjusted as best we could, I would lay on the floor and get wrapped up in classic tales told by Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff and the like.

I have to confess that until this year Creature from the Black Lagoon is the one classic monster movies I had never seen. Maybe, it was hard to find on VHS. Maybe my Dad didn't care for it, or maybe it was just because he's allergic to fish. Whatever the reason, I never had the opportunity to watch it until this Halloween and I'm glad I did.

Creature from the Black Lagoon tells the story of an archeological expedition that finds evidence of a mysterious creature never before observed by man. They end up following the trail to a lagoon deep in the jungle and discover a fish-like but humanoid type monster. As with most of the classic monster movies it is possible to develop a bit of sympathy for the monster. You can understand why he is doing what he is doing, but you also know that there is no choice but to fight him.

It's a shame I hadn't seen this one earlier because it does rank up there with the other classics. It has all the tension, the mystery and wonder of movies like The Wolf Man and Frankenstein. I'm just only getting to appreciate that now.

Click here to add this movie to your Netflix queue.

According to Netflix this movie will stop streaming on 1/1/13. Of course, sometimes they lie.

The Standard 5:

Why is it in your queue? It's the one classic monster movie that I've never seen.

Is it artsy? Nope.

What stood out the most to you? The underwater scenes were all well done. As would be expected.

What mood should I be in to watch this movie? Looking for old school thrills.

What rating did you give it on Netflix? 4 Stars. 

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The Tomb of Ligeia (1964)

Featuring: Vincent Price, Elizabeth Shepard. Director: Roger Corman.

The third movie in my Vincent marathon is yet another Poe inspired collaboration between Price and Corman. The story is centered around a love triangle between Price's character, his second wife (sort of) and his dead wife. Yes this movie has it all. Creepy atmosphere, beautiful locations and possible necrophilia.

This one is more subtle and has slower pacing the most of Corman's films which tend to be a little more tongue-in-cheek. The deliberate pace lends to the ominous feel of the film but also makes it a little slow at time. I have to admit, there were times early on when I was focusing more on Elizabeth Shepard's rack than the story. However, the story eventually builds and the ending drew me in more. This wasn't my favorite Price film, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.

Click here to add this movie to your Netflix queue.

According to Netflix this movie will stop streaming on 5/1/13. Of course, sometimes they lie.

The Standard 5:

Why is it in your queue? Vincent Price makes my panties moist.

Is it artsy? For a Vincent Price film? Sort of, but not really at all.

What stood out the most to you? How upset PETA must be about the end of this movie.

What mood should I be in to watch this movie? A quiet mood with the patience to let the story build.

What rating did you give it on Netflix? 3 Stars. 

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Tales of Terror (1962)

Featuring: Vincent Price, Peter Lorre, Basil Rathbone. Director: Roger Corman.

The second film in this year's Vincent Price marathon is a collection of three stories based on the work of Edgar Allan Poe. Tales of Terror teams up the original king of b-movie horror Vincent Price, with a few of my favorites from the genre: Peter Lorre, Basil Rathbone, and director Roger Corman. In my eyes, there was really no way I could go wrong with this choice.

This one was even a little better than I was expecting. While it's not as great as other Price classics such as the The Fly, House on Haunted Hill or The Last Man on Earth, it is definitely the most enjoyable of the Edgar Allan Poe based movies he is so well known for. While Price was wonderful as always, Basil Rathbone and particularly Peter Lorre in the second story really stood out. If you like Vincent Price and his brand of horror this is definitely one you need to check out.

To add this movie to your Netflix queue click here.

According to Netflix this movie will stop streaming on 5/1/13. Of course, sometimes they lie.

The Standard 5:

Why is it in your queue? You really can't go wrong with Peter Lorre and Vincent Price on the screen together, they're an incredible duo.

Is it artsy? No, it's Vincent Price and company in all of their b-movie glory.

What stood out the most to you? Peter Lorre really stole the show in the second story.

What mood should I be in to watch this movie? Ready to watch some well done classic Edgar Allan Poe inspired tales..

What rating did you give it on Netflix? 4 Stars. 

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The Bat (1959)

Featuring: Vincent Price, Agnes Moorehead. Director: Crane Wilbur.

Well, the time has come for my annual Vincent Price marathon. Nothing gets me in the Halloween spirit more than the man with the creepiest voice in history. First up was the murder mystery, The Bat. One million dollars has turned up missing and there is a murderer on the prowl looking for the stolen loot.

If it wasn't for the killer dressing up like a bat (who ironically has a costume that reminds me more of Catwoman), this would be your standard whodunit murder mystery. And that's not a bad thing, I love old school mysteries like this and with Vincent Price in the lead you can't really go wrong. I enjoyed this one, there were just enough twists and turns to keep it from getting boring. If you like murder mysteries and/or Vincent Price, then give this one a try.

Click here to add this movie to your Netflix queue.

According to Netflix this movie will stop streaming on 3/15/13. Of course, sometimes they lie.

The Standard 5:

Why is it in your queue? All available Vincent Price movies are in my queue.

Is it artsy? No, classic mystery.

What stood out the most to you? Vincent Price and a couple of the twists (which I won't mention).

What mood should I be in to watch this movie? Looking to solve a mystery. I figured it out before the movie explained it, but I still enjoyed the ride.

What rating did you give it on Netflix? 3 Stars. 

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La Strada: Special Edition (1954)

Featuring: Anthony Quinn, Giulietta Masina, Richard Basehart. Director: Federico Fellini.

Warning: This movie will stop streaming on May 26th so act fast!

Sadly, The Criterion Collection is moving from Netflix over to Hulu Plus soon and many of their wonderful films are expiring in the next month or so. For those of you that are unfamiliar with Criterion, they are dedicated to taking the best films, completely restoring them and making them available in a way that they never have been before. They tend to restore films that mainstream audiences haven't really paid much attention to, but that film buffs love. Basically, expect a lot of Frederico Fellini, Francois Truffaut and Akira Kurosawa reviews on this site in the near future.

La Strada is a film from famed Italian director Frederico Fellini about an innocent, and very peculiar girl. She gets sold by her impoverished mother to a brutish traveling strongman who performs at circuses and on the streets to hustle up money. He's a drinker, a lover of whores and an all around unpleasant guy. He's played by Anthony Quinn who gives a brilliant performance. His counterpart, played by Giuletta Masina, was wonderful as well. Although, I have to admit, her character is probably one of the hardest to grasp that I've ever come across in cinema. I'm not sure if she is supposed to be simple, childish, stupid, or somehow the smartest one in the film.

I don't really get why she stays with Quinn's character, or really why anyone is the way they are. If you're the kind of person that needs answers by the end of a movie this probably won't be a film for you. Sometimes that annoys me, but with this film it added to the incredible charm and fancy of the film. Some of the moments are breathtaking in the most spectacularly ordinary ways. It's a gorgeous piece of cinema that shows the dirtiness of Italy at the time as well as it's striking beauty. As you can see from the last paragraph, it has left me full of contradictions and I couldn't be happier for it.

If you're adventurous enough to try movies that feel different, look different and are in a different language then you should try this one out. I really enjoyed my time with it even if I'm not exactly sure why. I know it's saying something about life and love but I have no idea what. That's part of the fun I think, because really, the whole thing could just be saying nothing and I wouldn't know.

Click here to add this movie to your Netflix queue.

According to Netflix this movie will stop streaming on 5/26/11. Of course, sometimes they lie.

The Standard 5:

Why is it in your queue? I've recently developed a new appreciation for Italian cinema.

Is it artsy? Yes, you could call it that. It's not a bunch of existential bull****, but I'd still call it artsy.

What stood out the most to you? Trying to figure that intriguing girl out. Well, that and the incredible setting and cinematography.

What mood should I be in to watch this movie? Open minded and with a childlike sense of awe.

What rating did you give it on Netflix? 4 Stars. 
Sorry, couldn't find a trailer in English.

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The Vampire's Ghost (1945)

Featuring: John Abbott, Charles Gordon, Peggy Stewart. Director: Lesley Selander

The Vampire's Ghost is a b-horror movie from the 1940's. It's a simple vampire flick set in Africa. One of the colonists happens to be a vampire. The natives of course know he's a vampire because natives are in touch with ancient evils and what not. A lot of it is pretty racist which I kind of expected. The natives were all painted up, dressed in loin cloths and talked exactly like Tarzan. Although you can tell from their tone of voice that they were really just some dudes from Brooklyn trying to make a buck.

There is nothing really that special about this movie but it wasn't overly corny or anything either (except for the natives). The acting was decent, the story was OK, and they didn't try to do too much with special effects. It was entertaining enough but definitely not anything you need to watch.

Click here to add this movie to your Netflix queue.

According to Netflix this movie will stop streaming on 7/15/13. Of course, sometimes they lie.

The Standard 5:

Why is it in your queue? I thought the chic on the cover was hot.

Is it artsy? No.

What stood out the most to you? The silly way the natives talked.

What mood should I be in to watch this movie? Looking for an average b-horror movie from the 40's.

What rating did you give it on Netflix? 2 Stars. 


Sorry, couldn't find a trailer for this one.

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The Lady from Shanghai (1958)

Orson Welles has to be the most interesting character in the history of film direction. From the moment he burst onto the scene with the breathtaking masterpiece Citizen Kane, his career was surrounded by battles with studios and controversy like no other director has faced since. I admire the man so much that I will watch absolutely anything that even mentions his name.

The Lady from Shanghai is one of Welles' forays into film noir. The movie stars Welles as a brutish sailor who gets hired on by the stunning Rita Hayworth to be a deckhand on her husband's yacht. This pleasure cruise turns out to be anything but fun as the rotten character of all persons involved in this sordid love triangle comes to light. Despite being set in beautiful locations there is a sinister air that hangs over the entire movie that really gives the movie an interesting mood.

While clearly not a masterpiece on the level of Citizen Kane (but really what else is?), this in some ways flawed movie is still something every lover of film noir and Orson Welles should experience. The plot is complex but isn't difficult to follow. Welles plays his part well and the supporting cast is just the right amount of creepy. Rita Hayworth is the real star though. She is incredibly sexy in this role and really commanded my attention with her performance. If you're a fan of Welles or film noir you definitely owe it to yourself to the queue this one up.

Click here to add this movie to your Netflix queue.

According to instantwatcher.com this movie will stop streaming on 3/1/11.

The Standard 5:

Why is it in your queue? Orson Welles.

Is it artsy? No.

Best thing about the movie? The cool mirror scene at the end.

What mood should I be in to watch this movie? Looking for a good film noir flick.

What rating did you give it on Netflix? 4 Stars.

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His Girl Friday (1940)

I've got a strange nostalgia for the romance of the old newspaper business. I have no idea why considering I've never worked at a paper, known anyone that works at a paper, and I don't really know anything about journalism. It's probably because of movies like this brilliant film that I feel that way.

His Girl Friday stars Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell as hard as nails reporters with very questionable morals. Russell play's Grant's ex-wife and a love triangle is formed when Russell attempts to move on by promising to marry her doting fiance as soon as they leave for Albany. She of course gets wrapped up in one last big story before she can leave and Grant uses every dirty trick in the book to keep her on it.

This Howard Hawks directed film was really a joy to watch. The dialogue was so lively, fast paced and fluid that it held me in rapt attention throughout. It made me want to talk faster, be more manipulative and start my own paper. If you've never seen this movie you really should. From the wonderful performances of Grant and Russell to the incredible and hilarious dialogue there is really nothing you won't love about this movie.

Click here to add this movie to your Netflix queue. 

This movie is available for streaming on Netflix until 3/1/11.

The Standard 5:

Why is it in your queue? It's supposed to be one of the great movies of all time, it is.

Is it artsy? Nope.

Best thing about the movie? The fast-paced back and forth of the dialogue.

What mood should I be in to watch this movie? Looking to be entertained and have a few laughs.

What rating did you give it on Netflix? 5 Stars!

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Harvey (1950)

I can't believe I've never seen this movie. I've always had a soft spot for Jimmy "Lasso the Moon" Stewart and the premise for Harvey is just so off the wall that it's really surprising to me that not only had I never seen this but never even heard of it. Stewart plays an extremely charming drunk whose best friend happens to be a six foot, three and a half inch tall rabbit that no one else in the world can see. When I read the description I thought that there must be some sort of mistake and that this was really some indie knock-off of Donnie Darko.

Needless to say I had to investigate further and hit the play button. For the next hour and forty-five minutes I was treated to the warmest, most ridiculous, hilarious, surprising and touching movie I've seen in quite some time. I love Jimmy Stewart and I think this is hands down the most interesting character he has ever portrayed. From his peculiar way of talking, to his warm smile and genuine charm Stewart completely knocked this one out of the park.

He wasn't the only bright spot though. The entire supporting cast really shined (there was one unlikable character if  you want to split hairs). Everyone was really wonderful and I could keep rambling on about this movie forever but it would only keep you from watching it sooner. Even if you don't like old movies you'll still enjoy this one. Add this to your queue right now!

Click here to add this movie to your queue.

The Standard 5:

Why is it in your queue? Because the description seemed so quirky and magical to me.

Is it artsy? No, but Stewart's performance could be considered a work of art.

Best thing about the movie? The painting of Stewart and Harvey. I seriously need that for my apartment.

What mood should I be in to watch this movie? Best if watched after a bad day, it'll really cheer you up.

What rating did you give it on Netflix? 5 Stars!

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Them! (1954)

Have you ever woke up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat because you were worried about giant radioactive ants attacking you and your family? Who hasn't, right? Well this sci-fi classic shows you just might what happen if that nightmare came to life. In Them! fallout from the nuclear tests in White Sands Nevada cause a bunch of ants in the desert to mutate into massive beasts. Because they have little vegetation for sustenance they turn carnivorous and start attacking the locals. A hush-hush operation is then undertaken to get rid of them before the country is thrown into a panic.

Based on the cover I assumed this was going to be a B-Movie cheese-fest. Isn't that an awesome cover by the way? I'd put that on my wall. I digress, this was actually a really well plotted and acted movie. It feels a lot like a crime drama at parts because the first bit of the movie is the investigation. Warner Brothers didn't hold back on this one they actually made sure it had a budget to be well done for it's time. If you like old school monster/sci-fi movies you'll probably enjoy this movie.

Click here to add this movie to your queue.

The Standard 5:

Why is it in your queue? The cover, look at it!

Is it artsy? No.

Best thing about the movie? Obviously the giant ants.

What mood should I be in to watch this movie? A well done old school monster movie.

What rating did you give it on Netflix? 3 Stars. 

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Fort Apache (1948)

I've only just recently started watching old westerns so the expectations I had going in is that they'd be about a bunch of cowboys killing a bunch of Indians wearing feathers. I wasn't really expecting much depth or attention to social issues. I was more expecting overtly racist films just churned out for profits. While I'm sure that is out there I have to say I've been pleasantly surprised so far.

In John Ford's classic Fort Apache the Native Americans aren't treated as blood-thirsty savages but as a nation trying to take care of it's people. The movie stars Henry Fonda as a military officer who has fallen out of favor with the army brass so gets transferred to the sleepy western outpost Fort Apache. His hubris and desire to be restored to a better post lead him to underestimate the Apaches and as a result the soldiers under his command and members of the Apache nation needlessly pay the price. John Wayne plays the counter to Fonda's arrogance. Wayne's character has been stationed at Fort Apache for a number of years and as a result respects the cunning of the Apache people and instead of wishing to attack them would much prefer a peace treaty.

The more I watch his movies the more I am beginning to realize that John Ford is one of those rare directors that can handle the complexity of controversial historical and social issues and still make an entertaining movie out of it. John Wayne and Henry Fond were both very good in their respective roles and if you're looking for a good western this would be a great place to start.

Click here to add this movie to your queue.

The Standard 5:

Why is it in your queue? I've been meaning to watch more westerns and I think it's required to start out with John Wayne and John Ford.

Is it artsy? No.

Best thing about the movie? The way they portrayed the folly of a commanding officer who underestimates his opponents.

What mood should I be in to watch this movie? For some westerny goodness.

What rating did you give it on Netflix? 4 Stars.

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Bullitt (1968)

I've never seen any Steve McQueen movies before so I thought I'd give this one a try. He's supposed to be another one of those classic bad-ass American leads whose movies I've been reviewing lately. I have to say this was the most boring movie I've watched in a while. There were a couple interesting parts but they'd be over with after a few seconds and then this movie would go back to a lot of blah blah blah. There was cool car chase scene towards the end but that was really the only thing worth watching in this movie.

Like Dirty Harry, this is another cop that plays by his own rules kind of story it just isn't nearly as exciting. I'm sure there are better Steve McQueen movies out there that I'd enjoy but this isn't one of them. If you're looking for an old school cop movie you'll be better off with the likes of Dirty Harry.


Click here to add this movie to your queue.

This movie will stop streaming on 1/1/2011.

The Standard 5:

Why is it in your queue? Steve McQueen is supposed to be cool, unfortunately this movie is not.

Is it artsy? No.

Best thing about the movie? The car chase, gotta love real American muscle.

What mood should I be in to watch this movie? Either a car chase enthusiast or someone looking to be bored.

What rating did you give it on Netflix? 2 Stars.

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It Happened One Night (1934)

Clark Gable has to be one of the funniest leading men of all time. He just seemed to be a natural smart ass in his films and in this one he can be riotously funny. He paired with Claudette Colbert and director Frank Capra to create a film that was funny, romantic, touching and brilliant. I mean really, how many romantic comedies do you see me reviewing let alone loving? This movie is so good it actually won Oscars for best actor, best actress, best director and best picture. Has that ever happened before or since? That's not rhetorical, I really don't know and I'm too lazy to investigate.

The film is about an heiress whose running away to marry a man that her media tycoon father doesn't approve of. She's not that street-smart and runs into Gable's character who is a bit of a dodgy newspaper man whose going to sell the story of her misadventures to the papers. They of course fall in love en route to New York and have some pretty funny shenanigans along the way. This is a great movie to grab your girl and curl up on the couch with.

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This movie is scheduled to stop streaming on 1/1/2011.

The Standard 5:

Why is it in your queue? I think I got on an add Clark Gable movies kick.

Is it artsy? No, it's just a good movie.

Best thing about the movie? Clark Gable's timing.

What mood should I be in to watch this movie? Looking to score points with the girlfriend.

What rating did you give it on Netflix? 5 Stars!

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The Omega Man (1971)

The novel I Am Legend by Richard Matheson has got to be the greatest book I've never read. It was the inspiration for The Omega Man, the recent Will Smith movie I Am Legend, and the awesome Vincent Price classic The Last Man on Earth. For any other sci-fi novel being the inspiration for three films that range from very decent to great would be a testament to the power and timelessness of your story. This book however was also the inspiration for George Romero's classic Night of the Living Dead and all of the zombie madness that has since followed. I have watched zombies get murdered in countless films, on hit TV shows, prepared for the zombie apocalypse and personally killed thousands of zombies (in video games) and all of it was inspired by Richard Matheson. Now that I'm done man-crushing I'll get back to the regularly scheduled review.

In this incarnation of Matheson's story, Charlton Heston is the last man on earth not affected by the biological war that ravaged America. By day he is free to roam the abandoned streets of L.A. but when night rolls around a group of albino freaks called The Brotherhood come out and try to kill him. Overall, I thought it was a pretty damn entertaining movie but like most films made in the 70's you can tell that they were trying way to hard to be hip. Don't get me wrong, I think it's cool that back then Heston's character had a strong, foxey black woman for a girlfriend but was all the jive talk really necessary? It took something away from it to me and the exchanges between the two characters was mostly awkward and at best corny. I guess they just didn't know how to write for interracial couples back then but they get kudos for trying.

Despite being a little slow in the beginning I will recommend this movie because even if I didn't think it was well done at certain parts it at least kept me entertained.

Click here to add this to your queue.

This movie is scheduled to stop streaming on 1/1/2011.

The Standard 5:

Why is it in your queue? Cool cover plus I saw it was based off of I Am Legend.

Is it artsy? No.

Best thing about the movie? The awkward birth control joke, you'll know what I'm talking about.

What mood should I be in to watch this movie? Looking for some classic sci-fi/horror with a touch of 70's corniness.

What rating did you give it on Netflix? 3 Stars. 

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